Memorial Day Flyover The House

(The first photo was fuzzy. Click on any photograph to enlarge it)

Ok, I can't do parades even though it was just down the street and hill from us (standing up for a long time, or even sitting, not easy most days due to Orthostatic Intolerance)  Looking over my head is dizzying, too.  Using binoculars gives me motion sickness and so does using a zoom lens (55-300) while hunting for plane formations, I just discovered. Still dizzy but it was worth it!

I heard these engines earlier and missed them due to the over abundance of trees in the back yard (over 80 feet high all along the back property lines!)  They were flying low to the west, we live on top of a hill, and I completely missed them. I was still in bed, drinking coffee so I could get blood pressure high enough to get functional.  

Still, it was worth banging my elbow, grabbing my Nikon and running outside to look.  The second and third times around, I finally found them in my viewfinder and enjoyed the Navy plane, smoke stream included, and the formation by the other three planes. Interesting to note the one plane had it's landing gear down.  The low, loud rumble of a rotary engine could be heard long before they came into view (Hidden by the trees)

Some photos are repeated, using different filters.

 Many guys who flew in these planes, never returned home.  Remember what today is really about.   Memorial Day is about remembrance of those who gave all. 

Fledgling Robin and Mother ( Or Dad

While making my carrot and ginger root juice in the Vitamix, I rinsed out the filter bag in the sink and saw this scene out the window.  They were about 20 feet away and I had to shoot through the window, so sorry if some are a bit digitized looking...but I couldn't resist capturing some of these moments....Excuse the weeds, too ...
**CLICK ON ANY PHOTO to make it LARGER! **
Yosemite Sam Cartoon glass. "Drink this, you mangy varmint!"

There was another fledgling in the back of the yard ...then it flew low to the side of the yard into the honeysuckle.

Flowers in the yard, Birds viewed through my windows

Click on any photo to see if full-sized

Purple and White Irises

 Yellow and Maroon Iris !

 Marsh Wren facing window, but don't think he can see me ... not sure ....

 Marsh Wren with suet in mouth, suet feeder mostly empty, hanging above the hummingbird feeder .....

 Rose breasted Grosbeak

Wren almost crash landing on the Grosbeak just before he took off. Never got a decent photo !@#$%?

Jets at Hamilton-Fairfield Airport

It's rare to see more than one jet on the tarmac at this small airport.  Even rarer to see a Citation X which can be yours for about $25 Million. I went bananas wanting to take photographs so I did from behind the chain link fence.

*Click on any photo to enlarge them*

About 10 yrs ago I was at this same airport, while a friend took a couple folks flying in a single engine plane. I took up conversation with two pilots waiting on their boss to return.  One was friendly and as I asked questions let me see the inside of a Lear jet! This was before I was into photography.  It was small and only held about 6 people besides the pilots. He let me go inside and sit in the pilot seat in the cockpit. Such a thrill that was! This is me in front of that jet, before my housemate took his brother and friend for a ride. I had no idea his brother was snapping photos until i turned around.

Now my goal is to see the inside of a Citation X!

This was another jet that was out there, a smaller one.

Here is a youtube video of the magnificent Citation X machine!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umOsS5ksV_I

Lagniappe at Pappadeaux's

In the bar area, of Pappadeaux's. And a bit of strolling.
Band leader, Chico Converse, is in India for a few weeks, and regular accordionist, Dick Franz, was missing, but the four regulars of Lagniappe: Yvan Verbesselt, John Mooter, Laura Sabo and Raif Faircloth, were joined by Sadie Faircloth on Accordion/Singer and Mike McIntire of Marmalade Brigade on guitar/singer. Great night of blues and other tunes.

Pappadeaux's was busy but the people that work there were all very nice and friendly. It was my first time there.

I accidentally left my zoom lens on the camera but did the best I could.  Will try to remember to switch next time. Zoom lens more fittin' for flowers, squirrels, birds and chipmunks! The lighting was dim on the band after dark and I had to resort to using the flash a couple times which I no longer am a fan of ...I'd rather get a slightly out of focus photo on some shots, and get the natural light.  This can result in a grainy photo due to higher ISO speeds but forces me to get creative.

Lagniappe returns on March 29th to Pappadeaux's in Springdale, 6:00 to 9:00 PM.  See ya there!

Snowy Day While Dogsitting

Ok, I have NEVER been away from home for 8 nights. But I am dog sitting for friends I really like and said I would do it.  But I am missing the creature comforts of my room and my cat kids, bird feeders and up close squirrels. 

I left my good Nikon camera at home and of course, we had a magical fairy tale looking snow last night. I have two old point and shoot cameras. One 10 yr old Olympus, the other a two yr old Olympus. The OLD one takes better pics then the new one but I digress. So I played around with them to amuse myself.

If you look closely in the last picture, you can see a sheltie running at me in the snow. It was before I fed them this morning so he was booking it to get back in.

This tree was gorgeous last night but today very weighed down.

Rocky running towards me in the distance