2022 Archive -- Home

 DIRECTORY:  MOST RECENT POSTS 

↓   Home -- December 2, December 7, December 21, December 23, December 24, December 25
←  Digital Art
←  Food --  December 3, December 20, December 24
← Miscellaneous -- December 2, December 24
← More Odds and Ends -- November 18, November 30
← My YouTube Channel -- November 24
← Photography --
← Sheet Music and Audio --
← SketchUp Projects -- December 6, December 9, December 10, December 11, December 12, December 16, December 18, December 22, December 26
← Web Page Development -- 

December 24, 2022   Wildlife Survival in the Snow and Cold --Photography.   During the past few weeks, deep snow and bitter cold have made it diffcult for wildlife to find food.   Moose and deer in our back yard have become a daily occurrence.  Birds especially have difficulty finding food beneath a thick blanket of snow.

Here are a few photos taken in the past day or two.  Everyone gets something to eat at our place.

December 23, 2022   Blender Guy Has New Threads--Virtual Dub, Movie Maker.  Here's a revision of last month's stylized face sculpture created in Blender (See the November 22, 2022 post below for more details).  A shirt was added today using SketchUp that was grouped separately from the sculpture (required about an hour to create a crudely drawn unbuttoned shirt with collar and an undergarment).

In summary the following steps were used to process the blender sculpture.

1.  The blender sculpture had already been exported as a Collada file and imported into SketchUp Make where 16 animated scenes were created.  Today, the SktechUp model was updated with the addition of clothing.  The clothing update was automaticallly included in the 16-scene animation that was completed last month. 

2. The updated SketchUp animation was rendered with Twilight Rendering Extension's animation option using the same settings as last month's original version (required about 7.5 hours to render).  Twilight Extension rendered 513 high-quality images of the animation that were stored in an  Image Set folder.

3. The Virtual Dub  app (standalone app--not a SketchUp extension)  was used to convert all 513 images into an AVI video (required less thant 20 seconds to process 513 images). 

4. Windows Movie Maker was used to convert the AVI file to MP4 (required a few minutes to process into an HD quality movie).

5.  Lastly, it was uploaded to my YouTube Channel (required a few minutes to complete). 

Click here to view at YouTube.com:    Blender Guy's Short Circuit.

The sparkling effect beneath the shirt collar (visible in the video) was caused by two surfaces drawn with SketchUp in close proximity to each other that flash whenever the animation's position changes.  This was unintended so the name of the video was modified to suggest an electrical short circuit, which of course, was for threatrical purposes only.

December 21, 2022   Moose Bed and Breakfast--Home for the Holidays.  Mother Moose has made her second appearance in our backyard this winter (See November 8 post below).  She cuddled up close to our evergreens last night after eating all the bird and squirrel food set out before nightfall.

There wasn't much left for the birds and squirrels this morning, so shortly after sunrise we fed them again.  Thinking the coast was clear we poured more bird and critter food in the feeders and on the ground.  The moose hadn't strayed too far, however.  It had relocated nearby in the neighbor's yard and stood up to check out what was for breakfast.  We didn't waste much time getting back in the house.  The moose decided to let the birds and squirrels eat first and opted to nibble on the hedge.  

Weather today at 12:00 noon was sunny and -15 degrees F.  below Zero.  The wind is expected to increase later in the day.  Officially, it is the first day of winter.   Aaah, those cool North Dakota breezes!

At 1:00 p.m. the moose returned to lick every kernel of corn and other grain out of the inverted bent up garbage can lid that's used for a bird and squirrel feeder (see below).

Several deer come to the backyard every night for the bird and critter food.  There are hoof prints and trails in the snow going in all directions.  The presence of deer and moose in town for the past two years is a relatively new phenomena.  It's either the result of a scarcity of food, deep snow, increased deer and moose population, bad weather, or increased number of predatory animals.  The "goodies" to be found in our's and other yards in town as well as better sheltered areas may be part of the reason why we're seeing more of them during the coldest days.

December 7, 2022   Remembering Pearl Harbor--December 7, 1941.

December 2, 2022  The Big List Revisited--Seven Letter Words.  This project/hobby has been ongoing for the past 4 or 5 years.  The list currently contains 7,084 words.  The word list is a compilation of seven-letter English language words that are non-slang with no-hyphens.  Proper nouns are not included.  

Seven-letter words are generally easy to spell, speak, read, and understand.  They convey meaning quite well.  They often contain two or three syllables, but there are some one-syllable seven-letter words such as through, brought, and sprawls ; a few four-syllable words like oregano and utopian ; and even a few five-syllabe words--here are two scientific words:  oogonia and oxyopia.

The dictionary is the best reference, of course.  The permanent location for the Big List is found in Miscellaneous--see sidebar at the left. It is available in either Word or PDF format.

Tom

Updated:  12-26-2022, 12-25-2022, 12-24-2022, 12-23-2022, 12-22-2022, 12-21-2022, 12-20-2022, 12-18-2022, 12-16-2022, 12-12-2022, 12-11-2022, 12-10-2022, 12-09-2022, 12-07-2022, 12-06-2022, 12-03-2022, 12-02-2022.

November 28, 2022  Blender Scuplture--Shadows and Light.  Today's project was a review of some of the basic Blender  sculpting features that were used for an earlier project--November 12 . . . 22 posts. The rendered images below were created with the default Blender light and camera setup.

The sculpture is in its beginning phase with only the basic shape and eyes set into their sockets. Ears, nose, lips, muscle structure, eyelids, hair, and many other details such as scale, color, and clarity are yet to be addressed.

Even in its rudimentary state, the sculputre evokes some artistic qualities.  Primarily, the shadows on its gray face caught my eye after it had been rendered.  Set against a dark background, the bright, gradient, and solid black areas on the sculpture's irregular surface created depth.

If I were drawing a 2D likeness of this head, it would be difficult for me to make the shadows look realistic and still maintain the integrity of the face.  In Blender, shadows and light can be done automatically as shown below, or tweaked in a 3D enviroment.  More often than not, the user will adjust light(s), camera position, and other camera/lens settings to their liking.

I don't have any plans for moving forward with this face sculpture other than to become more familiar with Blender.  We'll see. 

November 26, 2022  How it is and How it was--Computer Modems.  About thirty-five years ago I paid $11--13 additional per month on my phone bill for a dedicated line (computer/fax).  Compared to a few years prior, It seemed like heaven to be zipping along, uninterrupted, at 300 baud (300 bps--later, 1200 and 2400 modem speeds).

Bulletin/message boards,  one-way peer to peer connections, and Cleveland Free Net, etc., were about it until Macs, Windows PC's, and the Internet / World Wide Web, as we know it, today, came to be.

As  computers and the phone connections improved during the following decade, it was also necessary to purchase faster modems along with new computers.  Computer equipment was very expensive then.  It's not really cheap today, either, but by comparison, we now get more bang for our buck.

Today, a fiber optic converter and wifi modem are furnished by our internet provider as part of their monthly plan.  Recently our current home internet plan was substantially improved for another $5 monthly charge.   This connection is fast enough to simultaneously stream to multiple t.v's and to other devices including a desktop computer, notepad, and an old cellphone (minus its sim card).  The computer is wired directly to the modem--other devices connect via wifi. 

Anyway, our current home plan is over a million times faster than the old 300 baud modem.  Should we ever feel the need for greater speed, there are more fiber plans available that are reasonably priced and designed to fit every pocketbook.                                    

November 24, 2022  Happy Thanksgiving--Nostalgic Video Games.  The turkey and dressing were delicious.  After the meal,  the grandchildren were given a lesson on how Tetris and Super Marios 3 were played in the 90's by their elders. 

I resurrected the kid's 30 year old Nintendo that had been stored in a basement closet for the past 20+ years.   An update for the Nintendo to TV connection was required.  It included using a USB power plug and cord (e.g. one used for charging cellphones), AV to HD converter for a digital TV (purchased at Game Stop),  and another HDMI cable (purchased at Walmart).  We already had a red, white and yellow ended cable that connected the Nintendo to the converter.  White end was not used due to a common problem of humming from TV speaker(s).

