Who Can Discover It?

Shades of Gray for Round Robin Challenge

2011-09-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

My bi-weekly Round Robin Challenge is "Shades of Gray." I took these photos at Shepody Bay, about two weeks ago. The photo is supposed to include different grays. I love these photos so I hope they meet the criteria. The first one is just the bay, and the second one includes a few thousand sandpipers who stopped for some food and rest on their long flight from North America to South America.

Fundy Fog - The Great Outdoors for Round Robin Challenge

2011-08-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

I can't resist this challenge. The Bay of Fundy is one of 28 spots on this earth that we have to choose from to decide the New 7 Wonders of Nature. The decision will be announced on November 11 of this year. Cast your vote for your favorite spots at www.new7wonders.com.

Fundy National Park is practically in my back yard. It is a wonder of nature, with its tides, its dry meadows and its rain forest atmosphere. And these can all be experienced in a part of a day, although it takes more than a day to appreciate its diversity. I am posting several photos, but these are just samples that I took recently. I could post hundreds of them and still just scratch the surface of the Bay.

Every August we go to Mary's Point, on the Bay of Fundy, to watch the sandpipers feed and rest before their long journey to South America. This year they put on the best ballet I have seen in several years - there were tens of thousands of them. You really need to appreciate this aerial ballet with your own eyes and ears, but unless you live in this or a similar area, you will have to settle for photographs. It is so hard to do this justice, especially with my "little" lens.

The birds were restless. Some remained on the beach and some flew around; what was distracting them? Perhaps just the wind. There were no peregrines in the area while we were there, and the gulls and the eagle didn't seem to phase them.

Here are a few of the sandpipers. Some were busy running to and fro, some were pecking at the seaweed, and some had their heads tucked into their feathers.

And here is one photograph of their ballet. Their synchronized flight is sometimes black, sometimes white, and sometimes you catch a flash of blue, as they swirl overhead. And the sound of their wings is orchestral.

We drove into nearby Alma. The Fundy Fog clouded our view, but that is typical of the area.

When we arrived in Alma and enjoyed our picnic, the tide was in and brought this lobster trawler in to harbour. As we left, about five hours later, all the boats sat on the floor of the bay.

We went into Fundy National Park. Our first stop is one we always make; it's a tradition. There we climbed over the rocks, enjoyed the view of the town and the kayaks, the driftwood, and the inukshuks that the children still make, just like our daughters use to.

We put our kayak in the water at Bennett Lake. I sit in the front and take photographs, and paddle once in a while. Toller sits at Bill's feet in the middle and Bill sits in the back, manning the rudder and paddling. There is an island in the middle of the lake where we always put in and stretch our legs. That's where I found the blueberries. I enjoyed a snack. We threw Toller's toy several times to give him a good swim and tire him out. The water was so clear we could see the roots of the water lilies and Toller's paws as he dog paddled.

On our way out we stopped to look for beavers and to take a photo of the top of the mountain peeking out of the clouds.

Hidden for Round Robin Challenge

2011-07-30T03:33:00.000-07:00

The challenge of the day is "hidden." I was only going to Mom's, but decided to stick the camera in the car anyway. On the way, I stopped at our little store and saw a moth in the door. I moved her so she wouldn't be squished. She had such a lovely dress that I decided to take her picture. She is a virgin tiger moth.

HIDDEN under her dress, she was wearing a lovely orange pinafore. Isn't she beautiful.

Baby Birds

2011-07-14T03:06:00.000-07:00

What a caterwauling outside my window this morning as hungry baby birds demanded their breakfast. Baby Bluejay had three adults looking after it. In a couple of hours they will look like this baby, who I found snoozing outside my window yesterday morning. I took the photo through the screen.

Butterfly in my Lilacs

2011-07-05T15:05:00.000-07:00

I'm attempting to shoot in the raw and edit on the computer with a program called Capture NX by Nikon. This is my first attempt, when I "captured" a butterfly enjoying my lilac bush today.

Was It Worth the Risk? You Bet! For Round Robin

2011-07-02T03:15:00.000-07:00

" . . . and the sign said . . . "

Round Robin Challenge for today is a sign that is relevant to the times we live in. Well, its relevant to us, my hubby and I, who like to get away to the peace of nature in the kayak when we can. Hope it applies. Was this trip worth the risk? The biggest risk happened when our dog, who lazes in the middle of the kayak, saw a dog swimming near the shore.

We took the risk. It was a cloudy with sunny periods kind of day, and the water was calm as could be.

