Trout And The Rainbow

 

Song:  Life Goes On

Group:  Future World Music

In the early evening...

I departed for Safeway to primarily shop for Trout.

The colors are starting to emerge in my neighborhood.

I was just a short ways down our mountain ridge here.

Upon arriving at Woodland Park...

I stopped in to eat at our favorite Mediterranean restaurant.

I again had the beef platter...

and it was so good.

And...

I again had a double shot espresso shake.

I was nearing home after shopping when I had seen this rainbow...

...and the sun setting.

I continued on and was about halfway up our mountain ridge here.

I stayed for a few minutes to capture the sunset.

This particular mountain top often has a cloud sitting upon it.

As I was out shopping...

my wife...

having had stayed home...

had put the sofa together for me while I was gone.

She noted how heavy just the top cushion was.

She had also told me that since the bottom had an uneven distribution

of foam in one particular area...

that she had jumped up and down on the sofa to even out the foam

(That must have been a very funny sight :)

I took a wide angle shot of the sofa...

and as such...

the screen is distorted...

for it is quite wide in reality

(over 11 feet wide).

I tried out the sofa...

and it is very comfortable.

I will be able to watch in such comfort that I fear I may fall asleep on it.

Safeway only had 14 bags of trout in stock

(but I learned that they get fresh stock on Tuesdays).

I had also gotten a couple bags of extra large scallops...

along with other items.

I also got some heavy whipping cream...

so my wife can make Shrimp and Scallop Spaghetti Alfredo.

While I was gone...

my wife had been watching the sunset and the rainbow the same time I was...

just from different locations.

She and Bandi watched the sunset from the 3rd balcony...

as well as some of the rainbow.

Bandi loves being on the 3rd deck...

as she just loves the fresh mountain air and the sweeping views.

They then went to the 2nd deck to get more shots of the rainbow.

And they then went back up to the 3rd deck to again take some more photos of the rainbow.

-------------------

I am still tired from our trip...

and so...

I am going to go to bed early...

but before that...

I am going to order a really good camera and lens.

And...

I am going to use it often at home

so as to practice before our Japan trip.

It is a Nikon Z 5 II or Z 7 II (still undecided as to which)...

and I am getting an all around lens...

so I may have a wide angle and a zoom function all in one...

without ever needing to change lenses.

The lens is a Nikon S 24mm - 120 zoom and F4 aperture throughout its full range.

Both...

the cameras and the lens are weather proof...

and built very ruggedly.

As we will be taking many overseas trips in the future...

I decided that I will need a very good camera and lens

to capture our once in a lifetime shots.

They are more camera and lens than I will ever need...

but ones which will capture low light shots...

have a rapid reset...

a top of the line focusing quickness...

the famous Nikon sharpness and color palette...

and has the programming logic of the flagship Nikon (Z9).

I will be using my old zoom camera when I trike...

as it sometimes gets dusty, windy, and stormy...

and even though these Nikons are made for those conditions...

I will just be using it under more protected conditions 

as it is a precision piece of equipment.

Well...

time to shop  :)

--------------

Addendum:  I just ordered the Nikon Z 7 II with the above described lens.

It has distinct advantages over the Z 5 II...

and for just a few hundred dollars more.

Large Moose Tracks / Change Of Schedule

 

Song:  Godzilla

Group:  Blue Oyster Cult

My wife just told me earlier this evening about strange tracks on the road

that she had seen this morning as she was taking Bandi out to use the bathroom...

and walking just a short distance from the house.

Early in the mornings...

my wife takes Bandi out to use the bathroom...

and she often walks Bandi around the property...

and sometimes just a short way up or down the road.

I usually take Bandi on a run in the evenings...

for a much farther and faster run...

when the weather permits.

However...

from now on...

I will just take Bandi in the mornings with my wife.

I had figured that so long as my wife had not gone too far...

that she was safe...

but I will be her armed escort everywhere from now on.

These were the tracks of a large moose.

Moose can be extremely dangerous...

and unpredictable.

I will just have to change around my sleep schedule

and take Bandi out for all of her bathroom runs from now on.

My wife said that Bandi first brought the tracks to her attention

by sniffing at the prints on the road.

My wife hadn't thought to see where the tracks had terminated...

but the moose was headed up the road towards our home.