The copper contacts inside each game cartridge and inside the Nintendo had to be blown out and then swabbed with alcohol on a piece of paper towel wrapped around a couple popsicle sticks tied together to reach inside the Nintendo's game port slot.

The old Nintendo worked better than ever when plugged into the smart tv with the game controls mode selected.  

The video games were an outstanding success.   When it was time for our guests to depart, they took the old Nintendo back home with them for a new generation of gamers to enjoy.  The grandkids have all the new gadgetry but playing on a gaming system "Mom" grew up with is something special.  She has conquered the 8 worlds of Super Mario Brothers 3 and remembers all the moves for Tetris as well.

November 22, 2022   Video Animation Options--SketchUp Video Export vs. Twilight Render Image Set with VideoDub and MovieMaker.  The Blender Sculpture imported into SketchUp as a Collada File has now been exported as a video animation using two formats.

To begin, the SketchUp file containing the sculpture now includes a 16 scene animation created simply by adding Scenes that are each rotated and updated to produce the illusion of movement when played.

The animation was then exported as a 3D video in SketchUp.  It only required a few minutes to create an 32 second mp4 video.  The quality is good but lacks the shiny appearance created by by a rendering application such as Blender Animation or Twlight Render.  I avoided Blender Animation mainly due to a lack of know how and computer power.   Here is the link to the Blender Sculpture Video exported from SketchUp (mp4 format, duration 32 seconds, file size 12.4 mb).

Next, a slightly more involved method, but not that difficult, involved using Twilight Render's Animation option.  Unfortunately, it was not a one step process like Sketchup's export.  A folder needed to be created in the preliminary stages to hold an Image Set of rendered images made with Twilight Render.

Also, a name for the first image rendered needed to be assigned in advance.  Thereafter, 512 more images were rendered and automatically giiven a sequential number.  I had also specified 16 fps (frames per second) and a 2 second duration for each of the 16 scenes.  Sixteen scenes initiallly made while adding scenes were enough to move the head horizontally and vertically at different camera angles--nothing too fancy.

Due to all the detail in surface variances of each image, Twilight Render required five hours and twenty-five minutes to finish rendering the 513 jpeg images.  There were no doubt ways to reduce that time by eliminating redundancy by either disabling or enabling numerous options as explained in online Twilight Render video tutorials.  However, I was in too big of a hurry to investigate.  I was using the free version and decided to wing it.

Now that I finally had the image set completed, the next thing was to figure out what to do with them.  I first downloaded  Microsoft's ClipChamp's trial version for compiling images.  For 513 images, it was slow going and was not the right type of application.

So, by typing  "I have an image set now what do I do to make a video?" into Google Search, I was directed to a user's forum which suggested using VirtualDub  (virtualdub.org).  I downloaded v1.10.4/AMD 64-bit zipped file, extracted it, and run the exe. file.

VirtualDub instructed me to enter the location of the first jpeg in the image set folder and the desired length for the video--in this case--16 scenes x 2 seconds, or 32 seconds.  It only took a few minutes to populate the screen with all images.  After previewing the video, I selected Save AVI (file type)--the only type provided.  The movie took a minute or two to save.  For some unexplained reason, this version turned out to be 51 seconds in length--must have missed something or could it have been a problem with Twilight Render settings.  It was o.k., no jerky animation, but slower.  It could be sped up with MovieMaker, but 51 seconds was acceptable.

Lastly, the AVI video was converted with MovieMaker (windows) to a high definition mp4 file to make it more user friendly.  Here's the link on this website Sculpture Video from Twilight Render Image Set  (mp4 format, duration 51 seconds, file size 8.7 mb).  Twilight Render produced surfaces that were more reflective or shiny than SketchUp (Make's) video surfaces linked in paragraph two above.  Prior to rendering,  SketchUp's Shadow option was disabled to speed up the process.

Other Links:

Link to virtualdub.org   This is an easy to use, very fast, and free video editor that works with image sets.)

Here's a link to sourceforge.net where VrtualDub can be downloaded:   VirtualDub  (Download site was linked on virtualdub.org)

I think it's alway prudent to scan all free downloads.

November 21, 2022   Deer Arrival--Photography.  Deer Hunting Season ended yesterday.  For the past few weeks some of the more fortunate deer have been taking refuge near or in town and then venture into people's yards for something to eat.  They begin to appear after dark starting at about 9:30--10:00 p.m.  each night.

Last night, six deer were eating fallen apples beneath the neighbor's trees and then moved over to bird and squirrel food we have scattered in the back yard.  The food was poured out more abundantly lately anticipating their arrival.

Dim yard lighting behind our house required turning up the exposure setting when editing a few photos taken in the wee hours of the morning between 3:30 and 4:00 a.m.  No flash was used--pics were taken through the window.

November 20, 2022    Sculpting Day 10--Blender, Collada, SketchUp, Twilight Rendering Extension, Windows Photo Editor.  The last series of images below were created from an exported Collada file (dae) and imported into SketchUp.  Captions beneath some of the pictures describe how images have been modified.

The first three images were exported as 2D images from SketchUp.  The remaining are derived from a Twilight Rendering extension addon in SketchUp.

Materials added using Twilight Rendering Extension Materials option were either Shiny or Satin Plastic applied to the existing colors in the collada file.  The second or third duplicate of the same image have been tweaked with Windows Photo Editior and a couple had the Sauna and Sahara filters applied, instead.  Windows Photo Editor was a quicker way to make minor changes with fewer steps than if done exclusively with Blender Render or with Twilight Rendering Extension options.

November 19, 2022    Sculpting Day 9--Blender Render.  A quick Google search revealed what I needed to do to make the light work for better rendering in Blender.  I needed to create a secondary light source by duplicating the existing light and moving it to the other side of the head with less intensity (wattage) and with a bit of a tint--I chose a light yellow color.   Camera angles below were mostly from the white light side with the hue from the other side showing up in the hair and or near the far edge of the face.

The lighting and shadows brought out all of the creases and curves as well as the flaws.  The teeth could have been smoothed by adding more vertices (If I had remembered how).  The images below show the actual Blender Output (png images) and afterward when light and color were tweaked with Windows's Photo Editor.

The last few images have been touched up with an air brush  in GIMP to add eyebrows and to add color tot he lips.  One of the front view images had a crazy shadow under the nose that I removed by cloning adjacent skin.

Also, as I had done a year ago, it was necessary to lower the resolution by half to eliminate crashing while rendering.  In this example, the YouTube Tutorial used 1920 x 1920.  I lowered it to 960 x 960.

Lastly, here's a link to last year's Blender Donut Images.  Yummy.   My next Blender sculpture endeavor may involve our pet cats or maybe the backyard moose (see last week's post).

November 18, 2022    Sculpting Day 8--Close But No Cigar.  I moved on to rendering settings and painting the Blender sculpure.  Everything rendered but there were problems getting the light to turn on properly regarding shadows.  Without shadows, facial features were nonexistent.  Teeth, Eyes, Tongue, hair, and skin are finished.  There are eyebrows and lips remaining.

Since rendering was unsuccessful, here are some screen captures from the Layout mode.   I inadvertently inserted a nice background while applying paint--must have pushed something by mistake (Shading Mode).  I remember intentionally activiating this background last year while drawing fancy donuts.

GeForce Nvidia Graphics Board crashed several times and today it automatically directed me to their website.  I wasn't in the mood to follow up on that suggestion.

November 17, 2022    Sculpting Day 7--Blender and SketchUp.  Teeth and  tongue components downloaded as Collada files from 3-D Warehouse and edited in SketchUp were much better choices than trying to draw them from scratch.  After deleting the lower teeth  from the model, unnecessary geometry was removed from the upper teeth before fitting them inside the Collada version of the blender file I had previously imported in  SketchUp.   The angle and size had to be adjusted for both the teeth and the tongue.

The upper teeth and tongue components were then exported separately as Collada files again and imported into the recent Blender project in progress as explained in yesterday's post.  Here is the same blender image now sporting new teeth and a tongue.  The stylized renderings are exaggerated likenesses and are not intended to be photo realistic.  

