One Last Ride in the Cadillac

Sunday, October 9:  The Lord's Day.  Columbus Day weekend.  Lake Bonaparte, in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains.  A little slice of heaven.

The day dawned clear and bright, and even late in northern autumn, flowers bloomed.

My brother Matt said he was going to jump in.  And he did.

Once he got used to the water, I handed him his coffee...

After a while, my Dad took my Mom and me for one last ride in the Cadillac.  It was a bit breezier on the lake that day, but seeing new color was worth it, especially knowing we wouldn't be out in the boat again until next summer.

Another leaning boathouse

That day's destination was Mud Lake, the portion of Lake Bonaparte owned by the U.S. Army.  Mud Lake is officially part of Fort Drum, home of the 10th Mountain Division.  Ooh-rah!

Once we spied the reds, yellows, and oranges at the entrance to Mud Lake, we knew the color in its interior would be incredible.  We were not disappointed, and spent a long time slow-boating around this tiny portion of lake.

Entrance to Mud Lake

Canoeists enjoy the color of autumn on the lake

Goodbye, Mud Lake!

Cormorant over the water

Gulls on the rocks

A few last shots of the birds, and we returned to our lake house, full of rich color and all the beauty of autumn in our hearts.

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart;

I will tell of all Your wonders.

I will be glad and exult in You;

I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

Psalm 9:1-2 NASB

To read the next post about my Lake Bonaparte getaway, click here.


Previous Lake posts

Part 1 -- Autumn Lake Nature Walk
Part 2 -- Pontoon Panorama
Part 3 -- Saturday Scenes from the Boat
Part 4 -- Food! Glorious Food!
Part 5 -- People, Boats, and Pictures
Part 6 -- God's Hand Across the Sky


Capturing the moments of life.

Christine

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365 Project -- #302-308

This is the time in my week when I look back at the images I've captured

throughout the previous week, and choose my seven favorites.

These seven--one for each day of the week--are featured below.

October 29 - November 4

A couple of lost images.  Yummy food.  A tea party.  A Bible and some music.  And a teenager with a driver's license.  My images from last week run the gamut!

I discovered these two "lost" images when I was going through my Lightroom "October" album.  The honeybee shots turned out great, and this one below is my favorite.

[302] Honeybee on dandelion

The sun turned the leaves on this tree to gold.  It was really cool framed in my window.

 [303] Through an autumn window

For a family get-together, we decided on "Breakfast at Dinner."  My sister-in-law Charlotte made the below, which were the hit of the evening.

 [304] Maple-brown butter glazed waffles

I took the below for a past and future client; I shot their Mother/Daughter Encouragement Weekend this past year, and I get to fly out to Georgia next February to shoot next year's event!  (I'm so very excited about it.)  They needed some teacup images to promote next year's mother/daughter event, and I was happy to oblige them.  I love tea.  :)

 [305] Rose teacup

My "son" Caleb was thumbing through Proverbs, and I got this shot.  (I called him "son" one day, and he started calling me "Mom."  Kinda nice.)

 [306] Proverbs

And one potential client!  This talented young man is looking forward to a career in music.  I had fun taking these images and experimenting with the light (which was very dim, yuck).  Hopefully the images I captured will give him a good idea of what I can offer.  Although I must say--I can't wait to hold a session with him (and the rest of his musical group) outdoors in good light!

 [307] Sing your heart out

Another one leaves the nest...in our Suburban.  Danny got his driver's license, and two hours later he drove off to class.  I can't tell you how freeing it is, even after just a few days, that I don't have to drive him to college classes any more.  I get to be home and spend more time with Thomas and Joseph.  I am thrilled to be a full-time at-home mom again!

[308] Another one drives away

And so ends my week of images.  Hope you captured some fine memories, too!


Capturing the moments of life.

Christine

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God's Hand Across the Sky

Saturday, October 8.  Lake Bonaparte, in the Adirondacks, upstate New York.

It was the end of a long, fun-filled day.  First, a cozy boat ride with Dad and Mom in Dad's Caddy.  Then, cooking/baking/laughing/goofing in the kitchen with Mom.  Then the L.B.C.D.C. (read about it here).  But all the activities slowly died down as the sun made its slow descent toward the west.

