Common Sparrow.....

This image was quite a severe crop from the original and I was quite amazed at the detail that still remained, as I enlarged the cropped portion as seen here, to 16 x 20 inches. It was shot with my SONY a7Mk4, and a SONY 70 - 300mm lens. Over the years, I was able to acquire a fair assortment of lenses that were in excellent, but used, condition from B&H and Adorama in New York, sometimes for a quarter to a third of the new price....that was before all Hell let loose lately. Even with the currency exchange, it was still a good deal. I was amazed to find that now, used lenses and bodies are often more expensive than buying new here in Canada. So it looks like my days of shopping south of the border are pretty much done. 

Anyway, this little guy visited my feeder today, in between the swarms of Starlings, and I managed to grab a very quick shot. These little guys don't hang around too long, and you have to sort of "spray and pray" to get anything worthwhile. It takes a little getting used to, as I have always been a single shot guy at ISO 100. So, it is a bit of an adjustment for me to start using Auto ISO and Shutter Mode set to High Speed. It sure burns through many frames, and I am starting to understand why so many of my friends have to buy extra hard drives for storage. Can you imagine burning through film like that, and having to wait 10 days to 2 weeks to get the film/prints from the lab? Ouch!! Well, I am rambling on again, so have a good one. Cheers! 
 

Starling.....

This image was one that I took this afternoon, while keeping my other eye on the Olympic hockey games. Starlings are not my favourite bird that visits my feeder, as they tend to be very scrappy and push the other Juncos and Sparrows out. There seems to be a shortage of Blue Jays, and Cardinals this year, but the Downy Wood Peckers visit daily, which I enjoy. Anyway, since it was a really nice day here, I decided to shoot a little from my back deck. It didn't take me long to realize that my ability to shoot bird photos is going to need a lot of work, before I feel somewhat competent. Birds and wildlife photography requires a special set of skills, and even though I am a bit long in the tooth, it is not too late to improve in that area....so, wish me luck. Cheers!
 

P.S. Camera: SONY a7Mk4

Lens: Minolta 500mm f.8 Reflex Mirror lens.

                                                        

If Ever You Were Mine.....

This little image is a result of a new song that I recently heard. It is an Irish slow waltz, and has such a lovely tune. Of course, it is a fiddle tune, and since I do not read music, I must listen to it over and over to learn the note progressions and tune. Then I have to spend many hours trying to transfer the imbedded tune from my head, to my diatonic accordion. Sometimes that process will take me days and nights on end, and I have spent many nights with a tune keeping me awake, as it just will not stop playing in my brain.....wonderful insomnia eh? Anyway, last evening I spent a couple of hours assembling the items for this arrangement, and this is a horizontal crop of a vertical image. The original had an old Black & White photo included, and I chose not to put it on this blog to preserve a peaceful atmosphere in the tent....The violin is an inheritance from my late Father-in-Law, and he and I spent many many hours in front room sessions when we would go to visit. In case it matters to some, this tune sounds wonderful on the old button box.....Cheers! 

Floral Illustration.....

Here we go again, another new year. It is cold, and at this time of the year, there is nothing like a fresh bouquet of flowers on the table to cheer up a room, and a mood. These were from a recent family celebration, and I was "multitasking" during a hockey game on TV. In another 8 - 10 weeks or so, hopefully we will be enjoying seeing new life pushing through in the garden. Winter used to be an enjoyable time, but when you put 8 decades behind you, Winters become a bit tiresome. But, I am enjoying being able to do my photography and music. Hopefully you all find something to enjoy until Springs' arrival. Cheers!  

Cheers!!!

It is New Years Eve, and it is gently snowing outside....I am somewhat happy about that, as it brings back many memories of childhood, when I would press my hand against the front window to melt the ice that had formed, and watch the snow plough clear the snow on our street. Things were different back there/then in Newfoundland. We were poor, there were lots of poor folks, but for the most part we were happy. The poor were not living in tents outside in the cold, and drugs were unheard of. This country that I grew up and worked in for 50 years has seen many changes, and having witnessed them for just over 8 decades now, it is best that I keep my personal observations to myself. It is what it is folks....go do something nice for someone, and try a little forgiveness if you want to feel better about it all. Good bye/riddance to 2025, and here's to a very HAPPY NEW YEAR ~ 2026. Cheers!!!
 

Merry Christmas to All.....

 The past year, 2025 has been a tough year for many folks on many levels, and I for one am happy to see the tail end of it. This little table top rendition of Rudolph is just my quirky way of saying Merry Christmas to all, and I wish you good health and happiness in the New Year.....Cheers!

Albizia julibrissin ~ Persian Silk

Our neighbour Terri is a real gardener, and her entire yard, front and back looks very much like an English Country Garden. She has ponds and streams, and at one point had some very large Koi fish in the back yard pond. Then one day, they went missing, and when she went to investigate, she found a Great Blue Heron sitting up on the roof of her house!! That was the end of the Koi. Anyhow, I was sitting on our front deck after Supper one evening about a month or so ago, and I decided to take a shot of one of the blossoms of her very large silk tree that completely covers her entire front yard. You will have to take my word for it, but the scent from this tree is pungent and really sweet....something like apple blossoms in the Spring. When she is not spending endless hours in the garden, she is busy raising Monarch Butterflies from the egg all the way up to when they are ready to be released. Then in her "spare time" she puts together floral arrangements, and always brings one over for my wife to enjoy.. She puts the energizer bunny to shame....It was an extremely hot Summer this year, but it is now October, and Hockey season once again. Thank goodness for that as I just can't handle the humidity of Summertime. Hope you enjoyed this little image. Cheers!