Skywatch Friday - Chicago

'The spectacular Trump Tower on the Chicago River'

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Floral Delights

Taken with Canon Powershot SD780 IS on Macro, double click to enlarge.

What do I use?

Today I am responding to a question I have had from a few readers recently, "what kind of camera do you use"?

Well since last month I have two very different options, the latest is a tiny fully automatic digital I can stick in a pocket and the other is my less portable DSLR with all it's add-ons.

I like to always carry a camera so as not to miss a great picture and that's why a month ago I bought a Canon Powershot SD780 IS Digital Elph. This camera is tiny as can be seen from the picture and so I have it on me at all times now.

It has 12.1 megapixels, a 3x image stabilized zoom, face detection and numerous auto or manual settings, including a new feature i-contrast. This is my favourite feature, as a chip inside corrects the contrast automatically whatever the light conditions and I have yet to find fault with this excellent feature. I am having alot of fun with this little gem, good pictures are guaranteed from it and it enables me to capture anything quickly. Here are a couple of examples of pictures I have taken with it, it's definitely a camera I can recommend.

My main camera is a Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10.1MP Digital SLR , which I have had for almost 3 years. It has re-energised my interest in the art of photography and led me to take alot more interest in the technical aspects. As with most DSLR's they require more investment if you're serious and I have over time purchased additional lenses that expand my horizons. This is the beauty of an SLR, it enables you to pick the lens to suit your photography interests.

The camera came with a stock 18-55mm lens which is fine for everyday shots and is a perfectly acceptable general lens. But in addition I have bought three other higher quality lenses for specific requirements.

My first addition was a Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom to enable me to get in tighter on subjects. My two best shots to date with this lens have been the following ones of a submerged car, and a totally unplanned moon shot. I would say having Image Stabilisation is an essential with a Telephoto Zoom.

My next addition was the Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Standard Medium Telephoto, a superb lens for individual close-up subjects due to it's outstanding 'bokeh' (background blurring). This is the lens I love to use for portraits, as the f1.4 also delivers outstanding sharpness, here are a couple of examples courtesy of Cal-Jo and my mum.

More than a year down the road, it was becoming clear that my real passion was landscape photography and so after some serious saving, I paid more for a lens than the actual camera! But the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Ultra Wide Angle was worth every penny and has without doubt improved my photographs. This amazing lens was an absolute must for me, living in the wide open expanses and under huge skies.

I also invested in a multi-coated Hoya UV Filter that stays on the lens permanently for protection and a Hoya Polarizing filter that I use to really make clouds 'pop' as can be seen below. I LOVE this lens, it was a major investment in fact it's gone up $300 since I bought it, but to me it was worth every penny and repays me all the time with results like these.

I then have an assortment of protective or working filters for my lenses and also a nice set of Hoya magnifying lenses for really capturing details. I also have a nice portable, fully adjustable tripod and two batteries for each camera, essential when I often shoot 200 pictures in one day.

I have invested in three really good books I would recommend to anyone and they have all helped me develop my skills.

Finally when I bought my camera I also got a great Canon photographers backpack, which is where I keep it all safely stored. It's also quick to grab and sling in a vehicle or the storm cellar as neccessary!

And yes I am a Canon woman through and through. My first ever 'proper' camera was a Canon T70 SLR for my 21st birthday and I only sold it after moving here. I am used to Canon software, have all the cables and chargers I ever need and think their products are first rate.

So what out of all this am I hauling to Chicago on vacation? Well after alot of thought I have decided the tiny Canon Powershot will do fine for all the general snapshots and is easy to carry with guaranteed results. But I will also be taking my Rebel XTi and it's Telephoto Zoom lens for the view from the Sears Tower, and of course the Ultra Wide Angle with the Polarizing filter for all those skyscraper vistas.

And there you were thinking blogging was my passion!

Skywatch Friday

'Sunwarmed Tracks'

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Taken this evening, to see more wonderful skies from around the world or to join in, go to the Skywatch site.

Skywatch Friday

'A Celestial Angle!'

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Skywatch Friday

'Windmill viewed through Waterwheel'

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Taken with my newly delivered Canon Powershot SD780IS, which is smaller than my cell phone!

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Skywatch Friday

'Gilded Clouds'

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Skywatch Friday

'Texan Storm Clouds'

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Skywatch Friday

'Lower Manhattan Sunset'

Taken on holiday in NYC in 2004, from the Staten Island Ferry.

