NS8114 Heritage Train

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On the way home from Johnny's baseball game last night, we crossed over the railroad tracks in Fuquay -Varina where several Norfolk Southern train engines usually park overnight.  To mine and Johnny's surprise, there was a bright and shiny new red engine.  What?!?  All the Norfolk Southern engines are black, right?  No!  See here.  It was almost dark, but I stopped and snapped a few shots hand held at 3200 ISO.  The engine had drawn quite a crowd and other photogs and train enthusiasts were there snapping away too.  On the way home, I started debating whether or not I could get up early the next morning and get a better shot/light.  Tool cool an opportunity to miss.

Just so happens that I stirred at 5:45AM this morning, so I got up and went to see if the NS 8114 was still on the track. I got there around 6:20AM. Several other photogs and train enthusiasts were again already there. I asked one of them how we got so lucky to have this specially painted Norfolk Southern train in Fuquay-Varina. He said it was requested to go to a historical train meeting in Fayetteville, NC tomorrow. I didn't get more details:-( I took a bunch of bracketed shots with my tripod.  Around 6:40AM it pulled out, and I got a video plus had time to get across town to take pics at another spot. Way cool stuff! I liked the rumble in my chest when the engineer blew the horn.

My daily is a shot from this morning tht Google did an HDR on and which I then used some other filters to finesse bit more.

Second favorite shot/post processing today.

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Video Fuquay-Varina Depart At a crossing in Fuquay-Varina on Main Street.

SmugMug Link Engineer making final checks before departing.  Love that 'door' in the front of the engine.

SmugMug Link Best shot from the night before when it pulled up.  Taken from the other side of the tracks.

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Shearon Harris

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I went on a 5 mile hike (Peninsula Trail) yesterday at Harris Lake County Park with Madi's mom, Christine.  It was a gorgeous day although a bit windy.  The trail boasts a great view of the cooling tower at the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant as well as great views over the water.  We saw two snakes and a lot of birds and dragonflies although I didn't take too many pictures except out over the water.

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What a Catch!

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Track out for the kids is winding down.  They go back to school tomorrow.  On the one hand, I could use a break, but on the other hand I am already missing these fun times.  I'm a little weepy since our beloved Blaze passed last week, and seeing the kids growing up so quick isn't helping.  Thankfully, as some of the activities that we used to do fade away new ones engage us.

Yesterday the kids and I went to Pullen Park where we rode the carousel and train and played on the playground.  We intended to get on the pedal boats there, but they weren't open.  We headed over to Lake Johnson and went on the pedal boats there...for an hour.  Let me tell you, that is a lot of pedaling.  The kids took turns, but I stayed in my spot the entire time.  Fortunately, my leg muscles don't seem any worse for wear today.  We were treated to some interesting wildlife while we were out on the water.  We watched a great blue heron fly past us gliding over the water.  We saw several cormorants gathering on a log in shallow water.  We saw barn swallows and their nests under the road bridge.  We even saw two Canada Goose nests and had a goose follow us and beg us for food.  Near the end, I took my daily shot.  One of the cormoants was wrestling a huge fish.  I couldn't tell what he had as I took the shot just tried to focus as best as I could as the boat swayed on the water and the kids had a water fight.  Ah the things a photographer has to work through:-)  It is extremely cropped, but I thought it was the most interesting shot that I took yesterday.

Here are our best pics from Pullen Park.  If you look closely, you'll see that I took another shot of the kids on the big M at the playground.

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And here are our best pics from Lake Johnson.

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Dogwood by the Window

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Happy Easter!

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Everyone got in on the act for the annual Easter Egg Hunt today.  Madi found the most eggs followed by Joey and Johnny.  Don't tell the boys, but she has a perfect track record beating them:-)  Prizes were $5 for the most eggs found with $4 for second and $3 for third.  I believe 4 eggs were not found (out of 48), and even those that hid them couldn't find them.  We had fun dying and decorating them with me and Christine adding some finishing touches once the kids had all the eggs dipped.  I love how the Easter Bunny was peeking through the kitchen window at us!  Until next year!

N

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As some of you guessed on Friday's shot, I was looking for letters at the NC Transportation Museum when we visited on Thursday.  The kids spotted this N as I was taking Friday's shot, and I turned around and took it.  I hope I can find an even better N sometime, but it's the best I have right now.