Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Uh, Oh...

My world is collapsing around my ears...

I went for a walk yesterday and took photos to show you about stuff coming up, things blooming and show some of the things we've been doing out here on the ponderosa. When I downloaded the pictures I had some weird stuff going on with my camera.

Okay, okay, so I sat on it at my niece's place and knocked my lens out of whack, but I pushed it back straight and most of the time it zooms out and back okay. These photos show something that has not happened before. I thought at first that I had gotten my finger in the way because I have done that before, but then the following showed up time and time again on the photos I took yesterday. I would have one pic that was fine and then two or three with the glitches.

Here's what I'm talking about...


All the following are straight out of the camera shots... no editing yet.

This gorgeous beauty is called an Amazon dianthis. Spell check says I spelled it wrong, but doesn't give me options, so just enjoy the beautiful color.

Then...






This is a shot of a multi-holed planter that was starting to look pretty good, so I fired off a shot.
This is what downloaded.

Next up...









This is a high chair that Carol's dearest, oldest as in friend known longest, retired art teacher friend painted and gave to Carol. Carol put a couple of coats of poly-urethane on it so she could sit it outside and put some bright petunias on it to add a bright spot of color.

Then...














I took a walk out in the garden so I could show you how things are progressing out there. This is a picture I took to show you the pole green beans and how they are doing. This was just one of the garden photos... I didn't want to bore you or terrify me with more of the same... I'm panicked enough already.


I headed back up towards the house because it was getting kind of warm and I was going to wrap up this stroll with a couple of flower pictures...






These geraniums are in a nook right by the fronts steps. They are planted in an old washtub on a three-legged stand that we brought back from one of our trips to Minnesota when Carol's sister lived up there. We found some really different thing when we would go garage sale-ing in the Minneapolis/St. Pete area.

This photo was fine.





But the fear factor doesn't end with camera problems...




You know about my wonderful link to the world, my computer... You know, the one where I lost my 'a', then I became a bit 'shiftless'...

In Oklahoma, we joke about keeping things going with bubblegum and baling wire. Here is an up-to-date photo of my lap-top.

If you click on the photo you can, as Laura says, embiggen it.
You can see the shift key and the a/A key is gone, so you know it's mine. If you look on the left you can see a half inch of metal with some white showing at the left edge. That is the edge of some velcro that I put on the metal strip I rigged to keep my screen from falling off.

The velcro failed so I got a clamp out of my tool box. I am, if nothing else, resourceful. You may also notice about midway on the left at my screen another clamp. That is to keep the lid/screen from falling on my hands when I fidget, which I do often. The hinge on the right side is trying to fail also. If it goes I'd really be able to say I've flipped my lid. And that's okay because I could plug in an external monitor in.... the problem is my computer has started crashing. And I'm talking looking like a 3-d movie without the glasses... read, blue, looks like your eyes are totally out of focus. It has happened at least a half a dozen times... just today. And if that happens it may be a while before I can get back to you.

I'm not begging for a new computer or a new camera, I'm just putting you all on notice that if you don't see a new post for a while you'll know what happened. And that I'll be scrambling to borrow a computer to post a notice to you.

I hope you all are having a great week... because I'm not.

24 comments:

darsden said...

rotflmfao ...oH my I have never seen a peeper picture taker...only thing missing is the obscene peeper people LOL oh my Helen I am soooo sorry. But kudos for the invention on holding it all together and it didn't include duct tape...Wooohooo new one for the book. I too keep those clippers around everywhere they do just as much as duct tape in my opinion... do you have a laptop donations can :-))

Oh and beautiful peeper pictures too lovely flowers and garden.

Laura ~Peach~ said...

have mercyyyyyyyyyyyy you can get a new laptop for under 400.00 just like my new one...will call you tomorrow with info...
hugsssssss Laura

Sharon Rose said...

Helen. . . your camera lens is half open. . . kinda like when a flag is flying half mass. My old camera did that too. Just take a toothpick, or a paperclip and move it all the way open. . . otherwise people are gonna think you are a peepin-tom or peepin Helen. . . I should say. . .

And about that laptop. . . you are the new Missus McGyver. . . I am impressed. Now can you run on over to my house and fix a few things here an there. . . and don't forget the clamps and ducktape now, ya here. . .

Twisted Fencepost said...

And you say I'm creative?!
You with your clipper/holder thingies and the camera that just gives you sneak peeks. tee hee
So sorry, Helen. Wish I could buy you a new one/both.
But I'll think about it real hard, let me know if one shows up out of the blue.

joanne said...

you can do a segment on the 'do it yourself' network..wasn't the sayin'..necessity is the mother of invention? Your the mother Helen..;p

Nola said...

Bugger!!...just gave my old laptop to my university studying niece!!...I soooooo would have sent it to you if she hadn't got in first:)
I love all the photos and I love that highchair. I saw a crafty thing where some lady brought old wooden chairs and painted them up like that, then put a hole in the seat of them and sat a pot plant in it so it was flush with the actual bit you sit on....very clever!
No idea what is going on with your camera??

Mary Ellen said...

I love an inventive woman! I have a lot of things around here that are held together with binder clips or duct tape.

