About this blog title

I cannot tell you how many times I have shown up at events with a couple of cameras around my neck, a gadget bag full of odds & ends and a lighting kit and have been asked that question. If it happened once every few years, that would be one thing. But it happens a LOT. It's like getting pulled over by the police and he's standing there with uniform, gun, flashing lights and asking him "Are you a cop?" I would love to come back with a witty reply, such as "No, I am Jesus. Don't you recognize my beard?" However, I cannot be that rude.


Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Photos of Wilson's Bay, Cape Vincent, NY.

Point of land jutting into Lake Ontario as seen from shore
of Wilson's Bay, Cape Vincent, NY.  photo copyright Gary Walts August 27, 2024


Here are a couple of photos I snapped late this afternoon at Wilson's Bay, Cape Vincent, NY.  Editing and adjusting the many parameters of such photo can be endless. It can be difficult to know when to call it quits. 

Cropped version of the above photo.  photo copyright Gary Walts, August 2024




Ship on Lake Ontario off Wilson's Bay, Cape Vincent, NY. photo copyright Gary Walts, 2024
Earlier today my BrotherA and I cut up a small dead tree and removed a small live tree from backyard of our Clay St house. Temperature was 85 degrees. Became hot & sweaty. Also drove to Copenhagen and paid a deposit to builder Kieth Scoville who will be repairing/replacing the soffit & facia there.


Monday, August 26, 2024

Beach Creature Art at Wilson's Bay, Cape Vincent, NY

Beach sculpture, Wilson's Bay, Cape Vincent, NY


Had a bad nights sleep last night that followed a wonderful family get together at our home in Chaumont, NY. Consequently got up later than usual this morning. It was a lovely Summer day, breezy and a temp around 80 degrees. Late this afternoon we decided to take a drive to one of our swimming spots, Wilson's Bay, Cape Vincent, NY.   We discovered this somewhat eerie artwork. The artist unknown. I love it and find it inspiring. 

Beach sculpture, Wilson's Bay, Cape Vincent, NY

Beach sculpture, Wilson's Bay, Cape Vincent, NY

Beach sculpture, Wilson's Bay, Cape Vincent, NY

Beach sculpture, Wilson's Bay, Cape Vincent, NY


Most years we go to this beach many times through the summer. One of our favorite spots. This Summer was different. Many, many days of rain, the Better Half dealing with some health issues, me putting extra time in at our Clay St house readying it for sale. So today the weather was exceptionally nice and the discovery of this artwork made this day special. 

My iPhone reports I walked 4,621 steps today. 


Saturday, August 24, 2024

What I Did Today: Faucett repair, molding, baby mouse

 What I did yesterday, August 22, 2024, a Thursday.

Baby mouse found in our garage.
I was busy. First thing was go to Watertown City Comptrollers office and pay the city tax bill for our property at 418 Clay St. That was $621.31. Then I was busy at Clay St just doing more little jobs ,prepping for sale and or new tenants. I repaired leaky kitchen faucet in Apt #2, put together one of 3 windows that I had repaired for Apt #1, painted the window sills, and did a minor repair to the threshold of the new stairway door. I also put down some 1/4 round molding along the baseboards in the 2nd bedroom of Apt #1.

On way home I bought some charcoal at Sam's Club, 2 20 pound bags for about $24.00

In the evening I discovered  baby mouse in our garage. It's eyes were not yet open and it moved very clumsily & feebly. At first I thought it was dead. I showed it to Better Haf and our visiting granddaughter A. I returned the mouse to where I found it. This moning it ws gone, it's fate unknown to me.

1/4 round molding in bedroom at Clay St Apt #1

Leaky faucet repair at Clay St Apt #2. Removing damaged plastic washer.

Leaky faucet repair at Clay St Apt #2. 

Leaky faucet repair at Clay St Apt #2.  Stem of the ball was bent. 

Leaky faucet repair at Clay St Apt #2.  The damaged washer, left and the new one.

Someone obviously damaged the ball and washers of the faucet, maybe through frustration trying to stop the drip. This is a Delta faucet, repair kit included the ball, washer, springs, seals, o rings. It cost $30.00 at Home Depot. 


Sunday, August 18, 2024

Tomatoes and Avacados for Breakfast

Todays breakfast: Tomatoes, avacados, fried eggs, Tuscan bread toast.

 

Tomatoes are ripening quickly in our garden here in Chaumont, NY.  For breakfast his morning I had some of them along with an avacado, fried eggs and toasted Tuscan bread. Around noon I got to Clay St. to do some more work. Went to Lowe's and purchased three pine boards for Clay repairs. They cost almost $40.00. That's crazy compared to a few short years ago. It was another humid day with a little rain here and there. The high temp in Chaumont was 78. 

