Fletcher

[vaneramos]

During the cold months especially, I like to make spiced coffee. This is easy in the French press. Just throw some favourite whole spices in the carafe along with ground coffee. I use a couple cardamom pods, allspice berries and cloves. I'm out of cinnamon sticks, but those are good too, of course. Add boiling water, stir and let sit a few extra minutes to bring out the flavour.

Dusk is my favourite time of day, but Lake Fletcher is at its best at sunrise. With my improved sleeping habits and a later-rising autumn sun, I had an opportunity to go out in the canoe Thanksgiving weekend and photograph morning mist for the first time with a digital camera. These mists are a common phenomenon in cottage country. I could explain why, but that would detract from the magic.

This is without rival the most simple, beautiful place I know. I am so grateful to have it a part of my life. You get four photos because I can't choose between them: first two from Saturday morning, then two from Thanksgiving Sunday, all taken around 9 a.m. The fourth one is especially effective in larger size. You can easily view any photo in my journal in 800 x 600 format: just click on the photo to go to Flickr, then click "ALL SIZES" immediately above the photo.

These are among my favourite digital photos so far. The Kodak could not have handled these light conditions as well. These are part of the reason I was so upset when I arrived home to find I couldn't clear space on my hard drive. I still don't have a working CD burner, although I expect to pick a used one up from Danny later this week. For now I have copied a few photos off the memory card.

Comments

[bearfinch.livejournal.com]

I wish I'd know you when I was buying my new computer earlier this year, as I would have given my old Macintosh to use (which had a working CD burner).

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

That could have been interesting. I would like my next computer to be a Mac, but affordability will likely be an issue.

[leafshimmer.livejournal.com]

Stunningly mystical (or is it mist-ical). What beautiful images.

We had this gorgeous mist descend around 1 a.m. on the Friday night/Sat. morning at the Farm weekend-before-last. Made me think of the scene at Stonehenge in the Polanski film of Tess of the D'Urbervilles.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

That was the same Saturday morning as the first two photos here, same province, same weather! It has been so many years since I saw Tess that I barely remember it, but it was visually stunning, and I remember it being somewhat misty overall.

[loricae.livejournal.com]

I sometimes see your blog when I peruse vavaverity's friends list. I've been impressed with your photos before, but I think the misty spiderwebby one is transcendent. You have amazing talent as a nature photographer. I don't mean to reduce something you clearly do for love to utter crassness, but wouldn't some publication *pay you money* for these? They are exceptional.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Transcendant, I like that! Thanks for the compliment. I've only returned to photography the past three years after some years away from it, and haven't attempted to sell any yet, but it's a consideration.

[bezigebij.livejournal.com]

These photos, especially the second one, are gorgeous, just so mystical. Are those spider webs on the tree?

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Yes, and the tree is actually a small shrub, either blueberry or Myrica gale (I forgot to notice which) that took root on a log lodged for decades offshore from a small island in the lake.

[progbear.livejournal.com]

Wow...so gorgeous! Some of those photos remind me of Day 3 of my East Bay Skyline Trail hike (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/progbear/album/576460762309801588#page1), though I don’t think my photos really captured what I saw.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Interesting photos indeed. The meteorological conditions that cause the mist you saw are considerably different. I'm not surprised it was difficult to photograph, but your images are evocative.

[quirkstreet.livejournal.com]

These are all gorgeous. I especially like the mist-covered spider webs.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

The other three, of course, evoke the broader scale of the place I love so much.

That one seems to draw attention. I'm glad I included it. :-)

[ubermunkey.livejournal.com]

ah Van, I'm glad I was scanning backwards. I love these. They sing to me abit, emerging is what they feel like. Really incredible.

be well
love
connor

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Emerging is a good analogy. When I first paddled out into the lake, the mist would be thick and impenetrable, the shoreline silhouetted indistinctly like in the first shot. As the sun rose and warmed the air, the mist would quickly dissipate, revealing brightly-coloured trees blazing with light.

I tried to get out into the middle of the lake early enough so I could get lost and drift there with nothing but the canoe, the still water's surface and enshrouding mist. Both mornings it lifted before I could get far enough from shore. Guess I wasn't meant to get lost, not that weekened anyway.

And I remembered peaceful days spent there with you.

Love,
Van