A new toy

After taping my camera together since the last time it was broken, I really thought I could get by with it.  It still took photos. The camera was just ugly.  Then, the last straw:  The shutter button fell off.  I tried to repair it with rubber cement, but the mojo was gone.

So goodbye Dear Sony, who got me through 2 NRBNF, and 2 trips to New Jersey, countless bird walks around here, and some good years with the girls.

But I shall not mourn.  Because I got a new one.

A Nikon P500.  This is a point and shoot camera that thinks its a DSLR.

I still have to figure out all the settings, the bells, the whistles.  But I'm very happy with it.
36x zoom. Crazy macro.  It's just overwhelming.
Here are some preliminary shots:
(We haven't had any sun for about 2 weeks, so the light has been BLAH.)



The beginning of a serviceberry



Blue Jay (from about 30 feet away)



Peek-a-boo carpenter bee on the mailbox



Jake, my favorite Starbucks barista



The girls at the end of the driveway (they were about 100 feet away)



Kermit



Spring-Beauties



Garter snake, I think....he didn't want to be photographed



Honey bee on grape hyacinth



And a Prothonotary Warbler, singing his bright yellow butt off at Lake Isabella.
SWEET SWEET SWEET SWEET!!!

We got everything BUT birds today (Warning...bad language ahead...and it's my blog and I'll cuss if I want to)

Word of the Day:

autochthonous \aw-TOK-thuh-nuhs\, adjective:
1. Aboriginal; indigenous; native.
2. Formed or originating in the place where found

Today, the girls and I drove over to the lovely rolling hills of Indiana to pick up my Mom's dog, Bailey. Mom is heading up to Columbus tomorrow for a hearing regarding my father's estate. Get this...it's a classic case of "Let's go after the poor widow".
My Dad did some work for a company up in Youngstown, Ohio a year before he died. All of you who knew my Dad also knew his work ethic.
"Get it done right".
Well, Dad had to go up there and fix all kinds of stuff that the company kept breaking (they were messing with the machinery and effing it up) When Dad died, Mom got a letter stating that the company was going to SUE MY DAD for work undone.
My Mom, while trying to mourn my father, has had to deal with these evil numb-nuts and their attorneys. Hopefully, this hearing will resolve it...it's been going on for 2 years.
Other people have been messing with my Mom, too. The man who bought my Dad's company before Dad died has abandoned it and owes Mom lots of money, has let her health insurance lapse twice (she had to go get new insurance because of the asshole) and is an all-around dickhead. And there's nothing I can do to help her. I want, very much, to find these pricks and beat the everlovin' shit out of them.

To wash the dirt from your minds, let's look at some flowers:



Mom's violas...did you know that they are actually perennials? I didn't know that.

If Mary can take pictures of bees, so can I, by gum!
This photo makes me think of that song...
"Let me tell you 'bout the birds and the bees,
The flowers and the trees..."
If you click on the picture, you can also see a tiny black ant in the upper left corner. I didn't see it until I uploaded.

Everyone is starting to wake up from their long winter's nap. This woolly bear was brought to my attention by Isabelle and Lorelei. If you click on this one, you can see one of Isabelle's blond hairs on his back!

We went down to the Oxbow after picking up Bailey. I knew that the water would be high, but I didn't expect this on the road!
If you click on this one, you can see my reflection in his eyes.
Don't get any ideas, big guy. I have my own prince to kiss at home!