Off season
I like the action. There are telephoto effect images to make it look more crowded. And there are people to populate the beach with activities like kite flying and fishing. It’s all interesting. Meanwhile we can stroll unimpeded. I would admit I miss the bikinis but Colleen would pinch me. Hey! Right about now it’s new year’s and they are readying to go into the ocean for new year’s day. Nope, not me.
Sudoku
I’m behind the times and don’t even know what it is. But, they do it in math class in the 5th grade now. It’s a puzzle game. Really! We participated in grandparent’s day at school. It’s not what it used to be (school). In fact, the gym was bigger than our entire elementary school. Yes, we went to the same elementary school – Elkins First Ward. The principle shoveled coal to keep us warm. And that darned school was smaller than the gym. In fact, we had no gym. Our exercise was in the yard of barren grass not the tennis court this school sported. Yeah, strangely different after decades. Progress.
Different evening
Same sequence. We drove into the sunset. The effect was as spectacular. Pick. There were numerous keepers. It was hard to miss. The only rub was that I was shooting thru the car window as I drove and I had to wait to clear the hills in order to get a clear shot. Not bad. Don’t do this at home kids.
Sunset
Pick. The nice thing about being on the road is that the sunset unfolds in front of you. You then have your pick. Evening glow, more glow, or urban traffic. You pick. I got the full experience.
Moving
We almost moved… not. But, there was one Saturday when the water rose and we didn’t know it. We are at sea level. And storms can come and raise the water level. But, on this particular day we were caught unaware. No rain and no storm, all the weather was out to sea. And the flooding was impressive. And the beach was gone. The water was right up to the dunes. And I thought that if the sea rose – with climate change – we would be underwater, and, perhaps we should be gone (from the neighborhood) before that sad day. Colleen had a new place picked out before the day was done. Scotland or Maine, pick. I’m sticking – for now. Packing is too nerve wracking.
Where were you?
I have been party to history. I remember where I was when Kennedy was shot… and where I was when 9/11… and where we all were when Sondland came and cheerfully gave up the Republican leadership. History. Tragic. But indelible. Where were you?
Merry Xmas/Christmas
I have a lot to be thankful for. That was thanksgiving? And, this is now, another rare two post day. I had all of our kids in one place this summer. Not at the same time… but then Photoshop to the rescue. This was more difficult than herding my cats together. It is indeed a motley bunch. Family. Nice. It’s nice to be thankful.
Leaving
Whenever we leave the cats are the first to protest. They gather. They know we are headed out. It’s the suitcases. That is the essential difference from a day trip. And they are smart enough to know full well what a suitcase implies. Sometimes they lie inside the bag as though we would pack and take them too. Other times they just gather outside the bedroom door and lie forlorn. Nutley lay upon the stair head hanging in resignation. I know it. They know it. And we all miss each other before anyone is out the door. Pitiful. You bet! We are away this Xmas. The cats miss us as we do them. We do our best. Someone loses and some win. Bittersweet.
Book sale
We go/went to the library. They have/had a used book sale. I hand/handed off two books to Lee. She bought them. It was a joke – to me. She bought them. Do I surmise that she has issues? Or, was it me?
Scene this?
California. Museum. Boredom. Sometimes there is enough art, too much. I need to do some. So, I got the nearest willing subject and made her walk the museum for me. And then I made a composite. More fun. There are many ways to have fun in a museum. Aren’t there?
Weary
We were in the museum and I sat to wait. I contemplated. And, I photographed. Me, you, and the mirror reflection. Fun! And, then ala Andreas Feininger, I paid homage to an image that stuck in my memory. Are there new photos or are there copies of something previously done? Either way, we had fun while I waited and rested.
After a while, it felt like we were in a photo booth. Well, no, but it was fun anyway.
I’m cold
The folks in Scotland are a hardy lot. They walk around in the cool weather without proper dress. I would submit that you must be cold. You look cold. But as a kid I walked out of the house without an umbrella into the rain.
Monotone
Here’s something more artistic. We were returning to the car after dinner. There! Monotone. Powerful.
HB
I try to remember John on his birthday. He was the best of us – good heart, sense of humor, gentle, family man, good dad, loved to fish.
Entertainment
It’s the streets. Anything goes. It’s Scotland. Bag pipes! Statues have been done elsewhere. They are still fun. Harry Who? Owls are there on the street for the public to see and touch. After all it’s Harry Potter land. Fun.
Spooked
… not Halloween. I took this pic of the kids. It spooked them. I take pics of kids and groups all the time, no harm done and none intended. But it was the moment and the glance that says it all. The girls quickly moved along immediately thereafter. Sorry kids, I did not mean to spook you guys.
Whoa!
This was worth a stop! We were speeding along to somewhere, when I spied this field of colorful sheep. Why?? I saw a similarly colored group once more during our trip. Otherwise it is/was a mystery. Disease prevention? Dyed in the wool? (sorry for the bad joke) What? We don’t know. It was definitely worth it to get the photos. I did not realize or know that I would not see this again. Whoa!
Drill
During our ferry crossing the boat stopped for a “man overboard” drill. Stopped, just stopped dead in the water. They launched a rescue boat. An imaginary man overboard was successfully rescued and the rescue boat was recovered. We then went on our merry way. Let’s hope this drill is never for “real.”
Glacial
In keeping with my last post, we have our memory at the glacier. I would not classify the images as photographically great. But they evoke the memory of the day. It’s a bookmark of emotion and feeling for the location. We had fun!
Recall
Dave and I had a recall contest. He was traveling again in Argentina and challenged me as to what I remembered when I was there with him. Yup, we both remembered the same stay. I needed a few minutes to find my memory. Hey! Not too shabby. I have a fairly reliable database. Unfortunately, I also learned what and what I did not photograph at that time. I’m better than I was but not as good as I will be. Ha!
Froggy
I see them. Not often. So, I photograph them when I see them. Logical. Detail, remember the rule of thirds, and so forth…. I look and try to make it mine. Sure, the subject is not new. It’s still a frog. But, I hope I made you look.
Spider
Yup, done this one before too. No problem. I haven’t done it many times and I don’t think I have done it upside down. Oh! Sure! Yes! Done that too! No matter, it’s still fun and unique. It’s not easy to get the shot. A point and shoot camera has certain disadvantages. Focus on small objects is a problem. But the main advantage is that I had a camera at all when I found this spider asking for his close-up.
It’s been done
Mike and Jen took us to the traveling “wall.” It’s ¾ scale to the original wall in Washington DC. All the names are there. the “picture” is the reflection. I’ve done it. I did it. I discovered it on my own. I discovered a lot of people did it before me as they will do it after me. I am of an age where the contemporaries to the Vietnam war are diminishing more rapidly. There’s nothing pithy to say about the memorial but one thinks about how many lives on the wall were never fulfilled. It moves me to think of what might have been and the cost we have paid.
Wooly Bear
At least this is what I call them. And it’s what I taught my kids to call them. Do you recall Proust’s La Madeleine? No matter. The appearance of a wooly bear recalls to me the childhood of my children and that magic moment when they first saw a wooly bear themselves. I was the one to point it out. And so, I passed down knowledge. Ah, they can’t take that away from me.
photobackstory 