Chapter 81 - Business as Usual

What can I say. There's no adventure here for me. Just business as usual.

Not that I'm complaining. No, I'm observing, commenting. There it is, there is no more adventure here where I am at. I am, curiously, torn between wanting to go and wanting to stay and it is this indecision that has made my decision.

I run in place. I am moving but not really going anywhere, hence the "Business as Usual" title for this Chapter. And it's an awkward position. Sitting here running in neutral. I can see both sides clearly and yet I can't get myself to move one way or the other.

Ah, well, and life goes on.

As for me that means taking the occasional walk and always, always bring my camera.

Hahaha, I do have an affection for the sunflower.

Hey, remember when I used to do Fun Facts? Hahaha, the glory days of my blog when I actually had at least two people reading it. Well, regardless, I think I will reinstate that tradition again. And let's start with the Sunflower, shall we?

Fun Fact: And this I did not know, like the potato, tomatoes and corn, the Sunny Sunflower is a true North American Native. Since around 3,000 BC, the sunflower has been cultivated for use as a food, as medicine and as an oil. It was the Spanish Conquistadores that spread this flower to the Old World.

Lucky them.

Just trying to be artsy-fartsy. 

Bah, I like it and that's enough to get it a spot here.

Looking at it...and trying to decide whether to keep it or put an end to its misery, I had the thought, I wondered what it would look like in B&W? Maybe that's where I was headed when I originally took it. I do try to think, even without any overt evidence of it, in B&W.

And so I rendered it in ...

... in B&W.

The tones were crisper than I thought they would be but, naturally, I played with them and came up with this. Not worth a whit but, still, there is a potential there. Somewhere. I have to keep believing there is a potential there or else why bother?

You know what I'm talking about.

But I was out walking and enjoying the sights and so let's continue on. I made it to the CHG where I got these pictures.

What a riot of color, eh?

I think I'm so drawn to flowers because they can make even the most mediocre of picture-takers look reasonably passable.

And they're pretty nice to look at.

And the field was ripe. Like these Black-Eyed Susans.

See, it doesn't take a lot of talent, fortunately for me, to take a reasonably good picture of flowers.

Alrighty-roo. Now, just as it has in the past so it will be in the future because to my great amusement I've gotten another camera. Oh, it wasn't any great expense. No, I got it because it was there and because it was for charity. And it was cheap. Like me.

Having established I have a new camera now I will simply say that because the numbering system is different for each camera they will not appear in a strict, chronological order. Also, primarily, because I am too lazy to make the effort to put them in the right order preferring, as is my wont, to simply throw them up and let them land where they may.

Path of least resistance, yada, yada, yada.

And so, armed with my new, and tiny, camera I set out to play with it and see what it was capable of. Sea trials you might say. Run her up to her top speed and see if she holds together or starts taking on water.

I'd actually read a small part of the user manual for this camera, a Canon PowerShot ELPH 170 IS, and knew how to change several of the settings on it. And it was time to let the new kid show me what it could do.

Like this early morning shot taken with the "Poster" setting. Mmmmmmmm, Otay. 

There've been a number of foggy mornings lately. So I thought it'd be useful to 1) get in my walk (which I desperately need to do) and, 2) use the fog to help test out the efficacy of my newest acquisition.

I think this was with "Vivid". And I like it. The muted tones and the general composition of the picture. No awards here but no one taking potshots, either. Course, that's understandable when no one besides me will see it.

The fog lent itself nicely to this B&W shot. The Newbie handled the contrast and the difficult lighting quite well, I think.

A nice moody shot without being mawkish. 

And, you know, I dislike being mawkish.

Having felt good about the shot I must have felt emboldened because I then shot the same scene in color (Standard, I think) and made it horizontal.

I think this subject lends itself more to vertical than the other way. Maybe some cropping would help it more. But, and this is important, I was aware that I was cutting, cropping? out the burst of sunlight at the top of the picture and, thus, changing the composition dramatically.

At least I think it made a difference.

No, this isn't a B&W although I can see where you could be fooled. 

I was just seeing as I walked over towards Carol's place, a natural frame. That's the Pacific Ocean somewhere out there in the mist and distance.

And then I zoomed in a bit playing with the light and got this shot.

It's handy and fun to shoot with a little camera again. I've given away so many of my cameras I've lost track. I never see pictures taken with them. I hope they are being used but I don't expect they are. Well, once I give them to someone that ends my involvement with their use.

