Friday, February 22, 2008
Lunar Eclipse
I took these photos the night of the lunar eclipse using our Canon digital camera. I'm not good at using a tripod (especially with a moving object) so I held the camera in my hands while using other immovable objects for support.
At first I was able to use the post on the front porch as support.
As the moon progressed across the heavens I lost that option and began to use my knees while sitting on cold cement.
The photos below are a couple of the bad ones I didn't delete... Yea, right! They're all bad huh? I just had to include them.
This one shows two stars on either side of the moon.
Notice the 'jiggle'.
The line of light at the bottom is a car passing by on Wawawai while the aperture was open on the camera. All of the exposures were long.
It is my understanding there won't be another lunar eclipse like this for two years. Maybe I'll learn to use the tripod before then.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
The Common Teasel - Dipsacus fullonum
I don't necessarily like them (they are prickly) but they are pretty in snow.
I think you may see them on E-Bay next fall. Roger wants to sell them as Christmas decorations. If it works we'll be rich... yea right!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
A Walk to the Falls
(aka Completing our Cardiovascular Exercise for the Day).
In keeping with the alternative power idea we are monitoring the flow rate on the seasonal stream on the south side between the house and the barn. The small tributary runs west to east. When it meets the creek the water is then carried northward. The snow is really beginning to melt and the run off is amazing at the top of the falls.
Top of the Falls................About Midway Down
We will not be doing anything with the stream this year; just monitoring the flow rate and the length of time the stream actually contains water.
Though the 5 gallon bucket fills within a matter of seconds the amount of water coming out of the pipe Roger installed is nothing compared to what is coming over the falls. It appears that the water seeps into fissures of the basalt as it progresses down toward Union Flat Creek. Comparatively little of it actually makes it to the creek via the eastward flowing stream.
The headwaters of the stream begin at the little dip in the photos above. You can see Roger standing at the top in the photos below (just for size reference). The falls is actually falling behind the snow mass you see in the photos. That's a lot of frozen water up there.
Roger.......................Me...............................Nobody
If we are able to lease the property surrounding the stream we can begin plans to install the necessary equipment to generate power from the seasonal runoff.
Not this year though. This is shaping up to be 'A New Project'.
The snow is really beginning to melt.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
THE ROAD TO FREEDOM
Hurray for neighbors. Gerald Henson our neighbor about a mile to the north came to our rescue yesterday with his backhoe.
Notice the fence posts in the third photo.
And, last but not least, Roger managed to snap this photo of one of the quail families that come down to feast under the bird feeder.
Hurray for neighbors. Gerald Henson our neighbor about a mile to the north came to our rescue yesterday with his backhoe.
Digging us out was not an easy task. After he finished our long drive way he drove across the street to clear the neighbors drive. Try to find someone like that in So. CA people. You would starve to death waiting for help from most neighbors there.
The path was not real wide but wide enough to get the car through. Notice the mailbox... Oops! I think it's buried under the snow. It's that little dot all the way on the left in the second photo. You might be able to make out the top (if you look hard). You think maybe that's why we have received no mail since Monday?
We shot these photos from the car on our way into town. I know this looks pretty desolate but it does have a beauty to it (Plop in a few palms and it's like a white sandy beach in the Caymens only in snow).
Notice the fence posts in the third photo.
And, last but not least, Roger managed to snap this photo of one of the quail families that come down to feast under the bird feeder.
It really has been a good day.
Friday, February 01, 2008
A Winter I Wonder What I was Thinking Land
We've just had the worst snow storm in the Palouse in the last 10-15 years. At least that is what we have been told. We've only been here 2 1/2 years and I can guarantee that it is the worst we've experienced so far.
We're snowed in at the moment. Roger's little tractor won't handle the load so we will be waiting until the (overworked) county road crew can get to our little street.
The snow is pretty though.
This was the sunrise the day of the storm.
We've just had the worst snow storm in the Palouse in the last 10-15 years. At least that is what we have been told. We've only been here 2 1/2 years and I can guarantee that it is the worst we've experienced so far.
We're snowed in at the moment. Roger's little tractor won't handle the load so we will be waiting until the (overworked) county road crew can get to our little street.
The snow is pretty though.
This was the sunrise the day of the storm.
After the storm began. If you look closely you can see the snow falling.
