Showing posts with label Radio Flyer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Radio Flyer. Show all posts

Sunday, November 21, 2021

Quick Flight on an Autumn Day

 

Guiding Radio Flyer in the Yard
Elkridge, MD
November 20, 2021

The Pool and Pool House
Elkridge, MD
November 20, 2021
I realized that I hadn't flown Radio Flyer, my drone, in quite a while. I took it outside yesterday, before I cleared the pool deck and the yard of the leaves, to record some of the images of the Autumn. It was fun flying Radio Flyer for 9 minutes around the property. I got some good images to record the way things are and I was at the controls of my drone again. It is amazing how long it takes to feel comfortable flying the drone after a long layoff.

The last flight was on April 4th and it also lasted for about 9 minutes and achieved the same stunning maximum altitude of a whopping 66 feet. 

I guess I have not been anywhere where the drone would be very useful in recording. 

One thing I noticed was the arrangement of the lawn chairs behind the pool house. They were in an interesting pattern as a result of having the propane tanks removed. The propane company no longer could reach them with their new equipment--the hose was not long enough and the pool heater was beyond end of life, so we had the tanks removed. We had salvaged the pool heater a couple weeks ago. Frankly, we had not used the pool heater in over two years. With the towering ash trees gone, the pool not gets plenty of direct sunlight to be enjoyable all season long. 

I can see the leaves in the pool deck and also in the yard. They aren ow all gone. I spent the rest of the day moving the leaves back into the wooded area from where they came.

The new pool cover looks really as it protects the pool. Hopefully opening will be really easy next year. 

The yards, the pool, and the the pool house are ready for the worst that winter can throw at them. The next time I expect to see the grass this green is in March--when the first cutting will need to be made. 


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Wednesday, April 7, 2021

Easter Egg Hunt 2021


 After a year hiatus for the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual family Easter Egg Hunt resumed this year on a sunny and bright Easter afternoon. Most of the adults in the family are fully vaccinated and so we took advantage of the opportunity to get together and celebrate. And celebrate we did as there were 10 people, 7 dogs, and 2 cats involved in the holiday. Amazingly, no one and no animals were lost during the day's festivities.

The Easter Egg Hunt is a big event in our family--everyone participates. To prepare for this year's edition, Chris and I hid 125 Easter eggs around the house. I am happy to report that 124 were discovered. We still do not know where the one remaining egg is hiding.



I was able to fly Radio Flyer, my DJI Spark drone, to document the event. For the first time this year we began the festivities on the pool deck rather than in the front yard. That made it even more interesting as everyone streamed through the starting gate and out into the field of play. 

It was great fun and I have already forgotten which team actually found the most eggs, but everyone was a winner. And the best part was that dinner followed the hunt!


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, June 4, 2020

Finding a Normal Again


Pool Party
Elkridge, MD
June 3, 2020
It was hot yesterday! It was our first 90 degree day since October 2019 and the 96 degree temperature reading was 50 degrees hotter than the temperature on Monday morning, just two days previous. 


I loved it. 

Pool Party from Above
Radio Flyer above Elkridge, MD
June 3, 2020
With the arrival of the hot weather, we had our first pool party of the coronavirus era as our family works to find the new normal. Their community pool remains closed and so two of our grandsons along with three of their friends arrived about 11:30 AM for a day of fun in the heat! It was great to watch them swim and play in the water. The draconian rules that will be implemented at most public pools will preclude kids actually playing in the water, for a good reason and for their own protection. But a vetted family and friends group, such as the one in my pool yesterday, is perfect for a private pool.

It was such a nice day that I even took Radio Flyer up for a short 9 minute  to a maximum altitude of 55 feet flight to capture the scene from above. At one point the boys threw balls at the drone--so I had to anticipate the throws and move away from the potential danger.

I believe that the pool will see a lot of activity this year from family and close friends due to the reduced opportunities to enjoy the water in their own neighborhoods. 

