Day 315: Today's Work

So, I am lucky just to put this up here today. I have taken a few days off from the blog world. There are only so many hours a day and unfortunatly some of them must be spent sleeping.

photos by Gary Walts

---

Day 310: Socks & Snow

I was up a little late last night, so, got up this morning at 7:00 to sunshine on yesterdays snow. Nineteen degrees. A pretty and pleasant day, at least in regard to the weather.

The month has just begun and I see no freelance work on the immediate horizon. I get nervouse, because I need more work to meet all of my obligations. I get this way in the first few days of every month, and something usually comes my way and life keeps going on. For al of the adversity I have faced in recent years i have managed to chop away quite a bit of debt. I surprise myself when I look at the figures.

A terrific buy at Sam's Club: 10 pair of socks for $11.38

Speaking of money, I love to get a good buy for my dollar. Thus, I shop at Sam's Club fairly regularly. I have never given any attention to the clothing they offer for sale, until last night. I was walking through the store and a display of socks caught my eye. It just so happened that I had been thinking about buying some socks. They had ten pair for $11.38, and, they were MADE in USA!  I was thrilled to think that a piece of clothing was still being made in the USA. Also, 10 pair for that price seemed like a great deal to me. So I bought them. I am wearing a pair now & they feel great on the feet. An excellent buy that I reccomend at Sam's Club.

"Luck is only important insofar as getting the chance to sell yourself at the right moment. After that, you've got to have talent and know how to use it." - Frank Sinatra

photos by Gary Walts

Day 309: Winter Wonderland Returns

Snow this afternoon at my home in Chaumont, NY

So, we had a warm spell that quickly melted away all of our snow a few days after Christmas. Well, I awoke this morning to six inches of fresh snow. Enough to make me shovel the driveway for the first time this Winter season in Chaumont, NY

The gate at my backyard entrance.

Let me tell you about shovelling snow. It's good exercise. Now, it is not such a nice thing if one wakes up in the morning to two feet or more of snow and must shovel it  before going to work in the morning. However, often times we know the snow is coming and can plan on getting up  early to shovel it. But most people still do not like it.  It is laborious. So, some folks buy a snow blower. That makes it go quicker. If you have vast areas of snow to remove that is a good, perhaps only option. However, one can always park the car closer to the road end of the driveway so as not need to shovel, or blow as much snow to get to work on time. But that means one must hike from the front door to where the car is parked. That might mean trudging through snow up to your knees. Then, try as you might to brush it off your legs, some remains and then the car heater melts it and you arrive at work with wet pant legs. Well, you could always park near the road, at the farthest point from your house, closeste to the road, and THEN: Start the snowblower up in the morning and use it to blow a narrow path to your car. This would be much quicker than than clearing the snow from the entire driveway.

I prefer to just shovel the stuff. Mainly for the exercise. But shovelling can be dangerous. Many people have had heart attacks from shovelling snow. Immediately I can think of three people I know who have had such a problem. When I was a teen my grandfather died of a heart attack while shovelling snow. I forget his exact age, but he was well over 80 years. My ex- brother-n-law, who is my age, had a heart attack while shovelling snow about three years ago. He survived, but it was real touchy. Finally, a co-worker who is about six year older than I experienced the same thing. He too survived.

The problem is they over exert themselves. They are in a hurry. They are bending over and scooping shovel fulls of snow, which, depending on conditions, can be very heavy, or light and fluffy. Often times these people have not done anything more strenuous around the house than mow the lawn with a riding mower. Then the snow comes and they are impatient, and BAM! The big one hits.

When I shovel snow I try to keep the bending & lifting to a minimum. I use my snow shove more like a plow. I lay it on the driveway surface and push the snow to the edges, and then scoop ot farther away. I also (and this is most important) Work slowly and steadily. I do not want to get winded, that is, to start breathing heavy and hard. If I notice that happenng I simply stop working. I pause to look at the beauty of the snow, to experience the cold frseh air, to really, rejoice in the experience. If I am going to be late, well, so be it, or, I shovel just enough to be able to get out of the driveway and get to work.

You can burn up a lot of calories shovelling snow, so for me, that's a a good and welcome way to get some exercise. I feel the same way about mowing the lawn in the Summer. I use a push mower (or, some call them a walk behind). Free exercise. And here is the thing with both endeavors: You get instant gratification. With every motion there is less snow, or shorter grass. Your exercise has a distinct and clearly visual reward.  When you are done you can look at it and admire what you have done. Feel a sense of pride. You have accomplished something. Then, go on into the house and reward yourself with a nice cold, refreshing beer!

My God, that's what living is all about. Getting your ass outdoors in God's wonderland called Earth, experiencing the Elements, working at something that needs to be done, seeing what you have accomplished, feeling satisfied by it, and then drinking a beer! What better way can there possibly be to live life as a man? At least that is how I see it living here in the North Country.

Today  I offer this quote: “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” – Benjamin Franklin

photos by Gary Walts

Day 308: The Good Guys Cancelled

It's good by for The Good Guys. One of the few TV shows I have enjoyed in the last ten or fifteen years.

I don't watch a lot of TV. In fact, I almost gave it up all together quite afew years ago because every thing was so poorly written with stupid jokes and puns usually infused with vulgar, gutter, toilet type humor.  I cannot stand that stuff.  Anyhow, the Good Guys from Fox TV I found to be a refreshing and truly funny cop show.  I just heard it is being cancelled. Story of my life in recent TV history. The shows I like generally only last one season if that.



