Test-driving the new camera - I'm in love!

 

We went to Lake George in the sunshine today so I could give my new Nikon D5100 a good test-drive.  I let hubby take a couple of pics of me, though I think he is scared of the camera.  Just set it on automatic, please!  I'm getting over my own fear, and intend to use every feature.  By the way, note my absolutely FABULOUS new camera bag  hanging across my shoulder.  I searched long and hard for a bag that was small, carried across the shoulder, could go hiking or on a simple walk, had room for what I needed, and was CUTE too.  Ta da!  The Crumpler 4 Million Dollar Home!  Yes folks, that's the name of the camera bag.  You can't see it in the picture, but the inside is an absolutely brilliant turquoise color.  Ooh la la!!  It wasn't cheap, but hey, you get what you pay for, the quality is excellent, it's guaranteed, and I'm happy.  There's room for the camera, the little necessities (filter, spare battery, Rocket blower, cell phone/wallet, and my sunglasses.  If I got a bigger bag I'd put more stuff in it, and that is NOT a good thing.  I need something I can easily manage tromping in the woods or I won't use it.  By the way, I currently have the Nikon camera strap on the camera, but I'm making a padded strap-cover (I found instructions online) and I'll show you when it is done!  I need to be a fashionable photographer!!

We spent a bit of time exploring an mini-golf course with an 'around the world' theme, and that's where these photos were taken.  

 

 

 I shot a  few pictures experimenting with the creative options on the camera.  This is the only pic I shot with selective color.  (I set in on the yellow and then couldn't figure out how to change the color for another picture.  Being that I was wearing gloves and it isn't exactly summer outside, I decided to figure that element out in the warmth of my home.)  Sorry it is rotated.  I wasn't going to post any pics that blogger rotated, but since this is the only one I shot like this, you're stuck with it.

     This photo below was shot with another creative setting - cool, isn't it?  

After we finished up in the mini-golf course, we went down the road to the Magic Forest amusement park, where Uncle Sam and Santa stand as sentinels, and shot the photos below.  I have some great vertical photos of Uncle Sam against the brilliant blue sky, but since they are all vertical and blogger rotated them all, I didn't want you to need a trip to the chiropractor just for looking at my photos.

 Here's another sideways one, but I couldn't resist.  Again, a creative camera mode. 

 

 Above is lovely Lake George, which didn't have any ice at all!  That doesn't bode well for their annual Winter Carnival, does it? 

Finally, we went home.  Here's the necessary photo of my cat, and some tins in my kitchen.  I collect them.

 I promise I'll get back to posting art teaching stuff again real soon; I have lots to share, but since the camera is new, I couldn't resist.  You understand, I'm sure. 

My little adventure

The trailhead sign

A beautiful autumn day - sky blue - trees a glowing amber - perfect day for a hike, no?
Early this fall, hubby and I, both retired, made a pact to get ourselves out in our beautiful Adirondacks as much as possible before snowfall - litttle hikes, climbs, walks etc (in addition to my kayaking excursions).  Because once winter sets in, I'm not so excited about the out-of-doors.  So yesterday we picked the nearby Pilot Knob Ridge Preserve, a climbing trail that would bring us to a gazebo overlooking picturesque Lake George, after a hike of 1.2 miles and an elevation climb of 650' from the trailhead.  There was also an option to continue another 1.5 miles to a waterfall after arriving at the gazebo.  Sounded perfect for a sunny afternoon!

 Here's what it looked like on the way to the gazebo.  Hubby took the two photos below; the rest are pretty much mine.

We've reached the gazebo!  The climb was strenuous and steep, loaded with tree roots, rocks, and vines, but we did it, and the view is awesome!  Other hikers we encounter at the gazebo say the waterfall usually doesn't have a lot of flow, but currently is wonderful, due to recent rainfall, and that we should continue our hike.

view from the gazebo - nice, huh?

beautiful view from the gazebo

Note the dark cloud in the photo below, also shot from the gazebo.  It did not look threatening.  So, bellies full of granola bars, we decided to head on to the waterfall, according to the advice of other hikers we had met.  Maybe not our best decision ever.

Along the way, we passed a couple of groups of hikers on their way back to the gazebo, and all said "the waterfall is awesome!  Keep going!"   The last group we encountered told us we were almost there.  Yeah!  So we kept hiking.  Then suddenly - black sky - and BOOM!  Thunder!  Hubby felt a raindrop and we decided, even though we were in spitting distance of a supposedly beautiful waterfall, we'd better scrap the idea for now.  We turned back and the sky let loose with a pelleting downfall of driving rain.  All those leaves on the ground got wet and slick, and the ground turned to mud.  My glasses (prescription, so I couldn't take them off) got rain smeared and fogged.    Wet tendrils of hair dripped into my face.  The wind kept blowing my hood down.  I couldn't see, and we were charging our way back toward the gazebo when I slipped and and went crashing to the ground.  But we still had almost a mile to go, so hubby helped me up and we kept going.  As we got back to the gazebo, the rain and thunder stopped and the sun came out brightly again.  Someone else at the gazebo shot these pics of hubby and me.  Notice  his wet sweatshirt, and look at all the dirt on me.  But we are smiling.

After gathering our composure, we proceeded down the steep trail.  I gripped my walking stick tightly and we navigated over the shiny wet leaves, rocks, and tree roots.

Ah! An orange trail marker (below)!  I was so happy to know that we were still on the trail, since the wet leaves on the ground had made it harder to see.  My leg was  hurting, especially since the trail was so steep.  But crazy me kept stopping to take pictures anyhow.  The rain-washed woods in the late afternoon sunshine were so pretty.  Everything was glowing.

 Hurray!  We are back at the trailhead!  I was so excited to see our car, but STILL, I stopped and took more pictures..

Trailhead - where we had signed the log book about 4 hours prior

still smiling!

I didn't look at my leg until I got in the car.  My pants were soaked with what I thought was  mud, but much of it was actually blood.  I had punctured my leg somehow when I fell.  My heavy support knee-high socks had  helped contain it, I think.  Got home and cleaned and bandaged it, and dear hubby ordered and picked up a pizza so we wouldn't need to stand and cook dinner, and then I curled up on the couch and watched TV.
So here I am at home today, not leaving the house at all, but instead relaxing with a bandaged leg and some bumps and bruises and aches and pains.  Hubby is tired and muscle-sore too, and just woke from a nap.  I think later I'll make some soup: kale, white beans, and diced tomatoes.  Sound good?

A walk from NY to Vermont and back again!

(oops I didn't know the camera's date stamp was turned on)
Today my husband and I took a little road trip, to see the new bridge that spans a narrow section of Lake Champlain, connecting NY and Vermont. We drove north along the shore past the northern tip of Lake George, where it overlaps the southern tip of Lake Champlain. We didn't know there was a walkway on the bridge until we got there! So we took advantage and parked the car and walked to Vermont. It was brisk and sunny in Vermont, with beautiful clouds everywhere. The clouds were thicker on the NY side and it looked like maybe it was raining.

Below is NY on the left photo, Vermont on the right.

That's my hubby below, and that's me on the bridge in the middle.


After walking the bridge, we returned to our car and then drove over the bridge to Vermont. Then we drove south through Vermont, with a stop in Middlebury for lunch, and eventually came back to NY past the southern end of Lake George. Nice day!

Would of, should have, could have....

A week ago, the tree colors were vibrant reds and brilliant oranges, but they've been changing to amber, ochre, rust, burgundy, and olive. In the past week, the weather has dipped below freezing at night and the air has been quite chilly during the day too. So last weekend we walked the beach at Lake George in the fresh crisp air.

But - did someone say GLOBAL WARMING??! The last two days have been in the 70's! Very weird. Yesterday I had a meeeting after school, but today I stayed in school and hung up artwork.

This is the view out my classroom window (the stone covered part is a roof area) just before I left this afternoon. When I walked out of school a little after 5pm, I had my "would of, should of , could of" moment. My camp is only 5 minutes away, and if I had thought ahead, I could have been there at 3:30, and had a couple of hours with my kayak on the lake. Tomorrow's weather forecast isn't so good. I blew it!