We are all struggling to find the new normal as we learn to live with the coronavirus.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Filling another Coronavirus Stay-at-Home Day




Firepit from Above
Elkridge, MD
April 19, 2020
On Sunday, while I had Radio Flyer flying, I took a couple images just for fun. I gave me something to do on a coronavirus Sunday. I have been fascinated with what is called the "Birdseye" view of things on the ground. It is amazing how different something looks from the air rather than from our normal perspective. I thought this was a very interesting view from about only 35 feel AGL. Radio Flyer was below the trees, yet imaged this unique view of the fire pit. Interestingly, the chairs that usually are around the pit are missing, because it had been rainy and cold since I mowed the week before. 

The Pool
Elkridge, MD
April 19, 2020
The other image that I took was of the pool. The recently replastered pool which is now full of water and fully swimmable, although it is too cold to even consider getting into the water at this point. This image was taken from about 50 feet AGL to get the whole pool in the frame. As an aside, I received an interesting notice from my electric supplier the other day advising me that we were using more electricity during April than is normal and to expect a high bill than in previous years. I quickly determined that the increase is because we have been running the 1 1/2 horsepower pump daily since the end of March when the pool was filled with water. But, the pool, as you can see, is looking great!! I cannot wait for warmer temperatures and summertime parties!

Every day, it seems, I must find new a way to enjoy the day while protecting myself from coronavirus exposure. I know that this is not a dress rehearsal for retirement because I cannot go to the beach! And when I am retired there will be a daily obligatory walk on the beach.

 Important Update from Yesterday: Working during the Coronavirus

No limbs or digits were lost during the making of the video showing Chris splitting wood. For that matter, no limbs or digits were lost by either of us during the entire time we rented the log splitter.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, April 20, 2020

Monday Musings - April 20, 2020



1. Welcome to the last third of April. After a warm start, the weather has turned cold. Too cold. The winemakers of Maryland and Virginia suffered through harvest killing frosts over the weekend.

Eastern Redbud Tree
the Usual View
Elkridge, MD
April 19, 2020
2. Coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, is still raging and most small businesses remain shuttered. As of this morning there are 759,786 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.S. which have resulted in 40,683 deaths. Get the current numbers at COVID-19 Map.

Eastern Redbud Tree from Above
Radio Flyer in Action
Elkridge, MD
April 19, 2020
3. I had this really cool idea about flying my drone to get a view of our redbud tree from above. I thought the perspective would be interesting. And, indeed it was an interesting image. I took an image from the side of the tree, the usual view, and one from above--sadly, even though it is the same tree, the color saturation is different. But the effect is interesting. It was fun navigating Radio Flyer, my drone, among the branches of the other trees that tower above the redbud tree in a light wind. 

4. It truly is frustrating that gasoline prices are so low, but I have no where that I need to drive. 

5. The cold weather has made working outside difficult, until yesterday. With temperatures in the 60's it was fun to be outside. I finally completed the brake job on my truck! New pads and rotors for the front. Good for another 55,000 miles!

6. On my daily walk I discovered . . . Walking basically the same route every day, I have begin to really notice the changes of the season and the activity happening in the neighborhood. I recently, over the course of three days, watch a new deck be built on one house. 

7. It is supposed to be in the 60s again today! Yay!

8. Finnegan likes to bark at squirrels! They ignore him, which of course makes him bark more.

9. Today in History. On April 20, 1999, two teenage gunmen kill 13 people in a shooting spree at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, south of Denver. At approximately 11:19 a.m., Dylan Klebold, 18, and Eric Harris, 17, dressed in trench coats, began shooting students outside the school before moving inside to continue their rampage. By 11:35 a.m., Klebold and Harris had killed 12 fellow students and a teacher and wounded another 23 people. Shortly after noon, the two teens turned their guns on themselves and committed suicide.


