tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88788752024-02-18T18:20:27.142-08:00A Handful of Withered Leavesto see and writeGrady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-25591393151368122532023-09-28T08:25:00.001-07:002023-09-28T08:27:55.619-07:001611 and 1560 Bibles<p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As a book collector, I was impressed with the facsimile reproductions of first edition, first printing Bibles made by greatsite.com. They have ended this project, and I wanted to share the few, poor photos I took of these books owned by a friend of mine. https://www.thekjvstore.com/ has some left in stock, I purchased some for myself, a large format first edition seems to be a project we won't see available any time soon, and not for the current price of $140 with free shipping.<br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2T84o277zIn_SvO8ffGzU2I7sAO8EScmhY6HFMyejeij4LpRdk6e4YTin-uvttDW_dRpW-hDXEnwFfag5vjMIofwio4EU_yFU-mrgcr_sE2ZUbfoTx5ngzZuREdCUSOqtE9hkJOwC_sffg3NOOxlz6tyC4-2VQ2iaQoASfR2RSV23MrSTUr_c3Q/s2239/20221124_142648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2239" data-original-width="1960" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2T84o277zIn_SvO8ffGzU2I7sAO8EScmhY6HFMyejeij4LpRdk6e4YTin-uvttDW_dRpW-hDXEnwFfag5vjMIofwio4EU_yFU-mrgcr_sE2ZUbfoTx5ngzZuREdCUSOqtE9hkJOwC_sffg3NOOxlz6tyC4-2VQ2iaQoASfR2RSV23MrSTUr_c3Q/w151-h173/20221124_142648.jpg" width="151" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JPSubRgreV9iiGhCg-IzsyG-RDBJUlEGuQeDBlSTV_foR4-VKtLVb-B9t_Qi8ZoqnMLzx6K7QHLw1utkVEq-r6olkmrcGkAc0ApJ6a1sZxW0TakaZe5obTNLP1PSsNNGI5WWkHLyq44n2vd_oa3UmlzfULbgHR4H3VRH_kLH-nLKIgGN13QvVQ/s2357/20221124_144217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="2357" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JPSubRgreV9iiGhCg-IzsyG-RDBJUlEGuQeDBlSTV_foR4-VKtLVb-B9t_Qi8ZoqnMLzx6K7QHLw1utkVEq-r6olkmrcGkAc0ApJ6a1sZxW0TakaZe5obTNLP1PSsNNGI5WWkHLyq44n2vd_oa3UmlzfULbgHR4H3VRH_kLH-nLKIgGN13QvVQ/s320/20221124_144217.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SipicETmiVcRf_vrBlG2hnhhe24VCUZQZhbRhPD5jszfCfJPcCBaGwppWY362eS7zvjvrcWpquj1oQNQeffekV6bXPLNJEd3fW7C4LK4mgRg1diijlDwVqDbzAWHTzTZtHdS9fjsUQDQ3KvPD2t_zGlrHl5Of7u7CYiqmGO-r-pp44xgVxILEg/s2418/20221124_142703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="2418" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SipicETmiVcRf_vrBlG2hnhhe24VCUZQZhbRhPD5jszfCfJPcCBaGwppWY362eS7zvjvrcWpquj1oQNQeffekV6bXPLNJEd3fW7C4LK4mgRg1diijlDwVqDbzAWHTzTZtHdS9fjsUQDQ3KvPD2t_zGlrHl5Of7u7CYiqmGO-r-pp44xgVxILEg/w188-h152/20221124_142703.jpg" width="188" /></a></div>Hendrickson "Normal full sized" Bible on top. It's the next best option for those looking for a 1611 facsimile, but the smaller print is not as easy to read.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWsmH9W5j-zUhAjWGUAnVt1RP1oujTLYWKECiKpDMSPElXyn0QuN31rhlIGORkJaioWXh1wNu9hL4gweV681u5Xxz4_r7QfKAWS9XhIVL1fAcL_sgHGbAOnqiTAXXagtMVdmPk91R-UBuRmw_6KN2Sn7ErG01s1f-R81VJc-FfAAp0aszajmOZQ/s2525/20221124_143647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2525" data-original-width="1960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWsmH9W5j-zUhAjWGUAnVt1RP1oujTLYWKECiKpDMSPElXyn0QuN31rhlIGORkJaioWXh1wNu9hL4gweV681u5Xxz4_r7QfKAWS9XhIVL1fAcL_sgHGbAOnqiTAXXagtMVdmPk91R-UBuRmw_6KN2Sn7ErG01s1f-R81VJc-FfAAp0aszajmOZQ/s320/20221124_143647.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>Greatsite had included real Bible pages from Geneva and KJV printings with their facsimiles, since their main business is original volume restoration. The text of those originals are small but very clear. The letter quality of the facsimiles are very good but not flawless. I'll try to upload a photo when I get my own books.<br /><br />The Greatsite team made a site where original Bible page scans can be viewed. <br />https://bibles-online.net/<br /><br />PDFs and other smaller format Bible printings are out there, but this was the only full sized, easy to read original edition printing I could find. <br /> <p></p>Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-69308154691827428022020-03-25T22:05:00.000-07:002020-03-25T22:05:21.684-07:00purpose in timeI'm working on this idea to replace the dose of nihilism I got in college. Its working but I'm not sure its articulated well, so consider this a draft.<br /><br />what to do about the problem of the ultimate futility of endeavors? Excluding scientific utopianism, the likely future in most thought systems is the end of the world. Entropy dissolves all. Kingdoms are forgotten. Its in all the key religions including my choice, Christianity. The salvation and restoration of the faithful survivors and land itself comes after wickedness takes power and destruction covers all. So what are we striving for in our political systems, in our architecture, businesses and dynasties? If these things we must build (for they are necessary) are doomed, why do we build?<br />
The answer I have found, is to consider their lifespans. Like a tree, they start, are protected, are productive, and depending on variety, can stand grand and tall for many ages. They only last so long. They must give way and let another take its space. Perhaps they go to fuel flames, or become some other building or instrument.<br />
So our daily work, with few exceptions, is not for eternity. It is for the life of the structure. That I accept. For now, to build a thing or maintain something where my lifespan is a small part of its duration. Our efforts are futile, aren't futile? We don't know. The work is here before us, so let us act in the service of what is good, beautiful, and true. <br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-36528936254989369602020-01-11T12:54:00.001-08:002020-01-11T12:54:23.684-08:00Direct seed conference notes<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association 2020 Cropping Systems Conference
<br />January 6-8</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Here are the notes I took. It was a valuable conference for me. I learned that many of the ideas I've been hearing about have been successfully tried in my bioregion. </div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1<sup>st</sup>
session. Innovative farmers told of their new projects.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Andy Juris has
upgraded his equipment and acres over the years until he’s running
a 620hp tractor and an industry best CrossSlot drill. 10K acres, much
is custom hire for others. Harvests with a stripper header to leave
maximum crop residue standing and less work for the combine to do
threshing. Grew 120 bu wheat in an 11 inch rainfall year! Has been
switching fields from grain production to annual hay production.
Mainly forage barley or forage triticale mixed with peas. Hay yields
have been good, one cutting a year, 1.5 ton/a Barley, 2.5 ton/a Trit,
1.8 ton/a dryland alfalfa. <br />
Has ran into rattail fescue
infestation and glysophate resistant cheat grass. Had to start
tilling some badly infested fields, switched herbicide recipes, took
grass crops out of rotation there, and worked at better weed control
timing. Resistant cheat is a disaster that he and his neighbors are
working to get under control. It was caused by a previous farmer who
sprayed low rates of roundup and assumed the weeds wouldn't get used
to it.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Rob Dewald
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
9-12 inch rainfall
zones. Has tried all the planter types, has both. Using stripper
headers now. Is doing some grass seed now. Working at having living
roots in ground at all times. Sunflowers do improve the soil for next
crop. <br />
Planted a 10 species cover crop mix, it really does
create its own moisture! Roots put carbon in the soil, and now
getting livestock to join the party. Didn’t use too much moisture
to hinder next years crop.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now doing the cover
crop mix 25 lbs an acre, mixed with a cash crop, tried fields with CC
+ 60lbs wheat, CC + 90 lbs trit, CC+5 lbs canola. Fert at spring
planting was humics and molasses. Grazed 65 days, could have been
longer. Excellent gains, but could have been better as calves took a
while to calm down and learn to eat the cover crop. Fertilized with
solution32 in fall. The cover crops winter killed, the cash crops
that had been hiding out in the mix took off in the spring, and had a
decent grain crop.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Chris Eckhart
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
12-16in rainfall.
Also switching to hay production, doesn’t want to flood the local
market. With careful residue management, was able to use a tillage
style drill to do no-till at first. As a beginner, Chris discovered
the problem of ruts and ridges from previous year are there to
contend with. Chaff out the back of the combine wasn’t spread
evenly, leaving a chaff strip that the next crop didn’t like at
all. Really likes a well adjusted double disk drill. Main reason for
buying a proper no-till drill was the old one wouldn’t adjust to a
low enough rate for small canola seeds. Ended up getting a used,
mechanical feed corn planter from the mid-west for that. Row cleaners
are important for this style of machine. Since canola wants to be
planted shallow and moist, and you don’t always have the right
conditions, Chris tried putting down high rates of water with the
seed instead of fertilizer. It sort of worked, but takes a LOT of
water. <br />
Fertilizer plan is all dry granules in spring.
Mycorhyzal fungi inoculents for wheat are producing good results.
Ordered wheat seed without the usual fungicide coating, and used
inoculent power instead. It worked great! No problems found. Good
fungus displaces bad.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Eric Orem</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
5-12in rainfall.
Flexicoil hoe drill with stealth openers. <br />
He cut 800 lb/a
sunflowers with a wheat header! Yes they do get caught on the reel
and flip out. Had his kid walking along, tossing them back in. Bought
a corn header for next sunflower crop, that worked good. Tried
dryland corn, it didn’t work, but will try again. Also moving grain
acres to hay, trit/pea did 2.3 ton/a. Next year planning on expanding
crops to sunflowers, milo, sorgam, beans, corn, peas, and cover
crops.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Pat Purdy</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
All irrigated,
heavily depleted gravel soils in Idaho. Crops since 1883. Season is
such they can only grow annual spring crops. Growing hay, barley,
mustard, cows, hunting and fishing land. Not using pesticides because
bugs for fish are more valuable. Need to regenerate the soil with
natural carbon. Tried other drills, liked disk drill best. Even with
transport, its cheaper to find used drills in the midwest. <br />
Roundup
Ready alfalfa was too hard to kill. Cheap alf in for 3 years is
better. Seeds 25lb/a alf with 50lb/a barley to boost first year
production.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Giving up tillage
means you can’t wipe slate clean. So plan each operation for its
long term effects, don’t make ruts! Bought a powercast tailboard
for better combine chaff spreading. Working on goal of no synthetic
fertilizer.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
2<sup>nd</sup>
Session
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Mike Nestor and Doug
Poole 6-9in rainfall.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Doug has bought into
all the regenerative agriculture concepts, but how to apply? The soil
is alive, work with nature, soil typically has 500-1000 years of
minerals available. Biology first. Natural vs synthetic chemistry.
Even poor soil has greater potential! <br />
Tried 30 day covers, but
when terminated, moisture would leave. Have to find economically
viable solution when leasing land at 25/75 crop share. (Farmer gets
75%) <br />
Tried mixed cover crop and cash crop. Triticale, turnip,
clover, pea, sunflower. Humic and molasses instead of fert. It grew
well, but it was a summer with no rain. Was looking bad in late
summer. The weed that wasn’t suppressed by mix was marestail. Will
have to adjust mix next time. Soil was hard. Roots in plates and
clumps of soil, but they were live. A quarter inch of rain in October
brought it back, soil was soft, crop was growing and
photosynthesizing despite the cold. Decided to fertilize, 20% less
than usual since other farmers who have gone down this path have said
it takes a while for soil to get used to all natural fert instead of
synthetic. As the snow melted, it didn’t run like usual. There was
less frost, soil had air bubbles, and the mud left this field first.
The roots looked great. In the spring, sprayed humics, molasses, with
24D for mustard. Way less weeds than usual. Other field with this mix
had a goat grass problem, but not enough of it grew to be worth
spraying. As the triticale crop matured, it grew great, the soil was
darker than ever, there was still moisture, soil testing showed no
deficiency. But the leaves did. The grain was slow to dry. Yield
wasn’t as great as it could be, but of the four fields the results
were:<br />
May planted mix 1300 lb/a net profit -28<br />
June planted
mix 2100 lb/a net profit 19</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
winter trit mono
3000 lb/a net profit 46<br />
spring trit mono 1100 lb/a net profit
-2.5
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
(Long term average
grain yields in this area are 2040 lb/a)<br />
The mixes had
additional advantages of way less weed spray, less equipment use,
better activity timing, and they were exciting and beautiful. Didn’t
get these grazed, but that would add an additional boost. The mix
fields were full of birds, bugs, deer, and ranchers were asking to
graze it, but none were able to pull off the logistics this time.
