One of the biggest challenges in photographing birds is getting close enough. This morning that was not an issue. This robin flew into one of the windows of our sun porch and was temporarily rendered flightless on our deck. I was able to take this close-up before it regained sufficient composure to fly away.
The trees which line the driveway into iRobot are in full bloom which makes for a spectacular way to start the work day. I have yet to take a photograph that does this scene justice and hope to make another attempt tomorrow if the sun and blooms cooperate.
There are few colors I enjoy more than that of a weeping willow tree in spring. A pair of my favorite specimens are located nearby, situated in front of a coral containing a pair of white horses. Occasionally they afford me a perfect foreground as was the case this afternoon. In a matter of days all the tree blooms will have come and gone making this a time of year to spend every moment outdoors. My soccer match this morning cost me an injured left hamstring that will probably put me on the sidelines for a couple of weeks. Campbell, Kentucky, he thanked the Navy SEALs in person – possibly for the way their good experiences are certain elements to learn from, cialis professional online their bad experiences can also help an individual staying away from a sloppy business owner. Sensorimotor or Stabilization exercises and techniques intend to the flawed movements and patterns in routine activities and vardenafil canadian pharmacy cute-n-tiny.com life. What are the side effects of Livoplus capsules? These tadalafil cipla capsules get rid of toxins without causing any side effects. Don’t drink liquor to abundance cialis properien (cases, 5 glasses of wine or 5 shots of bourbon) when taking this drug. I am prone to such muscle tears but rarely suffer one in the act of doing anything worthwhile. This morning was the exception. I tweaked my hammy as I dribbled past the opposing keeper to score a very pretty goal. I now have four goals in as many matches and am tied for leading scorer on the team, a distinction that will be short lived if I cannot get back on the pitch quickly. We have yet to give up a goal this season and the team is on a good path for promotion back up to Division 1.
Earth Day is celebrated in Concord with the Musketaquid Parade. It features a variety of participants who entertain the crowd with all manner of nature-related imagery and music. This year the band in which Nicolai plays, On the River, was invited to perform for parade watchers. They did a set of about a dozen songs which lasted for just over an hour. I recorded high-fidelity audio and video and as time permits may post to the blog.
Glorious weather today prompted me to spend my lunch hour at Great Meadows. Having photographed most of the bird species here, I turned my attention from birds to fish. Pictured here are a pair of Asian Carp, an invasive species known for their jumping abilities. Getting this shot took a lot of patience. I noticed that the carp seemed to jump in one area more than others. I trained my lens on that spot, locked focus and exposure, and waited with my finger glued to the shutter release. After 30 minutes and several hundred attempts, I was rewarded for my persistence. Nabbing this pair in mid-air was beyond my expectations and all laws of probability.
Nico graced the cover of this week’s Concord Journal in a piece related to the Boston Marathon bombings. The interview speaks for itself. The photo will be familiar to followers of this blog.
Robots played an important role in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings. I am very proud that iRobot products were deployed on several occasions to help assess potential threats as bomb squad personnel meticulously cleared crime scenes. In addition, we made four employees available to law enforcement in support of their robotic missions. It is very satisfying to work on products that help save lives but depressing to see them used in your own back yard. Pictured here is one of our PackBots (left side of photo) used in Watertown to investigate the first car abandoned by the bombing suspects. The photo was taken by a local resident.
I woke up at 4:30 am this morning so that I could deliver Maya and three of her friends to the Sandborn Middle School by 5 am. There they boarded buses destined for Washington D.C. and a multi-day school field trip to the nation’s capital. The penultimate experience of their middle school education, Concord students, including both her brothers before her, look forward to this trip with great anticipation. I remained at the drop-off site for another 30 minutes so I could watch the six-bus convoy roll out.
Spring arrives very quickly in New England. One day tree branches are bare, the next they are erupting with color. Followers of this blog will need not tolerate bird pictures much longer. As soon as the leaves fill out it becomes very challenging to get good shots. I also grow weary of lugging around my 300-800mm zoom lens which weighs in at over 15 pounds with camera attached and the large tripod needed for its proper support.
My over-50 soccer team faced a very talented and physical Russian team this morning. They failed, however, to put much effort into warming up for the 8 am start. I suggested to my teammates that we come out very intensely and look for an early score. Within the first two minutes, I stripped a wing-back and went in for a one-on-one with the goalie. Unfortunately, my shot was wide (read: I choked). Two minutes later, I sprinted into the box to meet a high cross for a beautiful header that gave us our first score and redeemed myself for the earlier miss. The game remained 1-0 until the final minutes when we slammed the door shut with another goal. I returned home after a nice post-match barbecue with the guys and opted to give my rather beaten-up body the rest of the day off. I was so adrenaline-charged during the match that I am not quite sure when I picked up this rather painful turf burn.
