A Little iMac Hiccup ... Virus???

Yes, there are some eyes under that skin you see. This is the look Stella gives me when she feels I have not given her enough treats or snacks. Last night she wanted more of the grain free dog bones that were flavored with bacon. For a 'cleaner' photo I wiped off the drool on the sides of her jowls before taking the picture. Even after the walking I did to grab the iPhone to take the photo, she never moved.

With the second day of the coldest days this winter, the hounds do a lot of sleeping. Although the room is not cold Heidi knows it is winter and will shiver until I bring out the sleeping bag for her to sleep on or wrap up in on the couch.

This was Friday night ...

I decided to test the quality of sleep for the hounds, so I put a piece of the pumpkin pie crust in front of Stella's nose while she slept. It was funny to see her nostrils twitching while she slept after the crust was placed there but she never woke up.

As I glanced out the window this morning in the computer room, the field was covered with white heavy frost. I did not know at the time it would be a great background for taking photos of Stella and bring out that red coat of hers. These fresh deer prints kept Stella busy this morning. She was active because they were scattered all over the field but not nearly as hyper with excitement as Sadie would have been. Sadie would have been going out of her mind with fresh deer prints like this.

Stella was going to try a different entry point into the ragweed burrs but I was right there and talked her into walking back to the path to start her walk.

It was freezing, crisp, and extremely quiet this morning. The skies were beautiful.

For some reason I keep wanting to buy a smaller camera with a zoom capability. I know the picture sharpness will not come close to what I get with the older Nikon D3200 but for some reason the urge to buy one has been strong the last two days. If I were to buy a new lens for the D3200 I have come to the conclusion I need one with a range of 18mm-135mm. But does it really make a difference if I already have a lens I use every day that is 18mm-200mm ... no it doesn't. I'll keep what I have.

The problem getting up at 6:15am or around that time to start our day ... the hounds are begging for lunch by 10am now. For 31 years I've had hounds, I never fed them more than once per day unless they were puppies ... until Stella showed up in August 2015. She had come from a home that had 'free feeding' ... ate when she wanted.

Yes, on the walk before 8am ... there is that sun again.

I could hear that distinct sound a bloodhound makes when they are sniffing a scent in the tracking mode ... their jowls flap just a little. One year when I left Bertha, Winston and Max at a kennel while I was away on a business trip the kennel owner heard that sound when walking Bertha ... she said in all the years she had hosted different breeds of dogs and walked all of them ... she had never heard a sound like that, only from a bloodhound.

This is about all the intensity Stella shows when tracking.

Of course there is always time for her to have some natural deer protein ... especially when it's frozen.

Freezing cold and crisp.

She knows the deer went that way but we are on our way home and it's getting cold.

When I told her "let's go home" ... she took off trotting.

There were till plenty of things to check out until she got to the backyard.

I was happy to see that the last of the leaves from the Mahogany tree are gone. I can now mow the leaves for the last time this year. I'll do that sometime this week after the temps crawl back up to the mid-40's. That small north side yard has the most leaves as the winds seem to always blow them there, where they get trapped between the house and that small bank.

Once again this morning Stella did not stop at the trees or the fence to smell but she took off along the edge of the field and yard. If she had her way she would have gone back into the field in the middle of all of those burrs.

For the first time since I have bought this iMac in May 2017 it had a 'hiccup' this morning. The computer hard drive locked up as I was moving my morning photos to the external hard drive, something I do everyday without any issues. The Activity Monitor was telling me a system program that moves those files was "not responding".  It did not matter where I put the cursor and clicked ... the computer was locked up. I had to hold the power button to turn it off.

I unplugged the 4-port USB hub, then turned on the computer seeing it boot up with no issues. I then plugged the USB hub back in and tried to export the morning photos to the external drive ... same result and the Activity Monitor telling me that same com.apple.xxxxx program was not responding.I repeated the process to turn off the computer but did something different after I rebooted it.

To find out if it was my hard drive acting up or the external drive I did NOT plug in the 4-port USB hub. I opened my Apple Photos program (like Windows My Pictures) and tried moving the photos I selected for this blog to the Blog Folder on my desktop so Blogger can import the photos to the blog.

Ah ha .... the Activity Monitor had in red "Photos" ... "not responding.

So it was something on the hard drive. I opened the App Bitdefender and updated their latest Malware files, then ran their Critical Locations Scan, something I do weekly. It did not find any malware or viruses. The computer was running normal as I read the internet sports, answered emails and a few texts during the scan.

I decided I'd run their "Deep System Scan". I had not done that since buying the computer. It took 48 minutes to scan everything. I gave it permission to scan my photo library that has over 70,000 photos since I was trying to export photos that froze up the computer. It found 3 files of malware, all from one App that I had personally downloaded before I bought this computer in May 2017. All the apps, photos and document files were uploaded from my Time Machine backup when I was setting up the new computer in May 2017. This app came along for the ride in that transfer.

