Photographing the Courtyard in the Cold

I had it in the back of my mind to take some photos of the courtyard of the restaurant on our main street. I wanted to do this while they were keeping the lights on at night although maybe they leave them on all winter. I can't remember. I wanted to do it while there still might be some leaves strewn about.

While I had this in mind for at least a week, weather and other things had thwarted me. One of the thwarting things in addition to much rain, is the fact that I slept in until 6:30 twice last week. While I guess I could have rushed out I chose not to. But on Friday, I awoke at 4:30, so even after taking my sweet time, which I surely do take in the mornings, I was out of the house by 6:30.

It was darn cold out, but I since I had driven to my destination, I made like brave soldier and took some photos while I shivered. They were long exposures, long enough to require steady tripod support.

This was the first attempt, taken at 1.6 seconds.

I decided to narrow the aperture to see if I could get more of a starburst (or light rays) effect. That meant that I had to increase the exposure time to 8 seconds to get about the same amount of light. 

I did the same at another spot. I think this angle is a better composition with the stairs and door more centered and we also have leaves leading in that direction.

I have also had a notion to photograph gas stations at night, and since there was one behind me on the opposite corner, I turned around and did just that. I blended several exposures to get a few light trails from passing cars.

I had come with all of my lenses and had been prepared to take different photos, but it was -3C/26F, and I was really feeling the cold, so I packed up and scurried back to the car. I usually don't think temperatures hovering near 0C as being all that cold, but I felt chilled to the bone that morning. Even around the house, I am suspicious that I am feeling the cold a little more this year as winter approaches.

On the Weekend

How did you deal with the time change? I dreaded it because my sleeps are short enough and my nights long enough as it is. So, having an extra nighttime hour is not a treat for me because my actual sleep duration wouldn't be affected. I determined to stay up until 12 instead of 11 (both old, daylight time), and it more or less worked since I would still be getting up at 5 (new, standard time). Sometimes I do sleep later, but I basically hope for 6 hours and exult if I happen to get more.

I thought Sue would embrace the change as she requires a lot of sleep and heads to bed ~9. But she refused to go to bed at what would essentially become 8 o'clock (new time), so she stayed up until almost 10 (old time) which would be 9 (new time). Have you got all of those new times and old times straight? lol

Changing the subject: earlier on Saturday, we met Shauna and the kids for a short stroll in the park. It had been two weeks since the previous outing, and I was missing them. It's getting colder so even this outlet will soon be denied. Perhaps we will begin to do what they do in restaurants, visit indoors and wear masks until seated at a distance. It should work; Shauna's workplace remains clear, and there has only been one case at Danica's school -- a non-contact case, whatever that means.

I hadn't yet seen Danica's new hairdo in person. She is now slightly taller than Sue although it doesn't show in this photo.

If JJ has an opportunity to climb he will take it, but he didn't go any higher on this day.

JJ and Danica tossed leaves at each other, but Danica bailed out quickly. It was probably a hair thing.

First Gift

I couldn't recall making an online order, so I didn't know why the UPS would come ringing.

It was our first gift of Christmas, or I will take it to be that. What a shock!

As you can see it was from PC, which is our grocery store -- not our store specifically but the chain under which it operates. PC is short for President's Choice, which is how they brand their own line of products.

Back at the beginning of the pandemic, they offered a free six-month membership to their Insiders program. Because the membership included free shopping (by them) and car delivery (to us in the parking lot), we opted in. We used this service a lot for about three months.

What I didn't expect at any time was a gift box. It contained a chocolate milk mix, a chocolate bar, a candle, and a jar of maple butter.

What a pleasant surprise. It is the kind of gesture that helps to inspire customer loyalty.

First Snow

For the second time in two years, our first snow fell on October 28. That first fall was remarkable in 2018, for the snow was fairly thick, and there was still colour in the trees in the park. It was quite a wonderful combination.

The first snow of this year wasn't up to these standards. Aside from the fact that there is much less autumn colour remaining, there was also less snow, and it didn't last very long either.

