June 30 – Evergreen Boughs, Shadehill Dam SD

July 2005 was obviously a time of vibrant growth in this area. Torrential rains had soaked much of the prairies in the spring and early summer. The trees, if not agriculture, were benefiting mightily.

June 29 – Ghost Rider, West of Ellendale ND 7/05

I stopped at a typical prairie intersection a few miles west of Ellendale back on my ZAMM ride in July 2005 and did a series of shots to create a 360º panorama. This Shod Joe stepped out of a fallowed field – twice, once with his back to the camera and, then, face-on.

June 28 – Yesterday's Play, Today's Zombie Womb

July 8, 2005. Oakes ND. A beautiful morning in a small prairie town – home, by the way, to The Angry Beaver; certainly one of the strangest restaurant names I've ever encountered.

After an early morning photo shoot, I passed this scene on the way back to the motel. I do hope that Farmall gets a workout from the young resident from time to time.

June 27 – Thistle

In the next couple of days, I will be out with the chemical gun to annihilate this fellow and his like – in particular, the much-hated Musk Thistle (which Agriculture Canada obliges me to eradicate).

June 26 – Abstract 14

Steph on a swing.

June 25 – Ferns & Redwood Triptych

I think this may be the first and only photographic agglomeration I've attempted.

June 24 – Frosted Leaves

A September morning in 1990 in Sioux Narrows Provincial Park.

June 23 – Clouds East of Missoula MT 3

I was talking, this morning, with a previous associate and collaborator about the joys of bicycling. And while I still recall the thrill of peddling my ass all over the country – and the ensuing high, I confess that the BMW would get a ride over the Colnago if tomorrow were a day where that was an option.

Meanwhile, I look forward to seeing the clouds of Montana again in about 9 weeks.

June 22 – Anne & Len Pelser

For reasons I haven't yet quite deciphered, in-laws have been more frequent subjects than my own family. My first in-laws were these fine folk. Holiday family gatherings were almost invariably an opportunity for good-naturing ribbing and humour.

Anne may have been laughing at me here in response to my perennial Low German post-meal barb, translated as, "Well, you got lucky (with your cooking) again."

June 21 – Just Another Sunset, Sioux Narrows ON

Virtually every day on which the sky is not socked in, the end of the day provides those on Ruth's Ridge with an inspiring display of colour & texture as the sun dips toward the horizon. I am tempted to photograph each one and post it, but I have managed to resist thus far.

I happened on this sunset as I looked for an image for today's post. I simply didn't feel like looking further, because I was happy to realize (again) that some endings can be beautiful.

Old Photo #170 – Sunset, Near Humboldt ND

The last leg of a fall motorcycle trip.

Old Photo #169 – Man on Moon! & Plum Coulee 15

The sun and moon still shine on my beloved Dad.


And on my old home town.

Old Photo #168 – Forest Floor

I'm not sure what got me down on the forest floor, and I also left my memory of its location there when I got up.

Old Phoro #167 – Ice Shard, Sandy Hook MB

My time living in Sandy Hook and environs offered up much beauty, yet was as tumultuous as the weather on the lake. Early spring brought the sound of thousands of wind chimes, but the chimes were water-bound, not air-driven. As the thick slabs of ice broke up, they deposited myriads of tinkling icicles in the rolling waters. Those were moments near the Tao.

Old Photo #166 – Plum Coulee 14

Another visit to Mayor Wiebe's house. This shot reminds me of a Ralph Gibson image I admired decades ago. Of course, this image is now decades old as well.

Old Photo #165 – Fall, Lake Five 1

Old Photo #164 – Plum Coulee 13

Mayor David Wiebe's yard, with Robins.

This yard holds some curious memories for me. Ken Wiebe was a friend (and, later, rock band co-member). The Plum Coulee ran through the reeds in the foreground of this photo, and it's here that another friend pushed me off the raft at the age of 12 or so. I was caught underneath the raft for some moments – and time of terror for a prairie boy who only experienced 3" of water every Saturday evening. (About 100' to the right of this image is where the son of one of my father's cousins drowned some years later.) It was in the tiny shed on the far right of this photo where I first had my first puff of a cigarette. Other experiences related to growing pains I will keep to myself.

Old Photo #163 – Point Lobos 3

Another seashore close-up from Edward Weston Beach.

Old Photo #162 – Near Sitting Bull Monument

Old Photo #161 – Fall, Lake Five 2

Through the looking glass, as it were.

Old Photo #160 – Abstract 66

Old Photo #159 – Plum Coulee 43

Old Photo #158 – Post-Storm, Sandy Hook MB

The colour in this photo – including the 'halo' over the play structure, is as like the actual as I am capable of reproducing. After a sudden and vicious summer storm in '93.

Old Photo #157 – Solitary Weed

Old Photo #156 – Yellowstone Gate

An early morning, a bird on the wing, and a great day's ride awaiting me. (July 2005)

Old Photo #155 – Redwood Crucifix

For those who enter Sunday as a day of worship in the Christian tradition – particularly my friends at All Saints' Anglican, Winnipeg.

Old Photo #154 – Abstract 67 (Negative)

Old Photo #153 – Abstract 65

The day was glorious, if just slightly breezy compared with yesterday. So... I worked on a construction project for 11.5 hours straight and, hence, I am too beat to say anything of note about this image.

Old Photo #152 – Abstract 64

With the seventh decade upon me, and with parents now in their late years, and with so much entropy to distract one, it's imperative to recognize the unstoppable will to life that resides around and in us.

Old Photo #151 – Ferns in the Wind

Yesterday, much of Manitoba was battered by winds up to 50 mph. For some (like us), it involved the inconvenience of having a dead tree or two felled and needing clean-up. For others, it meant evacuation as the waves of Lakes Manitoba and Dauphin inundated homes and cottages.

The breezy day on which this photo was taken was considerably less vexatious.