It’s a New Year After All…

Posted on January 2, 2016January 2, 2016 by Dusty Roads

Happy 2016! It’s a new Year, a new beginning, a new calendar, a new, well you get the idea.

Did you make resolutions? I did not. Too much of my life is like hanging onto a run away train and I don’t know any way to change that.

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Although I’m told that I work 9-5 Monday – Friday once the busy season starts that kind of goes out the window. Until we get going for this year I really have no idea what my personal time is going to be like.

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They are adding more staff this year. Most will be starting in February or March and they will be changing the teams so I can’t begin to guess what my work load will be like but glad to have more folks on board.

I got my summary from WordPress about my posts last year. I only added 90 new posts. Well, if you are one of my followers you probably know that already. That’s not very good. Part of the reason was that I was working 7:30 am – 11 pm and weekends for most of the spring and summer and even if I’d had the energy to post a story my mind was too overwhelmed with work to think of anything to write. I try not to write too much about work because I don’t want anything mis-interpreted, good or bad! I love my job but it got out of control last year.

So with fingers crossed that I will have a bit more time here are my hopes for 2016

#1. I’d like to say that I am going to make a real effort to increase my posts this year. If I can’t think of anything to say maybe I can share a picture of Rocky or Buddy.

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#2. My team gave me a membership to a photography museum and part of the membership is a portfolio review. I am totally an amateur who gets lucky sometimes with my photos so putting together a portfolio that can be reviewed by real professionals is going to be a challenge. But it will make me move out of my comfort zone. So that’s a another goal.

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#3. No goals about losing weight. By now I know its not gonna happen. Besides, I don’t look so bad for somebody who’s almost ready for medicare but I do have some financial goals.

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I raided my savings account to upgrade my time share. It was the smart thing to do but now it’s time to start paying myself back. I feel much better with a healthy emergency fund.

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And that’s about it for goals..note I did not call them resolutions. So wish me luck and I will wish you all luck with yours too. Have a happy, healthy and prosperous 2016!

What are you doing for next year?

Posted on December 17, 2015December 17, 2015 by Dusty Roads

Between work and trying to bring you all up to date on the Florida trip I’ve been preparing my annual Christmas Cards. All of my cards are hand made and I use my original photos. Each year I try to top the card I used from the previous year.

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Last night we had our Team Celebration and I handed out the cards for the team members. I was thrilled that they were a hit. I can’t share it here yet as I haven’t mailed all of the others. I’ll share on Christmas Day 🙂

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Anyway they wanted to know what I would do for next year.

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Part of the reason for a Florida trip this December was to check out the decorations at Disney. I got lots of pics. These are just a sample of the contenders that I shot my first day in Florida before I even got to the Disney Parks.

Chasing Puffins Again

Posted on September 27, 2015September 27, 2015 by Dusty Roads

Some of you may remember that back in 2012 I went on a “Quest” to photograph those clowns of the sea, Puffins.

I went to Maine, joined a boat tour and headed off to Machias Seal Island. It was cold, the sea was rough and just about everyone on board (except me) got sea sick, but I did see Puffins. That trip showed me how hard getting that “Nat Geo” picture was going to be.

Those birds are small and the ocean is large and you can only get so close to an island with waves crashing against a rocky coast.

Then I went to Alaska in 2013. That trip promised Puffins, eagles, bear, moose , caribou, otters, sea lions and on and on. Our timing was a bit off and although we saw some of these animals whales didn’t breach for us, the bears were in the distance, just waking from hibernation, and there were no Puffins or otters.

Since then, wrapped up in a new job (career?) I’ve been really busy and not thinking about much wildlife photography. In spite of having a new camera and an awesome new lens, I haven’t been out roaming the woods much.

So now another opportunity has presented itself and I jumped at it. The Mass Audubon Society is planning a trip called Puffins and Peatlands in July 2016. As soon as I heard I called and made my reservation. This trip we are to actually to set foot on the island and there are blinds set up to allow close up photography. Be still my heart!

I’m really excited, then they sent me the itinerary. Oh Oh. I’ve been less than athletic since my fall off the airplane two years ago which started the downward spiral of health problems. Although I’m feeling much better these days my knees still hurt,my left hip is arthritic and my back still hurts occasionally.

Their first consideration. You must be able to walk on beaches and through spruce forest where exposed roots and rocks can provide difficult footing for 1/2 to 1 mile in length. I used to be able to do that but can I still? Some days walking to my car is a challenge.