<br />
Version 2 of this trial this year had more cover crop species,
which all germinated. There was a 3 inch downpour that caused some
damage, not as much damage as the conventional fields suffered. And
more of the water was caught and held. <br />
We learned that the
concept works, covers do suppress weeds, the roots look 2-3x better
than conventional with the same fert and seed variety. It definitely
works for triticale, a try as this mix with canola has room for
improvement. And we need to figure out how to graze it.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
3<sup>rd</sup>
session</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Microbes give you
25% yield increase</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Tom Poole 6in
rainfall. <br />
His big thing is applying liquid extracts of
composted manure.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Principles: 1 break
down residue. You can bail and till it, but its better to get that
carbon back in the soil.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
2 moisture, 3
fertilizer, 4 water infiltration. <br />
Adding Nitrogen burns up soil
carbon. Get your Carbon : Nitrogen ratio right with managing tillage,
environment, crops, fert and rotation. <br />
Use these same factors
to manage your bacteria/fungal ratio. <br />
Tillage benefits disease.
The future is microbes instead of trucked in N. No one sells carbon,
you have to do it yourself.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Applying compost
extracts has brought the soil biology from and assay of 50lbs N to
100 lbs N. <br />
Counting protozoa/amoeba that are easier to see can
give you an idea of your bacterial population. The amount of soil
disturbance a no-till planter causes is acceptable, it releases water
from fungal hyphe in the root zone for seed germination. But the
microbes and soil life will be doing the tilling and converting crop
residue. Tom started with organic matter of 0.6 to 0.9%, now up to
2%! Root sugar is the best carbon injection. Fertilizer program is
now 21 Lb/a N instead of 50, split between planting and in season.
Two applications of compost extract, after harvest, and in October.
It is made by buying one truckload of manure compost, putting it into
400 mesh bags, soaked in IBC totes over night. It has to soak so the
fibers swell and stay in the bags, otherwise they clog the sprayer
nozzles. 10 bags per tote. Can use them twice, then reload. Applying
12-13 gallons per acre. Isn’t it better to use the compost
directly? That would cost too much, and require different equipment
to apply. Only uses one $2000 truckload a year. The spot where the
compost got dumped grew as well as the extract acres. <br />
Once you
have good revived soil, you can use your old conventional hoe drill
to plant. There wasn’t these clay knobs 50 years ago, they have
eroded. They need carbon, rebuild the soil. <br />
With this program
of no-till and compost extract, yields have gone from 50 bu/a to 67
in one area, 27 to 38 in another. Yet a good year now is about the
same as the top yields 100 years ago, when farming had just started
here. <br />
How does the extract work? Don’t know, just does
somehow. Too much Phos in it being from cattle? Tests say it isn’t
a concern. Also it has 1-2 lb of N. <br />
<br />
4th Session<br />
Cat
Solois from McGregor company. <br />
Sports talk, trying to get crowd
engaged with talk of couches and teams.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Think outside the
box, have a young mindset. Yield breakers, offense and defense
planning. What scoring opportunities do you have? Be ready, not
reacting late. <br />
What is yield? Seed weight, grains per head,
heads per acre. <br />
What are limiting factors? Water, growing
degree days, N? Not any one thing, it changes throughout the
lifecycle of crop. Plant needs what it needs when it needs it.
Different mineral use at different stages. Research from high yield
contests show helping crop early is easier, later made the most
impact. Phos most needed early, get it in the furrow for sprouts.
<br />
30-40% of inorganic fertilizer gets tied up in soil, broke out
later by biology. Early wheat tillers are productive, later ones just
use resources and don’t make much grain. <br />
Later N application
is better, during stem elongation in spring. Since its often put down
during seeding, inhibitors that slow N release have been shown to
help a lot, better than split application in cool PNW conditions.
Mid season need for boron & zinc, can boost yield 10 bu.<br />
85%
of photosynthesis happen in head, top two leaves of wheat plant.
Track your heading date, grain fill date, to really know which
varieties perform the best. Heat stress is anything over 85 degrees!
<br />
A bunch of plot trials show strobie fungicide increase plant
growth, some sort of hormonal trigger. Lowers ethylene which causes
premature reproduction. Improves N use efficiency. Fungicide timing
is critical, can see 5bu difference. These fungicide trials were all
in conditions where there wasn’t any of the wheat fungal diseases
present.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
5<sup>th</sup>
session<br />
Dale Strictland, Green cover seed. <br />
Wants to pass
land to the next generation that will be prosperous. <br />
All around
the country, the cost of farming adjusts to water availability.
Drought is just less rain than you were expecting. All crops need the
same stuff. <br />
Stories of cover crops. They increase water
infiltration, reduce evaporation, improve capacity, boost root depth
and root efficiency. <br />
In this soybean field, the previous crop
of wheat had all the straw baled off. With a hot, low rainfall
summer, the beans all died, except where the baler broke down and
left a big patch of straw covering the soil.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Rysotron root
imaging shows crops using the root holes made by previous crops.
Worms improve infiltration, and lots of other aspects. Feed them with
legume crops. Slow evaporation a lot with standing residue and tree
wind break field boarders. They work and don’t take up that much of
the field. In Kansas, 5inches of moisture can be saved per year with
some kind of mulch covering the ground. Most stands of cover crops
can be killed with a roller crimper instead of herbicide. Topsoil is
built the best by mixes of perennials. Overlapping roots types share
exudates. Cows turn top growth into perfect microbe soil amendment.
Hardpan layers are hard for roots to get through because they need
soil pore space for oxygen. Less than 10% space and roots won’t
have enough oxygen to grow.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
8<sup>th</sup>
session
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Dale Strictland,
Green cover seed. <br />
In an Australian trial, no cover went 27bu,
early terminated millet did 40 and late terminated 44. But with cover
crops you have to measure the result of the whole rotation, not just
one crop. Long term soil building benefits. Before synthetic
fertilizer, farmers would often broadcast clover into winter wheat in
the spring. It still works.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Picking the right
cover crops for your situation. Every plant has its unique
characteristics. Teff grass produces a lot of biomass and winter
kills. Photoperiod sensitive sorgam sudan grass can be timed so it
stays vegetative and frost kills before it tries to produce seed,
which takes a lot of water to do. Sunhemp is tropical, produces lots
of biomass above and below ground, water efficient but only one
variety is palatable to cows. Gaur is the most drought tolerant
legume. Only produces seed in a SW Texas environment.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Fall plant options
can start with tillage radish, oats. Hairy vetch, needs terminated in
spring, popular for making enough N for organic crops. A field of
bellonsa clover in Indiana was measured at providing 275 lbs of N.
<br />
In some mixes, the right grasses will use up the available
nitrogen, starving weeds and giving good conditions for a subsequent
crop of legumes.<br />
You can use corn stalk chopper rollers as a
roller crimper to terminate covers, though you will need to add
weight, and some are too sharp. Cutting isn’t as effective as
crimping. In addition to a roller crimper, there is a non-inversion
sweep called a noble blade, slices through root zone without much
surface disturbance. <br />
Calculate the moisture bare soil would
loose in comparison to what a cover crop will use.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A precision corn
strategy is to interseed with perennial clover, then a tool that is a
row of string trimmers can go between the rows to keep clover
suppressed. Graze after corn harvest. Replant by spraying a narrow
band of herbicide in front of each corn planter.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Wide crop spacings
are finding more uses with compatible crops between.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The homestead act
required 10 years of successful grain crops to claim the land. 80%
failed. The loophole was using fallow years between crops, this
worked. But fallow doesn’t store as much moisture for the next year
as you’d think. Bare soil fallow held 10-17% of the rainfall, chem
fallow with plenty of residue held 25-30% of rainfall. A well
designed cover crop can match, beat or at least be more useful. So
find out if you can afford to fallow. Use the moisture, don’t store
and loose it. Consider grazing, baling, some farmers have found
perennial pasture more valuable than grain crops.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
6<sup>th</sup>
session</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Nutrition of wheat
Dr David Killilea, private research scientist & nutritionist.
<br />
Does part time nutritionist work at a children's hospital,
recently got a grant to look at identity preserved wheat varieties.
Not taking any funding from industry or pharma. Will be speaking
about all public domain data. <br />
Everyone is micro nutrient
deficient – in statistical population studies. <br />
The biggest
deficiencies are in potassium, Vit E, E K, and magnesium. To a lesser
extent Calcium, A, C, and zinc. <br />
There’s no legal definition
for “whole grain”. Regulations use industry definition, which has
wiggle room. <br />
There are many well designed grain nutrition
studies. According to which, eating whole grains are good for
preventing many diseases and and some GI cancers. Good for all the
common ailments, heart, diabetes, blood pressure, stroke, asthma.
Most benefits are gone, and some health problems worsened in studies
tracking intake of white and refined flour. Lists of studies can be
found on informationisbeautiful.net. <br />
Whole grains contain a lot
of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and flavinoids. A half cup of
whole grains has half the RDA of fiber. <br />
There’s a lot of new
research being done on lignans, which are in wheat, flax, and sesame.
Gut bacteria processes some nutrients into other forms the body can
use. <br />
White flour has carbs and protein, enriched flour only
adds back in a handful of the vitamins and minerals that scientists
knew of a 100 years ago. A chart of the nutrients in whole vs
enriched flour looks pathetic. <br />
There are toxins in wheat.
Gluten which can irritate the digestive tract, phytates that can bind
nutrients unhelpfully, lectins that are wheat antibodies that stick
to bacteria, though lectins can have good properties. Immune system
activators. And can there can be agriculture toxins. In whole wheat
the problematic elements are balanced by the good stuff. The popular
opponents of wheat base their concerns on some facts but exaggerate
and take their conclusions beyond what science can verify. Some
people just can’t digest wheat. <br />
Soaking, sprouting and
fermenting have only been found to improve nutrient profile and
digestibility. <br />
The OSU Linus Pauling Institute has wheat
articles you can read, and there is more research being done in the
field of testing the nutrient density of particular grain varieties
and growing methods. <br />
Only 8% of population is getting enough
whole grains, so we can all promote better, unprocessed products.
<br />
<br />
7<sup>th</sup> session</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Farmed Smart
certification program and NORI carbon credits market Jill
Clapperton<br />
Within industry meetings and government policy
meetings, wheat industry people are working to build recognition for
identity preserved and regenerative practices and the carbon capture
they facilitate. General Mills isn’t interested, organic
certification is enough for them. EPA and state agencies are
interested. Work is being done to make Farmed Smart a certification
process that measures sustainability, carbon capture, energy
efficiency, fish and wildlife protection. Working to build new
marketing opportunities with this. Trying to convince banks that
anyone with this new cert is a lower risk for loans. Looking to get
it into the government grant / loan system. Working to measure effect
of integrated livestock, companion and intercrops. Moving toward
rewarding farmers who stop using a fallow system. Might use
microbiometer test from Prolific Earth Sciences in New York. <br />
Some
of the players involved: Indigo Ag, Tech Stars, South Pole, 3Degrees,
Native Energy, Climate Underground, Nature Conservancy, and NORI.
<br />
Check out nori.com/resources
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Nori is a private
startup, backed by investors. They are researching carbon credit
marketing and working to build a CC trading platform. Connect the
buyers with the farmers, ranchers, foresters. Other CC ventures had
the middle man getting 40-60%. Nori shooting for 10-15%. Something
like $14 per ton for the farmer and $16 per ton for the buyer.<br />
No
where in the developed world do market prices cover farm expenses.
Everyone is getting some kind of subsidies. Carbon credits would be a
better way. Currently, the big buyers of CC are power/electric
companies and oil companies.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Part of any venture
like this is verification. You need to work with partners you can
trust with your data. Farm data is extremely valuable on the
secondary data markets. Make sure you get paid for your data! Read
all contracts carefully. Some of the Nori team are long time data
tech industry workers and are committed to not selling your data.
<br />
Contract length? 10 years. At most can buy credits backwards in
history 5 years. You would agree to do your best effort to maintain a
dynamic baseline. No double selling (to other CC vendors), and submit
annual reports. What if some disaster results in carbon getting
unsequestered? (fire, flood, drought) There’s a buffer in the
credits sold, some are held unsold for such an event as insurance.
The farmer will never be charged. Buyers of damaged credits will have
to write off or buy more. Nori will have a complicated token system
that makes everything work. Who buys CC without legislation making
offsets mandatory? So far its rich people, company executives, big
ag, Granular, power companies and fossil fuel companies. The biggest
worry on their side is that there won’t be enough CC available to
buy. Its easier to buy CC than to build smokestack scrubbers, even
though there are subsidies for scrubbers. How are farmers tested?
