Scene & Story: June 2017

Summertime Fun

La Kermesse is a festival held near the end of June every year to celebrate our area’s Franco-Americaine heritage, and it always kicks off with a block party and fireworks. In case you didn’t know it, I’m a pretty extreme introvert. I don’t like crowds. I don’t like noise. I don’t like carnivals. But for some reason, I love the La Kermesse block party!

It’s early evening and the weather is perfect. People gather in the park to listen to music from live bands, line up to buy cotton candy and fried dough, shop for souvenirs, play carnival games, and ride carnival rides. As the evening progresses, several blocks of Main Street, where it crosses the river adjacent to the park, get blocked off. The flashing blue lights of the police cars at each end add to the festive atmosphere, and the street fills with people.

And what fascinating people! Amidst the “ordinary-looking” folks in casual clothing are Goth types all in black and spikes and tattoos. Muslim women looking cool and elegant in their long dresses and hijabs despite the heat. A girl with waist-length purple hair that exactly matches her ruffled camisole top. Babies in strollers and old ladies with walkers. Men with impressive facial hair, others with impressive muscles. Kids in t-shirts and shorts rolling down a grassy slope and running to the top to do it again.

I don’t know any of these people and never see them in my day-to-day life. I suspect that all these different “types” probably don’t normally see much of each other, either. But everyone gathered here seems happy. The crowd is in a good mood, polite, having fun, enjoying themselves. People smile at each other. I notice random acts of kindness. I chat with strangers.

The sun sets in a flare of copper-colored clouds and darkness descends, and we find a spot along the bridge to watch the fireworks. Anticipation grows until…finally…the first explosion and flash of color illuminates the night to appreciative “oohs” and “aahs” from the crowd. For the next 20 minutes, everyone is focused on the show in the sky, climaxed by the grand finale, a riot of color and noise.

And then it’s time to join the people streaming up the middle of the street, on our way home, back to our everyday lives. Tomorrow Main Street will be filled with the usual traffic, and I will be back to my usual introverted self. Until next year, when I’ll see you at La Kermesse!

Summertime Play (with Impresso app)

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Click here for the Scene & Story link-up at Paisley Rain Boots.

**Scene & Story is a collaborative creation that Sarah Huizenga of Paisley Rain Boots and I dreamt up to encourage one another in our photography and writing. We’d love to have you join us! Just share a favorite photo from the previous month along with a short story or description and link up your blog or Flickr photo. 

Randomosity: SHS 6.23.13

At first I didn’t think I’d be able to come up with anything for this week’s Scavenger Hunt Sunday prompts. But after missing last week, I decided to try just a little harder to find some fitting images. Perhaps some of them are stretching it a bit, but at least I’m here! The words this week are Fun, Arts & Crafts, Messy, Blessing, and Effort.

Fun:

What the Heck?

OK, I admit it — I have  a strange idea of fun. I was outside in my little fenced garden area when I spotted these leaves with a clump of feathers stuck to them lying on the ground. Doesn’t it look like some sort of alien creature? — though it doesn’t appear that our atmosphere agrees with it. I laid it on this plank and took several photos to preserve it in case future scientists want to study it.

Arts & Crafts:

Sketchy

Arts and crafts aren’t really my thing. I love art supplies and have lots of them, but seldom use them. I’m hoping this will count. The photo is an old one, as my friends in Maine will recognize immediately — this clock tower was decapitated several years ago — but it’s newly processed. I recently learned how to do this sketch-like post-processing (thanks to my friend Brenda at How to Feather an Empty Nest) and this was my favorite of the images I tried it out on. I really liked the way it turned out. It’s pretty arty, right?

Messy:

Day of Rest

Last Sunday I took a nap on the couch, and woke up to a strange tapping noise at the window. The curtains were closed but I parted them and peeked out to see TWO roadrunners up on the window ledge. They seemed to be pecking at their own reflections on the glass. While I slipped away for my camera, one of them hopped down and left. The other one quickly followed, but I managed to get this one photo first. So where’s the “messy”? I’m glad you can’t see the rest of that windowsill. I really need to get out the vacuum.

