Dandelions - A love and hate relationship

What a poor misunderstood and unappreciated weed!

They are sturdy and pop up just about anywhere and we spend all our time trying to eradicate them. They show up in the spring before the grass has even come back to life, and everyone begins pulling them out one by one. I prefer to tackled this unpleasant and tedious task as soon as possible since it minimizes their spread.

Dandelions are Taraxacums, asexual plants that seed without pollination. The word dandelion comes from the French 'dents de lion' which means lion's teeth. The whole plant is eadible. As a child, we ate the boiled leaves flavoured with olive oil and lemon juice. These leaves were longer, greener, and tasted rather bitter. Since then, I've managed to buy shorter ones (resembling the ones that grow in north america) and their flavour is less harsh. We also used them to make wreaths that we'd put on out heads. A simple task that brought lots of pleasure.

I love seeing an open green field dotted with their yellow flowers. Their seeded appearance with their matured pompoms always looks so magical, light, and precise. The globe shape made of the repeated pattern of their seeds is simply amazing and looks so architectural. Alas, the pleasure is always mixed. They are lovely to look at but at the same time I envision their feathery seeds flying in the wind and landing on our lawn ... where I then have to repeat my cycle of removal.

I found a lovely seeding dandelion in my backyard (one of the few that I didn't rip out). I grabbed my camera and looked forward to taking its picture. Nikita, my pup, eagerly followed me and approached the plant. I hushed her away and to my surprise she simply pounced on the dandelion and ripped off his head! Either she thought she was giving me a hand since she had witnessed me digging them out, or she felt jealous at the attention it was about to receive, or perhaps she was just being a playful pup. Nikita the lion catcher!  Either way, that put a halt to my photo session but fortunately I found another one today!



Rain, Rain, Go Away ... and don't even bother coming back another day!



I have been complaining about this weather because it's just so dull when I can't go out as much as I'd like ... especially after being cooped up for a long winter season. But ... I have to admit that everything is beautifully lush green. Spring took its time and uncovered itself slowly which is rare for us. Normally the trees fill in within a couple of days and the blooms all come in at once and disapear just as quickly. This year everything happened in slow motion and we've been able to enjoy it for a longer period of time. I'm sure the level of enjoyment was directly proportional to the delay.

The nice thing about having an overcast sky is that the light is difused and renders softer pictures. Everything is slightly muted without the harsh light and shadow contrast that accompanies a bright sunny day. Droplets of water a facinating to observe. They gather randomly, sometimes join, and sometimes join so much that they eventually fall off due to their weight. It's a little messier to photograph under these circumstances since I never think of bringing a pad or something to protect my knees from the wet grass. Taking on odd positions to capture a special moment involves getting close to the ground.

I'll continue to complain about the rain only because we've truly had our fill of it but I'm also grateful for the opprtunities it has provided. It basically forced me to find alternative ways of amusing myself and see things that I normally would not have paid any attention to. My surroundings are kept fresh and green. It feels nice when I drive around my neighborhood and see these different shades of green that mother nature is feeding on a daily basis with this abundance of water. It won't be long before the summer heat begins to brown our lawns and dry up our flower beds, and then we will have to take care of the watering ourselves.

An experiment with the abstract

Another rainy day ... but this time I was prepared. I had a bunch of photography experiments I wanted to try based on a photography magazine article I read. These experiments involved the use of crystals, water, food colour, and oils. 

I first played around with my crystal butterfly to see which kind of lighting would produce the most colourful reflections. As it turns out, a light underneath a decorative piece of glass produced the most amazing colours. A 'real' butterfly would surely be flattered to have so many sparkling colours! Then I moved on to the Pierrot. This time, I tried to focus on simplicity and create some sort of outline instead of trying to make it as colourful as possible. He looks icy and crisp.