Farm visit, the practices you are using. Cornet farm model. New model
in the works. For extra credits, you can agree to satellite data
analysis, and taking soil samples. The Farmed Smart program will do
the visits and map checkup points for future sampling. Working to
train more certified conservation planners, and offer them B&O
insurance.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
9<sup>th</sup>
session</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Derek Axten <br />
Learned
from Dakota Lakes Research farm, then met Gabe Brown standing in line
at a hotdog stand. Has been using a microscope to identity fungus and
microbes in soil samples. Started chasing this metric, using compost
from local cows. Turns out there are lots of good nematodes and only
a few bad ones. Has improved his soil to where it will infiltrate one
inch of rain in 29 seconds, and the second inch in 10 minutes. In the
neighbors field its one inch in 10 minutes. Went with wider row
spacing for less soil disturbance. Got a stripper header, works fine
unless weather flattens crops. Started using controlled traffic, got
all his equipment the same size. Modified this combine so the heavy
chaff is dropped into the permanent wheel track. Has gone to all
intercrops. Peas & mustard, Flax and chickpeas/lentils. Stacking
crops is more efficient land use, 35% more money. Seeding rates of
50-50. Legume and a broadleaf. So canola pea, lentil vetch, flax
bean. No need for fungicide when intercropping. Haven’t gotten
watermold like the neighbors. And somehow the crops mature together,
haven’t had a problem with harvesting. Even some neighbors are
including some flax in the lentils to improve standability. All
intercrops are in alternating rows! 20 inch spacing, there wasn’t a
yield hit. Only time Derek had to use fungicide was when mixing the
seed and planting them mixed. Mixed seed rows have the most symbiosis
going on, help each other grow, but alternating rows has been amazing
at avoiding diseases. For beginners, clover is the easiest to include
in wheat. Better planter openers have made a big improvement. With
live downforce automatic adjusters the applied map shows compaction
and soil types. Planter can now plant into live crop, early July.
Haven’t had problem harvesting two crops together. Upgrading from a
complex mobile seed cleaning plant to a full scale industrial seed
cleaning facility. Not just for separating the crops, certified clean
seed sells for more. Screening refuse goes into compost. Got into
thermal manure composting with windrow equipment. Makes liquid
extract of compost with an aerobic bubbler system. Inoculates the
extract with peat moss, its cheap, $1 per acre. Use peristaltic pumps
to avoid pump clogging issues. Starting to get into sap testing.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
10<sup>th</sup>
session
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Joel Williams
integratedsoils.com</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Only microbes get
nitrogen from the air.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Foliar nutrient
applications skip the soil, are more efficient, fast but limited in
how much can be delivered at once. Foliar applied urea can be applied
up to 7% solution, 2-5% is more typical. At anthesis is is best
timing for wheat. <br />
Carbon compounds are carrier for other
nutrients. By itself, a nutrient may tie up with the wrong stuff in
the soil. Microbes want carbon, and symbiotically break out the
nutrients in forms the plants can use. Carbon amendments are
molasses, aminos, fish, kelp, teas, humates. <br />
Plants use natural
forms of N easier than synthetic forms. Using legumes for N is all
about roots in the round. Top growth doesn’t contribute much. Could
breed for greater root growth. It has been found that other bacteria
contribute N to plants, not just the legumes. There’s a Mexican
maize variety that has slimy air roots that work with bacteria that
give it 30-80% of the N it needs. Synthetic N suppresses nitrogen
fixing bacteria. In the right situation with lots of fungi, and root
overlap, legumes can contribute N to other plants. Alfalfa isn’t
good at this with its deep taproot, doesn’t have many lateral roots
that will overlap with other plants. More N is fixed later in plants
growth, and defoliation increases it. In the process of using N, a
plant converts it into other forms. Other minerals are necessary in
this process, which differ depending on the form of N coming in.
Ammonium needs magnesium and manganese as catalyst. Nitrate need
those, plus sulfur and molybdenum. Urea needs nickel. N fixation in
bacteria also need catalysts, so your bacteria may need nutritional
supplements! Foliar applied N hinders root N fixation the least.
</div>
<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdsQXAQE-VCbnVogYpDdPFCNoqHl5G3ObwrD-041HR6Ki-fwm6OH0drMwLyO-8R1TNM5AfEH0XMRl-5bfJoRdRKFsKFmnbAaJtLNJgy80pGEd6s2Zo9Aqxrm-UtEvrJ7P1lU8Mw/s1600/2020+direct+seed+conf+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="985" data-original-width="1600" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdsQXAQE-VCbnVogYpDdPFCNoqHl5G3ObwrD-041HR6Ki-fwm6OH0drMwLyO-8R1TNM5AfEH0XMRl-5bfJoRdRKFsKFmnbAaJtLNJgy80pGEd6s2Zo9Aqxrm-UtEvrJ7P1lU8Mw/s320/2020+direct+seed+conf+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzuJdxxWhjC8oCNcn8Zhuwqdg7nu-UuBu_a3GE1EtJlswJNnJMy5RgbCks6Tyz3EGwf01SbCYEB37xow3Cs80BmhQNrmG9VZK5vcCxElBk6S-yh-cSJc2CS72HrPShvqrF_5EHQ/s1600/2020+direct+seed+conf+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzuJdxxWhjC8oCNcn8Zhuwqdg7nu-UuBu_a3GE1EtJlswJNnJMy5RgbCks6Tyz3EGwf01SbCYEB37xow3Cs80BmhQNrmG9VZK5vcCxElBk6S-yh-cSJc2CS72HrPShvqrF_5EHQ/s320/2020+direct+seed+conf+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-15183112630443754572014-07-14T00:42:00.001-07:002014-07-14T00:42:46.929-07:00Get up Peter, kill and eat.<br />
Yes, no, or delay by endless debate and discussion?<br />
Get up and act.<br />
Take action.<br />
Whatever result may come.<br />
Kill and eat.<br />
Journey to a far town.<br />
Act on faith, despite your ignorance,<br />
your clueless peering into the unknown.<br />
Why do you act?<br />
Why do what is never done?<br />
Because you have been transformed down to the core.<br />
A light in your heart, resting on the whole group of your friends<br />
We met God.<br />
No action is too much.<br />
No sacrifice too great.<br />
No obstacle will stop our movement.<br />
"Get up" is enough, even when we don't understand.<br />
And what of the results, the consequences?<br />
We don't know, we only trust God, who we have met.<br />
The calling is sure, the next step illumined,<br />
the conclusion is not our concern, it belongs to God,<br />
who we have met.Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-72557857162883477922013-09-26T23:22:00.000-07:002013-09-26T23:22:22.070-07:00Stop keeping things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSa_f0RmQF21vDz03JHomp5mK4Tvqaj9qOr0kiOJQfvgPCobqR8upyQxoRMkkucxlAUwFlPvs6R4cQ7EdpKcT0dpQdoSdSLUArb7WETmeEb-9UkAIUI_5qDkcK68MhqYApHeWiYQ/s1600/monochrome+laser800px.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSa_f0RmQF21vDz03JHomp5mK4Tvqaj9qOr0kiOJQfvgPCobqR8upyQxoRMkkucxlAUwFlPvs6R4cQ7EdpKcT0dpQdoSdSLUArb7WETmeEb-9UkAIUI_5qDkcK68MhqYApHeWiYQ/s1600/monochrome+laser800px.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Stop keeping things</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
your arms are full</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
your mind is full</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
your unmind that is the dark side of your moon-psyche </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
is overcrouded with stinking heaps of things</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
let gravity disappear</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
permit it all to float out into the beyond</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
have nothing left. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Wait in the emptiness</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
one year-of-your-planets moving</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
and all your left will come around as meteors</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
every color, fast streaking</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
and hit you like gravel</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
slam into you as if you were flying and stopped by a road.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
What remains</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
what survives</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
what you accept this time</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
only the immutable</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
the things that will survive the pain of impact</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
and you want to carry on even still.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ98znveMIlw1vzH9MlMqwp4hJAKj5OBPFtkyjD7-iloqSQgbiDUJn4n-nDY80PRPBfuAfy_aZq1bQCwN8fR6t0oc4hlNjoQgxYzNuAuI2X_quOgR3q01XYRutn6-wvbCuzHNshg/s1600/p-32shadow+inverted+grey+800px.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ98znveMIlw1vzH9MlMqwp4hJAKj5OBPFtkyjD7-iloqSQgbiDUJn4n-nDY80PRPBfuAfy_aZq1bQCwN8fR6t0oc4hlNjoQgxYzNuAuI2X_quOgR3q01XYRutn6-wvbCuzHNshg/s1600/p-32shadow+inverted+grey+800px.JPG" height="262" width="320" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_1840384394"></span><span id="goog_1840384395"></span>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-5-V8trCeyqs%2FUkUd2bEXbyI%2FAAAAAAAAASo%2FU3G7NqlR7Dw%2Fs1600%2Fp-32shadow%2Binverted%2Bgrey%2B800px.JPG&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ98znveMIlw1vzH9MlMqwp4hJAKj5OBPFtkyjD7-iloqSQgbiDUJn4n-nDY80PRPBfuAfy_aZq1bQCwN8fR6t0oc4hlNjoQgxYzNuAuI2X_quOgR3q01XYRutn6-wvbCuzHNshg/s1600/p-32shadow+inverted+grey+800px.JPG" -->Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-5023582373487304692011-12-18T22:57:00.000-08:002011-12-20T13:35:59.860-08:00camera repairs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7OW8W3yIPz8ehyphenhyphen3gskRx1-r0D75J2joH21Sp_LNn2O3m2THhjJZ5ItTZkEhqwdnFJouW0H-LNG6fxSoHq20TXzMV-PmZXAEgBxRtczPi1C7QhQN-Ty2sOAGXxU1P8s9EvLaB8kA/s1600/fix+d40.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7OW8W3yIPz8ehyphenhyphen3gskRx1-r0D75J2joH21Sp_LNn2O3m2THhjJZ5ItTZkEhqwdnFJouW0H-LNG6fxSoHq20TXzMV-PmZXAEgBxRtczPi1C7QhQN-Ty2sOAGXxU1P8s9EvLaB8kA/s400/fix+d40.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
I've been kinda sick this week and last night I didn't sleep much. I was actually too tired to drive to church. Not cool. I did get some things done today. There's nothing like fixing something to make me feel better.
Lately I've spent way too much time reading about photography. So I fixed my old camera today. My Nikon D40 has a stuck shutter mechanism problem that I've learned is fairly common when its wearing out. So I opened it up and oiled two gear shafts. Its the second time I've done this, so it may not last to long. First time was in Africa, a cactus thorn worked to reach inside to place oil. 60757 clicks so far, I've got to get a few more out of my first dslr!
After that I finally got apart the two filters I had cross threaded a while ago. I was in a hurry and put a circular polarizer on top of the uv filter. Not smart! I took apart the polarizer, there is a retaining clip that holds the glass in, then pulling on it separates the rotating ring from the threaded ring. with just that cross threaded ring in the uv filter, I tried gripping it in various ways with padded pliers and a kitchen lid opener. Turns out the lid opener and my hand worked. The polarizer went back together and both filters still work. I sure am happy I didn't bend or crack something. These filters are 72mm, a Hoya HMC Super UV and a Hoya circular polarizer. Expensive filters and now they're back in service! When these where stuck I put on a cheap uncoated Quantaray UV I just happened to get in a box of misc stuff I bought on Craigslist. It was very obvious how much better a coated filter is, there was tons of flare with the Quantaray. I never use lens hoods, and multicoated filters make that work.
After having the D7000 almost a year, I reacquainted myself with the D40. Its tiny! When I upgraded the D7000 felt odd in my hand, and now its the opposite. The pictures are smaller and lack the quality of the D7k, not that it matters for most pictures, I'll still be using it. The biggest difference was the three autofocus regions vs 39 with intelligent subject tracking. I set up a flash and was shooting the dogs, it was way easier to follow and frame the action. If I put in more practice the D40 would perform as well, a newer camera just has a lot more convenience. And the dials feel nicer.
At the moment the D7k is the best balance of features and improvements though the more expensive pro bodies have a few things it doesn't. The next Nikon full frame camera will likely have the image quality and software enhancements to beat the D7k, but it will cost a lot more and doesn't exist yet. As all the best advice-writing pros say, go make pictures with what you have. One camera might beat another by some measurement, but it rarely effects the final product if you put in the practice to master your tools.
