A Bad Day With A Camera

Friday Night’s Alright

The original plan was for my daughter and I to take our paddle boards to Chestermere and float around the lake for an hour or so this evening. It didn’t quite work out that way. The private cove she had picked out to use did not allow inflatables so we were punked there. When we got to the main beach the wind was so high it was unsafe for us.

Wind and water don’t mix, Chestermere Lake, Chestermere, AB, 2024-06-14

We decided that survival was the better part of valor and drove back home to Strathmore. Besides, you can ride eScooters in a good wind, we also own a pair of those, and they were fully charged. Huzzah!

That pond, Hillview Estates, Strathmore, AB, 2024-06-14
Strath Path, Hillview Estates,
Strathmore, AB, 2024-06-14
Just a touch north, Hillview Estates,
Strathmore, AB, 2024-06-14

We started by buzzing out to Hillview Estates, a tony neighbourhood on the NW corner of Strathmore that is on the side of the golf course. There is a nice reflecting pond on the pathway going behind the homes and it is also near to the irrigation canal. It’s very pretty.

Waiting for mini-donuts, Strathmore High School, Strathmore, AB, 2024-06-14

We were still having fun so Ashlyn suggested we take the long way home by riding past the high school, down south, and then through the Lion’s Park to get back. I was amenable to that, so we rolled. It turned out to be a genius suggestion by the kid because mini-donuts. There was a food cart in front of the high school selling them.

There was a bit of initial panic when we found the food vendor because we both had a dire need for mini-donuts but neither of us had brought a wallet or a bank card with us. This is when I remembered that I had linked my phone with Samsung Pay to my bank card and it was tap-enabled for emergencies. If anything is an emergency, it’s mini-donuts. One tap later and we were sharing our expensive bag of small, greasy, sugar bombs.

The abridged version, Lion’s Park, Strathmore, AB, 2024-06-14
A moment to reflect, Lion’s Park, Strathmore,
AB, 2024-06-14
Bridge too far, Lion’s Park, Strathmore,
AB, 2024-06-14
A pastel pause, Lion’s Park, Strathmore, AB, 2024-06-14

We rolled again and found ourselves at Lion’s Park a few moments after finishing our mini-donuts to find the sky was starting to come to life. I found a good vantage point behind the bridge and then on it for some skylifes. I wasn’t sure what I liked better so you get the landscape and portrait versions of each.

Sunset, Lambert Village, Strathmore, AB, 2024-06-14

I had thought the sky was done at that point, but the mosquitoes were just getting started so it seemed like a good idea to head home. We were just coming up round the Chinook II apartment block when the sky started to take on deep pink, red, and purple hues. We detoured off into Lambert Village for some quick shots of the sky over Lower Gray Pond.

There was another eScooter owner there grinning at us when we rolled up so we nodded and exchanged greetings while enjoying the light show in the sky.

Canoodling by the canal, Thomas Drive, Strathmore, AB, 2024-06-14

We decided to head the rest of the way home as we were hankering for some Italian Sodas, but the sky put on one last display of colour causing us to stop one last time. I got it over the irrigation canal along Thomas Drive. That was it for us and we made it home to park the electric scooters and head inside.

Enter stage left, Lilacs, My Front Yard, Strathmore, AB, 2024-06-14
More of the same, Lilacs, My Front Yard,
Strathmore, AB, 2024-06-14
Purplish pink, Lilacs, My Front Yard,
Strathmore, AB, 2024-06-14

I settled into my chair with a Kiwi Italian Soda and enjoyed myself editing the day’s images on my laptop including some lilac photos from earlier in the afternoon. A customer had really pissed me off on the phone shortly after 1:00 pm and I had to walk away from my system for a minute before I punched it. I picked up Ray’s 7D and worked some lilacs in my front yard instead to calm myself down. After all, lilacs are still on the menu for the week.

It’s always nice when a day that doesn’t seem to be working out well works out very well in the end and you are grateful for it.

The majority of the day’s images were made using a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra mobile phone. The lilac images were made using the Canon EOS 7D and Canon 70-300mm EF IS USM f4-5.6 lens that Ray bequeathed to me.

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© 2024 Sean D. McCormick

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