My iPhone says I walked 5,139 steps today. 

Saturday, August 17, 2024

A Bat in the Back Shed, Sunflower reflection Photo

 This evening just as it got dark there was a bat flying around in the back shed. The Better Half's daughter H spotted it as she was entering . I opened the screen door and it flew out into the darkness. 

Otherwise It was a warm and humid day. We changed BH's ostomy bag. Nurse Heather came to check. I went to Clay St and finished setting up electric stove / range for apartment #1. Unboxed new refrigerator. Met loan officer at Watertown Savings Bank and got a loan to pay off our Florida house. Back home at 4:00. H & D arrived at 5:00 with a pizza from Nice N Easy. Had good time on the porch and backyard. 

My iPhone says I walked 7,862 steps today.

I have a variation of this photo accepted for the Along The River's Edge exhibition at th Thousand Islands Art Center in Clayton.



Sunday, August 11, 2024

Heavy Rain, Frittata, Coffee, Flooding, I Get Wet

Friday August 9, 2024 

My morning coffee caught my eye so I snapped it. photo copyright Gary Walts 2024

What a day yesterday was. We had heavy rain all day. The region experienced flooding in many places. 

Started day with eggs scrambled with chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and cheese. I didn't realize it at the time but it just dawned on me I basically made a frittata.  My coffee caught my eye making me snap pix of it. Later I began cleaning and painting old wooden windows at Clay St. All the while it rains and rains. About 4:00 daughter S calls and says her basement in flooding. She needs a pump. I buy a good utility pump at Ace Hardware, State St, Watertown. While I am there a steady stream of customers are buying sump pumps, utility pumps, hoses and related hardware. Turns out there was a rush on those items at the the other stores in area. Lowes, Home Depot, White's et al. 

At one point the hose blew off the pump soaking S and myself. What a riot. The rain caused wetness in our Clay St house in places that never got wet before. 

Breakfast: Frittata with onions, cheese, jalapeno, tomatoes



I got drenched when hose blew off utility pump.

Worked on old window frames at Clay St.

Saturday, August 10, 2024

Guitar Gig and Floor Painting Today

Orion Art Gallery Summer Festival promo piece.

 I played guitar from 11:00- 1:00 today at the Orion Art Gallery as part of their Summer Arts Festival. I didn't get any photos of myself to post here. Later I gave our Clay St house a second coat of paint on the front porch floor. A few days ago on Wednesday I gave the floor the first coat of paint. I still need to paint the area in front of the stairwell door. 

Panorama view of front stairwell door. This section remains to be painted.

Clay St. porch floor with first coat of paint.


Tuesday, August 6, 2024

Work at Clay St. Today

 

Apt #1 Radiator, recently painted, with faux wainscoting panel behind it. 

I spent a good portion of the day at our Clay St apartment house, ongoing repairs and maintenance prior to listing it for sale. I washed the front porch floor. Plan to paint it, or at least half of it tomorrow. I then fitted a piece of paneling behind the living room radiator in apartment 1. I discovered an elctrical outlet behind that radiator. The radiator boiler system must have been installed some years after the electricity and the outlet was never removed. It's impossible to access. It's not visible either. I discovered it because the pnel was catching on it as I was slipping it behind the radiator.  When I got home a played through some of my guitar repertoire for about an hour. 

Apt #1 living room radiator a few weeks ago.



Scrubbing the porch floor with soap, water and elbow grease. Prepping for paint.

Monday, August 5, 2024

Pictures From An Exhibition: iPhone Hip Shots

 

This photo was NOT shot from the hip. I looked  and composed it normally.

Friday August 2, 2024

The following are some photos that I "shot from the hip" with my iPhone 6s set in one of the black and white modes. This was during an exhibition opening reception at Fibonacci Art Gallery in Watertown. NY.  I held the camera by my hip and snapped photos with one of the volume buttons. No shutter sound. Of course I couldn't see what exactly the camera was seeing.  CORRECTION: The top photo was not shot from the hip. All the following were.

"Shooting from the hip" iPhone photos at Fibonacci Art Gallery.  copyright Gary Walts 2024

"Shooting from the hip" iPhone photos at Fibonacci Art Gallery.  copyright Gary Walts 2024

"Shooting from the hip" iPhone photos at Fibonacci Art Gallery.  copyright Gary Walts 2024

"Shooting from the hip" iPhone photos at Fibonacci Art Gallery.  copyright Gary Walts 2024

"Shooting from the hip" iPhone photos at Fibonacci Art Gallery.  copyright Gary Walts 2024