My resolution for the coming year is to focus on practicing specific forms, mainly landscape and portraits. I'll keep working on editorial style shots of the farm as well. The other thing I keep looking at is making my own lenses. I made some measurements today, the Nikon f-mount doesn't look that hard to make!<br />
<br />
Update: after using the D40 for a few days and thinking about why I chose the D7000, the only glaring deficiencies of the D40 is the lack of extra buttons for changing settings quickly and photo quality in low light. I'll probably just use the D40 for strobe work and as a secondary at well lit events. It still has the legendary 1/500th flash sync!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4KAoxxuJFJ2RlQxzm_3EY1kcRtTN3rMNpm8EgPUEGVeFVkpU9EXXiexvie9s5ALwA7wC6G-orJ5P18J54x4NNXPcaB4x2WVU6TKfD2bhCfUaoBrr40srReG8rvTVHnO02VFaTg/s1600/Roxy+port.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4KAoxxuJFJ2RlQxzm_3EY1kcRtTN3rMNpm8EgPUEGVeFVkpU9EXXiexvie9s5ALwA7wC6G-orJ5P18J54x4NNXPcaB4x2WVU6TKfD2bhCfUaoBrr40srReG8rvTVHnO02VFaTg/s400/Roxy+port.JPG" width="333" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5t673NlmE4j8hpswdvjxrgwBWWsQN5ZPkIH_0dfgT6Aazb4_56bsgHgKSGueE727ebMntsjAZLGHW6npFmXg6NkXf98cbya-94uZsOGVDxWta3yvYkW6uPfV_IAtpVmYn2OsJQ/s1600/roxy+glove.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5t673NlmE4j8hpswdvjxrgwBWWsQN5ZPkIH_0dfgT6Aazb4_56bsgHgKSGueE727ebMntsjAZLGHW6npFmXg6NkXf98cbya-94uZsOGVDxWta3yvYkW6uPfV_IAtpVmYn2OsJQ/s400/roxy+glove.JPG" width="313" /></a></div>
Can you tell which pictures came out of which camera? Lens was the same. A one year old camera doesn't make better pictures than a six year old one.
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMibeiswcXE0sEuZUT2Nup9-X_dnZwyuEcUv_bghFSVLmNndIJNBBmaAI-PLh8jiMzXihtaqZ5QNKv5TFUVZROfQidyma_kuXZkpqJGALT4xmO_jUrJ5bSmkIvetCfKLq-worsw/s1600/missy+out+of+focus.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMibeiswcXE0sEuZUT2Nup9-X_dnZwyuEcUv_bghFSVLmNndIJNBBmaAI-PLh8jiMzXihtaqZ5QNKv5TFUVZROfQidyma_kuXZkpqJGALT4xmO_jUrJ5bSmkIvetCfKLq-worsw/s400/missy+out+of+focus.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
This was disappointing that I missed getting the focus right. I'm out of practice with the D40.
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDGmS9sk5CjyBxkiBxGmzRw0h_uZrQlAc85sCk9OhPZGETA1_tcrU8ggE1zPP8b7onTAW1BheLCk5gErpJsISuMdSsUIImydULjZUTT4XTVFV5RcJVo-wjuuEmmvSDd_ondHCBA/s1600/roxy+catch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDGmS9sk5CjyBxkiBxGmzRw0h_uZrQlAc85sCk9OhPZGETA1_tcrU8ggE1zPP8b7onTAW1BheLCk5gErpJsISuMdSsUIImydULjZUTT4XTVFV5RcJVo-wjuuEmmvSDd_ondHCBA/s400/roxy+catch.JPG" width="317" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTj0VwPciglFJVMYdJh7SYBMUyPwubqBGyPGrVaM3yOxvQkED5ZJ1V1eybj1aCTnz4xgcfx-SLibwlUsv8ZvMP1-F4i0iBSN_FWRiuRDrFtI3t089zqMaOa_p7G77wH-wJ_SDYw/s1600/roxy+arms.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTj0VwPciglFJVMYdJh7SYBMUyPwubqBGyPGrVaM3yOxvQkED5ZJ1V1eybj1aCTnz4xgcfx-SLibwlUsv8ZvMP1-F4i0iBSN_FWRiuRDrFtI3t089zqMaOa_p7G77wH-wJ_SDYw/s400/roxy+arms.JPG" width="342" /></a></div>Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-61990498492803150432011-11-29T09:58:00.001-08:002011-11-29T10:34:40.168-08:00Boxes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboXFN_FAUdW132mVFPqLX96ypSi_N-V0T7jBzMsFKQsk9ojXqTC47EEXWmSfRXUaPaqgOp2Xul3cT4fufoPzReuX1H7wiFqvaj4pAjIQdxed35s8Iw2b7hWdRWeV7Lo-bZPLdPA/s1600/Book+line+sm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="280" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboXFN_FAUdW132mVFPqLX96ypSi_N-V0T7jBzMsFKQsk9ojXqTC47EEXWmSfRXUaPaqgOp2Xul3cT4fufoPzReuX1H7wiFqvaj4pAjIQdxed35s8Iw2b7hWdRWeV7Lo-bZPLdPA/s400/Book+line+sm.JPG" /></a></div>
Finished a paperback novel. Its been quite a while since the time I read several novels a week. It felt about the same to read this one, since it was well written. What's different from highschool is my literary education that lets me see the construction and tropes within it. Read enough and you see the similarities between them. It was enjoyable. A world between covers, where I got to experience the emotions and actions of all the people. The experience is made by using compression, shortcuts, description. Its like putting ones consciousness into a box. The closeness makes everything seem more real. The author constructs the box, paints the scenes on the inside, but eventually you have used up the novelty and have to leave. Outside the box the world is not so trim. Looking back on a long term pursuit of fiction, I see the parts of reality I missed. Always climbing into a box, and too often using the methods of box interpretation out in the real world, which has not such walls and continuity. The world has its own boarders, entirely different than squared line-by-line pages. The world was not designed for our amusement and catharsis. My point is not that we should stay out of the narrow box worlds we create. Vacations have their utility. It is I who needs to inhabit a new set of interpretive constructs. The ones for out here. Because, I am coming to understand with my own warped methods, that this world is itself a box. A far more deadly and immersive one than fiction media. The world was created by someone with intentions and populated with characters. Where else would we have gotten the idea for our little boxes? Likewise there will be a conclusion out here. I have faith in the author of the truest of myths. Even my role here has meaning, and there is something within me more than a human who runs through his role and never exists again. There is wisdom encoded on pages. Wisdom that holds true across many a scene and worldly circumstance. Bits of wisdom, like math, are permanent qualities that had to exist outside of our knowing them. And so, even a misguided soul like me can pick up the wisdom I've found and use it on the straighter path. Our father, who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, the glory forever and ever, amen.Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-61929396061362536682011-07-23T22:06:00.000-07:002011-07-23T22:12:05.606-07:00Alternate photo for drive poem<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREaczTJKMF7Oi6k-wDvk3XhwtYhsc8N1V47KzI6WptmnlYeZzgzOluDcDYkLLt-Qw11n_hMBMZySsVq1lu_02mFsF8gf-4gIZpw5-VRZsWIz9kyCLjiDwNc3qMgeSNw8L0xxdvw/s1600/GTH_4434.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREaczTJKMF7Oi6k-wDvk3XhwtYhsc8N1V47KzI6WptmnlYeZzgzOluDcDYkLLt-Qw11n_hMBMZySsVq1lu_02mFsF8gf-4gIZpw5-VRZsWIz9kyCLjiDwNc3qMgeSNw8L0xxdvw/s400/GTH_4434.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632782204606930290" /></a><br /><br />Driving tractor earlier this spring.Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-10173564397993190332011-07-23T21:13:00.000-07:002011-07-23T21:37:44.098-07:00a driving poemI switched to the classical music channel and wrote this on the tractor yesterday. I wouldn't rate this poem very high, but I enjoyed writing it. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> I can drive<br />until the sun falls from the sky<br />and boils the ocean dry<br />and is left,<br />a hard cold coal of sun<br />and an albatross carries it back in time -<br />to start the day again.<br /> I can drive<br />until all the aluminum is removed from <br />all the feldspar everywhere<br />and the stripes on the roads are <br />anodized.<br /> I can drive <br />until you've learned every song ever wrote on piano.<br />and all the people <br />who ever existed have listened to it all,<br />live in concert.<br /> until<br />every tear is cried<br />every tear, and all weeds are <br />gone from every field<br />with friends across every phylum.<br />until<br />all weariness is sated<br />and time is measured<br />as the space between then and now, <br />not from within<br />as we wait until.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZbl5NJx3n1A3V4PRF-_RPynoyd5_rmnSCDgLxMHM6U6Ou-Vm8UE_kJNhkXvlz_TjTPSO2_fzow50uMDenaDqqJE3dlFhr5dnFxH2WC4pSvOoyjJif4euRKUpqaYoOBKDVYtOmw/s1600/drive.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 89px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZbl5NJx3n1A3V4PRF-_RPynoyd5_rmnSCDgLxMHM6U6Ou-Vm8UE_kJNhkXvlz_TjTPSO2_fzow50uMDenaDqqJE3dlFhr5dnFxH2WC4pSvOoyjJif4euRKUpqaYoOBKDVYtOmw/s400/drive.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632773335697942850" /></a>Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-49394769677792184802011-05-21T22:11:00.000-07:002011-05-21T22:15:57.830-07:00raftingToday I did white water rafting for the first time. It was fun and exciting, enjoyable to propel the boat as a team, and had those nervous bits when it seemed dangerous. <br />As we floated through smooth and rough water my thoughts where on the experience of being on uneven water, and how that is so often used as a analogy for the function of thoughts themselves. The water is singular in substance, a tangible mass made of a myriad tiny pieces, hard yet splashing to drops, swirling mysterious currents turning this way and that, yet all going downstream. There is power in water, but in most arrangements it is harmless. <br /><br />After all the reading I do, it was grand to experience the foundation of a metaphor.Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-83057579780765424712010-08-15T21:56:00.000-07:002010-08-15T22:27:15.894-07:00camera stick discoveryWhat good is a monopod with a ball head? Maybe I'll sell it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-r9cEQ_zV5NxSGqrcPmwSkW1MP0VeeQCW8xSIIrjU-nwbWECbSr1y4al4mobAQgFESJy1iAdPsEfHga9D5H5bOdof4U4aamzc2lKBrWBmL_uivjaTBSCF5DR2_Kh_iMhCZV2_g/s1600/DSC_4542.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-r9cEQ_zV5NxSGqrcPmwSkW1MP0VeeQCW8xSIIrjU-nwbWECbSr1y4al4mobAQgFESJy1iAdPsEfHga9D5H5bOdof4U4aamzc2lKBrWBmL_uivjaTBSCF5DR2_Kh_iMhCZV2_g/s400/DSC_4542.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505868169240749618" /></a><br /><br />But wait!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfud5e76lS3YKKdKCsgUIhYRrpFF9nfDiaxhhT_JVFZW5an8mU_M77p6nP2CNPady3jWY24EoOmO5umk-Fop6TyjG_OB1bcHd2VB2iqwWdGj2bkqxdTIlm0pghXj8tdhJmCdEvw/s1600/camera+stick.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfud5e76lS3YKKdKCsgUIhYRrpFF9nfDiaxhhT_JVFZW5an8mU_M77p6nP2CNPady3jWY24EoOmO5umk-Fop6TyjG_OB1bcHd2VB2iqwWdGj2bkqxdTIlm0pghXj8tdhJmCdEvw/s400/camera+stick.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505873103792712450" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubPcmQ717Yj23ARcNUEdmIXhsVf6BsvokL8L_9bULwoFgRopVyZW9mGCy8wKTBxgFkW_gOfwHkI5cbM6eY3R7dS5ejouhgYsdD8svnmZp2Jozq985Wcc5UWIiN2k53kvf7n_Wkw/s1600/mom+triangle.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubPcmQ717Yj23ARcNUEdmIXhsVf6BsvokL8L_9bULwoFgRopVyZW9mGCy8wKTBxgFkW_gOfwHkI5cbM6eY3R7dS5ejouhgYsdD8svnmZp2Jozq985Wcc5UWIiN2k53kvf7n_Wkw/s400/mom+triangle.