Best camera, part two

I should be almost to Madison right now, but plans change. Of course they do. Last night's dinner turned out to be a personal disaster. There must be a rule against mixing crab cakes and walleye, and if there isn't, there apparently should be. Let's just say I spent a very sleepless night and earned way too little sleep to ever drive 750 miles in one stretch, which I would have had to do. And unless I rented a motorhome with full "facilities" I don't think the trip would have worked out. How is that for far too much information? Sorry.

But it allowed me to find a picture with my best camera.

It also allowed me to update on my blog from yesterday. The day started out great, and continued in that vein...I got to have ice cream with a friend who is starting out her modeling career. She allowed me to take some photos for her portfolio, and I didn't even have to do all the wash or deal with bath time afterwards.

An Early Saturday

Wow. Up, most of my cleaning done, grocery shopping done, laundry started and blogging by 8AM. Who am I?

A few different views of the morning. It is 81 and very humid already, helping with the great light. My neighborhood, I guess. From my house, from my "front" porch, and lastly, sunrise at Shopko.

the best camera ever...

People often ask me, "what's the best camera ever?" or "what camera should I buy?" If I can get away with it, I will say, "I don't know" or "it depends on what you are looking for."

What I should tell them is the absolute best camera ever is the one that I have with me, providing it has a memory card, of course. My best camera today? My phone. All my cameras that might have done a better job weren't there, so I used the best one, the one in my pocket.

This also shows that sometimes just turning around and looking at things differently can change your whole perspective. We all should do that now and then, even when you are forced to do it by someone smacking you up side the head.

Oh, the custard filled, chocolate frosted long john that I felt I owed the bakery to buy because I took a picture of their sign was pretty good, too.

Today...

For those keeping track and in reference to my previous post, here is today, a day which seems to be in black and white compared to the color of yesterday. Even when it is in color. I was not sure which one I liked better, so I posted both versions.

I promise I will take a photo that is different and perhaps not off my rooftop in the next week or so.

Two years

So partly because I have been fairly reflective lately and mostly because I am both unsure of what I want to take pictures of and I haven't had the time to devote to that I need to move forward, I am posting these two "repeat" photos. What is interesting is that I took the mountain shot almost exactly two years ago, and the sunrise photo exactly a year ago.

I think it kind of interesting to see where I was and what I was doing in the past. Perhaps it is the historian in me, or that is just human nature. I don't think that these particular days in the past or even today are milestone days, but you can't help but think of all that has changed, for better or for worse, in this time. It makes me wish I had better Iphoto records, but three years ago I used a different program and computer. I will have to think where I was then...

But for now, it isn't always that bad to look at a photo or a moment in time again.

Morning sky

OK, it isn't such an original title but that's what it is..

Sometimes it's funny. My life is a bit crazy right now, and frankly, I am dealing with some things that I would rather not have to deal with that are or maybe are challenges which simply can't be solved. I know I haven't been exactly adept and that I haven't always handled all this well, making this all more challenging. Like all of us, some days you have to "kick start" yourself out of bed and on some days it is harder than other days.

But then on a day that you know that will be bug house crazy at work and other things are just as crazy in your life, you find a sunrise like this.

Suddenly, for a bit, life is as it should be, and it's all pretty manageable.

Lillies and Poetry

I told someone that I have read a lot (well, a lot for me) of poetry lately. It is kind of fun, and while I don't fully understand all of it, I do like doing this. Perhaps it is because most are short enough to fully read before I fall asleep--I used to read novels before bed, then short stories, but now a nice sonnet seems to fit the bill. Ha ha. Most nights I can make through several of them...

But I am struck by the imagery in these words, if for no other reason than I know I sometimes try and do that with my photos...but in reverse. What words can I say in an image? It's an interesting thought and exercise. I know my photos don't always elicit deep thoughts, much to my disappointment. Like we all want ourselves to matter, most of us want our artistic expression to matter as well. At best, I can hope that it sometimes does.

Lilies have made me think about this. There is so much imagery and symbolism tied up with that one flower. Yellow means false and gay or that I am walking on air because of you. Tiger lilies symbolize wealth and pride, and day lilies are tied to Chinese proverbs and beliefs about motherhood and coquetry and charm. Interesting, eh?

But maybe lilies and poetry exist beyond the imagery and symbolism that they do sometimes represent. Maybe you can look at a flower photo, no matter the type, and simply just like them. And maybe you can read Edna or Ezra, T.S. or Robert or whoever, and not understand all the imagery and symbolism. Maybe, like a photo, you an just say you like the poem, for whatever reason. And maybe you will like one of these.

Note to new readers...

Way last year, I added a few names and addresses to the automatic blog notification system that comes with this blogspot. I thought that they were all going out. I found that notification page, and realized that while I filled it out, I forgot to submit it. So while you might have wanted my blog months ago, I realize that now you might not want to know when ever I publish this. If you would like to be removed, just drop me a note.

Thanks!

The Cities

I spent a day and a night in Minneapolis this weekend. I've been thinking of how I would describe the time, and it is kind of hard to do, but it was far more good and wonderful than bad and difficult. How is that for being vague but descriptive?

Downtown really is a nice place, and the weather cooperated for mostly the whole weekend. And it allowed me to take a few photos.

Things that people will never experience

There is a list that comes out every fall that is put out by Beloit College. The whole purpose of the list is to remind the increasingly older faculty and administration about all the things that the new freshman class of mostly 18 year olds have never experienced. So how do you explain a dial phone to students who always have thought that phones have buttons? Once I had to explain what an LP record was (I didn't even try to tell them what a 45 was) but increasingly, I have to explain what a CD is. Floppy disk drives? An 8088 processor? A young Harrison Ford? Eight track tapes? Water out of the fountain or bubbler? Watergate? No TV changer? Books? Forget it--they rarely if ever have experienced or remember them or know at all about them. Worse, many of their parents don't remember them either!!!

