Info Addict

Unleaded Gasoline Fire

2008-06-04T14:56:00.001-07:00

Fire, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

Not that I expect that anyone actually reads this blog but I guess I should make myself post occasionally to keep of the appearance that I do actually blog.

Once again, our area is the home of "Biblical" weather as a friend of mine likes to remark. Last night's storm produced a lightning strike on this tank of 1.2 million gallons of unleaded gasoline that is still burning nearly 24 hours later. I swear I could see flaming dollar bills rising in the sooty smoke. The tank farm is located in the Fairfax industrial district of Kansas City, Kansas.

Other victims of lightning strikes including a couple of houses, an apartment building and a church. As you can see here in the foreground, the Missouri River is pretty full as well. If rain continues here and upstream I expect to be posting flood pictures soon.

For Sale - Post-war Willys Jeepster

2008-04-22T17:22:00.001-07:00

For Sale - Post-war Willys Jeepster, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

I can really see me driving something like this. Of course I'd have to be wealthy to keep it running and I'd need something else to drive in the winter time. Well, I guess I don't need to stop back by to see how much they want for it.

Winter Sycamore - Sepia

2008-03-27T10:42:00.001-07:00

Winter Sycamore - Sepia, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

As anyone that has ever had a Sycamore tree in their yard can testify, they are a real pain in the patootie to own. They have giant leaves that once they drop, seem to be made of leather, refusing to be mulched by the mower. They have seed balls that sabotage walking barefoot in the grass. They have roots that often protrude above ground. They are prone to shed limbs without cause. The list is endless but often when I come across a giant Sycamore like this I think to myself, WOW, what a great tree.

It also reminds me of a family story about my dad who griped and moaned for years about the Sycamore in his yard, one he had planted himself I might add. Finally my parents decided to reduce the size of their house and yard for retirement. They spent months looking for just the right place. It wasn't until after the move, that he noticed, there in the back yard waiting to aggravate him into perpetuity, was a giant Sycamore tree!

Ready to Run!

2008-03-26T10:57:00.001-07:00

Ready to Run!, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

We have quite a few "hospital cats". All of them are very wild, feral in fact, but they have a job they do well. They keep the mice population down. I would love to bring this guy home. I love his markings and he has a great face. As you can see here I was getting too close and he was ready to dash off with my next step which he did right after I snapped this shot.

A woman that lives in the care home attached to the hospital loves these cats and year round she travels the hospital grounds with her walker leaving them fresh food and water to supplement their rodent diet. This picture reminds me that I need to make a cat food donation to the cause.

Final Check

2008-03-25T13:12:00.001-07:00

Final Check, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

Here are 2 of the "ladies" that hang out in the fields around the hospital where I work. I've started to talk to them when I see them in the meadow by the parking lot in the morning like here, or in the evening when I leave.

"Good Morning Ladies" I say as I get out of my car or "Nice evening for a browse" as l walk to it on my way home. They watch, ready to spring away at a false or threatening move.

This is a mature doe with one of last year's fawns. I've noticed the last week only last year's fawns have been grazing in the meadow, listening to my chatter. The does must be in the woods with the new fawns for this year. It might be a couple of months before I see them again.

Moon Rising

2008-03-23T21:24:00.001-07:00

Moon Rising, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

I love taking photos of the moon. I don't have the equipment to take really spectacular shots but occasionally one is more than satisfactory. There was a thin film of clouds at moon rise that obscured the details of the surface but it gave the moon this lovely glow.

Some think of supernatural creatures flying the skies or stalking the woods when they see a full moon but even at my advanced age I still think of romance.

Foggy Exit

2008-03-21T16:11:00.001-07:00

Foggy Exit, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

I love fog when it is like this. Photographically interesting yet not interfering with my ability to see to drive. If I hadn't been on my way to work I would have taken more pictures.

How come it's never like this on my days off??? Oh, I know the answer to that question. It's never like this on my days off because I"M ASLEEP at this time in the morning on my days off. I guess I could get up early based on the weatherman's prediction of fog on a Saturday or Sunday. Naaahhh! I don't think that is going to happen.

