Both photos were taken with the 50mm f/1.7 lens. The top w/ a +4 macro and the bottom without any magnification.Enjoy. Now that things are changing, more should be coming!
-RH
9.26.2008
Vanessa cardui
Today for lunch, I went by the Clear Lake Gardens to catch some of the autumn and color. Instead, I caught a few bees, some butterflies, and other little bugs, which was fine by me. Below is a Vanessa Cardui, also known as a "painted lady" butterfly. Now the flower, I have no idea, but it's still pretty neat.
Both photos were taken with the 50mm f/1.7 lens. The top w/ a +4 macro and the bottom without any magnification.
Enjoy. Now that things are changing, more should be coming!
-RH
Both photos were taken with the 50mm f/1.7 lens. The top w/ a +4 macro and the bottom without any magnification.Enjoy. Now that things are changing, more should be coming!
-RH
9.15.2008
Windmill Farmin'
When you talk farming around here, sometimes you have to be specific about what's being farmed. Here in Iowa (Cerro Gordo County) the local power company is making a big push to get more windmills up and running to go green.
The local windmill farm is the Cerro Gordo Wind Farm. From the power company: The $44 million, 42-megawatt wind farm project was completed in 1999. The wind farm consists of 55 wind turbines occupying 2.4 acres on a 2,110 acre site, and produces enough electricity to serve 20,000 Iowa homes and businesses. Each turbine is approximately 187 feet in height and requires a 30 x 30 foot area of property.
On the way to meet one of our applicants, we stopped by the staging yard to see what they were working on and how they were moving the windmills. Some come in by rail, some by big rig, and others in parts. From here, they get relocated and moved all over the area.
This is the generator box. It's about 25' long and 15' wide. Pretty big. This is what sits atop the 187' poles.
And here's the front of the box. The hub and blades all connect here on the front. There are onboard computers which point the box into the direction of the prevailing wind. They also tell the hubs how much to pitch the blades, to maximize the energy. Very cool.
These are the hubs all shrink-wrapped and ready for transport. Two of these will fit on special low-boy 18 wheelers.
And lastly, here's one of the generator boxes loaded and ready for transport. The 18 wheeler will have a lead and tail vehicle the whole way to the destination.
Amazingly these are the small ones. The larger generators have special trucks that are equipped to carry them.
Oh, and if you're one of the lucky landowners, the power company will pay you between 5-10K for the rental on the land.
The local windmill farm is the Cerro Gordo Wind Farm. From the power company: The $44 million, 42-megawatt wind farm project was completed in 1999. The wind farm consists of 55 wind turbines occupying 2.4 acres on a 2,110 acre site, and produces enough electricity to serve 20,000 Iowa homes and businesses. Each turbine is approximately 187 feet in height and requires a 30 x 30 foot area of property.
On the way to meet one of our applicants, we stopped by the staging yard to see what they were working on and how they were moving the windmills. Some come in by rail, some by big rig, and others in parts. From here, they get relocated and moved all over the area.
This is the generator box. It's about 25' long and 15' wide. Pretty big. This is what sits atop the 187' poles.
And here's the front of the box. The hub and blades all connect here on the front. There are onboard computers which point the box into the direction of the prevailing wind. They also tell the hubs how much to pitch the blades, to maximize the energy. Very cool.
These are the hubs all shrink-wrapped and ready for transport. Two of these will fit on special low-boy 18 wheelers.
And lastly, here's one of the generator boxes loaded and ready for transport. The 18 wheeler will have a lead and tail vehicle the whole way to the destination.
Amazingly these are the small ones. The larger generators have special trucks that are equipped to carry them.Oh, and if you're one of the lucky landowners, the power company will pay you between 5-10K for the rental on the land.
9.14.2008
Counting Down
My wife is visiting in 4 days and I can't wait!!
WOOHOO. Just thought I'd share it with everyone.
WOOHOO. Just thought I'd share it with everyone.
9.11.2008
Things I learned from running...
I've been keeping up my running while here in Iowa, and it's been very enjoyable. The weather's nice, the scenery is nice, and running downtown isn't all that bad. Tonight, and this week, I have learned some valuable lessons on my runs, and thought I'd share...
1. After a month of running in low humidity, your body gets pretty well adjusted. When trying to suddenly run when the humidity is up to 75%, it's tough. I'm going to be spoiled when I get back home.
2. Murphy's law still applies. When you buy pants to run in, the weather will warm up. Tuesday's run was in the high 50s. I was cold. Today I went out, bought pants, and went running, and sure enough, the weather was in the 70s. By mile 3, I was way too hot.
3. When carrying your ID w/out pockets, it's still not safe in your shoe. Somehow my ID worked itself out from under foot and out of my shoe during my run. After returning, I had to go back and walk the route to find it. 1.5mi later it was resting on the sidewalk. I recommend a pocket with a zipper.
