analog

While visiting/working (my fingers past the bony parts -- haha), I have become inspired to break out my Nikons and Leicas. I cannot begin to afford digital cameras that come close to those old workhorses, at least in my tired old hands.

What got me thinking about all of this was looking at sites that show really good “analog” photography, and realizing that I used to do things with my film cameras that I simply cannot with the digital cameras I have. (Better cameras are available, but are "over budget").

I found a lab that will sell me print film at a decent price, process the film, post digital copies on their website that I can download as well as send me the prints.

Not a free system, but it deserves some consideration.

One of my favorite portrait photographers uses roll film in his Hasselblad, then has that digitized and, after being photoshopped, is digitally printed. Best of both worlds? Hard to know.

But when we get home next week, I’ll break out the trusty Leica M2, exercise the shutter a few hundred times and shoot a roll of film.

You just never know.

We are going camping here again next week, this time with Josh!

clearing out

Old Hank• once talked about keeping life to manageable size.

He used three words: Simplify, Simplify, Simplify.

I used to tell my art students to simplify their design every chance they had because life (and designs) get more complex, all by themselves.

Just read about a quite well to do lady who began giving things away early in her “old age” and by the time she died she had reduced her belongings to two boxes worth.

Daughter once bought a house with a 30 year collection of “stuff”. Now, 5 or 6 years later they are still finding new “treasures.” Friend’s in laws both passed and they inherited the same thing, a house with a 30 year collection of “stuff.”

He says they are making great progress clearing it out.

The lesson is easy to write and talk about and really tough to follow.

*Old Hank: Henry David Thoreau

Dea's "music fence" phase 2.

family

A man who had accomplished a lot, was asked about his favorite activity.

Without too much stopping he said: “Being a dad.” I would echo that one but add that it also includes being a granddad. This weekend we had a pile of grandkids here. Mostly teen agers.

They were supposed to be annoying and fight a lot, but they were neither.

Truthfully I do not know why they are so fond of each other. (Griffy, as soon as he got home wrote on his Facebook page: “I miss my cousins.” They said about the same thing.

We had some fireworks, lots of bang and flash for not too much money. One budding chemist grandson made some fireworks, even.

Our family are not too big into spending a lot of money on fireworks. This year’s budget was very modest too, but the kids had a blast.

With the fireworks we had a double birthday. Griffy is 14 now and Amy, the youngest of the grands, is 13.

Wow.

Doesn't seem to be a whole lot of "yes" activities.
I "borrowed the picture from some where.

on the road again

“Dad, do you know where you are camping this weekend?” It was Arline aka daughter one.

“Not entirely, I thought . . .”

“You are camping at my place. Three of your daughters will be here for sure and 9 or your 11 grandkids.”

So the decision was made for me!

Griffy and Matt had been to camp all week (Jessica had been to camp for two weeks). Josh and his mother Dea were driving up from SF to trade a Josh for a Griffy!

Then I discovered more. Josh was to come home with me, but only after he spent a few days (most of a week actually) with cousins. I was to be there during that time, working!

So, here I am in servitude again. Slaving away, breaking concrete, clearing out a greenhouse, sweating and having a great time along the way. Miriam keeps the kitchen “grandma clean.” Yesterday we got a LOT of work done and the week is just beginning!

At home my neighbor will be sure that my garden is watered and we will spend yet another week or more away from home.

This morning I joked to a my daughter Arline: “I should be a full time RV person, and just go from daughter to daughter being useful!"

She laughed a bit, but not too much!