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505873515435820594" /></a><br /><br />It's a keeper! I read about doing off-photographer camera and there's all sorts of ways to get unusual angles with a big stick! I can also use it for off-camera flashes once I buy some.Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-45325361931392954742010-05-13T23:12:00.000-07:002010-05-13T23:15:31.498-07:00Bombed<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fizS80WQsGz9Ge9s_qfTpwhv2tK_BAu_RILsD03HdG7qWOyvi8dCy0730oepQGn4glEkQ-wHIL-P9AnYiQf0YkR8b-rCVamA8eukV18aHPZ3SnQ91KfAcIi_hplQIobrQLczwA/s1600/bombed.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fizS80WQsGz9Ge9s_qfTpwhv2tK_BAu_RILsD03HdG7qWOyvi8dCy0730oepQGn4glEkQ-wHIL-P9AnYiQf0YkR8b-rCVamA8eukV18aHPZ3SnQ91KfAcIi_hplQIobrQLczwA/s400/bombed.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471005137444672210" /></a><br />I've been trying to get this picture for a while. Hopefully I'll get it better some day. We live in a navy jet training run and all my life I've been bombed by these guys. They target our house, our barn, combines out in the field, and today our equipment shed. I was standing outside with the birds chirping, connecting a chemical pump. I heard the beginning of the noise and rushed to grab my camera. I had about a second and a half to pull it out and point it up and hold down the shutter button. <br /><br />When directly in line with the sound it is such a short intense roar with the build up and taper off. Its a whole body sound. <br /><br />I've always liked the jets going over. They are most always A-6 Intruders, sometimes they are low enough to see the pilot. As I've got older, I also think of how glad I am that I'm not Taliban or Iraqi hoping one of these isn't going to come by and blow me up. It leaves me feeling strange inside to be working on some farm equipment, three seconds of ZOOM and the plane is a dot in the distance. If this weren't a test, I'd be dead.<br /><br />This one seems to be between 500-1000 feet up. They stay under the sound barrier.Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-14667045852792219322010-03-27T15:14:00.000-07:002010-03-27T21:04:59.419-07:00Blog day 2010: want to buy a condo?I've been working on an advertisement for my condo in Bellingham. It was nice to have it for college, but overall it was not smart financially. I could pay it off over the next decade, but I don't think its a good investment with all the interest I have to pay. Its always best to buy things entire or not at all. As soon as I can get rid of this I'll have no debt and I intend to never borrow any money again. The "borrow is slave to the lender" and all that. Dave Ramsey is my main inspiration for being financially sensible. Second would be my parents.<br />Click <a href="http://www.gradyhouger.com/condo.htm">here</a> for to see photography of the place. $119k if you want it.<br /><br />Listened to today:<br />some streaming praise music through Shoutcast<br />Buzz Goertzen - God Loves Country Music and Yodelers too!<br />Black Sabbath - Paranoid<br />Christsafari - Valley of Decision<br />Car Talk on NPR<br /><br />Here is a guy in Lesotho building a house. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1_iTbxLP67MlCv2Y7TgjGDd3baFsjtW_BPnbjjycIvCgM-l2roBzBR9a6vl6zCNRrBWlWAi4Kdd1P9JhJWOjwIwPeGqvDFn_D0ePQ2R23XNoxE4AwJLvAbUUM5cTplr9y49UJg/s1600/guy+building+house+in+Lesotho.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 348px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1_iTbxLP67MlCv2Y7TgjGDd3baFsjtW_BPnbjjycIvCgM-l2roBzBR9a6vl6zCNRrBWlWAi4Kdd1P9JhJWOjwIwPeGqvDFn_D0ePQ2R23XNoxE4AwJLvAbUUM5cTplr9y49UJg/s400/guy+building+house+in+Lesotho.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453530117455764674" border="0" /></a>Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-43268120074148565912010-03-27T13:20:00.000-07:002011-06-03T21:40:54.759-07:00Book Review: War Cycles Peace Cycles - by Richard Kelly HoskinsSo my dad was loaned this book by a neighbor, and since my dad has a phonebook sized EMT textbook to memorize, he passed on 'Cycles' to me.<br />This book is an economic history of the world, emphasizing historical causes for economic collapse and what individual Americans can do to prepare for the next crash.<br />My recommendation: Do not read this book!<br />It was written with engaging style and confidant authority. It does have some interesting ideas about economics that would be worth researching elsewhere. Anywhere else. But the only reason to read this book is to have a look at the reasoning of one of the respected sages of the White Supremacist movement. I started reading 'Cycles' with no knowledge of who Hoskins was. I as just judging the book by its cover, which is black with a bold font and a crashing stock market graph. The text of the book is a fixed width font, printed by some process that looks like a copy of typewriter pages, and somewhat blurry at that. It was a glue bound paperback. This styling portrayed genuine underground publication, cheaply done in someones basement with outdated equipment. Probably was, since no publisher would put there name on this. <br />Growing up here in the inland northwest there may be few colored peoples, but there is a population of White Supremacists. Even so, they are portrayed as violent nuts who hate Black people. I had not thought about their reasoning for believing themselves supreme. 'Cycles' holds a lot of that reasoning. Based mainly on warped interpretation of the Bible and inability to get over past grievances (mainly the civil war), Hoskins explains how Whites are really God's chosen race, how the current Jews are not. He also claims that the Jewish bankers know the system is flawed and use it to maintain power and get rich off the wars and revolutions they instigate.<br />The only point worth pursuing is that lending at interest always leads to economic collapse. I found Hostkin's explanations for this lacked rigor. What was engaging was his detailed account of how large scale borrowing-at-interest had caused the collapse of nations throughout history. Not sure if he was accurate about that, but it was interesting.<br /><br />'War Cycles Peace Cycles' was too full of 'trying to prove a point' to be a valid source of economic education, but it is a detailed read if you want to understand the thinking of White Supremacists.Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-86133351225503775952010-03-27T12:02:00.000-07:002010-03-27T12:14:26.881-07:00Blog day 2010: RV familyArrived at 49degrees North, my brothers preferred ski area. On the way here we where behind a slow RV for a while. It was an old dirty RV with what looked like a lawn mower on top. Written on the back in sharpie was "Don't Laugh, we found it in the Paleozoic layer!" There was a cardboard sign duct taped on that read "Homeschooling heaven" and in the back window was "Honk if you believe God made the Grand Canyon", and "Arizona or Bust". It appeared that inside someone was cooking breakfast. The kids waved at us. When my 50hp VW pickup was finally able to pass, I honked.<br /> I wish I could have got a picture of that RV. What a great way to travel.<br />Snowboarding sure is fun. I should have started years ago.Its great just being up here in evergreen mountains.<br /><br />Speaking of slow vehicles, here is an ox cart in Lesotho.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVEfslpfL9Pue96A0EI9fWqkpvsTUWc8YEAT1AxAbW9fed8OMVeFpMtgtFL4apDmKnHIBh3_JCUv_CApKrEtm62GsHznjkxmBvOsDhujop8XPgQ1MrAgRQvdc4jNXun655ZCRsQ/s1600/ox+cart+in+road+and+guy+dancing.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 321px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVEfslpfL9Pue96A0EI9fWqkpvsTUWc8YEAT1AxAbW9fed8OMVeFpMtgtFL4apDmKnHIBh3_JCUv_CApKrEtm62GsHznjkxmBvOsDhujop8XPgQ1MrAgRQvdc4jNXun655ZCRsQ/s400/ox+cart+in+road+and+guy+dancing.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453393876516087410" border="0" /></a>Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-42008558769850497082010-03-26T22:42:00.000-07:002010-03-26T23:26:16.165-07:00Tomorrow: Blog day 2010Tomorrow I'm taking my brother snowboarding. I'm glad to have learned how this year, but just not feeling like snowboarding tomorrow. So instead I'll sit in the lodge and catch up on some computer chores. Why not liveblog the thought stream? This might be fun. I'll try to update at least once an hour once I'm there.<br /><br />It's always nice to put a picture up with each blog post. Blogging advice bloggers say its one of the secrets of success. I see blogs where the writer has obviosly went to a microstock photos site and found a picture that vaguely illistrates the the point of their post. It looks kind of lame when people do this on every post. I'm a photographer, so I see it as my duty to at least have it be my own photos I put up. Photos are like <a href="http://www.schlockmercenary.com/blog/index.php/2010/03/25/dont-ask-me-where-i-get-my-ideas/">ideas</a>; rather pointless unless you do something with them.<br /><br />Here is a photo of me five years ago.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0G6BR8bAvg0vZKcjrKWRegbTUagP1LByZcrZ0yzAPH_BMFaK-ZIIvv40vg9549zYk828VdBXlb3vQL6aCRsijyoA7muKUXkD0S47vq1B8EGRRrapvEKx3Dz4ceNWm3fBUAiitIQ/s1600/at+work+2006+pentax+digital+crop.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 366px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0G6BR8bAvg0vZKcjrKWRegbTUagP1LByZcrZ0yzAPH_BMFaK-ZIIvv40vg9549zYk828VdBXlb3vQL6aCRsijyoA7muKUXkD0S47vq1B8EGRRrapvEKx3Dz4ceNWm3fBUAiitIQ/s400/at+work+2006+pentax+digital+crop.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453194844051445570" border="0" /></a>Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-50332192931112875672010-03-18T21:00:00.000-07:002010-03-18T21:24:06.086-07:00Lots of tractor driving to look forward to<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHMfD3L1uifHA0ZRSUt7E-n0mN39jYiqH1Zujviafh4GsICqbPAr_iTgJFe2dXDYAiuR5WPRXte8Vp-mkXEhAZNs0vI8bUog5-cN5utrcjAWcLHfGB5q5wS7fxqCByFfdSefhEA/s1600-h/auto+steer.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHMfD3L1uifHA0ZRSUt7E-n0mN39jYiqH1Zujviafh4GsICqbPAr_iTgJFe2dXDYAiuR5WPRXte8Vp-mkXEhAZNs0vI8bUog5-cN5utrcjAWcLHfGB5q5wS7fxqCByFfdSefhEA/s400/auto+steer.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450192271528306770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">This week I've been riding in the tractor as it drives itself! Autosteer been working well. It makes the tractor driving experience new and strange. Now I can take notes, eat with both hands, wave my arms around. There is still plenty to keep an eye on, and I have to make the turns at the end of each pass, but now there is none of the fatigue of focusing on the GPS line all day.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gCDLSrToWFSTWTFk_i9N48Ux4vuyEdjBA1ucAEOnzRnIrBKErekLxdqHaefkrN4FdrZDGy1QsOvc3809N7A8Y-nbhyphenhyphenPouL8rEwxEdzGd-SYZe5dSK319cxZ5lgkReVf_s2O-bw/s1600-h/cows+drinking+in+pond+behind+barn+800wide.