Last Saturday, we did a trial run to see if we could get decent tower climbing footage. There are many adjustments that could have been made and will be made in the future. For one thing, that shoulder cam is not positioned right. I may have to mount it on a helmet or more in the front at a different angle. I’d like to make it removable so that it can be maneuvered, once at the top of the tower, for panoramic video.
And then there was the issue of a missing master key as well as the barbed wire fence, which didn’t stop my partner, yet left me at a distance to film. Really, that was an exception and hasn’t happened to us before this, especially since we always get permission.
This video is long and not what I wanted to make, yet it gives me a point from which to grow, practice, and learn.
[Edited to add: We shot this footage, and contributed other footage, to Frontline's "Cell Tower Deaths" story by ProPublica, which was originally supposed to air February 21, 2012. It has since been replaced by a rerun, not a time-sensitive news piece.]
Last Thursday, I putzed around in the garden with the camera that I am borrowing from a friend. I walked around the raised beds and compost bins, showing and sharing all that is going on out there. When I watched it, I nearly died… from the drone of my own voice.
My man and I took a little tour down to Illinois this weekend to do a bit of tower work. Or, more precisely, he did an installation of five anemometers on a tower while I hunted around at the local thrift stores. I didn’t score a thing. I made myself feel better about that by a friendly little shopping spree at Sephora.
Here’s a little zoom in on theother23 while he’s working, and there’s another photo HERE.
I’m doing good. Thanks for your kind words. I will get little notes out to all of you soon. On Monday, I will return with the “something old” project. In the meantime, here is a little video from when I was foraging for catnip on Wednesday. It is a very hardy herb, and I’m able to dig under the snow and ice for it pretty much all winter long.
This has been the most rewarding holiday season, pre-holiday season even, that I can remember. I think that it comes down to a few things, most important of which is to not overwhelm myself. There are holiday tasks that I am behind on (getting out the cards that have packages with them, such as cowls) and things that I won’t get to do, but I decided early on that I would keep it simple. Then, whatever extra that I want to do and have time to do will be considered SUPER-FUN, EXTRA BONUS TIME!!!
Here is what is keeping me sane so far this season…
Easy meals on busy days — On a hectic day, try an easy brisket. I made this yesterday and put it in at 9:30 AM. At four, I sliced a couple of potatoes and carrots in half, and I dropped them into the slow cooker. At five, we ate and the food melted in our mouths. Today, I have plenty of leftovers. Other easy meals that I like to prepare, which are big enough to accomodate surprise guests and/or provide leftovers include chili and roast chicken.
Stretching out my baking and keeping it simple – I choose a few favorite treats to make and have enough ingredients to make each several times. Instead of doing all of my baking at once, I do it over the course of several weeks throughout the holidays. This way, I always have something fresh to serve, and I also have goodies to give away to friends and family. Right now, there are cellophane packages of peppermint bark in the fridge. I will be making that again in a few days since it is so quick and easy. I am also doing spritz cookies. I am keeping plenty of baking supplies on hand for those urges that I tend to get this time of year that simply say, “go in the kitchen and bake.” Who am I to argue?!
Quick and easy last-minute gifts — Crocheting is relaxing to me. How cool is it that I can create gifts while kicking back?! Answer: VERY. Before the busy season began, I found a few simple things to crochet that make nice gifts. A lot of people will be receiving the one-row lace cowl (link to pdf at bottom of post) and the one-skein scarf (pdf). I like that I can adjust both to suit the needs of the giftee by changing the number of stitches and/or rows, not to mention the size of the hooks.
I keep forgetting to note that, although I’ve had a Tumblr for a very long time, I am just now starting to update it regularly with things that inspire me. Think of it as my online inspiration board. You can find it HERE.
I am a wee bit scattered today (pretty obvious, eh?), so I’m going to watch my favorite home video from last winter and then finish those last stitches on Red is in the ‘hood. I will be blocking that puppy sometime today.
Tomorrow? SOLSTICE! In case I don’t make it back by then, have a merry and bright one.
For the first half of this week, there was a viral video of a tower climber online. The video was removed because it was (really obviously) disregarding OSHA regulations for the industry.
I thought I’d share some photos and THIS VIDEO of my own tower climber.
Be sure to watch for the “heart attack”, which is when the climber’s lifeline shifts and he drops a few inches. As you can tell, these guys love that. In the background, you can see the snow-covered Mississippi River. The guys are at 1000 feet.
These photos are from a work day five years ago. We went to a half-dozen towers to take photos. I covered the necessary ground shots of the electronic installations in the equipment buildings while my husband climbed and took pictures of the installations on the towers.
This is going to be a crazy-busy week. There is so much to do in general, not to mention the preparations for the upcoming weekend. (Note to self: Call dog kennel to reserve boarding!) I don’t think that I’ll fit in any photo shoots or hikes, but maybe a few pictures and a short walk or two.
I hope to get back here again this week. Enjoy your Monday, and Tuesday, and so on…
All content on this site, unless otherwise stated, is my property and cannot be reproduced without permission. If you'd like to use anything, please drop me a line at jodi@akeepingofdays.com. Thanks so much!
