Mohawk River flooding

This is a very famous (locally) river side eatery, Jumpin' Jack's.

The river normally stops about where the swirls and the white dock is at the right.  Then there's the parking lot, about 10 cars wide.  Then the building seen here.  The trees at the back of the picture are across the street.  I don't know exactly how high the water is here, but it's at least 10 feet above the normal level.

The water level is expected to fall during the night.

F Number	8.0
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	31.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 62.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/400
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Irene

The big news this weekend here was Hurricane Irene.  It tracked up the East Coast of the US, hitting first on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, then glanced out to sea before coming ashore again over New Jersey..  There was pretty severe flooding downstate.

Lots of rain up here; hopefully the photo shows it OK.  We have localised flooding - low lying underpasses and that sort of thing are impassable.  The wind was strongest on the back side; some trees uprooted and power lines taken down.  There is a flood warning for the Mohawk River down at the Stockade; people are talking about levels not seen since 1912, which would be some 20 feet above the normal level.  I'm hoping those estimates are incorrect.  Will let you know tomorrow.

F Number	5.6
Lens ID	-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/100
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Plotter Kill

My brother-in-law and his family were up from Texas and we decided to go on a hike in the cool woods.  The Plotter Kill is always a nice walk.  A bit hilly, but there is a lot to see.  We haven't had too much rain, so the falls are quiet.

'Kill' is a Dutch word for creek or stream, and has nothing to do with the absence of safety rails!

F Number	3.5
Lens ID	-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	14.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 28.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/125
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	200
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Skywatch Friday

I haven't done a Skywatch Friday in a while.  I was reminded by last night.  I was waiting for the space station to fly overhead and saw a brilliant meteor - it looked like a straggling Perseid,  Saw the space station pass too.  Glorious.

This was taken at St John's cemetery this morning.  It was very hazy, and the sun worked hard to peep through this much.  This post is dedicated to Klaus Peter.  We'll miss you Klaus.

A group of photobloggers post a photo of their skies each Friday - it's called Skywatch Friday. Click the link to see photos from round the world.

F Number	11.0
Lens ID	-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/1600
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	200
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Sunflower

This beauty is at our community garden plot.  It's not ours, but it's beautiful, isn't it?  The bees think so too.

F Number	5.6
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/30
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	200
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Raindrops

It's raining today.

We've had the odd shower or thunderstorm move through in the past few weeks, but today is the first steady rain in a while, and so it's notable.

I'm happy for the farm fields which were looking a bit parched.  My hydrangea bush is happy, too!

F Number	5.6
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/1300
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	200
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Explorers

On our visit to the Mabee Farm last weekend, we took the opportunity to walk the trail down to the river.  The day's topic of Early Technology seemed to lend itself to the idea of imagining what it would be like to walk through that forest and see the river for the first time.

F Number	5.6
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/100
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Arrowhead

I tried my hand at flint knapping this weekend and of course manage to break the first piece I started.  With a bit of tutoring and some patience, I was able to salvage this arrowhead out of the knife.  It gives me great respect to see how our ancestors had to live.

F Number	6.3
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	37.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 74.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/400
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	800
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Film set

The crew of a movie called The Place Beyond the Plains did some filming here yesterday.  The filming closed State Street for several blocks.  That's sort of a big deal, as State Street is a major thoroughfare.

This is as close as I was allowed.  The bank on the far corner gets robbed in the film.  I didn't see any stunts; it was late in the day when I got home and got this photo..

Schenectady comes from a Mohawk name meaning something akin to 'beyond the pine plains'.  So it's interesting that the movie has such a similar name.  Although I really don't understand how a movie about a man who supports his family by robbing banks has anything to do with Schenectady!

F Number	6.3
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/80
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	200
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Flint knapping

There was an Early Technology day at the Mabee Farm this weekend.  We got to see some very interesting things; throwing a spear with an atlatl, tanning a hide with smoke, making a dugout canoe by filling with embers and... flint knapping.

Knapping is the art and science of turning a rock into a sharp tool.  It was an eye-opener to watch Barry working to make a knife from stone by using stone and antler.  That's his hand in the foreground.  He's using antler here to knock flakes off the larger piece. My youngest, in the background, is pressure flaking an arrowhead.  I gave it a whirl, and very quickly broke the piece I was working on.  I did manage to salvage an arrowhead out of it by being careful and watching Barry.

A wonderful day, and a wonderful experience.

F Number	5.6
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Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/40
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Spirit

This is Spirit.  He is a miniature Appaloosa.  He lives at Cooper's Ark Farm with Angelo the donkey.  What a friendly horse!

F Number	7.1
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	18.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 36.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/400
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Feeding the ducks

Typically, feeding ducks would find us at Central Park.  We took a short trip down the Schoharie valley to Cooper's Ark Farm, in Schoharie.  The farm is animals; ducks, chickens, turkeys, pigs, donkeys and horses.  I'm sure there are some I missed!  Phil took us on a tour, and as part of the tour, we got to do chores.

Farming is still the same hard work it was when my grandfather did it.

 

F Number	7.1
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	17.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 34.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/400
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	200
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire