Local Backroads

We're approaching the hamlet on Saginaw Highway (yeah, it turns to dirt out here), from the east. I'd take and post a similar photo to this on March 3--similar, but quite a different treatment. I rather like the depth this photo shows.... ========== Joan was ill and stayed home last February 6, so I didn't wander far from the house. I played a lot with the camera/phone's settings, using the cats as photo subjects. I then drove a bit around the immediate area and continued experimenting. Subjects included another of the Spitzley farms and a short tour of Hoytville. The results were pretty good, overall, and I'd try several of the shots again. My fave of the day's photos, by far, was of Joan and Oreo, reading. ========== This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . Number of project photos taken: 27 Title of " roll :" Mulliken & Hoytville Other photos taken on 2/6/2012: none.

These are couple miles more or less straight south from Mulliken. ========== Last February 18 I headed down Mulliken Road in an effort to capture the rising sun in black & white. The insurance shots--houses and farmyards, all of 'em--were of places that could be said to be in Hoytville. Having made a photographic excursion the day before, I stayed close to home for this day's photos. There's not much in Hoytville. And not much to Hoytville, for that matter. ========== This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . Number of project photos taken: 16 Title of " roll :" Morning Sky Other photos taken on 2/18/2012: none.

I'm not particularly pleased with this photo. I posted many similar pics last year that were sharper and more interesting. Last February 23 I had a photo idea, sought out the location, and posted that idea. Everything else was an insurance shot. Or, in virtually all cases, rehearsals for photos I'd post later at 366 Snaps . ========== Regarding the lumberyard photo: In the late 1960s my parents seriously considered buying a piece of land "Up North" and putting up a house. Since Mom and Dad didn't really have a specific design in mind they collected house plans and catalogs. Two of the plans were from Hamill Homes in Grand Ledge, and one of those was a gothic cottage with gingerbread trim. Thus the title of my 366 Snaps photo ("They Sold Gingerbread House Kits"). The image shows the showroom/warehouse/lumberyard that housed Hamill Homes, which is a couple miles down the local railroad mainline from Mulliken. I believe they closed up shop in the mid-1990s. A careful inspection of the Hamill photograph will convince you that I worked Photoshop Elements hard to make it presentable. "Sharp-edged" would not be an appropriate description of my February 23 photographs. Sometimes it's like that, whatever the camera, but in this case I suspect the issue was a dirty lens. As things worked out Mom & Dad bought a couple cottages in the Delton area. I discussed that a few days ago . ========== This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . Number of project photos taken: 10 Title of " roll :" Around Roxand [you'll see this title again. regularly.0 Other photos taken on 2/23/2012: none.

Up to this point I'd mostly shot 366 Snaps photographs inside the house, somewhere in Mulliken, or on trips to and from Grand Ledge. Beginning on March 2 I'd consciously branch out.... Both this outtake and the photo I selected for my daily post ("One White Tree") are early examples of a common 366 Snaps theme--woods across a field, consciously framed to show depth and/or distance. So were most of the rest of the day's shots. While this wasn't the first time last year I just got in the car and drove around photographing the local farms, it was the first time I went out consciously scouting for photo locations. I'm pretty sure this farm's on Dow Road--likely the Bonley Farm . I'd get better at framing these pics, but I think this one worked out pretty well. ========== This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . Number of project photos taken: 12 Title of " roll :" Around Mulliken [yet again. should have called it "Around Roxand," though] Other photos taken on 3/2/2012: none.

I used to pass this place going to and from work. The pic's been pretty heavily photoshopped (using PSE, not that it matters), but at this point I don't recall the reason. Perhaps I was just playin'. Last March 5 I was definitely in a mood to photograph barns. This photo was an insurance shot taken on my return trip, after photographing my day's quarry. ========== My photographic "target" that day was a collapsing farmyard complex on the edge of Grand Ledge. I called the resulting photograph "The End is Near"--which proved true, as those ruins would be demolished early in May . I'd post a photo of the post-demolition remains to 366 Snaps on July 30. The Grand Ledge farmyard consisted of a medium-sized barn and three sheds, all of which seemed to deteriorate simultaneously (I was minded of OWH's " Wonderful One-Hoss Shay "). The farm's still-surviving house was across the street. Despite a number of attempts I never managed a satisfactory photo of the farmyard's barn. There was a spectacular morning-sunshine shot just begging to be captured, but I never managed it. I'll be forever disappointed. ========== For some reason neither of these photos got my usual thin-line frame. This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . Number of project photos taken: 14 (thirteen were barns or sheds) Title of " roll :" M43, mostly Other photos taken on 3/5/2012: none.

