jgrussell – my world

Got out to play with the new toy this afternoon, and was surprised to see this sun dog …

Sun dog

You have to wonder just what exactly caused this crack in the gate at the office building…

The gate

I’m never entirely sure how it happens when I manage to snag one of the cats in a quiet moment. Ciara in particular is almost always in motion, so catching her relaxing is a treat. And she is such a beautiful cat…

Ciara, October 2009

… at least when she’s not demonstrating how very funny she can look with her great big belly and her little short legs…

Ciara's favorite position

Why do I have to have so doggone many of THESE in my yard???

Rock pigeon

There’s been a lot of talk in news reports about how the bad economy is going to affect holidays this year. The bit prediction for Halloween is that people are going to return to really traditional decorations — pumpkins and candles — and very few of those. In particular, the pundits say, people will not be spending the money to buy or even maintain those silly yard blow-ups.

Well… sigh… somebody in my neighborhood didn’t get the word.

Silly yard blow-up

Happened to glance out the office window not long before leaving for my class on Monday the 5th… and the opening lyrics of Dan Fogelberg’s “In The Passage” flashed through my mind…

“There’s a ring around the moon tonight,
And a chill in the air…”

October moon

Sunday the 4th was an absolutely gorgeous day in this area — clear, warm, sunny. So I decided to get out and play with the new camera. Went for the first time to a place called the Dismal Swamp in Edison. It’s nice, small, an easy hike. For the longest time, there was very little real activity — a downy woodpecker here, a red-bellied woodpecker there… Finally, I was on the red trail, paralleling that part of Tyler Road, and this amazing bird flew into my view and started playing “king of the hill” on a pole top (the other competitors were a northern flicker and a blue jay). This one won:

American kestrel

I’m sold. The 7D is just too much fun.

The colors are incredibly vibrant:

Sidewalk flowers

Even when it’s drizzling and nasty out…

No parking!

You can crop to an extreme degree and still get a decent shot…

Geranium buds

Even with (sigh) the usual backyard bandit.

Backyard bandit

It’s here it’s here it’s here it’s here… Am I excited about my new Canon 7D camera? Noooooooo not me. Not more than a five-year-old on Christmas Eve, that is.

First off, it’s gorgeous:

The new toy

And it has wonderful clarity in the images, even at very high ISOs:

Grass at ISO6400

Ciara yawning - ISO3200

And under ordinary shooting conditions, it’s just terrific:

1180 Raymond Boulevard

Lights outside the office

Today was the first pick-up day for the fall share at the organic farm (and yes, I know… I know… I’m way overdue for an update). Stopped by the farm, got my goodies, and this shack caught my eye…

The shack