It's been quite a while since my last post here. I've been pretty active on Instagram @vauns_photography and on Uglyhedgehog.com @Vaun's Photography. Since my last post I've adopted an 8 year old Australian Blue Heeler or cattle dog 🐕. He came with the name T'Challa which is an African word which translates as Black Panther. We decided that name was more appropriate for a feline 🐈 than a dog 🐕, so we renamed him Ranger. He is a bundle of energy! And he loves to ride, usually in my pickup, but sometimes in my car 🚗. He needs some training still, but he is learning somethings already. He has learned to wait, usually patiently, as I take photos on our daily walks, of which there are usually two per day. Some things he needs to learn not to do include chasing cats, chasing squirrels or rabbits and tracking scents onto the road in front of traffic. My wife says he's definitely my dog 🐕, so, unless I'm sick, it's my responsibility to walk him and to clean up behind him. He stay inside a lot of the time, but he is able to go outside in our front yard during the day. Mobile Home Park rules require him to be inside at night. He gets to go hiking with me when I'm well enough to go. We're glad his part of our family now!

It's been some time since I've posted here. With Covid19 still a concern with many of us, I've added a new interest in my life. Well it's not really that new, but it has been quite a long time since I've had guppies and seen their small babies, also known as fry. I used to have Neon Tetras in my 5 gallon aquarium, but now I've got two guppies, a female which last month gave birth to at least 1 fry, possibly two. I have separated the fry and put it in a1.5 gallon aquarium. The first male died and has been replaced and the female is pregnant again. Now in the 5 gallon aquarium are the two guppies, one Cherry shrimp and a snail 🐌. In the 1.5 gallon aquarium are the fry, a Blue Phantom shrimp and another snail 🐌. I have live plants in both tanks. I have read and heard that aquariums require less maintenance with live plants. The photo is of the fry and the snail in the 1.5 gallon aquarium. Stay safe and healthy!

I recently changed my aquarium from Neon Tetras which had all died, to Guppies. I started out with one female and one male. I added a rainbow shrimp for cleaning the bottom, and a snail for algae control on the glass sides. The female became pregnant, the male died. The female gave birth, not the multiple births I expected, but to just one. Now I need to set up a tank for the baby, called a fry. I have a smaller tank which I can use, I have a heater, but need a water filter and thermometer for the new tank. Shown in the photo is the fry, needing a new home soon for its protection.

Monday I was going to climb one of the local foothills, called Mt Peak. But the world gave me a lemon in the form of a flat tire. I got the jack out and was prepared to jack the car up and put the spare tire on, when I realized that my lug wrench wouldn't work on my lug nuts. I ended up walking somewheres around 4.5 to 5 miles to the nearest auto parts store to buy the splined socket and a 4 way lug wrench needed to remove the after market lug nuts. On my way to the store I took the scenic route and got 15 or so photos, mostly of nature. I did discover that my new 4 way lug wrench works rather nicely as a base for my crystal ball. So taking the scenic route was my way of making lemonade out of the flat tire lemon.

A little louder please! It was officially confirmed that my hearing loss in my left ear is around 80%. I have surgery scheduled for the 26th of this month, to put a drainage tube in my ear. Until then, when people speak to me I may find myself saying to them, "A little louder please!". This photo I have selected is one I took this morning. Today is Thursday, Oct 15, and the time is 9:22 p.m.