July 18, 2007-Almost there

Hi faithfull reader.

Not much to report lately. My bus training is over, for a bit. I have my hours in, and instructor things i'm ready, and so do I.

I have a refresher on Tuesday and road test on Wednesday. Xing my fingers.

Then its up to the Provincial Ministry of Transport to approve my physical. If our level of government is like others out there, i'm screwed.LOL

I think this school bus thing can really work out.

I'm at a very nice relaxed point in my life, having been tossed from the Survey/Mapping game last month. More time to do things I want to do, meaning enjoy and relax.

Had lunch with a friend in the roofing and siding business today, and he sorta offered up a eavetrough sales job to me.

Now if i could drive bus and do that part time as well, things might be good here.

Anyway, its friggin hot out again, so i;'m going for a beer and sitting out side and see if some birds will fly by.

Thanks for listening

DJB

July 5, 2007-Eyes wide shut

Hi faithful reader.

So, i have begun what is hoped to be, my new carrer training this week. Tuesday was manovering the bus around a big empty Silver City park lot for a few hours, learning turn reference points and weaving in and out of tightly set up trafffic cones. I hit 1 curb and 1 cone. Instructor said thats pretty good for day one.

Now comes day two, yesterday. We went back to the park lot for a second, as my partner wanted to do some more tight turns in a safer environment, as we were scheduled to go and do some back road driving, to get used to the bus, the roads, traffic, albet light, and signals.
We drove north of were i live and its not quiet but its not busy either so it was not to nerve racking. I did some back roads and then she hasd me do some more travelled roads as she felt is was getting comfortable.

This is were i came to the realization, that us 4 wheel drivers are pretty bad. Just in the space of 1/2 hour on moderately traveled roads, i watch as car after car, passed us in unsafe areas, when stopped at railroad tracks and other venues.

This was a huge eye opener for me. I all ways, try, and give the bigger rigs a bit more space, not to dart in an out, but now i see why.

I propose that all 4 wheel drivers HAVE to take a 2 hour road drive in a big rig, so they can see what A holes they can be.

Not only will i have the safety of many small kids to worry about, but 1/2 of York region.

This should prove interesting.

Thanks for listening

DJB

July 3, 2007-Strawberry Festival and our record

Hi fathfull reader.

Well last weekend, June 30th, was our Strawberry Festival as part of Canada Day celebrations. Been going on for 23 years. My were does the time go. Seems like yesterday they were still in planing mode.

Well it was perfect day. Weather was warm, but not killer hot. Parade had a good turn out, and our fledgling radio station 102.7 had a float and parade route booth. I took a few pre parade photos and a lot from the float.. Some good crowd shots if i do say so myself.

We did our Whistle Off in the park at 2pm and had 119 participants sign up.
Led by our whistler, Steven Sword, we managed to whistle for the aloted 5 minutes and set the Guinness record for the biggest whislte off.

We did 6 tunes including whistling O Canada in French and English. You can tell the difference.LOL

Any way a long day and sore feet, but a good day.

Please see www.caughtinmotion.com and look for the link to the photos near the bottom of the home page.

Thanks for listening

DJB

June 22, 2007-A new beginning

Hello fathfull reader.

Well last week was a very special week at the horse farm. The owners have had a breeding pair of Trumpeter Swans on the property for about 7-8 years now and all but one of those years have produced a large quantity of young swans. In 2003 or 2004, only one baby survived. In most years, including 2007, 5-6 will survive.

The picture shows some of the newly hatched birds about 5-6 hours after hatching on June 12, 2007. Afew minutes to gather their collective thoughts, then into the pond for a float with MOM.
I snapped this shot, when Mom was trying to get them to climb into her wing for safe keeping. They are VERY territorial, and i have seen them kill Canadian Geese and ducks aswell.

As you can see, they are already fighting for seniority.

I sent this to the local paper, and they ran it on the front cover.

I, to say the very least, am very happy they did that.

So to spoil an otherwize good week i had a stone hurled at me on a photo drive this afternoon and cracked my windshield good.

Siggggghhhhhh, whats $300 bucks to someone retired eh.lol

Well that it. Meeting up with my buddy Knarf Saturday. Should be interesting.

Thanks for listening

DJB

June 21, 2007. Why did i keep the sky light

Afternoon all.

