tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86881551424777403662024-03-12T16:54:50.796-07:00Che Dean's PhoblogFollow me on my journey into the world of photography!Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-67890758867069777042018-03-06T22:49:00.001-08:002018-03-06T22:49:58.187-08:00A month of Solus Linux<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5Np18SeqM7FvU0XbrPF44BknmywxQ5cfbOSRUi3r0iZv1YkQ33j6KQqX070mcpdR-1gOqns1eCe7OcOL4gabKwoSaWqcAgC7Vi5PdtFoFobWfmSlw9f7FcVjWRAETi3NtAxhnfY5ABY/s1600/Screenshot+from+2018-01-31+23-19-13.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1440" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5Np18SeqM7FvU0XbrPF44BknmywxQ5cfbOSRUi3r0iZv1YkQ33j6KQqX070mcpdR-1gOqns1eCe7OcOL4gabKwoSaWqcAgC7Vi5PdtFoFobWfmSlw9f7FcVjWRAETi3NtAxhnfY5ABY/s320/Screenshot+from+2018-01-31+23-19-13.png" width="320" /></a></div>
I've done it, that's right, I have spent a month using Solus on my laptop and my world didn't end. It's been a surprise for me, I started off with a negative view of it because of the Budgie desktop. I just or at least didn't like "traditional" app menus after spending years on Unity and GNOME Shell. I really do like the app grid look and feel, it just works for me, each to their own I guess. So when I had tried Ubuntu Budgie awhile back I had a negative reaction to it. <br />
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So what changed? This is the weird part for me but I think an interesting piece of desktop environment psychology. Previously to installing Solus, I had been running ChromiumOS on this laptop (actually ran very well). Chromes DE is very stylish but very simple and even though it doesn't quite have a traditional app menu, it is pretty close. I think in a way it got me used to the non Unity/GNOME Shell approach again. So this time around when I went back to try Solus with the Budgie desktop my brain kind of matched it with my ChromiumOS experience and it just kind of clicked with me. I also think running it on my laptop helped, it's just a different experience than a desktop, at least for me. I just found it interesting how I was able to switch around to liking the Budgie desktop through using ChromiumOS. It also turns out that the Budgie desktop is very lightweight, I'm running it on an older Lenovo Thinkpad T410 laptop with an Intel Core i5 CPU M 560 2.67Ghz using Intel HD graphics. <br />
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And onto the rest. Solus is a very clean Linux distribution with a lot of heart and dedication behind it. It shows, the little details shine through, the notification menu on the right of the screen which also includes sound controls and your calendar. It makes it quick and convenient to get to. Updates are simple and straightforward just select the recommended updates and click update. With Solus being a rolling release, you only need to install it once and never have to worry about installing it again. I know the thought of a rolling release turns some people off but I haven't had any issues with it so far. Steam and PlayonLinux are a sinch to set up and Solus will actually ask you if you want to install them during the initial installation. Of course all my favorite internet entertainment sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime and YouTube work just great, no issues with codecs or anything else.<br /><br /><br />Why are they bothering with yet another Linux distribution you might ask? Well, why not? Seriously, Solus will help push Linux forward just as much as all the distros before and after it. It will play its part and will add to the general knowledge of the greater community. Secondly, is the beauty of "GNU/Linux" not the freedom the create without constraint? Isn't that the reason we use it? Isn't that the point of "GNU/Linux" in the first place? If we don't like a Linux distribution we are free to create whatever kind of distribution we like, we can load it up with proprietary drivers and codecs or we can keep it completely libre. The choice is ours to make, that is what "Freedom" actually means. It does not mean "I better shut down my distro and contribute to another one because of peer pressure." That my friends is simple schoolyard bullying or a "Statist" attitude if you want to look at it from that angle.<br />
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The great thing about Solus being a rolling release is you will always or nearly always be on the latest software without the need to upgrade. The bad side of it being a rolling release is that once a year or so it doesn't get the "hype" factor of a major release. This can be an issue with marketing but is probably better for the end user. Not needing to worry about upgrading every year or six months in some cases is much easier to deal with in the long run. Not needing to reinstall your steam library or wine games is a big win for some people. From my experience as a Linux gamer, Solus is probably the leading distribution to go for right now. The whole idea of this distro is to make the Linux desktop experience as smooth as possible for the end user. Of course, this also means the dream desktop for the Solus developer's as well. Who doesn't want their own Linux distribution to rock?<br />
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Will I be switching from a decade of Ubuntu and Ubuntu based distros to Solus full time? That's a tough question, I will definitely be keeping Solus on my laptop for now. As far as my desktop goes, well, I'm thinking about it, it's not an easy thing to walk away from your comfort zone. I am getting more interested in a stable, reliable rolling release. Another factor is trust and confidence in the team, I have had that with Ubuntu for a long time but I also really like the attitude, positiveness and forward thinking pragmatic approach of the Solus team. <br />
<br />
If you're interested in trying Solus you can find it here:<br />
<a href="https://solus-project.com/">https://solus-project.com/</a><br />
Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0Oregon, USA43.8041334 -120.5542011999999737.9709814 -130.88134969999996 49.637285399999996 -110.22705269999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-42678083142057117612016-11-10T22:10:00.002-08:002016-11-10T22:27:22.146-08:00In Memory Of James (Jim) Donovan<div style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
The following
is the speech that was made at my Grandfather's funeral by my uncle John O'Donovan. I am posting it in honor of my
Grandfather who passed away on the 27 of July 2002.</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
"When we go home,</div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
Tell them of us and say,</div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
For your tomorrow,</div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
We gave our today."</div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
Good morning everybody,</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
On behalf of
my family i would like to thank you all for joining us in mourning
Jim's death and celebrating his life. In particular i would like to
thank my father's old comrades and friends from the Royal British
Legion who lent so much to last night's removal and this morning's
ceremonies.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
Events and
fate shape a man's life and how he deals with life's difficulties and
crises defines the man. It is worth for a few moments to reflect on
my father's life so the young may realise how fortunate they are and
maybe appreciate the sacrifices a previous generation made to ensure
the freedom and comfort they enjoy today. It may also rekindle
memories of shared experiences for his friends and contemporaries.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
Like most
O'Donovans my father's family came from West Cork, his grandfather
sold a farm and moved to the city where he bought a haulage business
which prospered for a good number of years until a weakness for the
demon drink brought it to its knees.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
My
Grandfather moved to Liverpool where my father was born in 1919. He
has an older brother, Jack, who lives in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire,
whose health did not permit him to travel over for the ceremonies,
and a sister, Lucy, who died some years ago.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
The family
returned to Cork when my father was one. When he was three his mother
died, when he was eleven his father died. He and his siblings were
separated and sent to live with relatives who didn't really want them
and from then on he really had to learn to fend for himself.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
Aged 16, he
went back to England on his own, probably without any money, to find
work. He did and worked at various things until in early 1939, aged
19, he was called up to serve in the British Army. He was enlisted in
the 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment. His first posting
was to North Africa in 1940 to confront the Italian Army in Libya and
was part of the famous victory when 30,000 British under General
Richard O'Connor defeated a much larger Italian force before Rommel
arrived on the scene to upset the applecart for a while. His brother
also served in North Africa and was in Tobruk during the siege of
that city.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
From North
Africa my father's regiment was sent to Greece, and when the Germans
overran the country he was evacuated off a beach in Crete to The
Kelly, which was Lord Mountbatten's flagship. He then survived the
sinking of The Kelly after it was attacked and sunk by Stuka dive
bombers.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
From there it
was a case of out of the frying pan into the fire. His regiment was
sent to the Far East to counter the Japanese threat in late 1943 and
he became part of an elite British Force, nicknamed the Chindits, who
were dropped behind enemy lines of communication. The forerunners of
today's Special Forces, they experienced severe hardship, fending for
themselves and living off what they could scavenge for months on end.
