theboondork's RV blog

The Arizona desert is sure starting to sound good to me right now

12/16/2016

A gloomy morning at the Bob Hall fishing pier, Padre Island Texas

I've been searching for something good to say about the weather at Padre Island and so far the only thing I can come up with is, it's consistent. It usually starts out cloudy, foggy, and kind of drizzly. Then some of that slowly burns off until it becomes an overcast gray day where the sun might peek out for an hour or two. And then it reverts back to cloudy, dreary, with some gusty winds thrown in. I'm still being told, by those that have a financial reason for keeping me here, that this is not normal, and it will end soon, I kind of believed that a week ago but I'm starting to have my doubts.

I was going to write my post today about the thrill of taking infrared pictures since hundreds of people have requested that I write more information about how I take these pictures... Okay maybe it wasn't hundreds but it was a lot of people that wanted me to write about it....... all right! It was one person, just one, but they were very interested in infrared photography.... Well sort of interested but not a whole lot, but who cares, the point is I didn't get around to writing about it today because I didn't have any infrared pictures to illustrate what I wanted to show. So I went out this morning and took some infrared pictures in a neighborhood here on Padre Island which happened to be right across the highway from the County Park I'm staying at.

Now this is not a good day to take any kind of picture much less infrared pictures, sunshine really helps an infrared picture, and there was none of that to be found today. I took some pictures anyway but on such a gloomy day there nothing to write home about.

I took a quick check of the weather and it looks like all next week is only going to be partly cloudy, HOORAY! Then I looked at the temperatures, and the highs are only going to be in the forties and fifties. I can't catch a break.

theboondork

Another foggy morning at the County Park

Padre Island Beach

10 Comments

OFM

12/16/2016 04:18:30 pm

Generally I found January to be the worst, like most of December has been so far. I am ready to head west after my last doctor visit right after Christmas. Unless the visit goes badly, color me gone by Jan. 1.

theboondork

12/16/2016 05:53:27 pm

I might be right behind you Barney. I've given a lot of thought to that Amistad and Devils River area you told me about and it does sound like a good place to be. I think getting some tires on the Arctic Fox is about the only thing keeping me here right now.

Tom

Anne

12/16/2016 04:49:52 pm

Sorry about your weather.. I write this as my fingers and toes have turned to solid ice. generator needs starting. So cold outside to go start same. I love your humor. Sometime, if you are looking for something to read, try books by Patrick F. McManus. He writes outdoor, camping,, hunting, fishing humor. He used to do the back page of Field and Stream, which is where I first found his work. You cannot not laugh at his stories. You have many of the same qualities in your writing,, dry wit,, understated humor. But still waiting with hundreds of other folks for your entry on IR photos!!

12/16/2016 05:56:27 pm

WOW! I can't believe you've heard of Pat McManus. He has been my favorite author for longer than I can remember, I have every book that Pat has ever written. Unfortunately they are all in my storage room back in Colorado. I thought I was the only one that actually remembered Pat McManus. He is the only author that makes me laugh so hard I have to stop reading, put the book down and walk away so I can catch my breath. And you just compared me to Pat McManus ? I certainly appreciate it and that must be one of the nicest compliments I've ever received, but I'm not qualified to sharpen Pat McManus's pencils. I barely feel like I should be allowed to read his books. But I appreciate it nonetheless.

I have to ask, what State are you in that's that cold, and why do you stay there? I've already finished the first half of a two-part infrared post, so I will have that up tomorrow if everything works out okay. I'm glad you suggested it, it gave me something to do on a foggy dreary day.

Tom

12/16/2016 09:13:58 pm

I can't believe I've found someone who actually has read his books. I wrote to him a few years ago. He actually answered my email. I felt like I had won the lottery. I told him how I had a wretched day at work, came home, picked up one of his books I had and sat down to read. I was mumbling about how they weren't all that runny anyway. I was in a wretched mood. I began to read, a smile, then a soft giggle, a guffaw, a snort, and after a while and only a few pages, i was crying and my ribs were in such pain. WEll, he was that funny and I was in a very good modd. He loved that story. He is my idol and when I write, I try to follow in his very big shoes - write what you know.
I lam currently in middle Georgia. It isn't the temp that's so bad, it's the humidity that makes it feel colder than it is. I'm originally from Buffalo. I cannot leave because of no tow vehicle. I have a plan and it's going to be slow but it is happening. But in the meanwhile, I read your blog and RVSue's blog and I do short camping trips in my toy truck (Nissan Front.).
I really enjjoy your BW photos. I'm not a big proponent of clolor though I do shoot in color at times. But I believe BW exposes the raw emotion of any scene that color would detract from. Reading blog posts and comments keep my spirits up and keep me energized. That and having to get up every 2 hours to let the kittens in or out, separately. No way they would think to come and go together. Looking forward to the IR posts.

12/16/2016 07:55:37 pm

Don't wait on me. If I didn't have the medical restriction, I would have left a couple of weeks ago.

12/16/2016 08:18:12 pm

Not to worry, I'll probably hang around here until a couple of days after Christmas before I head West. I hope it's not hard to find a place to stay during the holidays.

Tom

12/17/2016 09:04:53 am

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you but there were a few rays of sunshine doing their best to make it through a thin layer of clouds this morning, and since that's the best it's been for a while, I went for a walk on the beach.

I think there are very few of us with the taste to appreciate the gravitas, and literary genius of a man like Pat McManus. He was really good at describing one of his and Rancid Crabtree's adventures and making you feel like you were there with them. I've kept all of his books and like to go back and read them every once in a while, and they're just as funny every time I've read them. But it never occurred to me to contact him in any way, I guess I felt I wasn't worthy.

I've spent a lot of time in Georgia, my mom and dad were both born in Georgia. And when my mom was getting old she went back to Cordele to live out the rest of her life just a few miles from a tiny little town called Arabi where she was born.

I can't imagine how tough it must be living without a tow vehicle, but I think I would feel trapped and helpless. In the times when I've felt like that I go into my survival mode of taking one day at a time and little baby steps forward, never looking back, never worrying about what I should've done, always looking at a reachable goal sometime in the near future.

Back a long time ago in the film days I almost always took black and white, partially because I liked it and partially because it was cheaper to develop than color. And I agree a good black and white picture can have more impact than a color picture, which is probably the reason why you see so many artsy pictures in black and white.

It sounds like you have a positive attitude about your situation and I think that can get you out of a bad situation quicker than anything else.... Except of course the lottery.

Tom

12/17/2016 12:45:37 pm

Add me to the McManus band wagon. Poof No eyebrows. That's the one that got me hooked.

BTW, your old stomping grounds is zero today. -6 tonight. I'm ready to head to Phoenix too!

Take care!
Ed

12/17/2016 01:39:20 pm

Wow I Ed, you just made me feel bad for all the whining I've done lately about the cloudy weather that I've had. Those temperatures are exactly the reason that I'm not in Colorado this time of the year.

Looks like Pat McManus had a bigger fan base than I realized. This is starting to make me wish I had the books with me instead of back in Divide.

Thanks Ed you to
Tom

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The Arizona desert is sure starting to sound good to me right now

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