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gCDLSrToWFSTWTFk_i9N48Ux4vuyEdjBA1ucAEOnzRnIrBKErekLxdqHaefkrN4FdrZDGy1QsOvc3809N7A8Y-nbhyphenhyphenPouL8rEwxEdzGd-SYZe5dSK319cxZ5lgkReVf_s2O-bw/s400/cows+drinking+in+pond+behind+barn+800wide.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450195177912399538" border="0" /></a>Also, the frogs have came out of hibernation!Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-55687641938833731172009-07-28T20:38:00.000-07:002009-07-29T08:47:25.209-07:00Don't fly!It was late at night. The household was asleep, except the hamster and I was awake typing. On the floor above me suddenly dad starts stomping around. This is most unusual. "Are you awake?" dad asks, "there is a bat in the house."<br />Oh boy, what great fun!<br />Fortunately it flew into the bathroom instead of the living room with clearstory windows. It could dodge with far more skill than a bug! I chased it in circles with a waste basket and towel, but only caught it when it got tired and landed on the towel.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazUxz3LrZGTqvfrRVLkpolF325MTco_xJCNpHCuKjvWb8sMGJiM-oBLxP1lqS4dR5WBDl7nq1SlE_x9CjV4LbQ5IZNxueRfgIsyJPHomNLjKaaoYpkUouNz6DGhu2oFXg4BoO-Q/s1600-h/bat_in_house.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazUxz3LrZGTqvfrRVLkpolF325MTco_xJCNpHCuKjvWb8sMGJiM-oBLxP1lqS4dR5WBDl7nq1SlE_x9CjV4LbQ5IZNxueRfgIsyJPHomNLjKaaoYpkUouNz6DGhu2oFXg4BoO-Q/s400/bat_in_house.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363722307646709442" border="0" /></a>I put it in a makeshift cage (a bug zapper screen) to photograph it. The bat kept opening its mouth to echolocate. It was kinda cute.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_L_LoJEpRDJWxKvc1m7NdMSw8XLKHj3wGr48XoSiRVtMx4prnjRnMxXN6VZ30_2dpbl5-0vzfBbMtYjLwVQw8G1ZTMXeMZjl_ayGlXh0pS8qhwnBLuaZ3gGWlgUOu_HVgLCH2yQ/s1600-h/bat1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 345px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_L_LoJEpRDJWxKvc1m7NdMSw8XLKHj3wGr48XoSiRVtMx4prnjRnMxXN6VZ30_2dpbl5-0vzfBbMtYjLwVQw8G1ZTMXeMZjl_ayGlXh0pS8qhwnBLuaZ3gGWlgUOu_HVgLCH2yQ/s400/bat1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363722305051523746" border="0" /></a>Recently I was hiking across some pasture we bought, just to see what was there. It was close to our house but I had never actually walked through it before. While watching chipmunks on some rocks that looked like grave stones I heard a buzzing sound coming from a hole in the ground. Perhaps its a bumble bee I thought, they live in holes like that. So I waited and waited, and this is what came out!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Hxc8AuWNGq9sj9y57GRQbYKFp6fzmMqRkbcgi1SYBk9YYeS_KRAP_tB9DiBWJsn8gDC_-iGR-vj_WRoxPek38KYAgnGhCCXVrwTgI7fbfPbVGoJBjBCG20MRUW84Ruzz7bTUmw/s1600-h/hornet3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Hxc8AuWNGq9sj9y57GRQbYKFp6fzmMqRkbcgi1SYBk9YYeS_KRAP_tB9DiBWJsn8gDC_-iGR-vj_WRoxPek38KYAgnGhCCXVrwTgI7fbfPbVGoJBjBCG20MRUW84Ruzz7bTUmw/s400/hornet3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363722288178777538" border="0" /></a><br />I had never seen a hornet so big. If it flew at me I would have ran screaming across the countryside, but it wasn't disturbed by me photographing it. The hornet instead was digging in the loose debris scooping and pushing a load into its hole. Then it continued to buzz, probably making egg chambers.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDtuNVx4ycuxAF1Ll3cKSoivk0UKYHiinHmw7uhnd7W0J2iVuZfyAakq-4UnnQg0K-kK9883vVtzuPavBVDChkWMefLpbfBv25B1TIO1XZSO3mVKyApAg8H7KGBocsiwoh2PJn5Q/s1600-h/hornet2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDtuNVx4ycuxAF1Ll3cKSoivk0UKYHiinHmw7uhnd7W0J2iVuZfyAakq-4UnnQg0K-kK9883vVtzuPavBVDChkWMefLpbfBv25B1TIO1XZSO3mVKyApAg8H7KGBocsiwoh2PJn5Q/s400/hornet2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363722293135675842" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisS7rkWA8y2cT0DfEsXYVZvK1JCwrUHTne8WqUZj1NhqxdSseCzN0guqE9LjTg1TwSMQCzd5kIn0_5IJyC5xZbOj0wjC6NMzqHFVVdWifNEbMhiP3bcoME5JbijrRbLbSOO-lIMw/s1600-h/hornet1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisS7rkWA8y2cT0DfEsXYVZvK1JCwrUHTne8WqUZj1NhqxdSseCzN0guqE9LjTg1TwSMQCzd5kIn0_5IJyC5xZbOj0wjC6NMzqHFVVdWifNEbMhiP3bcoME5JbijrRbLbSOO-lIMw/s400/hornet1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363722296742498402" border="0" /></a><br />It was an inch and a half long I estimate. Not all wasps are carnivorous but this one sure looked like it.Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-66150266091588648922009-07-27T08:41:00.000-07:002011-06-03T21:46:30.301-07:00Hello readers. In my life I have developed a habit of saying 'no' to worldly choices, but just as often I was saying 'no' to the work of the Lord as well. The result was an empty, dissatisfied existence. So I write this message only because I saw it, found myself able to articulate it, and thanks to technology of this age, can to display it for you.<br /><br />2 Tim 1:7 “For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self control.”<br /><br />Think of what this means fellow Christian, God gave us a spirit of power, love, and self control.<br />The spirit of power – to do and speak; the power to move our own self and to move others.<br />The spirit of Love – to care and sacrifice in imitation of Christ.<br />The spirit of Self Control – to refuse the body what would hurt it or harm the soul; to refuse the mind the pleasure of evil thoughts and bad advice. And also Self Control to choose the narrow way when the broad has every indication of superiority. It would be wrong to anthropomorphize these divinely gifted spirits as three 'angels' given to us, invisibly floating around working these virtues into our lives. We have no trustworthy explanation of how spirits, and the empowering of God, operates. But it does happen, though the method is beyond our knowing. An unattainable question of 'How?' distracts from the vital point of this verse, our living, loving God has given us what we need so that we can successfully do what is good and right. Our focus should be on what actions we have before us today that require power, love, and self control. This is following God. These are the 'all things' I can do through Christ who strengthens me. <br />Lord, help us, your servants, to remember and use these great gifts you have given, and to give you praise for the good that results.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9t5CutI8UiFjRtagaiu3On05N6S2DPpDFowfH_7469bp-iTUYP-yubLrjKkyUFyjPPbtOjvSHU10__0ZfznCvVxIf20o2Ht4ULQNE7_DSWWcGXse876lik4xiQtGpwma0RmXag/s1600-h/spot_sunset_sm.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9t5CutI8UiFjRtagaiu3On05N6S2DPpDFowfH_7469bp-iTUYP-yubLrjKkyUFyjPPbtOjvSHU10__0ZfznCvVxIf20o2Ht4ULQNE7_DSWWcGXse876lik4xiQtGpwma0RmXag/s400/spot_sunset_sm.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363167185951500594" border="0" /></a>Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-54363571931965201472009-07-18T08:31:00.000-07:002009-07-18T08:51:58.947-07:00Found this weasel on the side of the hiway. Don't get to see them too often. The only other time I saw a weasel was many years ago. I was combineing wheat and the weasel was running through the stubble. I then saw it again the same way the day after that, in another part of the field. In a couple months this dead one should leave an interesting skeleton behind.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtrmd0C7HPtXm2TWl0itMAWtrQWWZGgUU9QaSd-zp6ggPHAINurDlEgPYAxID_1-F63UHYZo7yvSq1DZ5vymLvZGQ9uQn3kopqCrepmp_zPwCsQsrcV0X_6rnp-yjXdPVlmU9Og/s1600-h/weasel_small.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 383px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtrmd0C7HPtXm2TWl0itMAWtrQWWZGgUU9QaSd-zp6ggPHAINurDlEgPYAxID_1-F63UHYZo7yvSq1DZ5vymLvZGQ9uQn3kopqCrepmp_zPwCsQsrcV0X_6rnp-yjXdPVlmU9Og/s400/weasel_small.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359824502440464642" border="0" /></a><br />Yesterday and the day before I've driven tractors and while doing so, photographed these hawks. This one flew from one pole to the next as I was passing by.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRPIHp1VNi92RatjrF34kcZgqnKqIAva7nDL7JZi5L1rktjB8hsoJS3e-nueOegv1jC_2T7PO1UeXErjIDm115yYaet20RXDcFfSSfOxqJy5WaWXKcoWaWN-BxpmQ34NgjG7Lng/s1600-h/smallJD_sm.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 318px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRPIHp1VNi92RatjrF34kcZgqnKqIAva7nDL7JZi5L1rktjB8hsoJS3e-nueOegv1jC_2T7PO1UeXErjIDm115yYaet20RXDcFfSSfOxqJy5WaWXKcoWaWN-BxpmQ34NgjG7Lng/s400/smallJD_sm.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359824497203078466" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHw7bQ0OufwZ8Dv4rCQMRZofcwJni8rUuHPLiafbGdsivDbJ9qhnXroiMTNG_6cKvFNqE5wgnfnENw9qLgVKrvvzW_WfsVkW7t6JnwTwmMwjlks3O-WQh2bAF3y7Ay_oln9pRnEA/s1600-h/hawk_on_powerpole.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 335px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHw7bQ0OufwZ8Dv4rCQMRZofcwJni8rUuHPLiafbGdsivDbJ9qhnXroiMTNG_6cKvFNqE5wgnfnENw9qLgVKrvvzW_WfsVkW7t6JnwTwmMwjlks3O-WQh2bAF3y7Ay_oln9pRnEA/s400/hawk_on_powerpole.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359824493114464466" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKU5XZh7CCW3N8Jgln7X44aHzlXVkno_zD-4QbRepNzbq4yFwFVV6GswwEHxk8t99Yz1OlxaPS7Jv8bec7qZbaTbBvZdvsBH5wilnBMp24fl_rkJ_gYfedAbZHNgbyERJ7KN90ng/s1600-h/hawk_leave.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKU5XZh7CCW3N8Jgln7X44aHzlXVkno_zD-4QbRepNzbq4yFwFVV6GswwEHxk8t99Yz1OlxaPS7Jv8bec7qZbaTbBvZdvsBH5wilnBMp24fl_rkJ_gYfedAbZHNgbyERJ7KN90ng/s400/hawk_leave.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359823982252657282" border="0" /></a><br />I spent the day mowing weeds. There are few mowers more serious than a tractor pulled mower with three rotors, each having four 50lb blades. Four foot tall patches of thistles too dense to walk through are turned into a layer of pulp that smells like the definition of green. As I was hunting down thistles among the grass, two hawks followed me, dropping down on fleeing mice.<br />I also saw a little owl, various mice themselves running away, and a female pheasant with some chicks, but didn't get photos of them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Lw4YHzfNDHFoeQCSOIaVoU1Inpj2D5abS3gD_iTrdeDyYjzCs1_OQpnX3minmOpHbdIwaVPuz3SFagwVFP-yRUsE_O8VoQnuWqsB3suXTfBmfSFFwckls4HWCKfhzlkAwzeKJQ/s1600-h/hawk_pass_tractor.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Lw4YHzfNDHFoeQCSOIaVoU1Inpj2D5abS3gD_iTrdeDyYjzCs1_OQpnX3minmOpHbdIwaVPuz3SFagwVFP-yRUsE_O8VoQnuWqsB3suXTfBmfSFFwckls4HWCKfhzlkAwzeKJQ/s400/hawk_pass_tractor.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359825400068669666" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3HdaWdSW1vHXkiYOPmPrB28akh42anZ0HmijDkX969am8PbC5trD6Zw6uNfEybB02P0_OCBAsuAzKIldm_2ZY_u_lLPcdDvxB-oZE3BWuwld-9esgDjfl2zw46QIpjcSbhPAEw/s1600-h/hawk_land.