Sunsets, Headlights & A Furry Visitor

On the way to pick up Luann after work, I saw this sunset and just had to get a couple of shots.

These were taken as I was walking over to the dock by her office.

The alligator crossing in front of me was kind of neat too.

We're getting our Dodge Magnum ready for sale (got it fully detailed yesterday) and since the headlights were fogged up and had small cracks in the clear plastic, we ordered replacement headlights with halo rings around the main lamps and projector lenses too.

Here is a close-up of the right-hand headlight. It makes the front of the car look meaner now.

And here is our furry visitor, Jaina. She is Brad and Katrina's kitten and since they went on a trip to the Orlando area, we're babysitting her until their return.

When I took the first picture, she got up and came closer to sniff the camera.

Luann tends to call Jaina, "our little grand-child". I know I'm a furry guy, but I don't think my genealogy would have contributed to making such a furry family member...

Such a cutie!
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Virus Alert! Internet Security 2010

We've discovered a trojan/virus called Internet Security 2010 that holds your computer hostage, telling you to buy "Internet Security 2010" software that will remove the trojan. The funny thing is, clicking on anything other than CLOSE (or the 'X') when you receive the infection warnings actually deepens the infection process. One of the indicators that this trojan is giving you troubles, is that it places an icon in your system tray that looks like a red circle with an X in the middle of it.

We have found a free and effective method of removal which first stops the trojan's activities, then the next step is to remove the trojan after it has been halted in its tracks. The following link takes you to BleepingComputer.com which provides you with 2 things you have to download. Follow the steps EXACTLY and it will work for you too. Caution, this trojan can be especially mean, so the longer you let this thing work on your computer, the more destruction is could cause.

Click Here To Go To BleepingComputer.Com

It's a tough computer-world out there, so be careful!
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The Fog Is Closing In

It was real foggy last night, so we stopped on the way home to do a small photoshoot, trying to take advantage of the opportunity.

This gave us a chance to try a few artistic methods, just to answer the "What happens if...?" question.

Remember, 'Click-On-A-Pic" to see a larger version of them.
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Geocaching With The Critters

While we had new tires installed on the Magnum, we decided to look for a nearby geocache, and perhaps get some shots of the native wildlife too.

Luann took this shot as I got a little 'Steve Irwin' with a critter that tends to be native to the area.
(Remember, 'Click-On-A-Pic' to see a larger verson of it!)

Ah, but I get ahead of myself...

After we dropped off the car, we jumped in the van and headed over to a nearby business park that had a geocache in it. On our way, we came across these wild turkeys making their way across a parking lot.

These birds are pretty neat. They have several different patterns on their feathers that only became apparent when one of them spread its wings to fly up into a tree.

Yeah, these guys look quite different from the ones you see on the Thanksgiving Day table...

So, we finished up with the turkeys, got back in the van and headed towards the geocache when we came across this 4-legged 'speedbump' walking across the road. You know we just had to stop and relocate this guy to a safer area.

But, you do have to be careful when you handle one of these guys, because those choppers can cause some damage. He wasn't a happy turtle.

Forgetting about the geocache, we drove over to a nearby park that we had been to recently for a geocaching event and 'launched' the turtle at the canoe launch. He sure took his time leaving though. You can see him sitting at the water's edge (in the middle of the red circle). Eventually, he eased into the water. Welcome to your new home, buddy.

While Luann waited for the turtle to take off, I snapped a couple of photos of this scene. With the turtle gone, we headed back over to the the area where the geocache is supposed to be.

Remember the first image where I was taking a picture of a good-sized alligator? It turns out, the geocache is next to a pond in this business complex where we found the turkeys and the turtle. I guess that's the price you pay when your office is next to a wildlife preserve... So, I took a couple of pictures of the big 'gator' and realized the lighting was wrong and I would need to work my way around to the other side of it for a better shot. Well, as I walked around the backside of the pond, I came across this little beasty sleeping in the grasses near the edge.

And further down, this 5-6 footer was lounging in the sun.

But, my goal was to get a close up of the biggest gator in town, so I made my way closer to my quarry.

And came this close so I could get my shot.

Every time I come across a gator this big, I tend to marvel at how they look something like a dinosaur. I mean, the arms on this guy looks like they're made of some kind of armored plates.

Oh, and while I made my way around the pond, Luann snagged the geocache and dropped off a travel bug too. By the way, as I was getting up close and personal with the gator, my cell phone rang (scaring the bejesus out of me) and it was the tire shop. Time to go pick up the Magnum! So, we may have only found one geocache, but the photographic opportunities were great today...
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See The Sea Cow? We Did!

We went to the Big Bend Power Plant where they have an area specially set up for viewing the manatees that congregate by the cooling water outflows from the steam generators. Afterward our visit, Luann and I went geocaching in an effort to get more exercise. It was a cold day, but since we are both working on losing some weight, off we went...

But first, here is a picture of the power plant from the manatee observation area. ...

Remember, 'Click-On-A-Pic' to see a larger version of the image.

"Watch Your Tail", too funny...

There were a bunch of these spotted rays everywhere.

Oh look! Kylor is here!

And so is Karen, and Brendon and Tony too.

There must have been hundreds of mantee here.

But that makes sense, since the air temperature is in the mid-thirties, but this temp gauge says the water temperature is a tepid 67 degrees.

See the camera on top of this pole? well, if you want to check out the manatees without coming out here, you can go to their webcam page HERE and you can move the cameras around and zoom in and out to get a better look at things around the viewing center.

Peekaboo, I see you!

Here is the inside of the manatee museum (nice and warm) where we needed to find information necessary to complete a virtual cache here. The following signs are scattered throughout the area, and there is much to learn.

It was interesting to read about the manatees that they are tracking in the area.

This shot shows you how busy this place was, even in 38 degree weather.

And I mean it, the place was packed for such a cold day.

A couple of snouts on the surface as these air-breathers get a breath of fresh air.

When we were done, we looked for the geocache located out front. Kylor did a great job of finding it. At this point, Karen and family headed for home, while Luann and I struck out into the nearby environs to look for geocaches and photographic opportunities.

Here's a picture of the power plant, but of the opposite side and from a view from on top of a hill (next to a geocache, of course).

I asked Luann for her tripod and she said it was in the car, so I turned myself into a human tripod instead. That worked.

Found it!

And we swapped the green jeep travel bug for a green street rod TB.

Ah, the light is begining to fail us, so a couple of sunset shots are in order.

It always amazes me the distances Luann's camera can span whenever we go on a photo shoot.

Oh, and I had read a story in the news where green tree iguanas were getting so cold in Miami, that they were stiffening up and losing their grip and falling out of the tree they were sitting in. Well, as I was taking the trash cans out this morning, I came across this good-sized gecko that was upside-down in the grass and completely immobile (it looks like he fell out of our oak tree). We brought him inside, warmed him up and put him back outside later on. Poor little guy...

Here is the almost-frozen gecko I found in the yard when I was taking the trash cans to the curb.

He made himself comfortable in the container I lined with paper towels. After things warmed up a bit, he was set free in the yard and he scurried off. Hope he does well...
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