This project was very time consuming and slow going when working with a mouse.  With shaky hands I don't think I'd be much better with a stylus and drawing pad either.  Much time was lost restarting the computer after frequent crashes.  Four Gig RAM isn't quite enough with the older GeForce 210 Nvidia Graphic card,  10 yr. old Intel Core i 7  CPU 860  4 Core(s) , and running Windows 10 Pro.   This computer is not compatible with Windows 11.

A new solid state hard drive a few years ago coupled with a vastly improved fiber optic internet speed upgrade last month makes this a great computer in every other respect.  I'm in no hurry to replace it.   More advanced Blender activities will have to wait.

November 16, 2022    Sculpting Day 5 & 6--Blender and SketchUp.  After finishing the first sculpting tutoria, I moved on to another project that featured stylized human faces.  Here is the YouTube link:  Sculpting a Stylized Face for Beginners.

I am not posting any Blender files for download because they are memory hogs.  The YouTube video explains everything in detail except for the last few minutes.  The teeth layout became a bit foggy for me when the video demonstrtion reached the extrusion process for mirroring teeth.  Also, the mouse and Creasing tool did not behave well when trying to replicate sculpting the hair--I omitted that feature as you will notice in the images shown below.  Also, my images are toothless and tongueless for right now.

I exported the entire stylized face with a Collada file to SketchUp.  I'll try to fashion a tongue and a set of chompers using a SketchUp model that fits into the imported stylized face.  When finished, I plan to export them back separately to blender (as Collada, dae files) to insert as objects.  They will then need to be sculpted once they're inserted in the mouth.

Below is the current status of my stylized faces minus the teeth and tongues at this juncture.

November 14, 2022    Sculpting Day 4--Blender and SketchUp.   After playing more with yestderay's Blender project, I exported the file as a Collada file (.dae) and and imported it into SketchUp to see what happens.

As I'd suspected, it opened as a component.  By selecting edit, I assigned a color and then chose view edges to expose the mesh.  Some of the mesh had holes that required patching.  While in the edit mode, it required zooming in and drawing connecting lines to form triangles wherever a hole in the meth appeared.  Out of the many thousands of vertices and triangles, probably a couple hundred tiny areas needed a line or two to fill in the missing surface.

Thereafter, I turned off cast shadows on the sculpture component and tried various lighting settings with receive shadows selected.  Below are several images with a variety of shadow and camera angles.  Secondly, I attempted to render using Twilight Rendering Extension.  Due to lack of sculpted eyes and brow definition, it isn't very impressive.

I applied a shiny plastic surface that gave the Body Builder a sweaty look.  Given the quality of the original scultpure, that is about all that can be done for the present.

November 13, 2022    Sculpting with Blender--Day 3.  Brush control (using mouse) is easier today.  Adjusting the radius and strength of the brush has become less cumbersome with practice.  Basic brushes in use included Draw, Clay, Smooth, and Crease.  I experimented with the Snake Hook while attemtping to make eyelashes, but that will take more pracitce.

The same model from yesterday has been updated and refined somewhat.  Eyes are now open, the nose flare has been reduced, cheeks are better defined, and ears are beginning to take shape.  All aspects of the head and face require more work.

By saving after every 2 or 3 moves and by not trying to quickly add or subtract large areas of vertices, computer crashes haven't resulted in the loss of data.

The first two images below are shown in the perspective view with a gray background.  The last three images are in the Orthoraphic view mode overlayed on a grid.

November 12, 2022    Squirrels Endure Harsh Climate--Photography.  Winter weather is here.  Last night's temperatures dropped to below Zero.  Today is cold, but it didn't stop the squirrel family from showing up for breakfast and dinner.

The heavy snowfall failed to materialize near the Canadian border where we live, but for an hour or two, November 9 was quite blustery.  Thankfully, we only received a few inches of snow.

November 12, 2022    Sculpting Mode--Blender.   It's been awhile since I've used Blender (free software downloaded at Blender.org).  I played with it about 20 years ago, but really never had a computer with enough memory to make use of it back then.   Last year's projects--see posts, October thru November 17, 2021 located in the 2021 Archives linked at top of this page-- were also hampered by a lack of ram for a few projects I completed at that time.

Again, I experienced a crash a few minutes into a new project I tackled yesterday using the sculpting mode.  By slowing down a bit, saving frequently, and being less aggressive when pushing shortcut keys, I've managed to make some headway.

I have downloaded the most recent version:  Blender 3.3.1 as of two days ago.  YouTube has some impressive videos that show off its potential in the hands of experts.  One video showed how natural looking beards and hair are drawn.  Another video demonstrated how multilayers are applied to create photorealistic monster skin complete with pores, mottled skin tones and other imperfections.  Wow!  Too advanced for me.

The 4 Gig ram in my old desktop computer makes it possible to do some basic stuff which is about all I need it for.  Last year's projects involved creating linked nodes which overwhelmed ram very quickly after several levels had been linked.

Also, I founded it extremely helpful to review how to use shortcuts and navigational commands and their location.  Here's the link to the first in a series of tutorials linked at Blender.org.:   First Steps - Blender 2.80 -- Fundamentals.

The images below are views from my 3D Blender file masterpieces.  It loosely followed the first half of an excellent YouTube tutorial on sculpting:  Sculpting with Blender for Beginners.  A Pen, tablet or special touch screen are recommend, but I made  due with a mouse and my favorite cloth-covered mousepad (about 30 years old).

The heads and faces sculpted below are not anatomically correct.  Left and right sides of the faces were simultaneously created with the symmetry feature.  In general, it is accurate and convenient.  Realistic imperfections can be added when needed with auto symmetry turned off.

It takes practice and some experimentation to become familair with the Blender's many brushes and sculpting options.  Images below were taken from 3 small Blender files created last night and today.  The grotesque head and face model was sculpted first; second, a better defined sleeping head and face model with fine eyelids closed; and third,  another eyes closed head and face with deeper creases.

Open eyes, realistic ears, hair, and other facial detail are more involved.  That will be a suitable project when I become more familiar with the rest of the sculpting tools.

November 11, 2022    Vetrans Day, 2022.   Today, we honor generations of patriots who have earned the title of “American veteran” — a badge of courage that unites the finest group of former service members the world has ever known.  With their selfless sacrifice, our Armed Forces have forged and defended the very idea of America — a promise of freedom and equality, democracy and justice, possibility and hope.  We owe them an incredible debt that can never be fully repaid.

Source:   White House, Briefing Room, Prsidential Actions, A Proclamation on Ventrans Day, 2022

November 8, 2022    Flash . . . The Moose are Back!.  I just peeked out the window facing the back yard at 10:15 p.m.  A very large moose was laying in the middle of the back yard between the window and the bird feeder which had been tipped over by you know who.  It was chewing its ruminant and seemed to be quite comfortable.

The birds and squirrels will have to go hungry until later tomorrow morning. I'm not sure how many moose have arrived or if they are the same ones from last winter (see March posts below).  This one chose a favorite spot used last year to rest.

Bad weather is in the forecast for the state--I'm sure they can sense it. 

November 6, 2022 Hungry Birds, Nasty Weather--Photography.  When we set our clocks back one hour before bed last night, the wind was howling and snow was falling.  By this morning, the snow had stopped but the wind contiued to blow.

The wind chill made it seem colder than it really was--about 20 degrees F. with a 50 mph wind.  Currently (10:45 a.m. cst) it's 25 degrees with a constant 41 mph wind.  The thin blanket of snow with fallen leaves are flying in strong gusts of wind.

Frantic sparrows and doves cover the ground with several squirrels in the mix.  They gobbled up the food we had scattered for their morning feeding.

Squirrels Huddle.  We hope the young squirrels can survive the winter.  They seem to be resourceful in their attempt to stay warm.  It's rare to see two squirrels eating close together, let alone three. 

Snowbirds who are now residing in southern winter homes can be thankful they have left this misery behind.

November 5, 2022 Young Squirrels Eat Together--Photography.   It is very seldom that you see two adult squirrels eating side by side.  I suspect the two young squirrels below were litter mates.

