The Other Side of Nature

nature doesn't live forever
its mortal, just like we
there can be beauty in its remains,
dignity
food for thought
images to capture

now i don't mean to be depressing
disheartening
dispirited
or discouraging

that wasn't my intention

this stump caught my eye though
its been here longer than i have
i've walked or driven past it hundreds of times
never gave it a second glance


just now, on my way to a different mindset of photos
i passed it, had to climb through the bush over and around it
and i thought
hhmmmm

Canadian eh?

Okay, its not Canada Day yet, but the other day I unwittingly did something so stereotypical I had to laugh at myself afterwards. I was in a parking lot and the closest empty space was being blocked by a fellow in a big pick-up happily chatting away to a friend through his window. Since I knew him, I called out my window, jokingly of course, "Get out of the way, eh!" He smiled & waved & drove off. Then I realized what I had said...the stereotypical canadian "eh". I laughingly mentioned it to my son, who was with me, (hoping I knew the guy and was not just being rude cause he has reason to be wary of big guys in big trucks, but that's a story for another day), and he gave me this question..or statement, "I'm sure americans say "eh" too."
So this is my question to you....do any other english speaking countries say 'eh"?

A Day at the Races

I'm happy to say I got almost everything on my list done on saturday, and so yesterday was able to take my oldest boy & a friend to a Canadian National Dirtbike event in Kamloops. (A 2 hour drive). It was hot & dusty & noisy & fun. We had to take a little ferry across the river, just a two-car rinky dink thing attached to a cable which was fun because the boys made it fun. I wanted to take a picture of it but didn't want to embarrass my son. Now I wish I had. As we were leaving, J asked
me..did you like it too mom? He's anxious that I had a good time, that it was not just for him that I went. Of course I had a good time....even if I hadn't enjoyed the races I enjoyed spending the day with him & getting to know his fairly new friend. (Who is quite talkative I must say!) Anyhow, here's some images, in hindsight I should've taken more of the surroundings....the crowd (maybe of the guy sitting next to me who had the most delightful irish accent...I could've listened to him talk all day), the lemonade stand that I didn't find until the end of the day, along with the washrooms with cold running water that I soaked my hat in cause I was so darned hot, the little guy who looked barely 2 years old in full dirtbike gear, the huge bike trailers and the Monster energy drinks everywhere you looked.

Yes, I guess I didn't do my duty as a photographer, now that I think of it. Oh well. Better luck next time.

Climb Out of the Hole

Today I have to get my ass in gear,
Climb out of the hole I've been hiding in.

There's things I have to do;
Clean the van, shampoo the carpet, laundry,
go to town, yard work, finish making the
silly card that's taking me way too long,
and other odds & ends.

I may not get them all done,
But I have to make an effort
Get back to the good me,
And bury the bad me.

For now anyways.

The Yellow Weed

Feeling uninspired,
The great photo spread in my mind didn't work out
The great verse in my thoughts disappeared into the hazy breeze

The photos just don't do justice to the brilliance of the vivid yellowness I see,
The close-up is borrowed as mine was just a blur.

Things don't always work out as we plan
Must be a lesson in that
Which is no comfort at the moment.

Coffee - My morning staple!

I have a coffee conflict:

I was cleaning out my "over the stove" cupboard, and found 3 opened jars of no-name instant coffee. And one half empty container of yummy Tim Horton's Fine Grind. What to do?

The practical side of me says..use up some of that instant, at least get down to one jar. The self indulgent side of me says...toss the instant, at least two jars of it. (It is handy for camping.)

Well, in this instant, which is a rarity, my practical side won, and I am now enjoying a cup of instant. I don't actually mind the taste, but it's not coffee. Its like a totally different substance, like comparing juice with pop, (or soda, as you americans call it). They're both good, but each has its place.

As my Opa sang "Koffie, koffie, lekker bakje koffie, jongens wat is dat een feest"
Here's to you Opa!

A Glimpse of Nobility

I'm so thankful that thanks to blogging I'm carrying my camera with me almost all the time. I turned out of our driveway on my way to town and had to stop short. This is what I saw:

This handsome fellow munching on a roadside of dandelions. (I would think they'd be quite bitter!)
He looked up at me and I expected him to turn tail and hop over the fence....I was surprised!

I slowly inched closer and he still kept on eating, occasionally glancing up at me, more out of curiousity than alarm. Then he crossed the road in front of me, I guess the pickings were better on the other side.

I was so close I could've reaced out and touched him if I'd have been in the passenger seat. I took one last picture and went away, leaving him to his lunch.