Blessing:

Tranquility Base

This was an easy one. The peace that descends at day’s end is always a blessing.

Effort:

Bella Luna

My sister chose the name for this image. I’ve never been successful at photographing the moon, and I put a lot of effort into trying to get some good shots of this month’s “super moon.” This was taken with my Nikon D5100 with 55-200mm lens (at maximum zoom) on a tripod. I cropped and adjusted for contrast and clarity in Lightroom. I have plans for some further experimentation with the photos I took that I hope to post later.

This week’s challenges turned out to be fun after all. Here’s the Scavenger Hunt Sunday linkup – come check it out!

PS – Happy Birthday, Ashley!

Back on the Hunt

Since yesterday was such a beautiful day, and since I got so many things crossed off my to-do list, I’m rewarding myself with Scavenger Hunt Sunday. This week’s prompts were Yellow, Something that makes or made you smile, Ancient or Antique, Splash, and In the Sun.

Yellow:

No Respect

Andrew V. Mason once said, “If dandelions were hard to grow, they would be most welcome on any lawn.” I have no idea who Mr. Mason is or was, but I liked his quote and have always remembered it. And I am very fond of dandelions!

 

Something that made me smile:

Take Me Away

These not only made me smile, they made me circle the block and find a place to park so I could take some photos. Of course they made me think of friend Kat Sloma, who has a “thing” for scooters, but it also occurred to me that one of these might be fun for running around town in my next life . . . you know, after I retire and move to the country.

 

Ancient or Antique:

Janet's Beads

These were given to me about 45 years ago by my late mother-in-law. They had been given to her, many years before that, by a Canadian friend who told her they were Indian trade beads. I wish I knew more about them, where they came from, and even what they’re made of. It’s interesting to imagine all the hands they might have passed through.

 

Splash:

Over the Edge

There’s a low dam in the river just behind my apartment building, whose purpose (I think) is to regulate the flow of water through a small hydroelectric facility across the river. The water flows over the dam in many moods, depending on the season and weather. It was peaceful on the evening I took this photo.

 

In the Sun:

Blue & Gold

I’ve photographed this clock tower near my office downtown in every season and many different lights. On my way home this day, I noticed the late afternoon sun illuminating both the golden dome and the forsythia in bloom along the street where I was parked. My attempt to catch the light was only partially successful, but I like the image anyway.

 

Special Bonus All-in-One:

Oh Happy Day

Yellow — flowers and shirt.  Something that makes me smile — going out to play on a sunny spring day.  Ancient or Antique — that’s ME, of course.  Splash — all that bright splashy color.  In the Sun — too obvious to mention! Extra credit — diagonals!!

Wishing you all a happy week filled with sunshine, and some rain, too, if you need it. (We do!)

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Scavenger Hunt: April Already?

Another week gone by — another month, too! I should be packing, but instead I’m playing with photos for Scavenger Hunt Sunday. I’ll go fill some boxes as soon as I’m done here, OK? OK! This week’s items were Clouds, Sun Flare, Seven, High Angle, and Low Angle.

Clouds:

An Ordinary Morning

I took this with my iPhone as I was walking from my car to the office, just because I loved those clouds.

Sun Flare:

Room With A View

Taken on impulse through my living room window. There’s a bit of moisture between the dual panes that adds to the flare effect. I’m going to miss my strange industrial water view when I leave here.

Seven:

And Then There Were Six

I was trying to think of what to do for this prompt. I went into the kitchen a little while ago to put away the eggs I’d hard-boiled, and suddenly thought, Hey, seven eggs! Unfortunately, one of them had already been breakfast. Oh, well.

High Angle:

Between Posts

Standing at the end of the dock, looking down and outward through these posts. They make me think of fingers, or the ribs of some giant, long-ago creature. I loved the ragged heights and odd angles and tried several shots. This was my favorite.

Low Angle:

Coming Attractions

This hillside will soon be covered in bright yellow. It will mean spring has arrived for sure!

So that’s me for another Sunday. Now, off to those boxes. Right after I call my sister. And maybe have some lunch.

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