But not so the sky!

Osprey had a delicious fish in his talons and Eagle wanted it. After a long chase, Osprey gave up, dropped the fish in the lake, and Eagle dipped down and caught his dinner, leaving tired Osprey to fly off and rest his tired wings. In the meantime, watching the sport from the sidelines . . .

This heron and lots of his friends were busy fishing, but took time out to watch the chase play out in the sky.

Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and their teens were not very interested in all the goings on, they were just enjoying a leisurely swim along the shore and in the reeds.

Paddling a little farther on we encountered two loons enjoying a little splash in the lake.

What's this? Come along, children. Something bright and gigantic is headed this way. Head for cover. Quickly!

On guard at his post, this heron watched for quite awhile before waving farewell and inviting us back.

Life is a risk for all of God's creatures: Bill and I and our dog, Toller, in the kayak, and all the inhabitants of the lake, including the one we heard but could not see, the banjo-plunkin' bullfrog. And for all of us all over the world. But its a risk worth taking, don't you think?

"BIG" for Round Robin Challenge

2011-06-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

The Round Robin Challenge for today is BIG. I have not been out and about with my camera much lately, due to both working full time this month and poor weather conditions, so I went to the archives. I took these pictures last fall.

The bridge spans the Northumberland Strait between New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. According to the website of the Confederation Bridge, http://www.confederationbridge.com/en/our_story.php, the bridge is the longest span over ice covered waters. It is 12.9 km, or 8 miles, long.

Hummingbirds

2011-06-11T04:18:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who wants one of my hummingbird photos for Christmas. I've just started taking them, and so far only have pics of the female. I want them at this feeder, but its their second choice so I have to take the window one away whilst I take photos. It will not be the black and white, of course, and probably not the one where she is sticking out her tongue.

Sometimes the Best Things are Right at Home

2011-05-05T05:04:00.000-07:00

I wasted gas yesterday, looking for ducks. Didn't find any, just a few Canada geese. I drove to ponds here and ponds there. With my memory card only holding a few Canada geese, and not spectacular shots at that, I came home disappointed. I got out of the car and checked my watch, yes indeed, it was time for afternoon tea. Sometimes, the best things in life are right where I'm at right now.

Protecting the Pond for Round Robin and Camera Critters

2011-04-21T15:31:00.000-07:00

I love the colors of spring and the bird songs.

The snow is finally almost gone. Two couples are celebrating the arrival of spring as they expectantly await the arrival of their little ones. This couple is taking a leisurely stroll, but head for the safety of the pond as the photographer (me) approaches.

There is another couple on the other side of the pond - their pond. And he is not about to share. They need all the room for the soon to be addition to their family.

Faster, I say, faster.

Victory is mine, I say, mine! Be proud of me, wife!

What's that you say? I'm not very neighborly?

With all the geese in these parts, and I had to choose . . . him.

And a happy Easter to you all.

Christ is risen.

He is risen indeed.

Winter, Meet Spring

2011-03-26T04:16:00.000-07:00

For my Round Robin Challenge this week, I have to introduce Winter to Spring. I went for a drive through the back roads last week and found some beautiful scenery. My header is the ice breaking up and reflected in the water.

Supper for Camera Critters

2011-03-05T11:14:00.000-08:00

Visit Camera Critters at http://camera-critters.blogspot.com for an awesome meme.

Question of the week: Do you have any siblings?

I am the eldest of three, hence, my parents "practiced" on me. The other two got away with a lot more. I have a brother who is three years younger, and a sister who is six years younger. We live quite far apart so we don't see each other too often, but we get along great. Is it because we are so far apart?

SUPPER

This ibis had quite a struggle subduing his supper, but at least he got it. A hawk spied his previous supper, flew down and snatched it right out of his beak.

I took this in early February at the Circle B Bar Reserve, near Lakeland, Florida.

Doors for the Round Robin Challenge

2011-02-25T16:11:00.000-08:00

Door Number Three

Vicki's description is as follows:

I love doors of all sorts: old ones, new ones, hidden ones, forgotten ones. How about doing a set of three, each with its own personality and story?

So that's your Challenge! Pick three doors to photograph, and show us all three in your entry. They can be three doors from the same locale or sharing some characteristic, or they can just be totally unrelated doors you happen to like. To make things extra interesting, you may want to explain what is special about these particular doors, but that's not required.