Headlines

Hong Kong Arrests Spark Anger From Movement That Has Left the Streets - The Wall Street Journal

Protests Against Stay-at-Home Orders Grow, Encouraged by Trump - The New York Times

In Pandemic, a Remote Russian Region Orders a Lockdown on Information - The New York Times

South Koreans return to work, crowd parks, malls as social distancing rules ease - Reuters

Deserted Thai beaches lure rare turtles to build most nests in 20 years - Reuters

Top Navy admiral to decide fate of ousted Captain Crozier - OANN

At least 16 people, including gunman, dead in Nova Scotia shooting — Canada’s deadliest in history - The Washington Post



Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week





-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Escaping Coronavirus


Me Sitting on the Car Flying
RadioFlyer
Elkridge, MD
March 18, 2020
Chris Retrieving Golf Balls that She Just Hit
Radio Flyer, Elkridge, MD
March 18, 2020
Another day played out in America. The COVID-19 pandemic continued and I grew more weary of hearing about it everywhere I went and on every news show. I had a medical appointment in the afternoon and it felt as if I was walking into a biohazard zone, but I was comforted in the care they took to keep everyone safe.

It's a pandemic, got it! 
It's bad, got it!

I needed a moment of escape. So what did I do? I took to the air with Radio Flyer, my trusty drone, to get some images of the Springtime and escape the pervasive reality for a few minutes. It was a 12 minute flight achieving a maximum altitude of 48 feet--not even higher than the tallest trees. It was the first flight since December 14, 2019. 

Bartlett Pear in the Neighbors Yard
Radio Flyer, Elkridge, MD
 March 18, 2020
A Tree in Full Bud Preparing to Leaf
Radio Flyer, Elkridge, MD
March 18, 2020
The flight was not about time nor distance, but rather documenting the arrival of Springtime. 

And it was a nice Spring day! Although the temperatures were a bit cool, the sun shone for much of the day and we began working around the house doing those springtime projects that just need to be done. 

It was Day 3 of America under COVID-19 siege. But my spirits flew with my drone, at least for 12 minutes, and then it was off to my medical appointment. 

Someday I hope we will all look back and remember these weeks as the time when we grew together as a nation against the unseen evil. But, for now we need to band together one day at a time and, when we can, find healthy ways to escape the dire news and restrictions on everyday life. 

We are all in this together.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Fox in the Yard


The House as Winter Arrives from Radio Flyer
Elkridge, MD
December 15, 2019
I finally got Radio Flyer up into the skies yesterday. I had not flown my trusty drone since recording the aftermath of the August storms.  But yesterday seemed to be a nice day for a few quick flights and I was able, after troubleshooting some software issues, to get airborne--although I kept the altitude below the tree tops. The image of the house is from my first flight.

Fox in the Yard
Elkridge, MD
December 14, 2019
On my second flight, I decided to check out the yard, my highest altitude for that flight was 10 feet and I zipped Radio Flyer around the yard. I was surprised when I scared a fox that was lurking in the grasses around the pool. It was a big fox with a beautiful coat. It stopped and watched the drone hover while I took pictures. 

I had noticed fewer rabbits in the area lately--the fox is the likely reason. Chris and I are going to be more careful about letting Finnegan outside. We will have to clear the area before allowing him to run free. With the arrival of the fox, the yard is getting a bit dangerous. We have a big hawk and now a fox. All we need now to really increase the danger level is a bear or cougar!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Storm Damage


Tree Limb on Pool House
Elkridge, MD
August 18, 2019
I wrote briefly about Sunday's storm with the microburst right over the house in Monday Musings. I wanted to do a follow-up. 

The storm was brutal in the neighborhood. A large tree went down crashing through a neighbor's fence on Duckett's Lane. That was the biggest damage, but we are still evaluating the mess associated with our pool house roof and trying to decide how to get rid of the huge limb caught in the trees. 

After the Storm in the Pool
August 18, 2019
The storm gave me the opportunity to get Radio Flyer up in the air to survey the damage. The mess really looked different form the air, but the limb in the trees with branches extending onto the pool house was definitely visible. The mess that the storm left in the pool was likewise obvious. 

