Experimenting

 Trying different camera apps and conversions with my new-to-me iPhone that is a hand-me-down from my wife.  Nothing really noteworthy with this post.  Mainly wanting to see how they appear on Blogger.  These are straight out of the iPhone.

iPhone Camera

Awesome Camera app

Vintage B&W app

iPhone Camera photo converted with Vintage B&W app

Awesome Camera app converted with Vintage B&W app

iPhone Camera photo converted with photo program

iPhone Camera photo as above with clarity and sharpening adjustments

A New One For Me

How many times have I walked by a log thinking this was a fallen dried up leaf?  I wish I had taken a photo of it from a distance so that you could see how well this fungi is disguised. 

This one, the sunlight was upon it some showing the transparency of the fungi.

Spider webs never seem to come out as nice as they look in real life.  

Spider web photography must be a whole other science in itself.

If we huddle together, no one will see us.

Forest Coral

This fungi reminds me of coral in the oceans

This mushroom shows you don't need damp soil from which to grow.  

He was sprouting right from the bark of a fallen tree.

I believe this one will kill you for sure if eaten.  

I treat all the mushrooms I photograph as if they are deadly.
What do I know?  Nothing.

Turkey Tails

These are probably the most colorful Turkey Tail fungi I have yet to come across

A small sculpture from Nevada that hasn't anything to do with Turkey Tail fungi

This is linked to Weekly Top Shot

Flea Market Finds

Anyone have one of these as I child?  I didn't but I'm sure they were fun.

This accordion was a beauty and sounded very nice too.  At one time I could play an accordion...kind of.

I've not seen a bicycle quite like this one.  Smaller size, hard rubber tires, lever brake and the front sprocket with every other tooth means it is quite old, turn of the century.  The last century.  Yes, the seat is missing.

Painted Windows

Jud, North Dakota

My post the other day with the old car had a painted window with chickens in it and here is a close-up of that window and the other window on the building.

The building they were on.

This store front in town also had painted windows, most likely by the same artist. 

 A nice way to spruce up empty looking windows.

Notice the stamped metal wall covering. 

This is linked to Oakland Daily Photo Monday Mural

Cute as a Button...

...and about the same size too.

This is linked to Macro Monday

I Won the Lottery!

I was reading a news article about a Missouri couple who won half of the $587 million Powerball jackpot back in November.  They collected $136.5 million after taxes.  What makes this couple different from most is they continue to live modest lives giving most of the money back to their community.  The article went on to tell about other lottery winners whose lives really go bad after winning and many lose all of the money in a matter of years.  Here is the link to the article (if the link works).  

I don't buy lottery tickets.  I've always felt a person has a better chance robbing a bank and getting away with it than winning anything to speak of through a lottery.  Also I feel money causes problems.  Well, the lack of money does too but that's not my point.  I wouldn't want all that money.  Why I'd have to figure out what to do with it all.  I don't need the stress.  What I would like to see with these lotteries is instead of a $587 million jackpot, how about 587 million dollar winners?  Or 1174 half million dollar winners?  Just imagine how $100,000 could help 5870 people.  Spread it around.  $100,000 I could manage.  Why I might even buy a lottery ticket then.

Timing is Important

My previous post was intended for this morning but while working on it, previewing it and editing it, I accidentally clicked on the "publish" button and there it was out there in the blogsphere.  By then it is too late.  Sure you can delete them but it is still there in the "blogs I follow" lists of all your followers.  They click on it only to find there's nothing there and wonder what the idiot is up to.  Thanks to a tip from TexWisGirl, the smart woman that she is, this will never happen to me again.  

Then there is the post before that one, about typewriters, aliens and landfills.  Well that was suppose to show up in the wee hours of yesterday morning before everyone had got up out of bed for their morning cup of coffee.  Well, when I here on the west coast got up for my coffee, no one had seen it or commented.  I had forgot to set the scheduled posting time.  Grrrrr... So both posts received very few views which is what the title of this post is all about.  

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

  

Save Me!

Jud, North Dakota

Jud is the little town in nowhere's North Dakota where I was able to get dozens of mural photos.  Every available space in this little town of less than 100 had a mural, even vacant windows on barns and sheds.  The chicken wire is a nice touch.  But this post is about the car.

A 1940 Chevrolet two-door sedan, Master Deluxe I believe.  Top of the line and this one came with added accessories.  This beauty needs to be back on the road, as is.   

Fossilized Typewriters

Do you ever think about tens of thousands of years from now all of the things we've left behind here and there and in landfills being unearthed by who knows whom or what, and how they may try to piece together the society that once was and the conclusions they may draw?

