Compost shoot in my messy kitchen

 Early a.m. photo shoot in my kitchen.
Messy counter.Hard to even make a pot of coffee when it looks like that.All stuff headed for the compost bin.Usually our chicken eats this sort of thing, except for the citrus.She hates citrus.Arranged the debris.. ...spent a few minutes shooting, and went back to my coffee.
Clean-up waited.

Cross country skiing with Grandpa Pal

 My dad has always been more at home in the back-country.Not that this is the back-country.We are close to the Mt.Washington ski area here...skiing on laid track

We used to ski in Paradise meadows before the ski hill was developed.It was a private sort of heaven.My dad and a bunch of Nordic types even built a small cabin there.We didn't have any permission, we just did it.That was how things used to get done.I say "we" because my dad always had a way of making us kids feel involved in every process.
It was a long haul dragging in all the materials on sleds.They were tarped off till spring.There was a cheap-o tin stove for quick heat.
The crazy Nordic types liked to bust through the frozen lakes to swim a bit after a long ski.That never appealed to me, I was always a fan of the wood-stove and hot-chocolate apres ski.
 My dads friends have usually been these super tough, tanned,  out-doorsy  types who don't say much.And those were the women.
I was also never one for the 50k ski races.He and the Nordic types did that stuff.I mostly poodled about in the back-country enjoying myself at a more normal pace.It was  fun.And I never felt uncomfortable about not being super-duper at it.Everyone was always so nice.

The cabin was where we spent Easter sometimes.We used to have to ski quite a ways to get there.Kids slept in the cabin, my dad preferred to dig out a snow drift and sleep there.Probably more peaceful.

My brother was always a better athlete than me..so the two of them used to ski up to Mt.Albert Edward and beyond.
Dad still does that.He's 78 next month.Not that age should matter..it just amazes me.After all these years my dad still amazes me.
The cabin was torn down years ago when park rangers started coming around the area.


Anyhow..Angel-Blue and her Grandpa Pal spent some good time together.He is a great ski instructor.He demonstrates and encourages.He is patient and kind.He is always a lot of fun.


 Maybe when she gets the hang of track skiing she
can learn to telemark with a pack on ?

We have plans to climb Albert Edward with Grandpa Pal..just not on skis.
We will walk.
My dad has a great way of sharing his love of the out-doors with people.

Red is our favourite colour.

When I was  little  my dad used to dress me in bright red rain-gear when we walked on our beach

up north.When I was about seven we hiked the west - coast trail for the first time. Again.. I wore bright red sweaters and clothing. My first gore tex parka was red. My back-pack too.

So was our land-cruiser. The kayak was also was red come to think of it. 

I used to assume that vivid red was just his favourite colour. It was and still is. Then he told me that he dressed me that way for visibility in remote areas we spent a lot of time in. He liked being able to spot me in the landscape easily. It gave me the  freedom to wander further.

I thought that was a bit silly.

I really do love red. And I also like being able to spot our girl in the landscape easily. She  likes to wander ahead you see.

'Your World Dolls' brought to you by Angel-Blue

All of these photographs were taken by our 10 year old .Except the one of her setting up a shot.I took that one.The following words are hers.They are in response to an ad campaign that arrived with Owl magazine in the mail.The advertising was selling Maplelea dolls .They sell for about $100.00 per doll.The clothing and what-not is also very costly.They are nothing special. Designed in Canada.Just plastic dolls manufactured in China like so many other dolls.Except these dolls have a VERY seductive ad campaign.

So seductive in fact that lots of little girls save up their money, and beg hard-working parents to spend hard earned money on these things.

Our child watched children be pulled in by this advertising.Then she asked me if it was possible to make inexpensive things "popular".I told her that with the right advertising nearly anything can be sold.( Don't I know it.)

She reasoned that her old dolls were really just as beautiful and should be made fashionable ,so that all children could afford the popular thing.

So here it is, our 10 year old's advertising campaign for second-hand dolls, that anyone can afford :

'Your World Dolls' are dolls that range from $2.00-$7.00 each.You can find them anywhere almost.Garage sales and secondhand stores have them.With 'Your World Dolls' you can make set-ups like you never dreamed of.

Imagine you and your doll are in your magical world.What do you do together ?

Please write and tell me the adventures you have had with your doll.

Because these are  'Your World Dolls' , they don't come with pre-made personalities or any stuff.You will have to get or make the stuff yourself.The dolls always come with the out-fit they are wearing .It will be up to you to change it somehow.And you will  also have to make up a personality for it.

This months adventure that is photographed is titled "Down by the Bay"

Rosaminda,Gina,Ellana and Luna go down to the bay to play.Luna and Rosaminda ran off to play while the grown-ups set up the pic-nic.After lunch Rosalinda feeds the fire.They decide to camp at the beach.Everyone is happy to feel the warmth of friendship as well as the warmth of the fire.

Luna sips hot-chocolate and watches the fire burn.

Ellana likes to wander off and think.She wandered off a little too far and got trapped by the tide.For a moment she swore she saw a mermaid splash.

Gina got in a boat to save her.At the end of the day they sat by the fire.They are getting ready for a new day full of new adventures.

As you can see ,you can make an adventure practically for free, and the total cost of my dolls was 

Rosaminda -$7.00

Gina-$7.00

Ellana-$6.00

Luna-$5.00  

that is  $25.00 in total.So there is no need to spend a lot of money to have fun.

Yan Tan Tethera

Yan Tan Tethera :

It's meaning is ancient and simple.It is pre-roman english for : one-two-three.They would count the sheep, and put a notch in their stick to keep track of them.
Like the yarn and hats themselves,ancient yet modern.From a time that wasn't.An old method.A new twist.
One,two, three.Count the sheep.One two three.Count the stitches.
No pattern, each one unique .A bond between two species,spinning and dancing..one,two three.

   Artist statement excerpt  from Jane Ellerington of Yan Tan Tethera

photography by gina-rae horvath
Model   A.B.

Trevor "loaned" me this boat at Ford cove

One freezing cold March day I went to Ford cove for a coffee,  and I saw this great little boat.I wanted to know who owned it,so I started asking around about it. A few folks wondered why I was so interested in this particular boat. I explained that I really wanted it for a photo-shoot ..hopefully that day.

Trevor asked me to show him the boat I wanted..so I pointed it out to him.He said "sure, by all means.enjoy your shoot.just put it back when you're done".  "Great,thank-you so much" I said.

Angel-Blue patiently suffered through another cold day shoot for me.

I put the boat the boat carefully away, and took my model back to the "cove" store for some hot chocolate.

Trevor was still there sipping his coffee, so I thanked him profusely for the use of his boat.

He smiled broadly and told me that it wasn't his boat.

Everyone laughed. I think of Trevor every time I look at those small boats down at the "cove".

I still have no idea who owns this boat.And I still miss seeing Trevor down at Ford cove.

Small island stuff that makes me smile..

With so many e-things in the hands of children,it makes me happy that this crappy old bike tire brings so much joy.