I had one such moment today, and it made me very reflective. I went to the last Harry Potter movie and while it won't win any academy awards, it was a monumental movie for me. I read the first Harry book in England in 1998, a year or two before the craze began in the US, and for the last 13 years, another Harry Potter book or movie was always going to come out. For the last 13 years, most of the world was anticipating another installment of one kind or another. That is pretty amazing when you think about it--Ms. Rowlings has earned her billion or two.

What made me more reflective is that I can almost define my life for the last 13 years by which book or movie was coming out or in the theater. Who did I share my book with or who did I go to a movie with? Who did I make reluctantly watch the first five movies so we could at least talk the same language? What college was I teaching at? Which book was I reading when my divorce was final? Who did I send a book to, or who did I share a Red Vine or two with while watching the movie? Where in the country was I living? Who thought I was crazy when I brought back Harry Potter books from those summer trips to England?

I suspect and sometimes hope I am a grown up, and I even think that I have been one for a few years. But much of my growing up years have been with Harry Potter, a point that I bet that more people than me can say. I just grew up later than most. But they (and Harry) have shared my first international travel, periods of loneliness and togetherness, and for these past 13 years, have always been something that I have anticipated. It will be a bit different to not do that, to not anticipate the next Harry Potter. I know that continuing progress on this growing up thing will be made, but what literary or culture icon will help mark and define the next 13 years?

First (moon) light in new lens

A friend of mine pointed out the unique characteristics of this lens, and first bought a similar one. It is actually old technology, as this lens was made in about 1980, but on the new digital cameras it is effectively an 800mm telescope. His photos were so intriguing that I had to buy one. This is the first light that I got to pass through the lens.

So the moon over St. Cloud, 1/600th of a second at f8.0, hand held, 1:11 AM, July 12.

Senior moments

I am sitting here in the dark though it is barely 8PM. We have thunder storms coming in, and warnings are posted for Sterns County. I am ok because Sterns County is about 500 yards away. I am sure that it won't rain or storm here.

I am afraid the light matches my mood. Let's say it wasn't the best of weekends but more than that, I not only feel old and it seems everyone else thinks I am old, too. Especially those AARP people. In the past few weeks, I have received no less than five emails and two pieces of regular mail from them. I can get long term care insurance, prescription services, rental at resorts specializing in "elder" retreats, and discounts almost everywhere with my AARP card. Wow, 10% off at Arbys--yippee!!!

A new "service" also made its way to my inbox. Apparently more and more people over 50 are single, and a new website, Older Personals, is up and running. It is designed to help those over 50 find love. Or someone to wipe the drool off their chin, or share Geritol, help break feet of clay, or set up shuffleboard games. Or maybe even find love. Dating at mid-life--apparently it's not for the faint of heart.

Of course, all of this is humorous to me and to others. I complainingly emailed one of the AARP ads to a younger friend and her response was, and I quote, was "hahahahahahahahaha." Actually, there were a few more haha's in her response. I do laugh, but I recognize that I have earned getting on these mailing lists, no matter my resistance or unwillingness to believe that I am getting older. I don't see myself as old, but I have to remember that most others do. Even the people who don't know me but only know my stats on a web page.

So my goal is at best to remain young at heart. I ignore the slight aches in the morning and/or after a walk, and resist knowing my doctor by her first name or memorizing her phone number. I am sure I can't ignore all this forever. But I can ignore the AARP ads and for at least a few years, ignore the Elder Personal site for love.

Photo Safari

I went for a drive specifically to look for photos, but it was pretty slim pickings. Since it is 90 degrees with 95% percent humidity, most sane folks were at the lake or in front of an air conditioner. But you don't find anything unless you look, so I took off.

I found two photo opportunities, but only exploited one of them. In Pierz, I saw two sisters selling lemonade, complete with a hand lettered sign, lemons, and matching sundresses. What a great picture, but I had to pass. Life is different than it was 25 years ago when I would have taken the photo in a heart beat and it would have been on page one. Strangers don't go up to three and four year olds and take their photos anymore. Still, I'll remember the scene and this slice of Americana even without a photo, and I am sure that many of you can picture this, too.

I have never been questioned or wondered about (that I know of) for taking the other photos shown above. It was a hazy bright day, and the curious cows left their shady spot under the tree to see who this crazy person was who was taking their photo.

I have been to Kenya and been on a real safari, but I guess this is the Minnesota equivalent. No elephants, but it was still a pretty good safari.

Four from the Fourth...

Not much to say, really. Ooooh. Ahhhhh. Boom.

P.S.

I love my grill...I am less than bright for not doing this earlier, say about 4-5 years ago...salad, steak, potato salad, and corn on the cob. How American am I?

Film from a walk

These are shots from film, and shots taken with yet another one of the old Retina's that I bought. These are from my walk on Friday.

Ironton-Crosby Parade

As mentioned, I was aiming for the Crosby-Ironton 4th of July parade. These two contiguous towns are on the edge of the Iron Range, and officially "up North." The parade route is about 1.75 miles, and the "paraders" start in Ironton and finish in Crosby, which officially is the big town, though only 2,250 souls call it home.

The parade featured lots of fire trucks and surprisingly no bands. It didn't seem like a real parade because of that, but it actually wasn't that bad of a parade. I parked in Crosby at the end of the route, and walked back to the start of the parade in Ironton and then walked back to my car, so at least it was good walk on a great fantastic wonderful holiday weekend weather.

Here are a few views of the parade and people. It is all predictable parade fair, though I was a bit surprised by the "for sale" sign on the fire truck. Is it that bad out there?