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Skywatch Friday

'Snow Crossing'

Last Friday through Saturday we had 25 inches of snow in just 24 hours drop on us, a record for Okieland this late in the year. Once the roads were accessible again it was a photographers dream and I made the most of it taking hundreds of pictures for posterity. We still have a little snow on the hills and in the ditches, otherwise we are once again snow free, despite a little more falling today.

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Skywatch Friday

Posting early as it now seems certain we are about to be hit hard by a snow blizzard and high winds, so we have been warned of power outages here tomorrow!

'Endless Sunset'

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Skywatch Friday

"Oklahoma Skies Afire"

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Skywatch Friday

"Guardian Angel perhaps?"

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My World - see here

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Blue Eyes

Skywatch Friday

'Rainbow Silhouetted Sunset'

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Colour crush

Skywatch Friday

"The Oklahoma Plains - into infinity and beyond"

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Skywatch Friday

'Ethereal Skies'

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Shadow Dancer

Skywatch Friday

'Sky Reflecting Lake, or maybe Lake Reflecting Sky?!'

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B&W Beauty

Skywatch Friday

'Sunrise across the Plains'

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Skywatch Friday

'Heavens Gate?'

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Frozen Tundra

Ice Storm in northwest Okieland

Close-ups shot with 50mm lens + x8 magnification

Additional shots taken with 70 - 250mm lens

Skywatch Friday

Celestial Clouds

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Skywatch Friday

'Mamma' clouds over Oklahoma, so called because they resemble a cow's udders!

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My World

Geese visiting our frozen town lake

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Skywatch Friday

Christmas Day 2005 at our local town lake. I wish all my fellow Skywatch participants a "Very Merry Christmas".

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My World Tuesday

Without doubt the most original local Christmas Tree I have seen in awhile! I wish all the My World participants a "Very Merry Christmas".

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Skywatch Friday

"Spooky Moon"

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My World Tuesday

My whole world is in these pictures!

We came across each other purely by chance in an internet game room years ago, the odds were hugely stacked against us. We were seperated by 4,700 physical miles and hundreds of thousands of lifestyle miles. We endured hundreds of thousands of hours of seperation, huge telephone bills and long flights, before we married.

But he was worth every long hour spent apart, every mile from my homeland I now find myself, and the total change of lifestyle. There was never any question of him coming to me and I think this picture tells you how uncomfortable he'd have been in a cramped England.

He is most at home in the wide open spaces and under the big skies of Oklahoma. He is a man to be proud of, with strong morals, the kind of man a girl can lean on and I often do.

My world revolves around this wonderful man and tomorrow we celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary. I love you Hubster (K)

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Skywatch Friday

Sunrise at School

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My World Tuesday

From my home to yours, wonderful Christmas Wishes

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Skywatch Friday

'Squirrel Nutkin!'

Caught at our squirrel feeder on the Cottonwood on Sunday. The really close-up 3rd & 5th pictures will enlarge if clicked.

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My World Tuesday

A couple of shots taken on the west and east edges of my hometown in Okieland.

This picture was taken looking from the cemetary towards the town and shows one of the many churches. It was an incredibly windy day and the clouds were quite stunning in their formation and speed of movement across the sky.

The second picture was taken at our town's artesian lake, looking from the shore to the little island, on a clear blue sky day. Our local firemen shoot our July 4th fireworks from this island, so we can enjoy the reflections over the lake.

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Skywatch Friday

'Scorched Cottonwood'

This was as a result of the fire at the end of our street!

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My World Tuesday

Lake Vincent's about 25 miles from us, is fed by a natural spring and is a popular fishing and boating venue. During 2008 they drained it in order to clean it up and then re-stock the fish in it.

The lake's surrounded by beautiful open countryside and topped by blue Oklahoma skies, which still never fail to stun me with their beauty and sheer scale. Another local feature I love is the wonderful red dirt, which can be easily seen at this time of the year, as everything else dies back.

In order to drain the lake, the valve below was opened on the dam to allow the water to flow out into the surrounding countryside. A good friend of ours is the local Game Ranger and he is overseeing the whole procedure, which at times has proved challenging.


One of the most interesting things to come out of it's depths, has been the re-appearance of cars from the 1950's period.

When I first saw the pictures in the local paper I thought they had all been dumped or worse still driven in! In fact they were placed against the dam to shore it up and in other area's needing support.

Since our last visit there in early summer, the rising water has already reclaimed some of these amazing old vehicles and soon they will all be gone from sight.

It is an amazing sight to see these old cars in plain view and also a photographers dream. We were also surprised at the thousands of shells covering the sand, especially the large Clam shells.

Draining the lake also revealed petrified tree's that have long been submerged. They make an interesting sight as the lake refills and will soon be back underwater.

