Photo Dump

“Amateurs worry about equipment,

professionals worry about money,

masters worry about light,

I just take pictures.”

- Vernon Trent -

Me, too.

Here is this week’s round of photos...

Twins...

Taken at the Kingston Mills; one of 24 lockstations of the Rideau Canal system.
(Can you spot the most amazing man in the world?)

An abandoned bicycle in the greenspace behind our home.

Also taken at the Kingston Mills.

A very serene setting along the Thousand Islands Parkway.

Reflections and a lot of blue shades.

A pretty sight along the Thousand Islands Parkway.

A very welcome sight!

Abandoned and dilapidated, and very photogenic.

The light at the end of the tunnel leads to...bicycles. In case you were wondering...

Wishing you all a beautiful day on the last day of April.

One Word That Describes You

Ever had an assignment in school where you were asked to list three or five words that describe you? Or gone on a job interview where you were asked to do the same? You really have to give that some thought, right? But eventually you come up with a few.

Well, what if you had to choose only one word? What would it be? I was thinking about this the other day, and found it really difficult to settle on only one word. There are so many that apply to me. But settle on one I will. And it is this: observant. Particularly with people. I can usually get a good idea about what someone is all about through their words, body language, eye contact and so on. Even upon first meeting them. I can even detect bullshit from a mile away, which I consider a superpower.

*snicker*

What one word describes you?

Chuckles and Chortles

And here we are again, everyone. I hope you all had a lovely weekend. We got out and about, and did quite a bit of walking since Friday evening. On Saturday I picked myself up a pedometer to start keeping track and it registered almost 4500 steps on our downtown stroll yesterday afternoon. It sounds like a lot, but it isn’t that much for someone like me who can spend hours pounding the pavement. Even so, those steps included quite a few photos similar to this one:

One of the back alleys in Kingston.

I’ve joined a group on Facebook run by my photography teacher, and every two weeks a new challenge is announced, which encourages you to get out and snap photos to upload (up to 5 per challenge) to the page. This is a great way to be active in photography and explore the city at the same time. The present challenge is ‘Behind the Scenes’, which involves alleys, backstreets and backsides. Thus the photo.

Well that’s some of my news. Shall we move onto some humour? Let’s do it...

Wishing you all a fabulous Monday!

Honesty

Some people will lie if they stand to gain something rewarding from it. For example, if they find a lost wallet with money in it, and identification, they’ll pocket the cash and discard the wallet without blinking an eye. Or they’ll copy the answers off another student during a competitive exam. Or keep the excess change a cashier mistakenly gave them and justify it by saying that she or he should’ve been paying more attention.

Not very admirable behaviour.

I really appreciate and respect honesty, particularly in a world filled with unethical individuals who are often compensated for their bad behaviour. Sometimes it takes more effort and more self control to do the right thing than not to. But it’s well worth it. The rewards – self respect, the admiration of loved ones, the respect of peers, a clear conscience - are far greater than a fat bank account, a fancy wardrobe, a pricey car or an easy but dishonest ride. And society advances in a positive way with honest people in it, don’t you think?

I sure do.

Let’s end the week with this interesting and fun video.



Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Hometown Memories: Sunday School

I grew up in a Christian home, and going to Sunday school when I was quite young was part of my upbringing. Religion was very important to my mother, and she was determined to instill that strong faith in us and raise godly children.

Sunday school was taught by volunteers with no training in education, but who were well-meaning, and very committed to their faith. As a young child, I really enjoyed these classes. The bible stories were interesting, and the arts and crafts we did were a lot of fun.

Sunday school was held in classrooms in this elementary school.

Everything I learned in Sunday school was reinforced at home, and in my early years I happily walked the path my parents placed me on. But when I became a teenager, I started questioning everything I’d been taught, and concluded that I was going to decide what my views about God and religion were going to be. As such, I set off on a journey of spiritual exploration that lasted for many years, and it wasn't until my early thirties that I formulated my own belief system, based on everything I’d researched during that period, that continues to evolve as I get older.

