Life in the Bristolwood

As  time passed this morning, we suddenly came to the realization that we needed just a few things for the Super Bowl party.  They were simple little things, but we needed them.

I rushed around the grocery store, snatching up the things I needed and hurried to pay.  Then I had to fill the Explorer with gas, as the little warning beep and light went off as I pulled into the gorcery store parking lot. Gas tank filled,  I decided to rush to the lake to see if there was anything of interest!

I don’t think I have ever photographed this sign before.  Must be new?

And here are the boathouses in the winter, complete with ice!

Very cool, I happened to catch one of those ice “sailboats” sitting near the boathouses….

Looks like Squaw Island would be easy to walk to with ice on the lake!

And speaking of walking,  there were several folks out walking along the edge of the lake on the ice.

It was so beautiful out today, even a quick shot of the Seagulls turned out pretty!

Now, Bill in Scotland has been featuring some water birds and ducks on his blog lately, so when I saw several Mallard Ducks, I thought I would impress you with my abilities to call them to me! Yes, I do make sure no one is near, then I begin “quacking”.  As I did this,  a  Mallard couple spotted me and began waddling towards me.

Getting closer!

As I watched Mr. and Mrs. Mallard come towards me, I suddenly looked again, and saw *many* ducks!

Look at the coloring on these drakes! They are so gorgeous with their bright green heads and those awesome orange feet!

I was so pressed for time, I felt awful as I had to leave my newfound friends.  When I looked again, even MORE ducks were coming towards me!!!

I really wish I had more time to spend in Canandaigua today….it was a “picture-perfect” day.  I only spent about 5 or 10 minutes at the lake but was pretty happy with how these photos turned out!

The other day when Mark pulled into the parking lot at the hospital for his physical therapy,  before I went into the building,  I hopped out and took a photo of what seemed an out of place rose bush….

It was, of course, the bright remaining orange rose hips that caught my attention.  Located in front of dumpsters, somehow, the little bush just didn’t seem “right” planted there. 

My photo isn’t anything outstanding.  I even forgot I had taken it!

Then, last night as I was looking through images yet to be uploaded and stored on the hard drive, the photo I had resized of the rose bush caught my eye.  I sat there looking at it,  and almost immediately, memories and tears overcame me all at once…

Many years ago,  I had the most amazing pair of dogs…a highstrung, crazy Irish Setter and a very reserved and proper Scottie.  The setter was a female called Shelby and Kiltie was my Scottie boy.  The unlikely pair were great friends and one of my fondest memories is of the two of them in the basement, chewing balls of snow off each other that had gotten built up on their “feathers”.

One summer,  I showed Shelby the brightly-colored orbs on the rose bush.  I fed one to her, thinking the vitmain C contained inside would be good for her.  Well, Shelby decided she liked rose hips, and she frequently went to the bush thereafter, to partake (at her pleasure!).   One afternoon, I went outside and Shelby was showing her little brother, Kiltie, the fine art of gleaning rose hips! After that, the bush was always picked clean,  Shelby taking care of the high regions of the bush, while little Kiltie would reap the lower section!

How I miss those two. They were such a pair….almost like two little kids, playing and just having fun!

Amazing how a photo can draw one in and conjure up such emotions that one thought so long ago lost….

Uh oh…

No photos. Sorry about that, but today I spent a few hours comparing photos shot with the Nikon D-80 and the Panasonic Lumix TZ-5.  I had never really compared the photos closely,  and decided to do so today.  I worked with the natural lighting coming in through the bedroom window and gracing my pretty white Christmas Cactus.  That plant is just stunning with quite a few white flowers on it.  I was especially wanting to see the difference between the cameras regarding anti-vibration. The Panansonic has it built in, and I have no vibration-reducing lenses for the Nikon.  I was surprised to see that the Nikon did rival and surpass in acuity, even with my  shaky trigger finger!

Tomorrow is the beginning of February, even though it seems that I *just* put up the new calendar! It would seem that this year is sure to pass just as quickly as 2008. 

The clock is just striking 11:30 pm and I just got a brainstorm to take a photo of the entire Christmas Cactus!  So, hopefully not too boring…here it is!

Tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday.  I really am not a football fan at all, but the kids invited several of their friends over to watch the game.  Should be a very interesting evening!