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 340px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3HdaWdSW1vHXkiYOPmPrB28akh42anZ0HmijDkX969am8PbC5trD6Zw6uNfEybB02P0_OCBAsuAzKIldm_2ZY_u_lLPcdDvxB-oZE3BWuwld-9esgDjfl2zw46QIpjcSbhPAEw/s400/hawk_land.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359823978477740290" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsWTveS-y2tOCHnkrXC6CIy8K5uXDi4-ydnbzupVDaK_oqRfkLRWPOGnET3IfTg2TpCk_ytkRtAIGy28teEtf6-mEeOuRIPC43lvugjq3RoYyFzVpMNMFX6OqoCL5Q1D3qpjRgg/s1600-h/hawk_catch.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 393px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsWTveS-y2tOCHnkrXC6CIy8K5uXDi4-ydnbzupVDaK_oqRfkLRWPOGnET3IfTg2TpCk_ytkRtAIGy28teEtf6-mEeOuRIPC43lvugjq3RoYyFzVpMNMFX6OqoCL5Q1D3qpjRgg/s400/hawk_catch.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359823976010421330" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopEvTJjWQ9SgZxcJLKtZ3_5872SVmWIv4ywJz8IS4lQSdX42x1UkM2GBmshufjkRjkidsskkAOGUr5J-kJOCR0Z0Yo-Syx8KVTuaXZ-t0kjcDSKmcrGRfjL2nSmhxQIKKKNNUJw/s1600-h/hawk_bite.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 338px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopEvTJjWQ9SgZxcJLKtZ3_5872SVmWIv4ywJz8IS4lQSdX42x1UkM2GBmshufjkRjkidsskkAOGUr5J-kJOCR0Z0Yo-Syx8KVTuaXZ-t0kjcDSKmcrGRfjL2nSmhxQIKKKNNUJw/s400/hawk_bite.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359823973192863474" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6gZ6Tfr5itPyja7fsk_bY2uMhddKQKoUtXtPaIQOlJpLYOHXzBLmAfdlVSgnPK6Alpw9WLhQwIQlsdWVY2CddGLReEU3Cvz7T9xRCJhh4Tld7ZGiLxwLyUeqYzkqC2qrkHjjfA/s1600-h/hawk_talons.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6gZ6Tfr5itPyja7fsk_bY2uMhddKQKoUtXtPaIQOlJpLYOHXzBLmAfdlVSgnPK6Alpw9WLhQwIQlsdWVY2CddGLReEU3Cvz7T9xRCJhh4Tld7ZGiLxwLyUeqYzkqC2qrkHjjfA/s400/hawk_talons.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359823969645576402" border="0" /></a>Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-25181355607986956112009-07-16T08:27:00.000-07:002009-07-16T09:05:04.555-07:00Sleeping in the Woods: Day 3The storm blew the tents rain fly askew and made a nice puddle. I thought I could sleep on the cot with just the wool blanket (wool is supposed to be warm even when wet right?). Well, I woke up after a couple hours and just couldn't fall back asleep when cold and damp. I suppose I could have done it, but not when I had a modern insulated bedroom just a short walk away. So I started walking back. It was about midnight, and despite a low 3/4 moon and lots of stars I could not see well enough to walk over rocks without breaking something. Also, a damp t-shirt is very cold when its 50 degrees. In the dark the very remote possibility of being chomped by a cougar is no longer remote, it is right next to you. So I stumbled back to the tent and set out once more equipped with a dangley LED lantern, a .22 pistol that got in the puddle and would only be good for one shot until I could clean the rust out of the magazine, and wrapped in the wet army blanket. In all reality, to any hypothetical cougar, I would be the monster in the dark, a dark flopping shape casting shadows in all directions, clomping over the rocks.<br /><br />But the next evening I returned with to find the blankets I had propped up with branches had dried and it was very nice.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGFxusjKV4JaHtFI5tuhWGK9mAehrouaGcPdnwgz8MBM12zIwwgBRmYqT_D-fUP28cE_NCd9r0N6TGaR-lc-nfL-7k4DB5bmeae5B4qyNkg3p94Kgv2RYUa7mLVmarw2qgi9mOA/s1600-h/nice2009sunset.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 116px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGFxusjKV4JaHtFI5tuhWGK9mAehrouaGcPdnwgz8MBM12zIwwgBRmYqT_D-fUP28cE_NCd9r0N6TGaR-lc-nfL-7k4DB5bmeae5B4qyNkg3p94Kgv2RYUa7mLVmarw2qgi9mOA/s400/nice2009sunset.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359086483304312626" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzES8SzDnYSPuqgn68knMy4KJUoj9Y-cRvjGfW8N4nY9W9tzKhePq2VqrH2IT1qhHQ_k5XYqZGUtkBA02s0jcrVqwB7bu1ZhjLW-vDKWKIuC6dtiSrRcqtM-_1C4cTrfNnfbwqeg/s1600-h/chomping_deer.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 287px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzES8SzDnYSPuqgn68knMy4KJUoj9Y-cRvjGfW8N4nY9W9tzKhePq2VqrH2IT1qhHQ_k5XYqZGUtkBA02s0jcrVqwB7bu1ZhjLW-vDKWKIuC6dtiSrRcqtM-_1C4cTrfNnfbwqeg/s400/chomping_deer.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359089138567781042" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhk8g3Vu1YqUqjDWiWcASUiXY-zXpqHgcA_owpHDfmrE9b3AzXyKNzZ8SDO85az3hUPXBp7KNTviO8elKS59fTjD7qhTrXsIN2IJ1garhgGGDpgqdgNNmuMA0OVM6sE9-HIE7vQ/s1600-h/color+patterned+campsite.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhk8g3Vu1YqUqjDWiWcASUiXY-zXpqHgcA_owpHDfmrE9b3AzXyKNzZ8SDO85az3hUPXBp7KNTviO8elKS59fTjD7qhTrXsIN2IJ1garhgGGDpgqdgNNmuMA0OVM6sE9-HIE7vQ/s400/color+patterned+campsite.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359086488705579314" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifGRUf-TR0QvgYldz-_O0pgieniwbacCsxYU-6tz81DqkaxaNAGlLOPkkCy5qzFLpOJQMfONVn-xPpSlmfn0sUuHEE0SxN-hLKay2GqqFdVeOAYQW6I7_hYWRAk1Raz-IwPvRKw/s1600-h/3amigos.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifGRUf-TR0QvgYldz-_O0pgieniwbacCsxYU-6tz81DqkaxaNAGlLOPkkCy5qzFLpOJQMfONVn-xPpSlmfn0sUuHEE0SxN-hLKay2GqqFdVeOAYQW6I7_hYWRAk1Raz-IwPvRKw/s400/3amigos.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359086494847668674" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59zUAgIQ28qwJGiyRKPEge4cHW1CHD_lswvQh6alBbFZwpk6XQ_oX03mud7pILJZ5dLLLhy2wUKrUmXH4oVmu-GMdDcL5mVgmL33C8tJap9CJusJ2QKiX4fnRYRlnQSMyC-4RPA/s1600-h/2birds_sitting_wire.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59zUAgIQ28qwJGiyRKPEge4cHW1CHD_lswvQh6alBbFZwpk6XQ_oX03mud7pILJZ5dLLLhy2wUKrUmXH4oVmu-GMdDcL5mVgmL33C8tJap9CJusJ2QKiX4fnRYRlnQSMyC-4RPA/s400/2birds_sitting_wire.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359086496376261778" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0X9hD6rnxXQoPbcakOqJVJyqJ2o6_XA_poVv9J1DfjpVxm0svBZqweMBM8jMmA8bvrWp9VPJ1bFIBORyBEQvlFcu4oSiyau301fp8XdkdctT64HJx56yCTsMiTE7fV5Ve6Nt7A/s1600-h/swallows_coming&going.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0X9hD6rnxXQoPbcakOqJVJyqJ2o6_XA_poVv9J1DfjpVxm0svBZqweMBM8jMmA8bvrWp9VPJ1bFIBORyBEQvlFcu4oSiyau301fp8XdkdctT64HJx56yCTsMiTE7fV5Ve6Nt7A/s400/swallows_coming&going.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359086500526218674" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzoOdE2RFXPN5kPLDTbosjcoBVMk5x1BR-DF_pQmqNMKcE_Ker7w__QmC9bDAiNLY02zRRL8Hgnye3NoCMXAgz9iCIAmbRdbIOwiOrA2A3Gq3jN3YX2XmUwlLrtY_Kda8wYAFQw/s1600-h/swallow_crosssection.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 108px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzoOdE2RFXPN5kPLDTbosjcoBVMk5x1BR-DF_pQmqNMKcE_Ker7w__QmC9bDAiNLY02zRRL8Hgnye3NoCMXAgz9iCIAmbRdbIOwiOrA2A3Gq3jN3YX2XmUwlLrtY_Kda8wYAFQw/s400/swallow_crosssection.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359087062735358498" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtviumJimy1GGZGWCvs6D-_MlaHvcg8QW1-OCR1ipwTTKfE6c1phGNyUnz8PX1MoQWVedWRfeeNZMkrTKwk-iLWlnv0M4ysaMy4s35OG9GRARX6Uf-TVjWBa7dochMKetzEr_HhQ/s1600-h/swallow_angle.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 386px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtviumJimy1GGZGWCvs6D-_MlaHvcg8QW1-OCR1ipwTTKfE6c1phGNyUnz8PX1MoQWVedWRfeeNZMkrTKwk-iLWlnv0M4ysaMy4s35OG9GRARX6Uf-TVjWBa7dochMKetzEr_HhQ/s400/swallow_angle.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359087053650531378" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2biU5WnWTg90deFMLRnV6lQlaALxwtN-Y5wIlQKvRvyO-cZ2homKnOMFk7_UWPDkILriNduVUZ8JQcG4QRU2otdoCrUexoJ1Q5uxcih7DWmZ9Dxb_ta4pnArT5opIDAqx7QMiw/s1600-h/swallow_top.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 244px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2biU5WnWTg90deFMLRnV6lQlaALxwtN-Y5wIlQKvRvyO-cZ2homKnOMFk7_UWPDkILriNduVUZ8JQcG4QRU2otdoCrUexoJ1Q5uxcih7DWmZ9Dxb_ta4pnArT5opIDAqx7QMiw/s400/swallow_top.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359087069661443378" border="0" /></a>Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-3554605639467476132009-07-13T23:13:00.000-07:002009-07-13T23:30:07.626-07:00StormInstead of sleeping in the woods, I stayed home, we had this great storm. It would have been cool to experience out in the tent, but at any rate, I got pictures. We also got a useful amount of rain out of it. <br />What is harder to capture than pictures of lightning is the feeling of the storm, enjoying the warm dusty wind that blew before it, the early raindrops, the thunder that shook the house, yet I was unconcerned throughout. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYc_vTJGi3E8dgpFxAQJEJaMsf4mL0ta8QuSTgSUKFkryHRQuKzWOSDQhJldO1gaUtCCQSe914NpLdZic_9zBRMkaZfbJOdjBrP4U-zCd9Rw9z2uGbqPm_koZhDgFwCh17j24sVg/s1600-h/l10.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYc_vTJGi3E8dgpFxAQJEJaMsf4mL0ta8QuSTgSUKFkryHRQuKzWOSDQhJldO1gaUtCCQSe914NpLdZic_9zBRMkaZfbJOdjBrP4U-zCd9Rw9z2uGbqPm_koZhDgFwCh17j24sVg/s400/l10.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358196478356727938" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-etHf5UjmXBS8UJRuuTVGY9h1SkHwMiCCLD0pXB5nLS-bhvXZypYcveNSScYOi5trmGlE1ZBaASPSX18EykqoHTG1t7eY27JY5naikWeuhFSvsseneTL5aoYDEX6DEu9aebulfg/s1600-h/l9.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 125px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-etHf5UjmXBS8UJRuuTVGY9h1SkHwMiCCLD0pXB5nLS-bhvXZypYcveNSScYOi5trmGlE1ZBaASPSX18EykqoHTG1t7eY27JY5naikWeuhFSvsseneTL5aoYDEX6DEu9aebulfg/s400/l9.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358196472022271842" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBdX7ny5h5l02WR_qKsPUGwPWcOmNAqcu3EkcIt0FXAnOs1KHnpv8_1JkWnl3QjniZcbmnbDl2LGMk5re81iuc_eXWQrnoGARDWoOMurWf9bX_76KtNcHsEoPOmSwVDJFHnYA_A/s1600-h/l7.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 290px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBdX7ny5h5l02WR_qKsPUGwPWcOmNAqcu3EkcIt0FXAnOs1KHnpv8_1JkWnl3QjniZcbmnbDl2LGMk5re81iuc_eXWQrnoGARDWoOMurWf9bX_76KtNcHsEoPOmSwVDJFHnYA_A/s400/l7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358196470055186882" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGKMdmwaUx_z_0mDS3Qoi6GwKPhZAf17SkjXXbFx4AGpKC-e-2GifdKbFp_smyRLDNK-aZAd_FEcCK50qMBq9rv8kRrvF8k-rY6uHbJEhx6Le_KfpemrP4qICfmwlOb37DlwBLA/s1600-h/l8.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 163px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGKMdmwaUx_z_0mDS3Qoi6GwKPhZAf17SkjXXbFx4AGpKC-e-2GifdKbFp_smyRLDNK-aZAd_FEcCK50qMBq9rv8kRrvF8k-rY6uHbJEhx6Le_KfpemrP4qICfmwlOb37DlwBLA/s400/l8.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358196465292701922" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzIncQZKsXy6UDDCnHXQ7h0dbz0LYywgriGWTKikQRMc9U2JxdamUSMmPhvPE9dlLC7hTjtr6u_ECSnB-5SzPp5u3J6et0hLFcmKMkk67kPuzJ_m7cjjcejh8AJJQp2w1PR1vbA/s1600-h/l6.