Nicolai has decided to run the Boston Marathon next year as an act of solidarity with survivors of this year’s bombings. He plans to enlist other amputees to join him under the banner of a movement he is starting called “Out on a Limb”. Nicolai has always taken risks to define his abilities rather than letting others define his limitations. He hopes that his participation in the marathon will inspire those who have suffered loss and demonstrate that Americans will not cower to terrorism.
Jeanine’s sister Susan has been staying with us the last few days and she joined us for Maya’s soccer game this morning.
During warm ups we went for a nice walk in Menotomy Rocks Park where this photo was taken. Maya had a very strong game and made several impressive plays which contributed to the win by her team. In celebration of her 61st birthday the adults (inclusive of Nicolai) enjoyed dinner out and dessert at home.
Followers of this blog who live outside of Massachusetts may not yet be aware of what has transpired here today. The Tsarnaev brothers, pictured above, were identified yesterday as suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing. Early this morning they killed an MIT campus security officer, carjacked an SUV, led police on a high speed chase into Watertown, engaged in a fire fight with over 200 rounds fired and several homemade grenades deployed. The older brother, 26, was killed in the shootout. The younger, 19, fled in the SUV and then on foot. Our governor shut down all transit and asked more than a million residents of Boston and several surrounding towns to shelter at home for most of the day while police conducted a massive, door-to-door grid search in Watertown. Shortly after the unsuccessful search was called off and the lock down lifted, a resident discovered a blood trail and the fugitive hiding in a trailered boat in his back yard. Another fire fight ensued when police arrived on the scene before negotiations led to a peaceful surrender. The community here played a pivotal role in locating these terrorists and can be Boston Proud. Law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels all appeared to cooperate fully, work tirelessly, and resolved the manhunt successful. I am very thankful that at least one brother survived so that we may learn what motivated their actions. This knowledge, I believe, will help provide some measure of closure for all who suffered due to their misguided actions.
Grief and sadness over the marathon bombings is being washed away by expressions of love and support. They are being replaced by a sense of resolve and determination. Boston is a city of strong people who refuse to be intimidated. When President Obama, speaking at a local church today, talked about next year’s marathon, every member of this community knew he was absolutely right when he predicted that it would be bigger and better than ever. I, for one, will be among the tens of thousands of first time spectators attending as a demonstration of support and to show that Monday’s act of terrorism did not achieve its objective. It has not made us fearful, rather it has revealed our courage, kindness, and generosity towards each other.
Tomorrow’s Boston globe will carry the following message from the employees of iRobot.
I am extremely pleased with this portrait of a Sharp-Shinned Hawk. I shot it early this morning, handheld with a 15-pound, 800mm lens and camera (trust me, this is no easy feat). It is hard enough to find these birds of prey, let alone in good light and an attractive setting. Shots like these provide the Pavlovian stimulus which has me dragging my heavy gear out into the woods at dawn and dusk each day.
I spent a portion of the day at an organizational design meeting with folks from my Systems Engineering, Integration, and Test Department. We recently expanded the scope of the organization and nearly doubled its size by integrating members of our quality, configuration management, and mechanical engineering teams. I have experienced great restructuring outcomes when employees are invited to participate in the design of the new organization and to self-select into the framework. I was pleased to see this approach adopted by one of my direct reports who met offsite today for this purpose. I made brief introductory remarks, attended much of the morning session, and joined the team for lunch.
Nicolai, Maya and I treated Jeanine to her immediate family birthday celebration this evening. We dined at 80 Thoreau, arguably Concord’s best restaurant. By count this makes Jeanine’s 4th birthday celebration with at least 2 more to go.
A day that began with celebrations honoring the patriots who began the fight for our nation has ended in sorrow over the act of cowards who seek to tear it apart. I left early for work so I could observe a portion of the annual reenactment of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. I found a good perch near the Old North Bridge and made the best of my 30 minutes before needing to leave for work. On the remainder of my commute, I started thinking about ways to adjust my calendar so I could take a half day off to see the finish of the Boston Marathon, something I have never witnessed in the ten years since we have lived here. My calendar, however, was jam packed with meetings I could not afford to miss or defer. In retrospect, I feel very lucky that I was unable to get away. Had I taken the time off, my photographic sensibilities would have no doubt placed me near the finish line. While I count my blessings, I am filled with grief for all who have suffered this day.
