long time no update

[OT from cottage renovations]

yes, I am still alive.  just not very good at managing was has become scarce discretionary time in the face of many distractions. 

text and images to follow this evening. 

Saturday: bloomage

[OT from cottage renovations]

for a couple weeks the days have drawn me away from the Grove and I have been obliged to lay down camera and take up other pursuits.  Saturday provided the start of a three day weekend, a welcome chance to take it all in again at least for a while. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

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Zöe Wadsworth Park

for some reason our hibiscus flowers seem to be more horizontally than vertically oriented.  that aspect, and the morning light, were sure to catch my attention. 

hibiscus

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1^st Avenue

morning glories, radiant in, well, glorious morning light. 
click on through for a better look at how it all came together. 

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disregard for a moment the Subject: line of this post.  this last image was actually taken on Sunday afternoon. 

morning glory

Saturday: location scouting

[OT from cottage renovations]

the earlier part of the morning was set aside for scouting locations for some shoots for another project.  if it all comes together there could be as many as three shoots this weekend.  it's a good thing that it's up to others to wrangle everything that's going to be needed. 

(click through this thumbnail for higher resolution image)

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Maple Lake

Sunday: Labour Day bike races

[OT from cottage renovations]

the Grove's traditional end-of-season athletic contents date back to the earliest days of the Camp Meeting Association.  I wasn't able to view or record much of this year's activity but did watch the bike racing.  no, I didn't compete: I tend to go for distance rather than speed and have no discernible competitive instinct. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

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Grove Road

in the tandem division, team Dubnicci completes the first lap ...

... and crosses the finish line. 

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Julia

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Tad^*, the essence of determination

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^* this was after the competition, in which he had ridden a two-unit articulated tandem with daughter Luna. 

Monday: ritual cleansing

[OT from cottage renovations]

the same constraints that have kept me away from camera and behind, way behind on email and flist have also taken their toll on upkeep around the place. 

as the renovation work has proceeded, in fits and starts to be sure but progressing over time, one thing that I've noticed is the gradual emergence of an inadvertent differential in housekeeping standards between the parts of the place that have already been fixed up and those where potential remains untapped.  this manifested itself Monday afternoon in a strong compulsion on my part to deal with the accumulation of filth on the porch deck so its contents were moved into the clear and out came hose, scrub brushes and mop.  there's nothing like a hot afternoon to make the idea of splashing about with hose and water seem like just the thing. 

(click through this thumbnail for higher resolution image)

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this image was taken after the task was done.  it looked better and I felt better.