Looking Across the Street Again

One night after photographing the neighbour's seasonal display, I felt compelled to do it again. We had freezing rain in the early evening, and with my window partially iced, I thought I might capture some interesting effects by shooting through the ice. Let's see if I succeeded.

This ↓ is how the main display looked. Do you like it? I do.

I pointed my camera the garage and to the window above it — the one with the tree. I like that too.

Maybe the other neighbour's tree didn't turn out quite as well, but I find the gentle diffusion around the pinpoints of the lights, interesting.

It was hard to catch with the camera, but from another angle I could tree the shadows of trees when I focused on the ice itself and not on the scene beyond.

However, when I looked out again before I went to bed several hours later, the ice on the window had melted, and, lo and behold, there was snow on the ground. That necessitated one more shot, but you can see the round waterdrops that were splattered here and there on the pane. They show up best in the dark background above the lights.

That was an interesting diversion, and not having to leave the house to get winter photos was a bonus.

Looking Across the Street

Note: My computer is misbehaving; I need a new one. Several comments that I made or started to make last night went into the ether. Windows closed, and I couldn't easily get back to where I was because my Reader program sees the post as being read.

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I finally got around to photographing neighbours' Christmas display — photographing it a little better than before anyway. It's tricky to photograph extreme light and dark, but I felt that I should make a better effort, so this time, I used a tripod and my real camera.

I was shooting through the restricted view from and through my upstairs window, so composition opportunities were limited, to say the least.

For this first photo↑ I included the other neighbours' tree (right) — the one where I recently posted of him stringing the lights while standing on the top of a high ladder. Because of my angle, I couldn't get that whole tree in the frame. There were items in front of my window that I would have had to move to  get my tripod in a slightly different position, and that would have included moving Lacey, the cat. So, I decided to make the best of it, but I might try again on another night now that I know that I can get okayish results.

Next, I zoomed into the grander display. It is too bad about the cars in the driveways, but that is the way that it was.

Then, I focused on just the window and indoor tree. We have been told that there are seven trees in the house.

Finally, I concentrated on the yard display. There is a whole lot of stuff in a small space, but it certainly catches the eye, and it makes the neighbours happy to do it.

It would have been better to have snow on the ground, and that may happen soon, but I decided to at least record the scene as it is now.  Maybe I will try to take some photos from street level at a later date.

Takeaway

At the last minute last night, we packed up dinner and left it on the porch for Sha and the kids. We had been planning our usual family dinner here, the main course being chicken baked in a hoisin-hickory sauce, and served with rice.

Not long before they were to arrived, Sha informed us that she had been exposed to COVID at work. Although she may very well not have caught it, we all thought it better to be safe than sorry. So, we made their part a takeaway. Sha was out and about already, so she picked it up from our front porch.

Oops, takeaway is showing my predilection for British expressions. We have normally used takeout hereabouts, but I am getting so immersed in Britishisms that they are almost becoming second nature.

Speaking of things British, we are currently watching season 12 of Vera. We've seen it before, but only once and a year ago, so it is pretty well new to us. I have recalled fragments, but after wtching two episodes, it seems completely new to Sue. We are like cats who can't seem to remember that they refused to go outside 3 minutes ago because it was raining. 

Back to COVID, Sha will test regularly, but she didn't want to take a chance of exposing us, especially since we still haven't had the newest booster.

And that is something that we must rectify soon, for we are almost due. We've had the flu vax though.

It's Relative

When Sue came into the den at 7:30 to brew her morning coffee, she asked how I had slept.

My reply: "Alright."

Later, when she learned that I had been up since 4:30, she wondered how I could say that my sleep was okay.

Well, it's all relative, isn't it?

Getting 5+ hours is pretty okay compared to 4- hours. The extra hour, and hopefully a bit more, really does make a difference. 

I think having a cat on your head would help you to understand this.

Then on a subsequent morning, Sue and I, from our separate rooms, both arose at 6. Sue was not best pleased about awaking at such an early-for-her hour. I, on the other hand, was chuffed to be able to sleep-in so long.

Mostly Tamaracks . . . Again

The sun was out on warmish and calm November day, so Johnny and Susie set out for a stroll at Riverside Park, which is not the location of my recent tamarack photos.

Reflections were clear on the calm water, and our phones came out to capture the sights. I have photographed the stand of birches across the river more than once, including in winter, but I don't always capture nice reflections. I deliberately included the branches of a nearby tree to help frame the scene and give it depth.

Then, I noticed the tamaracks in the distance. I guess we don't walk this way very often at this time of year, for I don't recall noticing them before.

Eventually, we came upon them before we turned back.

calm, bright days like this in November are a gift.

Caturday 56: Lacey Supervises and Trains Us

Sue is extra keen on people smiling biggly in photos. Me? Not so much, at least when I am the subject. But she said something funny and made me laugh naturally.

Meanwhile, Lacey seemed to be on Sue's side by making sure that I was cooperative on this occasion. 

We set the above scene for one of Sue's photo prompts. In sickness and in health, she hasn't missed her daily posting all year.

As for Lacey, she has also been retraining me to cater to her hobbitish proclivity, for more often than not, she now requires a second breakfast. This makes it four meals per day in addition to providing her with occasional treats and keeping the kibble dish topped up.

I hasten to add that this does not increase her actual food intake, for I now divide one of those small cans into four portions instead of three.

The extra breakfast is my fault really, but from the moment I awake, which is often the middle of the night, she hangs around hoping for breakfast. She keeps her eye on me for hours before what I consider to be proper breakfast time, so I tend relent and take her down to the kitchen. But if I do feed her early, she feels that she deserves an additional helping in another hour or two

Consequently, I abide by her wishes and feed her that extra dish, but unbeknownst to her, the daily allotment remains the same.

It's one can per day, Lacey. Ces't tout. Point finale.

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I wrote that ↑ more than a week ago, but I waited until a Caturday to post it. Now I have a breakfast addition from Thursday morning.

As is her usual custom, Lacey waited by the computer chair for kibble as soon as I awoke at 4:30. Yes, she wants this feeding directly from me even though her bowl is just across the hall.

Two hours later, she was on her pedestal, training her gimlet eye upon me, hoping that I would seen take her downstairs for breakfast. I demurred because I like to keep breakfast for both of until close to 9 o'clock.

An hour-and-a-half later, she had been sitting by a chair for a long time. I relented, and down we went together, both of us hobbling in our arthritic ways.

Mom and Cats at Christmastime

When Shauna got home from work on Wednesday, she was delighted to see that Danica and her beau had set up the Christmas tree. It is one task that Sha can checkoff her list in the busy Christmas season. The tree is pre-lit, and we will be invited to help to hang the ornaments in due course. Gathering the family to trim the tree is our long-standing Christmas tradition. 

Sabine was quick to claim a spot on the tree skirt that my mother made many years past. Mom has been gone for 20 years, but she still has a spot under the Christmas tree, which I think is a wonderful touch.

Trees and cats  remind me once again of the year that Shauna was born in the Christmas season of 1972.  They didn't rush to send mothers and babies home in those days, and of course, moi, the proud new papa, would frequently go to visit them.  I swear, and I am not exaggerating, that every time that I got home, the cats had been busy, and I had to set up the tree again. In later years, we would tie the tree to hooks to prevent a reoccurrence.