The app is called DrApp Cleaner. It was an easy fix. Bitdefender had quarantined the files to prevent any harm to my hard drive. All I had to do was go into my Finder folder, then Applications folder and delete the App "DrApp Cleaner. Once the trash was empty, those three files disappeared from the Bitdefender log.

I turned off my computer, plugged in the 4-port USB Hub and then turned on the computer. Everything loaded normal with no issues. I exported 74 photos from this mornings walk to the external hard drive for backup with no issues.

The iMac was and has functioned normal every since I removed that App and those "spy" files as they were called. I jumped back into my Applications Folder in Finder (Windows My Computer Folder) and deleted any app that I had not used. If I could not remember what the app did, then I must have not been using it and deleted those too. Any system app was protected by Apple by not giving me the option "Move to Trash".

In the meantime I am going to try to warm the house up. I am going to 'give-in' to the hound's demands that they want to be fed and feed them. I'll try to grab a few more photos for this post before I post it.  SUCCESS with the after lunch photos !!!

It was the normal after lunch routine. That might show 38° but believe me it feels much much colder than that.
 

Stella stood and sniffed the air putting her plan together. I had a good idea where she was headed if she got the chance.

Heidi could tell by the freezing feeling, she didn't have a lot of time to relieve herself and then get back inside. She had to be quick.

Sure enough ... there goes Stella into the field but luckily behind the area with all the burrs. Once she saw me walking up the path she came running.

By the time I had Stella back inside the carport I see Heidi is sprinting across the front yard and up the driveway. She was cold enough that she was first inside not waiting for Stella to step in front of her. Then it was a fast run through the kitchen and jumping up on the couch for some afternoon sleep.

With all the leaves down from the Mahogany tree and most from the tall Sycamore tree, I'll get some but but not this many leaves after I mow them again. This should take about an hour to do the whole yard and I'll be done for the 2018 Leaf Project. It might snow on Tuesday but will be in the upper 40's for most of the week. I can mow then.

It's a pretty good retirement day here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

Stella Thinks It's Too Cold

After a solid night of sleep I was unaware what was taking place outside last night. I knew the temps were suppose to dip into the teens but with bright and sunny skies predicted for Saturday, it wasn't a big deal. This morning I wondered at the time if what I was seeing through my camera viewfinder was my eyes or something else ... there was scattered white stuff in that grass. Heavy frost ???

I could tell near the house it was more than just frost, it looked like very very small amounts of snow. November 10 ???

Is there enough white stuff in these and other photos in this post, for me to officially declare we have our first snow of the winter ?? Whatever I declared official did not matter until later in the walk for Stella. I was making sure this morning I could get in the backyard before she walked into those burrs again. I was successful but she was within a couple of steps from me yelling "No".

Needless to say, the air was just a little crisp to start the walk, a few minutes before 8am.

 

With the light dusting of white stuff, those narrow paths made by deer traffic (me guessing) was showing up much easier today.

All the cold temps, the dead leaves, and here stands some bright yellow. It looks like it is not ready to give up on a Fall season nor wanting to say goodbye to Summer.

This small path is coming from the woods behind my neighbor's house. It extends from their woods to the woods behind the field. Can you see it ?

Just to the right of my path is that same path leading into the woods. It isn't straight, but curls around different blades of grass. Any deer experts reading this ?? If so, chime in and let me know if I am correct in assuming this is a path made by deer. If it isn't a ballgame or a hound topic, I am pretty ignorant on stuff like this.

I was wrong. I said a week or so ago that I would not be out early enough on the walk to see the sun in this position. Since we got up and moving a few minutes past 6am, Stella was whining to go on her morning walk about 7:45am today.

I noticed she was spending more time on the path after we turned the first corner and she was walking much slower ... is that a slight limp I see ??

It certainly was. Her pads of her feet were covered with that freezing cold snow and her feet were cold. She sat down for a few minutes and didn't move while holding her rear paw up for me to see. I rubbed off the snow from each of her paws. She jumped up and took off down the path after that. All was good to her.

During my walk I was still trying to decide if I could say this was our first snow of the year. I decided to take photos of rooftops within my camera's view and let you decide if it's official or not. I am beginning to think it is not an official snow.

In the 21 years I have lived here, I have never seen the curtains of this house opened up. In fact I have never seen anyone out in the yard except the commercial lawn crew. I've been told by a neighbor there are people living there 12 months out of the year.

This was so funny ... When I told Stella ... "let's go home and get your feet warm" ... she took off running down the return path.

In fact she did not stop to sniff the fence or the trees. She did not stop to scratch her neck. She did not stop to stare at me while I stand at the corner of the house. She moved nonstop all the way to the door. By the time I got there she was trying to open the door by nudging the round door knob with her nose. She was more than happy when I opened to door and felt warmer air inside.

Well, last chance ... official snow or just heavy frost with temps in the teens ??

I am set for the next few weeks of cold weather in the forecast. A full tank of gas, a kitchen stocked full of food and a couple of books from the library to read. I told you I was going to enjoy this winter no matter how much snow we get or how cold it gets. I do have a feeling that Stella will be taking me on less walks than past years after those temps drop below 19°. I cannot carry a 80 pound dog too far, so she will have to walk home someway if her feet get cold.

