When we arrived at Watson Lake, a heron was sitting on the little float that sits in the middle of the lake. After awhile it flew in front of us and then across to the opposite shore. The wind was ruffling its feathers as it stood immobile until after we left.
Our walk by Watson Lake last Friday provided views of fall color in all its hues! The weather has turned since then; we had a light snowfall with heavy wind Sunday evening and overnight. I wonder how this scene looks today!
I am using this image in my photo group today for our photoimpressionism assignment. Coincidentally, our photo club has the same theme this month. I won’t be using the same image for both groups, so I will be posting that photo here next week.
One of my favorite series of books for beginning readers (my children and grandchildren as well as my first grade students) is the Little Bear series by Else Holmelund Minarik. There is something about this photo of one of the three little grizzlies at Bearizona that brings those books to mind. It has been two months since I saw those bears, and I’m sure they are a lot bigger (and scarier) these days!
Yeah- probably not real words- but I had fun yesterday “abstractifying and impressionizing” this multiple exposure photo of a building and archway on the University of New Mexico campus. I added another photo layer, one of my own textures, and a few grunge brushstrokes before doing some color adjustments. I like the effects and thoroughly enjoyed myself!
Another portrait of “my” bunny
As summer draws to a close, the grasses go from green to gold, and a new beauty emerges.
We have really enjoyed all our new rose bushes this summer- but this one is our favorite. We love the variety of shades that the roses turn as they bloom.
August 2020 was the month of the hummingbird in our garden- they rule the back yard. When we are outside we are constantly “buzzed” as they make sure we know we are in their territory. We’ve had many more than ever before- is it the hot, dry weather? the fires elsewhere? Whatever the reasons, we have enjoyed having so many! Our local bird expert writes that some will start leaving soon (as they always do in September), but we imagine that we will continue to have a few that will stay around through the fall.
A fun image I created for my photo group this week . . .
This image brings back great memories of our group’s trip to Lone Pine, California. We had to cancel last semester’s trip to southern Arizona a few months ago due to Covid (of course), but I’m looking forward to the day when we can start taking trips together again. As a self-taught photographer, I found this group of talented photographers so intimidating at first- the skill level, the knowledge, the gear, and the creativity. I’m still awed by the the images produced by my fellow members, but have made good friends and consider our meetings (now on Zoom) to be the highlight of my week. AND things are going my way- one assignment this semester is Shallow Depth of Field and another is Photoimpressionism!
Stop the presses! We got out of Prescott! The drive was only 17 miles or so, but we did get out of town. The impetus was that my photo group is meeting tomorrow on zoom- and the topic is “How Far Have You Gone”- meaning how far have you travelled during the pandemic. Until this weekend, my answer would have been all the way to the doctor’s office. I’m pretty sure that I’m not the only one in the group who is staying home most of the time- but I just didn’t feel like bringing a still life or flower photo (although I will later on).
So we drove through Skull Valley and Kirkland, and I found three photo ops along the way. Today’s photo is one I took on the way home- I’ll post the one I am using for class later on.
Spotted at Bodie
Yes, I’ve gone back 6 years to find a photo for today! This was one of my most favorite photography days- being with family, staying at Yellowstone- and seeing my first rodeo since I was a very little girl! I haven’t been to a rodeo since then, even living in Prescott where rodeo is BIG. So here’s one of my 2014 rodeo shots in a 2020 painterly style:
Beaches are open, but not for us cautious types. This is from last March’s visit to Newport.
Daydreaming about the beach . . .
This was from our last trip to California- February 27- before the lockdown but just as we were becoming aware trouble was headed our way.
Edited with one of my beach textures, created in my at home time.
The first time I heard of my second great grandfather, Thomas Mowatt, was when I was going through my father’s personal files about 1992, ten years after his death. I had started researching our family, and was following the advice to start with what you know. As far as I knew, my father had no interest in genealogy or family history, but evidently his family DID and had sent him some letters, photos, and documents over the years. He never shared any of this with me when I was growing up, but somehow had the foresight to not throw away the few things that he had that were relevant to his family history.
Thomas Mowatt was my father’s great-grandfather and had died about ten years before my father was born. I was raised knowing I was Scottish on both sides of my family and had proudly worn a wool jumper sewn by my mother out of the Mowatt tartan when I was in fifth grade- but that’s all I knew about the Mowatts. So when I looked through my father’s files and found a typewritten document about this unknown ancestor, Thomas Mowatt, I was curious.
The document reads:
This certifies that Thomas Mowatt, a native of this neighborhood, of credible parentage, leaves this country for N. Brunswick, wishing to better his situation in that land. He is a member in full communion with this Presbyterian Congregation and has always acted as becometh the Christian.
He is of a mild inoffensive disposition, exceedingly peaceable, quiet and retiring, very highly esteemed as a servant, well acquainted with husbandry in all its modern improvements. He has had for several years the oversight of a corn mill, and is very capable of managing such a concern, so he is likely to prove an acquisition to any gentleman improving his estate.
He leaves us in comfortable circumstances, with his brother, James. But if a mysterious Providence should visit them with shipwreck or disaster, the British agent or Consul must afford them protection, and the humane may rest assured that they lend aid to the deserving.
Given in the name of the members, Trustees and Elders of this congregation, Thomas Hall, minister
Crookham, County of Northumberland May 21, 1837
It had been transcribed from the original by a grandson of Thomas Mowatt.
Flash forward a few years to 1996, and my husband, son, and I were driving through Northumberland, England to Ford, the birth place of Thomas and which he had left with his wife and brother James and friends and neighbors on the Cornelius, headed for New Brunswick, Canada. Ford is a small village, but has a castle, a church, some homes- and a mill!
It turned out that the mill, restored and fully operational, is the same one where my ancestor worked- and that there has been a mill on this site since the 1300’s! There was a tour going on, and when we were approached by the person in charge, I showed him the transcribed document. He was thrilled- and introduced us all around as the Canadians who were descended from the local Mowatt family! Our status increased immensely!
I was not a photographer back then, but of course took many photos, and this one of the mill is a favorite. I had scanned the photo with a little portable scanner a few years ago so decided to make a little art piece with it for my photo class this week. I think my father would have been pleased- more with the photography than the genealogy!
melinda anderson photography 