Camera adventures galore

I have been a pretty busy Mad-Photographer these days.  I've gotten in a few more kayaks and a trip to Bayfield!  I have had my camera out and about and have learned a ton.

I have a nice long lens now- as seen by the wildlife shots that I have been taking lately, and just picked up a wide angle lens too. Add that to the SUPER in between lens that I own and I have a nice set up.... though I am eyeing a few others as well.  Learning all this is quite a challenge.  I relied on automatic settings a lot over the years, and the last 6 - 9 months I have been pushing myself to go fully manual.  Then with that new information appears and I find out things I never knew about- and so I have a host of other exposure and focusing things to learn and it makes me a little overwhelmed. I have gotten some amazing shots with this camera, but I am never happy with them completely. 

 Like ever.  

Then there is this Lightroom business.  Wow that is quite an awesome editing program, says Ms. Captain Obvious.  But again- learning curve!! Thank heaven for YouTube. 

Anyway, I am glad that I have had a variety of experiences to capture lately and I will do a lot of practicing on my new skills and acquiring more info that should serve me when I go to Italy in a month...  ( SQWEEEEEEE- 32 DAYS!!!)

Wild morning in Ashland

A breakwater in Bayfield

I recently had a fabulous trip up to Bayfield with my favorite Mad-English teacher, and the scenery that day was amazing.  Waves for days.  I am looking forward to more hiking and photo shooting in a few weeks when school is done.

Houghton Falls

Spring is such a great time to take photos, there is so much water in the lakes and over the falls.  And of course no more ice so the boats are in the water!

Smith Lake

Shadowy selfie

It has been a ball to go for walks, and tho it has been really cold- the positive is that the mosquitos have not really hatched out yet.  So lots of walks and weeding and all the things that the bugs can throw a damper on.

Smith Lake

Of course part of my joy and adding to the challenge of taking photos is my kayak, of which I now have 2!  So I can take friends and relatives and possibly can get a hubby into it in the near future.

Breaking in the new Kayak

I alluded to the fact that I got a wide angle lens, and this is the first (or second) shot out of the camera with that lens  I have even more ability to get big skies with clouds.

Doze clouds, doh

Butternut Lake

I also have a new kayak partner who I surely hope I can paddle with several times this season- and conveniently she lives on Butternut Lake!  And she has insights into the eagles that live there.

Butternut Lake Eagle

Ready for take off

Wide angle lens on  Butternut Lake

I love this photo- clouds, lake, kayak.... if only I could have had my bare feet in the pic, it would have been complete.

Kayaking baby!

And of course sunsets...

Nice way to end the day

I sort of dig my watermark~ the style of it is just perfect.  Love the font- I am thrilled with it.  All these techno things that make my day..... and bring me joy.  Now time for bed!  MwAH!!

Picture blog post

Though I am fatigued beyond comprehension, I need to at least post some photos of an amazing kayak that I took Sunday Morning.  I have a few people who are friends NOT on facebook and I want them to be able to see them.  SO- even though I slept like crap last night and then done wore myself out in a variety of ways this evening*,  I will do this!!

**I definitely need to blog about the school gym that opened- many conflicting feelings here....

Anyway, I sort of wanted to kayak on Saturday morning, but it was REALLY cold and I was too tired from school.  People in the house- ahemtheMAcough- was threatened with bad things and no breakfast if they woke me before 6:30- and yet  it was a surprise to find the clock heralding almost 7 when I woke up.  Why that man wakes up early on weekends is beyond me.  Anywho, I just couldn't do it Saturday.  So Saturday evening I loaded up the kayak and made myself get up and go- at about 6 the next morning.  I had to allow enough time for coffee!  There is something so wonderful and decadent about being out in a kayak on a quiet river at 7 am, watching the sunrise through the mist, while sipping a little coffee..... (I left out the part about frantically snapping photos during the high color time, changing lenses, and cameras and pulling things out and into dry bags and such...)  But I like to have my moments of pleasure, so I will stick with the first part of the story.  :)  Actually after the initial photo rush and the mist cleared I had a fun, leisurely paddle around Smith Lake and up and down the Flambeau.  I knew that the cold air and the warm water would give some good photo ops and I was not mistaken.

This was cool- mist receding

I have to say that the moment I came over the hill down to the boat landing was a goosebump giving, awe inspiring event.  The mist was thick and the sun was starting to come up over the horizon.  The colors were soft and beautiful and I knew that I certainly should be able to get a few good shots.  I think I was right.

If this was my dock, I'd be sitting on it every morning

I am going to get out onto the river as often as I can over the next several weeks, as I know that my time of paddling is growing to a close.  I might be able to lay hands on a wet suit, which will extend that season a bit!  That would be fantastic.

Sculpture in the water

Anyway, here are some of the fruits of my labors, not that it was much of a problem to get outside after being cooped up for the week.




I hope you find as much joy in these as I did.

End of summer musings and a picture post

Today starts school again, and while it is sad to have summer finished, I feel very unfocused in the summer.  I like that part of me, I enjoy being able to do what I want, when I want and it really suits me.  I have been accused of flitting from thing to thing, of whiling away my time,  of exercising all day, of NAPPING (which I did exactly like 3 times this summer), of daydreaming my time away!  Welcome to the land of Debi!  That is me - in a nutshell! But that side of me needs the focused and driven side of me for counterpoint, so here we go.

Glory in the sky

A hint of fall

I think that summer offers me time to think and be.  I need the time off from the stresses of school to be able to become creative again.  By the end of school all creativity is gone, we ALL are in survival mode.  It is hard to be an artistic person when you are overwhelmed by all the things that happen at the end of May, nothing bad about any of it.  It is what it is!  But creativity and artistic is a huge part of what I am, and that part needs to be refueled and refreshed.  My neurons are firing on overtime right now, thinking of things for me to do with my HS kids, with my littles, and some things I want to do for myself.  

Summer endings

Morning glow

A shadow of my former self?  A shadow of my present self!

Butternut Creek on Trout Rd

Shadows

So I am up early and will be into school early today- because beginnings are exciting, new is thrilling for me..... I thrive on positive change and survive through the negative sort.  It will be interesting to see what kind of year this is, I am hoping for positive!   After all, finding joy is a driving force inside of me.

Easter visitors

I feel a bit remiss in not posting about my Easter weekend, when it involved the other Mad-boy- Greg.  I got tired of sitting in front of the computer, so it got pushed aside for a few days.  Poor Greg!

 It is always entertaining to have one or more of the boys come to visit, and there are always adventures!  There was even a sighting of the elusive Michael!  He knows when the good grub is being served.  There were a lot of things on the agenda, including lunch at "The Pal Cafe", hanging out with relatives, and of course eating- a lot!

We started off the weekend with 3 inches of snow, which has been previously discussed, and there were some things that needed doing- the tractor needed to be started and retrieved from where it had conked out in some -20 degree weather, the old Toyota woods truck needed a new battery, and some culverts needed to be cleared.

Dragging a battery back to the Toyota, but the tractor was first on the list.

Gonna clear out the culvert

Got the tractor going

The Toyota got itself a new battery and boy it barely rumbled before coming back to life!  Liberation!!  

It's ALIVE - Yoda

Clearing the culvert

In other news, the rare son Michael makes an on camera appearance.

elusive

Motorcycle in transit

Artsy motorcycle pix

The old Yamaha motorcycle has made its way south, and will be in restoration mode for a while.  One more thing out of our garage!!  Woot!

So, this is a week late, sorry Greg and Mike.  Hope it doesn't make you Mad-sons!
Until next time (like in a few minutes) don't forget to spread the joy!