Got up to Carol's and got these shots of her orchids...she saved the plant as it was being thrown away. She nursed it back and this is her reward. 

And here you can see the little camera's limitations. It doesn't have good glass and it is limited in its capabilities, abilities. Not impressed with its Macro ability. Plus it doesn't read as well as the other camera in low light while on Auto or Program. It went ahead and pushed the flash on here when I think it might have been better served by adjusting the ISO, aperture or shutter speed. And, honestly, those aren't easy to fool with on this small camera.

Lesson learned.

It was shot with the flash above and here, below, without the flash. Neither is good and only shown here to remind me not to depend on the little camera too heavily. I tend to romanticize new things and ascribe to them abilities they do not possess. I now work at not getting my expectations too high. Safer that way.

And, here, quite correct. 

Walking back after a pleasant conversation and a cuppa with Carol, I passed by the new construction site and decided to get this shot of the old swimming pool I'd discovered recently. 

I've lived here for over three years and never once knew what was behind the wall I would pass often during my walks. 

A pool. First, bad idea for this place. An outdoor pool? Close to the beach where the weather is always several degree cooler than just a quarter mile away along The 101. Just a bad idea. I can see where it was cheaper, once they realized their error, to just fill it up with dirt and hold onto the land for some future project because, regardless of its lack of success as a pool, the land is still located just a stone's throw from the beach. 

Prime real estate, y'all.

I've been fiddling on puzzles off and on. This one was a bit more challenging than others I've worked on lately. It sat on the kitchen table for over a week before I made the final assault against its formidable battlements.

And it was with a sigh of relief along with the sense of accomplishment that I finally put in the last piece of this puzzle.

Ahhhhhhhhhh...

And it was challenging but fun.

A little bit of nostalgia with the decal-laden suitcase. By the by, this artist has a series of these 'Cat' puzzles. But for me it was the detail around the cat that caught my eye.

Of course we won't mention that generally the accepted place for these decals detailing your travel adventures are on the OUTSIDE of the suitcase. This is, and I accept it, artistic license to further the story she was trying to tell.

And I do like the detail she used. The binoculars sitting atop the Bird Journal. Nicely done. Plus the narrow collar helps set the time way back in long-ago days.

But it was the decals inside the suitcase that really sold me. Evidently, this gal has a thing for New England.

Which reminds me of when Mary and I, newly married, set out across Country to go to that little piece of New England Magic called.... New Jersey. 

Hahaha, yeah, when we selected Fort Monmouth, NJ, as our first duty station we thought we were heading to a part of New England. Crappy public education. We were soon abused of that notion, though. 

Hahahaha, our education was definitely broadened living in New Jersey.

Here's the whole picture. I like the placing of the opposites. The Birder with the Cat. 

A man who travels to see birds keeps a cat as his pet. Ah, nicely done.

Now, onto my newly framed pictures. I had these shots printed way back in 2014. I mean that was a significantly long time ago. They've been kept in the same bag as they day I picked them up for all this time stuck someplace in my living space.

All this time it's been my intent to have them framed and put up on my walls but, never happened. 

Until now. I know I overpaid to get them framed but I'm glad I did. Finally. 

Not great art by a long shot but it is my art and I like them.

All taken in Seattle in 2013 or 2014. I think the one on the right down there was taken in 2010. 

Hahaha, I used that one on the right as a blotter for awhile. Decoration for my desk. It was on the wall for a while, too. Stuck up there with BluTac.

These two show the wear and tear of being stored more than the other two but, dammit, I printed them to frame them and now they are....blemishes be damned.

Next time, I'll buy the frame and then have someone just cut the mat for me. 

Because of the fires in the Great American Northwest (and parts of Canada), the air has been hazy and nasty. This was the view one morning when the haze was so thick you couldn't see the ocean. You could hear it, you just couldn't see it.

Alright, time for the heartbreak. 

The New Mexico State Aggies. It was a wonderful season last year. It was fun to have a team that could actually win. And then they went to the Arizona Bowl and won that one, too. It was a magical year.

Expecting the team to come back from that great season ready to play ball, I was actually looking forward to their season opening game with Wyoming...who had been considered as an opponent in the Arizona Bowl.

I called around and found that Aces Sports Bar could and would play ESPN2 where they were televising the Aggies vs. the Cowboys live from Las Cruces. 

I was ready. I got Carol and we ordered Nachos and I got a pitcher of beer and we settled down to watch some exciting football.

