Learning about watermarks

learning about watermarks

Alligator Juniper bark

If you look at the bottom right of the photo above you see a copywrite mark.
I had been noticing many blogs inserting this in the photos, but didn't have any idea how to do it.  My friend Barbara(Me and my Dog) taught me how to do it using a free program for crafters called Serif Craft Artist.  It worked well, but later I heard her say that some people used Picasa to do it.  So I opened Picasa and read the helps on watermarks and it was actually easier to do with Picasa than with Serif Craft artist. Later I checked another photo program and it was Irfanview, and it also has an easy way to add the copywrite to a photo.
It was there all the time but I had not explored the programs so didn't know what it would do.

The picture above is of the bark on an Alligator Juniper.  I've always liked their bark so I used it in this illustration.

Gila Cliff Dwellings

On my off day, I drove 72 miles to visit Gila Cliff Dwellings.  I had been there years ago, but wanted to go again.

Gila Cliff Dwellings

The National Park Service operates the site, and as is normal, they regulate activity to prevent destruction.  There were two guides at the entrance of the trail, welcoming people, and making sure no one carries trash, drinks( except water), and pets up the canyon trail.  I had expected all the rules except the water /soft drink rule.

I had just filled my drink bottle with diet cola 5 minutes earlier, and didn't want to discard it, so I went up the trail with no drink.

I did carry my camera, and a walking stick, wore a hat, and had on appropriate clothing and shoes.

The trail is one mile long, and goes uphill mostly.  I was having some trouble with walking, and stopped for brief breaks about 7 times.  At first I was embarrassed to have to stop, but after a few comments from me to my hiking companion, (apologizing) she and I began to realize that those stops gave us the opportunity to see tiny flowers at our feet, birds in the bushes, etc.  We found multiple opportunities for joyful discoveries!

Black Phoebe

Tiny purple flower, as yet unidentified

Thanks to Mother Nature for all the handiwork!

Wind----or is it WIND?

Yesterday was a wind storm.  Today was a bigger windstorm!  Blowing dust, cooler temperatures, hats flying, no American or New Mexico flags flying.  At work, the wind didn't cause me much difficulty.  I was nicely safe in the  concrete and steel visitor's center, and my pets were safe and warm in the motorhome, but my dog fence was blown over!  It's happened before but I was surprised to see it.  I worked on getting it back up and was relieved that I could let the hounds out to frolic in the yard.  When I first get home they are so very excited and rambunctious!

dusty sky during windstorm

I tried to prop the fence with my yard chairs, but the wind was blowing the chairs out of place and then then the fence would fall over, too.  I finally got out some tie down straps and fastened one end through the fence and hooked it to a chair, and then fastened the other end of the strap to the post on the picnic table shelter.  That seemed to be sufficient to keep that side of the fence stable.

Chair is outside fence and strapped to picnic table pole

I still need to figure out a "fix" for the other side of the fencing.
I tried propping a chair against the fence to support it, but the chair got blown over. So I added a second chair, but they both blew over.  I have to come up with something better. I finally got everything I owned which could be weighted down. I had the idea to pile up rocks in the yard chairs to give them weight for resisting the wind.  So far it has worked well! Sort of... the black chair gets blown over every day even though I have added more and more rocks to both the seat and the legs.

Bike, black chair, purple chair, and walker all weighted with stones

Tomorrow is supposed to be another windstorm, with 60 mph gusts, dust, school closings, etc.  I have been planning to put more rocks in the chairs that are holding my dog fence.  I have realized that the high winds are uncomfortable for the dogs to be in when they want to use the "loo", and if I have no fence then I am needing to be outside to hold their leashes, and they think the leashes mean "going for a walk".  If I can open the door and let them outside, at least the routine is the same as usual, just the wind is different.