They haven't seen me very often in their short lives and run off whenever I appear.  The adult squirrels, however, are not spooked by my presence and recently come up to me whenever I bring out fresh food.  I don't plan on ever hand feeding them, but they will politely take a peanut as I pour the food onto the feeder.

The bird bath and water dish on the ground for the rabbits, squirrels, and stray dogs and cats have now frozen over.  Late fall has seen a steady stream of sparrows drinking and bathing that required replenishing the water several times a day.

November 2, 2022 Home Improvement--Painting and Flooring.  By 2021 our home's interior began to look worn and shabby.  The interior and flooring had not been replaced since 2009.   Back then, after completing painting and installing new carpeting, kitchen flooring, and appliances we listed our house for sale, packed up everything and moved to Arizona for two years.  In the meantime, the housing market remained flat, we were getting older, and once again yearned for the cool breezes of North Dakota.  When we returned home that fall, our newly remodeled home was waiting.  It felt good to be back home.

Covid-19 became part of everyone's lives in 2020.  Our house had seen 8 years of foot traffic and the wall and ceiling paint had lost its luster.   We decided we could do the interior painting ourselves and did so finishing the five-weeks long project on Halloween night of 2021 (one year ago).

New carpet installation would have to wait, however.  Due to the ongoing pandemic, we felt unsafe about shopping for flooring or having measurers and installers coming to our residence.  By July of 2022, we were out and about more frequently and got the ball rolling ordering flooring materials and setting up installation dates.

Laminate Installation.  We decided to replace the carpeting in the bedrooms and hallway with laminate flooring due to respiratory issues.  The catch was, however, the installers would only do so if they ripped off our original baseboards and replace them with new material.  For me, that was out of the question.  I was not going to destroy hundreds of dollars worth of original solid walnut baseboards with a look-alike pressed styrofoam and vinyl trim board or something else.

I therefore decided to do the prep work myself, carefully and slowly removing, cleaning, and refinishing the existing baseboards as needed.  I also cleared each bedroom and hallway, one room at a time, of it's furniture and contents while tearing up the carpet, pad, tack strips, and staples.  Following that, I painted each subfloor with a mold and mildew resistent paint which I had also done in 2009.  This step was a little extra work and expense but well worth it.  Each room required about a week to prep.  I don't move as fast as I used to.

Over the next few weeks, we bought 30+ boxes of laminate flooring hauling a few home each week until we had enough to finish the job.  We selected a hickory variety that had a dark grain pattern that was a pretty good match with the existing baseboards, door, and window trim. (see photos below).

Our son-in-law was kind enough to install the laminate.  He had recently refloored their new home and had all the tools needed for the job.  I was a bit concerned about our 50 year old house being square and level.  It was square but there were a few spongy spots in the subfloor.  The new flooring layed flat.  That was good enough for me.  The job required 5 afternoons on the weekends.  In our opinion, he did a perfect job.  We took our time and had a bedroom or the hallway ready for him to cover on each visit.

Carpet Installation.  We scheduled the carpet installers so that we would have ample time to relocate the living room/great room furniture and remove the carpet, pad, staples, and prep the subfloor with a fresh coat of mold and mildew resitant paint.  Our extremely heavy upright piano had to be moved.  The carpet company specified they did not move pianos.  The piano had to be moved across the room (about 12 feet) onto the dining room floor which was covered with kitchen tile (laminate).  The carpet installation company's manager said we should first lay plywood over the laminate to prevent breaking the locking system (joints) due to the concentrated weight of the piano wheels.  I gathered up my 5/8 inch plywood odds and ends and had enough to cover the required area.  Plywood pieces were taped together with duct tape to prevent slippage.

Other obstacles were the transition strip and tack strip between the carpet flooring and the kitchen laminate tile. We had to lift the piano over the edge.

Piano Moving Tips.  Old upright pianos are very heavy.  They have a tendancy to tip backward.  Be careful!  If you don't have piano movers to slip under your piano, here's how I do it.  I just happen to have a 2 3/4" diameter hardwood roller that measures about 2 ft long (an old wood baseball bat would probably work, instead).  I used a five-foot metal crow bar as a lever and 2 pieces of 2x4 as a fulcrum to lift the back side of the piano up far enough to slip about 3" of the roller under the bottom of the paino (which was built sturdy like a bridge).  The roller had to be positioned far enough away from the leading wheel and transition strip on the floor to allow the piano to roll forward over the strip without touching it.

Once the piano was rolled into position close to the transition strip, the fulcrum and roller placement could be determined.  The piano lifted easily by bearing down on the other end of the crow bar.  The fulcrum was positoned about a foot from the end of the crow bar beneath the piano.  Once the wood roller was inserted, the crow bar was removed and the piano and roller rolled effortlessly (wood on wood) when the piano was pulled.  The same steps were taken when the other end of the piano approached the transition strip.  The wheels at the front side of the piano also lifted up when the back of the piano was raised.  (Mind you fingers and toes when using a roller system and  fulcrum/lever principle.)

Lastly, after the carpet was layed, the lever and roller procedure was used again to move the piano back.  We also used plywood to cover the newly layed carpet until the piano was nearly backed up to the wall where it always sits.

Carpet layers.   Two carpet layers installed the 27' x 12' carpet and pad in less than an hour.  They appreciated having the floor thoroughly prepped with all the furniture removed.  It took them 5 minutes to lay and staple the carpet pad, and about 45--50 minutes to roll it out, cut, stretch, and tuck the carpet, etc.  These guys were good. 

Some weeks before, the carpet laying company had sent out an individual to measure the carpet.  He had a laser measuring instrument and input the dimensions into his notepad/ipad.  When he was done measuring, he showed us a computer generated layout/floorplan with all of the exact measurements.  He also took digital photos of the floors from every angle.

In the past, I've observed other carpet layers walk around holding a tape measure grunting and snorting for about an hour before they even brought in the first roll of carpet pad.  Obviously, they did not have a detailed drawing--they had only requested room measurements and a rough sketch that I provided for ordering the carpet.  New technology has improved the efficiency of this trade.

Our old house has dozens of other issues that need to be addressed.  It will take time.

November 1, 2022  Flock of Starlings--Photography.   Several dozen Starlings visited our backyard this morning.  They preferred to peck among the mulched leaves and didn't touch the bird feed.  Along with them were a few black birds that haven't been around for a couple months.  They usually stop by before heading south for the winter.

It was cloudy this morning, The starling's iridescent greenish and blue feather colors did not shine in the dim light.

Updated:  11-30-2022, 11-29-2022, 11-28-2022, 11-26-2022, 11-24-2022, 11-22-2022, 11-21-2022, 11-20-2022, 11-19-2022, 11-18-2022, 11-17-2022, 11-16-2022, 11-14-2022, 11-13-2022, 11-12-20-22, 11-11-2022, 11-08-2022, 11-07-2022, 11-06-2022, 11-05-2022, 11-04-2022, 11-03-2022, 11-02-2022, 11-01-2022.

October 31, 2022   Happy Halloween !    

October 27, 2022 Five O'Clock Shadows--Photography.    Weird light this time of the year casts an eerie shadow on the closet door. I couldn't resist taking a few pictures as I sat at the computer.  (Hair needs a comb.)

October 24, 2022 Annie Reads the News--Photography.    Our Cat, Annie, has a way of putting herself directly in front of the computer monitor.  Sometimes she actually looks at the images and follows the movement on the screen.

Mostly, we think she enjoys the attention and rubbing her cheeks on the edges of the screen.  She knows it's an infraction if she paws at the screen, but sometimes she cannot resist.

October 5, 2022 Autumn 2022--Photography.    Mild temperatures are coming to an end for another year.  It is time to organize the winter wardrobe and winterize those drafty places.

October 1, 2022 Hurricane Ian--Florida.   Much of my early childhood and teen years were spent in Sarasota, Florida.  It was a winter paradise filled with many wonders that I had not experienced on the North Dakota Prairie.

