Another new-camera photo

Kortright Sugar Shack

I was out today, shooting some pictures for a friend who is publishing a history book next year, and found myself at the Kortright Centre for Conservation, near Kleinburg. Although I didn't find what I was looking for in the way of pictures for my friend's book, I did take the photo above of the sugar shack at Kortright. I love my new camera, but have to admit that anyone with a camera could make this setting look beautiful.

BtheB

More new camera photos

Fox Sparrow

Blue Jay

Here are some backyard shots taken this weekend. The Fox Sparrows will be around for another week or so, while the Blue Jay I expect will be around all winter, especially if I keep stocking up the bird feeder with the 'Ultimate Mix' from The Maple Barn Store. My new telephoto zoom lens is so powerful that I'm having trouble getting the focus just right. Between my less than perfect eyes and the hip-hop behaviour of birds like the Chickadee and Red-breasted Nuthatch, it's a challenge to get that perfect shot. Ahhhh, but that's the challenge. Stay tuned in and we'll see what we can capture in the lens.

BtheB

New Camera

I got a good deal recently on a new digital 35mm SLR camera and two lenses, one of which is a 70-300mm F/4-5.6 zoom lens. I haven't a clue what the numbers mean, but above are a couple of shots I took this past weekend at the Koffler Scientific Reserve in King Township. I was quite pleased with my beginner's effort and am really looking forward to taking lots of my own great birds and critters shots, instead of plagiarizing those of friends, acquaintances, and complete strangers on the internet. The bird is a southward-migrating Yellow-rumped Warbler who stopped by to have lunch with me. The White-tailed Deer was one of three does that were flushed by a group of field naturalists, on a hike at the scientific reserve, which is also locally known as Jokers Hill. I was helping with two hikes at Jokers Hill that day. The hikes were billed as "Trees & Fungi - Friends or Foes?" For the record, they are both. Everyone seemed to find the hikes interesting and enjoyable and I found some time to do my own thing; the results of which are pictured here. Please comment if you wish.

Say cheese, BtheB

Words that caught my Thanksgiving eye

Interesting words appeared on the front and back pages of the Life section in my Globe and Mail newspaper today. On the front page was a headline with these words from author, Michael Chabon: "A father is a man who fails every day". It was like a punch. I was sure I knew what Chabon meant without reading the story. In an interview with Dave McGinn he goes on to say the minimum behaviours for being a good dad are paying to raise your kids, paying for their upkeep, and sticking around. He goes on to say the most important part of being a dad is to just be there for your kids, what he calls emotional presence. He says he doesn't always meet the standard, but he tries. I like to think I tried to be there for my daughters, but there was always that "...nagging sense of inadequacy", as Chabon puts it. Hence, the every-day failure syndrome.
The other sobering words, on the back page of the Life section, were from Alfred D'Souza: "For a long time it has seemed to me that life was about to begin - Real Life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid - then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life." Well, thanks for the insight, Alfred, but I hope this doesn't mean I have to give up dreaming.
Pictured below (photo by Auralee) are the grandkids, for which I am always thankful.
HappyThanksgiving and please comment if you wish.
BtheB