CLOUDS
I love clouds. In fact, last summer I would go out on any day to take photos, blaring sun, hot as heck, didn’t matter to me as long as I was taking photos and crossing off old houses before they were gone. I’ve matured. I wouldn’t say that its for the better though cause now I want clouds and I don’t care if there’s a little rain or lightning involved.
Here are a couple photos taken on our ride home last week from Winnipeg as we were heading into a storm.
These were roadside shots and didn’t have permission to enter closer onto the property. While this is a beautiful old barn it was really the clouds I wanted.
I also found this little building as well. At first I thought it might be an old school with all those windows but historically, schools did not look like this. I will assume this would have been a workshop.
FINALLY, A STORM
If you know me, you know I love a good thunderstorm. So last night when it appeared that after countless incorrect forecasts, we were in fact going to get it, the camera bag came out.
Unfortunately I was on the wrong side of town and didn’t get to see the shelf cloud that had formed over there but the clouds forming over on my end were a real sight.
The sun was trying to peak through too. It truly was amazing.
BALD EAGLE
What is it about a bald eagle that makes people stop to watch them, usually in awe of their beauty? I know when they get flying around the lake by my house, they get my attention.
On our recent trip to the zoo, we walked by the enclosure (I can’t bring myself to say cage), and of course we stopped. Typically a good photo without the bars at the zoo is not possible but I did manage to get a couple decent ones. Unfortunately, there’s a brick wall behind the bird.
With my new aquired Photoshop skill, I was able to save the photo.
SOME THINGS NEVER GET OLD
I was out and about exploring a couple weeks ago as the sun was going down. I did shoot a house on my list, found another that I had forgotten about until now and found some places I had stumbled upon last summer.
I have to admit it was just what I needed. Out by myself, turning which ever way I wanted and stoping for whatever I wanted without anyone asking “are you done yet?” They were worried though. I got one Snap from Colton asking if I had fallen down a well and two from Cade asking if I was okay. See, they do love me. They just don’t love being dragged around doing what I love.
DAISY and A PHOTOSHOP LESSON
I took this photo in BC and liked it but hated the background.
One of my goals this summer was to start learning Photoshop to help with my photography screw ups. Well, a little bit of you tube and viola.
This easy process got me thinking about all those photos o deleted over the years because I didn’t like the background.
While I have to admit, patience while learning new techniques is not my strong point, this was well worth it.
URSUS MARITIMUS
If you have never been to the Journey to Churchill exhibit at the Assiniboia Park Zoo in Winnipeg, I highly recommend it. I do not condone wild animals being held in captivity and honestly, I avoid these sorts of exhibits at all costs – sometimes we do it for our kids even though we don’t necesarily agree with it. Regardless, this exhibit and research facility at the zoo has saved countless bears from being euthanized because they have become problem bears.
This year Colton and I attended on an afternoon when we were in the city and had nothing to do. We went for two of the exhibits, the bears & seals – they are also there because they have been badly injured in the wild and after rehabilitation would not survive in the wild – and to see the stingray exhibit. We had the opprotunity to pet stingrays in Minneapolis a few years back but thought we would check this out too. While the stingrays were interesting, its the bears that keep me going back.
On our first walk through, no one was swimming but we did come around the corner to one display area to catch the start of a “fight”.
I was thrilled. After getting the news about my camera sensor and being upset, I thought, here is the chance to get some great shots AND find out for sure if I can see the damage on my photos. I took at least forty or fifty pictures.
New to me, a pool that they have built by this viewing area. It was quite deep and you couldn’t see the bears bobbing around in the water and it appeared they needed to take quite the leap to get in. We watched this for about 5 or so minutes while these 3 bears played. One was more passive and wasn’t really interested in the chase but did get the odd jab in.
Or maybe he was just a lazy bear.
After watching the lazy bear drink water and becoming impatient waiting for the other two to get out of the pool, we carried on to the stringrays.
When we got to the stingray exhibit and I took a quick look at the shots I got I realized that while my camera was being cleaned my shooting mode dial had been changed. I’ll admit that I am guilty of never double checking BEFORE I start taking photos and I am bad at not taking a test shot. Well, my camera was set to manual which was perfect for what I was doing with it the night before when I was taking photos of the moon! Another lesson learned because a full moon is to bright to shoot, you loose the fine details. My summer photography has been full of lessons.