I've always assumed that this was once a barn. Whatever. It's due south from Sunfield, on Mt. Hope Highway. ========== Every March there comes a day when the sun's out and the weather's warm--and cabin fever gets the best of me. Before I retired I'd take the afternoon off, climb on my bike, and head east on Mt. Hope to just stretch my legs and get my lungs working. Last March 6 was like that. Instead of riding my bike, though, I climbed in the car and duplicated that out-Mt-Hope, back-on-St-Joe route. Got the bike ride in a few days later.... ========== The lone tree, posted as my 366 Snaps photo, is on St. Joe Highway just east of Clinton Trail. This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . Number of project photos taken: 14 (includes a few wine-rack pix) Title of " roll :" Around Roxand-Wine & Tea [ Roxand is our township's name . the title's misleading, as most of the pix were taken in Sunfield Township. I also made another attempt at photographing the wine rack.] Other photos taken on 3/6/2012: none.

This pic and the photo I posted to 366 Snaps a year ago were separated by six seconds (@ 9:57:46 & 9:57:52). Between the two shots I changed the focal length. Twice. And shot two other, similar-but-different, photographs. Then I completely reframed the photo and shot five more. And then I did it again, shooting another three. All of these were taken at my favorite sky-shooting location, which is a couple miles south from here. Then I moved down the road and shot a few more. There's a reason I love my D300 with the 16-85 VR zoom. Yeah, I cropped both pix, differently. I do that. ========== This little storm dumped snow on Joan, on break at work, but missed me completely. A bit later I'd get hit by the weather's next wave. ========== This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . Number of project photos taken: 17 Title of " roll :" Dramatic Skies Other photos taken on 3/9/2012: none.

A year ago I looked outside, saw the nifty sky, and headed out to get a clean shot of the sunrise. I took a half-dozen pics at my favorite open sky location, then picked off this odd truck--a Big A 2500--a bit farther down the road. Information about these critters is surprisingly scarce on the 'net--most of what I found was on farm auction websites. Rickel Manufacturing began manufacturing the 2500 around 1975. They sold out to Ag-Chem in 1988, who apparently kept making them until 1995 or thereabouts. Ag-Chem sold out to AGCO about 2001. The generic name for these critters seems to be "floaters." The exotic equipment used by the local farmers is a constant delight. Some farmers value function over style. Some purchase equipment that is clearly experimental. Some farmers are heavily invested in New Stuff while others nurse old trucks, tractors, and combines past the point where economy could possibly be the objective. This truck may fall into all those categories. We'll have another example of exotic farm gear in a couple days. ========== This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . Number of project photos taken: 8 Title of " roll :" Morning Sky Other photos taken on 3/22/2012: Lots of flowers: 31 pics with the V1, and 38 more with the CyberShot DSC-55H. Examples .

Apologies for the late post today. I've been distracted by Randall Munroe , and by his minions . A year ago today I drove into town for breakfast at Bob Evans, then stopped at the credit union on my way back. I took photos coming and going, and got some I was pleased with. Then I posted a novelty shot.... I've really not much to say about this specific photograph. I rather like it, though. ========== Got home, and found The King of All Cats staring me down from the neighbor's walk. Blondie'd been lording it over the other local cats for 8 or 9 months at this point, but his reign was about to end. To this cat . Blondie's an apparently-feral cat who was born in the remnants of the grain elevator at the end of our street. While still quite young he discovered that one of our neighbors puts food out for the wild kitties, so he started hanging around down here. He was just a gorgeous kitten--a blond ball of fluff. When he banished the previous king--a noisy and mean ol' tom--we were quite pleased. Blondie's still around--we see him every now and then. Some days it looks like he plans to reclaim his throne. ========== This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . Number of project photos taken: 11 Title of " roll :" Out and About Other photos taken on 3/27/2012: none.

A different pic from the photo I posted to 366 Snaps, and without the "color" inversion. I shot this (and the other) through the sunroof of my Chrysler. (Joan's always had sunroofs. This is my first.) This tower's about a mile west of my house. When this was new it was the only intrusion into what was then a pristine view of the sunset from our yard (the Mulliken Meadows housing development hadn't yet been built around us). I kinda resented it. ========== This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . 366 Snaps project discussion for March 28 .

