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.

Early On and Tent Village

I guess I should do some posts of our very long weekend away for the family reunion.

The cottage is not large or grand enough to accommodate everyone -- at least not for sleeping -- so most of us brought tents. Fortunately or otherwise, we did not use ours. Whether it was fortunate or not depends on your point of view. With a nice air mattress, we find that sleeping under the stars can be pleasurable, but with so much going on that weekend, it seemed easier to stay put in the cottage.

Mary and Ben helped us set up our tent.

Then, we set up Shauna's

Once everyone arrived and the village was completed, this is what it looked like.

Once that was done, Brian cleaned up around the place, Ben demonstrated his archery prowess, and the kids rocked the hammock. ↓

Mary and Brian took care of supper.

I went for a stroll in the evening and took this three-stitch pano of the [former] planer mill where we often gather behind the screens on a warm summer afternoon or in the cool of the buggy evening.

Of course, it is important to have a campfire or two. Brian stokes the flames while Heather uses them to toast marshmallow.

That night, Ben, Mary and I stayed up after the others had gone beddy-bye. We had a good chat and Ben also showed me the online computer game that he was playing.

And that was Wednesday.

Then and Now

This is the last of my pre-posted entries. And the congregation said, "Amen."

It a simple collage comparing the kids on the same apparatus in August 2012 and August 2015.

Since Danica was younger then than Jonathan is now, they wouldn't fit doing the same pose, so we improvised. But here they are 3 years later, and still happily being kids.

More from Day 5 at Kintail

Owing to the miracles of technology, I am not present but away beyond the boundary of much internet access.

Summer Camp sort of ended after Day 5 and the previous post.

Day 6 was spent quietly at our place with all of us getting ready to head to the cottage on Day 7 (today being day 9). We are at the cottage with extended family, so I don't rightly know if it's really still camp.

Whatever the case, although it is really day 9, I do have more photos from day 5 that I have pre posted for your absolute enjoyment.

Sorry that I am not in position to reciprocate comments.

Hats

Sue was given this hat by Allyson, our West Coast daughter, about 5 years ago. It fits Danica perfectly now.

I have a winter Tilley hat and a summer one. That's it, except for a few caps. He has multiple hats.

Scenes

I waded into the rocky and pebble Indian River for this. I have a bad foot and with an expensive camera in tote, I was treading very carefully. But I wanted to take this. It's not a great picture, but it was fun trying.

The dominant wildflower right now is Goldenrod.

Post Processing Play: Double Exposure

I did a better one of JJ last year in the same spot. I could have taken more care
this year, but it's something.

Double Danica

James Naismith: The Inventor of Basketball

Naismith was a Canadian and lived locally. In Doors Open a few years ago, we visited his house,
which is still in modern use. This Naismith Stone, which he and his schoolmates liked to play on,
was moved from his schoolyard to this museum. In this photo, which I thought
would work well in sepia, he peers at JJ hugging the rock.

The town of Almonte is also well-known for its Puppets Up festival,
so I was pleased to see this puppet added to the display.

Siblings at Camp

Day 5 of summer camp gave us some fine weather: not too hot, but fine summer weather. So, we took the opportunity to take the kids to the Mill of Kintail. We generally get them there at least once a summer.

On this day I was struck by their togetherness. Yes, they are siblings and have their squabbles, but they do pretty well on the whole. I saw them in proximity many times of that day, and I have the pictures to prove it.

Gasp! Do you really have photos AC?

Yes, for a change I do.

We're heading to the cottage and may already be on the road as you read this. Although I have one or two more scheduled posts, I won't be able to reciprocate visits until next week.