Chris and I are still collecting branches and sticks from the yard. They are hard to see in the picture of the limb on the pool house--but they are everywhere. The dead ash trees were dropping limbs everywhere. Jeremy and Lucas were here during the storm and they were a great help restoring the pool to swimmable condition and doing some of the work collecting sticks and broken branches from everywhere. 

The storm was one of the worst that has blown through here. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, June 10, 2019

Monday Musings - June 10, 2019




1. It has been a two-week hiatus, but Monday Musings is back! Do I hear cheering?

2. Welcome to the second Monday of June. Summer is upon us.
Where I Was Last Monday
Tequesta, Florida
from Radio Flyer
June 4, 2019

3. I have to confess, because I was in Florida last week I did not even realize that it was Monday and forgot to write Monday Musings.

4. It was sobering to watch the President making remarks from Normandy's beaches on the anniversary of D-Day reminding me that it had been 75 years since oppression was repulsed.

5. The youth baseball season is over but not forgotten. We are having a team party next weekend. 

6. The rains have started again. Chris and I got some great outdoors work accomplished during the good weather. Another 8 bags of mulch were placed in the gardens and the pool was spruced up a bit.

7. I am enjoying that it does not get dark until after 8:30 PM. It makes the days last longer.

8. The official start of summer is less than two weeks away! Summer begins on June 21st at 11:54 AM!

9. Reminder--schools are beginning to release for the summer during the next two weeks! Watch out for distracted children and parents.




Headlines


Hundreds of thousands march in Hong Kong to protest China extradition bill - Reuters



Texas Is Latest State to Pump the Brakes on Red-Light Cameras - The New York Times


Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week


Winston Churchill said, "The destiny of man is not measured by material computations. When great forces are on the move in the world, we learn we're spirits -- not animals." And he said, "There's something going on in time and space, and beyond time and space, which, whether we like it or not, spells duty."

You and I have a rendezvous with destiny.

We'll preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we'll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.


  -- A Time for Choosing, October 27, 1964, Los Angeles, CA

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, June 8, 2019

Saturday at Home


Chris, Me, and Finnegan in Front of our Florida Home
Tequesta, Florida
June 4, 2019
I was going to start by writing that I am at home for the first weekend in a while, but then I realized that last Saturday I traveled from one home to the other. It is still weird to try and wrap my mind around that seeming contradiction of traveling away from home to come home. 

I am already looking forward to my return trip to Florida during July to enjoy additional time at our southern residence. 


Chris and Finn Chatting with Neighbors in the Pool
Tequesta, Florida
June 4, 2019
I was able to get Radio Flyer airborne on one occasion during our most recent trip south. It was our last day after all of the work had been done around the house before we decided to pack for our return trip north. The first image from Radio Flyer is of the entrance to our Florida home. The blue car is in the driveway in front of our garage and we are on the walkway to our front door. Did you notice the palm tree in the front of there condo? Yup, I have a palm tree of my own!


Looking to the Atlantic
Tequesta, Florida
June 4, 2019
The neighborhood is a very nice place to relax and everyone seems very nice and friendly. We have met many of the neighbors in our community, especially those with whom we share the building. The pool is across the street, but the entrance is around to the other side from where we live. 

I flew Radio Flyer up to about 200 feet and aimed the camera towards the east to show how close we are to the ocean. The water in the middle of the image is the Intracoastal Waterway and Indian River, the tall buildings are on Jupiter Island and beyond is the mighty Atlantic Ocean. The road in the foreground is US 1. It seems that I enjoy living near US 1 as it drive on it every day in Maryland and now also in Florida. 

The location is perfect and we are able to get to the beach in less than five minutes. We actually clocked it at four minutes one day, of course when the drawbridge is up it takes a few minutes longer.

Dreaming of being home! Wait, I am!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Barn


Barn in a Field
Ithaca, NY
May 27, 2019
Traveling is tough sometimes, well, all the time. 

Over last weekend I finally got to fly Radio Flyer again and get some images of the area around Ithaca. I still have not been able to fly into some of the gorges to capture the beauty there, but I hope to remedy that soon. 

