uncommonly feeble and random thoughts

Yep, just get a tripod and spend $$ on a camera and $$$ on a lens and fire away, right? Well, maybe.  Here's part the first: Camera, tripod, big-ass lens (can't see it for the camera). Oh and there's the moon. Shot at 7:15 pm on Oct 17, 2024. There are light clouds low, just above the trees. Shot with the phone cam while I was waiting for the clouds to dissipate, or the moon to rise above them. It looked to me that the moon was going to rise above them. In order to get here (finding the moon... I figured out the area from which to search for it on my own), I often use photoephemeris.com which is data-rich and always correct (a moderate learning curve is required): (note, as with all photos on this blog, click to enlarge) My viewing area (the intersection of Norris and W Cutler in DeWitt) was chosen due to the topgraphy looking east (see tripod/cam pic above). A field and no power lines. So the next step is to figure out exposure values. Here's an early test shot, lettin...

( bolded and underlined and blue signifies a link) When in Texas... our first foray was as guests of my HS and lifelong buddy and his wife, also a HS classmate, Marc and Barb (Oates) Knisely. The venue was County Line on the Lake in Austin. I went with the ribs, Linda went with the brisket tacos, and I refrained from photos out of respect for Marc and Barb... great ribs, which I got into for a subsequent breakfast (yup, it's Texas, baby) and the leftover tacos are next up for another breakfast. Our second foray was with nephew and niece Jack and Hanna, who like Barb and Marc are also residents in Austin. Joining us, their parents Jim and Janet, Linda's sister and her husband, who flew in from central Oregon. Jim, Janet, Linda, and I are sharing an Airbnb for the five-day expedition.   So Jack and Hanna took us to Loro Asian Smokehouse and Bar which, again, no photos from me out of an abundance of respect but an amazingly wide variety of combinations and tastes - Q - centr...