Counting Books

I had a fun two days this week rearranging ALL our books, culling out some, and counting them.
I didn't intend to do this. I had walked to the big bookcase in the library looking for a particular book and noticed that the shelves were looking messy and that a lot of books weren't in their proper categories making finding them difficult.
When you have as many books as we have, you have to categorize them or you'll never find anything! I arranged them by the Dewey Decimal System several years ago.
"And how many books do you have?" you might ask. I'll tell you; 2,506! I figured that if I read one a week, in 48 years I'll have read them all. I'll be 104 by then. Fortunately, lots of them are children's books and ones I've already read. Whew! I'll only be 98 by the time I finish the rest.

Flash flood

This is becoming a regular event these days. Another ride immediately following a flash flood, a flooded creek that had to be forded three times in Urliup alone -- insanity! Yet after missing the Alpine Classic, I had to do something. The Black Magic backed up yesterday after Sunday's incredible day at Springbrook (that will be my next blog post). This time I went back to the Garden of Eden, in the Macpherson Ranges backing the Gold Coast.

The dirt roads were just a little torn up after the previous evening's downpour, yet the one usually the most treacherous, Glengarrie Road, didn't appear to have suffered at all. The cynics might suggest that this is because it's usual state is pretty close to "rock bottom". Still, I had fun in the rainforest, and the ridgetop dirt roads are virtually always deserted, making it a pleasant escape from the craziness of the coast.

I'm still considering a possible weekend tour to Mt Jerusalem National park next weekend. The loss of The Blue Flame has cast some doubt on it, but I'm half tempted to just use The Black Magic regardless. It seems to have handled the weekend as well as could be hoped for, and the circuit that takes in the Garden of Eden will test any bike. Whatever happens, I have plenty to look forward to.

Glen Avon Falls, Beaver River

Taken last Wednesday on our way home from Duluth. We took a short detour off Highway 61 and headed up to Glen Avon Falls on the Beaver River. This was only my second time visiting this location, and I can't wait to go back and see it when the water is higher. It is a spectacular section of the river with lots of photographic possibilities.





























I had a lot of fun with my 100-400mm lens taking shot after shot of this particular spot in the river. It was at the bottom of one of the many cascades that make up Glen Avon Falls. Each shot was so different from the one before, amazing how infinite the patterns of water can be when you freeze the action like this!

Snow Day by Billy Coffey

Snow had always been one of the wider gulfs between grown-ups and children. Adults wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible and so get on with their lives; children wanted to keep it around for as long as possible and so enjoy theirs more.
This quote is from Snow Day by Billy Coffey. I first heard of him when I was reading his blog http://www.billycoffey.com/ He's one insightful man, so I was glad to see his book in my local library.
I mostly enjoyed it but felt that at times he was too didactic; trying to cram in way too many lessons learned in a short amount of time. One day actually. I'd recommend it, though. It made me think.

St Andrews Castle

To continue with the mini-series of 'the ski trip that wasn't', here's St Andrews castle. A bleak but easily defensible location, looking out across the cold North Sea. The first castle on the site dates from around 1200. It was originally the Bishops' Palace, the residence of the Archbishop of St Andrews. After much siege and battery over the years, it was eventually destroyed during the Reformation, around 1560, when Scotland broke from the Roman Catholic Church.
I'm very honoured to have been given the 'Kreativ Blogger' award by Guy at Liege City Daily Photo. Thank you! I will pass it on, but with life as it is at the moment I'll inevitably take some time about it.

Hiker's Heaven

Enjoyed a beautiful hike this morning along the Superior Hiking Trail near Lutsen, MN. The colors along the ridge between Lake Agnes and the Poplar River Overlook were AMAZING! This is my favorite time of year to be out walking in the woods :-)


Above image: Poplar River Overlook
Last week I hiked the Superior Hiking Trail past Lake Agnes and was intending to hike as far as the overlook of the Poplar River. Unfortunately, there was an error in the communication about how far it was to the overlook, and I didn't make it (I thought I had missed it, so ended up backtracking then ran out of time). This week I went back and hiked to the overlook. As it turns out last week I was very, very close to the overlook (that's the way it goes!). It definitely is an overlook that you can't miss! The view of the Poplar River is incredible. I was hoping there would be a bit more fall color in the view, but even without many colors the view is one you have to see to believe.