They were named after the Chinthe, a mythical Burmese beast that was
half-lion and half-eagle.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
My father was
always reluctant to talk about the war but one thing he did say
always stuck in my mind. Close to starvation, and living on nerves
and wits in the Burma Jungle, he made a promise to himself that if he
ever got out alive he would never go hungry again. He kept that
promise and come what may he always provided for his wife and family.
He cherished his <a href="http://www.burmastar.org.uk/" target="_blank">Burma star</a> above all his war medals and was one of
only a handful of Irishmen to earn one. He later served in India and
Palestine before being demobbed in late 1945.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
He worked in
Fords in Leamington Spa for three years after the war before
returning to Ireland to join the Eagle Printing Company where he saw
out his working life until the company closed in 1981.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
My father was
an outstanding footballer, capable of playing at the highest level
had the war not intervened. He played for his Corps on many occasions
and had the distinction of playing for the Army against the Royal Air
force in Wembley. In these days of pampered and extravagantly paid
footballers it is worth noting that he walked into Wembley for that
match with his boots wrapped in newspaper.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.25in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
He had a
superb left foot which regrettably skipped my generation but
thankfully has been passed onto his grandson Alex and his two
great-grandsons Alan and Gavin."</div>
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<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.25in;">
By John
O'Donovan</div>
Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-77535743226279080652016-06-11T00:46:00.001-07:002016-06-11T00:46:44.753-07:00Thoughts on Virtual Reality <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Having an interesting conversation here about VR. Here are my feelings about it.<br />
<br />
Yes I might be a grumpy old bastard but I have great hope for VR. It has a lot more potential than just gaming which everyone is focusing on. We appear to be living in a society now that demands instant gratification, we want everything now and if it's not perfect it's a failure. Or even worse, misery and scandal sell advertising so I'm going to create a click bait negative headline to get hits. Sorry but that is a bullshit attitude.<br />
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I'm sure there are a lot of you that remember the days of the Amiga, Atari, C64 and so on, loading software from tapes? Blowing on tapes, tapping discs on the table, repairing your own cables? Having the patients to figure things out? Yes, we got frustrated and lost it at times, who wouldn't? But imagine if instead of having imagination and a little vision, we'd said "Fuck these computer things, they don't even work half the time!". Where would we be now?<br />
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I have Google cardboard first gen. The first app I got was the official Google Cardboard one. It includes a demo called 'Windy Day' which has this very simple (light on the hardware) but very beautiful animation style, kind of like paper animation, simple but effective. If you haven't seen it try it out.<br />
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It might not be super realistic but if you're expecting hyper realistic VR you'll be wait several years or decades. It could however be very effective for story telling. Imagine a history lesson in school being told in this style instead of a boring lecture, it would bring the classroom to life. I think it would be much more effective than standard education. It's far more engaging and interactive than some dude at the top of the class saying "Bueller, Bueller, Bueller...?". It would allow teachers to express themselves and get their point across so much more effectively.<br />
<br />
Film is another area that is going to take off with VR headsets. Why go to the cinema when you can watch the latest movie with a VR headset and it will look like the biggest screen you've ever seen in your life? No annoying idiots making noise or jumping up in front of you, sounds great to me. Story telling and the arts will thrive with virtual reality, interactive art shows. Theatre will be brought to life like never before, fully interactive story telling, you'll feel like you're in the story with the characters.<br />
<br />
The conversation is on going but I just wanted to impose my thoughts on you all. Virtual Reality is something I've been excited about for a very long time.Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-36925008071746674012015-10-06T20:42:00.000-07:002015-10-06T20:42:33.062-07:00A dull world without Linux<div dir="ltr">
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As a kid in the early 80s I remember walking through Eason & Sons and seeing all the new computers, the BBC, Acorn, Amstrad, Atari, C64, ZX81 and of course the unforgettable Speccy. There was so much variety, so much excitement and countless debates over which one was better and why. Each one had a personality of its own, a character that you were drawn towards when deciding which one you'd nag your parents to get. The choice was incredible.</div>
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Then the 90s hit and things started to get whittled down. Apple were giants but very expensive and still not really for regular family use and IBM compatibles were for business not fun. On the home front we still had the C64, C128, the Speccy was on its last legs but still clinging onto life. The real debate though in my latter years of secondary school was Atari vs Amiga. Then the mid 90s hit and it all ended, Win 95 was released. To most home users it was exciting, new, fresh and promised a future of entertainment, a gamers dream. A lot of us jumped on the band wagon and it was fun for awhile. </div>
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A few years past as did the giants, Atari and Amiga seemed like they were from a different age. Most home computers were the same now, we had achieved uniformity on the desktop. Everything was now compatible, didn't matter if you bought a Dell, Gateway or Compaq, they were all the same, all ran Windows.</div>
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By the mid 2000s I hadn't felt excited about my desktop environment for years, it was just this thing that I used to work and play games. I was excited about hardware, graphics cards and so on but the DE was dead. We had lost that magic the 70s and 80s had created, the feeling of awe was gone. </div>
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Then in 2008 a friend of mine in Chicago asked me if I'd ever tried Linux, in fact he said "You should try Linux, I think it would suit your political views." He recommended Ubuntu but I was quickly turned off by the color brown, I'm very visual and color has a big effect on me. The brown as Ubuntu was themed at the time turned me off. After that I found Opensuse and the dark green just leaped off the screen at me, I loved it. I had finally discovered Linux and the world of my childhood was once again in front of me. I had choice again, it was like discovering magic, multiple different desktop environments, countless debates over which one was better. I hadn't felt that excitement about computers since that first walk through Eason & Sons all those years earlier. No going back now, the Linux world has become a passion.</div>
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Thank you to everyone involved in the Linux world for all you have done over the past 24 years. Long may it continue.</div>
Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-33711782677405388222015-09-04T21:35:00.000-07:002015-09-04T21:35:07.262-07:00Demeter's BrewWe have a success!<br />
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Seven months in the making for this one but tonight we opened the first two bottles of the Demeter's Brew, a harvest ale we brewed last winter. Nerve racking stuff considering the effort and wait involved but well worth it in the end.<br />
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To say it's nice is an understatement, it has a rich caramel malt taste with a sweet grainy finish. Very pleasant on the palate. So far our home brewing has been about 50/50 with success but the few successes we've had have been worth it. I love rich malty beers and of course honey ales are a must for the winter and the holidays.<br />
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Now that the weather is cooling off it will be time to brew again and Demeter's Brew will definitely be one worth thinking about. <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> and myself are very happy with this brew and as usual are enjoying a glass as I type. Happy brewing all!Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-58309736911933639122015-02-01T22:07:00.000-08:002015-02-02T14:10:27.349-08:00AHS English Honey Bitter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Given the fact that it has been far too long since my last post and the fact that we just brewed our first beer in over a year I just felt that I had to make this post. The AHS (Austin Homebrew Supply) <a href="http://www.austinhomebrew.com/Beer/Bitters/AHS-English-Honey-Bitter-8C.html#.VM8HN1RGjUY" target="_blank">English Honey Bitter </a>was sitting around in a press for quite sometime. Up until a little over a year ago we had been home brewing some very nice beers, but then something happened. We had two soured beers in a row and it kind of unnerved us a bit so we took a break from home brewing and concentrated on reviewing and trying various different craft beers over the past year.<br />