Next came the experiment with water and food colour. I used a rectabular vase that was rather narrow so that the colour would have less horizontal space to spread out in. I think the vase glass is a bit too thick since it was very difficult to obtain a sharp focus. Nevertheless, the effect turned out very interesting.

I subsequently change my colour combination and found that shades or yellow, green, blue, and red worked better in terms of focus/clarity. I think it's because overall the water was of a lighter colour and the backlight came through better.

Then I experimented with water and oil. I used a shallow glass pie plate, partially filled it with water, and added two2 different kinds of oils, sunflower and olive, since they have a slightly different colour. I put an abstract painting under the glass dish to use as background colour (which I could could also move around).  I took several pictures but the best effect occured once I stirred up the water oil mixture causing more bubbles. Eventually it all began to look like some life form ...

Believe it or not, I took about 200 pictures! Not only of water and oils but also of fruits, flowers, and other small objects. I would say that only about 10 of them are worth keeping since I make a point of changing aperture, ISO, and shutter speed to see which combination produces what result. So far, the learning process has been a lot of fun.

Our cat Chester ... the mollester

Our cat Chester is pretty cool. 

He's big, strong, and a good hunter, yet he also has a soft touch and is very patient with our puppy. 

We began calling him Chester the Mollester when he was a kitten. He used to spend his daily 'crazy' hour zipping around in circles, attacking anything in his path especially our feet! Fortunately that stage is over and he spends most of his time lazing around or hunting mice.

Cats are interesting creatures. 

Most of them appear to be less attached to humans than dogs however I think it's a disguised behaviour. Chester is always happy to see us and is very demonstrative with our dog. He will rub himself against her every time he comes back into the house. He behaved the same way with our previous dog Biko. Chester was in fact quite out of sorts for at least 3 days after Biko died. He'd go into our backyard on his own and sit on the deck as if expecting Biko to show up any minute. It was rather sad to watch especially since my own sadness overwhelmed me.

Chester has come to tolerate our new puppy very. Initially his back was up and he didn't appreciate the new addition to our family. Eventually we let him into the pup's area and he accepted her after 3 days of sharing the same space. Now Nikita, being so playful, continuously jumps on him, nibbles at him, and doesn't take 'no' for an answer. He may growl, hiss, and even swat her but he's never any rougher than he needs to be. I'll know they have become friends for life when I eventually see them cuddled up together for a nap.

Reflections ...

We've just had 2 beautiful days but today, again, was overcast. It didn't affect me as much though since I had a sunshine fix. What a perfect day to try some indoor 'special' photography!

I have a small piece of black glass which I used as the base for the Cala Lily. I had never tried reflective photos before and I was very excited at the thought of it. Playing with light direction and shutter speed was easier than I thought. The only challenge is knowing when I have the 'right' picture. My camera's screen is a bit small to discern the details and colours, computer screens show colours differently depending on the angle, posting a picture rounds up looking different, and who knows what results I'll have once I print a picture. More to learn ...

All in all I'm rather happy with the results considering it's my first time and the fact that I'm rather new at all of this. The reflection of the lily came out nice and clear and the lily is just slightly lighter than I'd like it to be. There is a colour balance that impacts the quality and brightness of the reflection.

I will try later this evening, once it's dark, and see how the effect changes when I only have artificial lighting.

From caves to posts ...

Here is another picture I took on my outing in the big city. Can you guess what it is?

Hint - We were strolling on the university campus. I could see this all over the place. It's temporary yet always there.

 So here is goes - I became very aware of the numerous posters that were slapped on everywhere as we strolled through the university campus. They announced concerts, exhibitions, special lectures, and various language courses. Some people pasted their poster over other posters and others stapled them. You could see how often posters had been fully or partially removed. Posts were scratched, guey, messy, and laden with broken staples. It was colourful and interesting yet untidy. I suppose it's a sight we are used to and can walk by without noticing it unless we are we are in that space where we are more conscious of our surroundings.