DOORS

Door Number One makes up the front of the Moncton Museum. It's like other museums, showcasing eras and happenings in our city since its inception. One of the items inside that fascinates me is the Bible that my ancestor, Heinrich Stieff, brought with him to the new world in the 1700's. It traveled from Germany to Pennsylvania and all the way up the coast and the Petitcodiac River to what is now Moncton.

This door has special meaning to me. When I was young, I took the bus to my violin lesson each Monday after school. After my lesson, I would walk down to City Hall with my violin, up the steps and through the front door. The front of the museum is actually the door to the old city hall, not the modern doors that you open now, but big oak doors set in the facade above, that a young girl had to pull with all her might to open. Then I would traipse upstairs to Dad's office. Most of the staff were gone by that time, and it was Dad's responsibility to close the big vault door. I was in awe of that vault and the city hall and most of all, my father, who had the most important job in the whole of Moncton, if not the world.

Door Number Two welcomes you to the Free Meeting House. Built early in Moncton's history, it housed all the different faiths of Moncton's peoples for many years. At first, the few different religious groups met at different times of the day and week, and later, one faith or another would rent it out from time to time. It was renovated in the '90's. Nowaways, it is mostly used for weddings. It is quaint inside with its block pews. My ancestors worshiped behind this door many, many years ago. Some of them rest peacefully beneath a warm snow blanket, right behind the meeting house.

Door Number Three belongs to the Treitz Haus. It is the oldest house in Moncton, built a long time ago by my ancestor, Herr Treitz/Trites. The city had it renovated a few years ago. Actually it has moved locations several times. I remember it not so long ago looking very woebegone with the center of it sagging down. Now it stands perkily along the Petitcodiac River and serves as a tourist bureau in the summer, hence the question mark to the right.

I couldn't resist. Door Number Four is my header. It is my patio doors. As of this morning, after another major snowstorm, it has completely disappeared from view.

Red Rose for Round Robin

2011-02-12T17:12:00.000-08:00

http://roundrobinphoto.blogspot.com

Round Robin assignment is True Colors. Here are the instructions:

" True Colors

The idea is a simple one: Show us something that's unusually colorful, exactly as your camera captures it. You can rotate, crop and/or sharpen your image, but don't adjust the tone or colors in any way."

I've been a quiet blogger lately. I was privilaged to go on a two week vacation to warm, sunny Florida. If you check out the weather in Moncton, New Brunswick, where I live, you will know why this beautiful flower is unusual to me. Maybe not to you, but I am living in a cold, white winter world. The snowbanks are over our heads now. We are shoveling our roofs so they do not collapse.

I'm also a quiet blogger, because as soon as I came back from Florida, I checked my work schedule and work is where I will be for most of February. What happened to my little part time job, I wonder.

Anyway, here are a few colorful photos, unusual because, as I said, any color but white in my little corner of the world is unusual, and I enjoyed the flowers at Bok Singing Gardens immensely.

Look ever so closely into the heart of this flower.

As per instructions, I didn't edit these photos at all except for cropping. I love playing with my photos but I think in this case, the true color is very brilliant and I am pleased with the results.

Goodbye and Haste Ye Back for Round Robin

2011-01-28T04:32:00.000-08:00

Goodbye - to the snow, and the cold, and Jack Frost, for two whole weeks. I'm headed off to Florida and I can hardly wait. I shall be packing my suitcase tomorrow, but my camera is all ready to go. This is what I am saying goodbye to . . . and no, I am not happy about saying goodbye to my little red fella and my kitty, but they will be well looked after - Toller to the doggy motel, and Elsa to Grammy's.

I am saying "Au Revoir." Toller will be saying, with his sad eyes and droopy tail, "Haste Ye Back."

I took the snow pictures a couple of days ago. We had another six inches last night, but I was too busy shovelling to take photographs. The bottom two are from my archives. I took them at the arboretum in Bouctouche, New Brunswick.

Redpolls for Ruby Tuesday

2011-01-03T08:36:00.000-08:00

Sorry folks, I've been away from the computer for a while in December as I worked full time. For Ruby Tuesday this week, photography is not great as I took the photos from the comfort of my home, behind the glass, but the birds were enjoying our victuals and I couldn't resist some pictures. Great to feel my camera in my hands again.

The Day After

2010-12-26T05:22:00.000-08:00

I couldn't wait for Christmas this year. Excited? No. Tired of retail? Yes, yes, yes! Tired of Christmas music over and over and over again. Tired of customers. Tired of bread and sweets. Tired of ten hour days. There, I've had my rant. I've had a good sleep, I have four days off in a row. I went to Christmas Eve service at church. I had a lovely day with Mom, B and J. The animals were good. The turkey was yummy. J finally won Phase Ten. I talked to Aunt P. The N's weren't home and the H "kids" are only arriving at Aunt P's today so I missed them. I still need to call E. I think tonight at 10:00 is a good time, if we old folks can stay awake long enough.

