Earth Explorations

I've been at this blogging thing a while. Every once in a while, I go back to an old blog on a different platform to revisit my posts and say hello to past Me. I'm always a little surprised at what I find. You do forget details. For example, I'd forgotten that I took this photo with my phone, a low end Samsung. Not a bad photo. It's not a great photo either but it makes the case that you don't need even a middling good camera like the one I have now, the Lumix, to take pictures that help tell the story of an experience. The experience was detailed in this long form piece, A Cold Night, A Long Hike, A Good Story.  This photo was taken at the end of my unintentionally long hike at the Castle Trail head. Good times.

Robins have been slow to make themselves known this year. I blame the snow and the cold. They started to get active a couple of times earlier in the month and whoom! a storm would move in. I can't blame them for being hesitant. But lengthening daylight and more seasonal temperatures are prevailing, causing them to spread out and start occupying territories even if they aren't in full voice yet. My robin watching network on FB has been reporting robin activity for a week and a few days ago I saw one for myself as I left for work. After work today, Lu and I went out for a walk about the property (aka my front and back yard) to try my hand at robin photos. I actually had to leave the property (i.e. walk halfway down the block) to get a  photo even though I eventually did see a male in the trees on my front lawn. ƒ/4 1/400 ISO100 106.6mm I did not filter or edit this photo. It could probably use some cropping though I like the way the tree branches frame the bird with t