Take a Plunge

In putting together yesterday's post, laying out the maps to take the photo I see a North Carolina map.  Hmm...forgot I had sent off a request to them also.  Must have considered going there also?  So I have a bit more research to do just in case I do decide to venture up north some.  All the comments from yesterday were positive which surprised me a bit.  Thank you.  Around here when I mention my planned destination, eyebrows go up.  Must be a California thing that I am not afflicted with.  Movies like Easy Rider and Cool Hand Luke left an impression upon my friends I suppose.  One thing I thought would be neat to do is swim in the Atlantic Ocean.  Is the water there (South Carolina) as cold as the Pacific?   If so, the swim will be as quick as a baptism. 

Doing Research

Our upcoming road trip will take us through the Deep South, The Land of Dixie.  I am planning on leaving the last week of March.  Meanwhile I've been doing my homework - research.  Just like the Great Plains Trip, our route will be dictated by the weird and unusual that can be found along the back roads America. The adventure will really begin as we pass through lower Oklahoma into Arkansas, down into Louisiana then east through Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, up into the Carolinas then west through Tennessee.  I sent off to the states for their visitor packets which all came back with a road map except Alabama.  Times must be really tough for Alabama.  The maps come in handy to circle the towns with kooky things to see from my print-outs and then our route is decided.

By chance one day I came across one of those news articles - the Ten Most Dangerous Towns in the U.S., or highest murder rate per capita, or most crime ridden, something along that line.  Anyway, 6 of those 10 were in the South.  Pine Bluff and Little Rock Arkansas, New Orleans Louisiana, Mobile Alabama, and Jackson and Memphis Tennessee.  Well I always steer clear of the major cities anyway, but the trip should prove interesting nevertheless.  We'll be okay folks.  It isn't like we will be touring Afghanistan.

Trailer Trash Tuesday

Seen along the upper coast of California last summer.  These folks, 2 or 3 guys and a woman, pulled in late in the afternoon.  They were an interesting lot, and I'll let it go at that.  The trailer was a shambles inside with junk thrown in and not usable in any way to cook, eat or sleep in.  It was this trailer that gave me the inspiration to capture images of trashy trailers during my upcoming road trip through the Great Plains states later last year.

Those are grills from a stove oven hanging on the sides where they could be swung up to cover part but not all of the window.  They certainly would not keep bugs out, so why?
The air conditioner itself says a lot.

You'll notice they are from Alabama.  Keep that in mind for my post for tomorrow.

The Wave on Monday Mural

Chillicothe, Missouri

I guess when you live in the center of the country the ocean surf holds a special fascination. Also, you may tend to exaggerate breaking waves from watching too many Hawaii Five-O episodes.

I don't recall why I took this photo on such an angle but I suppose I was trying to eliminate the annoying car or two that might have been in the way.  Pretty cool mural anyway you look at it.  I like the air conditioner relaxing on the beach.

This is linked to Oakland Daily Photo Monday Mural

First Wildflower

This is the first I have seen on my hikes for 2013

Hello Fern

Just in case you've not looked at a fern this closely.

Orange Marmalade Mushroom

My hike was off the established trails following animal paths up and down mountain ravines.  Therefore I left my tripod behind rather than lugging it along on difficult terrain.  Thus all my macro shots were hand-held and I learned a lesson - always take the tripod for macro.  Most all of the area I was in was heavily shaded requiring long exposures and resulting in shallow depth of fields.

If you are a regular follower, hopefully you know by now I never give proper names to what I photograph.   I just make up some name which suits the mushroom.

So never quote me or you risk being laughed at.

Taking a Break

after yesterday's hike

Creepy

This week's flea market find.

I had one of these when a little boy, just like this.  Paul Winchell's Jerry Mahoney.  Someone had got it for me as a Christmas present.  Just what were they thinking?  Being an only child, didn't I already have enough issues without my creating more of a psychotic nature?  I'd leave him propped up on the second bed in my bedroom so he could watch me sleep.  Now you're probably asking yourself the same question I've often wondered about...why did I have two beds?  Anyway, to have this thing staring at me now while I sleep just would not happen.  No way.

Looks like someone had enough of his crap and bashed him in the head.  Fortunately I got rid of mine before I reached that stage.  I don't recall what I did with him but pretty sure fire was not involved.

Tindall, Missouri

Monday Mural

Eureka, Kansas

Last week I displayed an old Coca Cola mural from Jamesport Missouri.  This week is Red Rock Cola a drink popular most likely locally as I do not recall ever seeing it out west.  Probably tasted the same.

I left a photobomb parking ticket on the car before leaving.  

Not really, but I really ought to make up such a thing.

This is linked to Oakland Daily Photo

Sunny Side School

Southern Kansas

Along with yesterday's post office was this school room recreation.  

The school existed from 1872 through to 1948 (an outstanding year I might add).