Whilst we were there it was surprisingly busy with hunters and bird-watchers, it is a very popular local natural attraction for the wildlife and the peaceful views it offers. What I love is the total silence you get out there, with just the stir of the breeze around you.

As many of you know, I lost all the pictures I previously took when my PC crashed, and so I was delighted to return and be able to retake them. Since that time I have gained a wide angle lens, and this time all these pictures were taken using the Manual settings only.

I am much happier with the results and also deliberately chose to go later in the day, when the light was much softer and golden. It's amazing how reading a few good photography books can help!

We waited until the sunset over the lake and although it wasn't a spectacular sunset, it still allowed me some pretty shots. The Hubster also got some rock skimming in across the still waters, whilst he showed endless patience waiting on my snapping!

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Skywatch Friday

I just happened to glance up and see this Beaver Moon, contrail and Cottonwood in perfect harmony last weekend.

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My World Tuesday

Shattuck Windmill Museum & Park was established in 1994 and dedicated in May 1996, with a gathering of old windmillers and community volunteers. It is situated in north-west Oklahoma and is very much a local landmark.

As of November 2008, 52 windmills stand in the park, with no two alike, ranging from a little 5ft. Star Zephyr to the big 18 ft. Samson and Railroad Eclipse. Some of the mills are open-geared, some have solid or folding wood wheels, many are unusual steel mills.

But all have lifted water from beneath the earth to provide for a homesteader's garden or a rancher's cattle. Each one has it's own story and a book can be found in the little authentic Mercantile Store, containing the history of each one.

The focus of the park is not only the windmills, but also shows how homesteaders lived when they first came to this area, and why the windmill was so important.

Included in the Park is a small half-dugout soddy (sod-house) which was moved from 7 miles south-west of town. It was reconstructed to give a glimpse of how many of the early settlers lived. All year round visitors are encouraged to record the temperature in the soddy in a logbook. It is fascinating to see how the temperature holds relatively steady inside, whatever the weather outside!

In 1997 the one-and-a-half storey homestead house was moved into the Park. The restored home typifies the frame structure that an early family would have built, once they had moved up from their "soddy". A local family raised their four children in this particular homestead. The home consisted of a lean-to, living-dining room and the parent's bedroom. Up the very narrow staircase was a large open attic, where the children would sleep.

The gates of Windmill Park are made of Oklahoma red granite, are seven feet tall and depict two of the earliest windmills. They anchor a brick wall showing the names of many of the local homesteaders, ranchers and merchants, and the date of their arrival. It is facinating to read these names and recognise the grandparents and parents of local people I know now.

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Skywatch Friday

I went out to catch a sunset, turned around and spotted a far better shot of the moon, perfectly framed through our Cottonwood tree!

This photo was taken with Shutter Priority and flash, there has been no enhancement to the colouring, as a few have asked. It was looking into the east away from the sunset, which was also magnificent and that maybe why the blue is so intense?

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My World Tuesday

My World is currently made of leaves, leaves everywhere in great and glorious golden abundance. With a fully loaded Cottonwood, huge Native Elm and Maple surrounding us, the ensuing fall-out has overtaken us.

(By the way, the shot above involved me lying flat on my stomach amongst all the leaves for about 20 minutes as I snapped away. Who knows what the neighbours would have thought had they seen me - "what's that crazy Brit' doing now?")

They have suddenly taken over my home, last week my path to the garage was even blocked by a huge leaf-bank! Once we had grass in our backyard, now we just have leaves!

So this weekend the Hubster decided to take back our world. With the help of a neighbouring child keen to earn pocket money, a blower and his mulcher.....he set about regaining control. 23 full, mulched bags later we can once again see our lawn!

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Skywatch Friday

I was very struck by this beautiful modern new museum in Cheyenne, Oklahoma and then I looked up and saw this angle against the stunning blue sky.

The angle you see above, is the metal frame dividing the two levels of windows, overlooking the Washita battlefield. I also thought it was interesting that shooting it from the opposite angle, changed the colour of the sky when I reviewed the pictures!

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My World Tuesday - Glass or Gloss?

In February 1873 the name Glass Mountains appeared on a map issued by the Federal General Land Office. Two years later, the same office issued a map calling them the Gloss Mountains. Thus precipitating a conflict that continues to this day.

The 1875 map resulted from a survey led by an engineer named T.H. Barrett. Historiographer James Cloud is of the opinion that a draughtsmen copied this map and mis-read the 'A' for an 'O'. A persistent legend persists that a member of that first exploring party was British or Bostonian.

