Back Home and Back To Work

Well, we are back home from our vacation at Dauphin Island, Alabama and sad to have it come to an end. We had a really nice time and 3 of the 4 kids and their families got to spend a little time with us. It's nice because we don't really get together as much as I would like. Everyone has there own thing to do and families to care for. I guess I am getting older and reminiscing a little but I think about the things we used to do when the kids were little and living at home. We did all kinds of things together and I guess I miss those days. I guess I just miss them. Anyway, it was nice to get to spend more than an hour or two with them.

On Monday it was back to work and the weather is hot as Hades and will be for at least another week. Should be 97 degrees today and no rain in sight. The plan for the coming weekend is to get the pool up and going. I wanted to get it done before vacation but that didn't happen so it is still sitting there waiting to be cleaned. I can't wait for that cool evening dip.

Great Time on Dauphin Island

We arrived on Saturday and are having a nice time. The weather has been very pleasant...no rain. The kids have especially enjoyed it and spend most of the days in or near the water. Randy and I have collected more shells than usual and some of them are very pretty.

Christine and her family came down for 2 days but had to go to work on Monday. Michael and Colby came on Saturday and left this morning. Bethany couldn't come this time. To our surprise, George and his family got to come today and will stay until we leave on Saturday.
Christine, Michael, Bethany and George are our children.

On Tuesday we went to Fort Gaines for a tour even though we have done it many times before there is always something interesting to see. This trip I did a couple of photosynth pics. It is a program, thru Microsoft that takes a set of photos and puts them together on their website. It gives the public a chance to visit places and see what they look like without actually going there. It stitches the pics together and you can look all around in a scene that might cover 360 degrees. If you are interested in it click this link and check it outhttp://photosynth.net/ It's pretty cool. I did Fort Gaines. I am doing another one tonight and will title it Gulf Of Mexico From Dauphin Island, Alabama. I have also put together a couple of panoramas.

On Wednesday we got in the boat and went for a 4 hour tour. Katrina split Dauphin Islands west end with nearly 2 kilometers of the island removed. What used to be sand is now a channel. We went out to the part of the island that has been detached. It is now and island in itself. It was all sand and a few low bushes but in the center there was a small shallow lake. It was full of horseshoe crabs and small fish....not really sure what else was in there because some of the water was too dark to see. There were birds everywhere and more sea shells than you can imagine. It was a real adventure. We snorkeled and had a nice afternoon. We had planned on going back today but the water was a little rough for our little boat. Instead, we hit the souvenir shops.

FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN

Most of the rest of the day was been spent on the beach. We fished for a short time and caught 5 small sand sharks. That's a first for me. The sharks were actually quite beautiful and their skin is tough..like leather even at their young age. Their eyes glistened and had black centers. We gently removed the hooks and sent them on their way. The thing is... we caught them on the beach right in front of the house.

Goin To De Islan June 2008

A quick trip to Dauphin Island, Alabama

Almost Time For The Beach

Every year we have a weeks vacation at Dauphin Island, this years visit will be the nineteenth. As usual...family...all are welcome without a verbal invitation. Just show up.
There is nothing more relaxing than laying around in the sun and sand. The only plans we make for that week are simply to go and other activities are totally unscheduled. There are all sorts of things to do there and if not right on the island you can catch a ferry and go across Mobile Bay to Gulf Shores. Charters are everywhere for the fishing enthusiast, souvenir shops and places to eat as well. The Esturarium exhibits interesting history and habitats of the Gulf Coast region and Fort Gaines is right across the street. Nature Trails, boating, skiing, fishing, scuba diving, biking...all kinds of things.

In 2005, Hurricaine Katrina distroyed much of the west end and took many houses. There was also an area nearly 2 km wide cut through the uninhabited west end. Many houses have been rebuilt and the island has been restored. The once upon a time fishing peir is now grounded.
The house we have always stayed in, Nida, was amazingly, and to our delight, still standing after Katrina although she had some damage. Nida is a nice house with a large deck and we have viewed some of the most awesome sunrises and sunsets from that deck. We have also seen some pretty terrific lightening shows.

So..In a couple of weeks I'm gonna be sitting on the beach with a wine cooler in my hand watching the boats go by.

The Hubble Deep Field: The Most Important Image Ever Taken

This Is Awesome !

Great Weekend But Tiring

Am I getting too old to enjoy getting out for the weekend camping trip or am I just exhausted?? We took the camper up to Turkey Fork on Thursday to ensure a spot for the weekend and then on Friday packed our necessaries and left. A quick stop at the grocery store in Richton and the rest of the weekend was for recreation. It was nearing dark by the time we got set up and settled down.
For some reason I didn't sleep very well and was up at 3 AM, so I went outside to attempt a few night photos. It was very quiet except for a lone whiporwill. The moon was nearly full so there was plenty of light. The lake lay sparkling in front of me. Very peaceful. I shot a few pics and noticed something move in the dim light, a raccoon on his way to the very table I was sitting on. The animals in the park are somewhat used to people and raccoons have found an easy source of food. Campers frequently leave food items out on the table making it an irrisistable target. I wasn't sure what it was at first and was a bit startled. As it closed in the only thing I could think of was to shuffle my feet. The raccoon was probably more startled than I. He was gone with one quick thud into the weeds and did not return.
On Saturday we launched the boat and went for a leasurely ride around the lake, looking for something to photograph. The cranes and egrets we had encoutered the last time we were there were not to be found. Only one. I got several shots and suppose he was probably irritated by my following. He was simply trying to get a meal. When we got too close he would fly alittle further away only to be persued again. He was quite stunning and handsome.
There were also a couple of turtles and a snake.

Later that day my sister, brother in law, neice and her husband came to visit. We grilled and had a very nice time. My sister and brother in law spent the night and around midnight the ol'men went to sleep. My sister and I stayed up..talking and taking some night photos. It was really nice to spend time with her. She went to the night shift and I recently took a full time Monday-Friday position. She is also a photographer and we played til 2 AM. Thats probably why I was so tired by the time we got home on Sunday.
On Sunday morning my sister and I went for a little troll in the boat and got more photos. I think she really enjoyed it even if she was frightened by the idea of being in a boat with me driving.
We packed up and were back home by 1:30. Just in time for a very long and needed nap.

Mississippi Wildlife Federation

A couple of weeks ago I submitted six photos to the Mississippi Wildlife Federation hoping to have at least one of them considered for publication in the Mississippi Outdoors Magazine. To my surprise they have selected four of them and may use them either in the magazine or one of their brochures. I am very pleased. Just knowing that my photography is good enough for publication is exciting and I can't wait to find out if they will be using them. It's nice to know that Mississippi will be looking at my work.

These are the four photos they are reviewing.