I am also filled with sadness knowing that my children are experiencing a world that is very different from the one I grew up in. A world in which innocent children are slaughtered at school and families cheering on their loved ones are blown to pieces. I am sorry that I have not done more to make the world a better place and hope I can do more with the years I have left.
What a difference a week makes. Last Sunday I had a rather lackluster performance on the soccer pitch. This morning I was on fire, producing two very fine goals. The first was a header off a nice cross to the top of the 6 yard box giving us a quick lead at the 10 minute mark. A better goalie would have caught the ball in the air and probably cleaned my clock in the process. Fortunately, he hesitated and gave me the split second I needed for a quick flick on into the net. The second came late in the second half again off a nice cross that I finished with a left-footed half volley. It was one of the prettier goals I have scored in recent memory.
Later in the day after watching The Goblet of Fire with Maya we went out so that she could purchase a birthday present for her mother. We concluded the trip with a brief excursion to the heron rookery that I have been frequenting lately. Maya was first to spot a GBH male coming in for a nest landing. Pictured here are a pair of Northern Flickers which I photographed at the same location earlier in the week. Later in the evening Jeanine, Maya, her friend Lydia, and I went to see the movie 42. I can highly recommend this inspirational story about Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play professional major league baseball.
Maya is playing Division One soccer this season and returned to action in fine form. She played predominately at wing back where she looked strong both physically and technically. During the second half, she got some time at wing midfield, a position I ultimately believe is best suited to her skills and stature (and not coincidentally, the position I play). The match ended in disappointment with their opponent scoring in the final seconds of the match to pull ahead 2-1. Spirits were lifted on the sidelines as players enjoyed the lemon squares Jeanine prepared for the after-game snack.
Jeanine celebrates her (actual) 50th birthday today. At her request, we have postponed the official family party for a few days so that we could attend a casual gathering with friends this evening. I experimented with a little macro photography. Can you guess what the subject is? Timing these shots is something of a hit-or-miss affair and I am not entirely pleased with the lighting but I don’t think the final image is too bad for a first attempt.
I have finally located a pair of nesting Great Blue Herons and they are not too far from the house. At this time of year, the male is responsible for gathering sticks with which the female carefully constructs their nest. She can be very selective about the size and shape of the stick. When he returns with a particularly good choice he is rewarded with sex (or at least this is my take on the apparent quid pro quo). Herons can be very naughty, shamelessly stealing sticks from unoccupied adjacent nests. I will be very interested to see what happens when a returning heron discovers a neighbor pilfering from his nest. Stay tuned.
I have obtained some pretty great deals on Craig’s List over the years but today I got more than I bargained for. I picked up two studio strobes with soft boxes which are virtually new, a pair of light stands, and a 10’x12′ backdrop with stands. The items were in pristine condition and I got a phenomenal price. This, however, is not the story. The seller lives in Medfield and I made arrangements to meet for the transaction at 8AM. To avoid traffic and because I thought I might do a little photography en route, I left at 6AM. As I was passing through Westwood I saw something that I simply had to stop and videotape. As you watch the very short clip embedded below please keep your eyes glued to the house in the background.
There is no video trickery here. The house really did move. If not for the fact that it got stuck, you would have seen this house move 25 feet across the frame. Had that happened the video would have surely gone viral. Unfortunately, I did not have time to wait around while workers addressed the problem. This building is the Colburn School and is being relocated within the High Street historic district as part of the construction project for Westwood’s new library. When I drove past the scene I realized that workers were all set to initiate the move. I determined that if I positioned my camera in such a way as to obscure the machines and tracks that I could make a very interesting video. Click on the thumbnail to the right to reveal the mechanics involved.
It is not often that Maya asks me to photograph her. Needless to say, when she made that request this evening I was all too happy to oblige. Together with her friend Maddie we did a nice ballet themed series.
I was up and out early this morning for a little photography before work. I am not really a birder but I find they make fascinating photographic subjects. I am always excited when I capture a new species for the first time and that was the case today. Pictured above are a male and female Ring Necked Duck. It is not at all clear to me why they have this name but I checked my ornithology references twice to make sure I made the correct identification. Below you will find a Tree Swallow. They are very common but notoriously difficult to photograph in flight. To get the shot, I set up on this bird house and waited until one came by to visit.
