Flow - RobertHackneyJr

My friend Sam gave me a CD for my birthday by Robert Hackney Jr. Robert was a good friend when I was living in Raleigh, NC. Anyway, I had not talked to him in a few years and did not know that he had ventured off into the musical world. I must say that I am MOST impressed with his first release, FLOW. Very soulful and eclectic. It is the best music that I have heard in quite awhile.
I let a couple friends listen to it and they were also impressed. My electrician even wanted to know how he could order a CD after listening to it while putting in some new lighting.
Roberto, your fans await you! I can't wait till you are playing in a place near me. Kisses...

seeing spots

This morning while getting dressed, I noticed spots in my mirror. When I turned around, I noticed two fawns and the mom munching in my yard. Since they are rather skiddish, I had to photograph thru the window/screen. Had I opened a door or window they would have been GONE. Oh well, they are still enjoyable to see. Only part of the wildlife found around Honey Creek.

Crop Circle

Having to mow approximately 1.5 acres of my 3 acre parcel, I must say, at times I get bored with it.

When I first bought the house and the new mower [3 years ago], I mowed on Turbo Speed thinking it would get done faster. I went thru 3 sets of blades in 3 mowings since I was not familiar with the terrain. My neighbors got a good laugh at me Galloping around the yard on my new Sears Craftsman tractor. I said, why would they put "Full Speed Ahead" on the mower if I was not allowed to use it? At any rate, I now mow at the fastest "safe mowing speed" and get it done in about 2.5 hours. No new blades now. : )
So, this year I decided to cut in a crop circle that planes could see from above. The area I cut the cirlce in is a field of goldenrod which means that in the coming weeks it will be filled with yellow tufts of pollen sure to please. I am thinking about getting a reddish mum plant to place smack dab in the middle of the spiral so it looks like a bullseye. Not that I really want planes shooting at my target in the front "40" [instead of back forty] but visually it would look cool. Now if I can just find a plane that can fly over so I can photograph it from the air. Surely there must be someone offering airplane rides in the greater Grand Rapids area.

Can you recommend a good lens for shooting? 300mm?

oh cana, you're so fine

Ah, my first cana lilly (from the death and dying rack at home depot). It was a good buy and is Oh, so beautiful.
There is just something about the red. Too bad they won't make it thru the Michigan winters.

A Perennial Cana Lilly would be great. : )

Mushroom from Hell?

Ok, last Sunday morning I woke up to see what I thought was a cat sitting in the backyard. That is not too odd as there are a number of cats that wander into my yard to eat the wildlife around the house. However, I noticed that this one was not moving, so I decided to go out and investigate. What I found was a GIANT mushroom that had formed over night. Check out the pics at flicker.

Aug 6 and the Coast Guard Festival

I started out my day with a stop to a friend's garage sale (where he is always selling something). I found a couple nice end tables and a cast iron frying pan. Then I was off to the Fulton Street Farmers Market and Meijer Gardens to photograph some flowers. After all that, I decided it was a perfect day to drive out to Grand Haven for the end of the Coast Guard Festival. I have a few photos from that event. It was fun to people watch. Vacation photos from Burke's Falls coming soon...

The power of wind

After a day at the office and an evening out, I returned home to find my favorite crab apple tree missing a major artery. How sad it was to pull in my driveway and see the crab apple tree with a limb lopped off from the wind just laying there in the island. We had a bit of heavy rain today, but I do not remember the wind or even lightning.

I do not think the weight of the bumper crop of crab apples took it down. However, it's down. So, I wonder if my friend Mark, who likes to operate my chain saw, would be willing to clean up my poor crab apple tree? Or, would it be a job for the professional tree guys?

On a minor note, my lovely welcome flag is now showing it's age after the storm today -- getting pierced by the same pole that supports it.

Poor old welcome flag...

Trip to the zoo

On Saturday, my friend Linda and her 18 mo. old daughter came over for a visit. It was the first time that I had met her daughter & I'm 18 mo. late with the gift. Since I had never been to the John Ball Park Zoo, I thought it would be fun to go to the zoo with Linda & Em.
Em found her shadow for the first time and we saw lots of animals.

It was a nice way to spend a HOT summer day.

The Jelly Fish were mesmerizing.
It would be great to have a tank of these to relax by... A giant rodent.
A Monkey.
two words for this pic. An Afterthought?

Anatomy of a Lilly

It's a beautiful thing.

Full of pollen and wet with moisture

releasing it's scent to attract the birds and the bees.
What a lovely place to land.

Queen Anne's Lace?

How did this lovely plant get named after Queen Anne?

It looks like a snowflake. A summer snowflake.

They must be hungry

It appears as though the deer have the munchies for my sunflowers that are trying to grow. Hisss. I planted the sunflowers for the pictures, not the deer. Perhaps it is not very nice of me, but... I love sunflowers and want to photograph them! Did you not like the leaves? just the flower bud? Please! Step away from the sunflowers, deer.