And they started out OK. The defense held and it was a 3 and out for the Cowboys. The D was looking good. The stadium was fuller than I've ever seen it for an Aggie Game. It was the home field. It was the game coming off a winning season....it was a mess.

The Old Aggies came back...with a vengeance.

Their offense....oh, wait, the people on the field during the time the Aggies were SUPPOSED to be on offense couldn't do a damn thing. They had 8 yards during the entire First Half.  They got one First Down and that was in the last 10 seconds or so of the First Half.

It was like 2017 never happened. They were terrible. If there was a flag on the ground then it was usually against the Aggies. It sucked.

We left at half time. I'm sorry, but it was pointless. A waste of time. The die was set and the game over before the end of the First Quarter. 

Ah, crap. It's gonna be a long season. And they'll be playing Minnesota next. Coach Martin better fire up his boys because the Cowboys humiliated them...and showed me nothing had changed.

OK, for all of you that want Socialized Medicine. Check out the VA system.

I go to my local Doc, a nice enough guy, and complain about fatigue while walking. He says, "OK" and orders up a stress test. I'm guessing he's the Doc and knows what he needs to do to check me out to ensure the heart is still pumping enough blood or if there is something that needs to be checked on the next level.

I wait for the appointment. I go to the appointment in Portland. And I talk to the Cardiac Doctor who tells me a Stress Test is pointless. After my open-heart surgery I was forever past Stress Tests. No, what I needed and what should have been ordered for me is a Nuclear Test. 

She gave me a choice....take the useless stress test since I was already there for it or bag it and wait for an appointment for a nuclear test.

Duh.

I'm waiting for an appointment for a nuclear test.

And so Carol and I had the morning free in Portland. I had thought about it and decided that if the stress test didn't put me in the hospital like the last one that we might go for a bit of adventure and ride the tram.

And off we went across the SkyBridge.

A view of the terminal for the tram from the bridge that spans the valley between the VA Hospital and the OHSU Hospital.

Another shot of the tram coming up to the hospital.

There's the terminal for the tram system. This is the one up on the hill, by the hospital.

Woo, woo!! Riding the Tram!!

And there it was. After a short wait the Tram arrived and unloaded. We waited for our side to open so we could hop on board.

And we were off. You can see the other terminal at the bottom of the hill plus the Willamette River. Oh, and we'll go over the I-5.

Two Trams passing in the day. It was cool.

As we started down into the terminal there was a bounce and some swing but, really, it was a gentle and smooth ride.

At the base terminal there's a HUGE parking lot for bikes.

There wasn't much down there so we decided to just head on back up. Here's the Tram we rode down in heading back up on another run.

Right there is where you get the bump. When it goes from the steep angle and straightens out a bit. The rocking was minimal but reminded us that we were hanging a pretty good distance up in the air on a cable. Hmmmmmm

And so we explored and watched the operation of the Trams. Pretty simple and straight-forward. And photogenic.

And here comes the tram that will take us back up the hill. Hahaha, keen excitement, eh?

So tickets in hand we were ready for the return trip. I offered to walk back up the hill but Carol wasn't having any part of that deal. And, to be honest, neither was I.

There were plenty of interesting views as we started out. Here's the stairs that lead to a footbridge across the I-5.

And the long view to the hospital. Oregon State University built their Teaching Hospital by the VA so the two could support each other.

And coming into the terminal. It was fun and different. Plus we got some great views of the local neighborhoods from a very different perspective.

And I just liked this logo. Cool. Whoever did this should be the guy to design the new logo for the Space Force Trumps wants to establish. Whadya think? I mean, he's hit it out of the park with this logo.

Well, at the very least I can say I've ridden the Tram in Portland. And it was fun. We barely cleared the door when they started the loading for the trip down.

OK, question!! Where should you stop for lunch after you've just been told a stress test isn't a good idea for you because you've already had your chest cracked open once before?

Give up?

Hellya!! Carl's Jr. Hahahaha, makes sense to me. And so there we were, at the first CJs that we came by.

We both look a lot happier than we did when we went to the stupid Aggie Football Game. A lot happier.

And who wouldn't be happy!! I got the Bacon Western Cheeseburger with an Onion Ring in it between the layers of BBQ Sauce. With an order of fries on the side.

Mmmmmmmmmm, ga-udddd.