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Well about a month ago we got the itch to brew some beer again (watching the Hobbit may have helped). So we got to work on the English Honey Bitter kit we had bought from AHS the year before. It was kind of nerve racking, we definitely didn't want this batch to fail again so we redecorated the entire kitchen with new paint and new flooring (helped by <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/114935299979054911325" target="_blank">+GIEnterprises Oregon</a> ) then made sure the equipment was sanitized and ready for the brew. The main difference this time is that we had purchased two <a href="http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/beerbox-portable-homebrew-dispenser.html" target="_blank">Beer Boxes</a> from <a href="http://www.northernbrewer.com/" target="_blank">Northern Brewer</a>. We were hoping because we wouldn't be dealing with 40 - 50 bottles that we'd be cutting down on the risk of infection and soured beer.<br />
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Tonight, nearly four weeks later we got to try our English Honey Bitter out of our new beer boxes for the first time. Glasses in hand, phone recording video and nerves on edge, we set about pouring the first glass. It had been a success, we were back brewing again and it tasted great. In fact I'm enjoying a glass as I type this post. I have said on multiple occasions how much of a fan of Middle-earth I am and how much it pains me not to be able to run around Lotro natively on my beloved Linux desktop. <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> and myself have also spoken at length over the years about what real Middle-earth ales would taste like if they were real. Well tonight I think we really came close to finding out, this English Honey Bitter from AHS is in my mind, about as close as you could get to sitting in the Green Dragon Inn in Bywater, enjoying a pipe by the flickering fire and listening to tall tales from across the river. So with glass in hand and the soundtrack to Lotro playing in my ears, I say, cheers! Have a great night all!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IfrODgRdqP4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IfrODgRdqP4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe>Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0Corvallis, OR, USA44.5645659 -123.262043544.4740599 -123.423405 44.655071899999996 -123.100682tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-55189636544126239552014-07-21T20:31:00.001-07:002014-07-21T20:31:50.132-07:00Nothing like a leg of lambIn all the universe and all the worlds there is nothing quite like a roast leg of lamb. The tenderness and juiciness of the meat, the flavour and texture. Roast leg of lamb will beat roast beef any day of the week in my humble opinion. This week we cooked arguably one of the best pieces of lamb I have ever had. This was a cut from the whole lamb we bought a couple of months back from a local farm here in Oregon.<br />
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You would not believe how tender this meat really is. It can make roast beef taste like an old shoemakers boot. We covered the roast in garlic and herbs before roasting to give it that extra flavour and it paid off.<br />
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I really enjoy photographing food, especially roasts, they have an ability to make you instantly hungry, to make your mouth water in anticipation of the coming meal. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Even though I've said it before I'm really stunned that lamb is not more popular here in the USA. It would seem to me that it is easier to produce than beef and probably less harmful to the environment.<br />
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Served with white scallop squash and garlic along with mashed potatoes. If I was back home I'd probably add some Bisto gravy to the mix, however, we are currently out. We will order more in the future though (can't do without a bit of Bisto).<br />
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As always, if you haven't tried lamb you should give it a go. Try getting it from a local producer if possible as it will always be better. If you can't get it from a local producer then I'd recommend New Zealand or Irish lamb as an alternative. Both countries produce fantastic lamb and you won't regret buying it. If you need recipes try Google or drop <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> a note. <br />
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Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-28227041682748274742014-07-06T15:42:00.000-07:002014-07-06T15:42:37.670-07:004th of July 2014A few things have struck me about the 4th of July celebrations, a few very important things that are a must have on the 4th, beer (preferably craft beer), food (preferably BBQ) more beer and of course last but not least fireworks. Well this year we managed to have all three in abundance. So we made merry, ate our fill and exploded the driveway...just joking <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/114935299979054911325" target="_blank">+GIEnterprises Oregon</a> , we didn't actually explode the driveway but we did have a whole lot of fun with the fireworks.<br />
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We might as well start this 4th of July post with the food images captured on the day. We had BBQ pork ribs, two racks and they were delicious. And the bonus was that we had plenty of leftovers for the next day.<br />
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Unusually we didn't use BBQ sauce this time round but instead marinated the ribs in a mixture of Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar and garlic over night.<br />
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I thought they might have lacked moisture with no BBQ sauce but they were fine, they turned out very juicy and didn't appear to dry out at all.<br />
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I have to say there is nothing quite like the taste of BBQ pork just off the grill, I'm actually drooling here thinking about it.<br />
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We also had salad with the meal though I failed to capture any images of that as I was to busy devouring the ribs.<br />
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All good things come to an end they say and this was true of our ribs, after we ate our fill it was time for some real fun. The front yard fireworks display for Talon. He was waiting anxiously at the door with a box of matches in hand...in a safe way I might add and not in a Beavis kind of way.<br />
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I love fireworks, when they are relatively low key and not setting off sonic booms to scare the bejusus out of our pets. The legal ones in Oregon though are just fine and still provide a lot of fun and entertainment.<br />
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They are mostly just fountains of colour and sparks but they do give a great light show. This is the one night a year that we really do appreciate having very few working street lights on our road.<br />
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Above, <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> and Talon set up for a light show that very nearly reached the camera, it was very cool.<br />
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Not sure if our hops appreciated it, they were probably suffering from shock afterwords.<br />
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Being the one behind the camera meant I didn't get to set a whole lot of them off but I eventually got my chance with Talon giving me very detailed directions on how to light them properly and safely.<br />
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I hope you all had a great 4th of July and I hope you share your images with the rest of us when you get time, for now though, that is it from me.<br />
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<br />Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0Corvallis, OR, USA44.5645659 -123.262043544.4740599 -123.423405 44.655071899999996 -123.100682tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-29630853323342843122014-06-26T19:12:00.000-07:002014-06-26T19:12:46.600-07:00Lamb shoulder roastThe roasting of the lamb continues, tonight we had a lamb shoulder roast and it was melt in your mouth good. We slow roasted it for four hours packed with onions, potatoes, garlic and broccoli. It's almost hard to believe how tasty and tender lamb is if you've never had it. It is a completely different eating experience to beef and pork. Beef is much tougher and can dry out while roasting if not done correctly, lamb on the other hand stays moist and tender.<br />
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The onions add a nice flavour to the meat and potatoes and the dripping makes a really delicious gravy for your meal. <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> is particularly good at making gravy.<br />
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Linda can best describe the cooking method of this meal though. My fun begins when the meal is cooked and I get to photograph it in the hopes that my images make your mouths water. That they stir the hunger in your bellies for decent home cooked meals and flavours that you might not have tried before.<br />
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I really do love photographing good food, it's not always easy to get the right image because you want your pictures to cause a reaction in the viewer, to inspire a desire in your audience.<br />
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I know several people back home that will be eating a roast this week because of this blog post. In fact they will probably be eating several over the coming weeks.<br />
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I'm still in shock at the lack of lamb in the USA, maybe these posts will stir more of a desire to try it and we'll start seeing it turn up in the shops. If possible try and get it from a local farmer though as it will be less processed and should be a superior cut of meat. We're lucky in Oregon that we have several very high quality farms willing to sell lamb at a good price.<br />
