Author: Liz

Posted on

Winter Storm

Thursday, the day I took the “moon over the mountain” photos, it looked like this midday:

Yesterday started beautifully clear with the setting, nearly full moon shining into the sunroom in the early morning. By 10:00, heavy clouds and freezing fog had moved in.

My friends at NOAA issued a Blizzard Warning from 5 p.m. last evening until 11 p.m. this evening – forecasting 3-7 inches of snow for Kalispell area, high winds causing drifting snow and whiteouts, and gradually dropping temperatures. Sunday’s overnight low is to be in the -20’s.

While often the snow part of these monster storm forecasts fizzles, they typically do not miss on wind and temperature. I had a morning appointment and stopped for a few last minute things at Costco. I wasn’t the only one making sure I had everything I needed and wanted – the place was packed! I overheard several employees rushing in ahead of me and saying that they had been called in on their day off.

At home, I got things in order for a cold, windy, snowy couple of days…

An auxillary heater for the fresh water bay of the motorhome. The furnace has ducts to the water bays so they get heat, but the arctic temps make it prudent to provide some extra help. The water bays are insulated but still, it is not a house. I don’t winterize it, although if they drop the forecast temps much more, I may reconsider. I keep rv antifreeze (potable) and it takes about 15 minutes to do. I’ve overnighted to -18 but it consumes a lot of propane to keep it warm enough to not freeze.

The snow thrower has fresh oil and gas. I started it up and ran it a bit. It is ready for action if needed.

But….this morning…woke to just a bit over 2 inches of snow. It is very windy and the temperature has been going steadily down all night and continues in that direction. It is now 12 at 9 a.m.. NOAA has regrouped on the amount of snow as well as the amount of wind and now showing partially clearing skies which WILL send the temperatures even lower. The driving in the valley is probably tough with wind and blowing snow – even a couple of inches blowing around is difficult. But, at my house, it looks like the “story” will be the cold, not the snow.

Posted on

the coming of Christmas

Today is Advent Sunday – the first Sunday in Advent – “the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus”.

I gather those things that say Christmas, Light, dreams, hope and whimsy… some just wait…

This skier is special to me – it was always on the white sheet (snow) that was the tree skirt on our Christmas tree when I was a child. Just seeing it makes me smile and remember wonderful snippets of memories from childhood Christmases.

I found this book some years ago and have since read it during Advent. At the time of the writing, the author, Morton Kelsey was a professor of Theology at Notre Dame. In this book, he uses scripture, tradition and legend to tell the Christmas story and explore the lives and thoughts of the “players” in that first Christmas. For me, in the ever changing context of my life and experience, it refreshes my faith and makes Christmas the Holy Night that it is.

Advent, the coming of Christmas – of the ultimate Love.

Posted on

Waning moon


1/320


1/250


1/160


1/125

…the rest of this post is exposure notes…

All photos from Canon S3 IS Powershot (point and shoot) – manual mode, Aperture 7.1, ISO 100, Auto White Balance, Auto focus (spot metering) – the shutter speeds I tried are noted below each photo. Above have been cropped but otherwise are straight out of the camera. No tripod – hand held using continuous shooting mode.

Aside from being just fun and I love the moon, I have been frustrated in the past with my ability to get the kind of shot I wanted of the moon. And although I have a tripod, sometimes I just do not feel like getting it out and doing the whole setup – especially at 4:30 a.m. when the moon is in the perfect spot…

The S3 is a “point and shoot”, but it is a very fully featured “point and shoot”, with the whole gamut of manual and semi-manual features available as well as fully and semi-automatic settings. I have been shooting in mostly Manual and Aperture Priority for the last 6 months, courtesy of various online tutorials as well as an excellent book on Exposure by Bryan Peterson and generally a lot of trial and error and re-reading. It is fun when the stuff finally makes sense and I get what I intended/hoped to get!

I found the moon technique fascinating because it is somewhat backwards to what I thought and in fact to what the camera light meter thinks. Ivory Hut (see link below) explains that moonlight is actually reflected sunlight and so the exposure must be similar to what you use shooting in sunlight…IF you are intending to get a clear moon with surface texture (vs an exposure of trees, clouds with backlight from the moon). So….although my camera meter on full auto set an aperture of 2.7 (wide open), a shutter speed of 1/8 (pretty slow) and an ISO of 800, that exposure results in the moon being a white blob. Closing down the aperture (7.1, i.e. squinting), lowering the ISO (“film speed), increasing the shutter speed, using spot metering for focusing directly on the moon results in the detailed exposure. Continuous shooting mode is the anti-tripod trick … with the shutter speed faster, continuous shooting (I hold my breath and try to brace on a tree or something) helps ensure that at least one or two shots in the stream are in focus. The moon was so bright this morning that at the shutter speeds above, nearly all the shots were focused.

The entire explanation from Ivory Hut in a guest post at Pioneer Woman titled: Shoot for the Moon is worth a look if you are interested in this kind of shot. Ivory Hut uses the Canon Powershot S5 which is one model newer than mine, but the primary difference is a faster (and newer) processor and higher ISO – they have the same lens…the point, she is also using a “point and shoot”. This technique is potentially doable on cameras that allow you to adjust aperture, shutter speed, ISO and shooting mode (continuous).

Posted on

Evening Prayer

Actually, the 2nd verse of an Anglican hymn for the evening prayer worship (compline).

To you before the close of day, Creator of all things we pray
that in your constant clemency our guard and keeper you would be.

Save us from troubled, restless sleep, from all ill dreams your children keep;
so calm our minds that fears may cease and rested bodies wake in peace.

A healthy life we ask of you, the fire of love in us renew, and when the dawn
new light will bring, your praise and glory we shall sing.

Almighty Father hear our cry through Jesus Christ, our Lord Most High,
whom with the Spirit we adore, forever and for evermore.

I pray the second stanza when I have trouble sleeping.

Save us from troubled, restless sleep, from all ill dreams your children keep;
so calm our minds that fears may cease and rested bodies wake in peace.

photos taken 11/15/2008 – Swan Range, Montana

Posted on

Shooting the Moon

The above courtesy of tips and tutorial from Ivory Hut in a guest post at Pioneer Woman titled: Shoot for the Moon

If you’ve not been happy with your moon shots, click on the link above. I read, jumped up, grabbed my camera – no tripod – went forth and followed instructions. I hope I can try again tonight when the moon is low and large over the mountains. It is supposed to be clear tonight…

From the same spot, the morning scene: