Fun and Games – Page 6

we went looking for flowers

Posted on July 9, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

Jodi took a few days off this week so that she could rest, relax, and spend some time with me. On Wednesday, we took advantage of the time together and drove down ti Cincinnati to visit Krohn Conservatory, a flower destination on the side of Mount Adams. If you live in the area, you can easily spend a day visiting the conservatory and walking around the shops and restaurants of Mount Adams. If that is not enough for you, the zoo and public gardens are only a couple minutes away by car.

This was our first trip to the Krohn and we were not disappointed at all. The building is divided into areas such as Desert, tropical, etc. I think you can spend a couple of hours in the building if you are a photo or flower nut. Beware though, that there is a lot of humidity in most of the areas. Jodi suffers from asthma and she could not spend much time in the orchid room, though, the dry desert area suited her just fine.

So, looking for someplace to spend a couple of relaxing hours and also packed with photo opportunities? Visit your local conservatory, botanical garden, or arboretum. You are guaranteed to have a nice experience. We only went looking for flowers and ended up relaxed and happy that we could spend the day together.

mama mia?

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

If you are anywhere close to my age, that means your grew up in the seventies. And wether you liked them or not, you probably listened to a LOT of ABBA. Not content to keep ABBA's ear worm tunes to ourselves, we have since inflicted their music on our children as well with movies and plays like "Muriel's Wedding", "The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert" and "Mama Mia".

I know this because in-spite of my aversion to pop music this sugary sweet, I have managed to tap my toes and sing along through all of them. I am not proud but, evidently I like ABBA music.

So, it was in musically challenged state that I went to see an ABBA tribute band at Veteran's Park in Springfield last night. I used the excuse that the event would be a great opportunity to take some concert shots but, we all know the real truth. I'd asked my photo buddy Larry if he would be there but, he said he had too much stuff to do. I suspect that in reality he was hiding in the bushes singing "Money Money Money" and giggling to himself. Fess up Larry!

The crowd gathered to a couple thousand people as they waited for the sun to set and the band to take the stage. While I waited, I shot the crowd and the men's room door. Did you know that they made urban wear for seniors? Must be an emerging market.

Finally, just after eight, the band took the stage and the crowd went wild. There was singing, clapping, and dancing in the aisles.

This is a picture of "Frieda" looking for Larry in the crowd. She and I both knew he was there someplace. It's ok Larry, you have to admit you have an ABBA addiction as your first step towards getting help.

last day

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

Meet my sister, Kelly.

And her husband, Bill. Notice that they are both wearing their best hiking gear… not! While both wore shorts, they also wore their dress shirts. Bill had his pen, glasses and case placed neatly in his shirt pocket. I don't think that Bill owns a single T-shirt. If I told you that Bill was a math teacher at a private school, would you be surprised?

I spent my last full day and night at their house in the North Georgia mountains. We had a really wonderful day of hiking and eating followed by some visiting with each other and finally, we capped the day off by going to bed early at 7:30. This seems to be very typical of my visits with them. We have a fantastic day, wear ourselves out and go to bed before the sun.

We started off by driving further into the mountains between Georgia and North Carolina. The day was relatively clear for a hot summer day and we could see for miles. The entire vista was uninterrupted nature. Mountains and forests without a sign of human habitation in site.

Once we were well into the mountains and near Highlands North Carolina, we stopped and went for a long hike at Glenn's Falls. The hike started through the forrest of tall pines, scrubby wild rhododendron and mountain laurel.

Eventually we found the falls. Three in all. They were wonderful to see and gave off a welcome cool mist. All told, we probably hiked two miles, all up and down hill. While Bill and I had appropriate hiking shoes, Kelly finished the entire trip wearing only a pair of beaded and bejeweled flip flops. Kelly kept asking how much further and Bill would only answer, just a little farther. Together they make a really warm couple to be around. They tease each other non stop and like to hold hands while they are walking.

On the way home, we stopped at Dry Falls, just a short walk from the highway. Typical of Bill's generosity, he wanted me to see the falls while we were up there. The wet spray coming from the falls resulted in spectacular green foliage and mosses along the trail

If you are ever in Northern Georgia and want to know of some local trails, just ask Bill. He might even go with you… just relax, ties are optional.

fishies, fishies everywhere

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

You know those days where everything clicks perfectly? All of your plans work out just like you envisioned. The people you are with are all having fun and enjoying being together. Sunday was a day just like that. After a fantastic breakfast and a bit of a sleep in, friends and family met together at the Georgia Aquarium. I had only been there once before, just after the place opened. At that time, the crowds were so large that I could not see anything. Sunday, the crowds were much smaller and we had time to stand or sit and watch the wonderful sea life.