On one of my early morning Memorial Day flights, I was able to capture this barn which sits alone in a field. I thought the red board contrasted nicely with the tree springtime grasses and trees. 

The flights that Radio Flyer  made on Monday were not long, but they were my first flights in over a month. I am amazed at how the weeks seem to be slipping away. At least it is only being lost a day at a time.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Omaha, NE


Monday, April 22, 2019

Monday Musings - April 22, 2019



Easter Sunday Basketball
From Radio Flyer
April 21, 2019
1. It is the 4th Monday of April. Easter was yesterday. Springtime has arrived.

2. i made a  mistake yesterday, I looked at the pool and it appears like the black lagoon. Getting it ready for the swimming season is going to be difficult.

The Family
From Radio Flyer
Easter Sunday 2019
3. Easter has passed, but we are people of Easter. Christ has risen.

4. Yesterday was a day for families and ours gathered to play some basketball, enjoy great food, participate in an Easter egg hunt, and just take a few minutes out of a busy world to be together.

5. I learned a new phrase yesterday: eucharistic hospitality. I was encouraged to see this phrase the bulletin of the church we attended.

6. When the weather is nice, and the weather forecasters are wrong about impending storms, I think I enjoy being outside more. 

7. Baseball can be frustrating. Yesterday, for example, the Orioles were down 4-3 to the Twins at the bottom of the 9th inning with the bases loaded and 2 outs. The batter had a 3-0 count when the pitcher threw ball 4 to walk in the tying run. NO wait! The umpire called the, obvious to everyone, Ball 4 a strike. On the next pitch the batter hit a gentle fly ball to the outfield and the game ended  with the Orioles losing! It was a classic case of: "They was robbed!"

8. Radio Flyer took to the skies yesterday to document the Easter Egg Hunt. Sadly, the video didn't come through and so the antics of the family were lost. I was looking forward to the birds-eye view of the dogs chasing each other around the fire pit.

9. Today in History. On this day in 1970, Earth Day, an event to increase public awareness of the world’s environmental problems, is celebrated in the United States for the first time. Millions of Americans, including students from thousands of colleges and universities, participated in rallies, marches, and educational programs.


Headlines

Sri Lanka Bomb Attacks Targeting Christians Kill Hundreds - The New York Times

The Sweet Success of the Spiral-Cut Ham - The New York Times

Capitalism in crisis: U.S. billionaires worry about the survival of the system that made them rich - The Washington Post

U.S. prepares to end Iran oil waivers; Asian buyers to be hardest hit - Reuters


Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

``When World War II ended, the United States had the only undamaged industrial power in the world. Our military might was at its peak, and we alone had the ultimate weapon, the nuclear weapon, with the unquestioned ability to deliver it anywhere in the world. If we had sought world domination then, who could have opposed us?
``But the United States followed a different course, one unique in all the history of mankind. We used our power and wealth to rebuild the war-ravished economies of the world, including those of the nations who had been our enemies. May I say, there is absolutely no substance to charges that the United States is guilty of imperialism or attempts to impose its will on other countries, by use of force.''
Remarks to Members of the National Press Club on Arms Reduction and Nuclear Weapons, November 18, 1981

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, March 3, 2019

The Color of Winter




South of Williamsport, PA
Headed North on Route 15
March 1, 2019
Chris and I celebrated the arrival of the month of March by making a quick trip to Central New York to return Mom and Dad. It was quick because we found a break in the oppressive weekend storms and were able to make a dash north on Friday returning yesterday afternoon.

No, It's Not a Black and White Image
The Doan Homestead
Image from Radio Flyer
March 1, 2019
Fortunately, the roads were dry and we only experienced some light snow in the Pennsylvania mountains that created nothing more than a bit of an annoyance.

I flew Radio Flyer, my drone, and obtained some images of my parent's house surrounded by snow. It was fun to fly above the snow, but it was cold so the flight was a short 5 minutes achieving a maximum altitude of 200 feet--to get well above the trees and electric wires.