This is a picture of a section of a post with its 'leftovers'. The renmants appear to have melded and become matter of their own with tidbits of history still present. It resembles prehistoric cave walls with renmants of animal paintings. It kind of makes sense when you think about it. Cavemen were preoccupied with survival and at that time hunting, family, and fire were the main focus. These days people focus on education as a means of survival. The 'mental' has taken over  the 'physical'.

With Spring come Pussy Willows

Finally!  Spring has arrived! The trees are half filled in and the tulips, crocuses, daffodils, and hyacinths have all popped out of hibernation. It always feels so much nicer when the surrounding vegetation is back. Green and bright colours looks much nicer against a grey sky than snow.

Yesterday was incredibly nice and I had fortunately planned to meet up with a friend in the city to go on a photography outing. We strolled through our city's largest university campus and found many things to capture. That's when I spotted the planter filled with flowers and pussy willows.

In the past, it was Lillies of the Valley that always made me think of Spring. They were not common in Montreal, but I think it was their perceived rarity (at the time) that made them so special to me. They are also one of the few flowers that truly have a lovely edible aroma. These little white bells propped on green stems often made me think of fairy tales where the fairies would wear them as hats!  Lillies of the Valley are just as common here but it was the Pussy Willow tree that caught my attention.

We had a small willow tree on the property of our first home. Every Spring I would check to see how many Pussy Willows there would be. To my delight, more often than not, the branches were covered with them!  They always amazed me ... the soft furry bulge that would eventually disapear. Pussy Willow is basically a 'given' name for the male catskins that grow on various willow trees.


According to wikipedia - The Pussy Willow is a favourite flower for Chinese New Year because there are numerous blossoms on a branch, the fluffy buds look silky, and the blossoms give forth to young shoots the colour of green jade. They are also used in religious Easter celebrations in lieu of Palm branches which can be difficult to find in some countries.

As a child, I sometimes read this magazine for youth (maybe 'Owl' or 'Chickadee') and once there was a beautiful story about Pussy Willows which were in fact little curled up kittens. I can't remember the details of the story but I do remember the enchanting illustration. From then on, it was easy to imagine little kittens on a branch.  Meow ... prrr prrrrr

The Lilacs are coming ... The Lilacs are coming!

Another rite of Spring ... Lilacs!

My Lilac bush didn't take this delayed Spring to seriously and has been working behind the scenes. I went to check on it today and to my surprise a few of the buds have opened up! Lilacs are another one of my favorite flowers because they announce the arrival of warmer weather.

 My lilac bush happen to be of a lavender colour and each year the bush has more and more flowers. I keep it well trimmed and always make sure to cut off the dead flowers. This apparently helps the bush produce more flowers. I love their smell, try to be reasonable, and only cut off a few. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to drive by a road where they have purple lilacs and, always prepared with bags and a pair of scisors in the car, I park as close as I can and grab a few.

Somehow the purple ones remind me of candy - crunchy candy. But of course they would! I remember my mother buying these tins of small candies that had a flowery aroma to them. The tin was oval shaped, lavender colour, and had tiny lavender coloured flowers on it. Perhaps they were lavender flavoured but somehow Lilac is stuck in my mind.

What I didn't know is there are about twenty to twenty five varieties of this wooden plant that is from the olive family. Does that mean one could have lilac oil? Alas ... not. However, tea can be made from the leaves, flowers, and thin branches. They say that white lilacs are more flavourful and less leaves and branches should be used. Some claim tha thte tea, when drunk in large quantities, can be eupphoric. I think I'll pass on trying the tea - I'd hate to experience an unexpected side effect!

I'll be patient and watch them over the next seven to ten days and hopefully catch them at their prime. I look forward to having a few on my kithchen counter where I can smell them everytime I walk by.

Bleeding Hearts ... a message through a fence?



I was finally able to go outside today! The rain has stopped and the skies were less grey after having 6 days of continuous cloud and rain. I can't tell you how happy I am to be able to leave the back door open. I can hear the birds, smell the fresh air, and look at the work that's ahead of me!