Hopefully it will live until you can manage a new one, because I would miss you horribly! I'm going to cross all my fingers. Right after I finish typing.

Aleta said...

Lol - those picture are a little freaky, but that happened to me once. The lens thingie is messed up, that's the best I can offer. Good luck with it! Actually kind of neat pictures if you ask me.

And the laptop - looks like something we cajun folk would do. Hehe

Debbie said...

Did you find my old laptop? Before it crashed, It looked like that...LOL. Go to walmart, get you the Acer for less than $300.00. Mine works fine. Of course it took me forever to save the money to get mine...LOL. I would miss you if you disappeared!!! And worry!!!

Love all the peeking pics. I hate when camera's mess up. Love the high chair!!

God Bless~
Debbie Jean

Lonicera said...

I was reading this at the office during my lunch hour and my work colleague across from me looked at the pictures when he heard me laughing and said he thought it looked like the lens cover (the one inside the camera) had got damaged when it was - er - sat on, and that it should be possible to pull it back out again - however in the UK we're used to taking things to be repaired by others at ridiculous expense rather than attempt it ourselves, so it depends on how brave you feel...
I also grew dianthus in my garden a few years ago and adored the bright colour and the perfume. John is colour deficient though, and complained that he didn't like 'pastel shades'...!
caroline

farmlady said...

Ok sweetie. Here's the good news. Your camera's lens is getting sticky. Just touch it and it should open up. If not have a camera store clean it out for you.
Now, the bad news...
That computer of yours is trying to tell you something. It's dying and there's nothing you can do but lay it to rest. My God. You wouldn't do this to a dog or cat,Helen. Put it out of it's misery. Look at the poor thing. It's teeth are missing and it's in pain. Clamps?, velcro?, duct tape?..., bubble gum, bailing wire?
Let it go Helen, just let it go...

Love that painted chair.

Robynn's Ravings said...

I'm sorry, Helen. I really am sympathizing as I laugh my BUTT off and if you saw my butt, you'd know that's a really amazing feat! You are a "can do" girl!! Hope everything hangs together until you can get it all fixed! Can't make it out here w/o you ya know.

Cindy said...

Love the high chair, what I could see of it! Laughed during the reading of the entire post. Good luck with both the camera and pc. Loved the use of clamps, etc. to keep it together!

Lisa said...

Ok,I am laughing too. Those pictures just crack me up. Frustrating isn't it? But the computer....????? I did not know you were so??? TALENTED? Resourseful? So.....I don't know what to say. Get a new computer, you deserve it!

Rick said...

Rut Row! Somethin's done gone wrong with that camera. Sorry. And as to your question on my blog... sure, why not, go ahead, be my guest. Send me a picture - from a different camera.

Alice said...

My daddy would love you for resourcefulness. This made me laugh!!! We do it that way in the south too. Except ours is duct tape and WD40....the flowers are GORGEOUS!! I love the high chair one...so creative. And the gerainums in the washtub...PERFECT.

Tipper said...

Helen-your photos kinda look artsy like that : ) After looking at your laptop folks around here would call you a redneck mechanic!

Anonymous said...

The camera should be an easy fix. Looks like the lens is starting to stick - a camera shop can fix that right up.

I can sympathize with the computer. My "a" is also missing. My shift key sticks but is still there. I have lines running down the monitor - a new one every few days.

Hope yours hangs in there a while longer so we don't miss your blog posts.

The Wildwood said...

there is a great little camera shop in Tulsa on Harvard called The Camera shop and she is good and reasonable. I bet there is one in OKC........ Gillie (aka) Bella Gillespie ate my camera (point and shoot Nikon) and it took pictures after she rearranged it for me....just like yours is doing...
it cost me 27 dollars to get it fixed in Tulsa by The Camera Shop
Hope things go better for you soon.....today is the day I can't get far from the louve........... :( something didn't agree....drat!!!

Unknown said...

Yes, Helen I am starting to enjoy shopping again. I was and not a shopper by any means. Too many people around! LOL

I love your laptop and all it's accessories! So countryfied!

Roslyn said...

OMG I am ROFLMAO, you crack me up! I think Farmlady described your laptop best LOL,the comments are nearly as funny as the post! Please go to WM or BB or somewhere or call Dell or someone & GET A NEW LAPTOP, do we need to take up a collection, raffle a quilt, or what,Red dirt Woman we can't have you going off the internet!
And they're all correct your lens cover has ISD, Intermittent Sticking Disorder just push it back before every photo, DH's does the same-maybe he sat on his too,lol!

Roslyn said...

PS love the chair, we all do!

Laura ~Peach~ said...

Oh my Ms.H
So sorry for your loss-I'd come help you bury it but in it's case i believe it would have a closed coffin...LMAO poor camera too. Look into a desktop-that is my advice. Despite the awkwardness of the photos the photography teacher would say they have interesting quality. I admire your resourcefulness. Keep trying when one thing goes wrong everything does-it'll be otay!
Love-n-Hugs
♥Emjay

Debbie said...

I had to come visit after hearing about your ribs. I love Carol's chair and laughing at your computer set up at the same time going awwwwww poor Helen. :(

Beautiful flowers!!