Floating Away

Saturday we drove just south of Sullivan, Missouri to join 15 others from Jim's company on a float trip. Several people chose canoes as their flotation devices, and a couple of people who had small children along took advantage of the double kayaks. The rest of us selected single kayaks, which ended up to be a good call. Despite the heavy rains this spring and early summer, the Huzzah River was quite low. I have decided it is just not possible to gracefully get out of or into a kayak, so I was grateful I only had to do that a few times to get over the especially low areas of the river. We had packed lunches, so we stopped on a sand bar (more accurately a rock bar) to eat along the way. The scenery was beautiful and the river was not crowded, so I really missed my camera which I left in our cabin while we floated. Going on my Christmas list this year is a waterproof bag so I can bring it along in the future. I didn't even take my phone out of town with me as there is no cell service at the camp ground.

It took us about five hours to float six miles. No one was in a rush, and it was a cool, overcast day that was perfect for mild physical exertion. I liked the fact that each water craft had its own mesh trash bag, and I noticed that the river was not nearly as polluted as when we have floated in the past. Having said that, we did grab some trash left by others who obviously had no idea what to do with the mesh bag. The people we did meet along the river were pretty cordial, though that changed when we got closer to the camp ground where we were staying. There were about five rafts tied together, of course right in the middle of the river. On of them must have mentioned that our group was coming, and the front woman said, "Well, they can just go the f_ck around us!" Nice - they had a small child with them as well. And she obviously was unaware of my lack of steering skills, or she might not have assumed that I could safely go around her. With some effort I did manage to get past without taking anyone out with my paddle, though it was tempting...

Back at our camping area, we hung out for a bit before striking up the grill for chicken shish kabobs. Four of us shared one of the A-frame cabins, and everyone else had tents. The food was cooked outside our cabin since we were the only ones who had a refrigerator, albeit a half-sized one. We were intrigued by the fact that the two A-frames next to us were occupied by ten guys and one gal. The stories we came up with were probably way more exciting than what was actually going on in the two cabins.

After dinner we went down to the tent camping area and sat around a fire. Again, we were blessed with the weather as it was cool enough to enjoy a fire. Breakfast the next morning was cooked over the fire pit, then everyone packed up and headed on their way. Jim and I stopped in Sullivan as they have painted canoes along the main street. I have heard about them, so it was fun to be able to snap some pictures. What a fun way to play off of the fact that the area is known for being a great place for float trips!

Is this the Curse?

kipling bag

In an earlier post I mentioned that I am looking for the perfect bag to take to Germany and Switzerland with me this fall. One that will function as a purse while at the same time enabling me to safely carry my DSLR camera with its large lens. Thus the Curse. I think I may have found it today. I was at Macy's and had asked the clerk about whether a purse I was looking at had a way to make the strap longer as I want to wear it across my body. When I explained to her what I was hoping to accomplish with the bag, she steered me towards the "kipling" display. I had briefly looked in the area but thought the purses were all either too small or too much like back packs. I overlooked this one altogether.

What I like about it is that the bag is made of nylon, so it will be easy to clean and somewhat water resistant. It is also very light weight, which is important as I will be loading it up. It has several pockets on the outside, including ones which may work for a small umbrella and a water bottle. There is a secure zippered area inside the purse as well to keep my money and passport safe. The adjustable strap means I can wear it across my body or shorten it for a different look.

So what don't I like about it? It is a little more casual than I was hoping for, and it looks a bit like a camera bag. But the biggest issue is that it does not have any dividers inside, allowing me to keep my iPad separate from my camera. Are these things deal breakers? I am not sure yet. For now I will haul my stuff around the house in it to see how it feels on my shoulder.

Added bonus of this bag? A cute little ape hanging off the side. I think he needs to go abroad, don't you?

let's go ape!