Main Street at night was magical--bustling sidewalks, stores, and beautifully decorated window displays at Christmas.  During the afternoon, exploring the pier at the end of main street and going to the matinee performances at the movie theaters were always something to look forward to on the weekend.  The Ringling Circus Parade on Main Street and strolling around the circus's winter campground were other highlights from the early 50s.  I was also fascinated by the old WWI army tanks and artillery overlooking the bay somewhere behind the Municipal Auditorium and recall climbing on them for a better look.   Large parking lots and urban expansion have clouded my memory of their exact location.

It was sad to see the demolished sign for the Sarasota Jungle Gardens recently posted in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune Newspaper (online edition).  In 1952 I visited the Jungle Gardens with my first grade classmates that was located just a few blocks from our elementary school.

On recurring visits to Lido Key Beach in later years, we noticed the devastating effects of storms on the beautiful white sands.  The shoreline and beach had significantly narrowed in places.  Perhaps in more recent years it has been dredged or refilled.

The old Longboat Key concrete bridge was my favorite fishing spot in the early 1960s.  By then a newer John Ringling bridge replaced the wooden bridge that spanned Sarasota Bay and was not suitable for fishing like we did in the early 50's.  I was told that the Longboat Key bridge (New Pass Bridge) was necessitated by the 1920's Hurricane that opened up the channel beneath it.

A lot has changed since I last fished there. I see the old bait shop has moved a few feet further from the road/bridge to make room for the more modern bridge.  What was nice about fishing in Florida was that you could buy your fresh live bait (shrimp) for about 5 cents each at that time, and if the fish weren't biting, you could take the bait home and eat that, instead!

Since I never experienced a hurricane, I've always tried to imagine what forces it must have taken to remove all of that dry land at Longboat Key in only a few hours.  At least, the immediate Sarasota area was spared that level of destruction this time.  My heart felt sympathy goes out to all who suffered loss elsewhere in the county and throughout the state.  A part of Sarasota will always be with me.

Updated:  10-31-2022, 10-30-2022, 10-29-2022, 10-28-2022, 10-27-2022, 10-25-2022, 10-24-2022, 10-23-22, 10-22-2022, 10-21-2022, 10-18-2022, 10-05-2022, 10-01-2022.

September 6, 2022 Unwelcomed Visitor--Photography.  This morning a hawk perched directly above our bird feeders waiting for an unsuspecting dove.  Most other birds immediately leave the area, but it seems that the hawk will eventually get its breakfast.

We shooed the pesky bird away but it only moved to a nearby treetop.  We prefer that it practices its butchery elsewhere.  They have to eat, too.

September 1, 2022  Custom Bolt Thread Design--SketchUp.  Today's SketchUp model provides a closer look at how I've been drawing bolt and nut threads.  I've created a clearance between a 1 inch diameter bolt and the nut that measures around three thousandths of an inch.

For me this is not an exact science so you might encounter a few errors in the calculations at some point.  It's an interesting project that I've been playing with for a long time.  Click the SketchUp Projects link in the left sidebar for images and the Sketchup model.

Updated:  09-15-2022, 09-10-2022, 09-07-2022, 09-06-2022, 09-01-2022.

August 26, 2022  Harvest--Photography.  From our front yard we can see a glimpse of the countryside to the north.  A recently harvested wheat field with ripening corn in the background stand out in the morning sun.  Zooming and cropping foreground images capture the moment. 

August 21, 2022  Volunteer Flowers--Gardening.   In mid june I scooped up some old potting soil from our compost pile and planted some cherry pits I kept in cold storage from last year.   Nothing sprouted w ith regard to cherry seedlings; instead, these flowers grew very quickly and began to blossom last week.

We have no idea where the seeds came from.

August 14, 2022  New Car Shortages--Supply and Demand.   If  you've driven by automobile dealerships lately, you may have noticed the new car lineup is very sparse.  Vital to today's manufacturing process are computer chips that have been incorporated into the many systems that define the high-tech age vehicle. 

We as consumers are being told that computer chips are in short supply.  People are waiting longer to receive delivery on new car orders.  Prices are increasing at a faster pace.

In my opintion, if getting from point A to point B is the main objective of an automobile,  why not deliver a product that does that minus the gadgets and innovations that are currently plaguing the industry due to shortages.    Bring out the best of the best models from the 40's, 50, 60's and 70's minus the computer components.  I do think that seat belts, rear camera, air bags, and catalytic converters need to be preserved, however.

Models up to the 80's got us down the road just fine without many electronic components.  With better materials, design, and fabrication methods, I think a 56 Chevy, for example, could be manufactured using lighter materials, made more aerodynamic with more efficeint engines and have better mileage than its predecessor. 

A bare-bones car with cloth/vinyl seats, manual roll up windows, and manually adjusted seats is what I grew up with.  A radio, cigarette lighter, ash trays, glove box, dome light, carpeted interior, second rear view mirror, choice of colors, and an extra splash or two of chrome were a few of the amenities that provided pride of ownership.   There were no complaints.  A few annoyances did exist but were considered part of car ownership--rattles, vacuum windshield wipers, thermostats, faulty generators, fuel pumps, rusty paint and frequent muffler replacement, spark plugs and flat tires.  (Our 18 year old 2004 Chrysler Pacifica, on the other hand, has never had spark plugs or muffler replaced.  It gets good mileage and runs like a top!   Tires get about 40,000 miles per set, and the paint doesn't have a speck of rust and looks almost as good as our 2021 Toyota SUV even after being driven through a hail storm.  Believe it or not, the Arizona heat  took out all of the dents--but didn't fix the cracked windshield.)

Today, who wants to meet an oncoming vehicle with the driver not steering the car.  Why can't the driver be expected to be alert enough to know what the speed limit is at all times.  Do we really need a camera to detect the speed limit for us.  Should a person be engaged in a hands-free telephone conversation while navigating a busy intersection.   Are other people's saftety and best interests a concern or is providing convenience for the driver more important.  

Then, there's this irritating jolt whenever our 2021 model car restarts after turning off while waiting at a stop light. That can't be good for the linkage.  Admittedly, there are built in safety features that are valuable--proximity warning, lane deviation while driving, auto breaking, etc.  All of these features can be justified; but if there is an accident, there is still no excuse for careless or inattentive driving.

Personally, I can live without the gimmicks and computerized gadgets that seem to be the driving force in the new car market.  While driving, remain alert and exercise caution at all times.

August 11,  2022  Ornamental Berries--Thriving after many sparse years.   The growing season has been remarkable.  Timely rains, good weather, and sunshine have transformed our area into a paradise.   Parks and public green areas have never looked as good as it does now.

Our shrubs have outdown themselves with berry production.   Even with considerable destruction from two foraging moose for 3 months last winter they have come back with luxurious growth.  The dense hedge is bustling with hundreds of sparrows feeding on the white berries  but avoid eating from nearby shrubs containing red berries.

Here are a few shubbery  photos taken today.

 August 10,  2022  SketchUp Project Continuation--Updates.   Rather than create a separate post for the past 3 days of SketchUp model preparation, I tacked them onto the end of the August 5 Post.   Click the SketchUp Projects  link in the Left Sidebar.

Updated:  08-26-2022, 08-21-2022, 08-14-2022, 08-13-2022, 08-11-2022, 08-10-2022.

July 27 2022  Tuberous Begonias--Photography.   Below are images of our two hanging plants purchased from Home Depot's Lawn and Garden in early June.  They are located on the east side of our home and receive the morning and mid-day Sun.  Both have thrived during the warm and hot summer days.  

They are misted, watered, and rotated on their hooks daily.   It hasn't seemed to matter whether they are watered in the morning or evening.  In the past this variety has yielded many blooming flowers throughout the summer and fall months until it frosts.

If a strong wind or hail is forecast, they are placed in a protected area.  Portability is one of the advantages of having hanging plants as opposed to transplanting them in beds.

July 13 2022  Big Moth--Photography.   This guy was sleeping on the north side of our catio enclosure today.  For North Dakota, this is a pretty large speciman measuring 2 1/2 inches in length when compared to the 1/2 inch wire mesh in the background (see below).   It is just a baby compared to the size of Arizona moths which I've seen that were as big as my hand. 