My sister P made these aprons for Mom and I. J wants one. I wore mine all day. I wore it over to my neighbor's house when I took them their gift, and she wants one. Maybe P could go into the business. Isn't it cheery and colorful. I like it when someone takes the time to make me a gift.

I always like to try and remember what I received. Here is what I remember: a new computer monitor, to give me more room to clutter my computer desk; a lens cover for my camera for real sunny days; socks; a hummingbird pin; a game of dominoes; bath stuff in a very nice quilted bag; a camera ornament for the tree; new tangerine accessories for the bathroom ( I love the color!!!). Thats it. Not all the gifts I received, but all I remember. I have to work on those brain cells!

I have so much!

2010-11-20T01:58:00.000-08:00

Round Robin Challenge - Colorblind

Basically, take a photo of something, change the color...make it interesting!

I still love the island - Prince Edward Island, even tho' like most of the rest of Atlantic Canada, its pretty monochromatic this time of year. But Spinnaker's Wharf in Summerside is always colorful. I wish I had captured the whole place because its a myriad of colors. Here is the original - Spinnakers Wharf at almost dusk.

"He came down through fields of grain

on the summer side of life,

his love was ripe.

There were no illusions on

the summer side of life,

only tenderness . . . "
~Gordon Lightfoot~

The original:

Color intensified on Picassa:

Color played with on Picnic:

Take your pick. This was fun.

Animals at Kings Landing for Ruby Tuesday

2010-10-25T19:56:00.000-07:00

Bud and Sarah, the horses, pulled their wagon load of people from the visitors center down to the recreated 19th century village of Kings Landing. In these animal pictures, you will have to search for reds (and pinks); some of them are a Ruby Tuesday stretch of the imagination.

Here they come, pulling their red cart along the lane. Notice the lovely, whitewashed fence.

The sheep and the pig have pink in their ears and noses. Miss Sheep was wide awake and interested in visitors, but Gabby, the Pig, was not interested at all.

I was told that these geese were as effective as watch dogs, and not to get too close. But what's a photographer to do? Stay behind the fence, and crop the photo later!

The day was crisp and the horses were frisky. You will have to look at a few of the leaves to find the red in this, my favorite photo.

Bridge for Round Robin

2010-10-22T03:33:00.000-07:00

Bridge

All around the world there are bridges, in all shapes and sizes, ages and colors. Bridges connect two places, enabling something to pass safely over something else; but the details vary wildly. It can be a little wooden foot bridge over a three foot-wide babbling brook, a drawbridge, a railroad bridge, a stone bridge carved out by the forces of nature, or even that big Golden one over the Bay that our friend Carly loves to capture with her camera. Wherever you live, I can almost guarantee there's an interesting bridge somewhere nearby to photograph.

But just in case there's not, feel free to explore alternative meanings of the word. Photograph the bridge of a nose, a game of bridge, or even something metaphorical, such as a bridge between two cultures.

Bridge on the Old Davis Mill Road

This bridge always fascinated me from the highway but the last time we were in Grand Falls, we went for a drive through the back roads. I saw two things at once, prompting me to tell B to "stop the car."

I'm a hobbby genealogist, and when I saw "Old Davis Mill Road," bells and whistles went off in my mind. That's where B's grandfather and great uncle worked, according to their diaries. There was no mill there anymore, but at least I could see the place in my mind and know how far they would have traveled to make a living.

I'm a hobby photographer, and when I saw the bridge from behind, when the sun was on its way to bed, and glinting off the girders and the boxcars, I thought I had a photo. I haven't decided yet.

Do you like it?

My Bobbin Collection

2010-10-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

A while ago I mentioned that I had started a bobbin collection, and that someday I would take pictures. I finally got around to it today. I had quite a thread of conversation with Stephanie about bobbins and lazy kates and niddy-noddys, which increased my vocabulary by two words, and sent me studying, which is good for the mind I hear.

The one on the left is a kalidescope, then there is a feather duster, thread on a bobbin and a vase.

While I'm at it, I added photos of the little doilies I am making as give-aways at the next family reunion.

