Adam Graham Photography

I can’t fathom why this hole would intentionally be left there, but I also can’t see how this one rock would come loose among all the other really solid ones.

Unexpected things overhead fascinate me. Plastic bags caught in trees, shoes on power-lines, that kind of thing. In Fredericton one summer going down the sidewalk I saw the word ‘duck’ spray-painted on the sidewalk. A few more steps to another ‘duck’. Then, a few more steps on, there was a stuffed goose peering down out a tree at me. I smiled every time I walked by. More recently there is a branch that dangles from a power-line near our house. It’s a small branch, with a couple of y-crooks in it. It’s been hanging there for months. We’ve had some really windy days and still it hangs. That one makes more sense to me though. It’s like that tree branch is somehow holding onto its purpose by remaining in the air. I’m starting to think that it doesn’t even need the wire to hold it up.

I took this today on my Utata Thursday Walk.

I like the half-hitch. I suspect that this is largely due to it being one of the only knots I know. I’m not sure I do it right. I’m not even sure I have the name right. I do know that it holds. The other reason I like it is because it uses its own pressure to hold. The stronger the strain on the rope, the tighter it is going to hang on.

Sherrie and I picked this crokinole board up last year at a yard sale. It is in pretty good shape. The rubber pads are still on the bumpers. The problem was that it didn’t have any pieces with it. Sherrie decided to get me crokinole pieces for Christmas. She searched everywhere she could think of but ended up having to order some online. It’s kind of weird to be playing with new pieces. Growing up we always had pieces that didn’t quite match in shape or colour. There were always more of one colour too. At Sherrie’s parents’ house a few of their pieces have been rendered unusable because of dog teeth. I’d like to think that we were able to pick up this board because someone’s pieces slowly disappeared until each side only had one, making the games too quick to be enjoyable.

I know, I need more descriptive titles. Anyway, this is another shot from my Utata Thursday Walk. This is outside of St. Ambrose Cathedral.

View it large with a black background. Highly recommended.

Sherrie and I went to Ellenwood Provincial Park this morning and had a really nice walk. The paved road in was really icy so we had to walk on the snow at the side. We found a trail that we hadn’t hiked before. It is a really nice loop. I’m not sure how long it is since neither of us were wearing a watch. Not too long and not too short, anyway. I highly recommend it if you’re in the area.

Another view of our front door, adding more layers.

I was able to get out for the Utata Thursday Walk this morning because the wind has died down. My fingers could exist sticking out of my gloves without the immediate threat of frostbite. Very important factor in being able to make pictures. This is of the Catholic cathedral nearby. One of these days I’m actually going to take them up on their ‘the church is now open to those who wish to pray, rest, or visit’ sign when it’s out. I wonder if they would agree with me that making pictures falls into at least two of those categories.

It is far too cold today to venture out with my camera. Exposed flesh is not a good idea today. I did get out to shovel the front steps off this morning. The mailman was going by on the other side of the street and said that I was one of the few good people this morning. I’ve always thought delivering mail would be a good job. I think I’d actually enjoy doing it on days like today.

I made this picture this morning because I find it kind of funny how our lists of important things are so impermanent. Things in our kitchen get written, or scrawled if I’m writing them, in chalk on the board (and as you can see, sometimes not quickly erased after the event has passed). Lots of lists get scribbled on little pieces of paper, to eventually get lost or discarded. Time shifts importance I guess.