While not as colorful as some moths its characteristic symetrical pattern and shape as well as its outstreched legs are facinating to observe.  Noteworthy, though is its fierce looking head and wing pattern that looks like a tiger's eyes, snout and mouth.  The darker area also looks like a snake's head with two beady eyes when viewed from the front.  A predator might think twice before trying to make this moth their breakfast.

July 10 2022  Mushrooms--Photography.   The hot and wet weather has prompted a larger than usual growth of mushrooms in our lawn.  Most have sprouted in close proximity to where a large tree and its stump were removed ten years years ago.   Another fungi variety seems to flourish in the shaded areas.

I always assume that any wild mushroom growth is poisonous and have never had any interest in attempting to harvest them.  My grandfather's stories about gathering edible mushrooms from old straw piles back in the days of thresh machines were fascinating.  My father told similar stories about  picking wild strawberries along railroad track embankments in the countryside.  That, of course, was well before the use of weed killers that left the soil barren.

Store bought mushrooms are obviously the safest for the untrained eye.

July 4 2022  Happy Fourth of July.  

Updated:   07-30-2022, 07-27-2022, 07-21-2022, 07-17-2022, 07-15-2022, 07-13-2022, 07-10-2022, 07- 07- 2022, 07-04-2022.

June 30, 2022  New Born Wildlife--Photography.   Providing food and water attracts animals that live in town.  It's always an enjoyable experience to observe the new generation of birds and squirrels as they grow.

June 3, 2022  Flowering Trees and Bees--Photography.  Sunshine and warm temperatures have arrived.  With plenty of moisture, trees and hedges are in full blossom unlike last year's semi-drought conditions.  

Flowering apple trees and lilac bushes fill the air with a pleasant fragrance far superior to wildfire smoke we had to endure for the past few years.

Yards attract bees with the beauty and fragrance from trees, hedges, and early blooming flowers.  The expression busy as a bee is very appropriate after realizing that bees will probably visit every flowering blossom in the photos below.  Look closely.  There are bees at work in several of the photos.  Here's a link to another 58 photos including white flowering crab apple blossoms from our back yard:   White Flowering Crab Apple Blossoms and Lilacs.  New leaves appear on the tall Poplar and Ash Trees in the background.

Without bees the world would be a desolate place.

June 1, 2022  Sourdough Bread Baking--Parchment Paper.  Not all parchment paper is created equal.  Read about my recent misfortune in the Food section linked in the left sidebar.

Updated:  06-30-22, 06-24-2022, 06-03-2022, 06-01-2022.

May 31, 2022 Homemade Dandelion Wine--Wine Making Update.  On this day one year ago, I posted my beginning steps for making Dandelion Wine.  I plan to sample that batch around Chrstmas time.

Because of a wet spring, our yard and almost every other yard in the community is infested with an abundant crop of unwelcomed yellow flowers.  We never use pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides (chemicals)--our's are safe for winemaking.  It didn't take long to pick about a gallon of the dandelion flowers, but it did take several hours to remove the green parts which is never fun.

I am once again loosely following the recipe linked in my May 31, 2021 post (Click New Google Sites 2021 Archive link at the top of this page).  I will also add apricots in addition to golden plump raisins for a richer flavor.

Initially, fermentation will begin in plastic water jugs with sandwich bags (with a pin hole) tied to the tops to permit gasses to escape.  Months later, I'll use glass canning jars instead of bottles.  This has worked for me in the past--with no explosions, spill overs, or spoilage occurring.

During aging the wine will be kept in an unheated area of our basement where the temperature remains around 58 degrees year around.

All I have done for this year's batch is to pour boiling water over the dandelion petals.  The next step will be to strain and boil the liquid with more ingredients added.  I'll share a few photos when things become more interesting.

One last comment, I have used both Red Star and Fleischmann's  Active Dry Baker's Yeast instead of brewer's yeast for wine making.  Whatever kind of yeast is used, test it to make sure it's active.  I use a natural wild yeast starter dough for sourdough bread baking, but have not dared trying to culture it for wine fermentation.  I fear the wine could become very smelly in a bad way.

Later today . . .  Continued in the Food section.  Click Food link in the left Sidebar.

May 30, 2022  Memorial Day--Remembering the Fallen.

May 21, 2022  Rabbits, Birds and Squirrels--Photography.  Light snow visited us once again during the night and early morning hours.  With the cold weather came a diversity of hungry visitors.  The Rose Breasted Grosbeaks moved on a few days ago but the permanent summer residents came with big appetites to enjoy the grain and other goodies in our back yard.

The Sun came out for a while to take a few reasonably clear photos.

May 11, 2022  Mallard Ducks--Photography.  Wildlife is thriving following heavy rains.  Low areas of the city are becoming havens for the waterfowl.  A pair of ducks made their appearance in the neighbor's and our back back this morning.  Also, a small, white crested bird and a few other visitors were enjoying the lush lawn.

May 8,, 2022  Happy Mother's Day--A Special Day for Everyone.

May 1, 2022  Snow Has Almost Melted.  We all thought winter was over a month ago, but that quickly changed with back to back blizzards two weeks ago.  Our yard still has a snow drift on the south side but most of the lawn is now dry.  We might even see a few days above 50 degrees this week! 

We get our share of nice weather in North Dakota.  There is always something to look forward to with four distinct seasons.

Updated:  05-31-2022, 05-30-2022, 05-25-2022, 05-24-2022, 05-22-2022, 05-21-2022, 05-18-2022, 05-13-2022, 05-11-2022, 05-08-2022, 05-09-2022, 05-05-2022, 05-01-2022.

April 20, 2022   Ice Sculpture--Photography.  It is turning into a late Spring.  The Sun is high in the sky with morning and evening temperatures hovering in the low thirties.  Snow on the railing of our deck with dripping water from the overhang of our roof became the focal point of  my camera this morning.  The Sun in the Southeast reflected through the slowly melting clump of snow turned ice.   

The form, in a constantly changing state, was similar to looking at a cloud formation and imagining its resemblence to some earthly creature, person, or object.   Today I saw the image of a Madonna and to her left the withering remains of what she had cared not to view.

The first 6 images below included the original and the five copies with various light and filtering effects applied with Windows 10 Photo Editor.  The next four have been further processed in GIMP.  The lilac bush branches and background have been erased and radial gradient background layers have been applied--either inward white to blue or outward white to blue.

April 19,  2022   SketchUp Art--Rendered with Twilight Rendering Extension.  I've been sifting through some of my old SketchUp projects looking for objects that might be made more interesting if they were rendered with glowing or shiny surfaces.   It might be a stretch to call the images below art.  One can never tell, there just might be a masterpiece among them.

April 17,  2022   Happy  Easter !

April 14,  2022      Blizzard Arrives--Photography.   It looks like spring weather has been set back a few more weeks.  Snow and wind arrived on the afternoon of the April 12.  The following morning more than a foot of snow had fallen.  People had stocked up on groceries and other necessities.  Many shelves in the supermarkets were emptied.  By the second day, all roads were closed.

We're always looking out for our furry and feathered friends.  We stocked up on bird and critter food and made sure we left the garage door open a crack for any stray cats that may need a place to stay.  Sure enough, we have company.

The snow intensity has let up today, but the wind is still howling.  Everyone will have some digging out to do after this is all over.  Most areas nearby are reporting 30 or more inches of snowfall since April 12.

April 1,  2022  Spring Arrivals--Photography.   Finally, a bright sunny morning!  Birds of all shapes and sizes have returned.  It's been quite awhile since they have set foot on bare ground.  The remaining snow should be gone in a week or two.  Below are a few images shown in no particular order.

Included was a return visit from the Pheasant whose brilliant colors really stand out on a bright day.  A Collared Dove and a Mourning Dove were seen eating side by side.  Several Dark-eyed Juncos (small birds--dark gray feathers and white breast) can also be seen  mingling with other birds.  The first Black Bird this year and a noisy Blue Jay who seems to never leave us.   No Robins  are included in today's pictures, however, several flocks have been seen in the neighborhood.  They are not attracted by the bird food, but they'll eventually be here to dig for worms.

Here is a link to a short video clip of the Pheasant filmed this morning.