Needless to say, back at the hotel, it took me a while to salvage some of the photos, most of which I just converted to black & white to save them. Thank goodness for shooting in RAW and thank goodness for Photoshop!
I hope to one day go on the Tundra Buggy – its on my bucket list – and witness these creatures in their natural habitat. No dirty glass. And hopefully by then I’ll have learned to always check my camera settings first and remember that a test shot is so important. I knew this fly by the seat of your pants crap was going to catch up with me one day.
SENSOR CLEANING
Have you ever had the sensor in your camera cleaned? Have you ever tried to clean it yourself?
If you do not have the proper equipment, don’t. And don’t EVER put one of those micro eye glass cleaning clothes in there.
Just before my BC holiday I could see a hair and speck of dirt in my view finder but it wasn’t showing on my photos.
Turns out that as a result of my effort the sensor on my camera is severely scratched and “one of the worst” he’s ever seen. I may never notice those scratches but that remains to be seen. I did buy the camera used but I’m going to say I am likely the guilty culprit.
The sensor in my camera cannot be replaced therefore I would have to replace my camera if those scratches were ever to affect my photos. The current replacement value is $780.00.
Spend the money!
INUKSHUK
Last week after training Colton and I headed to the zoo to check out the stingrays.
We did not check out the entire zoo, just the bears and the stingrays and the gift shop.
We have pet stingrays in Minneapolis before so we knew what to expect. The stingrays at the zoo were not as sociable as the ones in Minneapolis.
As you may have heard, earlier this year the mating stingrays, who are apparently aggressive during their season caused the exhibit to be shut down until the could figure out a solution and prevent further deaths and injury.
The separated the males and females in the large pond – for lack of a better word – with a plastic type grate.
On our way back to the bears I thought the sky looked good and for this shot of the Inukshuk at one of the entrances to the Journey to Churchill.
Traditionally, Inukshuk’s were used by the Inuit in the north as directional markers. An Inukshuk is designed in the shape of a person signifies safety, hope and friendship. Inuksuit have been transformed into a symbol of hope and friendship that transcends borders to reach people all over the world.
POLISH BIBLE
When Colton and I went to Vancouver this summer my Mom showed me a family heriloom she was gifted from my Great Aunt Louise.
This little bible belonged to my Great Great Grandmother, who then gave it to my Great Grandmother, Mary. Great Grandma recorded the births of her children in the back of it.
My maternal Grandmother, Nancy, whom my little sister was named after was their first born. They were born in Eriksdale, Manitoba where my Great Uncle and his wife still live.
FULL MOON RISING
Lately, the moon is the only thing that I get the camera out of the closet for. And I guess it’s a good thing cause you never know what you’ll learn when you post a photo.
This photo was taken on the 9th (of August). I thought it was pretty good but couldn’t figure out why I could not get more of the graters, etc. Now if I zoom in and crop, yes you see more but I love the blackness that surrounds the moon and makes it pop.
This was taken last week in Headingley in the hotel parking lot. More lights around and while you can see the whole moon, still not the ideal shot.
Why? Cause at its fullest, the moon is too bright to photograph to get all those fine details. I knew there was a reason I followed all those photography/lens pages on Facebook.
ROADSIDE TREASURE
Just a short jaunt off the highway and close to the road.
No trespassing required.
TURNED AROUND
On this day of exploring, I was in new territory. I had vistited a home on my to-do list and then attempted to get into another but didn’t want to distrub the crop in the field and decided to come back in the Fall.
On our way home, hubby (aka Eagle eyes) took a turn of the main highway to investigate a roof in the distance. As we carried on we came across this old place.
Driving away from what I think will be a real gem, once I get permission, I got all turned around and lost track of the road numbers. Then we stumbled across this.
I admit, I don’t like when I can’t find some sort of history on the property. It feels like the job is incomplete. Anything I can find doesn’t confirm who the actual land owner is or their life there.
PRAIRIE FLOWERS
FAMILY OF 12
Sam came to the Ninga District with his family in 1882. He worked for others for a small wage until he bought this property on October 23, 1893. He married Isabel in March 14, 1894 and raised 12 children on this property.
In 1966 the property was sold to the Peters Family, also immigrated from Russia.
There is no home visable on the land except for this truck. The front of the property from the road is completely grown over by cariganas. I took a walk down a field lane and was met by many birds and butterflies but the dense bush did not reveal what it was hiding.
I do love this old truck that sits proudly outside its home.
CRUMBLING MEMORIES 