The Chute

2007-07-22T20:23:00.001-07:00

The Chute, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

I think we figured out that this is probably a slide for one of the haunted houses in the West Bottoms. It's one of my most popular photos on Flickr and I've never quite understood why. It is unusual and the spiral form makes for a nice composition. The black and white treatment turned out very dramatic. However I'm still not quite sure why it has drawn so much attention. Go figure.

Traincar Abstract

2007-07-21T19:31:00.001-07:00

Traincar Abstract, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

It was a looong train so I figured that I might as well whip out the camera to keep myself amused. I'm always looking for new ways to shoot trains. I thought the double stacked containers on the train made a nice silhouette against the sunset. Then it was off to shoot some bridges at dusk.

I finally got my Utata project finished just in time. The photos are uploaded and tagged and I have a few more days to write some text, maybe even some poetry.

The dog days of summer are here. Hot, dry and no change in sight. It is just a matter of weeks before kids go back to school. Maybe I'll take some vacation and do some short day trips around the area.

River of Glass

2007-07-20T15:05:00.001-07:00

Power Plant on the Missouri, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

This is the Sibley Power Plant on the MIssouri River in Eastern Jackson County. It always amazes me when the river looks like this. Not hardly a ripple or disturbance, more like a lake than the powerful river we know the Missouri to be. Of course the Big Muddy has many moods, calm and glassy like this is just one of them. We've had a recent demonstration of full, muddy and filled with debris during the flooding this spring. I've seen white caps in windy conditions and ice jams in the winter. No matter what mood the river might take on it is endlessly interesting and a constant source of amazement.

Rose of Mystery

2007-07-19T09:13:00.001-07:00

Secret Admirer?, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

A single rose left on a study carrel in the library and never reclaimed. Was it merely forgotten or was it left for a particular person? Who was the intended recipient? A person secretly admired? What was it's purpose? A token of love? Of respect? Of gratefulness?

I guess it will remain a mystery, a source of speculation and lore.

NO SHUSHING ALLOWED!

2007-07-18T10:39:00.001-07:00

Friday Afternoon in the Library, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

Yes it makes me happy to see people relaxing, smiling and laughing in the library. As I librarian I love it that they feel confortable just hanging out here.

Yep, most librarians aren't the Librarian from the Black Lagoon. They actually like their patrons. They want their patrons to like to come to the library. I personally like to create an atmosphere that is conducive to an open relaxed environment where people like to hang out.

I think maybe I need to add some comfortable chairs.

Construction Twilight

2007-07-17T09:26:00.001-07:00

Construction Twilight, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

This is not the picture I had planned on taking last night. On my way to add another photo to my "l'heure bleue" set for The Utatan I saw the sliver of the moon and Venus low in the sky. Hmmmmm..... I thought, I wonder if I can work that into my shot. So then as I zipped down the Broadway Extension towards downtown and I saw this construction equipment in silhouete in the Briarcliff area, DETOUR! Needless to say I never made it downtown.

As often is the case, life happens unplanned on the way to do something else.

Bride at the Wheel

2007-07-16T15:48:00.001-07:00

Bride at the Wheel, originally uploaded by gwENvision.

On 07/07/07, here in town like nearly every where else, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a bride. My whole day I kept running into weddings. Finally here I decided to do a little wedding photography of my own. A meta-photograph, a photograph of the creation of a photograph.

There was a time when at a firefighter's wedding it would be assumed that the groom was the firefighter. Now today, I'm not so sure. This bride looks quite at home up there behind the wheel on the hook and ladder truck.

I wish them many years of happiness!

Flickr

2007-07-16T15:38:00.001-07:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

OK, I think I've got this photo blogging thing figured out so let's get started.

I don't know what makes me think.......

2007-07-16T15:30:00.000-07:00

.....that I think I can keep a blog going. I was never ever able to keep a diary beyond the 3rd week of January.

So the plan is this. Use lots of photography, tidbits of useless information and small doses of my personal opinion to create something that someone beside myself might find interesting. It's a plan. I never claimed it was a good plan. Only time will tell.