Scattered Thoughts . . .

In addition to using a tripod for these shots, I also used a small flash which can be seen reflecting in the eyes of this tiny birds. I've been wanting to try using a tripod when shooting birds over the past couple of days but the birds around the house disappeared for a few days while we had a hawk in the area. My tripod and camera sat in front of the kitchen window waiting for some birds to return so I could attempt to shoot while using a tripod. This afternoon we had a few very skittish birds out there so today was my first chance at giving this a quick whirl. I only spent about ten minutes testing what it is like to shoot with a tripod but I came away from this short practice session feeling that using a tripod for bird photography is the way to go! The tripod allowed me to shed the weight of the camera which is a tremendous help for my spinal injuries. The tripod also kept the camera rock steady. I should also point out that my spinal injuries are so severe that hand...

I've been feeling a bit better the past few days as related to the lingering cold that Sheila and I have been struggling with since January. Now I am struggling with lingering fatigue... an oppressingly overwhelming fatigue which defies any accurate description. I slept for 11 hours last night... 10 hours a night has been the norm since this cold started in January. I've also been sleeping for 3-4 hours every afternoon... and, sometimes, I've been napping for upwards of 5 hours. That doesn't leave much time awake each day! I manage to get beyond breakfast each day... make my lunch... but then have no energy for cooking dinner. I rarely even have the energy to shower although I do shower on some days but must skip breakfast in order to save some energy so I can shower.   Energy management... everything is a trade-off. My body is rundown and I can't seem to accomplish much. Needless to say, I am quite bored and feel the need to accomplish something.  A fe...