Any surprise encounter with any large animal can be very dangerous.

I always pay attention to any tracks everywhere I go...

but my wife is not nearly so used to paying attention to possible dangerous situations.

--------------

This early afternoon...

my wife had made a spicy shrimp and noodle dish using an Asian hot pepper...

which she had heated up in a skillet with olive oil and garlic...

whereupon she then seared some noodles and shrimp in the same pan...

and then made a small avocado salad for me.

This dressing is so good...

as it is quite spicy.

That pepper adds heat to the whole dish...

and some shaved Parmesan cheese on top really completes the dish.

In the future...

my wife plans to try making shrimp fettuccine

(Pasta and shrimp in a thick white sauce...my favorite).

And...

I also had my spicy pickles.

I am thinking of driving to Safeway tomorrow...

as they usually stock up just before the weekend...

and I wish to buy as many bags of Rainbow Trout from their frozen section as they have

(even if they have 20 bags...that is what I will get).

I plan to eat trout often...

as it is just so delicious and healthful.

I love trout prepared in a very simple way...

just floured and lightly pan fried in butter or olive oil...

and then salt and peppered.

My wife likes making veggie dishes for herself

using whatever veggies we happen to have.

She most often eats veggies...

but often adds tofu for protein...

and she will sometimes add fish as a side dish as well.

This was her salad...

as she continually makes daikon sprouts to put on all of her salads...

and she will often add in a sweet potato slice or two.

She will often add some nuts to her salads as well.

---------------

Although I still have to fluff the theater sofa...

and arrange the sofa top and pillows...

I am still worn out from our very long trip.

I will be doing that tomorrow...

or even the next day...

as I am just too tired to even watch any movies or dramas right now.

After I type this article up...

I think I will go into the Finnish sauna

to just allow the steam and heat to fully drain me...

and then take a nice cool shower...

as this should knock me out early 

so I may then rearrange my sleep schedule far more easily.

So...

tomorrow's mission is to get the car washed...

eat at the Mediterranean restaurant again

(I am looking forward to eating their beef plate...

and finishing up with another double espresso shake)...

and I will then buy as many bags of trout that they have

at Safeway in Woodland Park.

I love stocking up on my favorite foods in the deep freeze...

so I may eat them at will.

---------

Living a simple life filled with delicious food...

 a plentiful amount of time to pursue personal passions...

travel...

as well as having a plentiful amount of leisure time...

is to have a wonderful ending to life.

The key to this lies in the word...

simplicity.

In retirement...

it is all about living life on your own terms...

without societal or other obligations...

and fully chasing your passions...

as you have earned your "you" time.

You had given to others all of your life...

and now it is time to give to yourself...

without guilt...

without hesitation...

 with full abandonment...

and with the freedom of an eagle in flight.

II - Million Dollar Highway - Going Home

 

Song:  Evangeline

Group:  Cocteau Twins

As this is the second and last article of this series...

the light blue line represents where the below photos start and end.

The dark blue line represents the previous article's photos.

It started getting too dark for the camera...

but at this point...

we still had 3.5 hours to go.

I hadn't felt like eating all day...

but when we stopped for our last stop for gas a couple of hours later...

I went into the all night gas market and picked up

a wizard finger (a hot dog which had been on the rotating grill too long)...

a smoked ham and cheese sandwich...

and a full fat (whole milk) chocolate milk...which was so good.

I just felt like a little something as I hadn't felt like eating all day.

Upon our arrival home...

we just all went to bed very tired.

----------------

As I was typing up this article this afternoon...

my wife made 5 pieces of grilled trout with salt and pepper.

Trout is my favorite fish of all.

Next time we go shopping...

we are going to buy all the trout they have.

I hadn't originally thought I was so hungry...

but after eating almost two of the original three pieces of trout...

I got the remaining two pieces.

I just LOVE grilled trout

(my wife used olive oil with a few slices of garlic to infuse the oil).

------------

Bandi has been sleeping all day long.

She was so tired.

But...

she is happy to be home.

--------------

We spent the day arranging delivery of items...

picking up mail...

and just resting.

I am still tired from yesterday's long trip.

I will just go to sleep early tonight.

--------

We are thinking of going up Pikes Peak at a later time.

Right now...

we don't wish to go anywhere.

This trip took so much out of us  :)