Rhubard and no custard

Gallery

My new printer arrived today. An Epson 2880 which prints up to A3+ size. Tried it out this afternoon and made 10 prints for the sale. Also a Graflite arrived which will allow me to examine prints in the the proper neutral light.

Garden

Another frost this morning! But it was pretty light and the day turned out very warm. Saw a butterfly too ... a Comma. Nextdoor neighbours also gave me 3 rhubarb plants which I dug in with plenty of compost ... I planted them next to the big compost heap anyway. More flowers coming through ... and the Almond is on the verge of blossom. Cut some Daffodils for the table.

This Time Last Year

Got up at 8am and mooched around on the PC. Walked up to Central Market with Sacha but could find no English papers. Managed to find Shoal Creek and followed it all the way to town. Sacha had a couple of swims along the way and I had a friendly chat with some of the bums that hang out there.

At Book People I managed to find a week old Observer and so had lunch at Wholefoods and read the paper for an hour. We then continued down to Town Lake where Sacha had a swim by the Wisterias. Eventually we wandered around to Uncle Billies for a pint or two and Debs arrived around 5pm to pick us up and take us home.

Sat on the stoop chatting until bedtime.

A Frosty Morning - hopefully the last

Gallery

Four books arrived from the US today. 10 Euros tax to pay but still cheaper than here. Also received stuff from ... the Speedlight Prokit 4 and the ProKit 6 Diffuser as well. It was ordered last Friday and arrived today. Quick. I'll order the gels when they are ready. I tried them out this afternoon ... but only had a daffodil for a subject ... need something just a little bit bigger to see the difference between the different snoots and honeycombs. I'm impressed with the build quality though and hope to make better use of them soon.

The Books were ...

"The Nikon Creative Lighting System: Using the SB-600, SB-800, SB-900, and R1C1 Flashes" by Mike Hagen.

This is a terrible cut and paste job and gives little more than the Nikon Manual. Massively disappointing. I read this in the bath. I almost drowned of boredom.

"On Being a Photographer: A Practical Guide " by David Hurn and Bill Jay.
"The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos" by Michael Freeman.
"Mountain Light: In Search of the Dynamic Landscape" by Rowell Galen.

I've yet to look at these yet.

The only exhibition work I did today was apply labels to the mounted prints I have prepared so far.

Garden

Unbelievably their was a frost this morning. I could really do without such a late frost. Last year we had no pears or plums because of this. The daffodils took a hit too but they seemed to recover OK later when it warmed up.

It has been 10c this last few days but the forecast says this will steadily increase until it will be 20c by next week-end. Let's hope.

This Time Last Year

Everyone has a long lie-in and a lazy day. I don't really get myself together until 4pm.

We discover that Cardinals are nesting in the front porch. We have to creep around so as not too disturb them.

Me and Sacha wander down to Central Market. I buy a stack of novels.

Paddling Town Lake in Austin

Gallery

Amazing thing happened today. Kristine and I walked up to Hof ter Saksen this afternoon and as we came around the corner at the entrance gates Kristine bent down and picked somethng up. It was a part from my tripod which I had lost on the same walk two weeks ago. It made me smile. Later on when I tried to take a few photographs I found that I hadn't brought a memory card! Dumb!

This Time Last year

Up early to shower and shave and then Deb drives me into town - Shady Grove - for I am to meet Jennifer at noon.

She is already there - having driven up from Houston - and we spend a couple of hours chatting and drinking and eating as we catch up on what we've been doing since last June. We had met on a canoeing trip in the Dordogne last summer.



Afterwards we walk down to Barton Springs and the river where we hire a canoe and paddle down to Town Lake and back. I paddle, we chat, she wears a pink coat.

Then it's back up to Uncle Billies for a beer and we drive up to the University of Texas campus and find the Crown and anchor pub for a final beer. It's seven and a half hours later now. Exhausting.

I walk back home, via an ice-cream at Amy's and jennifer has to drive all the back to Houston.