And they were some good fries. Beat the hell outta the thing they serve at the In 'N Out. By a long shot. Whenever we get up around McMinnville way or out towards Portland we usually stop at a CJs.

And just because I could. Look at that!! Gas only $2.93 a gallon. Take that California!!

Hahahaha. and the other, best part was that I got something like 47.5 miles to the gallon. Smart driving and a hybrid. Hooah!!

We stopped by to see Kathy and took a short walk around her place. The views are great.

And she had loads of apples and pears. Always.

A beautiful day with me trying to be artsy. And failing.

But I'll keep trying.

Boom!!

Ok, the South Willamette Valley Honor Flight group held a golf tournament and silent auction. Don wanted to go down and I figured since I am taking the trip with them in October, I'd go and support them.

A good organization, they've built this into a very strong force for good in the community. Plus, this year it was a free lunch, literally. That made it even better. Great tasting burgers and hot dogs along with salads and ice cream.

The meal was good. The jokes during the awards for the golf tourney were bad but everyone enjoyed themselves.

And they had all the things for sale in the silent auction outside under those little tents.

This one quickly caught my eye and I, after two bids, jumped the price from $10 to $20. Hey, it's for charity, right!?! And any boy would want a second camera, too.

So I bid and then this jerk Jayme bids me up by $1. So I bid again and this jerk, Jayme, bids me up again. I finally got it with a bid of $35. Still a great price and it was for charity, too.

Hahaha, a winner all the way around.

And as I was walking back to my seat after my last bid, I saw this hat had NO bids. I just wrote down $5 to spark interest and ended up getting the cap for just $5.

When I go on the trip Chris will be my Guardian. He gets a T-Shirt but no cap, like I do. Now he'll have a cap.

And I'll have another camera to play with. I was really glad that I went.

The first picture. It's not great but I knew it was a cheap camera going in. You don't get great glass for $35. You just don't.

From heartbreak and despair to fun and joy.

On our way back from the Honor Flight event, we swung by the Day Camp our Pack was attending near the Newport Airport.

You can always tell when our Pack is around...from the banner to the orange shirts, we stand out.

They had a great two day event for the Cubs. In this event they were making something with 2-liter bottles. I don't know what as we didn't stay too long and didn't get to see what they ended up with.

And, this. 

I was bored one evening and got the idea I could do a sort of a collage from the recent Cub Summer Camp. It was a small challenge and came out much better than I expected.

So you can assume you'll see more of these in the future. 

Bet on it.

And puzzles. This one was kinda cool. It's a family puzzle with the right side composed of large pieces for the kids and the left side much smaller pieces for the adults to put together. 

Then, once it was together, well, you'll see.

It was a fun puzzle with its silliness built right in.

From wizards and Frankenstein to some fun in Outer Space. This puzzle hit them all. Plus it had the 'other' thing, too.

Once you were done, you then had to find the "Missing Pieces" hidden in the puzzle. After you and the kids get done then you both start looking for the items in the 'Puzzle Picture Hunt.'

And, yeah, I spotted them while I was putting it together but neat idea for some family fun.

Leaving the puzzles behind, I went for a walk. I've been by this place plenty of times but I never looked too closely. Today I just happened by at the right angle and saw this and came over to get a shot. What a welcoming front door for a motel on the beach.

Someone put in some serious effort on this one.

And these were nearby. 

This unusual color was from one of the creative options on the camera. Neat stuff. Don't know, though, if I am pleased with it. I'm still trying to decide if I like it or not. What do you think? Seems contrived...and, honestly, I expect the flowers to look differently. I think, maybe, I don't care for it.

OK, again, I shot creative here. I don't remember what this one was...I should really carry a notepad or a tape recorder so I can keep track of what I am shooting at, you know, the aperture, shutter speed and so on. But this was interesting.

First, the composition was more pleasing on the page than I thought it would be. I really like the cut-off chair set against the wall with the large potted plant next to it.

But I think I prefer the next one better. 

The colors are natural and, to me, more pleasing. Again, it's the composition. The arrangement of the two subjects...actually three counting the wall...all together.

I like the idea of experimenting but I am generally not a fan, not at all, of the results. Gotta say, I like this arrangement much better. The colors make it. I would have liked the green to be a bit deeper but you takes whats you gets.

Same day, same walk, heading up the street I saw this guy checking me out. 

I do like the idea of sharing the city with deer. It's always a pleasant surprise. Haven't liked the two or three times they've jumped out in front of the car but, generally, I enjoy seeing them hanging around. 

