Week 17: Celebrate Spring

letters and numbers

What a great day it has been...I started off with a couple of hours at Whitefish Island enjoying the birds and looking for photos for this week, followed by a couple of hours at the Science Festival with Amanda, followed by a working visit with my parents at the campground.  A bowl of cereal for supper and some blues in the background are making a perfect end to the day.

I really enjoy looking for letters in nature so I put this topic into the plan for the year even though I did it not too long ago during last year's project.  Last year however, I just found random letters and this time I wanted to spell something.  I decided on "spring" and headed out this morning to find those letters.  As I went along, I decided to add 2016 to the challenge.  I started enjoying the challenge a little less when I realized that I wasn't going to find a decent R, G or 6.  So be warned, you may need to squint or use your imagination.  I should have begun looking earlier in the week but man, the weather was ugly to begin and then I had a project that took some of my time. 

I recently realized that I had three paid-for photobooks that expire next Thursday.  I had already started a book about things we did last summer and I had photos from Las Vegas to use but there was nothing I could think of to use in the third book.  Inspiration came in the form of a puppy.  Pam adopted a sweetie pie from Northern Critters in Need and I figured they might need a Welcome Riya book (Riya is her name).  I have had fun trying to get the little dolly (and her peeps) to cooperate with the camera.  I admire pet photographers more every moment.

This is Riya, a maybe lab-shepherd mix.

I'm ready to play.

Why are the kids outside and I am in here?

Oh well, I'll just sleep then.

Now to the project photos...

I tried really hard to spell SPRING 2016.

And here you have to use your imagination...can you see the wonky lower case g?

No?  Me neither.  How about SPRINK?

I know, I know, it only vaguely resembles a 6 but it was the best I could do.

This looking for letters thing takes a bit more than a single morning's effort.

Week 16: A Superior Earth Day

Lake Superior

I did what I said I would do and made a specific plan for the rest of the year.  There were a few topics that were tricky to assign to a date...baby ducks/geese for example...I have no idea when the babies will be out and about so I may need to change up a week or two as I go.  Also, planning for the drive out West was difficult.  There were about 10 or 12 topics I could have used for those four weeks.  As it turned out, I chose 'an animal' hoping for some bison in Badlands National Park, 'frame within a frame' in the Black Hills (mountains and trees should make that easy), 'black and white landscape' - duh - mountains!!! and 'a silhouette' hoping for some backlit hoodoos in Drumheller.  Well, we'll see how that all goes in August.

About this week, I was having trouble figuring out when I could do the 'Lake Superior' topic since we won't be camping at Pancake, Agawa or Neys this summer.  I looked at the forecast and yesterday looked like it was going to be a nice day, Levi had a P. D. day and I was off so I decided that we would do a scenic drive to the park.  We started out at 9:00 when it was zero degrees.  Our first stop at Chippewa Falls made us think we had woken up three months ago in the depths of winter.  We persevered (hoods up and hands inside sleeves) and enjoyed the powerfully flowing waterfall and hiking trail.  Pancake was the next stop where it was sunny and we were blocked from the wind so we figured we were okay for the rest of the day.  We headed to Katherine Cove for lunch and a lot of time scrambling on the rocks and finished off yelling over the sound of the pounding falls on the Sand River.  It was the perfect way to celebrate Earth Day.

This first photo was taken at Katherine Cove.  This dead-looking tree with its crazy shape caught my eye and I took many photos of it from different points of view.  This one is my favourite.

From a different angle, that little pool was very colourful.  It reminded me of the geothermal features in Yellowstone Park that I have been looking at in my planning/research.

I gave more thanks for my new wide angle lens while wandering around the Cove.

Chippewa Falls apparently has a pot of gold at the bottom.  Too bad the water is too cold to go diving for it.

I didn't pack the tripod yesterday so this was the best I could do trying to soften the water a bit.  Note to self:  always pack tripod!

The contrast between the smooth, colouful leaves and the rough tree bark caught my eye on the trail to the top of the falls.

Pancake Bay looked quite swimmable yesterday.  Don't be fooled though, it was not.

We stopped at the lookout over Agawa Bay and Levi and Peter were playing in the bush so I played with Hermione.

During the summer, we can climb all over the rocks and get up close and personal with the water at the Sand River.  Not so much in the spring.

And finally, we have the first barbecue of the season, featuring the best barbecue sauce ever.

Enjoy the weekend!

Week 15: C is for Cookie

food

This year's project is giving me grief...or I am giving it grief.  I have already said that I need to re-think this plan but somehow, I have not yet re-thunk it (thinked? thank?).  Is thunk really a word??  Anyway, that little grammar question aside, I am not planning or putting much thought at all into my photography each week the way I would like to be doing.  Having a random list of subjects from which I can choose at the last minute has led me to randomly photographing and choosing at the last minute - huh, fancy that...taking the easy way out.

So, I am going to change the plan (those of you who know me well with know how much this pains me - to change something in the middle of it).  After I post this blog, I will return to my random list and turn it into a not-so-random list...similar to last year.  Each of the remaining weeks of this year will be assigned a topic and I will stick to it.  I hope that works because I really love photography and this project is supposed to help me love it more, not feel guilty.

I took very few photos again this week (only when I was out with Pam Friday morning) so last night I had to scramble with the list to find something I could easily (see?  see?  easily!!) do before the end of the evening.  Amanda and I had done some baking yesterday morning in advance of a few fundraisers The Animal Assistance Group is having so I had some oh-so-yummy chocolate chip cookies in the house.  

