What a Week

Wow has this been a busy last two weeks.  Sorry its been awhile since you've seen me here but I been out exploring in the Wilderness and hasn't it been great.  Its not often I get to travel this much and take as many photos as I have.


On Friday, I started the day out at 6 am headed for the AR River spent approximately 2 1/2 hours there looking for whatever I could find.  Flowers and geese and people were plentiful.

Then I headed for the Ozarks.  I had a class that I had to attend on Saturday so I was going up to make sure I was there on time it started at 6:30 AM at Steeleman Creek and I had no idea where that was and from reading my email I thought sure it was close to Deer.  Not So!  It was over 23 miles away from Deer and I was 15 min late.  But those men were very forgiving.  There was eight of them and one of me.  That could have had something to do with it.  But before that I had tried to find a motel room--who would have thought the very weekend I was going to be there so was over 200 Father&Son Canoe members and a Motercycle group coming through (approximately 150 members) 10 minutes before the lady at the restruant I was in had called to ask if anything was available (all the hotel/motel/KOA's had a telephone chain to tell if anyone had a room/place open for the night or weekend)  and There Was NONE to be Had BUT just seconds before she called for me (just todouble check)  a cabin became open and I got it but it was 28 miles from that point.  I ask where Steelecreek was a man told me to go back to Deer and turn right at the road and go about 3 miles back and I would come to the creek so I was all set for tomorrow.  The next morning I got up and drove the 28 miles back to the restrurant and then the 11 miles to Deer to find out that that wasn't SteeleCreek.  It was 6am at that time.  Franticly, I called the house of the instructor and told his wife my problem and she told me to go back to 174 (34 miles) and turn left and go till I ran into the BIG sign telling where to turn.  (The sign would have the words plus an arrow on it telling me where to turn)  I ask her to call her husband and tell him I was on my way.  I was only 15 min. late.



It was worth all  the trouble I went through: Having to stand in the creek, Having wet feet all day, Sitting inside on a beautiful day,  All the great barbecu we had to eat and the HOT HOMEMAD Oatmeal cookies we had to eat.

They were Great!


Then around 5pm I headed back toward Little Rock.  While driving back I thought about all I had heard and the seen in just those 10 hours.  In the first 10 minutes I had learned to do something that made me feel like this whole weekend was worth every penny I had been out for this class.  I had learned a new and easier way to set my focus on my camera and I was excited to try it out.


Early the next morning (around 6) I headed back to AR River and guess what was visiting.  I never expected to see NOT One but Seven Pelicans. 







Can you believe this in ARKANSAS!







The rest of the week I shot photos of Birds and Flowers and it has been a very relaxing time which I was read for.

Have a great week in the Wilderness!

VR Lens

Today has been a very windy day in the Wilderness.  I plan to go down south to shoot birds and/or flowers but that sure got missed up.  I've really been getting some good shots of late.  Its almost like the birds know I'm here to shoot a series of photo and they're all for posing.   I'm thankful for all the rain we've gotten of late and hope we will get more as the summer comes but it can sure miss you up when you have outdoor plans.  Because of the rain I've been reading a lot of my old photo books trying to learn more about Lightroom.  One of the things I read was that if you are using a tripod then you donot want to use a VR Lens unless of course you turn the VR off.  This lens is great if you are hand holding you camera but not if you are using a tripod.  I did not know this.  And yes I've been using a VR Lens and a tripod at the same time.  Guess what my photos are a little soft looking so I will not be using this combo together anymore.  I don't use this lens much but from now on I will have VR turned off.  WHY DIDN'T SOMEBODY TELL ME THIS BEFORE NOW.  I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE MOVEMENT OF THE VR. 

A friend from my photo club called and we plan to have a meal together just before our 3rd Thursday meeting for this month.  It will be nice to talk to some who likes photography as much as I do. 

If things go as plan I will be heading south to take photos.  Hubby gone for the day and I thought it would be a good day to get out in the Wilderness to have some lone time since we had company for the past two weeks.  Everyone needs time to them self. 

The weather is suppose to be great tomorrow so I hope you are able to get out and do something you enjoy, something that is special to you.   Have a great day and enjoy the Wilderness whenever you can. 

Lost Valley Trails

Sorry I've not posted in a while but we got guest from Mexico staying with us.  I have been able to get out into the Wilderness and see whats going on.  Most all the flowers have stopped blooming.  In the Wilderness I noticed that blackberries are blooming.  This must be what they call "Blackberry Winter".  Its to early for that but then its to early for most of the stuff to have bloomed in March.  Also the honeysuckle vines are loaded with blooms and I know they don't bloom till May.

I just read where Lost Valley Trails are now open to the public.  I hear complaints about the US Forestry burning a lot of land in the Ozarks and that the smoke can really get to you so if you have allergies or asthma you might take extra medicines.

I have lots of bird feeders out and on Friday I refilled everyone of them.  Two of them are the type that don't have covers so it is easy for the squirrels to get into them.  I used the last of my feed and just knew this would get the birds through till Saturday where I would have plenty of time to go to town to get more.  Sunday morning when I got up there sat a squirrel in each one of them and by the time I got home from church the feed was completely gone.  The feeders build to keep the squirrels out had worked but only small birds can get into them, the larger birds will have no feed for a week unless I go and get it which at this point I just don't have time.  Needless to say I was ready to kill some squirrels.   Our Mexican friends will be going home after Wed so maybe I can then.

The wind is still here and there is an overcast due to rain coming in tonight so this might pan out to be a good day for shooting in the Wilderness. 