Unlike me, nature didn't stop while I hid out this weather. The grass is thicker, greener, and longer; the trees filled in; the dandelions managed to come up;  and there is much work ahead. I noticed these flowers peeking through the fence into my yard as I surveyed and estimated my upcoming chores. All I could see was little blobs of pink and realized, as I approached, that it was a branch of bleeding hearts. I used to have bleeding hearts when I lived in the 'yellow' house. Lovely delicate flowers shaped like a heart that hang off a branch and sway with the breeze. It was a welcomed surprise to have one sneak in from the neighbour's flower bed.

Was this a message? Something about my own bleeding heart? It's such a nice day - why think of things that may disrupt it? I suppose that my heart was bleeding at some point and that I've put a stopper on it. The problem is that the stopper is so large that it really doesn't leave room for anything else to get next to my heart. There is no point in over analyzing this but it does merit some attention. In a way, a bleeding heart is good because it calls for stillness and promotes interest and activities in areas that would have been neglected, but as this flower insinuates, there is no point in forgetting your heart either. What is life without a full functioning heart?

What stories do your trees hold?

Once the weather is warm enough, we often sit on the deck below the tree branches. It is the perfect spot in our backyard! We have a few hours of sunshine in the mornings and then we are protected from the rays.

What do we do? Like most people we eat meals and entertain there but we also play card or dice games, or simply sit around and chat. It's been a favorite spot for my daughter's friends when they were just in the mood to chill, drink a few beers, and strum their guitars.

I'm sure these trees have heard many stories, from my family and from prior families that have lived here. It's a good thing that they can't talk!

Sad and happy stories escape people's mouths and fall upon the trees' ears. Like soldiers, protecting us from uninvited listeners, they stand on guard untouched by our joy or pain.

Or are they? Perhaps the trees do weep with us and laugh with us and we simply can't discern it?

I like to think of my trees as happy trees and every year I decorate them with Mardi Gras beads. The array of colours and their brilliancy adds a festive and playful atmosphere to our space.

It makes it feel happy even when times are not so good in the hopes that happiness can come from outside even though we know it must come from within. It's a reminder of the sparkle of life that is always there ... even in dark moments.

Sometimes progress isn't so progressive

We are all too familiar with progress. In fact, I think many of us have an ambiguous relationship with it. On one hand it has helped mankind by changing, enhancing, and modernizing what is familiar and on the  other hand it has taken away the familiar that we are attached to.

I have always been attracted to the old town charm of my town, and it's what makes it so special to me. I understand that people want nice large modern homes but I find it difficult to accept when they are built within the older areas and round up changing the landscape in an unflatering way. Some people build what I consider 'appropriate' homes and others build 'monster' homes as they take advantage and even push all our bylaws. It's not for me to judge since it is the town that is allowing these changes but it does influence how I feel about my town and whether I will remain here.

A sad example of our progress is this beautiful huge magnolia tree that will most likely be torn down. It's located west of the 'trendy' downtown and is part of the older area that was less affluent. People have been buying homes and either demolishing or refacing them over the last few years.  Businesses have also rebuilt storefronts and we now have more 'trendy' stores to visit even though this new area seems to lack some charm. This tree happens to be located on the property where old stores have been sold in order to build new stores.

This magnolia tree has been there since who knows when and it's always been a cherished sight for me. I remember the first time I drove by. Its mere size was a sight to see let alone that it was covered in flowers. Since then, Every spring I make a point to drive by and admire its beauty. By themselves, magnolia trees are simply breathtaking. There is a certain 'lightness' that emmanates from a magnolia tree. They simply stand out, covered in white, pink, or fushia flowers that look like birds' wings, as they confirm Spring's arrival. Unfortunately, the flowers don't last very long and are often a nuisance once they fall on the ground. It's a small price to pay when you consider what you are getting in return. So, as to progress ... Spring just won't be the same next year...  

