Yearly Archives: 2026

At the parade

Photographs

Community fun.

My community stages an annual July 4th parade in honor of the nation’s independence. A low key affair with neighbors greeting neighbors and dogs greeting dogs, an occasion replete with warmth and charm. Like the America I joined 49 years ago, and rather unlike the America I know today. It’s a flashback to a kinder, gentler time when America was respected and trusted. Neither applies today.

Some snaps from the parade – Nikon D800, 28-300mm AF-S Nikkor:




We have as many dogs as people here. For my portfolio of
Studio Dogs in the community click here.


Snap!


In the 1960s Pontiac Bonneville.


Dressed for the occasion.


Vee Dub by Karmann Ghia.


The kids’ favorite – a good soaking!


And, later, on the green – Leica M10, LLL 35mm f/2 8-element:




Taco prep.


Roughhousing. No fat kids here.


Lonely.


Lost in thought.


Back in my day ….


Veterans special, where you get a discount for losing yet another war.


Water slide.


Old time game.


A fine time.

Logitech G502 wired mouse

Mac Mini M4

Time for a new one.




The Logitech G502 wired gaming mouse.

My Mac Mini suddenly lost the ability to drag and drop files. Given the frequent use of this function and its general indispensability, this fault rendered the computer near useless.

I set about reinstalling the Tahoe operating system – no change – then restored files from my Time Machine sequential back-up. Still no joy.

That left the mouse and trying a basic old Microsoft two button mouse had drag and drop working once more, so the old Logitech G500 had to be replaced. As it had served me well I went with its replacement, the Logitech G502, and stuck with a wired design as that’s one less thing to go wrong and one fewer battery to recharge. At $38 it’s some 50% less than the G500 was 13 years ago, in inflation adjusted dollars, so no complaints here.

Like the G500 the G502 has installable weights to add heft and I loaded up the G502 with all six. There’s also one spare provided. Each weighs 36 grams/1.27 oz, so fully loaded you are adding 216 grams/7.6 oz, which confers just the right heft for my use. Also, like with the G500, the scroll wheel’s click-stops can be disengaged for smooth scrolling, much my preferred setting.

There’s a downloadable app which claims to do all sort of magic things, including changing the color of the LED logo (how dumb is that?). Well, it is a gaming mouse, which explains a lot about the typical user, I suppose. Rather than mess with that I stuck with the well supported SteerMouse which recognized the G502 immediately and programming the several buttons – there are seven – took a couple of minutes. After some use I had to turn down the pointer sensitivity and speed to get the settings I was used to. Simple to do. The G502’s buttons are located in a manner similar to that on the G500 which makes transition easy.

If the G502 lasts as long as the G500 I will be a happy camper.

Feather

Leica, Macro

Deposited in my front yard.




Click the image for a larger version.

This was formerly the property of a Great Horned Owl – the one with ‘ear’ tufts. The bird can be heard – and occasionally seen – at dusk in my neighborhood.

I used just one strobe to transilluminate the feather from the rear with a reflector next to the lens to confer some front lighting.

Leica SL2S, 135mm El Nikkor at f/16, Nikon PB4 bellows, ISO200, 1 strobe. 9 images focus stacked in Helicon Focus. The ‘floating in air’ effect was obtained by inserting a thin bamboo stick into the base of the feather and subsequently removing it in post. Take a look at the large version, by clicking the image above, and you will see that the El Nikkor enlarging lens does not disappoint.

A sad anniversary

Ramblings

On its 250th anniversary this is not the nation I once knew.




Our flag. Crown Graphic 4×5, 135mm Xenar, Kodak film.

I left the failed nation of England for America 49 years ago, full of anticipation and hope for this new adventure.

Today, the America I so proudly joined in 1977 is unrecognizable.

– Where there was love now there is hate.
– Where there was tolerance now there is bigotry.
– Where minds were open now they are closed.
– Where there was adulation of education now there is denigration.
– Where there was a Great Society now every man is out for himself.
– Where there was a decent leader now there is a common criminal.
– Where immigrants were welcomed with open arms now there is ICE.
– Where children could look forward to a better future than their parents now they cannot.
– Where there was peace now there is endless war.
– Where there was a thrust for equality now we have the greatest inequality since the Gilded Age.

I weep for my adopted country.

Independence Hall

Photographs

In Philadelphia.

Snaps from a trip in 2019.



Independence Hall where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed.


Independence Hall is very well maintained – here’s the clock tower.


The Court Room inside the Hall.


The architecture has withstood time well.


The Hall room where the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.


The Liberty Bell, crack and all. Wikipedia has the story of this mess.
Independence Hall is in the background.

All snaps on the Panny GX7 with the 12-35mm pro zoom.