Work

This would be me, aging before your very eyes.... On my fiftieth birthday, my colleagues threw me a party. Since I expected it, I brought my camera. Not sure who took the picture, but Vicky Dittmer was ringleader for the mess in the office. Picture taken 2/27/1999 Camera: Nikon N90s

A new Ford Mustang convertible waits for a train to arrive at CN's Billwood Highway railroad crossing a short distance from where I work. I was returning to work after a lunchtime errand and couldn't resist shooting his pony from my pony. Cute car. The crossing's a short distance from work; I can see this rail line (though not the crossing) from my desk. Interstate 69 crosses both Billwood and the railroad at this point; thus the structure framing the top of the picture.

Joan told me yesterday she'd seen baby geese out by the pond, so I set out to get a picture during today's lunch break. I found them in the grass between the parking lot and the marsh. The adults saw me coming and began herding the goslings to the pond. Three of the little ones followed mom into the water; three more hit the water with dad. The seventh waited until he was personally convinced I was a threat. In a few weeks the parents' strategy will change . -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Working beside a wildlife refuge has its attractions.....

Where I work....

I'd worked late on the day I took this photo, and there were geese all over the parking lot. Grabbed the camera, and started snapping pix. Evidently I got too close to this family for papa's comfort zone. Sometime in the spring, 1991. Camera: Minolta Freedom 100

Found at work this morning.... The goslings are growing up, and they've taken to parading around the campus.

My colleagues have taken to constructing puzzles during lunch and breaks....

At work, this morning.

That ugly fence went up yesterday, and will decorate the view from my office for the next few months. I'm sure it serves a good purpose, but....

Fortunately, when they built the parking lot they had the good sense to preserve this tree.

Just a snap of this afternoon's view out my window, at work.... Happy Thanksgiving, to those of you in the States.

Discovered this colorful pic while I was backing up some photographs this evening. This tree's at the Credit Union Office, across from where I work. SECU's grounds are actually quite attractive, but I find them difficult to photograph....

Me, receiving a silly prize for making a formal suggestion which saved my employer (and Michigan taxpayers) thousands of dollars a month; September, 1991. I thought about chopping the sign out of this image, but somehow it belongs. On the other hand, no one should wear a shirt like that if they can't keep it tucked in straight. Oh, well. Photo by Homer N. Smith, our bureau director. The print, like the scan, is really quite grainy. I've cropped out a lot of empty wall.

A flower a day for January .... At the credit union, across the street from work. Better large, in my opinion.

First it rained for two days. Then it snowed last night, and continued to snow today. Slippery. Yucky.

In front of our office, during yesterday's perpetual snowstorm . The blue flag is MIchigan's. (Hey, it's a state office .) Bright, sunny, and just gorgeous today, by the way.

This track runs under the bridge in the middle of our office complex. It was raining, I shot it from the car, the window was wet, and (most immportant) the train was moving. I like it anyway.

Same farm as yesterday's windbreak , on Billwood Highway in rural Eaton County, Michigan. This is about a half-mile from my workplace; I pass by every morning and evening. It used to be more attractive. Four years or so back a tornado touched these trees, bounced over my office building, and wiped out an auto parts business and the chiller at the power plant down the road from our complex. Quite frightening to the night shift. Fortunately, no injuries.