Here they are.  If you want to taste them you will have to attend The Spring Fling at the Moose Lodge on April 30th in support of the cats.

Guess where Pam and I walked on Friday...

I don't really like seagulls but they are kind of beautiful when you actually look at them rather than shoo them away.

The red winged blackbirds are back.  The male and female were chatting back and forth but neither of them would pose properly for me.

I liked the contrast of the snow and mossy rocks.  It looked better in my head.

Finally we have some pussy willows.  A sign that spring is truly here (that and the 23 degree weather we had today).

Now to revamp my list...

Week 14: Mother Nature Needs To Make Up Her Mind

a pet

When I was at the Valley of Fire workshop, a couple of the other students said that they do pet photography.  I assumed that they meant dogs of course because who can control a cat?  On one of our rides out to the park, the fellow I was sitting with showed me some gorgeous photos of his cats.  He then went on to show me some of his professional cat photos.  He goes to people's houses and shoots their cats in their own environments!  Who knew this was a thing?  When I asked what sort of equipment he brings with him he said he just bounces his flash.  I was stunned...because these were stunning photographs.  So after last week's half-assed completion of the assignment, I was inspired to make much nicer photographs of our cats and maybe stalk some of my friends' pets as well.

It all started off well, I took a couple of shots of our cats last Sunday - nothing stunning but a start -  but it went downhill from there.  I don't know what happened but it was a crazy busy week and I didn't get a chance to get more pet photos.  But I won't give up on this...I have three cats and there are a whole lot of animals out there just waiting to smile for me.

I had forgotten how much I enjoy writing this blog on a Saturday evening while listening to Randy Bachman's Vinyl Tap.  It's my kind of music.

First we have Bellatrix and Narcissa cuddled up together for a much needed rest.

Next we have Eclipse, staring at me waiting for me to notice how pretty she is.

Today, while I was making jambalaya (very yummy by the way), Levi told me all three cats were at the top of the climbing structure.  Ignore the dirty window but please note the yucky white stuff outside.

On Tuesday, my crocus were so happy and sunny.

Today, after the 20 cm of Wednesday snow, they are still trying to reappear.

Today, Amanda and I walked at Whitefish Point.  Since it was minus 12 degrees out, there was a thin layer of ice on the pond.  I quite enjoyed watching the ducks as they encountered this strange barrier...they tobogganed across it like penguins, they bumped into it not knowing it was there and when walking on it, they slipped and slid just like people.  What first caught my eye was the fact that sometimes, the ducks looked like they were walking on water.  At work, I have these worksheets on which you have to find the silly things in a picture.  Last week one of my kids was quite taken with the page that had a small duck walking on water.  He was stuck on that idea throughout the whole session to the degree that I thought I'd better warn the teacher what it was all about because I am sure that he continued to talk about it for the rest of the day.  I think I have a bit of an evil mind sometimes because what went through my head when I saw the ducks walking on water was that I should capture that and show him this week...it wasn't silly after all, Johnny!

I couldn't get the right shot but I got these...

I could hear tons of birds at the park today but only the chickadees were making themselves visible.  Then by luck, I saw this sparrow.

Week 13: Fun and Games

 a game

I was sadly negligent with my photography this week.  Hermione hasn't been out of her bag since last Saturday in Vegas and I thought I was going to blow my plans for the project.  Then last night at about 8:00, Levi and his friend were playing Battleship and I remembered that "a game" was on the list so I found the camera and flash and interfered with the game.  The boys were annoyed by the flash so I waited until they were done.  I don't love any of the photos I took (which was the purpose of the project this year) but at least I used the camera once this week.  

As I write this, they are playing Uno Spin (they say -10 degrees is too cold to go outside).

Because there is nothing else to see from the week, I am including some shots from Vegas.  Since I haven't yet unpacked (will do so today as book club is at my house tomorrow), I feel as if Vegas wasn't really all that long ago and I can sneak in these photos, pretending that they were taken this week.  Oh, I guess I just outed myself!

And now we have a tour of the strip...

The Welcome to Las Vegas sign.  As we were waiting in line (yes, there is a line to take your picture here), a couple arrived dressed in wedding clothes with a photographer.  Then an Elvis arrived and he did the ceremony.  Afterwards as we were walking to the hotels, we passed a little chapel at which another couple was getting married.  Even though I should have expected this in Vegas, I was amused.

Here are the 12 of us that made the El Grande 50 trip.

Next we have Mandalay Bay.  We could see this hotel from our backyard but everything is much farther than you think once you start walking.

The Luxor

I forget where this waterfall is.  Maybe still in the Luxor.

New York New York

Excalibur

This is a blown glass ceiling in the Bellagio.

The Bellagio.  I never did make it to see the fountain show...just never in the right place at the right time.

The Paris just after sunrise.

And here are some photos from the Hoover Dam.  Well, Lake Mead anyway...I didn't find the dam photogenic.

And finally we have the whole reason we were in Vegas...El Grande 50.  Anthony had these shot glasses made and there was a sale on this Fireball whisky so we toasted our birthdays in style (to the disgust of everyone else, I put beer in my shot glass...there's no way I could have drank the whisky).

Hopefully I will do better this week.  I have begun to unpack (while the photos were slowly uploading - that's another thing I have to do...upgrade my wifi) and the camera is all organized now.  Perhaps I will go out and shoot this afternoon.  Now to pick a topic...