In the evening we drink whisky into the small hours with William. The conversation gets heated. It's all too much.

Blue Hole re-visited

Gallery

Prepare shots for sale for a catalogue book

This Time Last Year

Up early and packed by the time Debs arrived. We load up the car and then drive around to the Falls so that Sacha can have a walk and a swim.



We drop into the Texas Hill Country Vineyard but they are so offhand and rude that we leave. It's then onto the Woolmer Winery which is very different. We try the tasting menu and pick out two deliciously perfumed whites.

After that we drive into Fredericksberg and have lunch at the Silver Creek.



On the way home we re-visit the Blue Hole and Wimberly. It's 15 years since I camped here with Nathan and Kristian. The place is now closed and looks a bit forlorn. The river and bankside trees still look fine though and we here that the village is going to restore the camp-ground and re-open sometime. I hope so. It was a lovely spot and I remember clearly swinging out over the river on ropes suspended from the trees and dropping into the cold water on a hot Texan day.

back in austin we stay up chatting until bed-time.

Twisted Tree Roots

IKEA

What can I say? Kristine wanted to go and no use my explaining you can choose and buy all this stuff on the internet. A deadening experience which was only ameliorated by going to a smart sushi restaurant afterwards. That's the budget gone for next month then.

This Time Last Year

Up at 8 for breakfast. Again it's cool and cloudy. I hit the road by 9.30am and take the park road which leads to the Falls themselves. On the way I pass the Bird Blind and check it out. I see Cotton Rats, Cardinals, Hummingburds, House Finches, Blue Jays, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Howpee and Goldfinch. As well as a squirrel!



Then it's down to the Falls which are spectacular. I spend a lot of time scrambling about and taking photographs. I stop for some trailmix and an orange and then decide to hike along the river bank back to camp. It's a long hot bushwack that seems to take an age. I take plenty of shots of twisted tree roots along the way.

I get back to camp around 3pm and nap and then shower. I then return to the river to read until 5pm. I;m back in camp to light a fire bout 7pm and eat the last of the chicken. I watch the fire die down til 10pm. My latest night!

Along the Wolf Trail

Gallery

Did 10 more prints today and mounted them.

This Time Last Year

Had a bit of a lie in today as the day started cloudy. Visited by Crested-Tits, a Blue Jay and a couple of cardinals at breakfast time.

Hiked out to find the Wolf Trail and followed it towards the Primitive campsites. Nobody was there. I rested at the bluffs overlooking the river before walking on to Jone's spring whre I shot a couple of dragonflies and a Hairstreak. Finally the sun comes out and it gets very hot.



I decide to bushwack a little and follow a small creek (Mercal Creek) down to the main river. I then follow the river back to camp and arrive about 2.30pm. I rest and then shower and spend the afternoon reading. I'm in bed by 8pm!

Moon over the Pedernales River

Lego Pirates and Rockets

Stayed at home with two of Dhar's boys; alexandre and Charles. Spent much of the building and then playing with Lego Pirates. We also watched a couple of episodes of "From the Earth to the Moon" about the Apollo Space program.

This Time Last Year

Woke at 7am and walked down to the river. Photographeed the moon over the river and then walked upstrea,. Waited an age for the sun to reach me and photographed some old trees. Walked back to the tent along the Group Camp Road. Back at camp by 10am for breakfast.

Lazed around til midday.

Walked down to the river with a chair to while away the afternoon. Helped a father and his two sos find the ford so they could cross the river on their bikes.

Found a nice spot to read "The Secret Life of Bees" and cooled off in the river from time to time.



Back in camp at 5pm and just mosied around. Started reading "The Anatomy of Peace". Lit the fire at 7pm.

Debs and Alex arrived at 7.30pm and brought with them a supper of Chicken and salad and wine. Chatted for a while and then took sacha down to the river for a runabout and a swim. They left at 9pm and I watched the fire die down before crashing out.