I was only joking a few days ago about mowing my leaves in the snow ... really I was ... it was only a joke ... honest.   LOL

Clear and bright sunny skies this morning in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

The Week Flies By For The Hounds

I am anxious to see these photos today because I did something different than I usually do. Before the walk I read an article my Feedly account about digital photography. The writer was talking about better quality of photos with a standard lens such as a 35mm or the 55mm instead of a zoom lens. So I tried taking most of these photos today with a 55mm setting on my zoom lens, a few at 35mm and some at 70mm ... so I could also find out if I can survive on a hound walk with a zoom lens that has a range of 35mm-70mm or will a single 55mm lens work okay?

As you see my glove below, Stella was out in the burrs before I could step into the backyard. Before we took another step I pulled all of the burrs off of her only to find them attached to my glove afterward.

She was happy with all of the burrs off her neck, sides and a few on the side of her face. She started with a nice fast run just long enough to run in front of me and then walk as slow as a crawl or about a half step short of my normal stride. 7 acres to walk and she has to walk directly in front of me slow enough that I have to stutter step. If I stopped she stopped.

I added a little color saturation to the fall leaves that are left. I like that option, otherwise it was be a blog full of drab, dull and dying colors.

Most of these are being taken with the 55mm setting. I am surprised that I may not need anything more than 70mm. I guess now that I think about it, Sadie was the one usually running way ahead or leading the chase after deer where a 200mm came in handy. Yes, I still think about her every single day.

It felt colder than the temperature showed. This was the first morning where the cold air could "cut through you like a knife" ... the wind, nothing else, just so I am political correct.

Not a bird, not a cardinal, just a bright red wilted leaf still left at the edge of the wooded area.

By the way the photos look you may think my memory is shot but I took this first one at 35mm.

This one was at 55mm.

And believe it or not ...  this next one was at 70mm.

I had some shopping plans for today. I needed to finally replace my wool ski cap that was 29 years old ... yes honestly it was that old.

I also needed some new wool socks. Not only do they keep my feet warm on the winter walks but warm inside the house with the indoor temp 64° or lower. Nothing worse to me than a house that has the heater set to high.

I also wanted to check on a 4-Port USB Hub. I am out of ports on the back of my iMac since I added an external drive for the photos, an external CD/DVD drive that will be connected full time. I need a port for my phone cable to download the photos to my hard drive, recharge the phone and backup the phone hard drive to my iMac. I won't and never will do that over the cloud or by wifi.

Hat and socks were on sale at drastically reduced prices at Orscheln Farm and Home store. I struck out finding a new USB hub. The new ones on the Walmart rack were only 2.0 instead of 3.0. Since I already have a 2.0 that works but is just slow transferring files ... I didn't buy it.

I wasn't able to catch it with my camera but Stella pressed her nose right up against that old 80 yr old metal fence. She couldn't quit identify what she was smelling. She looked confused and walked away.

We stepped outside for a few short minutes after their lunch. The winds had picked up and it felt colder than it was in the morning, although the needle on the carport thermometer had climbed about 4° warmer. Stella didn't have any motivation to step into the driveway or yard.

Heidi was out and back, heading toward the door within minutes. I am pretty sure that the Azalea you see is not going to make another Midwestern winter. All of them are set too far back from the edge of the roof overhang and rarely get the rain water. I water them by hand most of the summer. I know myself well enough that I will not be going out in the winter every other day to water plants. In fact that outdoor faucet will be shut down for the winter.

I have watched NFL football since I was a young boy, during the 1960's. Until the past 2-3 years I watched all the games I could, no matter who was playing. I love football that much. While I still watch college football nonstop these past few years my NFL viewership has decreased to watching just the Indianapolis Colt games, the NFL Playoffs and the Super Bowl (minus the halftime show).

This might be my last season to watch any regular season game if I even make it through the regular season until the Super Bowl.

Why?

Well as it was explained on the NFL channel the other day by an ex-NFL Quarterback, the league office changed the rules to the touchdown celebrations "to attract the younger crowd" .... UN-$*&#)*##^ believable !!!!

With that rule change players can choreograph their celebrations after a touchdown. With fewer NFL games being played on my tv on Sunday's, Monday and Thursday nights where I do not tune in, I have found there are plenty of other things I can do besides watching touchdown celebrations that have turned into multiple player dance routines or comedy acts. They can do whatever they please but I won't be watching that crap.

What else can I complain about before I go ... hmmmm

Oh yes, how about more Daylight Savings complaints ... with the new time of moving the clocks back, Stella and Heidi see no reason to sleep past 6:15am every morning, while it is dark outside. Their 'inner' clocks are still an hour ahead with no plans to change. Does that turn me into a complaining grump?????  LOL

Other than that, it was a great Friday here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana. IU basketball game tonight at 8pm local and that's a good thing.