Week 43: Monet Has Nothing on Me

oh for heaven's sake, I give up

We did a little rearranging on my desk earlier this week (you will see why later) and now I can't even find my list!  I may or may not resume following the plan for the final nine weeks but I sure as heck have to find a way to do something with a structure I will follow for next year.  I have gone off topic too many times this year so this plan was a bust.

We came home last Thursday and on Friday, my awesome-times-a-thousand friend Donna arrived for the weekend.  Many, many thanks for your company, conversation, support and your house-cleaning services.  Donna and I headed out into farm country on Saturday looking for photographic opportunities but we ended up mostly just doing a scenic drive.  There is one photo from that day in here.  On Sunday, despite the threatening rain, I wanted to show Donna my favourite place (maybe second after Whitefish Island) in the Sault...the end of the Pinder trail at Hiawatha.  We walked around the trail and I had no urge to take out Hermione until we arrived at the cathedral/tunnel of trees.  I then proceeded to take a million shots and ended up playing with motion blur.  I already did this topic this year but doing that kind of photography is so much fun.

This first photo was created by moving the camera up and down while the shutter was open.  

Next is a shot that was zoomed while the shutter was open.  Or, maybe Donna was double-riding me on her bike and I took pictures from the back!

This is what the ground looks like when you move the camera in circles.

And this is what the trees look like with the same motion.

This is sort of what it looks like normally (but with a wide angle lens close to the ground).

Here are some trees just past their prime in the Sylvan Valley.

And here we have the reason my desk was rearranged.  I now share this workspace with Smaug, a Cuban Knight Anole.

This last photo is how he got himself ready for bed last night.  It is also how I found him this morning.  He reminds me of Kermit in this pose.

Look at that...all caught up and even a day early for this one!

Week 42: Finding Beauty in Sadness

off topic yet again

I didn't bring my list of photography assignments to Ottawa and frankly, I probably wouldn't have followed it even if I had it with me.  I was just hanging in there, spending time with family and coming to terms with the loss my family suffered.  One of the places I wanted to go when I decided to get out with my camera was the National Cemetery.  When I googled it to find out where it was, I found out that the Beechwood Funeral Home and Cremation Centre, where John's service was to be held, was the same place and it was only ten minutes from the house we had rented.  Again, I set my alarm to head out just before sunrise and again, it was a beautiful, peaceful morning.

I am glad that this is the place where we said our goodbyes to John.

Week 41: Finally! Fall Colours Abound!

fall colours

Thank you so much to Chantal for reminding me about some very lovely places in Ottawa.  

Petrie Island is a nature park in Orleans and it was a five minute drive from the hotel where we were staying.  Friday morning was supposed to be sunny so I set my alarm and planned to be there for just after sunrise.  Overnight we had a heavy frost so for the first time since June, I had to put on long pants and real shoes!  I also had to scrape the windshield with the lid of a food container that was in the car because the scraper was not yet in the car (it is now).  There was only one other car at the park when I got there so I enjoyed some quiet time to myself.  As the tears rolled freely down my face, I looked for the beauty in nature that grounds me in my life.  There was awesome fog for the first little while and some frosty plants that shone in the early morning light.

It was a beautiful morning of peace.

Week 40: Not Fall Colours

(not) fall colours

The topic this week was supposed to be fall colours but again, Mother Nature was not cooperating.  Here in the Sault, our colours were dim without the brilliant reds, pinks and purples and in Windsor where we went for Thanksgiving, there was almost no colour at all.

After reading my blog from week 39 and noting that I only found yellow leaves to photograph, Maxine braved the roaming bears and found me some brilliant red leaves on a different trail at Hiawatha.  I didn't want to re-do the topic completely but I did photograph those leaves and I have some shots that I really like.  I am including one of them here.

Thanksgiving was at my sister and parents' house in Windsor.  Anne has four cats so now my parents do too.  I love photographing one in particular (not trying to play favourites but he is very photogenic) so that's what I decided would be my photo for the week...a cat.

This is Yoda.  He is a ragdoll cat but not a cooperative one.  Perhaps Anne is allowed to pick him up but nobody else is.  He does however sit prettily while I point my camera at him.

Next we have Trixie, the matriarch.  She is talkative and she tolerates the rest of the herd.

My sister won't be happy with me...I am not sure about the next two...which one is which.  My mom told me this morning that she can now tell Kahlua and Cricket apart because Kahlua is the one who meows.  We can't see that in a photo so I am going to make a guess.  Let's just say this one is Cricket.  Cricket is the newest addition to the family.  She was found as a tiny kitten and she needed to be hand fed for a few days.  She is the only one who will let Levi pick her up (although only briefly).

That would make this one Kahlua with her flappy belly and friendly attitude.

Thanksgiving weekend also brought us some warm weather in Windsor.  When we arrived on Friday it was 26 degrees and I took a swim in the pool.  Levi was lazy that day and decided to swim the next day when it was only 15 degrees!  The poor kid didn't warm up for hours after that.

We spend Sunday making Halloween cookies for a fundraiser Anne's work was having.  It is a good thing mom and dad have a huge kitchen as all of us were working in there at once.

And finally we have my leaf picture for the week.  I love my light table.  And my part of the country.

A Tribute to John

John Richard Quinn  June 23, 1991 - October 10, 2016

My family suffered a tragic loss this week as my nephew John died on Monday.  He was so young with so much life ahead of him.  I grieve his loss for myself but I cannot imagine the horrors my brother and sister-in-law are suffering.  Tears are streaming down my face as I write this but I wanted to tell whoever chooses to listen how amazing John Richard Quinn was during his 25 years in this world.

John was brilliant.  The kid read math books for fun and he could do anything needing doing on a computer.  John was always willing to lend a hand, regardless of the task...install a new router - yup, photoshop some stunning blue eyes onto the grey eyes of a cat - yup, keep me informed of software I should use for my photography - yup, fly to Windsor to help his grandparents move then complete a to-do list a mile long - yup, paint his other grandfather's house in preparation for selling it - yup, head over to mom and dad's to barbecue up some awesome steaks - yup, yup and yup.  

John was sensitive and caring and if someone was in need, John was there.  He was stubborn too (the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree - both sides of the tree and many of it's branches).  I remember when I went out to visit Pete, Darlene and John when they lived in Chilliwack.  John and I headed out for a hike in the mountains while Pete and Darlene went to work.  John was about three or four (he was still in day care I think) and he insisted that we take a "short cut" from the parking lot to the trail.  I refused, trying to reason with him saying that since I was unfamiliar with the area we should stick to the signs.  He refused.  Eventually we got back in the car and headed back to the house sans hike (see above re: tree and it's branches).  

I just spent an hour with Darlene looking through photos so we can make a memory book of his life and this process brought many smiles.  I am hoping I smile some more as I add the photos now.

This is the most recent photo I have of John.  It was taken at our Gallant family reunion last summer.  While I was taking this picture of the awesome barbecuer with his steaks, Pete was grumbling in the background to hurry up, he was hungry.

Now let's go back to the beginning...

Those dimples!!!!

Uncle Rich teaching bad habits or the other way around?

Helping...not so much.

Relaxing after a long day at African Lion Safari.

John and Levi in the P.E.I. red mud.

Visiting Great Grandma.

The cousins...John, Morgan, Caitlin and Levi.

John doesn't look like he believes that the chickadees are actually going to land on their hands.

John was preparing to make himself a food baby.

Aunt Iris tickled John at just the right time.

Darlene, Pete and John enjoying dinner in the great outdoors.

That hat of John's is sitting on the fireplace mantle in a place of honour.

Rest in peace, my dear nephew.