life in the old lane

In the 60′s and early 70′s I was a card carrying member of the Longshoremen’s Union. ILWU Local 142. We didn’t cross picket lines. We “Looked for the Union Label”. And we never ate California table grapes. Fortunately, California wine grapes were OK.

The Longshore Union has a long and bloody history in Hawaii. Finally, in 1949, the union fought it’s last major battle. The 177 day strike was to gain pay equality with the west coast longshoremen. The previous long and deadly strikes involved the plantation workers. The same “Big Five” companies owned all the plantations and all the shipping – between the islands and to and from the west coast.

No new macros today. Today I finished the last item on my 2 Do List. I was not interested in adding more fotos to the 2014 bucket.
My Labor Day Weekend To Do List:

1.  Get a load of clothes to take to Goodwill – and take them.
2.  Take all the food out of the fridge and discard anything gray and/or fuzzy.
3.  Get the 2013 photos off the Airness. And make the 2013 photo book.

The 2013 photos have been achieved and the photo book has been made. Not ordered yet. But it is “resting” and waiting a final review.

Hot Hot Hot today and it might be hotter tomorrow. I walked for a little over an hour this morning and logged enough to steps to shut my Fitbit up.

Enjoy Every Sandwich. Double Header Today. Fish Tacos. And cheese burgers for dinner.

The gray hairstreak is usually easy to find at this time of year.  It has bright red eyespots near the tips of its wings next to the small tails that are used to confuse possible predators.
My Labor Day Weekend To Do List:

1.  Get a load of clothes to take to Goodwill – and take them.
2.  Take all the food out of the fridge and discard anything gray and/or fuzzy.
3.  Get the 2013 photos off the Airness. And make the 2013 photo book.

Enjoy Every Sandwich: Cheese quesadilla.

Really hot today. Very hot.

This is actually some sort of hoverfly – Syrphidae. There are about 6,000 different types of hoverflies. They are quite harmless. However, they seem to enjoy mimicking wasps and hornets. I would too.

My Labor Day Weekend To Do List:

1.  Get a load of clothes to take to Goodwill – and take them.
2.  Take all the food out of the fridge and discard anything gray and/or fuzzy.
3.  Get the 2013 photos off the Airness. And make the 2013 photo book.

Enjoy Every Sandwich: Maybe Cheeseburgers???

Mr C is 1/2 through this radiation go. And this is what his head looks like. Sort of like an accident in the microwave. Which – when you think about it – isn’t far off target.

What ever it is in the fall that I am allergic to must be out now. My sinuses are acting up big time.

Went to the grocery this afternoon. Got ice cream and stuff for burgers. Now, all I need is beer and we’ll be all set for the last holiday of summer. Got peaches and tomatoes yesterday. And, the Korean deli in the lobby is well stocked with beer.

Enjoy Every Sandwich: Either tuna melt or cheese burgers for dinner tonight – Carlton gets to choose. He just picked tuna melt.

 

Having nice end of summer weather. Picked up the “last” peaches of the year at the afternoon farm market today.

We’ll be enjoying every sandwich tonight: quesadilla and peaches.

Unfortunately, our great summer soap opera – the trial of former governor McDonnell and his wife for behavior even too sleazy for Virginia – is coming to an end. Will have to break out a trashy novel to get my nightly fix.

Fine enough day. The outdoor macros were forgettable. I tried manual focusing coffee beans on my kitchen window. I think more light or a tripod was in order. But, there are always coffee beans in the kitchen – so, I can play around some other day.

Enjoy Every Sandwich: Turkey and coleslaw. With overcooked green bean salad.

The camera was flummoxed by this little star.

Can not blame the camera for this one – I just didn’t get close enough.

And, the major lesson learned today. If you put the camera in your purse and don’t turn it off – you end up with LOTS (and lots) of pictures of the lens cap!

Took the day off from work to go listen to the 2015 financial presentation to the residents of the old folks asylum. What did I learn? The rates are going up 3.5% next year. They have been too aggressively controlling wages of the workers and must play catchup or lose too many people. 69% of their budget goes to staff wages and benefits. They are going to get a new bus. (that was greeted with a round of applause.) 30-35 units are freed up every year when residents move “to the next level” – i.e. – die. They no longer contract out the food service operation. This was a cost saving move. They hope.

Then I walked home. And went to the pool.

Enjoy Every Sandwich – fish tacos.

I shot this honey bee yesterday. And who knew that honey bees have hairy eyeballs?

Today, I took the camera out for another macro outing. This time I set it to the “Nature Macro” scene setting. There by turning my expensive mirrorless camera into a $100 point and shoot device. I don’t think I’ll that setting again. But, you don’t know if you don’t try it.

This is the best one from this afternoon’s “Nature Macro” test.

Too bad the bee’s head is hidden.

Enjoy Every Sandwich: Cheese Burgers!

 

I started out by going to the grocery – where – I found cherries. I adore cherries. I thought that cherry season was over. But, Thank You Mt Hood Oregon for wonderful late cherries. So, I did a little macro photography on one of the cherries.

And promptly ate it! Then I went out and took some pictures. 329 pictures to be exact. In filmtime that would be 9 rolls of film.

I was out with my macro lens – but I found this cute little baby goldfinch. He was learning how to perch on coneflowers.

Then I went down to the thrift shop where I found a great belt. Apparently never worn. I found one just like it for 105 euros online. It isn’t worth 105 euros. But, it is definitely worth 2 dollars.

No sandwiches today. Carlton had apple pie for lunch.

Today, before sunrise, I decided to work on macros. Macros of the photographic kind. Not programming macros.

But, it was rainy and cloudy and windy. Not a day for outdoor photography. So, I practiced with this roadkill earring.

For macros: I have a cheap ass old macro lens, an old Raynox 250 “gadget”, and a very old set of closeup rings – which may or may not fit on any of my current lenses. This photo used the macro lens and the Raynox.

Enjoy every sandwich: quesadillas and beer.

Another late summer hazy lazy day.

Mr C was told that his red radiation burned head will get worse. Maybe even a lot worse. But, on Tuesday he will be half way done. He would be a in better shape if he hadn’t started getting bald while he was still in college.

This summer – I haven’t had to read any trashy summer novels – all we have to do is turn on the evening news or read about our former governor’s influence peddling trial. In 25 words or less – he is setting up his wife to be the fall-woman in this melodrama.

Enjoy Every Sandwich – a repeat of grilled turkey, cheese and peaches.

 

Total busy day at my volunteer job. And, in the middle of all the normal extra busy – “my” bluetooth barcode scanner arrived. So, of course, I had to open the box and get it working. So, I worked an extra hour or so and then walked home, made lunch and took a nap. Such is the exciting life of this old woman.

Mr C is 1/3 of the way through his current course of radiation. His head is all toasty red and he says he is starting to get a little tired. I hope it isn’t frying off too many of his brain cells.

Enjoy every sandwich: Grilled ham, cheese and tomato. And peaches. I just came back from the farm market – the peaches, like summer, seem to be winding down.