Friday, June 11, 2010

FAQ Friday, episode 7

Welcome back to another episode of FAQ Friday, which you all are gracious enough to help me write by posing thoughtful questions during the week. Thanks, everybody!

From Brenda:
Q. I would love to see some of your sunsets with the animals... Just a request.
A.

I had some of you fooled with those encore pictures of Smooch doing her trick...

From Leah:
Q. Tripod and time lapse?
From C in WI:
Q. So who was the elf that sat above the cupboards taking the photos?
A. My sister was visiting when I posted those pictures originally. I had her stand on the counter and shoot down at us. Let this be a warning to any of you who might ever visit in person – we take advantage of our guests.

It's still unusually hot here for this time of year, and Wynonna is still seeking refuge in whatever mud she can make...

From Nancy in NC:
Q. So how many times do you have to fill her bowl on a daily basis?
A. Around five. Wynonna has me trained very well. The more I go out to check her water, the better her odds for getting an extra treat because I feel sorry for her.

From Carolynn and This DVM's Wife's Life:
Q. Wasn't it really cool just a short while ago...?
Q. Ugh.....that is very hot indeed. But is it humid?
I was still building fires in the woodstove the first week of May, so Spring lasted all of three weeks before the unofficial start of Summer. Yes, it's a dry heat, but so is a blast furnace. The strange thing is, even when it's over 100, there's no dripping sweat involved because it evaporates instantly. I guess that's a good thing?

From Maria and Elsewhere:
Q. These weather posts just made me wonder how the goat is doing in this heat?
Q. How's Willie? Haven't seen him in ages...
A. *Gulp* I last wrote about Willie here, on February 3. One week later, he fell while walking to his supper, and he couldn't get back up. I watched him struggle, then moved his food over to where he had fallen. Then I went inside to call the vet and make Willie's last appointment. I had been expecting this for awhile, but that didn't make it any easier. Anyway, a week after that and before I could bring myself to post about it, I lost Lyle. I couldn't handle any more sympathy at that point, so Willie never got a proper obituary. My bad. But I know he understands.

I was surprised by all the interest you showed in the Photoshop posts. I feared I might lose some of you forever after that...

From Cheryl:
Q. Will you teach me how to use Photoshop? Or at least Elements?
A. Ummm .... no. But only because there are excellent free tutorials available by the masters who actually know what they're doing. Seriously, I've been using Photoshop since 1995 because of my paying job, and after 10 years, I STILL have barely scratched the surface of what it can do (I'm now using version CS4). It is the most powerful and complicated software I have ever worked with. For those of you who are itching to make your photos better, Photoshop is probably way more than you need and I'd encourage you to look at Photoshop Elements instead. Many of the popular Actions that are available for Photoshop are also available for Elements.

From Penni:
Q. I feel very ignorant asking this, but what is PW? Actually, there were two programs that you'd mentioned were free -- where do we find them?
A. PW is Pioneer Woman...Penni, you need to get out more :-). The photography section of her blog contains free downloadable Photoshop Actions and a slew of tutorials on digital photography basics. She taught me something just yesterday about a button on my camera that I've been ignoring for two years because I hate reading manuals. You should see the bruise on my forehead from slapping it so hard. That's the thing about digital photography and Photoshop - you can learn something new every stinkin' day. Anyway, if you use any version of Photoshop, you'll want to check out PW's free Photoshop Actions right here. And Jodi at MCP Actions also has a blog with tutorials and actions available, some for free and others for purchase.

Speaking of free...

From kadfoto:
Q. That font you're using on the pictures is great.
A. Talk about a find ... you've got to check out Kevin and Amanda's free fonts.


From deejbrown:
Q. Tell us why the "final version of George is perfect the way it is." What are your parameters for a good photo overall?
A. I don't have a freakin' clue – at the moment – because I never tried to explain it in words. I just know a good photo when I see one. But I'll ponder this for awhile, then tackle the question in a post of its own.

Deets continues to work his charm wherever he goes. Dang, I love that cat...

From Shirley and Bibi:
Q. How did you come up with his name?
Q. As a devoted member of the Deets fan club, can you tell us why you named MY cat Deets?
A. My favorite book and western of all time is "Lonesome Dove," and Deets is one of my favorite characters therein – a loyal friend and expert tracker who happens to be black.

From Slingback:
Q. Is he getting skinnier, by the way? (I'm not saying you're not feeding him ...)
A. He does look a little lean standing up there on the edge, doesn't he? Like all good gymnasts, I think he was exaggerating his leg positions on this particular apparatus to achieve those long, graceful lines the judges love.