More Reds from Kings Landing - inside the houses this time

2010-10-11T14:51:00.000-07:00

I think I mentioned that I started collecting old spools and bobbins. I just found this photograph, didn't even notice the bobbin on the table when I took the picture. I wonder how it worked. This is a P.S. After some discussion with Stephanie, I have learned that the thing on the left with the wool wrapped around it is a niddy-noddy, and the contraption to the right is a lazy kate. I have increased my vocabulary this week, much to my delight.

This is the warming oven. When that wood turns into hot ash, the goodwife will place an apple pie in there and it will smell so yummy in the house.

They sit and spin, really and truly.

A lovely still life, soon to be a bowl of applesauce for lunch.

Plants drying, aren't they lovely.

This will keep a pioneer family warm.

Spyglass belonging to the man of the house.

The wool from the sheep has been cleaned, carded, dyed and spun. Just needs the knitting needles to make it into a warm sweater for winter.

"The Willow Tree" from Othello for Round Robin

2010-10-09T01:46:00.000-07:00

Pick a song you like, and give us your photographic interpretation of all or part of that song's lyrics. You can either include the relevant section of the lyrics or, for a really well-known song, ask people to guess what you're illustrating. For example, what Beatles song does this photo illustrate?*http://roundrobinphoto.blogspot.com/2010/09/round-robin-challenge-for-song.html

The Willow Song

The poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree

Sing all a green willow

Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee

cho: Sing willow, willow, willow, willow!

Sing willow, willow, willow, willow!

My garland shall be;

Sing all a green willow, willow, willow, willow

Sing all a green willow

My garland shall be.

The fresh streams ran by her, and murmer'd her moans

Sing willow, willow, willow

Her salt tears fell from her and soft'ned the stones.

Let nobody blame him, his scorn I approve

Sing willow, willow, willow

He was born to be fair, I to die for his love,

I call'd my love false love but what said he then?

Sing willow, willow, willow

If I court more women, you'll couch with more men.

Note: Desdemona's song from Othello. The earliest copy is in a

lute book dated 1583.

She used no computer background music, no orchestral backup, no rock band behind her. She had only an old pump organ. She was dressed in the garb of the 1800's. As she sang, her breath was visible. It was a cool day and the frost had barely lifted from the ground outside the church. We listened for a moment; she did not realize we were there listening, and we startled her.

I went to Kings Landing looking for (amongst other things) a song, an old song. I heard the voices of the animals singing their praises, a faraway moo, a frolicking neigh, a content baa, a piggish snort or two, and a welcoming cock-a-doodle-do, all music to this girl who used to have both city and country grandparents. What more could a child ask for! And there I found two beautiful songs, sung by a beautiful, innocent maiden from over a century ago, at the Anglican Church in Kings Landing. One was "The Maid from Tide Head," an old New Brunswick song that I cannot find, and the other was "The Willow Song." I searched google and found it on youtube, although hearing it sung live by a lovely young lady in an old church on a beautiful, crisp fall morning made it come alive somehow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOHCit7sem0&feature=related

Why "Who Can Discover It"?

2010-09-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

Why did I choose my title? you might ask. If you are not curious about that, just move along to the next blog I guess. It took me several days to choose my title. I had several on my list, but this one just jumped right off the page and into my blog.

I really like the book of Ecclesiastes. I think ol' Solomon the wise wrote the book with his tongue in his cheek. Solomon, you may recall, when asked of God what he wanted, replied that he would like wisdom, and so that is what God gave him. He ruled his kingdom well, much better than his personal life.

Anyway, Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes, and he wrote a lot of verses that I like, and I have all underlined, and while thinking what to call my blog, thats where I went, and I chose my title from that verse, the one in my header. Who can discover it? Discover what? Thats where my blog will take me, on a voyage of discovery, I hope. Like when I go out with my camera, I never know quite what I will come home with. When I go places, I don't know what I will find. When I dig into my family history, sometimes I uncover bits of information that surprises me.

I like the past. I like to hear the old stories. I really like uncovering mysteries about my family. It is remote and mysterious, and I believe it is important for our future.

I do like the present as well. I like to go to new places and learn new things. Even tho' other people have discovered them before, if they are new to me, all well and good.

I like to think about the future. Not too quickly, mind you. What adventure lies ahead? Who will remember it?

And sometimes, I like to juxtapose them all together.

Last week, my mother in law died at the age of 95. The photo is of a lake near Grand Falls, New Brunswick, that I never saw before. We stayed at a lodge there. I discovered a beautiful place in the province where I live, in an area that I have visited many times, but in a spot I have never been before.