Birdseye View from Above the Back Yard
The Doan Homestead
Image from Radio Flyer
March 1, 2019
The thing that struck me about the images was the lack of color in the scenes. If you look closely at the image on the left, you will find me in an orange shirt near the lower left part of the image and there is also a black Highlander in the drive with the rear hatch up. Yet the scene seems to be overwhelmed by the contrast of black on white. 

The the lack of color defines the color of the winter, as this scene confirms. I wish there was green or blue in the scene, but winter drains the color from the world. 

Springtime is only 17 days away. I am looking forward to the explosion of color and life that accompanies its arrival.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD 


Monday, February 25, 2019

Monday Musings - February 25, 2019




1. Unbelievably, today is the last Monday in February. This time next week it will be March!

2. Being sick sucks. Giving it to your spouse sucks more because the house continues to be sick and miserable for additional days.

3. The sin of sexual abuse by priests has been hanging over the Catholic church for too long. Something must be done, maybe the Pope is ready to take accountable action, finally.

4. The 2020 Presidential Olympics are underway already. It is going to be another long election season with likely little being accomplished in Washington to move our country forward.

The Neighborhood at Sunset
February 24, 2019
From Radio Flyer
5. We are going to hear a lot about it, so here is the definition of Democratic Socialism, which is very different from pure Socialism. "Democratic socialism is a political philosophy that advocates political democracy alongside social ownership of the means of production, with an emphasis on self-management and democratic management of economic institutions within a market or some form of decentralized planned socialist economy." - Wikipedia

6. Radio Flyer took to the air last evening and captured the late winter view of the neighborhood at sunset after a weekend of gray skies and rain.

7. Why do I enjoy spaghetti westerns so much? This weekend I watched parts of "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" as well as"The Alamo," "Guns of the Magnificent Seven" and "The Magnificent Seven Ride." I do so enjoy the Magnificent Seven music.

8. Chris and I walked our yard yesterday and viewed the ravages of the winter and the rains. We have a lot of work to do to bring the lawn around for the year ahead. 

9. History Today. On February 25, 1964, 22-year-old Cassius Clay shocks the odds-makers by dethroning world heavyweight boxing champ Sonny Liston in a seventh-round technical knockout. The dreaded Liston, who had twice demolished former champ Floyd Patterson in one round, was an 8-to-1 favorite. However, Clay predicted victory, boasting that he would “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” and knock out Liston in the eighth round. 

Today a Bonus History:

10. History Today for Yesterday. On February 24,1836, in San AntonioTexas, Colonel William Travis issues a call for help on behalf of the Texan troops defending the Alamo, an old Spanish mission and fortress under attack by the Mexican army.



Headlines

Pope Francis Ends Landmark Sex Abuse Meeting With Strong Words, but Few Actions - The New York Times


Two bodies recovered after Amazon cargo plane crashes into Texas bay - Reuters




Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

  • I call upon the scientific community in our country, those who gave us nuclear weapons, to turn their great talents now to the cause of mankind and world peace, to give us the means of rendering these nuclear weapons impotent and obsolete.
    — Quote by Ronald Reagan during his Address to the Nation on National Security (March 23, 1983)



-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, February 10, 2019

Thinking of Florida


Jupiter Island, Florida
 Intercostal Side
From Radio Flyer
January 25, 2019
Suffering through the cold of the past couple days, I have been thinking of being in a warmer place--Florida.

The Shops of Jupiter,
Jupiter, Florida
January 20, 2019
I was just there during late January and even though I complained that it was too cool, I dearly would love to have awakened there this morning with the temperature outside my door touching on 16 degrees!

Despite the bright sky, it is too cold. Much too cold. Yes, I know that it is February, but still, I enjoyed the taste of Spring last week and fervently wish that it would return. I know that Spring is officially 38 days away, but I have grown weary of winter: the cold, the rain, and the "wintery mix."

While I was in Florida a few weeks ago I was able to play three rounds of golf despite not being able to spend much time on the beach. I would not even think of touching my clubs right now here in Maryland. Well, I did consider it on Friday, but I was too busy at work.

