Category: outdoors

Daily Doggo

ruminator
A serendipitous capture of The Girl apparently sticking her tongue out at me. Shot with Olympus TG-7 and SOOC.

We are hiking up near Spooner Summit on USFS lands these days. The heat, ticks, and other hikers drove us from our routine at Silver Saddle Ranch to elevation. Well, mostly it was the ticks that made me move higher.

Ticks are exceptionally bad this year. In fact, it is the worst that I recall. I am not sure exactly why this is the case nor do I know if this is an anomaly, a periodic occurrence, or a trend. I just know that I removed more ticks from her (and me) this year than any other I recall.

The hikes up near Spooner are better for me anyway. I thought that she needed to walk on the flat as she still favors the injured leg. But, her vet assures me that her surgery is healed. So, her favoring of that leg must be residual soreness or psychosomatic. She hurt for so long that it might have become habit.

She loves the Spooner hike. There are abundant chipmunks to entertain her. I am still reluctant to let her chase hard and I am also reluctant to let her get more than about 30 meters from me. The last year and change of rattlesnake and coyote encounters has me gun shy.

I am carrying my milsurp Patrol Pack II. I have two canteen pouches affixed to the sides. Each of these will hold a 1 liter Nalgene bottle nicely. I keep a few emergency items in the pack as well, just because.

I am carrying the little Olympus TG-7 on these walks now. I want to familiarize myself with the camera (learn to use its features). That means practice. I have field work coming up and that will mean putting this equipment to work. That is the reason I bought it.

On this particular outing she asked for water at our turn-around. I always pause at this location for a water break anyway. She loves to roll around in the DG and gave me the look in the header image. I was ready and made the capture.

The little Olympus makes better images than I expected. They are far superior to the Panasonic ZS-40 that I used to use. That camera, while handy, is not well-suited to field work and does not make very good images.

I love the look The Girl gave me. Well, I love The Girl.

I am grateful. Life is good.

Tri-X Film Simulation

ruminator
Granite found along the trail, Toiyabe National Forest. Shot with Fuji X-T5 and Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 at f/4. In camera conversion to Tri-X 400 film simulation.

I made this capture a year and change ago. We were hiking, probably up near Spooner summit. I came across this bit of granite and decided that the play of light and shadow was interesting. So, I made the capture.

I know that I was playing with some of the film simulations one can readily program into Fuji cameras. I think that the color capture was not what I was looking for.

So, a black and white film simulation it is.

It was a good day. Today is a good day. Life is good.

US-11125 Blue Slip Tower Site

ruminator
The road to the tower site. Shot with iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Last year we activated a number of parks while staying with my Springfield, MO, contingent of kids. The Girl and I drove out to activate the Blue Slip Tower Site, US-11225, during our stay. This is one of the newly added state conservation areas. These are small plots acquired by the state and used by citizens for a variety of outdoor activities.

They are always fun to activate. There is usually an opportunity to get in at least a short hike as well.

Sera On Overwatch

ruminator
Captured on walkies out at Silver Saddle Ranch with the Fujifilm X100V 23mm f/2 at f/8 using Reggie’s Portra film simulation.

I made this capture of Sera hunting last summer. There was something moving about in the weeds/irrigation ditch that caught her attention. I do not recall what it was, but it was probably some California Quail, which frequent the area.

Memorial

ruminator
This memorial by someone who lost a beloved furry friend here still stands, years after the incident.

I am going through my image archive (my weblog image library) and am posting some images made, uploaded, but never posted.

This capture is of the memorial to Squirrel, a little dog lost in an attack by two larger dogs at the Station 51 Park where I used to take Ki, a lot. It was first constructed years ago, long before Sera came to live with me. It is still there, although I do not know who maintains it. But it does get some love now and again as others, sensitive to the loss, contribute a bit of something or pull weeds.

I did not record what camera I used to make the image.

Desert Peach

ruminator
The Desert Peach is in full bloom. Shot with Fuji X100vi using the in camera Velvia film simulation. I did some light post-processing using PhotoLab 7.

After a full day of work, yesterday, The Girl and I finally headed out for a hike at Silver Saddle Ranch about 1715h. This is late for us, but the Sun was really warm yesterday and I did not want The Girl to overheat. I noticed some heavy clouds to the south and paused at the rig to check the weather before we left. Light rain was forecast for the next hour.

“I guess we’ll get wet,” I said to The Girl.

Sure enough, as we drove to the upper staging area, the sprinkles started. I made her contain her excitement while I retrieved a packable puffy I keep in the back of the rig. It was not particularly cold, but I knew the light jacket would shed most of the rain.