The Cardinal

Boy! it's been a while since I been on here.  Hope you missed me.  Yesterday I shot photos of cardinals in a dogwood tree.  I've been trying to do this for a while now and it just wasn't happening.  The birds would not sit still long enough.  But Yesterday this bird perched in the perfect spot and just sit there begging for me to take his picture or so it seemed; anyway so it seemed.  I got 3 shots I really liked and I must have taken 100 of him not really but I was having fun.  And then he came back this morning but would not sit still for a second--he knew what he was doing. 

Here comes the geese.  They are flying over and are going to land in the pond right in front of me. Usually they come around 7ish but today I guess they had to go to market first before coming here to swim.    I love hereing them when I am not trying to sleep.

Today, I will be going to Hot Springs.  We will be checking out the barg and then maybe we will get to go out for a little while.  Our friends from Mexico will be here on April 7 for a mission trip; and, we hope to have a chance to take them fishing during that week.  

On Friday our youngest son will be coming home for a few days.  There is a wedding planned in LR and we will all be attending that.. 

I love this time of day early morning --the wind is not blowing. Its a perfect time to get out and walk around and admire nature.  This weather is crazy but its great to be able to get out in the Wilderness and go anywhere and expect to see flowers, birds or trees to shoot photos of --I love it and I hope you do to. 

Windy Day

The Wilderness has been very windy today. I had plans to go to the Old Mill in Lakewood to see if I could improve on my photo from last week but it was just to windy. In most of the photos you can see a dead branch but by taking it in "Portrait" style you can't see it.

I spent most of the day shooting in my backyard trying to get some good photos of birds and flowers but that didn't work so well either.  As you can see it was windy there as well.

I promised you a photo of the old house I shot in Star City.  I've not been able to work on it or anyother photos since I started this whole thing with getting up early and getting out before the wind gets a holt of the Wilderness and I can't do anything with it.

Arn't these nice.  The colors really show up--like I said in the old house photo I need to do something with the grass but other than that I think I can make a great photo out of it--Beautiful Skys.  I have a photo of this same house about 20 years ago.  It has a great story behind it and someday I'll tell you about it. 

Well its starting to get dark here and I guess I'd better get off; the birds are calling for me and I need to get some feed out for tomorrow.  I plan to shoot bird photos and that means I will have to get up early.  It seems the geese come over about 6:30 no matter what type of weather we have--- wind or not.   And then by the time I get out to the feeders the birds are ready to attack before I ever get sit up--but what they don't realize is I have a lot of patience.

Hope to see you out in the Wilderness.

Spring is in the Air

This has been a very busy week for me.  This past weekend I had to go to Fayetteville which meant I had to miss the trip to the zoo made my my photo club.  So with in the next few weeks I need to go and take photos of the zoo animals.  Today would have been a perfect day what with it being cloudy and all but it has a damp feel to it and I don't want to have to shoot being bundled up. 

In the Wilderness popcorn trees, Wild Plums and Redbuds are coming alive.  The Dogwoods are just starting to bloom out.  The woods are just full of them and I'm so thankful I am were I can enjoy them.  This morning I noticed wrens building a nest in our old drain pipes just under the porch, I can't wait to see the babies.  Blue Birds are starting to build in the boxes out front and hopefully there are nest being build in the big 8 hole birdbox out front.  There's going to be all kinds of new life here before long.  Even the squirrels are busy at it.  Spring is a wonderful time of the year--one of my favorites. 

I must plan a trip up to the Ozarks.  With all the rain that we've had and will be getting over the next 3 days the waterfalls should be great.  If you've never been hiking it's something you must try.  There are several good hiking books out.  A good one I like to use is "Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids & Families" by Pam Ernst.  It gives a lot of information pertaining to the trail-like how long it takes and what to expect plus they are short trips which makes it better if you don't live in the area. There are lots of books with all kinds of information--Get you a notebook and start your own--everytime you go: list the time, date, weather, whats in bloom or not, what you see.  Over the years this will become very helpful information to you.  Anytime you are out driving around you should note in a notebook/calendar book information pertaining to the things you see--not only list them on the date you saw them but also turn to the date you think you should return to take photos of it.

Well, it's time for me to go hiking around the Wilderness in my area.  There is all types of flowers for me to take a photo of -- the Mayapples are in full swing.  Hope you have a great day out in your Wilderness.

Rain! Rain! Rain! means Waterfalls

Rain!  Rain! Rain!  Will it ever Stop

I know what rain is good for besides the everyday use of it!  Waterfalls==at least to Tim Ernest.  He has published several books on waterfalls and in the springs goes and looks for new ones plus check on the hundreds of the ones he already has great photos of.  In April I will be attending one of his classes and I can't hardly wait to see what we take photos of.  He has for the last few years brought books to sell at our AOPC club.  If you like waterfall be sure and get one of his guide books showing you where some of the waterfalls are in the Ozarks.  Your money wont be wasted.


Tuesday while in Monticello I saw an old house with lots of flowers and a redbud tree which was just beautiful.  Its all I could think about last night and could not get any sleep.  I kept thinking about it over and over and finally at 6:30 I just got up and headed that way.  It was a good thing I did go early.  I got there before the wind picked up and got several good shots. It was a cloudy day but after about 8:30 the wind went to blowing so hard and with so many trees around the house and plus the flowers I'm sure my shots would have been blurrrr..d  If you know what I mean.

Tomorrow I will head for Fayetteville to see my 3 month old niece.  It will be the first time I've laid eyes on her and am really looking forward to seeing her.  

I told you that the "Wilderness" is all over Arkansas.  Hope you are able to get out and enjoy the WILDERNESS!