Smooth Green

A new leaf on my 'Dwarf Namwah' banana plant.

St Andrews Open Day

We are on the university trail again, starting with last week's open day at St Andrews. I was exceptionally well-behaved, only taking my camera out at the very end of the day, when the crowds of prospective students and their parents had dispersed and there was less scope for being an embarrassing mum. The weather was not particularly photo-friendly: a typical east coast haar (thick sea fog) in the morning, followed by an afternoon of almost-sunshine. Part of me regretted that it wasn't raining - it's always good to get an early dose of realism about the place in which you might spend 4 years. In the photo above, the spire of St Salvator's Chapel fades into the bright haze. The two red gowned individuals are undergraduate students who have just finished a day of guiding visitors around the university.
You'll see that gown of one the students is slipping off their left shoulder. This is carefully orchestrated. Below, you can see three of the four ways in which the gown is worn. On the left, barely hanging on, is the gown of a fourth year student. In the middle, the gown is slipping off the shoulders slightly - denoting a second year student. On the right, the off the left shoulder look shows that the student is in the Faculty of Arts. A first year student wears the gown high on both shoulders.

One lot of ancient university customs down, three or four more to go on our open day rounds. British students can apply to a maximum of five universities - so far there are four on my daughter's list. Applications open in September for entry the following autumn, so we'll have a summer of touring campuses with historic buildings, state-of-the-art this, that and the other, to say nothing of eye-wateringly tiny hall of residence rooms.

Circumnavigated Portsmouth Mine Lake

Needed a good breakfast this morning. In our festival packets there was a slip of paper about a local youth center breakfast. Alas, there was no information of where the center is. At the motel, they said it was the Hallett Community Center - it wasn't. So, I parked on Main St. Crosby and ate at the North Country Cafe (where I ate last evening). And knew they had good food.
Day 2 of the Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Festival started with a demo/workshop with Hans Rey. The workshop was held in the "skills" area (also know as Timber Shaft Trail) of the Yawkey Unit.
This was not a demonstration of jumping tables, and such. It was just some awesome riding on extremely technical trails. Hans coached the other riders, how to ride the technical features. The trail they were riding was basically rocks and technical features. At times it was difficult to see where the trail was.
No way I could ride that trail. But Hans "No Way" Rey made it easy.
OK, not time for some riding of my own. After changing into my cycling kit, I headed to the Crosby park to figure out where I could ride. Trails in a large section of the recreation area where not available for open riding because of the cross country race.
It was suggested that I ride some some of the blue (yellow on the map) trails in the Yawkey Unit. Checked out the trails, but most of them were one-way. I did not want to commit to a loop and they had rollers that were a bit too much for me.. The trail back to town was 2-way, but had some steep drop-offs.
Next I drove over to "Boot Camp". The maps shows it is a "green" (easiest) trail. Looked at it, but again, drop-off was a little too much for me. Since yesterday I enjoyed Drag Line yesterday, decided to check it our from the other end.

The first third of the ride on Drag Line was good. Most of the trail I could ride. Would have felt better (and might have ridden that while section) if it was not my first riding the trail.
That quickly changed when I encountered the 1-way section of the trail. Steep climb (and then decent) with a drop-off. I knew that the other end of the trail had another section I could ride, so plugged on, with walking most of that third of the trail.
The last section of the trail was a piece of cake - I had riding it (two way) yesterday. Drag Line nearly follows the north shore of Portsmouth Mine Lake. The Cuyuna Lakes State Trail forms the South end of the lake. The paved trail was a treat after the singletrack. I think I have enough calender quality photos of Drag Line to hold me for several years.
After the ride, i stopped back at the park to pick up one of the bright green festival t-shirt and on to DQ for a Blizzard (I earned them).
Washed the orange dirt on the bike tires. Now time to start packing for the trip home.
Photos of the workshop with Hans Rey are on my photo web site. Copies of the photo file are available for purchase at http://win-photo.photoreflect.com.