Happy Oink Oink to you!

Alas ... another rainy day but fortunately I made plans to attack some of the items I have been procrastinating on. Might as well feel productive under these circumstances!

So off I went with my daughter to drop off books for the Literacy Council's annual book sale, the grocery store, my 'day to day' bank, the cable company, another bank, and a bit of summer clothes shopping. I normally plan my outings so that I simply drive a big circle through my town. This worked out quite well and we were finished in no time!

My daughter drove and took a different route back than I would have chosen. That turned out to be great because we drove by a house where the front lawn was decorated with pink pigs! I've seen large and small storks but these piggies were something new! Someone must be having a birthday or a celebration of some sorts.

I assumed that no one was home at the moment and I began to imagine the surprise when they do get home! Imagine finding a gathering of pink pigs on your front lawn! They were scattered about, at least twenty of them, lying comfortably on the ground as the rainy drizzled on them. Their chubby faces with a large mischievous smiles either looked onto the road or at each other. None seemed to mind the wetness and quite frankly they did look rather clean!

Piggies are cute, smart, and rather tasty (oops!), however I'd prefer to come home to a front lawn adorned with butterflies. Small, large, or medium size would be just fine. Each one unique with its own colouring and engaged with either the lawn, the trees, or the flowers. Now that would be a sight! hmmmmm .... maybe there is an opportunity here?

Rain, rain, and more rain

We've had six weeks of mostly rain and grey skies. It's the longest perior of unpleasant weather that I can remember. Spring normally arrives gently, giving up a few warm days here and there with less intervals of cold. This time around we've barely seen the sun, the weather is 10C below normal, and our flowers and trees are a good week to two weeks behind schedule.

Most of us are trying hard to remain optimistic since we know full well that this weather won't last, but I have to confess that keeping that upper spirit is becoming more and more difficult. There is only so much housekeeping, sorting, and preparation for spring that one can do until one is tired of it all.

We'vee been cooped up the whole winter and WE WANT OUT! Even my cats and my dog spend most of the day sleeping it away. They have some pleasure in going out but, like me, it is short lived when everything you touch is cold and wet.

Fortunately I have this new photography hobby that is providing me with a lot of challenges and opportunities to learn. Rain or shine, there is always something interesting to capture. Our tulips are at their prime due to our late spring, and I decided to take this opportunity to experiment with white balance and aperture. I crouched in front of my tulips trying to find the optimum pair to photograph, snapped one picture after another, and observed these lovely flowers that didn't seem to mind the rain. Droplets of water pooled randomly over their red petals while forming interesting mini ponds. The vivid red was a contrast compared to our grey sky. At that momemtnt, it seemed as if someone had just painted on some Coco Chanel red lipstick onto a dull day.

The camera lens, which forces a focussed perspective, is a vehicle that allows me to  either highlight or escape reality. Professional photographers bring out the essence of the subject and other put in some of their essence. In this instance, the subject round up illuminating my day. Another unexpected gift.

Spadina's Edible Treasures

We decided to eat in Chinatown as we finished our stroll through the U of T campus. It was such a pleasant day that walking seemed like the only logical thing to do. Bycicles swept through the streets, radios blared out of the cars, and the exhaust fumes had that 'summer' smell. We turned onto Spadina and immediately saw all the colourful oriental signs from the stores and the restaurants. Even the street posts are painted red and adorned with dragons. This is the place to go if you want to purchase oriental ingredients or have a good oriental meal.

My friend round up having a business call and I decided to inspect the various grocery stores. Fruits and vegetables are laid out in boxes along with large price signs written in chinese. Fortunately I recognized most of the food which made me think more and more about diner.

Grocery store in the city are less esthetically laid out than the grocery store in the suburbs. I love the fact that everything is outside and under the sun. The smell of fruits and vegetables begins to emanate early morning, and, depending on what side of the street the store is located, eventually the awnings are pulled out to protect the goods. Normally, spoilage isn't an issue since the food is purchased quickly by all the people who come here to shop. prices are also competitive since the owners don't want to lug all the products back into the store.