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzIncQZKsXy6UDDCnHXQ7h0dbz0LYywgriGWTKikQRMc9U2JxdamUSMmPhvPE9dlLC7hTjtr6u_ECSnB-5SzPp5u3J6et0hLFcmKMkk67kPuzJ_m7cjjcejh8AJJQp2w1PR1vbA/s400/l6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358195982186156898" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwL-WQqsupjBp0B-uEfj8lXwCFHqJrEbPpuz7uNoBblZtFWwzmoXkpUF22Gz7PCivnDgqSTX3Fp7EkZaQd6WlxyV_2kIm5syPoGF5U5D1MUQKBLeIhEellBIPZpSV1gygr1cG6Hw/s1600-h/l4.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 313px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwL-WQqsupjBp0B-uEfj8lXwCFHqJrEbPpuz7uNoBblZtFWwzmoXkpUF22Gz7PCivnDgqSTX3Fp7EkZaQd6WlxyV_2kIm5syPoGF5U5D1MUQKBLeIhEellBIPZpSV1gygr1cG6Hw/s400/l4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358195976922554818" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFPiqt6BfSfHr5nHQYByEQ7A33LEwyRQB9qoRNygV3XMSofcfAoElSQjvPe6GQ3poEESjzR7QjXVsCloq8apSpkvBwTEMUFigQL4Nbi26SF7h3TMoLC1XNmhcTBlp2bwN6zy9XA/s1600-h/l3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFPiqt6BfSfHr5nHQYByEQ7A33LEwyRQB9qoRNygV3XMSofcfAoElSQjvPe6GQ3poEESjzR7QjXVsCloq8apSpkvBwTEMUFigQL4Nbi26SF7h3TMoLC1XNmhcTBlp2bwN6zy9XA/s400/l3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358195975712518770" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3n5v8GPRDTqj2EiPdDfcYbmSx8-XGoU0FXiJhJT_3wzBO-EWmGi-Z2tCNCTzmwt9801_5aThgzBlBmDjeDezQb9I3kTCPFPduQSYfT1uA6w5HL_E_MjhhQ07CdNxiF32h0ZafrQ/s1600-h/l2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3n5v8GPRDTqj2EiPdDfcYbmSx8-XGoU0FXiJhJT_3wzBO-EWmGi-Z2tCNCTzmwt9801_5aThgzBlBmDjeDezQb9I3kTCPFPduQSYfT1uA6w5HL_E_MjhhQ07CdNxiF32h0ZafrQ/s400/l2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358195969629240370" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6f8AmPtgwqA0J4FmD1RMQjZlwn9ARzeAWWfZrgEJoupjFbKyccLX2frc43cFWQ0elGkVcYtrKjTzDZPhwDjDkBvXBcW97AkgAhajZuxKXWuH6Cf2RnHROPyww7URT0ujbH7yZw/s1600-h/l1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 227px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6f8AmPtgwqA0J4FmD1RMQjZlwn9ARzeAWWfZrgEJoupjFbKyccLX2frc43cFWQ0elGkVcYtrKjTzDZPhwDjDkBvXBcW97AkgAhajZuxKXWuH6Cf2RnHROPyww7URT0ujbH7yZw/s400/l1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358195965058878658" border="0" /></a>Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-11957786884531016232009-07-12T18:16:00.000-07:002009-07-12T18:41:26.433-07:00Sleeping in the Woods: Day 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAeXeE52W7zHgi_IIKynWyW4t9qa2T6GjNubXHc6i4QrMBRnjvkIyY4d28sW1GyWFD1ilPmxxoZXXHLl1WdVo4j0-2vsOTqaDAVZ7YOHDodSnuKm2zBeL6396bTw-VGiyDxzprig/s1600-h/standing._chipmunk.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 278px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAeXeE52W7zHgi_IIKynWyW4t9qa2T6GjNubXHc6i4QrMBRnjvkIyY4d28sW1GyWFD1ilPmxxoZXXHLl1WdVo4j0-2vsOTqaDAVZ7YOHDodSnuKm2zBeL6396bTw-VGiyDxzprig/s400/standing._chipmunk.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357749695678960354" border="0" /></a>Chipmunk from yesterday.<br />There is lots of cool lichens out on the exposed basalt. This one was strikingly round.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEityMyiKabPyqwO3WNZ3x_LR5cCdvGZC8hPzW4r7jgqTuzXPQp8B_ayVe5PBQXVkFlVNVM7TzWt8gE0wUofgRnZDv3SF_uN146Y7lof53-9hYDkqhmIQuff2bzEmcpM4iDKJW-8jQ/s1600-h/round+lichen.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 382px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEityMyiKabPyqwO3WNZ3x_LR5cCdvGZC8hPzW4r7jgqTuzXPQp8B_ayVe5PBQXVkFlVNVM7TzWt8gE0wUofgRnZDv3SF_uN146Y7lof53-9hYDkqhmIQuff2bzEmcpM4iDKJW-8jQ/s400/round+lichen.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357748370320377922" border="0" /></a>Closeup detail.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEityMyiKabPyqwO3WNZ3x_LR5cCdvGZC8hPzW4r7jgqTuzXPQp8B_ayVe5PBQXVkFlVNVM7TzWt8gE0wUofgRnZDv3SF_uN146Y7lof53-9hYDkqhmIQuff2bzEmcpM4iDKJW-8jQ/s1600-h/round+lichen.JPG"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1xXdE-Tb7NP71-QRdYOahxTeA8N3MyCcuzqnBTg6Hm001MtegSJeS5XzVawbVIrAIlvuI7CWU4t-mAFJ4q193Uzq6sSphV-n4pj-vS8poPX-gEJpzjYloK7HbYGHQJHlafIqzCA/s1600-h/round_lichen_detail.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 364px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1xXdE-Tb7NP71-QRdYOahxTeA8N3MyCcuzqnBTg6Hm001MtegSJeS5XzVawbVIrAIlvuI7CWU4t-mAFJ4q193Uzq6sSphV-n4pj-vS8poPX-gEJpzjYloK7HbYGHQJHlafIqzCA/s400/round_lichen_detail.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357748377336680498" border="0" /></a><br />I'm working on getting a better picture of this hawk/eagle, but so far this is the best.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievbEtv9lPrrC5MwrYqdMp2iAC6-2Gf_PyN5fulExMZKQCZM2x3sNt-xfonHW8cVtkUHsTrfQyh0Jxg3jcYWWL-owmDhXjfIYl_PQvp_lbpGLcVBR4DZDrKo3SOJqkB-nV4VXoSw/s1600-h/eagle.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 196px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievbEtv9lPrrC5MwrYqdMp2iAC6-2Gf_PyN5fulExMZKQCZM2x3sNt-xfonHW8cVtkUHsTrfQyh0Jxg3jcYWWL-owmDhXjfIYl_PQvp_lbpGLcVBR4DZDrKo3SOJqkB-nV4VXoSw/s400/eagle.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357748361549534978" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5o4DzmSH4rzSAplwdkzzVBKcGQZ0rEC8Qxqn2bv7Rjp2vp-qFExe5j8iaWHbFjTjn4EV1pcjmaWt_kVdcS0LDED7_Wiotg6ZPMlwqCyoIdj1dxjQSYC7k2GBe882fTIwj4ozDYA/s1600-h/campsite_2stumps.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5o4DzmSH4rzSAplwdkzzVBKcGQZ0rEC8Qxqn2bv7Rjp2vp-qFExe5j8iaWHbFjTjn4EV1pcjmaWt_kVdcS0LDED7_Wiotg6ZPMlwqCyoIdj1dxjQSYC7k2GBe882fTIwj4ozDYA/s400/campsite_2stumps.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357748356702570498" border="0" /></a>Camping spot: Didn't get any great shots this evening, did see a Great Heron though. Read Jonah and Psalm 104.Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-2814293974535246452009-07-11T08:22:00.000-07:002009-07-11T08:45:27.260-07:00Sleeping in the woods: Day 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnDFH0bHqfXY8VE8H7tsY-saG-JeATx9yUWX3xy8-fzT0Ue_Lhx9TnnM4_mcrM0vVXKabPHR22izZ04diIclsTQvLfHobjZ8AMrWN_fMTd6Um5WIsdxYk5r3Fmwe7KwPZPARPRA/s1600-h/day1_doe&fawn.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 340px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnDFH0bHqfXY8VE8H7tsY-saG-JeATx9yUWX3xy8-fzT0Ue_Lhx9TnnM4_mcrM0vVXKabPHR22izZ04diIclsTQvLfHobjZ8AMrWN_fMTd6Um5WIsdxYk5r3Fmwe7KwPZPARPRA/s400/day1_doe&fawn.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357223979356586482" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7V5W8GoMWmblc7cWuJDEfXB5uH5gq6nDfd-48-QJjHfykH1Uhhugg1AnaYMuXHGIw7OEaI6yqZ0qMQlch4gwbpi_xP9M94GNcKO1QuKuKuS9yusKOXNVpsd6e7Df2jEHEUotfQ/s1600-h/day1_spot.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7V5W8GoMWmblc7cWuJDEfXB5uH5gq6nDfd-48-QJjHfykH1Uhhugg1AnaYMuXHGIw7OEaI6yqZ0qMQlch4gwbpi_xP9M94GNcKO1QuKuKuS9yusKOXNVpsd6e7Df2jEHEUotfQ/s400/day1_spot.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357223976580047666" border="0" /></a>I figured if I sleep out in the woods I'll be able to get some cool wildlife shots and become familiar with where and when the animals travel.<br /> <br /><br />Moved out to woods. Tent full of mosquitoes. So I smashed them all. Mosquitoes all over outside of tent, they are making their noise in surround sound. Coyotes calling close. Forgot a flashlight, can't read. Road noise louder than inside insulated house. Moths thump against tent. Its quite cold. Must bring more bedding next time. Unexplained noises are far more surprising in the dark, but there isn't much chance of danger in these woods.<br /><br /><br />In the morning, woke up late. (7am) Saw doe and fawn out the tent door. It was a pretty good start.Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8878875.post-14211195442518838072009-07-09T21:34:00.000-07:002009-07-09T21:57:56.191-07:00All fireworks edition<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSZV2U9qEekVet5SCvP2-mQQkK-G7zXnPzqdLA6k7e7OYIkldCZ1LpiMtBN0bq5D3bVhyB2-pNGQKv6LM_4OKzL1LIkCpvUN3lisD56PQSbaULo2UgMUDf0cRQQrUgUiIDH1SXA/s1600-h/fire7.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 349px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSZV2U9qEekVet5SCvP2-mQQkK-G7zXnPzqdLA6k7e7OYIkldCZ1LpiMtBN0bq5D3bVhyB2-pNGQKv6LM_4OKzL1LIkCpvUN3lisD56PQSbaULo2UgMUDf0cRQQrUgUiIDH1SXA/s400/fire7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356688718650749058" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdzT3SyZirSCrwpaiivWFApgh0qOUs4SkMZ_fQanjU5jvtrkoLTiG9rARQk4HJibi4LF9Ckv9SwjpA1azVhmckIwYhOPxOXgVlLDEXZuG560mu7RkyJVMoo7bk_z8XxM_VtYdfQ/s1600-h/fire6.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 329px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdzT3SyZirSCrwpaiivWFApgh0qOUs4SkMZ_fQanjU5jvtrkoLTiG9rARQk4HJibi4LF9Ckv9SwjpA1azVhmckIwYhOPxOXgVlLDEXZuG560mu7RkyJVMoo7bk_z8XxM_VtYdfQ/s400/fire6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356688713752151746" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVK28KIoboeMDQeESekWws6MAzYSbjznB-Y4_MvHs9QSXomUzSFzCjy0OlLlvdIdKppcDwneTz-dKf0-rMYimg3IhOTx1R-34zazpO-qdCed9NKVeW-c4olybM8PA18ST3fzocnw/s1600-h/fire4.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVK28KIoboeMDQeESekWws6MAzYSbjznB-Y4_MvHs9QSXomUzSFzCjy0OlLlvdIdKppcDwneTz-dKf0-rMYimg3IhOTx1R-34zazpO-qdCed9NKVeW-c4olybM8PA18ST3fzocnw/s400/fire4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356687710704795938" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBQU_W_u6nq2-H4H17x-Wxs3vq9fJyjGyBtQWXDrke_1wjNEHU0VjE7bmO_iHQS9Ov7AHw3yq6-umm0fQ3HsWgJA1zLWQUw_WufXqQJxQq1zek7AWAa5FG8zTS9Y1NPctexU32A/s1600-h/fire3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 294px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBQU_W_u6nq2-H4H17x-Wxs3vq9fJyjGyBtQWXDrke_1wjNEHU0VjE7bmO_iHQS9Ov7AHw3yq6-umm0fQ3HsWgJA1zLWQUw_WufXqQJxQq1zek7AWAa5FG8zTS9Y1NPctexU32A/s400/fire3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356687705211801186" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY94NPGgp-4F98iGTj4LrSXyaFqmF7eikf8mNfswfNTGar8tqbqt8xz3s1VMrlKGPP7qdGr_zhOi2QYjQbUejCMUKz8K2w777zAt0IE5fgC3id0-njd1G_sNKivMOHjxBRVrz9yg/s1600-h/fire2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 218px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY94NPGgp-4F98iGTj4LrSXyaFqmF7eikf8mNfswfNTGar8tqbqt8xz3s1VMrlKGPP7qdGr_zhOi2QYjQbUejCMUKz8K2w777zAt0IE5fgC3id0-njd1G_sNKivMOHjxBRVrz9yg/s400/fire2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356687699427122530" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5x1fsUZodaLhkgzz3AEOjEbcYu3qstDu82VAfuH6YEN8IARKruqcqw6CP2hbmbro_g2wDFeQy8Jm-vc9kulL7t-msiGRSW4-0-hmpNV8Pxp3QHbpM99foCSvAECzBQ4Kd1bZskQ/s1600-h/fire1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 383px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5x1fsUZodaLhkgzz3AEOjEbcYu3qstDu82VAfuH6YEN8IARKruqcqw6CP2hbmbro_g2wDFeQy8Jm-vc9kulL7t-msiGRSW4-0-hmpNV8Pxp3QHbpM99foCSvAECzBQ4Kd1bZskQ/s400/fire1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356687694253856610" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It was a good night.Grady Hougerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02949228146723822079noreply@blogger.com1