Updated:  04-28-2022, 04-26-2022, 04-25-2022, 04-23-2022, 04-21,2022, 04-20-2022, 04-19-2022, 04-17-2022, 04-16-2022, 04-15-2022, 04-14-2022, 04-13-2022, 04-12-2022, 04-11-2022, 04-10-2022, 04-08-2022, 04-04-2022, 04-02-2022, 04-01-2022.

March 30,  2022      Pheasant and Squirrel--Photography.   Another visitor joins resident squirrel for breakfast.

March 24,  2022      Annie Framed--Photography.   GIMP filters have been applied to our cat's photo.  The oval frame design was drawn with SketchUp and rendered as a jpeg.  The image layer was added later with GIMP.

March 23,  2022      Morning Shadows--Photography.   Sunny days have been pretty scarce for the past several months.  Now that Spring has arrived, the Sun's illumination is a welcomed sight to behold.

With our front windows facing east, vertical blinds filter morning sunlight and create interesting shadows.  Below are a few examples.

March 17,  2022      Top of the Morning to You  .  .  .  

☘️   ☘️   ☘️  ☘️

Happy St. Patrick's Day

☘️   ☘️   ☘️  ☘️

.  .  .   and the Rest of the Day to You.

On such a festive day, get into the spirit of things the healthy way.  Click Here or Try This

March 14,  2022   Moose Sleepover--Photography.  Old Man Winter has not yet eased its grip on North Dakota.  Shelter belts and the few remaining tree groves are inaccessible with immense snow drifts burying many of them.  For now, the two moose who have been living in town for the past three months seem to be o.k. with staying where they are.

Last night, the mother and her calf slept outside our bedroom window.   Here are pictures of the mother laying about ten feet from the corner of our house.

It was 11:15  a.m. and neither moose had budged until men on tracked vehicles/snowmobiles (State Game and Fish Dept.) cut through our neighbor's yard and began herding them several miles northwest of town.  The weather forecast is for much warmer weather ahead.  They will be better off in the wild.

March 9,  2022  Young Bull Moose Romps in Back Yard--YouTube Video.  Here is my latest YouTube Channel update:  Moose Romps.  Even though it was still ten below Zero this morning, the young bull moose found time to do some high kicking with its front legs and romp around its mother.

March 5,  2022  Moose Antlers--Photography.  The cow moose and its calf were in our back yard last night and all of today.  Freezing rain and a light fluffy snowfall today prompted them to remain in our well-protected back yard.   They are only visible through the rear windows of surrounding homes on the block.  This is the third month they have been residing in town--most evenings sleeping in or near our back yard.

After sundown they strolled over to the neighbor's yard and began trimming the bushes next to their garage.  The mother moose had been pulling down our larger hedge branches to get at the smaller twigs near the top.  She has pretty much eaten everything.

Although overcast today, I was lucky enough to get a few good pictures.  Below are photos taken throughout the day.

• Image 1:  Why are young animals so lovable?

• image 2:  Antlers will grow from pediciles that protrude  from the young  male moose's forehead.

• Image 3:   One of several places where the moose rested during the night--they must be light sleepers.

• Image 4:   Moose on the move reveals the musculature of the adult female moose.

March 4,  2022  New Posts in SketchUp Projects--Bandicam Followup, Food--Sourdough Rolls, and More Odds and Ends.  Click links in the left sidebar to view. 
   

Updated:   03-30-2022, 03-27-2022, 03-25-2022, 03-24-2022, 03-23-2022, 03-22-2022, 03-21-2022, 03-20,2022, 03-17-2022, 03-14-2022, 03-11-2022, 03-09-2022, 03-08-2022, 03-05-2022, 03-04-2022.

February 23, 2022  Video Streaming--Local Sports Events.    A year or two ago, our local high school installed Pixellot Automated Productions systems that were given to schools to stream football, basketball games, and other events.  They were given to schools by the NFHS--National Federation of State High School Associations. Remote viewers can access games via a live stream on the web. 

Other school districts throughout the state have also made this service available (pay service).  This streaming service is sanctioned by the North Dakota High School Activities Association.  Here are links to Scheduled Games:

•  M-L-S Link to school's login page.

• NFHS Network website home page.

I have not viewed streaming from either of the above mentioned links so I cannot comment on the quality of the streaming feed.

It's High School Basketball Tournament Time in North Dakota!!!  More recently, another entity--PSP Network (Prostyle Production) video streams regional basketball tournaments made possible through sponsorship and advertising.   (Similar to how radio is used to provide coverage of these events for the past 60+ years).

Today, many homes are equipped with high speed/fiber optic internet.  Viewers like me can receive basketball tournament games Live over a YouTube platform, for example.  They are professionally done, complete with play by play and pre- and post-game shows (sponsor funded).

In our home, viewers can connect with in-home WIFI and YouTube/Google installed and synced using a username/account.  After the internet connection is established on the computer and optionally cast  to a specific device (smart tv, e.g.)  the computer can be turned off or the Chrome Browser can be exited to do something else while watching the live broadcast on Big Screen TV.

The games can be accessed from anywhere whether in state or thousands of miles away.  For me, it's great to be able to follow high school teams that I once played on in my youth and later became part of the coaching staff.

Historically, Regional and State Tournaments in North Dakota have been broadcast by radio stations, over-the-air TV channels, and cable TV services.

Nowadays, broadcasts can also be accessed with internet streaming services described above.  I've been accessing this week's Region 6 Girls High School Basketball Tournament games at the following link using the Google Chrome Browser:  PSP Network.  The tournament is taking place at the Minot Auditorium in Mnot, ND. 

In my opinion, the quality of the audio and video are as clear as the Super Bowl game from ten days ago.   Play-by-Play coverage is excellent along with readable scores and time remaining, etc. displayed near the bottom of the screen.  Non-intrusive advertisements and sponsor cutaways during intermissions and timeouts are done seamlessly.  No portions of games were missed due to overlapping commercials.  It was common in the old days that play had resumed before the commercial had ended on both radio and TV.

I have also watched game replays by searching YouTube for the PSP Network directly on various smart TVs in our home instead of casting.  Our oldest Vizio TV froze up when connecting in this fashion, but our newer TVs streamed without any glitches.

February 19, 2022  INKSCAPE--Sample Text.   INKSCAPE is a free download linked at inkscape.org.  Below is a sample of text that shows how it can add variety to a printed page.  This is a cursory view of  its most obvious features.  Much more study and practice will be required in order to fully make use of it.

 The "saved" Sample Text INKSCAPE.svg file (scalable vector graphics) can be opened with either INKSCAPE or GIMP.   Click Here to view.  Zooming In reveals its clarity.  Four text styles are displayed.  Respective filters were applied after each block of text was typed.   All four were selected from the Filters sub menus as shown.

February 14, 2022  Happy Valentine's Day--Good News for the Moose!   After the unsuccessful attempts to relocate the two Moose that have been living in town since late December, it has been decided that they are welcomed to stay until Spring.  Instructions will be disseminated with details concerning what safety measures should be taken.

Everyone understands the reason they are here.  Having now observed them through our windows practically every day, it's remarkable how trusting they seem in the presence of humans and how peaceful they are in back yards all over town.  That is not to say they are approachable.  It is suggested everyone should keep 100 yards distance when outdoors.  Barking dogs upset them and they may instinctively retaliate.   Under these circumstances, pets should be fenced in or kept indoors.

It is expected they will leave town once spring-like weather returns.  For now, Facebook is buzzing with people sharing moose pictures and videos with friends and family.  Below are pictures taken yesterday morning.

February 12, 2022  Moose Have Returned--Update.   I suspect they were getting hungry.

Early this morning just before sunrise the two moose were back in their favorite resting spots.  At 8:30 a.m. both got up and strolled over to the bird feeders and ate what was left of the bird and squirrel food.  After breakfast they moved to the south end of our stand of evergreens and laid down on their four haunches to rest and digest their meal.  Presently (11:30 a.m.),  they seem content staying where they are.

February 8, 2022  Moose Relocated--Update.   A message was posted today on the City's Facebook page concerning the relocation of the two moose who have been living within the city limits:  

The two moose that were residing in town have been relocated to their natural habitat.  This was thanks to a collaboration of agencies such as Game & Fish, Game Wardens, County Sheriff's Department and many others.  The escort was handled professionally and cautiously to ensure that everyone's safety was priority.