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The potatoes were cooked in with the meat and other veg and so soaked up all those flavours, we then mashed them with garlic and the onions and they turned out great.<br />
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The final meal was just fantastic and we have plenty of left overs for a snack later and tomorrow. For more information on the cooking method feel free to drop <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> a message.<br /><br />
<br />Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0Corvallis, OR, USA44.5645659 -123.262043544.4740599 -123.423405 44.655071899999996 -123.100682tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-86837208168683443372014-06-23T00:19:00.000-07:002014-06-23T00:19:15.462-07:00Linda's first lamb BBQOne of the strangest things for me moving to Oregon from Ireland was that there was no lamb to be found in the supermarkets, I mean literally no lamb at all. Back in Ireland it might be expensive at times but lamb chops and lamb roast are a common sight in every butchers. So I found myself really missing the taste of lamb as I've never really been a huge beef eater apart from the odd steak during the summer or a beef stew during the winter. Then one fateful day last summer <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> with the help of Google discovered a local farmer who was actually willing to sell us lamb at an affordable price. We had struck gold and a week later we cycled out to the farm to collect our lamb. It was Linda's first taste of a lamb roast and she was blown away by the flavour, lamb really is an incredibly tasty meat and even mutton is fantastic if cooked correctly.<br />
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So this year while at the local farmers market here in Corvallis, Linda once again came across a farmer that was willing to sell us Lamb at a reasonable price. So we bought an entire lamb to freeze and keep for the months ahead (better value to buy in bulk if you can) and tonight we had our first lamb chop BBQ. <br />
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Our still newish grill was put to good use tonight and not for the last time this summer cooking some great lamb for us.<br />
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If you look very closely at Linda in the above picture you can actually see her drooling at the thought of eating the lamb.<br />
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Lamb is much more pink I think than beef and takes a bit longer to cook, it is normally very tender and the taste is completely different to beef.<br />
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They sizzle nicely with a drop of olive oil and their own juices. The smells of lamb cooking on the BBQ are delightful and will have you drooling just like Linda in anticipation of the coming meal.<br />
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They definitely cook a lot slower than beef steak so you have to watch that but they don't burn like beef either as lamb is a very juicy meat.<br />
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Lamb is very, very succulent, tender and incredibly flavoursome, we didn't have any tonight but mint sauce can be great with lamb and we really should make some as we have a ton of mint growing in the garden (we've been using them for Mint Juleps).<br />
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Next I think we'll try a nice Lamb roast or possibly rack of lamb with mint sauce made with fresh mint picked in the garden.<br />
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And that's about it for now, so the lesson here is, if you haven't tried lamb you seriously need to...unless you're a no meat person in which case you need to try some fresh garden mint in a Mint Julep.<br /><br />
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<br />Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0Corvallis, OR, USA44.5645659 -123.262043544.4740599 -123.423405 44.655071899999996 -123.100682tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-9863124927975409132014-06-17T20:18:00.000-07:002014-06-17T20:25:42.990-07:00All quiet on the western frontIts been a quiet few days here, we've been exercising away and enjoying the World Cup. I haven't really been active with the camera so I'll show you a few old ones to satiate your appetite, your hunger, your starvation, your....wait a sec, OK, back to reality. I have a pretty huge collection of images now but I'm not sure what to do with them, I'm still sorting through a lot of them.<br />
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Above a sunset from two years ago when we were on one of our nightly walks in the local park. During the late summer we get the most incredible sunsets here in Corvallis.<br />
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We have not yet had a trip out to Newport this year but we might just head out that direction in the not to distant future as we both love it out there. The beach can be a bit gusty but on a hot day it's fantastic.<br />
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Above another view of the beach out in Newport, if you haven't been out there you need to visit.<br />
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Autumn in Corvallis, the river walk is incredible when the warmth of the summer hasn't quite faded but the leaves are starting to turn to their autumn colours.<br />
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A couple of weeks later and the clean up work begins, a few weeks of endless gathering of leaves as they leave their trees for good to make room for a new generation in the following spring.<br />
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No where escapes, not even beneath a park bench. But not yet, not until the summer has passed and the evenings draw in. For now we have those balmy summer nights ahead of us. Craft beer, BBQ and summer walks through the woods. Of course all that is in between bouts of gaming and troll taming online, debating the ills of abandoning net freedom with...people and of course more beer, BBQ and beer. <br />
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<br />Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0Corvallis, OR, USA44.5645659 -123.262043544.4740599 -123.423405 44.655071899999996 -123.100682tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-33690548930569696612014-06-11T14:17:00.003-07:002014-06-12T01:54:17.857-07:00Playing with HDR and ageing pics A buddy of mine from back home got involved with a WWII historical re-enactment group called "<a href="http://www.theww2club.com/" target="_blank">The Brandenburg Commandos</a>". They're based in Ireland and have members from all over the country. Their main goal is to help teach history and have a bit of fun while doing it. They also celebrate and remember the veterans from all nations. As far as I'm concerned it's a fantastic hobby, it gets you out and about, teaches you history and at the same time gets you exercising while having a lot of fun. In a way it's like playing a part in a film without the camera's rolling.<br>
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My only connection with the group is through my friend <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/109926030407177742692" target="_blank">+David Sinnott</a>, I was delighted when he got involved with this because he has been a history buff pretty much as long as I've known him, which is nearly my whole life. For my part I love playing around with images and the guys have been capturing some pretty decent shots at the different events around the country. The most recent being last week when the "<a href="http://imwm.ie/" target="_blank">Irish Military War Museum</a>" opened its doors for the first time to the general public.<br>
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As far as I know the Irish Military War Museum is a first of its kind in Ireland because it's a museum that celebrates history from all over the world and not just Ireland.<br>
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In my own opinion this is a remarkable achievement and one worth celebrating. The Ireland that I knew was far to inward looking for far to long and it's great to see that they are finally moving away from that old outlook. From a personal point of view, the guys celebrate and remember veterans like my grandfather "James (Jimmy) O'Donovan" who served in the South Staffordshire Regiment of the British army from 1939 - 1946.<br>
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Himself and his brother "John (Jack) O'Donovan" and his best friend "Edward (Eddie) Murphy" made it through the whole of WWII seeing action on multiple continents. It is fantastic to finally see these veterans being remembered in Ireland. For to long they were forgotten because of ridicules politics that should have been put to bed decades ago. So a massive thank you from me to both the "Irish Military War Museum" and the guys in "The Brandenburg Commandos" for all you do in celebrating our heroes.<br>
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So back to the fun part, ageing some of the photos the lads took over the past few months. This is not hard to do these days and I get a lot of enjoyment from it.<br>
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I've also been playing around with HDR to make the images look more like the covers of the boxes of Airfix models we had when we were kids.<br>
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David Sinnott and Tony Walsh (above) enjoying an ice cream in Listowel...they were not expecting the yanks that day.<br>
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They've been doing an incredible job in re-enacting and capturing moments from history.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_b2TBQwN0U_erRWBTYBMUPKL2w_AqgWN4BadBdzOaEV-wLAx95IqjWLcd5vhpdTLXQ4zk2wAuSYfq5_XCCHWyZJHUN9msMAvOibb8Ppor9q0M7AIRi2UtjRyo7wRZGyXenw97qZEY6Hk/s1600/IMG_37441882305688_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_b2TBQwN0U_erRWBTYBMUPKL2w_AqgWN4BadBdzOaEV-wLAx95IqjWLcd5vhpdTLXQ4zk2wAuSYfq5_XCCHWyZJHUN9msMAvOibb8Ppor9q0M7AIRi2UtjRyo7wRZGyXenw97qZEY6Hk/s1600/IMG_37441882305688_1.jpg" height="320" width="276"></a></div>