That's it for now, but I'll fill you in if I figure out any more tips.
1. After a month of running in low humidity, your body gets pretty well adjusted. When trying to suddenly run when the humidity is up to 75%, it's tough. I'm going to be spoiled when I get back home.
2. Murphy's law still applies. When you buy pants to run in, the weather will warm up. Tuesday's run was in the high 50s. I was cold. Today I went out, bought pants, and went running, and sure enough, the weather was in the 70s. By mile 3, I was way too hot.
3. When carrying your ID w/out pockets, it's still not safe in your shoe. Somehow my ID worked itself out from under foot and out of my shoe during my run. After returning, I had to go back and walk the route to find it. 1.5mi later it was resting on the sidewalk. I recommend a pocket with a zipper.
That's it for now, but I'll fill you in if I figure out any more tips.
9.10.2008
A Combine Update
After looking at the combines yesterday, I went and got a little more information. I needed stats and just wanted more...so here you go.
By base model, I mean BASE. No A/C, no cruise control, bare basic radio, no night lighting, nothing. Bare bones. Basic. Not even any heads for cutting corn. That's extra too. So, for $220,000.00, you get a pretty green motor and a steering wheel.
Let's build one....
Let's add the nice cab - windshield washer, Deere-Delco AM/FM stereo radio with weatherband and single-play CD player, antenna, two speakers, service lights, FieldVision Xenon HID lighting, and training seat.....ADD $3043.00
Of course we're going to want to put a GPS in this thing, so we need the wiring harness and mounting brackets. - Includes factory installation of combine specific wiring harness and steering components for GreenStar AutoTrac System. Also includes: mounting bracket for Position Receiver, mounting bracket for GreenStar GS2 Display, Mass Flow Sensor and Crop Moisture Sensor.......ADD $4500.00
We're also going to want the HarvestSmart Feed Rate controller. -3-Position Header Height Resume, Reel Resume, Active Header Float System and HHS (Header Height Sensing) System. For combines operating with platforms equipped with HHS (Header Height Sensing). Also includes: Feedrate Control System Sensors, Wire Harness and Electronic Controls.....ADD $7132.00
Depending on the terrain, we may need the 2 speed 4 wheel drive option on the rear axle. If so, ADD $17355.00
New total - $252,030.00
Now, that's a whole lot of money on a single piece of farming equipment. No wonder it takes a minimum of 500 acres with family help to break even!
By base model, I mean BASE. No A/C, no cruise control, bare basic radio, no night lighting, nothing. Bare bones. Basic. Not even any heads for cutting corn. That's extra too. So, for $220,000.00, you get a pretty green motor and a steering wheel.
Let's build one....
Let's add the nice cab - windshield washer, Deere-Delco AM/FM stereo radio with weatherband and single-play CD player, antenna, two speakers, service lights, FieldVision Xenon HID lighting, and training seat.....ADD $3043.00
Of course we're going to want to put a GPS in this thing, so we need the wiring harness and mounting brackets. - Includes factory installation of combine specific wiring harness and steering components for GreenStar AutoTrac System. Also includes: mounting bracket for Position Receiver, mounting bracket for GreenStar GS2 Display, Mass Flow Sensor and Crop Moisture Sensor.......ADD $4500.00
We're also going to want the HarvestSmart Feed Rate controller. -3-Position Header Height Resume, Reel Resume, Active Header Float System and HHS (Header Height Sensing) System. For combines operating with platforms equipped with HHS (Header Height Sensing). Also includes: Feedrate Control System Sensors, Wire Harness and Electronic Controls.....ADD $7132.00
Depending on the terrain, we may need the 2 speed 4 wheel drive option on the rear axle. If so, ADD $17355.00
New total - $252,030.00
Now, that's a whole lot of money on a single piece of farming equipment. No wonder it takes a minimum of 500 acres with family help to break even!
9.09.2008
Time for farmin'
It's starting to be fairly cool in the mornings, which means it won't be long until the first frost comes. It was actually 41* this morning at 7am. The high today is 65. The farmers have to get the crops out of the fields before the first freeze, so most of them are starting to mobilize equipment to get ready.
As I was heading to meet an applicant, I ran up on a convoy of tractors, combines, and farm trucks heading down the highway. Quite interesting to see a convoy of these things cruising down the highway. And, it's quite intimidating when your car just does come up the height of the tires.
This bad boy is a John Deere 9560 STS combine. The teeth aren't on the front because that's variable, but the body is still the same. Here are the factory stats. Basically it stands 14'10", holds 200gals of fuel (diesel), 265HP w/ a 6cy 6.8L engine, and can harvest up to 30' in a single pass. Oh, yea, base price (w/out the teeth) is right around $220,000.00.