A beautiful Storm

We had quite the electrical storm last night. Since it was not yet raining, I thought perhaps I would go out and try to photograph some lightning shots. I am a fan of the bulb setting on my Canon 10D, but had not attempted to shoot lightning. Needless to say, it was a challenge. Just when I thought I was in sync with the storm, the flash of lightning would have come and gone. How do the pro photographers do it? Well, here are 2 of the 3 shots that came out.
It almost looks like it bounced off the tree in this shot. Oh well, it was nice to stand in the dark and watch the storm without getting wet. Yeah for the garage door providing an un-obstructed opening! I wish I had windows that big in my house. I love watching the storms. : )

those that eat bugs

Plenty of dragonflies around honey creek. I love them because they eat other bugs. I thought about naming my place "Dragonfly Meadows" since I see so many of them & the house next to me is "Nut 'N' Honey Acres". What do you think, should I name my place "Dragonfly Meadows"?
May the dragonflies eat more Mosquitoes so I don't have to swat them. I have a few too many welts this summer. (Lovely.)

The frog [or toad] must be happy with the array of bugs I have on the menu at honey creek. Again, I must say, eat more mosquitoes!!

Flowers, no bugs

I am going to try and post more pics. I shoot tons of flowers so, here goes. A few good flower shots and one hummingbird. I hung out on the ground in an effort to get a good pic of the hummingbird(s) that enjoys one of my many feeders. Good thing my neighbors did not come over, they would think I was a freak. Oh well, at least I do not ride around on my tractor with a shot gun like the guy who owned the house before me. I shoot nature to preserve the memory, not to kill it.

Wildlife around HoneyCreek

Here are a few of the images from around the yard in the last couple days. Oh how I wish the japenese beetles would just GO AWAY! They are eating all of my hollyhocks, roses, rose of sharon, echinacea and a few of the other wild flowers around my yard. Bastards! I have used the bug bags in the past, they round 'em up fast and then stink. Oh well. the pics are still nice. The toad was just hanging out with me while I read the Sunday Paper. The caterpillar, although very pretty, was found munching on my crab apple trees. I enjoy Life around honey creek.

Figure 8 Race Pictures

The first race of the season for Figure 8 with his number 42 car seemed to go far better than last year's first race. You go, Hello Kitty Car.

4th of July at the Varner's

Above are 2 of the many photos I took last night at the Varner 4th 'o July celebration. It was great to hang out with the group. With the exception of a little rain, it was a good night. Love the bulb setting on my Canon 10D. Lots of fun to do the night shots.
Tomorrow night is a figure 8 race. Should be interesting.

Memorial Day Weekend - The Fire Pit Project

It has been ages since my last post, but here goes.
My goal this weekend was to install a new fire pit. Not just: pull one out of a box and put it together, but really BUILD one. My sister and brother-in-law gave me the bug to create an official fire pit since they put one in a month or so ago. I am sure that mine will be different since I am not inclined to drive all over town looking for the same type of bricks that they used. However, mine will have a nice look and feel.

I went to the local brickyard and picked out the Antique Red bricks for my project. 32 bricks at 18.4 lbs each; they loaded them into the back of my car and I drove home. Let the work begin.

I unloaded the nearly 600 lbs of bricks and began the process. Burn the old thorny rose brush and begin the dig. And dig, and dig. I can't remember how many wheel barrels full of dirt that I removed but it was a good 600 lbs of dirt. Now, if I was as good as my brother-in-law, I would line the bottom with sand and level each brick then mortar them. However, I am not THAT good. So, I gave it my girl scout try to make it happen. Albeit without levelling or mortar. So far so good. I had friends over last night for the ceremonial burn and it worked great. I had a few suggestions from my friends, but I think most enjoyed it.

So, I am glad that I did not mortar anything yet, because I think another layer of bricks is in order. Check out my pics so far.

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September - last day

I must say that it has been an awesome month here in Michigan. 81% of it sunny and 4 degrees above normal temps for the whole month. It was great. A nice way to end a rather chilly summer season. : ) Onto fall...

Real Estate Update:
The realtors made me an offer for my house although rather pathetic. I guess they think they are the only ones that should make money. Well, sorry, I am not willing to give it away for nothing. My land, my house and I will keep it.
The thing I think is interesting is that the realtor [and her client] who purchased the house next door to me, think that it is now worth $499,000.00 with no improvements. They paid 274,900 for it just a short month ago. The people that sold the house for 274 are still living there until their new house is complete. I wonder if they know what the person who bought the house is trying to sell it for. Ouch, that would have to hurt. I actually hope the realtor is unable to turn it around for 499. I like the old farm house [built in 1876] and the 6-acre horse field between my house and the old farm house.
Is there ever a time when we will stop taking over old farmlands and turning them into 500,000 home subdivisions? Will all the old farmhouses die? Are we all selling out for more money and sacrificing wide open land where the animals wander?

In Ada they have a saying, "leaving ada? take a developer with you!" I am not opposed to progress, but I do enjoy the night sky full of stars, the animals that wander thru my yard, and the ability to be away from the noise of the city. With a bunch of new homes, I think I would lose my night sky and peaceful atmosphere.

callalillies 9.11.04 - copyright artofo