August 30th thru September 5th, 2010
Turned 62 this week, now into the 63rd rotation. Hopefully will begin to get some things right after having so many turns at the wheel. Oh well.
My brother (
http://www.pbase.com/dwnieman ) and I spent the last half of the week at the Canon EXPO 2010 in the Javits Center in NYC. In my opinion, Canon outdid themselves! Be on the lookout for the new 70-300 2.8 L IS lens soon to be released by Canon. I think it will be a must have lens. They were really tooting the horn of the new 60D and the 7D got lots of press, too. Video was the big thing at the show. The more I look at the 7D the more interest I develop, but I'm holding out for a next generation full frame 5D (or whatever they name it) before investing in a new body.
This shot was taken from the Brooklyn Bridge park on the Brooklyn side of the river. That was a great place to stand for the classic shots of the NYC skyline.
August 23rd thru August 29th, 2010
Just finished a beautiful weekend here in Buffalo, NY. Sunshine, in the 80's and the Bills won their preseason game.
This church has been our family church for many years. Elaine and I were married in this church, three daughters were married in this church. Many friends have been memorialized in services performed in this church. It's a big part of the community.
Tomorrow I turn the page on 62 years. Man, I thought I'd be independently wealthy by now! Oh well! It’s been a great ride so far anyway, without the wealth.
August 16th thru August 22nd, 2010
This picture was taken way back on July 1st, but is here for this week because Charlie, Justine and I got to talk this week; only in a slightly different venue, it was through Readeo. Cool website where you can read books to your grandchildren (or anyone you'd like) and you and they can see each other (like Skype) while both parties are looking at and reading the book. Neat and it was fun.
Started gathering wood for the winter...Phil (soon to be a step-son in law) and I cut down some trees off his property. I spent some time today splitting them and stacking.
This picture was so much fun for me. Do you see how effectively I teased my daughter? Yet I still got to give her a kiss, anyway. We all were having fun taking this photograph of 4 generations!My Dad, me, my daughter Erin and her children Charlie and Justine. Chris (my son in law and Erin's husband) was already back in Portland.
If anyone out there in the Buffalo area has a really good job for a really good Doctor of Internal Medicine would you let my son-in law know so he can apply and move his family out of that rainy old Portland OR back here to Buffalo, NY so his children can be closer to their grand parents?
August 9th thru August 15th, 2010
This past week included a couple days at the office, a trip to Washington DC and Gettysburg Pennsylvania. It was all good. Our nation's capital looks good; at least in the areas we most visited. I would recommend the Renassiance Hotel at Dupont Circle. Actually it is a ways down New Hampshire Ave from the circle, but none the less a good choice. We spent most of our time in the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. We had missed those in previous trips. The Audio/Auto Tour through the Gettysburg Battlefields is well worth the $21 for the CD and the two to three hours you spend on the tour.
The photo above is of the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Buffalo. A photograph taken this evening.
August 2nd thru August 8th, 2010
I was driving to breakfast. It was early Saturday morning, near 6:30 AM, the sky was powdery with a morning sun just filtering through as I noticed this path off the road leading into the village. I stopped and pulled out my camera, mounted it to the tripod and guided the 70-300mm IS into the ring with a slight click. I use Live View in situations like this and as I peeked over the camer body after composing the image I anticipated to capture movement was noticed in the grass about 30 yards out to my left. It was a doe leading her two fawn. I didn't get the two little deer, but mother stood still long enough for me to recompose and click the shutter release. It was a beautiful morning. I was tickled pink to be a photographer on the way to breakfast!
July 26th thru August 1st, 2010
This is Buffalo's backyard. I had ideas for a great shot, but things didn't work out. Oh well,... Now too late for further selections and review. Have a good week.
July 19th thru July 25th, 2010
This is a picture of the salt mine to which I carry my pick and shovel each day. It actualy is a nice facility, not really a salt mine at all. I was trying to be funny. Summer weather has been great, other than yesterday's tornadoes... we don't usually get them around here, but there were three of them yesterday; not right here in Buffalo, but in the southern tier counties of Cattaraugus and Chautauqua. Still, close enough to be interesting for us. Actually, I was cooking on the grill when the worst part of the weather hit our neighborhood. I kept going, just held on to the umbrella awning I was standing under with one hand and the grill tongs in the other. Honestly, my brother was helping me. My sister turned 60. She's pretty old now! She's my baby sister!
July 12th thru July 18th, 2010
We continue to experience beautiful weather in Buffalo. Gorgeous summer so far; a tad warm, but beautiful skies. These men were jousting in their armor in about 85 degrees temperature. It was interesting to watch and try to return to that period in history to imagine life then. The Hawk Creek Renaissance Festival was going on this weekend (and next) and I had the opportunity to attend for Buffalo.com. See some more photographs here…
July 5th thru July 11th, 2010
This weekend was the Geneseo Warbirds Airshow. As the sky was perfectly blue and the temperature a comfortable 80 degrees, I selected to attend. This is a shot of the Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team in action. There were really only three (3) planes there, but with little effort from Photshop Elements we filled the sky. It was a fun day. Beautiful weather this week.
June 28th thru July 4th, 2010
Well, Erin, Charlie and Justine are back in Portland, OR. I took this on our front lawn the night before they left. It was a great two weeks. We'll miss them. What amazing weather we had here in Buffalo for their last week of visit. Beautiful sunshine with the week starting cold and finishing hot. The morning sun has been spectacular against a clear morning blue sky. This week was spent almost entirely with family, what a great vacation! My cup runneth over!
Happy 4th of July to all my fellow Americans. Last night were fireworks in our little village; as I write this I can hear them going off in the distance in communities all around us tonight. Back in July 1776 after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams predicted we would mark this occasion with fireworks and celebrations. I am very proud of my country. I know we do not do it right each and every time, but deep down inside our American hearts we care for individuals and sincerely do want justice and freedom for all. We seem to have been given big responsibilities in this world and I believe we do our very best to fulfill them.
God, keep the United States of America on the right path.
June 21st thru June 27th, 2010
This is the first week of a two week respite from the corporate world. Chris, Erin, Charlie and Justine (Son-in-law, daughter and grandchildren) visiting from Portland, OR.. It was a great visit. Chris had to return but Erin and the kids are here another week. Justine is my favorite little girl in the whole wide world and you can see by this photo it is in her eyes, just who she is. We did Genesee Country Village, the Naval Park, Old Fort Niagara, spent hours upon hours in the pool, Charlie played Wii, Justine played "Mr. Potato head" on my computer and we all did "smores" over the back yard fire at night.
June 14th thru June 20th, 2010
Fathers Day today. We had a great day here in Buffalo, not without some trouble; Julie rolled her car over on the Thruway, but is safe and not injured, now the car, that's another story. Family together with a great picnic. Callie and Phil stopped over after dinner. I was leading Phil 15-3 in a game of horseshoes and he came backe to lead me 20-19, I eventually finished it, but comeback of the year by Phil. Erin and Chris with Charlie and Justine are getting on a plane in Portland OR as I type this for a couple weeks here in Buffalo. We're all so excited. Thus the bright red barn in lots of sunshine! I'm, on vacation for the next two weeks!! Life is good!.