I knew it was time to pull out my tripod and get Ellie situated on the dock for my evening ritual.  This was the most spectacular sunset I saw during my week at the Lake, so I thought I'd share all aspects of it with you.  There are only six images (five of the actual sunset), but they give a good flavor of the changing sky.

The time is indicated under each image, so you can see just how the sky changes throughout the evening.  And even though the sunset was supposed to be at something like 6:40pm, it set earlier because of the mountains, so I had to get set up even earlier.  I set ISO at 100, my kit lens (17-85mm) at 17mm, and aperture at f13, for most of these shots.  (These are the times I dream of a wide-angle lens.)

The first image below is looking west and a little north.  It's almost where I set up Ellie to capture the sunsets of summertime.  It was just so pretty and calm and peaceful; I needed one shot of that before turning more toward the west.

6:07pm

Okay, then I set up looking west and a little south.  This is just before the sun set, and you can see the jet trails--especially that one right down the middle--wisping the sky.

 6:12pm

The sky became a deeper blue, and the sun looked like a glowing ball settling into the mountains for the night.  That jet trail is prominent, even in the water.

 6:17pm

Another jet (or military drone--Fort Drum owns part of the lake and military aircraft frequently fly over it) left a trail, and the skyscape looked even dreamier than before.  The reflections on the water deepened.

6:34pm

I think 6:40pm was true sunset, so the below is about four minutes later.  But I think it's perfect.  Sorry for my watermark covering those beautiful reflections!  I could linger over this for a long time...

6:44pm

I always wait even later than true sunset, just to watch the sky.  It was warm enough that the mosquitoes came out just about the time I was taking my last images of the sunset.  Even though the above shot is sunset at perfection, I absolutely love the below image for its tranquility and intense color.

6:53pm

I did almost no editing of these photos, plus I removed spots that appeared because my camera sensor is dirty (time to clean it!).  The spots become apparent at slow shutter speeds, which let in lots of light and allow those tiny dirt specks to "shine through."

Praise the LORD!

Praise, O servants of the LORD,

Praise the name of the LORD.

Blessed be the name of the LORD

From this time forth and forever.

From the rising of the sun to its setting

The name of the LORD is to be praised.

The LORD is high above all nations;

His glory is above the heavens.

Psalm 113:1-4 NASB

To read the next post about my Lake Bonaparte getaway, click here.


Previous Lake posts

Part 1 -- Autumn Lake Nature Walk
Part 2 -- Pontoon Panorama
Part 3 -- Saturday Scenes from the Boat
Part 4 -- Food! Glorious Food!
Part 5 -- People, Boats, and Pictures


Capturing the moments of life.

Christine

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Find me on Facebook

People, Boats, and Pictures

After my dad's Caddy was removed from the water, it seemed there was another autumn ritual to participate in.  Cousin Al started up his pontoon boat, and a bunch of us climbed aboard and headed out on the Lake for the last time this year.  Rick also had people on his boat, and there was a third boat out there somewhere.

Nick never wanted to "smile for the camera..."

Ed gives his dog Gravity a pat

Two boats ended up tethered together for a sunny afternoon on the Lake.  And of course there was food and drink aboard.

Making nachos

Ahhh.  Relaxing on the Lake.  We had another bee-yoo-tee-ful afternoon, almost 80 degrees (in autumn!!!), a light breeze--what more can I say?  The Lord blessed.  :)

Rick takes a nap

My dad and mom :)

Goofy Tucker sniffing off the front of the boat

Rapunzel (Terri) relaxing on the ride

We enjoyed the short ride to Sand Bay for the ritual Columbus Day Weekend Group Picture.

Autumn sun on the Lake

My brother Matt and cousin CJ enjoyed a shallow dive off the boat into the bay.  Yeah, the water is cold.

Then it was time to take the group picture.  Somehow, I found myself the designated group-picture-taker.  I totally didn't mind, but I didn't even think about bringing my tripod.  So a plastic resin deck chair and a bunched-up beach towel to prop up the camera would have to do.  A few adjustments, and everything was set.  I took just two shots.  The first one turned out a little high in the frame, but otherwise great.  The second one is missing my dad--you can see his shadow in the foreground as he stood there with his point-and-shoot to get a shot.