Well its been a hectic week or so. I never knew being semi retired, required so much work. I think i'll go back to work just for a rest.
No i'm only kidding. Just trying to get a few things done around the house that i have neglected since i bought it, and a few interviews. I spend a day after leaving MMM to process some photos taken at GFM during June's Nature Photography Weekend. The one you see here, made it to what is known as" The dishonerable mention" category. Thats sounds horrible you say, but not so. These are photos that, for some small mishap on the photographers part, would have most likely finished in the top three of what ever category it was entered in. For my photo, a Dslr Infrared conversion shot, the judges felt the sky needed to be darker. Point taken, and duly noted for the 2008 contest.

Going out Friday and shoot some MF B&W. Have not done that for a while. Im excited.

Thats it for today. I have a cutsy pic and story for you Friday

Thanks for listening

DJB

June 12, 2007-Time to catch up, or, How i survived the Doug and Mark Show.

Morning all.

Sorry i have been a bit tardy on the blog lately. I had a pretty hectic, for me anyway, couple of weeks. Hectic used to mean, a month of working late, partying late and sleeping litte. Now its down to camping on a mountain for 3-4 days, then spending a week or so, unstiffing up.

As i mentioned, pretty busy lately. I spent May 31 to June 4 in a lovely spot in North Carolina, called Grandfather Mountain, near Linville. This was my third year attending the Nature Photography weekend and had a blast. Meet up with some old friends and met some new ones. All great folk. This year we had in the PDML compound(told ya you'd hear more from us in the blog:))folks from Australia and England, as well as my self from Canada. Speakers were all good, and i think i absorbed a few things. Mark Cassinos macro lecture was the best. Gona give that a try this summer if i can.

A lot of great photos entered in the contest. My IR shot made dishonerable mention, which actually is a good thing. One of the hilites of the weekend is Doug and Mark's(the judges) comments on the photos. If they were Canadian, there names would be Doug and Bob. They work great together and humour styles are the same, Monty Phython or bust.

A few of the regulars had to back out at the last minute, and were missed, but we had surragate Knarf with us anyway(see photo)

After lack of sleep and two long drive days, i only had a short time to catch up on sleep and attend two horse shows on the weekend. First one was to watch my daughter and PAEC Dressage team in Orangville Ontario. Every on did great and E had two excellent scores and was Champion in her class for the day.
Next day was spent at a farm north of us, shooting a Hunter Jumper schooling show. Nice place and i love to shoot there. Great backgrounds and colourful jumps, and a great owner.

As i am now officially "between assignments" as they say, i can now do my equine work during the day, and get out orders a lot faster. To bad its not quite enough to make a living, so i'll have to look for a "real job" in a while. I have my first interview to day, first in 34 years. I'm a bit nervous over this one. I thing things have changed from 1973.

Anyway, wish me luck and talk to you soon.
Thnaks for listening

DJB

May 23, 2007- Feeling sad for George

Hello fathfull reader.

About 26 years ago, my wife and i rented a farm and old house, for about three years, prior to buying the house we have now. It was a great place, set back from the main road, yet close to town for shopping and relaxing. Place was huge, 5 bedrooms plus a summer kitchen. I was not a fan of the stone basement. Always felt creepy down there, even in daylight.

Seems like a normal old farm property right. Well maybe not, for you see, I and many others in town as well as previous occupants, firmly believe the place was haunted. Not just due to creaks and groans of a 150 year old house or wind blowing through holes in the mortar, but out and out blantant haunting.

I must say though, George as we named him, was more of a practical joker than a "Get out of my House" kind of spirit. His big nusance was throwing rocks through windows. Well not really. You would hear a big crash of glass, spend 1/2 an hour inspecting all the windows of the house, and as always, would find noting out of place. Settling back into your chair to continue reading, and there it was again.If it happened once it happened 50 times over the three years we spent in the farm. After a while we would just sigh, say thats enough George and it would stop for a few days.
Other things that happened was singing could be heard from the kitchen, horses neighing, and knocks on a bathroom door, when you knew you were the only occupant of the house at the time.Many times i was alone in the house for a few days at a time, and would leave a book on the coffee table in the livingroom, only to find it gone the next day,and returned to its exact spot 1-2 days later. That i hated.:-)

Several people before, and after us, left the house before the rent term was up,always complaining of the things going on in the house.

The last family to live there, did so for about 20 years, bringing two kids into the world from there(we had our daughter there)I recently met up with them, and not having told them some of our tales, heard the same things told to us, when we asked if anything unusual was noticed at the house.

My concern for George is this. The property was sold last year, and the front of the farm will be an Auto Mall, and the rear will be single family dwellings. Not a nice fate for such a nice farm. Originally the house was going to be torn down, but i hear now, it will stay and possibly be an office of some sort.

I hope George treats his new neighbours nicely.

Thnak for listening

Dave