Above, a captured Russian soldier wonders what his fate will be and where he'll be taken to see out the war. I can only imagine that the guys will get better and better at capturing these moments through the lens as time goes on. <br>
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For now though you can check them out at the links below. If you have an interest in history or are involved in historical re-enactment groups around the world why not get in touch with the lads, share experiences and stories. And who knows, maybe even meet up some day for a show at the Irish Military War Museum or similar around the world.<br>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.theww2club.com/" target="_blank">The Brandenburg Commandos</a></li>
<li><a href="http://imwm.ie/" target="_blank">Irish Military War Museum</a></li>
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<br>Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0Ireland53.41291 -8.243889999999964948.561612499999995 -18.571038499999965 58.2642075 2.083258500000035tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-86726596174919053552014-06-06T22:09:00.000-07:002014-06-06T22:09:20.076-07:00Playing around on the fieldSo I've been finding the last few days tough when it comes to keeping up with this blog. Some days are like that and others I feel like writing several posts at once. The exercise regime is going really well at the moment and even though my muscles feel tired and fatigued, I also feel really good. Seeing the weight dropping off day by day is definitely very rewarding. So to start off tonight's post I am going to show you a picture I took of <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> a bit earlier when we had just finished our kick around on the football pitch. She just realized that she could touch the ground again with her finger tips.<br />
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With the help of Snapseed I really liked how it turned out, I like the way the light was shining on her. Every time I play around with these images it amazes me how easy it has gotten. It is not all that long ago where you'd have to slog along for hours playing with software to get the image the way you wanted it to look.<br />
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I also absolutely love HDR, it truly is amazing to me what HDR can do to the right image. It's not just about capturing a moment in time with the camera but also almost turning it into a beautiful painting with the help of HDR.<br />
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We encountered this little fellow on our way to the park, he was just happily grazing away, waiting for us to move on so he could finish his lunch in peace. Nutria are not native to Oregon or even the USA, they originate in Brazil as far as I know. I'd love to know how they got up here in the first place, people bringing them up as pets I presume. I could be wrong with the Brazil part but I think it's definitely South America somewhere. I will have to get stuck in over the coming days with image editing, just been feeling tired the last few with all the exercise. <br /><br />
<br />Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-56371907584888451582014-06-03T16:16:00.001-07:002014-06-03T16:16:53.428-07:00Life's great passionsI have two...no...three great passions in life right now, Ubuntu, photography and beer. Yes, beer, not your everyday run of the mill churned out by the keg load beer but the finely brewed craft beers that are popping up all over the place right now. I could easily name one hundred that I have tried in the last two years. My favourite of course being the darker varieties, red ales, brown ales and of course stouts and porters. I to take picture of them, to try and show people how good they really are through images. And if possible to make you thirsty, thirsty enough to pry you away from your comfort zone and get you to try one of these wonderful brews for the first time.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X0H6RQD_wqo/U2n1S-3JvjI/AAAAAAAAwM8/nNPyVMREybU/s1600/IMG_2520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X0H6RQD_wqo/U2n1S-3JvjI/AAAAAAAAwM8/nNPyVMREybU/s1600/IMG_2520.JPG" height="235" width="320" /></a></div>
Nothing worse than an empty bottle but in this case it makes for a good picture.<br />
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I took these when we were home brewing, we managed a few very good brews. They didn't last long around here though.<br />
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There is very little better than an afternoon lunch time brew. Maybe good food but I like to have both, savouring each. <br />
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Stouts and porters are definitely a must with me with reds and browns not to far behind. The image above is of a 6 AM stout, one of the very best I've tried. It goes down well with a good burger, mushrooms, onions and so on.<br />
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I could snap away pictures of beer all day, trying to get the right angle and get in focus before the head goes.<br />
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On an odd occasion I'll have a lighter variety, maybe even an IPA if the hops are not completely overpowering. I do like hops in beer but sometimes they'll take your breath away they're so strong. Coming from the Isles I tend to prefer malty ales over hoppy ales if that makes sense. I prefer the real hoppy beers around Xmas, for some reason they just feel right at this time of year.<br />
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<br />Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-84128265412760532962014-06-01T20:35:00.000-07:002014-06-01T20:45:18.510-07:00A play on light and shadowI've been playing around with shadows and silhouettes today, I love these types of images. I especially like the Noir style of photography and film, I probably get this from watching old gangster movies growing up, oh and that's Capone style gangster as opposed to a rapper style gangster. This first image I took a few weeks back but seeing it again today for the first time in weeks made me look twice at it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Qi8apudkJe_zBIx0mDLQQS4Joxms3IkuJPtE-enPKJRAQH0uRyyJlFFgOuTE6rBX4kV2MGt2e7PMvBcOlWXzjm8lGNGKyB15TwjgF_IW6ODvqc3MlZhSS5hnGzfBfw30E_Dy-n0lyDQ/s1600/IMG_20140517_230812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Qi8apudkJe_zBIx0mDLQQS4Joxms3IkuJPtE-enPKJRAQH0uRyyJlFFgOuTE6rBX4kV2MGt2e7PMvBcOlWXzjm8lGNGKyB15TwjgF_IW6ODvqc3MlZhSS5hnGzfBfw30E_Dy-n0lyDQ/s1600/IMG_20140517_230812.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
It just hit a note with me, one of those ones you get lucky with when you are not trying for something special.<br />
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And this one is just one of those moments in time captured for our memories in years to come. I have never liked posed images and have always preferred action shots. The kind that look like you have just frozen people in time and space for future generations to see. I am very happy with the way this one turned out.<br />
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And another, in the background <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> and Talon can be seen in deep conversation as Linda explains the finer points of trigonometry to Talon. It is wonderful to watch Talon at times, he is so inquisitive. He questions everything around him in his quest for knowledge and doesn't blindly follow commands.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpq3gmAHxqCvJUNNIsOWlenAyEAKE-UyzF4XnIoLmkA0ZUR9FWEOVrYljqR5ytUOxEGqqvCSLdRwuXJD9f7KnRAguLZf3bImhtekJgeMK43pqtUQayBCvYL2VtB2SVON4H4QUhLAybg0/s1600/IMG_20140601_185852_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpq3gmAHxqCvJUNNIsOWlenAyEAKE-UyzF4XnIoLmkA0ZUR9FWEOVrYljqR5ytUOxEGqqvCSLdRwuXJD9f7KnRAguLZf3bImhtekJgeMK43pqtUQayBCvYL2VtB2SVON4H4QUhLAybg0/s1600/IMG_20140601_185852_1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
And to finish today's adventure here's one I just kind of liked, it's not fancy or artistic but I like the way the shadows fall. Once again, it was taken in our favourite park, well, the exit to our favourite park. I'm also very happy with the progress the old beard is making, kind of reminds me of my Dad in some ways. Looking forward to the day my brother decides to grow his out, we'll be like twins...at least we will be after I dye his grey and white, nothing a little chalk dust couldn't take care of! lol<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijrUcIUPU_sPWejVMnNEdaPmxyXtzRR8NZjnhgfVDWD1UFBREiGMYxWXDSH74huBuA4jqvKDReLOrax1JGra6ZY-G7Hd1sIu9YQew3I4BO_ndxLectrjPO-4-nQxwapuDG5axivUB5X-c/s1600/IMG_20140601_172222_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijrUcIUPU_sPWejVMnNEdaPmxyXtzRR8NZjnhgfVDWD1UFBREiGMYxWXDSH74huBuA4jqvKDReLOrax1JGra6ZY-G7Hd1sIu9YQew3I4BO_ndxLectrjPO-4-nQxwapuDG5axivUB5X-c/s1600/IMG_20140601_172222_3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Quick edit because I forgot to add the above image, I really like the way the beard is silhouetted in this shot and felt it had to be included in this post. <br /><br />
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Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-66567319092892848662014-05-30T23:12:00.000-07:002014-05-30T23:12:52.360-07:00Playing with HDR and shedding lbsIn our never ending quest to shed a few pounds (double figure numbers) we've been heading out to some really great spots. We have basically spent our spare time the last week walking, cycling and hiking if only a short hike. Since I've been addicted to my Nexus 5 lately I decided to play around with the HDR, not the HDR+ on the camera but the HDR in Snapseed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXRZMaybu6IPYSM7hPj4YtUCWmTfrHPn3vMewJX-07a1h7vuNepHQAz-WYcFbD9vBxrOiv_XRZOoT57KZEwJP_EIDmPuACdSKHYXuJQW-nnXQzkYX_KzgChYXnOHHZ4yZto0lazKZbjQ/s1600/IMG_20140529_161529_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXRZMaybu6IPYSM7hPj4YtUCWmTfrHPn3vMewJX-07a1h7vuNepHQAz-WYcFbD9vBxrOiv_XRZOoT57KZEwJP_EIDmPuACdSKHYXuJQW-nnXQzkYX_KzgChYXnOHHZ4yZto0lazKZbjQ/s1600/IMG_20140529_161529_1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
