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distortions.net

I'm Ryan M. Tech geek. Avgeek. California Native plant gardener. All photos on this blog, unless stated otherwise, are mine. Cameras: Fujifilm X-T5 and X100V. Views are my own.

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    NO Pedestrians Beyond This Point: Black Phoebe enforced #Birds #Fujifilm #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge

    A Black Phoebe is perched at the top right corner of a road sign is posted among greenery indicating NO PEDESTRIANS BEYOND THIS POINT, with a natural, lush background. A dirt road peaks into view.

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    Sometimes unintentional photos are the best. Today at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge south of Willows:A rustic scene is captured with tall grass in the foreground, a field of grass and reeds in the middle, and a small brick barn partially obscured by trees and flora under a clear sky.

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    One of very many Western Blue Birds at Lynch Canyon Open Space Park, Northern California. Lots of Blue Bird nest boxes there! A bluebird perched on an orange wooden post in a green grassy field.

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    On our hike last Saturday, a few drifting swarms of bugs were along the trail. Probably mosquitoes but I didn’t dare walk through them to find out 📷 #MBAprA swarm of small insects flying just above the ground with blurred people walking in the background.

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    Poor critter lost its tail! This was also the first lizard I’ve seen this year so it has had a rough start after hibernation 📷#MBApr A lizard without a tail on a wooden fence.

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    I’ve had a lot of gardening to do with sharp implements so finally got my TDAP booster. I’m ready for a sore arm.

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    I think this is the “Big Al” Allosaurus skeleton at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, MT. Nice spine (backbones)! 📷 #MBApr A dinosaur skeleton from above, spine in prominent view, on display in a museum exhibit with informational displays in the background.

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    I love the layers of light in this photo of me taking photos in the desert near Death Valley 📷 #MBApr A gravel road leading over a hill with a person kneeling to take photos in the distance, mountain ranges layered in the background, and a clear sky with radial sunbeams through dust above.

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    Mid-March 2024 at the Donner Summit rest area (east-bound). I suppose once the building was dug out, ice formed in the alcove as heat warmed the snow’s bottom (ceiling in this case). Pretty neat. 📷 #MBApr An alcove filled with a large accumulation of snow and ice, with a metallic overhang above and stone pillars on the sides. A trash receptacle sits partially visible in the foreground to the left.

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    We’re planting only one row this year. Just tomatoes, various peppers, basil, and an overwintered thyme. All prepped, just need to plant! #gardening A sunlit garden with a pile of branches, green shrubs, flowering white clover, a drip irrigation hose, gravel paths, and small orange flags marking a planting locations.

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    A slightly early birthday present to me: a Sonos Move 2. Sounds very good! It’ll be great keeping me from the odd anxiety of silence and listening to food chewing 😆 📷 #MBApr A Sonos Move 2 smart speaker on a media center. To the right, there’s a crystal with an etched Dresden Frauenkirche inside.

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    Gotta have a bit of the flâneur spirit to partake in street photography. Or you’d miss a random dog-dog encounter in San Francisco. 📷#MBApr Two small dogs in costumes on leashes, with a person standing nearby. One dog is in a yellow outfit with eyes like goggles, the other in a red plaid jacket. They appear to be on a city sidewalk outside a souvenir shop.

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    A gorgeous Barrel Cactus from Joshua Tree National Park 📷 #MBApr A colorful cactus with pink spines and yellow flowers amidst rocky terrain.

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    In X-Plane 12, I finally managed to get the 747-200 (modeled by Felis) up to cruise with only minor passenger discomfort. Had a little trouble with the auto-throttle. I’m still loving the Yawman Arrow controller #XPlane12 #macOS #YawmanArrow #FlightSimulator A United 747-200 airplane flying at night with the United Airlines livery visible on its tail and fuselage. The aircraft’s navigation lights are illuminated. An aircraft about 1000 ft below is approaching.

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    I installed my first Sharkbite plumbing fixture and it’s kinda magic how easy & low stress it was. Anyway, the ridiculous hosebib setup is why no one should let me do plumbing. Listen, I learned a lot from this low-stakes project! 📷 #MBApr Outdoor plumbing setup with a brass faucet with bright blue valve attached to a vertical pipe, green tree tape securing it to a fence post, and various hoses at the base.

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    Here’s a windy 2019 August day at Coyote Point, just south of San Francisco International Airport. Some activities: plane spotting, kitesurfing, and cosplay (two of these I was not expecting) 📷 #MBApr Three kitesurfing kites flying above choppy bay water with two airlines above on approach to SFO, with a city skyline and hills partially obscured by fog in the distance.

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    Ever played with Guinness themed cards at Lassen National Park? Eight years ago, we did! 📷 #MBApr A concrete bench top view of a hand of playing cards being held over a deck of Guinness-themed goose playing cards. The hand revealed includes a mix of hearts, clubs, and diamonds, with a focus on a Jack of clubs and a six of clubs prominently displayed. One card has a goose saying “My goodness, my Guinness.” Another shows Saint James Gate, “Home of Guinness”, opening up to a gaggle of animals including a Tucan, pelican, and kangaroo. There is a green suited man wearing a monocle.

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    Pear flowers! This year our two Asian pear trees bloomed simultaneously. Good bet they cross pollinated 📷 #MBApr Close-up of white pear blossoms on a branch with a blurred green background. A bee is visible on one of the flowers.

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    I’m going to try participating in micro.blog’s April photo challenge. So each day in April I’ll post one photo based on a word given by micro.blog. I’ve skipped the last few challenges.

    This big espresso toy at Eddie World in Beatty, Nevada, is ridiculously complex! #MBApr An ornate espresso machine made of copper and brass with decorative elements, labeled “Sabre Room,” on top of a brick counter with bottled drinks visible in the background.

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    I never appreciated how electric ovens do not exhaust heat like gas ovens. This new oven of ours (with induction cooktop) will be nice during the summer. For the induction, there’s been a learning curve. Mostly that heat is instant and boiling is FAST. Using a pressure cooker is crazy efficient.

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