It's A Long Way From Here To There

Yesterday was a precursor to today. I noticed work starting on a water tower and went to check it out. The guy told me that if I was back tomorrow (today) between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. I could photograph the envelope being filled with hot air and watch it rise like a balloon to the top of the water tower.

Without an alarm clock set, I was awake at 5:00a.m. I made a quick breakfast. I even was willing to for go making a pot of coffee for instant. It was 6;50 when I came out of the house. From my driveway, I could see the water tower in the distance and the envelope was already raised!

As it turned out, I still drove over to the water tower which is two miles by surface roads. It's a long way from here to there it seems. There was no rush, but I sat in the car and drank my coffee watching the workers come and go from the tool trailer and then saw the ripple in the envelope as the blower was turned off.

The next thing that I knew, I was looking at a guy on top of the tower leaning over the side pulling up some of the envelope toward the top of the tank. He had safety gear but there is no way that I would get up there on the top of that take, a hundred and twenty feet off the ground and then look over the side, much less reaching for the material and pulling it up toward him like he had a blanket or something.

The day progressed from the water tank to McDonald's for a senior coffee and a sausage biscuit. The birds were happy this morning and even photogenic. By 2:00p.m. I was heading toward home for lunch and inside as the sky had gone from a beautiful blue hue to overcast.

If you have not looked at the portfolios of late, you will see some interesting images of architecture, flowers, birds, the water tower in greater detail and my favorite little bird---the scissor tail flycatcher. I've got his favorite post down to morning, noon and afternoon. I also almost got a perfect shot of a red winged blackbird in full wing and tail expanses. It was a bit blurry. I was not expecting him to do what he did when he did it at the time. I'll keep trying until I get it down pat. If I can shoot an A-380 Heavy jet coming in at 140MPH, this blackbird is not going to get my goat!

The cables were in place yesterday as is top rails that the envelope will be anchored.

This guy has nervers of steel! No way I would do that.

See the guy on top in the center? That shows how big this operation is overall.

The perfect pose for the blackbird, but it came out a bit blurred.