What I've always enjoyed about Chinatown it its abundance of colour and it being different from a typical neighborhood. Pieces of duck, chicken, and pork hanging in the windows, fruits and vegetables laid out in abundance, aromas of oil and garlic, and the sound of people bargaining. It's a shame that I can't understand anything.

Mother's day

Today is Mother's Day and it's a beautiful sunny day! We've been deprived of sun for the last five weeks. Our Spring has been slow to come and everything is blooming late. This continuous gray weather and lack of colourful flowers has dampened everyone's mood. I woke up early, saw a definite blue sky, and decided to venture out before the rest of the town woke up.

I headed off to Gairloch Gardens with my camera and puppy in hand. The Garden was quiet except for the chirping birds and scouring squirels. The lawn, trees, and gardens were nicely manicured.

Gairloch Gardens was founded in 1971 by James Gairdner. There is a lovely garden maintained by the town and an art gallery that often features local artists and art classes for the youth. Many elements make this garden very appealing.  There is a rose garden which displays a large variety of roses, beatutiful young and old trees, sitting areas, and a magnificent view of the lake. People come here to relax, meditate, play, stroll, walk their dogs, and take pictures. You can often catch a wedding party here during the summer months.

My husband and I used to come here when the children were young. It was an easy outing where the children could feed the ducks and the geese. They loved throwing our leftover bread at the birds whether on land or in the water. I'm sure the geese enjoyed it too and many of them were rather plump and greedy! The garden became overpopulated with geese which made the greens rather messy let alone that the geese became dependant on humans for their food. The town eventually asked the residents to stop feeding the birds and also initiated a program where the geese were gathered and relocated. Now, when you visit the garden, it is cleaner and you only see a handful of ducks and geese claiming their territory.

This morning I saw one family of geese taking their young out for a stroll in the pond. Befitting for Mother's Day, the young swam close to their mother as their father, most likely on duty, lagged slightly behind. I became very aware of the overall tranquility as I crouched down for my shot. I could feel the warmth of the sun, I sensed how my feet sank into the moist grass, birds sang in the background, the sun illumated the pond, and gentle waves rippled away as the family quietly displaced the water. Everything seemed perfect in that moment.

Renmants of fall while waiting for spring

Renmants of Fall against a window

I noticed some leftover fall leaves dangling from a tree as I walked by Oakville's Erchless Estate. The leaves rustled gently in the wind reminding me that spring was late. Flowers barely showed their colours and leaf buds were still shut tight. A window caught my attention as I looked at the brown dried leaves, and I wondered how many people have stood at this window waiting for spring.

The Chisholms, Oakville's founding family, built Erchless Estate in 1858. I was named after the Chisholm's clan seat in Scotland and six generations have lived in this home over a period of 130 years before it became one of Oakville's heritage homes (now a museum). The Chisholms married into the Kerr family and it was Robert Kerr that extensively renovated the estate by adding gardens, tennis courst, cottages, stables, and a carriage path. The main house was converted into apartments in the 1960's and the Town of Oakville purchased the property in the late 1970's.

I toured the Erchless Estate a couple of years ago. The Town has done a wonderful job at restoring it and many rooms are decorated with period pieces. To my surprise, I found out that Oakville took part in the Underground Railroad as a gateway to Canada for many African Americans as early as the 1830's.  William Chisholm purchased the land in 1827 and Oakville became an official Port of Entry into Canada in 1834. Ships from Oakville sailed throughout the Great Lakes and many ship captains assisted African American slaves by hiding them as stowaways.