I love the effect, it's like an instant painting, if you can get the right light it works really well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgI6fEUAHViDV9-8DSbztS7zJKN5QDwqftidtoYsJKx6a8T0TwY1kLwgW1UzF4eNOEgDuQtT-hEVqHte_HmyEbJBIeooPtzxIvWz115LncY88MTfVloggUVzhhemUaUUG6a3a2L4p_mLU/s1600/IMG_20140529_162014_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgI6fEUAHViDV9-8DSbztS7zJKN5QDwqftidtoYsJKx6a8T0TwY1kLwgW1UzF4eNOEgDuQtT-hEVqHte_HmyEbJBIeooPtzxIvWz115LncY88MTfVloggUVzhhemUaUUG6a3a2L4p_mLU/s1600/IMG_20140529_162014_1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
It works great with landscape shots, I haven't really played around with HDR+ yet. I have taken a few with the Nexus but haven't looked closely at them yet. I've just really been enjoying playing around with Snapseed. It would be nice however if it could handle larger images than it does.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0OmVm_e2ESfKt75oZ847ui1-QZg1psy_hWkbpxpCQpvHNsG615hFt1AESrKCBKPQnrL3t2-koi5yYjitv-tfoHrRO9tGgUkOQfx_zH7-aBEMIAgu-Ml7AJVZhd_clv0rkbDqfaU70Fc/s1600/IMG_20140529_162019_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0OmVm_e2ESfKt75oZ847ui1-QZg1psy_hWkbpxpCQpvHNsG615hFt1AESrKCBKPQnrL3t2-koi5yYjitv-tfoHrRO9tGgUkOQfx_zH7-aBEMIAgu-Ml7AJVZhd_clv0rkbDqfaU70Fc/s1600/IMG_20140529_162019_1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
The auto-panorama is also pretty incredible, this next one was pieced together on G+ from several images I took while we were out at Bald Hill.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRhutQS1cxHF3gjCAOa09sHFfu-4pIZZ5qa2t676onujeqBus13j2e07GIvBMagBCW6l0a_lS_d2wnAetibBlEJyQEJk_bEC5Dg3U7v_JZ9RWPF7TNbjMvwZ2ygTIOCaGoGjjvh23O6k/s1600/IMG_20140529_162014-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRhutQS1cxHF3gjCAOa09sHFfu-4pIZZ5qa2t676onujeqBus13j2e07GIvBMagBCW6l0a_lS_d2wnAetibBlEJyQEJk_bEC5Dg3U7v_JZ9RWPF7TNbjMvwZ2ygTIOCaGoGjjvh23O6k/s1600/IMG_20140529_162014-PANO.jpg" height="153" width="320" /></a></div>
And it's pretty seamless as far as I'm concerned. The software is getting really good, can't wait to see what the next few years brings us. I think though at the moment it's still better to take the photos with a DSLR and then play with them in an app like Snapseed. That's where I've gotten the best results, however, the convenience of having a pretty decent camera in your pocket does count for a lot. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6e1dalt6AoTXicWAFx0eaVCWAD9JKEHzrGJmRT3EJ0cmb397ADnR0I9rxCmXQ86ufDhheA6aSx_Vhf-boAHYReB1U8qVFiIY-U2DhTuQGmI86iuewwVaW4Z4q_aPAAvYiICIjKankaPE/s1600/IMG_20140529_163816_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6e1dalt6AoTXicWAFx0eaVCWAD9JKEHzrGJmRT3EJ0cmb397ADnR0I9rxCmXQ86ufDhheA6aSx_Vhf-boAHYReB1U8qVFiIY-U2DhTuQGmI86iuewwVaW4Z4q_aPAAvYiICIjKankaPE/s1600/IMG_20140529_163816_1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
And here we go with the obligatory black n white photo, I just can't get enough black n white. I love the way they look, there is something timeless about black n white photography. I love the light, the shadows and the fact that <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> is on her Nexus in this one bitching on G+ about me taking yet another black n white picture, how cool is that?<br />
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<br />Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0Bald Hill, Oregon 97370, USA44.5656765 -123.334822919.043642000000002 -164.6434169 70.087711 -82.0262289tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-92011680053228198742014-05-28T21:48:00.001-07:002014-05-28T23:07:28.011-07:00Stiff as a plankWe have really been pushing the exercise this last week and today was no exception. In fact I am sitting here writing this post with legs as stiff as planks of wood. We started today with a cycle to north town to cancel our T-Mobile account and do a bit of shopping. After that it was time for the fun stuff, a walk through the wooded part of Crystal Lake Playing Fields followed by a kick around on one of the many football (soccer) pitches. Again I decided not to bring the Nikon as I was really going for exercise and also because I am having a whole lot of fun with the Nexus 5 right now. You are however in luck in that I decided on a few colour shots today, mainly because we had an encounter on the way with the biggest fracken dragonfly I've ever seen. This guy was big, mean, armoured and busy looking for a place to rest when we stumbled along with our cameras.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2jfgYw0Ku2lEO6KgWLpFzlSF6gDYpWu9uQdbFLhkbQTc0TmTzV2FI1GV3M_apiXYBpxu6nmVdnYi1_rFQkwtfMZL3suN7qqeWOO8tCD-FYvf5git9Hhbcn-Rn3AKmVzwQXcnd5BVBqk/s1600/IMG_20140528_174304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2jfgYw0Ku2lEO6KgWLpFzlSF6gDYpWu9uQdbFLhkbQTc0TmTzV2FI1GV3M_apiXYBpxu6nmVdnYi1_rFQkwtfMZL3suN7qqeWOO8tCD-FYvf5git9Hhbcn-Rn3AKmVzwQXcnd5BVBqk/s1600/IMG_20140528_174304.jpg" height="240" width="320"></a></div>
We must have been a comical sight creeping forward one step at a time trying not to disturb it before we got a few shots.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3LbmRulXDyVuKYFrSw7C3FP-x6Bs6Xn-BxSkPydaR155eQYFHq1Ej2KKo4wxrHOqsRRoBcorRppRLr-SBx_BK8JzwS67eIsO9U-gLaGDc2Fj5IljkZMomJeHKwIfeljPMh4Lg1faFZM/s1600/IMG_20140528_174318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3LbmRulXDyVuKYFrSw7C3FP-x6Bs6Xn-BxSkPydaR155eQYFHq1Ej2KKo4wxrHOqsRRoBcorRppRLr-SBx_BK8JzwS67eIsO9U-gLaGDc2Fj5IljkZMomJeHKwIfeljPMh4Lg1faFZM/s1600/IMG_20140528_174318.jpg" height="240" width="320"></a></div>
I am really not surprised this one had to rest awhile, the armour on it was really impressive. I could not imagine another creature in the insect world (at least here in Corvallis) taking this one on.<br>
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Just look at that tail, if anyone knows what kind of dragonfly this is, please let me know in the comments. I'd be really interested in knowing and maybe doing a bit of research on them. This was the first time we'd seen this particular kind and I'm wondering if it's a rare type or if they are common in the Willamette Valley.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgjYnrBdw10L6g9ABRK_ksBOEP3SV7KEnDwEjHbpI3TYB80MQKPsivAGVilTMhcLFBxMZ0YutPt1eacRPHyXHsPIusvSgMBA9Sg83u2PpfuLY7cyTCoT0OEJ6LlEL8sIvxpsSiqngMlE/s1600/IMG_20140528_175948_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgjYnrBdw10L6g9ABRK_ksBOEP3SV7KEnDwEjHbpI3TYB80MQKPsivAGVilTMhcLFBxMZ0YutPt1eacRPHyXHsPIusvSgMBA9Sg83u2PpfuLY7cyTCoT0OEJ6LlEL8sIvxpsSiqngMlE/s1600/IMG_20140528_175948_1.jpg" height="240" width="320"></a></div>
Now before you get to excited about the colour pictures I am still in a black n white sort of mood and I thought this was a good one from today's haul. I just kind of like the way it looks. And that's really it for now, I will be taking the Nikon out very soon and I am also currently editing a whole lot of pictures from awhile back.<br>
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<br>Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-4189579645300573492014-05-26T23:04:00.002-07:002014-05-28T01:32:49.486-07:00Nexus at the parkI have to say that I have really been enjoying my Nexus 5 over the past few months. It was a good upgrade from my HTC Sensation which was a great phone in its day with a great camera. And even though it was a phone that was a couple of years old, the camera really held up well and was tough to leave behind. But everything changes and comes to an end and when the touch screen started selecting apps on its own I knew it was time to say good buy to my beloved HTC Sensation. I chose the Nexus 5 because of price and more importantly I wanted to have the stock Google experience. The fact that the Nexus series also receives fast regular updates, also helped as I have been burned in the past (damn Moto...where's my Xoom 2 JB upgrade???) helped in the decision. Well I haven't been disappointed, the Nexus 5 is a truely beautiful piece of technology that is well worth owning. Today though I won't bore you with a review but instead show off what the camera on the Nexus 5 can do.<br>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IfiVlBQbCdc/U4QFmYaLZ-I/AAAAAAAAyxY/bHTT_wY9jBg/s1600/14+-+6" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IfiVlBQbCdc/U4QFmYaLZ-I/AAAAAAAAyxY/bHTT_wY9jBg/s1600/14+-+6" height="240" width="320"></a></div>
I know, I know, more black n white but like I said in my last post, I am just in a black n white mood right now so you will have to bear with me until I work through it. If I don't work through it I may develop itchy eyeball syndrome and not be able to take more pictures ;-)<br>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wq_D9Zzdp4o/U4QFmWc9zQI/AAAAAAAAywg/o9fnoSwMn3g/s1600/14+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wq_D9Zzdp4o/U4QFmWc9zQI/AAAAAAAAywg/o9fnoSwMn3g/s1600/14+-+2" height="240" width="320"></a></div>
This one I really liked, it was just a random shot but I liked the way it turned out. It's amazing how some of your favourite shots will be random snaps.<br>
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I also really like this one of <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> and Talon chilling after we'd just finished a full 18 hole round of disc golf at <a href="http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=767" target="_blank">Willamette Disc Golf Course<span id="goog_977622573"></span><span id="goog_977622574"></span></a> here in Corvallis.<br>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YFjTFljXJtA/U4QFmVkMnOI/AAAAAAAAyxQ/drGn8VU4X1Y/s1600/14+-+5" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YFjTFljXJtA/U4QFmVkMnOI/AAAAAAAAyxQ/drGn8VU4X1Y/s1600/14+-+5" height="240" width="320"></a></div>