But the 2nd consideration is the one that really strikes fear in my heart. “The landing onto Machias Seal Island can be difficult. Participates must be able to get in and out of a smaller boat. We may need to walk over rocks that are wet and slippery.” OH MY WORD! I nearly fell into the fake canal in Las Vegas getting in and out of the gondola. Will I be able to pull this off?

I remember when I quit smoking. I wanted to lean to scuba dive but no one would accept a smoker in the class so I quit. Cold turkey. I wanted to do something and I did what was necessary.

But how do I get my creaky, aching joints in shape? I’ve got 9 months. October – July.

I need some advice quickly!

That Made My Day

Posted on September 12, 2015September 12, 2015 by Dusty Roads

Some days things just don’t get any better and then something happens that proves there are still nice people in the world. Not that I ever doubted it since I have many nice people in my life.

I had a long list of errands to run today and started out early. I wanted to get done early because I was going to take some pictures of a friend’s puppy for her. I’d taken some last weekend but poor little puppy was so tired from all the excitement around the pool that we didn’t feel we really captured his puppy cuteness, hence a do over.

Here’s a few shots from the first shoot.

So today we tried again. Little Henry was certainly more lively and we had a couple of photo bombs from big brother Jack.

But Henry still has a soulful eye roll as his signature look.

Even their cat Autumn graced us with her regal cat-ly presence.

Finally I think I got a “keeper”! It almost looks like he’s smiling.

I had a great time. It was just about time for lunch when I left so I decided to stop at Friendly’s for lunch. I was waited on by a new waitress who explained she was in training. I promised I wouldn’t bite her and we laughed. I gave my order and pulled out a book.No one came by my table except the wait staff and I enjoyed a quiet meal. When it was time for my check the first waitress told me it was all set. I misunderstood and said ok, bring it along. I’m ready for it. That’s when the 2nd waitress chimed in. “No, you don’t understand. Your check was paid for by another customer.”

I was flabbergasted! I’ve heard stories about kind strangers doing things like that but I never expected to have it happen to me. I looked around to see if I recognized anyone but the restaurant was filled with strangers.

The staff finally told me that it was the man in the booth behind me (who had already left) and I should”pay it forward” which I intend do. I will start looking for that opportunity right away.

All I can say is that it was such a nice surprise. It took my nice fun day and really put it “over the top”. Thank you kind sir, and may you have many wonderful days too. You certainly made mine!

A Whale’s Tail

Posted on August 3, 2015August 3, 2015 by Dusty Roads

As fast as the Real Estate rush began it stopped. I went from working every waking moment to suddenly having time on my hands. I keep thinking there’s something I’ve forgotten to do. There was no gradual slowing down…just slammed one minute and then nothing the next! So with a quiet Sunday staring me in the face I thought a whale watching trip might be in order.

I ordered my ticket online and headed to Plymouth at 11:30. I figured I’d get there early, have some lunch and then line up for boarding. It was a beautiful day, close to 90 degrees and sunny.

A perfect day to be on the water.

The activity at Plymouth Harbor proved my assumption. Traffic was brutal and parking nonexistent. I was very glad I gave myself extra time. I finally parked in the Citizens Bank lot which had been opened up for a fee of $10.00 for the day.

But once underway the hassle was all worthwhile.

We passed Bug light and then Gurnet Point Lighthouse which marks the end of the harbor. We headed out to Stellwagon Bank which is an underwater plateau. These plateaus cause “upwelling” which stirs up the nutrients and makes for rich feeding grounds. It’s also a protected marine sanctuary. One corner of the plateau comes quite close to Provincetown on the tip of Cape Cod. It was my guess that this was where we were headed.

The Pilgrim Tower in Provincetown hadn’t quite come into view when I saw something breach and splash. Then others saw it when it happened again. It was so quick none of us knew what we were seeing. Finally the naturalist on board got on the PA and told us we’d just witnessed some tuna jumping! Tuna, I never would have guessed!

A few minutes later we entered the Marine sanctuary and immediate spotted 4 humpback whales . They were an Association not a Pod as Pods are families and these were 4 unrelated whales.

It was the day of the tails.

They’d cruise along on the surface for a bit then dive and all of them liked getting their tail flukes out of the water.

2 of the Whales came right up next to our boat. Of course, I was on the wrong side. Just my luck!

No breaching or flipper slapping today but we got great looks at the tails. The tails besides being so very photogenic are also like fingerprints. Each whale has a different pattern and the scientists have thousands of tail flukes cataloged. I’m sure the photographer on board is sending all of her photos out for identification.