My spring outdoor soccer season began this morning and the team is sporting a new, mostly white uniform. We traveled an hour and a half to Ludlow, MA where we secured a well-earned 4-0 win over a very strong Portuguese team. My game was unremarkable. I did my job and made few if any mistakes but did little to assist with our scoring or forcing turnovers by the defense. For the moment, I have retained a starting position and played on the front line today where we were missing a few players.
The day of Jeanine’s 50th birthday party (for friends) has arrived (additional celebrations will be held with family in the future). I spent the bulk of the day decorating (for future reference, when hanging braided crepe paper, it is easier to twist the paper by hand than using a power drill), hanging new artwork from India, and doing the last bits of cleaning/organizing (my office has never looked so good). I was feeling so relaxed about our state of readiness that I nearly forgot about picking up the food and had to make a high speed run to the Royal India Bistro, returning just as our first guests were arriving. I will leave it for Jeanine to say, but I think the party was a great success. Of our 30 guests (all women), several were still here 5 hours into the event. The evening featured a quiz show about Jeanine. Contestants used their cell phones to register answers as all viewed real time results on our TV screen in the living room (thanks to Joe at work for the link to polleverywhere.com). The first question is shown here with only 5% of respondents able to correctly identify Lebanon, Indiana as Jeanine’s place of birth. Friends from her writer’s group knew many answers that stumped others but missed some of the most basic questions. We had just the right amount of wine and way too much food.
The party occupied the better part of our first floor. The kitchen was the hub of interaction and dining, the living room had a 750 slide show of Jeanine’s life running on the TV, the dining room was laid out with all the food and desserts, and the breakfast nook is where beverages could be found as well as a second slide show featuring photos by Maya and Jeanine from their adventure in India. I did a pretty good job of restocking the bar, photographing the event, and cleaning up throughout the evening. The result was one happy wife.
In preparation for her 50th birthday party celebration tomorrow, I completed this photo montage of Jeanine featuring photos from various stages of Night Fire capsule is specially overnight shipping cialis formulated to have a positive result on erection. Just make sure you buy a generic version of cialis without prescription that costs many times lower than the previous. There are a lot of reasons cialis for sale why men seek supplements. Therefore, it is extremely important to set the goals of one’s life right. purchase levitra online her life. I thought this would be a nice way to celebrate the passage of time and to give her friends a glimpse of her they have never seen before.
It has been almost a year since iRobot reorganized from divisions with dedicated engineering into three business units with shared engineering. Last month we hired a new General Manager to run our Home Business unit thereby completing our senior management team. He has lived and worked all over the world and is currently relocating here from Stevensville, MI. He is looking for a home in Concord and this evening we had him and his family over for dinner. Pictured here are his children, ages 11, 9, and 6 who I managed to quickly (and secretly) photograph so that I could make a gift for their portrait.
As did both of her brothers before her, Maya will be traveling to Washington, D.C. with her 8th grade class later this month. Concord middle schoolers have been making this bus trip for the last 22 years and it is a highlight of their last year. This evening Maya and I attended the information session during which parents and students learned all about the trip logistics. This is my third time attending this session and I practically have the content memorized. I relegated all responsibility for taking notes and filling out forms to Maya who was more than up for the task. She was amused as the chaperones discussed safety when crossing streets in our nation’s capitol. After crossing 6 lanes of traffic in Mumbai, D.C. is going to be a piece of cake she quipped. I took this photo of the Lincoln Memorial in 2004 when I escorted Kyle and his friend Seth to a soccer tournament being held in Maryland.
I always find it very educational to visit the factories in which my team’s designs are produced. I gain a great appreciation for the time and hence cost involved with various design choices. Pictured here are one component of the wheels used on our PackBots (primarily used for ordinance disposal by bomb squads). They are machined out of slabs of exotic plastic, deburred, and dyed black. You would have to work hard to design a more expensive wheel for a robot without using precious metals.I plan to challenge my team with identifying a much more cost effective alternative when I return to Boston. On the home front, Nicolai and Jeanine worked with our college advisers to narrow the half dozen schools where he has been accepted down to a short list including only Carleton and the University of Miami. Nicolai will visit both, Carleton for the second time, over the next two weeks before making his final selection. Regardless of the choice, Nico seems settled on deferring admission and taking a gap year before entering college, a choice which we support.
After a busy morning in the office, I flew to Dayton, Ohio where I will be touring one of our two US factories tomorrow. I was joined by two iRobot colleagues for dinner with the CEO of GEMCITY and his Director of Operations. On the way to our hotel, I captured this image out the window of our rental car. It reminded me of the Midwest.