The Curse

In preparation for my genealogy trip this fall, I have been analyzing the type of bag I want to carry on a daily basis. Normally I use a backpack that was specifically design to hold a DSLR camera. It has adequate space in the top to carry my billfold, reading glasses, small notebook, umbrella, rain jacket, etc. Bottom line is that there is no need to carry a purse, so this backpack is what I normally use when I am out shooting photos. And it has the added bonus of a pouch on the side to take along a water bottle. What it doesn't have is a spot for my iPad. First of all, I don't know if my hotel room will have a safe so that I can leave it in there during the day. Second, since this is a genealogy trip, I will definitely be hauling my iPad around to check my facts and take notes. Also I am not sure I am comfortable with having the bag on my back subject to pickpocketing.

Now, I could also carry a smaller purse along with the backpack. Then I could keep my iPad, billfold, passport, etc. in the purse and just have the other items on my back. But that means hauling two bags around each day. Do I really want to do that?

So I did what any red-blooded American woman does in this situation - I asked advice from Google. Wow! So many options! They do indeed now make purses that are designed to carry your camera as well. And some of them are super cute. But I think the co-pay at the hospital for the delivery of my first baby was less than some of these purses are going for. I also don't know how much most of the bags weigh empty. I don't want the bag alone to add 5 pounds on my shoulder. A cross body style with a padded strap would be ideal. Then I could carry all the items I need in one bag that would be in front of me so I can keep my eye on it.

I am glad I started looking into this early as I don't think a decision is going to be too easy for me. If you need me, I will be sitting at the computer searching for the perfect Curse.

The One That Got Away

One of the books I had autographed while at Book Expo in New York in May was entitled, "Confessions of a Compact Camera Shooter" with the tagline "Get Professional Quality Photos with Your Compact Camera". I joked with the author, Rick Sammon, that perhaps he could finally teach me what the camera classes had not. He replied that this is the book for me. We'll just see about that, mister!

A few weeks ago I was waiting for one of the cars to be serviced and I took along the Shooter book to read. Rick is a professional photographer who believes that anyone can take great pictures with a compact camera. By which he does NOT mean a point and shoot camera. Your camera must have some settings on it for this book to be of much benefit. Anyway, I had just read the section on how you should never go anywhere without your compact camera. After all, it will fit in your pocket, purse or briefcase, so there is never an excuse to be camera-free.

This came back to haunt me as I was walking the dog that very same day. I came upon the truck of a landscape contractor. He had the usual pickup truck, so nothing special there. What caught my eye was the trailer on the back of the truck. It was the typical mesh-like metal trailer, but on the back of the trailer was an assortment of items - dolls, action figures, small stuffed animals... Apparently whatever he finds in the yard as he mows gets attached to the back of the trailer. It was a moment...and I even knew what I would title my photo. "Yard Waste."

But where was my camera? Back at the house, of course. Had Rick Sammons taught me nothing? Apparently not, because Monday as I walked the dog along came same landscape contractor buzzing down our street. Was there a camera in my pocket? Nope. And just to further mock me, I had the dog out earlier than usual today since it is so hot, and the landscaper passed me again. I'm beginning to feel like Richard Dreyfuss in "American Grafitti" as he keeps getting a glimpse of Suzanne Somers in the '56 Thunderbird but can't seem to hook up with her. "Ain't That a Shame?"

Greetings from the Garden

Yesterday was beautiful in St. Louis - especially for this late in July. My daughter and I went to the Missouri Botanical Garden in the afternoon to see the new exhibit, "Niki." At 17 and a year from going off to college, I treasure the time we can spend together one on one. Katie is interested in photography and got a new digital SLR camera for her birthday. She is taking a photography class and needs to bring in photos for the next class. The Garden provided ample opportunities to take some shots. As we were walking along, I was thinking what's wrong with this picture? The mom has an old digital camera and the teenager has the expensive DSLR. Hmmmm... Well, here are a few of my shots, and they aren't too bad if I do say so myself!