Dance in the North Sky

Some friends had told me about seeing the Aurora in the early morning hours of March 10th, but unfortunately I was already asleep and missed the activity. The following evening, however, I noticed the telltale green glow in the Northern sky at 9:30 PM. I called a friend of mine and within 15 minutes we were both headed up into the woods to get away from any man-made lights. Just moments after we arrived in my planned shooting area the Aurora intensified and really started to put on a show. By 11:00 PM the sky was bursting with dancing lights. At one point the lights filled about 50% of the entire sky. I would have needed a fisheye lens (which I unfortunately do not own) in order to capture the entire breadth of the lights. We stood in awe at not only the movements but the colors we were seeing. Dominated by green, we also saw shades of red, purple and white. Rarely is the aurora seen this powerfully in Northern Minnesota. I was almost in a trance staring at this amazing show and I kept having to remind myself to keep taking pictures!

Cool Photography

I bought three rolls of 3200 ISO film.  I tried this film a few months ago and really loved it.  The blacks are really black and the whites are really white; lots of contrast.  It cost about $15 a roll to develop, so I have to be careful not to waste any shots.  And the photos are really grainy.  I love grainy!
This photo was taken using regular film.  I just used it because I wanted a black and white one.  You'll see a big difference when I post the ones taken with the 3200 film.
I took the cutest photo of Darcie from the back holding a white kitten on her shoulder.  I handtinted her hairbow light pink and the kitten's eyes green.  Very striking, if I must say so myself.  As soon as I learn how to scan my photos into the computer, I'll show it to you.
I took a roll up in Tennessee of my Daddy and his bees, Darcie and her first cousin Ethan, and Mama's solid white cat Prince sitting on the split rail fence.  
I just love photography!  I immediately get in the "zone" as soon as I get an 'aha' moment.  It's a real rush.  I feel more alive when I'm taking pictures, but I'm not taking them as often now.  My eye is getting more discerning, so I know what will look good and what won't.  It was more fun when I didn't know what I was doing!

Table Rock Dam

Wednesday was a lazy day here at the reunion. Mostly cloudy and occasional showers. Temerature was warm in the morning and dropping later in the day.
Not weather conducive to bicycle riding. Spent much of the morning visiting. About 11, I drove down the Table Rock Dam and Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery. Time to play tourist.
Shot some photos at the fish hatchery. From there, I stopped at the view point parking lot on the lake side of the dam.
Next it was a stop and the HQ and Visitor's Center. Not much to see there. They are building a new Visitor's Center. The lake shore walking/cycling trail starts at the Visitor's Center. Time permitting, I want to ride the 2.2 mile trail on the road bike (the trails is paved).
Ended my tour driving to the trailhead #2. The first parking lot on that road is the only spot that affords and view of the dam. Nap time!
In the evening, a large group of us went to Charlies Steak Ribs & Ale for dinner. Much better service than Tuesday dinner. And, I was able to able to have my local micro-brew. The proplem was my food was over-cooked, dry. Others commented their's did not taste right. Some of the group had been to Charlies before and the food was great. So, food at Charlies was so-so.
Had to shoot one mug shot and play a DVD on my laptop. Visited Paulette for a bit while the video played. VERY tired (over-tired) by the time I got to my room.

Babysitter Honey!

This is Honey. She came over to be my Nana yesterday while Mama had to go to work. She did a pawsome job! Check out what Honey did to deck me out with all my toys that I can't reach at this point!
This is the picture that I used to make my "red nose" entry.

Thanks, Honey, fur taking such good care of me. Honey: "you are an exhausting doggie to care for!"