Look at it this way--a cold day in Florida is a lot warmer than a cold day in Maryland. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

And it is Over


I crawled onto a Southwest flight in West Palm Beach yesterday afternoon with Chris and Finnegan and returned to Maryland.

Blue Skies Over the Condo in Tequesta
January 29, 2019

We boarded the jet under crystal blue skies with temperatures near the 70's and a warm sun invigorating the world and my mood. It was the best weather day of the entire vacation--truly. We are missing really good weather by one week it seems. The rain and cold of the past week is transforming into 70's and 80's and sun for the week ahead in the Palm Beach area or, as it is called by the locals, the Treasure Coast.

I was greeted by snow, ice, and cold upon arrival in Baltimore. Ugh. It is 15 degrees this morning. Back to the cold, hard reality of life.

A View from Tequesta, Florida
Radio Flyer
January 29, 2019
The time away was awesome and Fran and Mary were great hosts. Chris and I played three rounds of golf! That was fantastic. Even though the weather was not beach-worthy, it was golf-worthy. Sadly, my short game still sucks. So does my putting and my driving, lol. I am glad that golf clubs fly free on Southwest.

It was a great trip, all in all, it is always good to get away and now that Chris is retired, we are free to move about the country when school is in session. On the down side, it is only January and I have already consumed six of my precious leave days for the year! Hmmmm. The image I took from above the place where we were staying in Tequesta of Jupiter Island in the distance with the ocean on the horizon  will remind me of the beautiful weather until Chris and I return. Sooner than later, I hope.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, January 26, 2019

What do you do on a Friday Evening in Florida?



Friends on the Intercostal Waterway Beach
Jupiter Island, Florida
January 25, 2019
Palm Trees at the Beach
January 25, 2019
What do you do on a Friday evening in Florida when it has been cool all day?

Go the the beach for Happy Hour, of course!

Yes, we had to wear jackets because the temperature was in the low 60s. And there was no thought of going in the water because the water was about 10 degrees warmer than the air and we would have developed hypothermia. But, sitting in the beach with friends enjoying the sun and waning rays of the afternoon sun is the perfect exclamation point to a great day. The beach was definitely not crowded as we were about the only crazies who ventured out--but it was worth the trip. 

Tequesta Trace from Above
Radio Flyer
January 25, 2019
The images were taken with my drone, Radio Flyer. It has become the ultimate selfie machine. 

Earlier in the day, as I was flying around the neighborhood where we are staying, I managed to get a really interesting Birdseye view image of the street. I am barely visible in the image, but I thought the patterns of the homes and the palms made an interesting visual.



I made a movie of the morning flight coming into the neighborhood. 

Friday was a great day and we started the evening with Happy Hour on the beach.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Tequesta, Florida

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Viewing the Snow from Above


Looking Up the Driveway
January 14, 2019
Radio Flyer made its first flight of 2019 on Monday afternoon. It was a short 4 minute flight with a maximum altitude of 79 feet. 
Looking at the House Covered by Snow
January 14, 2019

The purpose of the flight was to document the snow fall around the house and to get my drone out for its first flight of the year.

While the flight was a short flight, I chose to fly near sunset so that I could get some nice images of the area. 

I liked the way that the relatively light snow was hanging on the juniper trees. They had that wintery, fluffy, snow-covered look like so many of the trees in my Snow Village scene. It was nice that the wind had not blown the snow off the branches yet and that the snow was not so heavy that the branches broke under the weight.
Above the Neighborhood
January 14, 2019

Sunset in January
January 14, 2019
I did get one really nice image of the sunset with an airplane in the distance. I happened to be looking in the right direction as the aircraft was climbing out of Baltimore-Washington International (BWI). We were pretty lucky during the storm in that since the worst of it occurred during the night, not too may flights were canceled. That is always good for the air travelers. 

I need to get Radio Flyer off the ground a bit more, I miss flying.

The images captured are a good reminder of the day and the storm.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

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