Bradley Whitford  and Colin Hanks  in The Good Guys

 Colin Hanks (Tom Hanks' son), portrays a promising young detective who is partnered with a washed-up, often drunken cop portrayed by Bradley Whitford, to solve what appear to be petty crimes that ultimately lead to involved plots filmed with Hollywood style action. That action is part of the fun of the series. It's like they are poking fun at all of the shoot 'em up, blow 'em up action sequences of big Hollywood movies.  In one memorable episode there is more lead flying  than was fired at Bonnie & Clyde. The room was riddled like swiss cheese, and when the smoke cleared, no one had taken a hit. There are usually a nice big explosion or two along the way, again, to me, it's like they are doing a satire of a Rambo or Schwartzenegger type of movie. 

In this video from TV Guide the lead actors talk about theri characters and the show.

Day 306: New Years Day

Photographing a wedding today. It is 50 degrees here in Chaumont and should be a little warmer in Syracuse, where the wedding is. We watched the ball drop in Times Square on TV last night. Fell asleep right away after that. Woke an hour later. Fell asleep again, I don't when, got up at 8:00. Wedding is at 5:00, must be there at 3:00, so I should leave the house around 1:00.

This photo from an August 2007 wedding in Chaumont, NY.

Day 305: New Years Eve

There is less than 45 minutes left of 2010 here in Chaumont, NY. Had a busy day. The free lunch I have been providing a loved one for a number of years is about to end. A New Years resolution. Goodbye home, rent free home, in Winter Haven. The writing is on the wall and he doesn't even know it. Much to talk about, too tired. I await the dropping of the ball in Times Square, NY, and then I photograph a wedding tomorrow, Jan 1, 2011, in Syracuse, NY.

The photo here is from a wedding I photographed this Summer.

Happy New Year everyone.

Day 304: Hey There Delilah

For whatever reason, I have not paid a lot of attention to contemporary pop music. But I really do like this tune by Plain White T's:  Hey There Delilah. You must sit through a short advertisement before the song starts.  I plan to work up a solo guitar arrangement of this piece. Thanks to Brother Bruce.

Day 303:

Today is Wenesday. It is a gray day and warmer here than in recent weeks. Supposedly it will reach near 50 degrees this weekend. Probably accompanied by rai. That suits me OK for nwo because Saturday, January First, New Years Day, I am photographing a wedding in Syracuse. I would rather make that drive in rain and warmer temps than to be caught up in lake effect snow.

A misty, foggy morning on RT 12E between Chaumont & Limerick, NY, a few weeks ago.

Swedish Proverb:
Those who wish to sing, always find a song.

Day 301: Another Brick Wall

Day 300: Winter Grilling

I am at left, nephew Tim in middle, and celebrity brother Al at right at my home in Chaumont, NY.

In 65 days it will be one year since I began this blog. What's the point? I do not know. yesterday was windy and cold. Here in the North Country we don't put the grill away for the Winter. Well, at least I don't. In fact, grilling in the cold is a fun adventure. So, the day after Christmas my celebrity brother, his son, and I grilled some jerk chicken wings. They took longer to cook than in the Summer because of the cold and wind. But it was fun hanging out by the grill drinking a few beers. The beers bacame slushy near the end. Then we went inside and ate the wings with potato salad. Later we had some great apple crisp.

Jerked chicken wings on the Brinkman All In One grill

My grill of choice for this particular dish is my Brinkman All-in-One grill. I liked it so much I bought a second one. The wings are marinated for a day or more, (I've let them marinade for 4 days before) and then grilled over charcoal and smoked with whole allspice berries.
The jerk marinade is a Jamaican recipe made with Habanero peppers, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, onions, salt, some vegetable oil, all blended together in a blender.

Here is a video about jerk marinade. Go to youtube to find many more vids. As with all recipes there are hundreds of permutations and varying amounts of ingredients, and ingredient quantities. I hate to share my exact recipe, but it I will say it comes from a published cook book. I tried it and liked it, so never tried another one. 

photos by Gary Walts

Day 299: Sony WSC-350 Test Shots

The panarama mode. Easy to use feature. Pan the camera slowly from left to right & the camera creates the image.

It is 12 degrees, grey, with a light snow falling in Chaumont, NY on this day after Christmas. Santa Clause came and went and we all had a nice day. The photos here were some quick snaps to test the Better Half's new Sony WSC-350 digital camera.

Our Christmas tree made with out the flash.

Here is a detail cropped from the previous photo. There is some motion blur caused by the slow shutter needed for the non-flash exposure.

Otherwise, it is slow to motivate today. Off to visit my son later, and then: Grilling some jerk chicken wings out in the snow! Gotta love living in the North Country. More later.

Day 298: Merry Christmas

A crispy 12 degrees here in Chaumont, NY on Christmas morning. The Better Half & I exchanged gifts allready, and are preparing for visitors later in the day. I got the BH a Sony DSC-W350 digital point and shoot camera. It is her first non-film camera. It also shoots HD video clips. The battery is in the charger and we hope to test the camera out soon.

It was a few days after Christmas in 2004, late afternoon and I was just getting home from a long day of driving and photographing for the Post-Standard. The house, yard, driveway were blanketed in fresh snow. There was some great afternoon light and my home looked like a Christmas card. Though I was hungry, tired, and discouraged at the prospect of shovelling all that snow, the scene befor me was a delight. The scene was truly a gift, a reward at the end of a long, stressful day. The next year I used it for a Christmas card which I sent to everyone. This year  I dragged it out of my digital archive to present here. I hope you all are having wonderful Christmas.