The John Deere line is pretty popular, but then again, anything w/ teeth that gets the job done seems to work. The Deere dealer has started stocking up w/ all sorts of machinery, attachments, and all other neat stuff. I think I counted almost two dozen sitting in the lot when I took the photos.
Don't worry, when these machines start running up and down the fields, I'll be sure to take pictures!
As I was heading to meet an applicant, I ran up on a convoy of tractors, combines, and farm trucks heading down the highway. Quite interesting to see a convoy of these things cruising down the highway. And, it's quite intimidating when your car just does come up the height of the tires.
This bad boy is a John Deere 9560 STS combine. The teeth aren't on the front because that's variable, but the body is still the same. Here are the factory stats. Basically it stands 14'10", holds 200gals of fuel (diesel), 265HP w/ a 6cy 6.8L engine, and can harvest up to 30' in a single pass. Oh, yea, base price (w/out the teeth) is right around $220,000.00.
The John Deere line is pretty popular, but then again, anything w/ teeth that gets the job done seems to work. The Deere dealer has started stocking up w/ all sorts of machinery, attachments, and all other neat stuff. I think I counted almost two dozen sitting in the lot when I took the photos.
Don't worry, when these machines start running up and down the fields, I'll be sure to take pictures!
9.06.2008
Remember the Virtual Run
Remember that virtual run I started several months ago? It's starting September, which means I have 4months less to get the miles in. So far, I'm at 708.84mi. I just might make 1000mi!
I've gone to Mobile, Al, then across the bay through Florida and into Jacksonville. After heading north, I've just crossed into Georgia and will continue up the coast line until the end of the year. We'll see just how far I can go though.
I've gone to Mobile, Al, then across the bay through Florida and into Jacksonville. After heading north, I've just crossed into Georgia and will continue up the coast line until the end of the year. We'll see just how far I can go though.
Thank you ESPN360
Another football Saturday, and another mission to find Bama Football. This time it's a pay-per-view game and the sports bar doesn't have it. What's a relocated fan to do?
I give you ESPN360 After a quick registration, you can actually watch most football games online. And would you belive it, the Alabama vs. Tulane game will be shown! How great is that!!
Thank you ESPN360. Now, I'll just run to the restuarant down stairs about 15min till kickoff and get dinner. Talk about convenience.
I'll just have to remember to not yell so loud...
I give you ESPN360 After a quick registration, you can actually watch most football games online. And would you belive it, the Alabama vs. Tulane game will be shown! How great is that!!
Thank you ESPN360. Now, I'll just run to the restuarant down stairs about 15min till kickoff and get dinner. Talk about convenience.
I'll just have to remember to not yell so loud...
9.02.2008
I could get used to this...
Our weather has been absolutely wonderful since I've been here. Today has been the warmest since I've been here, and it's only 80. Great!
Here's a look at what it's like here:
Tues. 9/2. High 79. Feels like 84. Sunny
Wed. 9/3. High 70. Feels like 71. Partly Cloudy
Thur. 9/4. High 72. Feels like 72. Sunny
Fri. 9/5. High 73. Feels like 73. Sunny
Sat. 9/6. High 68. Feels like 65. Scattered storms
With the low humidity and nice weather, I could really get used to this. It's a whole lot better than the normal 90s w/ 90% humidity!
By the way, for those of you who would like to see what's it's like, check out the live weather cam.
And more on Clear Lake - http://clearlakeiowa.com/
Here's a look at what it's like here:
Tues. 9/2. High 79. Feels like 84. Sunny
Wed. 9/3. High 70. Feels like 71. Partly Cloudy
Thur. 9/4. High 72. Feels like 72. Sunny
Fri. 9/5. High 73. Feels like 73. Sunny
Sat. 9/6. High 68. Feels like 65. Scattered storms
With the low humidity and nice weather, I could really get used to this. It's a whole lot better than the normal 90s w/ 90% humidity!
By the way, for those of you who would like to see what's it's like, check out the live weather cam.
And more on Clear Lake - http://clearlakeiowa.com/
8.30.2008
ASBC 10th Anniversary
This year happens to be the 10th year that ASBC has been in existence. ASBC is where my dad works. To celebrate this occasion, ASBC put on a formal dinner for everyone. My dad managed to get extra tickets at the last minute for Amanda and I to go. Despite the downpour that occurred all day Saturday, we managed to get dressed up and head out to the Embassy Suites for drinks and dinner. We had a nice time meeting alot of my dad's coworkers and Amanda managed to meet a few students as well :). Thought I'd attach a few pictures of everyone dressed up.
I need my Football
It really feels weird knowing I'm working on SEC Football Saturday. I feel sorry for those that have to do it reguarly. It's not fun. Packing the cooler, grill, and tent seems normal now. Not doing it seems like I'm out of kilter. Instead, I'm listening to SportsCenter and working.
