Say Cheese

I’m an idiot.  Of that there is no doubt.  Back in June when we were paying our dues for the upcoming Camera Club year, I also signed up for “entertainment committee”, thinking I’d be able to plan parties, of which there have been many over the years.

As it turned out, what I’d signed up for was doing the coffee and cookies at meetings.  It doesn’t sound like much but I’m here to tell you, nobody likes doing it.  You have to set the tables at the back of the hall.  You have to get out the huge coffee percolator and schlep it from the kitchen to the serving tables.  You have to have the tea kettle going and set out the cups, cream and sugar, tea, stirrers, bottles of water, juice as well as napkins and cookies.  Sometimes cake, as well.

During break time, you get swarmed with people wanting their treats.  When break time and socializing time is over, they all sit down again and watch the rest of the presentation while I’m stuck cleaning up, putting away etc.  It’s a lot of sweaty work.  I have a woman to help me but she can’t always be there. 

Next time, I’ll play dumb.  But since I made a commitment, I guess I’ll have to see it through.

One of my favourite sites is Digital Photography School.  The site is full of useful information, a great Forum and all sorts of swell folk.  Recently, there was a posting by a guest which was headed One Hundred Things I’ve Learned About Photography.  It makes for a very interesting read.

You are welcome to add your comments.  Perhaps you know a few more things to add.  I guess my addition would be, “Don’t be afraid of your camera.  It won’t bite.  You won’t waste film.” 

I remember when I first got computerized about a dozen years ago.  Opening the box was such an ordeal.  Like there was something really magical inside that box.  My husband assembled the computer (he’s been called the hardware guy since then).  I nervously installed the software, reading everything 10 times before attempting it.  It took me forever, or so it seemed, to feel comfortable with the machine.

The digital camera was very much like that.  It was like learning the computer all over again.  So many settings.  Just remembering to check this and that before shooting was a lot to remember.  It got better with time but I still treat it with respect.  Familiarity, in this case, does not breed contempt.  It breeds comfort.

Happy shooting, all.

Oct. 6/07 Left about 10AM and headed to Port Elgin. It was sunny and promised to become quite warm. Driving through Orangeville is interesting. They cut down dead trees but keep the stump quite long. There, artists carve into the stumps. Unbelievably artistic and of course, a surprise for those seeing them for the first time.

The rolling hills, lovely country homes, brightly painted barns and silos and, oh, the little villages where, I’m sure, everyone knew everyone else.  It all gave me a warm and cozy feeling.  I wanted to be part of that lifestyle.  I want to live in the country.  Fresh air, wide open spaces, good down-to-earth people.  I hate the city with all that noise and traffic and people.

About an hour from Port Elgin, I started calling hotels from the list I brought. To my horror, they were all booked – except Super 8. They had one room left, so I took it, sight unseen. It turned out to be a very nice room so I shouldn’t have worried. It was on the main street. Not my favourite place to be since it’s a very busy street. Oh well, that’s what I get for not booking ahead. Apparently, the town’s representatives were on Jay Leno to promote Pumpkinfest, which turned out to be the biggest in North America.

After checking in, we took the shuttle, which was a school bus, to the fairgrounds. It was hot as hell. Hot and sweaty. I can’t believe this. It’s Thanksgiving, for God’s sake. It should be in the 60’s, instead we’re hovering around 88 and humid. It felt around 95. Some of those pumpkins looked obscene. They weighed plus or minus 1000 lbs. I took some pictures but it was just too hot for me. Plus you should have seen all those kids. There must have been a million of them. Well, maybe not but the fair was geared towards families, that’s a fact. Rides on elephants and camels too. Wow.  Get me outta here! But then we heard about the antique car show, so we went to see what was what. There were some really super looking antiques but I’d had enough of the heat and the people. After taking some more pictures we flagged down the shuttle and went back to the hotel. We cooled off and went to dinner at the Chinese restaurant next door. It was raining buckets. Good thing we had out umbrellas in the car. Good thing we were next door. It was a very nice buffet. Not the Mandarine but that’s OK.  Very reasonable, too.

Next morning, we got up and out by 6:15. Charlie moaned a bit but, other than that, was pretty good about it. I wanted to get down to the beach and catch the sweet light. It was foggy, misty or whatever you call it. I like that, in a way because it gives a somewhat mysterious or surreal feel to a photo. I got one shot I really like. Imagine, one shot. I took many pictures of the sand and the lake that we couldn’t see. But, that one shot made it all worth while.

Next to the marina was a structure that looked like it might be a restaurant. We went over to it to check it out. It was and the nice lady opened up and let us in and gave us coffee. It was ten minutes before opening time but I took that opportunity to take a couple of pictures of the interior.  Well, they didn’t turn out.  Maybe I was hungry and not in the mood.  Maybe the mood had passed.  Anyway, we had some time alone in there. Right at 8AM, the other doors swung open and in came a hoard of people. All of them, it seemed, local residents. Lucky stiffs. We had peameal bacon and eggs. That came with hash browns and toast and coffee. We spent around $12.00, would you believe?  Not Toronto prices, that’s a fact.  We then went back to the hotel, showered and dressed. This day we will find interesting things to shoot - I hope.

We got out of the hotel around 10, I guess.  We drove along the coast to Southhampton, then to Sauble Beach and on to Wiarton and Owen Sound. We explored and poked around. We were amazed by the grand homes built along the lakeshore. You didn’t know where to look first, I swear. Tucked away, some of them, behind trees and overlooking the lake. (That would be Lake Huron and then Georgian Bay.)  We had a picnic in a park in Wiarton, home of Wiarton Willie, the albino groundhog.  We always watched him everyFebruary 2nd, anxiously waiting to see if he’d see his shadow or not.  Sadly, Willie died.  Moving along, back to the picnic, we had tuna, pita, oatmeal cookies. Nothing special.  I took some pictures and we moved on.  And this is how we spent the day.  It was fun.  We were in a good mood and so relaxed. 

We got back to the hotel around 5 or so and went to dinner at the Chinese Restaurant - again.  We didn’t have a choice.  It was the only restaurant open, that we could see.  People were at home having turkey and the trimmings.

Next day we were off again, heading home.  We took the long way via country roads.  The fields had been cleared, in many cases.  Manure had been spread and it had been spread recently, judging by the pungency in the air.  Other than the smell, everything seemed so beautiful, peaceful and serene.  Ah, but that smell.  I don’t know.  I’ll have to rethink moving to the country.