I took a picture from the window and was going to leave it at that, but when I went downstairs to give Lacey her morning tuna, I decide to take the camera out for a few quickies.

When I had cut back the echinacea plants, there were four flowers still looking good, so I left them. To get a soft background in these macro photos, I opened my aperture as wide as it would go, but that reduced the amount of the image that was in focus. In both photos, you can see one or two petals in focus while the rest aren't. This doesn't bother me much in these images, but I just point it out. It would be best it it were the front petal in focus, but I don't bend well to fine tune these low photos.

In this next image of leaves in our silk lilac trees is focussed a little better with the emphasis on the main leaf. The background leaves are far enough away to provide a very soft and colourful background.

I went across the street to check out the neighbour's garden. Since the resulting photo was even less well focussed than others, I went with the flow and processed it with a fine art feel. At least that is what I tried to do.

The snow left us by mid-morning, but if history is any sort of predictor, it will likely come to stay by the end of this month. And then it will remain until March or even later.

Happy Halloween

It's All Hallows Eve, so I wish you a happy one when I probably should be wishing you a scary one. But this witch figure looks pretty happy.

I did a lot of processing on this one. The original is below.

Although Halloween hasn't meant much to Sue and me, it is a favourite occasion for others, and they may be affected by reduced celebrations this year. I don't know what our kids will be doing, if anything, but here is Danica on her very first Halloween in 2007.

JJ's first in 2010. It would have been the second of his life, but it is my first with pictures.

Halloween Scarecrows

I think this is a first and probably a response to COVID since many Halloween activities will be curtailed this year, but we have scarecrows along our main street. I walked up and down on the weekend and took a quick pic of most of them.

When someone else posted a slew on our FB photo group, I decided not to exactly follow suit and duplicate said post. What I did was fiddle and faddle in post to come up with something different on just a few of my pics.

Having said that, I didn't push Anne (of Green Gables) too far because, well, she's Anne and kind of a Canadian icon. While she doesn't look very scary to me, I didn't see any crows around, so good job, Anne.

This fellow was the most traditional looking scarecrow, or at least presented in the most traditional manner like he might actually be used in a garden. I decided to present him in mono and somewhat low key (ie dark).

This next fellow is dressed in the uniform of our town's minor hockey boys, such as JJ. His face is hideous enough, but I added some grain and texture. But he has all of his teeth, so I am not sure that he represents hockey very well. On the other hand, minor teams are well protected and tend to have full sets of pearly whites.

Aside: JJ is practicing hockey this fall, but due to circumstances there are no games. There are only controlled practices, and we aren't permitted to attend. In most years, I would probably have been photographing his games by now.

I really went to town on the spiderwebby bride. It doesn't look much like the original at all. I'll show both versions, and even the original has also probably been developed somewhat. The bride was located just off the sidewalk in a little alley. I hope that I caught the mood appropriately.

Processed 

Original

I have one more to show, but I need something to post on Halloween, so I will leave it until tomorrow.

Morning Hot Water

It is reassuring that when I do something in an absent-minded stupor, which I most frequently do, I am not alone. Misery loves company after all.

I did think that I was unique, but when I posted this (below) on FB, I found out that I wasn't.

Hot water anyone? The absent-minded professor strikes again and makes coffee sans coffee. Of some consolation is the fact that he remembered long before he actually poured the coffee. Of more consolation is that the lady of the major still sleepeth, for it is mostly intended for her.

Here are some of the ensuing comments.

I've done that. And so has my husband.

Dont think you're special 😂

Done that too

How about starting up the coffee machine and forgetting to put a cup down to catch the coffee .... 🤨

I have forgotten the pot for the eight cup machine twice in memory. Both times with visitors, to my great embarrassment.

Been there, done that! 😁. I always put milk & Stevia in my cup before brewing, so what a waste! 🙁

 Of course you, dear reader, would be above this. Or would you?