Old Photo #59 –Rebus

Four months since cracked this noble heart.

Old Photo #58 – Last Flame of Fall

In September 1990, I participated in a fine photography workshop. Two friends, Paul Martens (an exceptionally gifted commercial & arts photographer, and, for over 20 years, Winnipeg's go-to shooter) and Robert Peters (a graphic designer in Winnipeg – and no relation) had established Praxis Photographic Workshops. The other two members of Praxis were Mike Grandmaison and Celes Davar.

The September workshop took place near Sioux Narrows Ontario, in the Lake of the Woods region. The colours that year were absolutely spectacular, and we had the benefit of sun, overcast, rain, frost and wind to create a wide range of possibilities.

I found a pool of water down a quiet stream and happened upon the last flame of that fall.

Old Photo #57 – Voyeur 6

A foray through the streets of Winnipeg's inner-city had me in a reverie one day. A shyly quiet and sudden, "Hey you," brought up my head and camera.

Boys in the attic.

Old Photo #56 – Elevator/Gordon, Manitoba

In the early spring of 1973, I believe, we moved into a rental house in Gordon, MB. Where is this place which bears my un-Mennonite name? The South Interlake area of Manitoba seems to have many Scots/British place-names: Balmoral, Argyle, Gordon, etc.

Gordon is located about 1 miles NW of the junction of Winnipeg's North Perimeter Hwy. and Hwy. #6. Back then, there were three houses and the grain elevator. I'm not sure if anything remains of that once prairie hub today. Like so many other abodes in my nomadic life, we came, we moved in, we set up, we packed, we moved on before winter. In the meantime, some very good – if somewhat more primitive – times were had there, basic amenities lacking as they were. One particularly enjoyable dark night involved having a slide show on the side of the elevator and killing ourselves laughing as cars on the highway slowed or stopped as their occupants tried to determine what was happening.

The summer of 1973 brought huge and destructive wild fires to the forests of northern Manitoba. This particular morning was densely shrouded in smoke that had drifted hundreds of miles south.

Old Photo #55 – Blue-Eyed & Blonde

This young fellow is the son of one of my son-in-law, Peter Sinkins', cousins. He particularly enjoyed the swing during Pete & Allison's pre-wedding reception in May 2008.

Old Photo #54 – Jim & Igor

All dogs bright & beautiful, all canines great & small, all are wise & wonderful...

A rather free misquote of the old Anglican hymn, but an appropriate opening for an homage to dogs. I just read Malcolm Gladwell's New Yorker article on Cesar Milan two nights ago. It seems that the world falls into two distinct camps when it comes to the dog whisperer. I fall squarely into the admirer's camp and I'll not lay out my reasons, as I'm not interested in debating the issue. Suffice it to say that Gladwell's title, "What the Dog Saw," is what Milan helps dog owners to see.

Yesterday, I had dinner with Jim & Johanna. The pooch who graces their lives these days is Freya, a collie-cross of boundless, bounding energy, yet a gentle and adoring spirit. Her predecessor was Igor, the wonder dog.

During the years I knew Igor, he generally bore himself with the imperial mien of an Aslan. As you can read in the photo, Jim adored Igor.

I am increasingly aware of how a right relationship with a canine can inform our better being. So, to all the dogs who enhance our humanity, my most humble thanks & praise.

Old Photo #53 – Hank, HFH Build, Eagle Butte, SD/'94

The Jimmy Carter Work Project (Habitat for Humanity) occurred in Winnipeg in 1993. I was fortunate enough to be able to photograph it (as a volunteer) in anticipation of a commemorative book the design firm I was with at the time had been retained to design. The following year, I photographed the '94 JCWP in Eagle Butte, the second poorest Indian Reserve in the U.S. There's a whole slew of stories there.

At any rate, my tent-mate for the week was Hank from Sacramento, CA.