The front entrance of the building. We went in from the schoolyard in the back, but I didn't get a photo of it.

But despite how far away my personal spiritual journey has taken me from the religious teachings of my childhood, I have fond memories of Sunday school that I cherish.

Did you attend Sunday school, or something similar to that?

Photo Dump

“If I could have put it into words I would have written it down. But I couldn't, so I took a picture.”

- Anonymous -

I am a very visual person, and pictures speak to me loud and clear. They are also, typically, my way of communicating what I see without the need for words. If I’m out and about and I notice something interesting or colourful or unusual, I capture it – and all the words that describe it – in a single photograph.

Here is this week’s round of photos taken here, there, and everywhere...

Somewhere in the country 

"Watchu looking at?"

Old windows at my daughter's high school

The top of a church in the downtown area.

Giving modern windows a retro look with my photo editor.

Not a very pretty view right after winter.

My brother and the most amazing man in the world taking a stroll.

Beginning to thaw.

Partially frozen bodies of water are very pretty to look at.

Where are you off to little one?

Have a great day, everyone.

How Old Do You Feel?

“How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?”

- Satchel Paige -

Every year we celebrate a birthday, and a new number is assigned to us. Does this influence how we age? Do we age faster because we count birthdays? Would it change anything if we didn’t?

Birthdays aside, how old do you feel? For me it varies. There are times when I feel like I’m in my teens, masquerading as an adult, never having truly matured into a proper grownup. The mirror tells a different story, of course, but my mind dismisses that.

Other days I feel well past my 49 years, especially during those periods when I overexert myself, and push my middle-aged body way past its abilities. The morning after aches and pains shatter my imaginary inner teen.

If I had to put a number to it, I’d say I generally feel like I’m in my mid to late 30s. I’m not sure how one is supposed to feel at that age, or any given age for that matter, but society has norms and expectations for each age group, and most days I don’t quite fit into the late 40s club. Most days.

I wonder how we’d feel and how we’d age if we didn’t count the years, and if we had no idea how old we truly are? How would this affect us mentally and emotionally?

How old do you feel?

Chuckles and Chortles

Happy Monday, everyone. I hope you all had a nice Easter/long weekend. Some of you may still be enjoying a day off. Others are back to their routine.

It was an amazing couple of days here weather-wise and otherwise. Saturday it was beautiful, and we spent the day outdoors. And yesterday it was beautiful again, and we drove to Montreal to celebrate Easter with my family. As always, it was terrific to see everyone, and we had a great time.

On our way back, part of our route home included the Thousand Islands Parkway, which is a short and wonderfully scenic drive east of our city, and not too far from it. This two lane highway, which is 40 kilometers (25 miles) long, follows the St. Lawrence River, and offers beautiful views like this:

Eye candy for the soul.

The world is a spectacular place, isn’t it? I certainly think so.

Hey, how about some humour? Yeah, let’s get to that...

Have a terrific day!

From Our Home To Yours...

Wishing you all a beautiful day!

Easter Bunnies: The Stuff Of Nightmares

So it’s Easter weekend, and some of you will be celebrating it with family and friends. Others who don’t celebrate it will be enjoying a long weekend. Whatever the case may be, I hope it’s a good one for all of you.

Hey, did you ever take photos with an Easter bunny when you were a kid? I didn’t. And I never took my girls to take these types of pictures either. In fact, I had no clue people even do this. But apparently they do. And judging from the horrifying images below, I have to wonder why.

Take a look:

Wait...what?

Are we having fun yet?

And this baby never slept through the night again.

"Get back here...."

This is why we grow up being afraid to look out our window when it's dark.

Aren’t these terrifying? Can you imagine being forced to take a photo with one of these ‘creatures’ as a child? That’s how nightmares begin. And years of therapy...

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!