SkyWatch--I looked up

Click to enlarge to full size so you can see caused me to look up. See other skies around the world by clicking here.

ABC Wednesday Round 4 has reached the letter Z

...and for that reason I will celebrate the word Zoom.


My camera which I have had since March has a 20X optical zoom.



I know that doesn't mean much if you have a telephoto lens on a DSLR, but it is what makes it possible for me to do things like this:



...and this:

I took some moon pictures when I had a 10X optical zoom on a previous camera, but they were nothing like this. Look craters!

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And with the 10X, I certainly couldn't do anything like this (yeah, it's a little fuzzy yet. There is still room for that telephoto.):

I was glad that I had the 20X Zoom the other day when we met this guy. He was clear away across the meadow.

That was one big bear, but without the zoom, he would have looked more like this:
And with the digital zoom stretched in effect, he would look all pixelated like this:

So if you are getting anew camera, look for the most Optical Zoom that you can. Try to avoid using the digital zoom if you can, it seriously decreases the quality of your photo.

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And I can assure you that you probably cannot get a good picture even fairly close if you are Zooming down the highway. (No, I was not driving.)

See other ABCs that have reached Z at the ABC Wednesday blog and thank Denise for starting this two whole years ago. I think it is among the most long-running photo memes in the blogosphere. What will the Round 5 bring?

Odd Shots Monday---Huh?

There is road work going on in our town, and I am totally confused. The other evening I followed a detour sign, thinking the way I wanted to go was blocked. The detour led me in a circle back to where I came from.
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I think.
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I'm really not sure any more.
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We host Odd shots here and we actually have Mr. Linky back for if you post an Odd Shot, too. Details of the meme are always accessible by clicking the Odd Shot camera in the sidebar.

Sunday's Psalm: Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD--for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.

Truth shall spring out of the earth,

and justice shall look down from heaven.

Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

The LORD himself will give his benefites;

our land shall yield its increase.

Justice shall walk before him,

and prepare the way of his steps.

Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.


Psalm 85: 9-10, 11-12, 13-14

All phtos were taken in the Ohanapecosh area of Mt. Rainier National Park.

PhotoHunt--theme: Garbage

After the Fourth

For other PhotoHunters, see TnChick.

St. Helens Sky Reflected

Johnston Ridge Observatory

Other Skywatchers can be found here.

ABC Wednesday--Just in Time--Y is for...

Camping in a Yurt in the Washington State Parks. We went on our annual camping trip with the grandkids last week at Seaquest State Park, and although we camped in our Little Guy, the action was at Yurt Village where the three families of kids were.

The traditional yurt is the skin covered home of nomadic people of Mongolia. You can learn more about them here at Wikipedia. Washington is not the only state where you can rent a yurt at a state park, and from the results of an Internet search, they are also being sold as homes.

Danny helped camp host Larry take care of the yurt village and other duties in the campground.

Seaquest aState Park is situated west of Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and is a kind of gateway to the Mt. St. Helens experience. Some other views from our visit were used in my Sunday's Psalm post this week and I promise more to come.

ABC Wednesday--thanks to Denise who started it and to all those who are linked to us here. Round 4 ends next week. What will Round 5 bring?