Back Porch Musings: Ozarks

Showing posts with label Ozarks. Show all posts

Sunday

~Seasonal Sunday~

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf's a flower. "
~Albert Camus

Linking to Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper.

Early morning scenes at Lake of the Ozarks, Saturday September 4, 2010.

Friday

Happy 4th of July

Greetings from the Ozarks…

Before leaving for the lake, Wednesday, I shopped for a new camera.

A little over three years ago I upgraded from a Kodak Easyshare point and shoot camera to a Canon Rebel Xti. For the past several months, I’ve thought about moving to the next evolution of the Rebel. I did some research and decided I might buy the Rebel T1i. Then the T2i arrived on the scene.

I thought about it some more; then Jeanne of Backyard Neighbor left a comment on this post. J and I met Jeanne and her husband, last year. Jeanne’s husband’s camera was one of the first generation digital Canon Rebel’s. He gave me some very helpful hints, giving me the incentive to take the dial off auto and move to AV and manual focus. When Jeanne mentioned, in her comment, her husband had just purchased the Canon Rebel T2i and they both loved it, that’s all I needed to know.

My plan was to buy the camera body only, since I have several lenses. However, I found a pretty good package deal. The package had the 18-55 kit lens and a 75-300 lens. I had the 18-55 lens, but did not have the 75-300.

As luck would have it, granddaughter Xanti broke her 18-55 lens, recently and needs to borrow one until she can find another. I rarely use the 18-55, but she likes that lens and uses it quite a bit. I gave the Rebel Xti to our oldest daughter. She and Xanti can negotiate the exchange of the 18-55 lens.

We picked up the new camera on the way to the lake, Wednesday afternoon. I’ve been practicing.

This photo was taken early Friday morning, between 5 and 5:30AM. I used the Canon 70-200 L series lens. I don’t have the tripod, this trip, so I stacked books, on a deck table, to the height I needed and set the timer. The setting was on AV and manual focus.

Mornings, at the lake, are gorgeous, this week. The daytime temperatures have been in the upper 70’s to low 80’s. Perfect weather for having our morning coffee on the deck. J heard Reveille playing across the water, Thursday morning. There is a group camp in that direction. This morning, when I went out to lower the sunshade at about 6:30, I heard the theme from Ghostbusters. Morning wake up calls come in all forms.

This is sunset, Thursday evening, at a boat launch, in Lake of the Ozarks State Park. I used the 18-55, with image stabilizer. I wish now I had used the 75-300, because we saw lots of deer. Perhaps we will return for more photos this evening. If we do, I’ll have that lens.

The split rail fences and log structures, in the park, make wonderful subjects for black and white photography. The black and white photos were done, Thursday evening, using the 18-55 lens, with the photo style set at monochrome.

Mimosa in the Ozarks…

I continue to practice, while I’m on a little computer break.

I’ll return soon.

Wishing you a safe and Happy 4th of July!

Tuesday

~Outdoor Christmas~

The fountain at Branson Landing, presents a light, fire, water and music show, every hour on the hour, throughout the day, until about 10 PM. Our balcony, at the Hilton Promenade overlooks the fountain.

Move your camera, as you snap the photo, to get this fun effect. These photos are of the lights around the fountain.

Santa’s house, under the big blue and silver tree.

Washington, on the Missouri River

I took this photo from the Hwy 47 bridge, at Washington, Missouri. The bridge is under repairs. I took several photos of the river, while we waited to complete our crossing, the morning we drove to Branson.

This is my contribution for Outdoor Wednesday, at Susan’s A Southern Daydreamer.

Friday

~Christmas on the Road~

The road trip continued with a stop at Bass Pro Shop, The Landing, Branson Missouri.

You definitely know you are at Bass Pro, when you see an old pickup truck wearing a wreath with shotgun shell lights.

“An official Red Ryder range model carbine action air rifle with this thing in the stock which tells time.”

“Oh No! You’ll shoot your eye out!”

(from A Christmas Story, 1983)

I was in elementary school with a boy who had a BB embedded under the skin above one of his eyes. Ralphie’s mother, teacher, and Santa had a point when they told him he would shoot his eye out.

J bought a BB gun, like the one seen in the movie, A Christmas Story.