Disc golf in the sun can make you thirsty indeed and so refreshments were on hand or in my backpack as the case was. Bottles of watery goodness are an absolute must when doing the full course. And again I think this photo really shows off the quality of the camera on the Nexus 5.<br>
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I used Snapseed on Android to edit these shots and like I've been saying for some time, it is a fine little editor to have on hand and in your pocket. If you're in the market for a new phone I would definitely take a serious look at the Nexus 5, it's a serious piece of kit at an affordable price.<br>
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<br>Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0Corvallis, OR, USA44.5645659 -123.262043544.4740599 -123.423405 44.655071899999996 -123.100682tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-5321289540946230602014-05-26T15:27:00.001-07:002014-05-26T15:27:58.764-07:00A few from the yardWe are lucky enough to have a yard with some massive trees to provide shelter but also a bit a fear during winter storms. Window makers are quite real and we have some massive ones right over our heads. However, these also make us feel like we are living in a forest and also provide us with some great shadows in the evening. A couple of weeks back <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> and Talon were out doing some gardening on one of these evenings. The sun crept through the leaves creating some really great shadows as it attempted to light the shaded corner of our garden. It was definitely time to grab the camera and get outside for some fun.<br />
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The effect made the house, old as it is, look really fantastic. As I mentioned in a previous post I am really into black n white photography at the moment. Black n white I think really helps to highlight garden shadows, sort of brings them alive.<br />
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You can see how they creep across the ground and up the walls of the house. Sometimes looking at them you can almost imagine someone like Tim Burton sitting in his garden watching this effect and just leaving his imagination run wild.<br />
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Shadows just bring a picture to life in my opinion and help to make your pictures almost timeless.<br />
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The effects they create add real atmosphere to your images, shadows make them feel like a story waiting to be told or a film waiting to be made. With it now being summer here in the northern hemisphere, it's time to get out your cameras, get outside and start snapping. Don't worry about capturing that perfect shot, just shoot what your instinct tells you to shoot and see what comes out. You don't even need an expensive camera, you can easily use your phone and edit with apps like Snapseed. Just have fun with it and see where your imagination takes you.<br /><br />
<br />Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-5098363554783613182014-05-21T15:12:00.000-07:002014-05-21T15:15:21.588-07:00There and back again - A tired mans journey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In a house in Corvallis there lived an Irishman. Now this house was not a mansion nor a shack. It was a snug wooden house with all the comforts an Irishman could want for. Irishmen are known for being stout of belly and hairy of toe. Both of which are caused from the consumption of their favourite black beverage which they call "The Black Nectar". They like to consume "The Black Nectar" with every meal, breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, tea and supper.<br />
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On this particular morning the Irishman was reading the latest Linux news and enjoying a snack between breakfast and brunch when he heard a shrill voice shouting from the direction of the bathroom. It was his wife and she was explaining how they were going on an adventure. Adventures were not something this Irishman thought about on a regular basis nor ever wanted to experience. Adventures he thought were for long bearded hippies and the over toned youth from across the river. "Have a think about it over brunch" his wife said as she entered the room.<br />
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As they relaxed after brunch sipping black nectar from a bottle the Irishman heard his wife start to sing...to sing in the deepest voice he had ever heard, it was quite disturbing to say the least.<br />
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<i>Far over the Willamette Valley old,</i></div>
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<i>through the trees and meadows gold.</i></div>
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<i>We must away ere break of noon,</i></div>
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<i>to seek the pale enchanted ale.</i></div>
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<i>The Irishmen of yore made mighty brews,</i></div>
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<i>while maidens danced under a pale moon.</i></div>
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<i>In halls made of oak and granite stone,</i></div>
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<i>they drank their fill. </i></div>
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<i>For ancient King and Druid Lord,</i></div>
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<i>their mouths were watered from the golden hoard.</i></div>
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<i>They harvested the blend and stirred the wort,</i></div>
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<i>to make black liquid in barrel old. </i></div>
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<i>On Oak shelves they stored their brew,</i></div>
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<i>ready for lunch at one or two</i></div>
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<i>They ate and drank to their hearts content,</i></div>
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<i>until black liquid had turned to gold. </i></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Far over the Willamette Valley old,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>through the trees and meadows gold.</i></div>
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<i>We must away ere break of noon,</i></div>
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<i>to seek the pale enchanted ale.</i></div>
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With his jaw on the floor the Irishman agreed to go on the adventure across the valley to a town that promised a tasty morsel and an Oakshire ale. With that he brushed his beard and combed his toes and was ready to leave. The weather was good but didn't feel too warm when they set off. </div>
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Having accidentally left his magical Nikon behind, the Irishman was forced to use his Nexus 5 to take pictures of the days adventure. He didn't mind this as the camera on the Nexus 5 was pretty good in the bright sunshine they were experiencing.<br />
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As they travelled the temperature rose and it did start to become a bit uncomfortable.<br />
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Regular water breaks became a must, not that the Irishman wouldn't have preferred a tastier beverage but this was probably not advisable in the heat. <br />
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By the end of twenty five miles they were both hurting and in need of food. The Irishman thought to himself "My wife obviously doesn't understand what second breakfast is...never mind second brunch...". But that was about to change, the holy grail was in sight and it was a glorious sight indeed.<br />
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Having been drinking water all the way to the town of Brownsville it was now time to purchase a pint of the good stuff. With plenty of beverages to choose from it was a tough decision that involved a lot of drool. The Irishman couldn't decide if it was food or golden nectar that he wanted first. Finally after some deliberation he settled on an Oakshire Amber Ale to drink which was to be followed shortly after by a Mushroom Swiss Burger served with thick golden fries.<br />
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After the meal and beverages were consumed it was time for a quick look around the town of Brownsville before they set off for home.<br />
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The journey home started off well, the numbing effects of the ale helped to hold off the pain they were feeling in their joints and limbs. Again as with the journey there, regular water breaks became a must every couple of miles.<br />
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Unfortunately for the Irishman, his forgetting of the sunblock was becoming a real problem. His arms were now glowing red and he was very aware of the intense burning sensation that ran down both arms and across the backs of his hands. Luckily for him they were in site of Flat Tail Brewing, one of the finest establishments this side of the Willamette river. A quick dinner and a pint of Black Nectar and the couple were on the final leg of their days adventure. Fifty miles later, several pints of water, beer and no where near enough food they were home, they had done it. Fifty miles there and back again!<br />
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Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0Brownsville, OR 97327, USA44.393457100000013 -122.9848107999999944.370764600000015 -123.02515129999999 44.416149600000011 -122.94447029999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-51291182475326503522014-05-18T19:50:00.000-07:002014-05-18T20:22:11.481-07:00Quick Check In<div dir="ltr">
