December

I'm kind of depressed by December. It's the least daylight month, and I'm a sunny daylight kind of guy. I don't get SAD, at least not like some people I know where it impacts their life. When I was working I got up and got on with it. Now, I've been having some peaceful days at home, doing various projects around the house. Thats one of the nice things about being retired, is (mostly) being able to go to bed when tired, and getting out of bed when not tired.

Yesterday, for example, the project was rounding up all the books, scanning the ISBN, updating the software, scanning the ISBN again, stamping the book so I know it's in the database, carrying them downstairs and trying to put them like with like. Linda has a new shelf devoted to garden stuff. 

But we're running out of room. Things need to be organized and shuffled around a bit. Not quite to the extent of alpha order by author name and then title, but I would like to organize like with like a bit better. Anyone want a set of encyclopedias? That would make lots of room. I would even deliver them anywhere in Calgary.

Along the way I found the expensive macro photography book I bought, and I'm starting to think about winter photography projects. I was all set the other day to try a particular thing outside. It was bright and sunny and I had a subject picked out. But by the time I finished some important stuff, you know, like making coffee and having breakfast, it had clouded over and the opportunity was gone for now.

During the Red Rock trip I had fun getting some sunburst effects into the photo by manipulating camera settings. I realize now I got lucky. When I tried to reproduce the effect, there were lots of failures. Here's the only two successes, in terms of sunburst effect, but they are essentially failures as photographs because they aren't really OF anything. They happened during the walk I got all the green.

There was another one, where I was trying to get a sunburst with Michelle in the photo, but that one didn't work out well at all, either for the sunburst or Michelle. I was suffering for my art, trying to get the camera in the right position on the log, while sharp branch stubs discouraged me. Once you get past looking at Michelle, you can see some of the branches I had to deal with. 

Just before that, however was a lovely reflection shot on ice.

We've had a bit of snow, and the predictable demonstrations of driving incompetence showed up right along with it. Sigh.

I had my first AMA the other day! Thank you! Tis the season for collecting Ask Me Anything questions. Send them along via comments on the blog, email, text, whatever. Remember, where I don't get questions, I might invent some.

Of the Day

Driftwood

Peony

Lily

Celina, the closer I moved in, the tighter she curled up.

Eagle, I've got lots more eagle photos, but I'm thinking they're kind of similar to what you've already seen. So I think I'll pick out the best of what remains, and move on, unless people are really eager to see more of the two eagles. I'm fairly sure the conversation here is, "You're such a pretty eagle." "I am, and I could eat your face if I hadn't just had breakfast."