He took off down the street to the left in this picture and I, well, I followed him but he was long gone by the time I rounded the corner.

Zoom lens. He looks a lot closer than he really is.

Plus, I tarried to get this picture of the rose.

I think I gravitate towards 'natural' still lifes. Is that such a thing? I do a lot of flowers but I am also looking for arrangements like the chair and potted plant above. Maybe I am partial to still lifes.

I think so.

Like this. I had this on "Poster" I think. Regardless, it is an interesting 'composition'. I'm liking that term, "composition," the way in which a whole or a mixture is made up.

The fires to the north have affected even LCO. The air has been hazy lately. 

It was so bad, it's even affected the sunsets.

You get a feel for how bad it was from these two shots. The fires are in BC and Eastern Washington with the wind carrying the smoke south into Oregon. There are some smaller fires in Oregon that are contributing to the overall malaise.

Fortunately, like most everything in life, this was temporary. It's passed by now and good riddance.

Carol and I went to this show at the Chessman.

You get the idea behind the exhibit from its title, "60 Works in 60 Days" what the motivation was in this show. I don't know. I didn't care for the idea. I felt it forced the artists to do 'something' daily just to keep to their schedule. 

For me there were some interesting works but, generally, it seemed forced.

There were two artists and two styles of work on exhibit. Here the artist took the same theme and rendered it in two different, but related, styles. It seemed gimmicky to me.

The artist that did the watercolors did an original scene each day. Lots of still-life subjects. But, again, after a while it seemed contrived, forced. Like she was checking off another chore for the day.

Interesting challenge to improve your art but, I don't know, it didn't reach me.

This was my favorite of the show. And, surprisingly, I believe it was one of the later works she did in her '60' days challenge. I was thinking her work was becoming more trite as the days worked on but then she produced this one which struck a chord with me.

Well, what'cha gonna do?

From one beach scene to another. Out for a drive with Carol, we stopped by Regatta Park just because it was the first nice day with clear skies after all the smoky haze.

And it was a pleasant view of the beach and the lake.

Then we saw these two large birds far across the lake. We both thought they were a pair of Ospreys but when I got back and downloaded the pictures I found they were just two very large gulls. 

But, honestly, the way they were swooping and flying across the lake suggested ospreys. Yeah, we were both disappointed.

But I know this is a mallard. Hahaha, fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice and I ask Carol to make sure. There were two females there scavenging for food. You can see the second one just in the right corner. Her head was down.

Hahaha, it is tough for me to get a picture of a bird in flight. Especially when I have the camera zoomed out the least little bit. 

I stay at it figuring that it is a learned skill. Plus, everybody has got to get lucky once in a while, right? And I did get lucky with the faux ospreys...a couple times.

Everyone's got to get lucky once. I don't count on it and that is why I call any of these a "Happy Accident." 

And I keep on trying.

And those pictures reminded me of another Gull Picture I'd taken four or so years ago. I recently rediscovered it when I downloaded all the 'sticks' I had stored my pictures on to the one device that Allie had bought for me.

I like it despite its flaws.

And this one. Just an interesting composition what with the placement of the subject and the colors. The set of the wings helped a lot, too.

And one of my favorites. A gull in flight with Seattle in the background. The evening sky helped in this shot.

A little trip down memory lane.

And, staying on Memory Lane, on August 30, I put this picture up on FB. I graduated from Boot Camp on August 30, 1966, just 52 years ago. 

Ah, what I wouldn't give to go back to that moment and hug my Mom and Dad.

And while I was rummaging around in the old photos I found this one of a random house in a Seattle neighborhood. Would you call this a "Still-Life"? Very static, I am beginning to see a trend in my photography....or should I say, my picture-taking.

And this one is static as well, It has animated subjects but they are still, becoming part of the landscape, part of the still-life.

Another favorite of mine. I am taken by its colors and the way the figures play out in the overall scene. I wonder what these two were up to that day way back in 2010.

So there it is. Business as usual. And I am discovering my 'usual' by writing in this silly blog.

But I am going to step out of "business as usual' with the close of this chapter. I rarely used another person's pictures for my quote shots. This one was different and I'm glad I did it.

Carol shared this picture she had taken with me. I liked it and so I searched out a quote that I felt would be meaningful to her and put it to the picture.

I think this worked. I hope she enjoyed it as much as I did in putting these two things together.

I hope my circle is increasing in value. I'm not sure.