This member awakened early one morning in the survey camp on the knoll located east of the area and saw the sun on the glistening clear crystals of Selenite. In his long eastern dialect he exclaimed "Why they look just like glaws".

The party's cartographer simply recorded what he thought he had heard, indeed a passing error. But to think a Brit' may have been responsible for all this confusion!

The Glass or Gloss Mountains are located 6 miles west of Orienta in NW Oklahoma, which is on highway US 412. We pass through them regularly whenever I am in need of our closest shopping mall in Enid, 110 miles away!

The mountains have a high selenite content, making them appear as if they were covered with pieces of glass. Ever since my first visit here in 2003, I have absolutely loved their beauty and contrast against the flat plains around them.

This beautiful scenic strip, currently defined as a conservation area, is almost another world with its rugged high topped mesas springing up from a relatively flat land area.

A "painted desert" effect can be seen in many locations due to the exposure of different rock strata, and the sparkle of gypsum and selenite gives many of the mesas a glittering effect.

A giant inland sea once covered the area, leaving behind extensive gypsum beds. Spanish explorers passed through the area and later, the first known American explorer around 1821 described what he called "The Shining Mountains".

Today, the Glass Mountains area is utilized for its vast oil and gas resources. This 640 acre expanse is undergoing development as a State Park and will eventually provide trails and facilities.

At present, visitors can pull off the highway to enjoy the rugged landscape at a small roadside picnic area with an information kiosk on the history and features of the locale.

Astronomy groups occasionally use the area for celestial observations, as dark really means dark out there! Visitors can enjoy the 24 mile scenic drive along U.S. Hwy 412 through this very distinctive area. Here's the Hubster doing his best 'hunky cowboy' impression (which is of course is what he is!), as he reads about the area on a perfect day.

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Skywatch Friday

Oh, what a beautiful Mornin'

Oh, what a beautiful day.

I've got a beautiful feelin'

Everything's goin' my way.

Courtesy of 'Oklahoma' the musical and my Okie backyard!

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My World Tuesday

My second offering for the new and exciting 'Skywatch' team project - My World Tuesday, focuses on another local industry - Agriculture.

Many visitors to Oklahoma expect our main industry to be agriculture and are surprised to find it's not. Oil and Natural Gas production is our leading industry and has been for many years.

But Agriculture, Ranching and Farming are still high on the list and this is easily spotted on any drive through our State. Many of the people I know here are involved in this industry and the Hubsters business is very much on the fringes of it.

On a recent visit to a Ranch and Farming museum this was demonstrated by the huge range of implements and tools on display. Included amongst them was this wall of tractor seats, but who knew there were so many different designs! I wonder if you were judged by others on the design intracacy of your tractor seat once upon a time? Is there an Armani of the tractor seat world somewhere out there, commanding crazy prices on eBay?

But of course being a girly I was seriously drawn to this wonderful and colourful display of seats. Oh the choices, but I think it would be the sage green with the royal blue 'Bradley' logo for me!

Skywatch Friday

Oklahoma Sunkissed Silhouette
This is a shot of the artesian spring fed lake about a mile from our home. It presents me with endless photo opportunities year round, a great swimming hole and alot of natural beauty for free. Note how the trees all lean one way, that's how strong the wind blows across the plains in Oklahoma - the famous song does not lie!

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My World Tuesday

I am delighted to join the new exciting 'Skywatch' team project - My World Tuesday

My first offering was taken on Sunday, just outside Fort Supply in NW Okieland, famous for being the site of General George Custer's, Camp Supply. It is now also home to one of our largest wind farms in the state and it is a truly spectacular addition to our landscape.

I especially like this picture, because it brings together one of Oklahoma's oldest and largest industries - raising cattle, and it's fastest growing and newest industry - wind energy. Oklahoma currently ranks as the 8th state in the nation with the highest output and potential output for wind energy.

I live in the county right in the 'armpit' of the Oklahoma Panhandle and as you can see on the map below, we can probably expect even more wind farms in our area. When we were out there on Sunday, none of us were left in any doubt that the location was perfect! In fact I almost got blown out of the Pickup bed taking the pictures.

The cattle are totally at peace with their high tech' surroundings, you can even see the shadow cast by one of the 100ft blades crossing this female cow as she grazes. A true blend of the old and the new working in perfect harmony.

'Cheyenne' views

Skywatch Friday

Cottonwood Blues

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Skywatch Friday

'Shades of grey'

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Sky Obsession

Lake Vincent

Longhorn Cattle Drive

All taken with either the Canon EFS IS 18-55mm or 55-250mm lens on auto set-up for speed!