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Well I finally got around to refreshing my store front on <a href="http://chedean.imagekind.com/store/" target="_blank">Imagekind</a>. It's pretty much fitting together now with the style of this blog and the style I've been looking for. I find it pretty amazing the tools we have at our disposal these days. Makes life a lot easier than it would have been a decade ago.<br />
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Still lots to do and fair few images to process, I think I'm going to display some of the digitally altered pictures I've been hiding away for a year or so. Even though I didn't have the Nikon at the time, I still really like the images I managed to capture. It feels good to finally have a proper store up and running and I'm looking forward to displaying more work over the coming weeks. I will also be continuing to age pictures for friends back home involved in the <a href="http://brandenburgcommandos.webs.com/aboutus.htm" target="_blank">re-enactment community</a>. That is something I get great enjoyment from as I have always loved history. It helps to keep the old skills fresh while at the same time learning new techniques. That's about it for now as I need to get back to editing. In the mean time feel free to check out my store and also the public albums I have on <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chedean/sets/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>. Also, if anyone ever wants to organise a photo walk in Corvallis or surrounding areas feel free to get in touch on G+ or drop me a message in email. It could be a lot of fun as the summer months roll by. Oh and before I forget, <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> and I are planning a fifty mile cycle this Tuesday, we have done a few twelve mile stints in the last couple of weeks and that was with some pretty steep hills so we are hoping we'll be able to make this one on Tuesday, wish us luck. And of course we will be posting updates along the way to our G+ streams so stay tuned.</div>
Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0Corvallis, United States44.5483725 -123.2636864tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-50008730409976741822014-05-17T19:55:00.001-07:002014-05-17T20:31:53.729-07:00Barn Day<div style="padding: 5px; text-align: center;">
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A few days ago on our new cycle route we came across an old barn out by Bald Hill. At the time I didn't have the camera with me so I didn't get
any shots. Today however we returned to the barn armed to the teeth with
the Nikon D5200.<br />
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This was my first time seeing one of these old style barns up close,
they're a hell of a lot bigger than you'd think from a distance. I mean, it's really not a case of leaping off the top into the old watering hole. I'm not sure if this particular barn is an original or a replica, it looked like it had been moved here from somewhere else and rebuilt as a monument to times gone by.</div>
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I managed to get some really great shots of <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> and that I am very pleased about. I'm really into black n' white photography right now and I'm really enjoying the images I'm getting.<br />
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Some really are just a case of timing, shooting just at the right moment and being very lucky.</div>
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We're working on a new book release and have been busy discovering interesting places that suit the theme of the book. Today I think we found a great one and it was a lot of fun capturing the images.</div>
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I even managed to capture <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> hugging a tree (which she's not to pleased about), actually she was just measuring the width of it but I liked the way the picture turned out.<br />
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I'll have more news on the book as we get closer to release, it is a ways off just yet. But for now we'll continue cycling, discovering and shooting anything and everything that finds itself in front of the lens. I love just being out and about with the Nikon or even just my phone at times snapping away and seeing what comes out.<br />
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Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0Bald Hill, Oregon 97370, USA44.5656765 -123.334822919.043642000000002 -164.6434169 70.087711 -82.0262289tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-53437117177933796672014-03-23T22:32:00.001-07:002014-03-23T22:34:42.462-07:00My New Photography StoreIt took me some time to get it together and decide which route I wanted to take but today I finally created a store for my photography. After much deliberation I decided to go with "<a href="http://chedean.imagekind.com/" target="_blank">Imagekind</a>" as they offered the best solution for me and allowed me to start with a free account with the option to upgrade at a later date.<br />
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For a year and a half I have been building up a good collection of images but couldn't decide what to do with them, whether to publish photo ebooks of my images or sell prints. For now I've decided to sell prints and see how it goes. I may yet publish specialized ebooks if I find a good option for publishing them. So far (as much as I might dislike it) Apple iBooks seems to be the only realistic route for publishing photography ebooks. Who knows what the future will bring though and maybe, just maybe, Ubuntu will offer an alternative for photography and art ebook publishing in the future (that's a hint guys just in case you didn't pick up on it.) There actually is some really nice photography software on Linux now and it's improving all the time. But that's for another day, for now I need to sign off and get back to editing. In the mean time you can find my new store here:<br />
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<a href="http://chedean.imagekind.com/">http://chedean.imagekind.com/</a><br />
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<br />Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-44403301571794816862014-02-10T12:24:00.000-08:002014-02-10T12:24:43.731-08:00Snow, beautiful snow...<div dir="ltr">
For the second time this winter we had snow in Corvallis. Last Thursday and Friday about a foot of snow was dumped from the sky on our heads. The initial reaction as usual is one of excitement because snow is very beautiful and puts an almost ethereal glow on everything. However, after a couple of days it becomes troublesome and dangerous as the ice sets in, making it difficult to move around. So the best time to head out to get some shots are those first couple of days and that's just what we did. It was also a perfect excuse to really give my Nexus 5 a run out to see just what it can do with a little help from the brilliant Snapseed. </div>
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So far I've been really impressed by the Nexus 5, it is a great device and the camera is pretty good in daylight conditions. I love my DSLR but I have to admit, being able to easily carry my Nexus around with me and edit and share on the go is a really fantastic experience, I can't wait to see what future generations of phones bring us. And as I've covered before, Snapseed is just an incredible App that really brings your photographs to life and can give them a real fantasy almost game like feel. For example, around our house had a very Guild Wars feel to it with all the snow, it felt like the Norn areas in the game when we stood on the porch at night and looked out at the trees and Snapseed I think helped to capture this effect.<br />
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Now we wait for the inevitable thaw and the ice and slush that comes along with it. That will still never take away from the beauty of the initial snow fall for me. I'd happily take the snow over boring months of drizzle any year.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8688155142477740366.post-66890958321548087872013-10-17T13:46:00.000-07:002013-10-17T13:51:24.014-07:00Autumn in Corvallis 2013After a week of bad weather we are now back in Autumn, the leaves are changing and the colors have come alive as they tend to do here in Oregon. A couple of days ago <a class="g-profile" href="http://plus.google.com/104979585499014359056" target="_blank">+Linda Dean</a> and myself took a walk along the river front in Corvallis. It's one of our favorite walks, it's beautiful, peaceful and of course lined with great restaurants and craft brewery's like <a href="http://www.flattailcorvallis.com/" target="_blank">Flat Tail</a> and <a href="http://skyhighbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Sky High</a>. We also love eating at <a href="http://www.sadasushi.com/" target="_blank">Sada Sushi & Izakaya</a> , they have great sushi. But for now back to the walk and the images we captured along the way.<br />
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The river front walk just comes alive in the autumn, the colors are vibrant and at sunset it looks incredible.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc7pohqygoiITrW7BK5a8O7rD3mjfk6xZ3eZjNsKIJlZE-_BYyZp10lT9cgDZFqEgTLNOPktREI7awrrJmzIMgaXVZKGFz4xKUuG64VCT0pxjvzIZkk7gCj-0qG15EelnIRaZ8oE2ec-0/s1600/_DSC0021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc7pohqygoiITrW7BK5a8O7rD3mjfk6xZ3eZjNsKIJlZE-_BYyZp10lT9cgDZFqEgTLNOPktREI7awrrJmzIMgaXVZKGFz4xKUuG64VCT0pxjvzIZkk7gCj-0qG15EelnIRaZ8oE2ec-0/s320/_DSC0021.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Linda Dean</td></tr>
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For more images checkout my Flickr page: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chedean/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/chedean/</a>Tuxramushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06373560275056088928noreply@blogger.com0