As long as I have my 'Bama football, I'll be ok.
According to ESPN, the Alabama vs. Clemson game should be showing on ABC tonight. The commercials coming in have been advertising that game for the last 2 weeks. The sports bar says they'll have it. I'm pumped.
Just one problem... the cable company, Mediacom, is saying Michigan St. @ California in their weekend TV Guide. According to the map, I'm at the blue/yellow line in Iowa, just south of MN state line, so it's questionable.
Not what I wanted to hear on opening weekend....Somebody back home ought to be looking out for me and recording it :)
And Corso - DON'T PICK BAMA.
As long as I have my 'Bama football, I'll be ok.
According to ESPN, the Alabama vs. Clemson game should be showing on ABC tonight. The commercials coming in have been advertising that game for the last 2 weeks. The sports bar says they'll have it. I'm pumped.
Just one problem... the cable company, Mediacom, is saying Michigan St. @ California in their weekend TV Guide. According to the map, I'm at the blue/yellow line in Iowa, just south of MN state line, so it's questionable.Not what I wanted to hear on opening weekend....Somebody back home ought to be looking out for me and recording it :)
And Corso - DON'T PICK BAMA.
8.29.2008
The rental car
I arrived in Des Moines, and picked up a 2008 Ford Focus as my rental car. It wasn't red, but the black wasn't bad to look at either. For a car, not bad at all. The starting mileage - 5,609. Still new!
Granted, I didn't do a whole lot of driving, but I returned it today with 6,722miles reading on the odometer.
I managed to burn through 1,112mi in a month. For comparison, the truck back home probably runs 900mi per month, give or take.
Within the one month I had the focus, I put $72 worth of fuel in the car. And comparison, that's two weeks in the truck!!
The car came with a full tank, so there was probably close to $100 worth of fuel used in the month, and at $3.59/gal, that means I was averaging somewhere around 37mpg. Again, that's twice the truck. For numbers like that, I think I could get used to a car again...
But, that would mean no pulling my imaginary boat. Yep, I'm keeping the truck.
Now, I'm just hoping the Chevy Malibu that I picked up today is very similar.
Granted, I didn't do a whole lot of driving, but I returned it today with 6,722miles reading on the odometer.I managed to burn through 1,112mi in a month. For comparison, the truck back home probably runs 900mi per month, give or take.
Within the one month I had the focus, I put $72 worth of fuel in the car. And comparison, that's two weeks in the truck!!
The car came with a full tank, so there was probably close to $100 worth of fuel used in the month, and at $3.59/gal, that means I was averaging somewhere around 37mpg. Again, that's twice the truck. For numbers like that, I think I could get used to a car again...
But, that would mean no pulling my imaginary boat. Yep, I'm keeping the truck.
Now, I'm just hoping the Chevy Malibu that I picked up today is very similar.
8.27.2008
I have 3...
I'm just so important that I have three cell phones. Yep, three. at&t, Nextel, and Verizon.Left is my new at&t phone. We ditched Nextel (#2) and went with at&t. So far, so good. We'll have a better review after a few weeks of service, and hopefully the bill will be better too.
I've called and verified the cancelled contract, so the Nextel phone is about as useful as a paperweight right now. I just still have it and am still transferring numbers. Anybody want to buy it? The stupid machine at the store did a horrible job.
The one on the right, the Verizon phone, is the work issued phone. It's bad. Really bad. We're supposed to have that one handy when on the clock. I'm not very high on the priority pole, so mine doesn't ring all too often. Thankfully.
By the way, our numbers didn't change.
8.24.2008
Racing for Big Dreams
Today was a little 5k run to support the local church, Agape and their community outreach projects. It was their Support Big Dreams benefit race, which had a great turnout, especaily for such a small town. I registered on Monday and was given #65, by today, there were 95 runners and/or walkers participating. I figured, since I was here, I might as well participate. I have my goal set on a 5miler in Sept. and another 10k in Oct. so, this would make for a great training run. What's it gonna hurt, right?
Well, all of us lined up and began racing at 9:00 this morning, with 3.1mi to go. We were graced with a nice police escort, marked roads, and a very gracious support crew throughout the race.
I ran one of my personal best for the race, with a time of 29'52" and managed to come in 3rd place in the male 20-29 age group. I guess my training has been coming in handy.
Hopefully, the next few races will go just as smoothly as this one did.
Well, all of us lined up and began racing at 9:00 this morning, with 3.1mi to go. We were graced with a nice police escort, marked roads, and a very gracious support crew throughout the race.
I ran one of my personal best for the race, with a time of 29'52" and managed to come in 3rd place in the male 20-29 age group. I guess my training has been coming in handy.
Hopefully, the next few races will go just as smoothly as this one did.
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