Gerd and Cindy, Scott and Stephanie, Josh, and I… we made a pretty cool team. Everybody was just as enthralled with the watery critters.

We saw sharks, whales, porpoises, fish, crabs, snakes, rays, eels, star fish, jelly fish, otters, seals, and sea horses. I know that I must be forgetting many others. I was surprised at how well we were able to shoot through the thick glass. The tanks were well lit and we were standing in dim light, which led to vivid and bold blues and interesting silhouettes.

This image shows how I felt at the aquarium. Even as an adult, I was in wonder at what we were watching. If you are in Atlanta and have a few hours to spend, give some thought to visiting the Georgia Aquarium. You are guaranteed to come out feeling like a kid again. I would recommend Sundays through Thursday.

I suffer so

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

We have four cats and some days they make it impossible to get anything done. In this case, Cooper has decided that my keyboard makes a great mattress and the pile of note paper makes a wonderful pillow.

I think I will switch to my laptop for a while. I mean, what kind of person would disturb a sleeping cat?

Exposure	0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture	f/5.0
Focal Length	35 mm
ISO Speed	1600
Exposure Bias	-0.7 EV

at last, a post with chickens

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

I know, I have been remiss in keeping up with my chicken images. I feel like I have let you down. So, today, we will focus on the original white meat and that should keep us chicken-o-philes going for awhile.

Here is a rare arial view of a chicken. I took it from The Goodyear Blimp (not really). This chicken is Shirley. I know this because she has black and white striped feathers while all of the other chickens have white and black striped feathers.

Here we have the people ladies watching the chicken ladies. The girls (chickens) had been given some bread scraps a bit earlier and were hopeful that there might be more forthcoming. Unfortunately, there wasn't and they soon returned to eating bugs and worms.

I know what you are thinking & you don't need to worry. I made sure that Eric was safe from the ladies. He is doing well over by the summer kitchen where I introduced him to a cute little beetle.

digitus volucris

Posted on June 15, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

His name is Eric. I know it is not a great image, but Eric is cute… and single, for all you lady bugs out there. Eric is a very friendly finger bug. He is gainfully employed, has his own place as well as a healthy relationship with his mother. Eric likes short walks on blades of grass and long flights during sunset. The only thing that is missing in Eric's life is a lady companion to share his world.

Do you know a nice girl bug for Eric? If you do, please let me know. Together we can make a difference in Eric's short life.

Come on, hook a bug up!

barn dance

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

Last night, I stopped by a barn dance at the farm for a couple hours and watched the crowd have a great time. The band was called the Corn Drinkers and they had the place hopping all evening.

The crowd was a mixture of young and old, city and country folk. The great thing about square dancing is that anybody can do it. You mix partners constantly, so you get to meet a lot of people.

I witnessed a lot of fancy footwork. And some that was not so fancy… didn't matter, they were all having fun.

Sarah, the barn cat, had a great time. She normally doesn't get any company in the evening. She likes to mingle with the crowd and is a master of small talk. I am not the social butterfly that she is and kept my camera between me and the revelers.

When they weren't dancing, the crowd was socializing. I had a great time. I'll be back in the fall when the farm hosts another dance. Maybe then, you will see a picture of me cutting the rug. Maybe…

beating the heat

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Tim McMurdo

We are in the midst of a late Spring heat wave. With temperatures in the mid to upper 90s, I can easily imagine that we somehow skipped from april to August. Like kids all the world over and since the beginning of time, there is only one truly fun way to beat the heat… find some water.

A favorite watering hole in this area is Leffels Creek at Pump House Road. The water is not too deep, is clean (It just left the reservoir) and the bottom is gravelly. An inner tube for floatation and a lot of splashing make for a cool afternoon.

While the parents are hiding in the shade under the trees, the kids can work off their energy without over heating. It's this kind of simple fun that will leave these kids with great summer memories that they will remember for the rest of their lives.

The next time you want to put a smile on your kids face during the summer heat, just head to the local water hole and let them swim and play. You can pack a picnic and spend the day. If it were me, I would bring the camera, a book and maybe even some music. Leave the heat and stress at home. They are not welcome near the water.

My thanks to the two families that let me photograph their children playing in the creek. I think that I had as much fun as the kids.