The Continuing Adventures of Jud

So, I'm out doing some work in the yard, very hot, finish as much as I am going to that day, hit the pool to cool off and rest the back, come out and I see the two yard bunnies enter the yard near the newly reclaimed area- where they were yesterday. I carefully make my way to my house, grab my camera and carefully come back out side, only now I see one bunny in the new area, and another a ways out in the yard.


Suddenly, the first one darts after the second, and I am thinking did they have an argument? I was shooting still images and was totally unprepared for the action, but I got what I could. Things became clearer a bit later when I checked down along the edge of the yard.

Labels: Jud, Yard Bunny

The day started when I stepped out to my car and startled my yard bunny, 2014 edition. He ran off to the other side of the yard. When I pulled over there to load one of my van tires into my car, another story, he stopped in a little cleared section and sat there till I got these two shots, then moved on again.

[As always, left click and "open in new tab" for full size image.]



I had the 10 am boat and it was just beautiful out on Pepper Creek.


On the first run, a passenger spotted a wild gator just before the west dock. He lives under the dock and had come out for some sun about 20 yards up the creek from the dock.


On a later return trip, we spotted a great blue heron...


...and a white ibis.


After my driving duties were complete, I used the parks air compressor and was very pleased that my very distorted tire readily filled, regained its proper shape and held. I came home and quickly put it back on and jacked up the other side of the van and headed back to fill that one. Alas, it filled and shaped readily, but showed multiple pinhole leaks from the stressed sidewall.



I placed some blocking under the van and eased the jack off a bit.

I will see how it holds overnight and if it does, jack up the third and final bad tire and see how it fares, and if I will need to replace one or two tires at the used tire store to make the van movable. I need to move it from its present position to another location in the yard.

Labels: Alligator, great blue heron, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, ibis, Jud, Yard Bunny

Made a swivel platform for my camera tripod last night to make doing panning shots smoother.

A 6" Lazy Susan base screwed to 3/4 ply with a threaded insert to match camera mounting bolts... and the top piece of 1/4 ply is simply glued to the other side of the hardware. This allows a bit smoother rotating of the camera when panning in video, but it is still dependent on a smooth operator.

Shown here on my tripod while I await the moment for my video shoot. The camera simply rests atop the platform on some rubber-like pads to clear the sun screen and to both minimize vibration and give a bit more grip to the mating.


While I waited for my video op, I grabbed a shot of the fountain with my other camera.


Oh ya! New yard bunny too! Saw him first thing this morning (My first thing, not anyone else's. Very unusual.) And striking appearance. Didn't go for the shot then cause I was sure he would just take off as he was right outside the door. Then this afternoon, he was back and far enough off that I dared to try for it. He spooked a little, but didn't bolt. Though he wouldn't look at me... Nice coloring.

Labels: Camera, Fountain, Jud, Rainbow, Swivel base, Tripod, Yard Bunny