5am wake up

Gypsy had a very unsettled night so at 5:15am I decided it was time to just get up.   She had another slide down the stairs yesterday as she was trying to come upstairs after me.   Even with two chairs at the bottom of the staircase she found a way through to follow me.   I think she is just very sore which would explain the restlessness.   She was able to move around okay once we got up and outside. 

While standing in the yard waiting for her to do her thing, I happened to look up and there was an amazing sky.  So I had to try.   Got the tripod and the camera with the 24mm prime lens on it.  I set some manual controls from memory for star shots (which were definitely off) and tried to manually focus the shot.   My eyesight is such that I don't even know if the focus was true...I only can tell when is it really blurring.  So I focused on the corner of the house just below the moon then moved the camera to get rid of the house.   I took five shots and this was the best.  I am going to look up the proper settings and maybe try again if I have to be up early.  Which I probably will be.     We have clear skies for the next couple of days.  

I started the painting of the deck rails that I put off since it got so hot this spring for painting and because  of my flower beds next to the porch.  The flowers are gone so I can get to the outside of the rails without a problem.  I will be glad to get this job done so the new screened porch and the deck match colors.   Keeping my fingers crossed I have enough paint!