Before we took off, Matt and CJ enjoyed (?) one last dip in the bay.

Good-bye, Sand Bay!  Isn't it pretty?

Time to head back to our Lake home.  Then time for the last ritual of autumn on the Lake.

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

Let the sea roar, and all it contains!

Psalm96:11 NASB

To see the next post about my Lake Bonaparte getaway, click here.


Previous Lake posts

Part 1 -- Autumn Lake Nature Walk
Part 2 -- Pontoon Panorama
Part 3 -- Saturday Scenes from the Boat
Part 4 -- Food! Glorious Food!


Capturing the moments of life.

Christine

Visit my website
Stop by my family blog
Find me on Facebook

Food! Glorious Food!

Columbus Day weekend.  October 8, Saturday afternoon.  Lake Bonaparte.  Adirondack Mountains (foothills).

Time for the L.B.C.D.C. (Lake Bonaparte Columbus Day Cookoff).  This "event" has turned into quite the production over the past several years.  It started with a boast by a Lake friend that he made better spaghetti sauce than my mom.  Did you know she's a full-blooded Italian?  :)  It grew from that initial "who's got the best spaghetti sauce" contest, to a good-sized crowd, and three categories in which you can enter a dish--appetizers, main dishes, and desserts.

Everyone gathers on my parents' front lawn.  You can actually see the lake--it's that white peeking through the tree trunks in the far upper right corner!

The appetizers get put out, and Terri records numbers and recipe names.  My dad and I were chosen to add up all the votes for each category.  (I asked my aunt to sub for me in the dessert category, since I entered a dish for that.)  What fun!

Once all the dishes are ready, people go through the line and try everything.  Okay--a little of everything.  I was told to take just a little portion.  Pace yourself, they told me.  I soon figured out why.  Once everyone has tasted everything, the voting begins.  I voted for the mushroom appetizers; they were superb.

Carolyn, one of the winners from a previous year.  The winner of each category gets an apron!  And the winner of the "main dish" category gets the chef's hat for a year.  It's like Miss America--the chef's hat gets passed to the new winner each year.

After I was almost full on appetizers, I realized what they all meant when they said, Pace yourself!  This is my main dish plate--literally one mouthful of every entry (I think there are a few entries left out)!

Then the desserts were brought out.  Yes, that is a homemade chocolate cake, with raspberry filling and chocolate ganache.  Which one do you think won this category??  (Yep, that one.)

Sampling the desserts...

They used this pumpkin to hold all the votes.

My dad cast his vote for his favorite appetizer.

My cousin Al just couldn't make up his mind which dish he liked best...

At the kids' table, they got to make chili dogs and nachos.  They ended with decorating their own cupcakes and frosting their own cookies.  Aidan sure looks like he's enjoying the dessert!

Sally used her finger to spread the frosting on her cookie.

Nick's cookie.  Yeah, it's boy decorating.  :)

Bob Johnston announces 3rd, 2nd, and 1st place in each category.

Passing the chef's hat...

Rick (center) gets to wear the chef's hat this year!  He won the main dish category with a Greek (I think) chicken dish.  Terry (left) won the dessert with that awesome chocolate cake I described.  And my Aunt Bonnie (right) won the appetizer category for her mushrooms!  The funny thing is that she told me she had never tried them!  She had emailed five friends and asked for their mushroom recipes, and then she combined them all into one.

I had such fun baking and cooking with my mom in her kitchen, plus taking over 100 images of this fun-filled day.  I'm already planning on what to make next year, and hinting to my husband that it would be great to go up there in the fall!  Of course, next year it's liable to be snowing over Columbus Day weekend...


To see the next post about my Lake Bonaparte getaway, click here.


Previous Lake posts

Part 1 -- Autumn Lake Nature Walk
Part 2 -- Pontoon Panorama
Part 3 -- Saturday Scenes from the Boat


Capturing the moments of life.

Christine

Visit my website
Stop by my family blog
Find me on Facebook