Prepared, I got her out, grabbed my camera, and we headed out. We had the place to ourselves. No one else wanted to hike in the rain.

The Girl chuffed and sniffed (on lead, of course) as we walked south. I did not really expect any critters, but I simply do not trust her to stay out of trouble.

The rain came a little harder for a bit. She paused to shake now and again, but did not ask to return to the rig. Neither of us minded a little rain to close out the week. The jacket kept me mostly dry.

The Fuji X100vi is waterproof with a filter affixed to the lens. I have had a filter affixed to the lens since I got the camera. I often use a light diffusion filter at night or indoors, but use a UV filter during daylight hours. A diffusion filter can really drop contrast if the sun shines on the glass.

As we neared the end of the hike, the shower passed off to the north and a bit of Sun peeked through the clouds. That lit up the vegetation wonderfully. So, I took advantage of the serendipity (the moment, not The Girl) and paused for a few images. I think some of them are decent.

We then hiked the couple-hundred feet back to the rig and mounted up. I decided to go by DQ for a bite of supper (cheeseburger, fries, and small Blizzard), all of which were shared with The Girl. She was a little grabby with the fries, so I had to correct her.

We then headed back toward the house, with a stop at Costco to refuel the rig. It was a good day. I am grateful.

Life is good.

Purple

ruminator
While working my way over to the Re-Signed site, these purple flowers jumped out at me. Captured with the Fujifilm X100vi and the in-camera Velvia film simulation, with minor adjustments in post.

It was a very cloudy morning here in Carson City, Nevada. But, The Girl and I had to get out for morning walkies and I had a short break between morning meetings. So, we walked one of our local circuits so she (and me) could get a little exercise.

Along the path I came across this flowering tree. With the overcast, the colors really pop. The Velvia film simulation just increases the pop.

So, I paused and made the capture.

We then finished our walk and I made my next meeting. There is another new project for me to work on this year.

I am grateful. Life is so very good.

Daily Image: Stacked

ruminator
Captured on walkies with The Girl. Shot with Fuji X-T5 and Fujinon 60mm f/2.4 at f/4, in-camera Velvia film simulation (factory) with light post.

I had The Girl out Sunday morning (as usual) for exercise. She is recovering and seems to be more like herself every day. I still give her a dose of Carprofen at night because she sometimes seems sore.

This stack of pallets caught my eye (hat tip to Wife) and so I paused to make an image. It being Sunday, there was no traffic at the business nor on the street in this industrial area.

Life is good.

Last Winter

ruminator
I think I made this capture using the Contax TVS on Kodak Gold 200. But, the truth is that I do not remember. I am not even sure of the location, except that it was in Southwestern Missouri on a road trip to Arkansas for the day.

Older Son and DiL had a day off while I was there early this year. We took the day to drive down to Johnsonville, Arkansas (I think) to go to the Duluth Trading Post store and to go the kids’ favorite bookstore there.

On our way to Arkansas, I noticed this state park. I cannot remember the name. It was cold but not frigid. The Girl wanted out. Although there was a leash-law posting, there was nobody around the park. So, we carried a leash, but we let her run off-lead.

I also cannot remember what camera I carried. At first I thought it was the little Contax TVS. But as I write I am not so sure. It might have been the Nikon F2 and now I think it was.

It was cold. The head was closed. But, it was still a good day. And, the capture will do.

Life is good!

Berries: Sony A7Sii and Fujinon 55mm f/3.5 Macro

ruminator
Test shot of berries on some landscape shrubbery. Shot with the Sony A7Sii and a Fujinon 55mm f/3.5 Macro lens at f/8.

On Monday I carried the Sony A7Sii with an old Fujinon 55mm f/3.5 Macro affixed to the camera. It was a test run with a lens my buddy Jimmy loaned me. I made a few captures on walkies and shared one of a yellow jacket and rose a couple of days ago.

On our circuit through Carson City to the Station 51 park and back, we came across a shrub (“Bring me a shrubbery!” — IYKYK) covered in orange berries. I doubt they are edible or the birds would have carried them off. But, the color made for an interesting capture with a macro lens.

The Girl sniffed around a bit as I worked the subject. It was a quiet day on the Nevada DOT grounds. The overcast made the orange really pop.

The subject worked, The Girl and I made our way home to get on with our day — she a long drink from her bowl and a nap… me with a dry shirt and a push on some paying work.

It was a good day. Time spent with The Girl is time well spent. Life is good.