One slave in particular, James W. Hill, remained in Oakville and led an estimated 700-800 African Americans back to Oakville through the Underground Railroad (via Maryland). His reputation as a 'conductor' resulted in a price being put on his head and he was wanted 'dead or alive' by the US government. Some African Americans settled in Oakville but many went to larger cities for better economic opportunities. Hill remained here, built a house on Maplegrove drive (it is still there), and his extensive strawberry fields helped to make Oakville the one time strawberry capital of Canada.

I can't imagine 6 generations living in one  home when I've lived in at least 17 homes during my one life! Nor can I imagine streets named after me although we do have a Patricia street in Oakville.  Finding tidbits of information and hearing stories that I could not imagine would happen here add a warm dimension to the town I've adopted as my home. Like so many towns and cities, Oakville has changed and evolved but once in a while I am reminded of the 'simple' life that used to flourish here. It's a good thing that Oakville cherishes its heritage homes because they provide us with a window to our past.

An unexpected Inukshuk!

 

Last saturday I decided to explore the park and shoreline by lake Ontario. It was a good 'photography' day since the sky was gray but it was also a little chilly. To my surprise, as I walked back from the warf, I spotted these stone sculptures! Someone must have had some fun over the week end because these sculptures were not there the last time I visited.

I quickened my pace eager to see them up close. What a delightful gift! Who made these beautiful Inukshuks? The larger one was about 2 feet high and the smaller one had some red coloured stones. Their surface was smooth and various shades of grey. Both looked amazing as they sat there serenely overlooking the park and the lake. I took several pictures of the gift someone left behind.

For those of you who are not familiar with Inukshuks - They are stone landmarks built by humans and used by the Inuit, Inupiat, Kalallit, Yupic, and other peoples of the Artic region in North America. They are found between Alaska and Greenland, and may have been used for navigational and herding purpose. Inukshuks are considered to be sacred and must never be destroyed. It makes sense that a structure which assists your survival would have its sacred place in a culture.

So what was this Inukshuk telling me? I felt that someone had creatively and gently let me know that they had been there. They didn't mark their presence through grafitti or destruction but instead took the time to use what nature had provided to let me and others know that they had come by.

I wasn't the only person who noticed them. Everyone eventually came by, looked at them with curiosity, and left with a warm smile. Thank you, whoever you are, for adding spark to my day!

Eyes wide open ...

Early this year, I purchased a new camera. I've always been interested in the art of photography and have often admired how photographers can capture reality in such unique fashion and appeal. At times, I've tapped myself on the back when looking at vacation pictures that I've taken but I never fully explored this art.

The truth be told, more often than not, I used one of the automated features and composition was intuitive versus planned. I decided that it was time to seriously try my hand at photography and set out to buy a good camera. I round up picking the Nikon D90 because I wanted quality and features.

My initial enthousiasm began to fade as I became intimidated with the camera's features. I read online blogs and articles, and purchased books but there was much more information to absorb than I expected and a touch of confusion since many photographers have different approaches and opinions. Fortunately I came across a week end photography introduction course that clarified everything.

For now, I'm back to basics. I take all my pictures in 'manual' mode letting go of my compulsion to apply enhancement features. The 'basics' is where I'll learn how light, shading, colours, weather, and composition all fit together and how minor adjustments in apperture, exposure, etc. will impact the final outcome.

Of course I'm having a lot of fun since I enjoy stimulating my mind with new ideas and concepts. The best part is that the results are immediate and I don't have to spend oodles of money on film rolls and development. I simply load my pictures, look at the difference in exposure, and delete the ones I don't want to keep!

The other added benefit is that I don't look at the world the same way. I'm learning to focus on the big picture or the details, and everything I look at always has an interesting perspective. A bowling ball can be as interesting and challenging as a sunset or a tree covered with fall leaves!

This blog is about my photographic journey. It's about the pictures - the good, the bad, and the ugly - and about the stories, memories, or thoughts the subjects evoke.

I welcome comments about the pictures or the stories, and of course insightful comments on photography technique would be greatly appreciated.

Pasha

This is the fun part!