Coutts 1

 So there was Saturday, me attending two Stampede events the same day. I think that's a first. For photography of course. First the Woodcreek breakfast, then the Braeside lunch. Lots of photos, lots of editing, on a day when the weather behaved. 

Then Sunday we were off to the Coutts Centre for Western Heritage. Linda has been there before, going along with her Master Gardener buddies. I went along figuring it was a nice day for a drive, there was a picnic lunch, and I might see some interesting compositions.

As a side note, the weather behaved during our visit, but on the way back into town the clouds gathered. We wanted to stop at the market to see if they had more blackberries (they did not), and saw the mounds of hail in the parking lot. Cue ominous music. We stopped at the library to pick up a book on hold, and got light hail on the way home. Fortunately, we had no hail here.

There are too many photos for one blog, so I've divided them into 3 groups for ease of blogging. Today is what I think of as documentary photos. There I was, this is what I saw. The second is quirky things that caught my eye. The third relates to the world's most corrugated camera obscura. There was a book about the project in their library, and as it happens, the Calgary library has it, so I've placed a hold on it. I'll blog more about it when the book comes in.

1. It was a bit hazy in the distance but you get a lovely mountain view from parts of the property.

2. The path to the little writer's cabin.

3. The cabin inside.

4.

5. The view from the cabin back to the main area.

6. The inside of the main building. It's a lovely space.

7. You might have been wondering why the Coutts name seems familiar. Yes, that Jim Coutts that advised Prime Ministers Pearson and Trudeau. I hadn't known he was born in High River and lived near Nanton.

8.

9. Part of the view from the artist in residence home.

10.

11. The front of the artist in residence home.

12. Part of the gardens.

13. This is what's called the Hen House. Not at all what I had imagined. This was my favourite building and I had it to myself for a while. See the mirror at the far end. Of course I put it to good use. Stay tuned.

14. The main building.

15. The garden and mountain view from the residence.

16. The back of the residence that gives that amazing view.

17. the MGAA group.

Of the Day

Driftwood (NZ)

Driftwood (NB)

Film

Linda

Newfoundland

New Brunswick

Why ever didn't I publish this, and maybe I did

During the bear boat trip June 2025.

90 days, or so ago

Part of the prep for the two noir detectives photo session.

Flower

Landscape

Serendipity

There was a mirror. I had some time. Shall this be my new profile pic for what little time I spend on Facebook or Instagram?

Rainy reads

We've been getting a lot of rain lately, so I've been reading more. I used to be able to dive into a book and I'd be gone. Not so much anymore, I recognize the plot and know how it will end, and the cardboard characters don't interest me. I'll stop reading. They might or might not show up here. Sometimes I use the blog as a way to remind myself if I've read something that catches my attention.

But first, a peony!

The Last Gifts of the Universe by Riley August. I thought it would be cute. It was not.

The Tallpecs of Alberta and Saskatchewan by Fred Stenson. I'd read another of his books and liked it. I did not like this one, mainly because the vertical distortion ruins the photos for me.

Canadian Photographs, by Geoffrey James. Exactly what it says.

Identity Theft by Robert J. Sawyer. He is one of the pre-eminent Canadian science fiction writers. I've actually met him and chatted at a writer's convention. I've got lots of his other books, and enjoyed them. I remember his saying once that he gets lots of offers to collaborate on books, with the person offering to share their idea, and help him with the writing. He always refuses because these people bring nothing to the table. Ideas are a dime a dozen. He said he had more ideas than he could write out in the rest of his life. It's the writing out that's the hard part. Tapping the keys, putting in the time to get it right, then send it out to the world. Even for established writers it's not easy. There's a joke. What is it that all writers want more than anything else? Answer. To have written. Anyway, this is pretty good, though I mostly saw the twist coming. Anybody that's read Varley's Steel Beach universe will also see it coming. There is a bit of a sense of cranking it out.

The Iconic Photographs by Steve McCurry. I can confidently state you've seen his work. Who can forget Afghan Girl once they've seen her eyes? I had to wait a while to get this one, and oh boy, is it worth the wait. This is absolutely stunning.

Why Buddhism is True, by Robert Wright. OMG, so many words going around in a circle.

Not at the End of the World by Hannah Ritchie. Oh so earnest. But Hans Rosling did it so much better.

The Silent Gondoliers by William Goldman. Sort of like The Princess Bride, but not as good.

I only Read Murder by Ian and Will Ferguson. It's gone back to the library, and I now have no memory of reading it.

Of the Day

Driftwood (NZ)

Driftwood (NB)

Film

Linda

Newfoundland

New Brunswick

Why ever didn't I publish this, and maybe I did

90 days, or so ago

Flower

Landscape

This is part of the "beach" at the end of the road in norther Newfoundland. I consider myself fortunate that I didn't twist an ankle walking on the slippery sloped rocks, and then fall over and bleed to death on the razor sharp rock edges. 

Serendipity

June Image of the Month

This was a struggle. I started thinking about this well before the end of June. Of the ~2000 images only about 500 qualify for consideration. Race and WCA images don't count for this. Of the 500 or so, fewer than 200 were edited. Most of them are flowers and most of those are peonies. 

Yes, I love the peony photos. June 29 is a peak peony day, with only the red one still anticipating. Yes, you'll see them, be patient. The photos are nice, but are they image of the month? There's a couple rolls of long exposure film photos where what got captured isn't quite what my eyes saw, or what I hoped to get. Nice, maybe interesting, but image of the month? And really, does anyone care anymore that an image was created on film or digital? 

The macro photos might be a bit puzzling, technically difficult to do, and interesting in their own way, but image of the month? With all the rain I've been catching up on my reading and one of the photo books is an absolute banger, but does a photo of the cover rate image of the month? I think not.

Most of the images are essentially documentary. There I was, this is what I saw. I'd like to think that image of the month should be more than that. A few of the images seem to have a taste of that little extra. Or maybe not. Perhaps it's wishful thinking. Or maybe I'm just getting fussy in my old age. Another stroke of doom is coming up soon. I try not to think about it.

Anyways, enough dither. This, for whatever reason, is the one I keep coming back to and looking at. Make of it what you will.