Marching Mirrorless

Sunday morning I ventured out with the mirrorless camera, after not using it for a year. I determined the length of time when I found photographs I had taken on October 24, 2019 still on the memory card, and some of them are further down this post. I had been using the camera for my occasional walks around the part of the southwest Loop where the office is located.

When I went out Sunday, I didn’t have any great expectations for pictures of birds, but I did manage a few. The last post featured goldfinches foraging in the duck weed and this one has Yellow-Rumped Warblers.

Below is the only Palm Warbler I managed to capture in some focus. I may get more practice with this camera this weekend. It’s small enough for me to hold steady with my left hand.

I love fall colors.

The geese flew over this time. They didn’t land.

This is what the path looks like when I first enter the Portage.

Below are some pictures I took last October. Hermit Thrushes and White-Throated Sparrows in a city park-like setting. I miss seeing the park crowd.

Even the House Sparrows looked good that day.

Common Yellowthroat female
White-throated Sparrow

Some things are still best depicted with a cell phone camera. Below is the loaf of bread I made Sunday night. It was finally cool enough to turn on the oven, and I had enough mobility in my left hand to manage the loaf and then even hold it still so I could slice it (that was the hardest part).

I just had my sinks routed out today after years and years of accumulated waste, likely from cleaning the cages in the basement and then more recently, hulling the sprouts I grow. I have learned my lesson, ordered some drain filters, and I can be more careful as I start to feel more capable doing my chores.

We are presently having a lovely spell of warmer weather – I suppose it’s what may still be called “Indian Summer” – before the fall and winter settle in. I have not been able to determine whether the term has met its socially approved expiration date, so I use it with caution and due respect here.

Today on the radio, I’m hearing things I used to play and find myself longing to touch the piano keys again. I’m not quite ready, my fingers are still a wee bit swollen and stiff. But there’s an element of renewal in recovery and I am embracing it for all its worth. I hope you are finding something good in your day to hang your hat on. Onward.

December Already?

I find myself taking stock of things and at the same time wondering how I got here.

I’ve been trying to get back to finishing my review of the New Brunswick-Grand Manan photographs, but it’s always a struggle with the travel laptop, so the task inevitably fell to today when I had some extra time, if there is such a thing, or at least I felt like I could afford it. Ironically years ago when film was the medium, I never would have had this problem. I certainly would not have had hundreds of photographs to go through. Okay, enough complaining. It only took half an hour to install a software update before I had to start and restart Lightroom several times. These are photographs from August 18 when we first visited the Sackville Waterfowl Park in the morning, in the rain, and then later we went to Johnson’s Mills.

The inclement weather bonus was this sighting of Virginia Rails crossing the path to feed their young.

By the time we moved on to Johnson’s Mills, there was sunshine. And lots of shorebirds.

To sufficiently stir up things, there was a Merlin.

I am always happy to capture a Raven, anywhere.
I must have known I would be processing these photographs late and would need want to see some flowering plants…
One more of a Semi-Palmated Sandpiper. You never really get very close to a shorebird so I am thankful for this image, however cropped it may be.

I hope to be back very soon with photos from the next day at Koucibouguac National Park – Kelly’s Beach. Don’t you love that name?

But this will be a very busy week, so don’t hold your breath. Our choir has a big dress rehearsal Wednesday night with soloists and musicians for our upcoming two performances of the Bach Magnificat on Sunday. The reassuring thing is knowing that no matter whatever else happens this week, music triumphs over all.

And to feel better after a long, mostly dreary weekend, I just baked this loaf of bread. Another bonus from a Why Not, I Have Time Day.