Archive for ‘April, 2009’

Terk

Meet “Terk” – officially: Terk HDTVa Indoor Amplified High-Definition Antenna for Off-Air HDTV Reception. I don’t actually have a TV that is HD. But, saw this thing and decided to try it – nothing said it didn’t work with non HD TVs. And, it works! I could get satellite TV at my home but choose not to. The motorhome gets all of the local networks on its antenna. Several rabbit ear as well as higher tech UHF/VHF antennas in the house had very limited success. But Terk…he works and I get all in the house that I do in the motorhome.

Terk was delivered via UPS this afternoon. It was timely. I was a bit under the weather today – feeling better after an afternoon nap, but definitely a low productivity kind of day and I’m thrilled that I can “camp” in the bedroom this evening with the distraction of tv and a fire in the adjacent living room crackling merrily away.

It flurried off and on today, but the temperature rose to 47 this afternoon and between snow showers there was sunshine. Above: my view from the bedroom.

Bob was impressed with everything…

Back to Montana Spring

There is nothing wrong with my camera. That white stuff blurring the trees, it is snow. There were a few flurries late morning. That is not unusual and rain/snow mix was forecast with the cold front that dropped down from Canada this morning. But the wind picked up, the snow picked up and it came down fairly heavy. The wind was so loud in the trees that Karl would not go outside. I opened the door, he laid his ears back and refused to budge.

Just for the record, this morning was the first day that all the snow was gone from the front yard…

One of my lilac bushes. The white blotches are spider’s webs that today, caught snow. There were ground webs in the woods catching snow as well. I’ve never seen that before and we are prone to the occasional flurry in April, May and last year as late as June 10. June snow is a bit rare – last year was the second time since I moved here in 1994. It almost always snows, at least in the mountains, on Memorial Day weekend. But, this time of year, except for the possible damage to new plants and eventually the cherries, I don’t mind the occasional “winter” day knowing it will be short-lived and we’ll get back to spring.

It was a good day to fire up the woodstove and enjoy a day of crackling warmth. I need to get the front porch wood carrier empty so I can prep and paint…someday.

The sun is back out, it is still much colder than it has been, but is nearly 40 at 5:30 p.m. If the weather people are right, the worst of the snow will be in southwest Montana, the high elevation areas: Bozeman, Butte, Anaconda – along the Continental Divide. We are to be cold, mostly cloudy and hopefully at least a bit of rain until late next week and cooler than normal through the first week of May.

Our premature summer is over and we are back to Montana Spring.

Wayfarer’s on a Spring day

Looking from the west end of the “beach”, the location of the boat ramp, back towards Bigfork Bay (under the Bridge).

No snow, no ice, low water, beautiful day.

Handy to have a lake for a warm dog to get a drink.

I so missed my chance. This eagle was sitting quietly in a tree near where I was standing. I had been watching as I see a young eagle here fairly often and have a photo from last year: On Eagle’s Wings

I happened to look up. But I didn’t have my camera out. I tried for the in-flight but I was hurried. You can tell it is a Bald Eagle and it is in the process of maturing – more white than last year, though.

Gear down!

Flathead Lake, Wayfarer’s State Park – April 22, 2009.

A closer look at Spring

Brand new larch needles up close. I wish they were sharper…this macro stuff is tricky. The macro converter and a long lens turn the camera into a microscope. And if you remember from biology class, a microscope has dials for very small adjustments to bring what you are looking at into focus. Therein lies the challenge for me with macro photography. They make special tripods and/or tripod adapters that put the camera on “rails” for very small adjustments. The difference between sharp focus and blur is minute. Great light is a help. I was trying to work with this stuff where it grew but the slightest – and I do mean slightest – movement of me or the branch…

I cheated and cut. I did stay outside but that is as close to “capturing it live” as I got.

The new larch needles come in in clusters, looking like miniature paint brushes. From a distance, the trees start showing a neon green glow as needles become more prominent.

The other sprouting I’ve been keeping an eye on is my lilac bushes. I laughed with amazement when I saw the bud up close through the camera…

The purple! – the beginnings of the purple blossom are already evident, but not to the naked eye.

What fun to have a closer look at Spring.

Back on the Mountain Loop

Our part time neighbors have gone back to their full time home so Karl and I walked our mountain loop this evening. The snow is gone, the larch are preparing to burst forth with new spring green needles, the floor of the path is gradually greening up.

It was good to see the familiar views back on the mountain loop.