Life is Sometimes a Walk in the Park

Sue and I visit Riverside Park along the banks of the Ontario Mississippi River quite frequently. But it is usually in the afternoon. One evening last week, we went for a little stroll. We don't get a direct sunset there, but the clouds did pick up some light from the low sun beyond the trees. ↓

We spent a few minutes on the little dock. This one is temporary and for boats to make a quick landing. The main launch is at the other end of the park.

Sue snapped a few photos including the one of me below.

I am doing a little chimping after taking a photo. Chimping is an in word for admiring your photos on the LCD screen.

To more peeks from under the trees from different spots at different times,

I imagine that our next visit will find us munching a picnic lunch at our usual spot. But not this week because we're on kid duty once more. School starts up again next week, and we'll have ten months of that routine before we do it all over again.

Dragon Weekend Videos

Hi Blogger Folks

This is a collection of videos taken at our reunion two weekends past. It is intended to get my videos sorted into one place for both me and family. However, anyone is free to click if they wish for whatever reason.

AC

This first video ↓ is a compilation of many clips made by my nephew while I was away on an errand. The kids had a dragon egg hunt.



Next ↓ I made an opposite approach for the talent show, which was recorded in one long segment. I thought it best to split into components. The first clip is of my great nephew and niece performing a magic act after being introduced by emcees Danica and Frances.




Then came JJ leading in Puff the Magic Dragon with assistance from Amma and Buppa. ↓



Danica did ab unrehearsed freestyle dance. ↓



The emcees thanked various organizers and introduced the dragon parade. ↓

Dragon Ball

In the evening after the talent show and supper, we headed to the planer mill for the Dragon Ball. The mill had been well decorated by Sue and various helpers, such as Danica and Frances, during the day, and it was all set for the ball.

It was pretty dark in there, and I didn't have my flash, which would have kind of spoiled the mood anyway, but here are a few photos of the celebration. We did do a little dancing, but since I was on the floor as it were, I have no pictures of that activity.

Andrea and Frances got quite dressed up. Heather and Sue were in survival mode by then.

Rosie dressed up nicely too.

A moody photo of Gemma as the darkness settled.

Danica dancing about with the dragon head.

Sue did use her flash for this shot. Glad she had it.

Petra and Shauna chilled out.

Andrea, Sare, and Frances enjoyed watched Danica parading about with the dragon head.

It was quite a day with the dragon egg hunt, the talent show, and the dragon ball. It was time for beddie-byes.

The Stage and Talent Show

We had a little talent show at our reunion last weekend.

A suitable area was chosen for the stage. Shade was an important consideration on this hot weekend, and, of course, it had to be nicely decorated.

Sue took on most of this task and is getting approval from her sister, Heather, in the first photo.

Then came the show with Danica and her cousin, Frances, as the MCs.

Rosie and Lukas did a magic act, helped by various audience members. JJ was the helper in this photo; he's wearing one of the two masks that he created in the previous craft session.

When it was JJ's turn, Amma and Buppa helped him lead the rest of the family in arousing rendition of  Puff the Magic Dragon.

Danica did a freestyle dance routine and kept going like a pro despite losing a sandal.

Then came the Tucker clan in their grand and glorious show stopping dragon.

We did a few cousins group shots at the end.

The empty stage: the first two in the evening, followed by a night shot.

The Young Photographer

There's something about a "real" camera, eh? Danica is intrigued with using my DSLR, so I thought the best recourse was to get my original Digital Rebel out of storage. It's light, and I am not on tenterhooks while she's carrying it around. Because of its lightness, Sue also has begun to use it rather than her compact or iPad/iPod.

I took these pictures of her when we went on a little photowalk together. They are followed by a select few of the many photos that she took that weekend.

Swimming Swimming in the Swimming Hole

Swimming, swimming in the swimming hole,

When days are hot when days are cold,

in the swimming hole.

Side-stroke, breast-stroke, fancy diving too.

I'll bet you wish you never had

anything else to do, but....

Truth be told, we don't have a swimming hole at the cottage, but we do have an area (actually two areas) that are suitable for swimming in the Crowe River, which runs along the back of the property. It's a great property line by the way.

The kids (as well as the me) were in there more than once on the weekend. These photos are all from the first visit.

Above: my brother-in-law, Brian, and my nephew, Matthew, stand at one access point to carefully watch the kids. Then, his wife, Petra, took up the station. Both photos show a bit of the Crowe River south of the swimming area.

Below: three photos of Danica and one of JJ with their reflections.

Above: Rosie playing on the bank.

Below: The kids having a blast.

Above: the Crowe from water level. Somewhat miraculously I didn't submerge the camera.

Below: two photos to prove that I wasn't cowardly, and did go in. Guess which one is me. The others are Danica and her aunt, my niece, Mary/

Finally: I had had enough what with the river being quite chilly. But Ben and Mary patiently waited for the kids to be done while I headed back to the cottage.