From Linda and Sam:
Q. My mammoth jennet ate a recently deceased blue belly lizard. She did this quite intentionally and methodically, first looking, then sniffing, then tasting, then crunching it up like a carrot. She liked it. Holy herbivores, Rancher-Woman, what am I to make of this?!
A. We've got blue belly lizards out the wazoo over here, and George and Alan don't touch them. Maybe because they are strict vegetarians? Or maybe Deets and Smooch get to them first?

From Carol Lane:
Q. Have George and Alan lost their wooly coats?
A. They're working on it. Burros have a strange way of shedding – they sort of work from both ends toward the middle. Right now, their butts and chests are wearing summer attire but their backs, sides and bellies are still wearing fur. Quite the fashion statements, those two.

Thanks again for your questions, everybody. We'll be back next Friday with more answers and behind-the-blog scoop for your inquiring minds.

18 comments:

  1. I'm amazed at some of the questions you answered today that actually had been running through my mind, such as how Deets got his name. Guess I'm going to have to read Lonesome Dove again because I don't remember that character. Duh!

    A good way to start Friday mornings ... thanks Carson!

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  2. I really enjoy your Q&A Friday posts. Keep 'em coming, please.

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  3. I'd just like to say, I love Q&A Friday!

    *I was wondering how you got those overhead shots of Smooch too!

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  4. Thanks Carson: I wondered about Willy the goat just the other day and now I know. I'm sorry for the news. He was perhaps the oldest goat ever.
    Talk soon! Best always, Sandra

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  5. As a long time Elements user, I would highly recommend the Adobe "classroom in a book" books that are written for the various versions of Elements. Work at your own pace; learn A LOT.

    My local library has them......

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  6. Linda, so sorry to hear about sweet Willie. ((hugs))

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  7. Thanks for answering my question; I had forgotten about that character in Lonesome Dove. Deets is well named! And thanks for the photography links too.

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  8. sorry to hear about willie. you sure had to deal with a lot at once didn't you? another reason why i so admire you =o)

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  9. I knew you'd say no but nothing ventured, nothing gained. If I read the manual to my camera, I'd be in better shape. Eventually I'll have to overcome my fear of Elements and take the plunge.

    Thanks for FAQ Friday. It always clears up the mysteries I forget to mention.

    Sorry for your loss, Linda. I don't blame you one little bit for not posting about it. Grief is a process and things come in their own time.

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  10. *grin* Thanks for another inside look and for helping me feel like less of a noodge because I don't know all there is to know about Photoshop. I'm thrilled if I can manage a layer that works. :o)

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  11. Our little mini donkey is in the same coat as George and Alan. I would have thought with the hot weather, they would have shedded much quicker. I would imagine it's quite warm with this heat.

    Two new questions for next Friday. What do you feed Hank, George and Alan besides hay or alfalfa? What does the Porcupine Princess eat?

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  12. So sorry you lost Willy and Lyle so close together, and that neither got to see Spring.
    I understand what you mean about not being able to handle any more sympathy at the time though. Sometimes we need some space to deal with these things on your own. Hope you can now smile at your many memories of the two of them, and of all other animals friends who have passed.
    Until you meet again ...

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  13. Wow! Super cool font find, thanks so much for sharing.

    Love the Q&As!

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  14. Really sorry to hear about little Willie's passing. Have been thinking about him from time to time, now I know he is in a good place. Give Wynona my love, too, guess it has been a change for her not having Willie as her neighbour.

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  15. I just wanted to mention about Linda and Sam's, comment about their jennet eating a lizard. I have read several stories on message boards about horses eating rabbits, and even catching one and killing, eating it. Pretty wierd, but it isnt an unheard of thing.

    Your 4-legged kids are so funny! LOL

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  16. Lonesome Dove is one of my favorites too except for the snake scene. Don't tell Wynonna the reason Duvall won't get his leg cut off--cause he want to kick a pig.
    Photo elements 8 works for me and my brain. I bought a ebook to refer to.

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  17. okay...several things....
    first....even though you shared technical stuff that I quite frankly skipped over - b/c it will never happen in my world - you have a very entertaining way of teaching and it is still a good read. So you have not lost any of us!

    Second - as far as I'm concerned heat is heat: dry or not! I live in the wet heat of the south but have been in the blast furnace of the west......not sure what is really better!

    third - I was also wanting to know your parameters for good. But when you are great at something like you are at photography (among other things), you intuitively know what works....so I totally understand about not being able to explain it in words.

    and finally on a serious note - obituaries and eulogies are for the living. Willie is most honored by your many fond memories of him and by the smile I'm sure he brings to your face when you think of him

    sorry for the lonnnnnggggg comment

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  18. I'll remember Willie with the bucket around her neck... ;)

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