Snowmobiles and other vehicles were used to keep them moving along while remaining a safe distance behind.

February 4, 2022  Moose, Squirrel Encounter--Photography.   The moose have been with us for more than a month.  In the interest of public safety the City has weighed the options and none of them seem to be in favor of permitting the moose to remain until Spring.

The City Council's decision to relocate them far enough from the city limits, where it's unlikely they will return would be the most humane option.   Currently, the outlying region is an expanse of deep snow with little or no accessible vegetation for sustenance.  Deer are currently gathered in large herds.  Some local farmers are clearing paths and spreading grain to prevent starvation.  To them our town must look like an oasis in the middle of a never-ending desert.

Educating the public about moose safety was another strategy discussed by the Council if the moose were to stay; however, not all people would get the message or they could be caught off guard.

The harsh open prairie with a scarcity of food and threat from predators will put their ability to survive to the ultimate test.  However, the risk of a serious or fatal injury to people exists while they are present.

February 1, 2022  Winter Wind--Photography.   Severe weather is always a matter of great concern.  It is part of our world and there is not much we can do to escape its wrath other than to know how to deal with it.  Last night temperatures were below zero and wind gusts were in excess of 70 mph with white-out (blizzard) conditions. 

Note:  In the midst of this harsh weather a lone deer was eating from our bird feeder at 3:00 a.m. and again at 7:00 a.m. this morning.  It is very clear why deer and moose have taken up residence in town.

Updated:   02-27-2022, 02-24-2022, 02-23-2022, 02-22-2022, 02-20-2022, 02-19-2022, 02-14-2022, 02-13-2022, 02-12-2022, 02-11-2022, 02-10-2022, 02-08-2022,  02-06-2022, 02-04-2022, 02-03-2022, 02-01-2022.

January 25, 2022  Moose Patrol--Photography.   There have been more moose and deer in our back yard almost every day.  Today was no exception.  When these photos were taken it was -15 degrees f. below zero.   The moose seemed perfectly content while they ate and later lounged on our snow covered lawn.  

After they had eaten their fill and rested for about an hour, the cow moose and her calf (a different cow and calf than those from previous visits) began walking up the street toward the school playground.  My wife called the Sheriff's Department and within minutes a deputy arrived and began banging loudly on a scoop shovel with his expandable baton.  The moose changed direction and hopefully will not cause problems at the school.

p.s.    It's 8:00 p.m. and two moose (can't tell if they are the same ones) are in the back yard devouring the bird and squirrel food we poured out for the morning feeding.

Click Here for this Morning's Video

January  14, 2022  They're Back Again--Moose Video.   The two moose, a cow and its calf, were in our yard late last night at about 2:00 a.m.  A heavy snowfall which had ended a few hours earlier dropped about a foot of snow.  The moose were easier to see in the dim light when they walked in front of snow laden evergreen trees.

They trudged through the deep snow which had reached a depth of more than two feet in places.  Their backs were covered with snow but that didn't seem to bother them as they went about their business as usual.  Then, the cow moose shook its body like a dog out of water.   A moose-sized burst of loose snow flew in every direction.

The two moose returned again this afternoon at about 4:00 p.m. and devoured bird and squirrel food along with nibbling twigs and dried berries on the hedge.

In total they remained in our yard for about 15 minutes,  Most of the time the moose were standing or kneeling with very little movement.  The original video footage was edited down to two minutes, twenty seconds.   It was taken from a  safe vantage point inside the house.

Click Here for Today's Moose Video

January  5, 2022  Moose and Squirrel Update--Photography.   Our uninvited friends from out of town were here for a third night's stay.   Shortly after Sunup  they were nibbling on the trees and licking up the last of the squirrel food and bird seed.  An hour later when it was safe to venture out we fed the birds and squirrels.   Click Here for Video.

There have been attempts to domesticate moose.   YouTube has a few videos that show how it's done in Russia.  None of them imply that moose are tame.  The Best Moose Documentary EVER. 

Even though Moose are huge, they are difficult to see against a backdrop of trees or bushes.   Good common sense should tell you to keep your distance.   Bring your children and pets indoors if moose have been sighted.  My photos and videos were shot from indoors.  Our policy is to observe but never interact with wildlife (Starfleet's Prime Directive).

January  4, 2022  Moose and Deer--Wildlife.   Early winter has been harsh.   One foot of snow ground cover and  frigid temperatures well below Zero have prompted Moose and Deer to visit us near the north end of town.  

Last night a moose and her calf were foraging in our backyard nibbling on crab apple tree twigs and the marble-sized fruit hanging from them.  They also licked up all the bird seed in our feeders and pawed up spillage beneath the snow.

As in previous winters (2018), they stayed in a sheltered area between our house and the neighbors to the south.  The moose seemed comfortable lying on the snow covered lawn.  They looked like two mountains from afar on a moonlit night.

A white-tailed deer kept its distance while the moose were in our backyard, but came to feed on the kernels of corn and bird seed after the moose had departed.

Shortly after getting up this morning, I was looking out the bedroom window at the trampled snow.  At that moment the cow moose and her calf strolled by just a few feet from our window with the calf following about a half stride behind near her right shoulder.  The calf was protected by the house on one side and shielded by its mother on the left.    Even from my elevated standing position in the house, the larger moose's head was at eye level.  That was somewhat frightening.

Many reports had been circulating of moose sightings on Facebook.  The Sheriff and Game Warden had been contacted because of the aggressive nature of the cow moose.

It's hard to grasp their enormous size and the danger they posed until you're up close to them.  At times last night, the larger moose was extending its body to reach tree branches at least ten or twelve feet off the ground.  As she passed by our bird bath and bird feeders, etc., objects seemed to be miniature--dwarfed by her bulk and slow, deliberate movement.

Upon exiting our yard, this morning, they walked directly through our thick hedge rather than going around it.  They were heading north--hopefully both made it safely out of town.  If the game warden and sheriff's department are unsuccessful at relocating them, I suspect they will be back.  Four years ago, a lone cow moose settled in for two weeks until the weather improved.

Unfortunately, there were no photo opportunities and an attempt at nighttime video was too dark and grainy.  Instead, here's one of my favorite photos from the March, 2018  post that can be viewed along with videos in the archives linked at the bottom of this page.

January 1, 2022 Happy New Year--2021 Archives.   Welcome to the 2022 edition of T. Bolton Digital Art.  Last year's posts have been copied to an Archive file and linked at the top and bottom of this page. When clicked the user will be redirected to last year's home page. The few posts made in December have been retained as a transition into the new year.

I started a couple of weeks early anticipating a sizeable project was in store.  Actually, with New Google Sites, all that was necessary was to copy the entire site with one click, rename and publish it, and create links at the top and bottom of this page.  Before erasing all of the old content, I made darn certain that links were working properly.

Happy New Year !

Updated:  01-29-2022, 01-27-2022, 01-26-2022, 01-25-2022, 01--22-2022, 01-21-2022, 01-22-2022, 01-21-2022, 01-21-2022, 01-20-2022, 01-19-2022, 01-14-2022, 01-10-2022, 01-09-2022, 01-07-2022,  01-05-2022, 01-04-22,  01-03-2022, 01-02-2022, 01-01-2022.

December 8, 2021 Sourdough Bread Recipe--Baking.   Here's is a simple sourdough bread  recipe and time schedule.  Click the Food  link in the left sidebar to view and to download a printable copy . . .

December 7, 2021 Remembering Pearl Harbor--December 7, 1941.  

December 5, 2021 First Winter Blast--Local Weather.  Last night's snowfall totaled about 10 inches.  That's enough to warrant the snowplows to clear the roads, and snow shovels, etc., for the driveway, sidewalk, and steps.

Updated:   12-08-2021, 12-07-2021, 12-05-2021.

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T. Bolton Digital Art Archive  About:  The Archived Classic Google Website content has been converted to doc and pdf formats.  Years shown include 2015 through 2020.  Older content is accessible by following the Miscellaneous link in the left sidebar.

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