On Keefer Road, not far north of the railroad tracks. A year ago I made a return trip to Sebewa . I had a specific photograph or two in mind, but neither worked out. The entire set shows evidence that I was in a hurry, though I've forgot the cause. ========== Somehow I'd never previously noticed Weippert's Mill , which was built in 1876, perhaps because it's only easily visible when there's no greenery. So I took an image, managing to overexpose a photograph of a deep-in-the-woods structure despite the shadows and shade. Apparently I'd forgot everything I'd learned about the camera a couple days back. The pic worked out all right, though--it just looks oddly processed. Since I do that all the time, everyone seems to have assumed I did this on purpose. ========== This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . Number of project photos taken: 24 Title of " roll :" Sebewa Other photos taken on 4/12/2012: Though I was still having difficulties with the FujiFilm camera, I was getting comfortable with the Nikon 1. At least in the garden, where I took 41 flower pix.

Our route to and from work takes (well, took) us past this farm twice daily; we'd usually turn at this corner. It's a nice, compact farm operation, and well set up for a photograph. But I've generally taken those pix from a moving car, and usually been dissatisfied. This shot, despite the motion, captures what I see in the place. When I first moved to Mulliken, this farmer kept his cattle in a field across the road from his house. We'd sometimes find him driving them back to the barn as we passed. These days he mostly just feeds 'em hay.... ========== This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . 366 Snaps project discussion for April 18 .

Guessin' Aunt Owwee will recognize this one.... Last April 26 I went into town for breakfast & took along m' camera. The big farm machinery was out in the fields and I was hoping to get a good picture of--well, anything. That didn't work out. What did work out mostly was barns. The partially-collapsed place I used for 366 Snaps is a testament to the power of gravity to reshape mankind's best efforts to hold off entropy. ========== Got home and started cleaning cameras and lenses. Then I dug out the tripod and experimented with the D300/300mm setup I knew would be my May camera. Besides, I'd put a new head on the tripod and wanted just to play.... ========== This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . Number of project photos taken: 22 Title of " roll :" Eaton County Barns Other photos taken on 4/26/2012: The Daily Flower Census kept the Nikon 1 busy for a few minutes and 20 photographs. Two sessions with the big camera netted 57 photos, mostly of a Grackle and a Chipper.

Where the road bends to parallel the tracks....

This scene's just downhill from the photo I posted to 366 Snaps . Someday they'll replace that narrow, ancient bridge. I rather suspect that will be because it's fallen in. ========== This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . 366 Snaps project discussion for June 10 .

A year ago I had an idea, but not for a specific photograph. For several years I usually bicycled to work, then hit the road for some miles after I got off the clock. This isolated pine marked the far corner of one of my usual routes, and is an old friend. Thirty or so years later it's changed less than you'd think. ========== On Sundays the Mulliken Thriftway opens late, and I often head to Sunfield to buy my morning RC Cola. A year ago I wandered south on Sunfield Road looking for photo ops, then turned left when the road ended. About a mile along I found my pic. The 366 Snaps photo was only unexpected in the sense that I had no particular photo in mind. In many ways it's like my "typical" farm picture--a focal point a ways out, lots of "clutter" to give the photo depth, and excellent focus. (Except, of course, it's not a farm.) It was just what I wanted that day, but in an unforeseen guise. I knew immediately it would be the daily pic. ========== This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . Number of project photos taken: 15 Title of " roll :" Sunfield for Soda [Soda? What got into me?] Other photos taken on 6/10/2012: The garden was glorious . And I took 175 photographs of the baby raccoon .

Soybeans, from Boyer Road, a couple miles from home. ========== This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . 366 Snaps project discussion and stats for June 30 .

A year ago I stopped at the Thriftway to pick up my morning caffeine hit (an RC cola) and proceeded to drive around the block--a country block--to look for photographs. On Boyer Road (pictured above) I found a bean field (the day's other outtake). These countryside-receding-into-the-distance pix are the photographs I do best, I think. You'll see more. ========== The 366 Snaps photo (it's below) is of the automobile body shop that's kitty-corner from Mulliken's store. Within my memory it housed the local auto parts business, Sharp's Supply , but they moved into a storefront down the road about 25 years back. The big grey building's still part of Sharp's, though; they do body and mechanical work, and general automotive restorations. Some of the restorations are pretty exotic. My 1895 plat map tells me that the building was originally a school. But gosh that's a big school for a very small town out in the middle of nowhere. Most of the surviving local schoolhouses around here were one-room joints; this baby dwarfs those. I need more history, here.... ========== This photograph is an outtake from my 2012 photo-a-day project, 366 Snaps . Number of project photos taken: 10 Title of " roll :" Boyer Road Other photos taken on 6/30/2012: The Daily Flower Census was typically colorful; it included this view of the window garden. And Joan and I walked the beach on Lake Michigan .