Speaking of brass monkeys ...

I can state with certainty that I am not now, nor am I likely to become, a member of a polar bear club. You know, those people who think it's a lark to go out on New Year's Day and plunge into a hole hewed out of the ice in nothing more than a bathing suit. Having said that, I did find myself outside very early this morning in weather that would have prompted owners of brass monkeys to have brought them indoors. It was -26C and for those who keep score in Fahrenheit, that's 15 below zero. Even Sasha decided that only fools would be out in those temperatures.

I seem to have standing orders to be awakened if there's the promise of a sunrise worthy of being captured on camera. There was enough time to acclimatize the camera and I spent about 40 minutes traipsing around the yard alternating between preventing frostbite in my fingers and capturing the amazing colours.

Sometimes you do what you gotta do ...

When the playing's done

Our son, daughter-in-law, and 2 year old grandson escaped winter's (rather loose) grip to come and visit us for a couple of weeks. Of course that entails visits to any place with slides and swings and things like that. Amidst the countless captures of family (naturally) there were also the occasional moments to capture a very brief moment of solitude:

(18-55mm  f5.6  1/50 sec  ISO200)

Now I couldn't let this opportunity pass without letting you have a peek at who's driving the daily agenda around here:

(70-200mm  f5.6  1/160 sec  ISO200)

(Day 327) Put up yer dukes

Or, put up at least one !

I have no idea what kind of crab this fierce-looking specimen is (I'm sure one of the Florida-resident bloggers will let us know). We found him/her along with a few buddies near the shore of one of the many inlets of the Caloosahatchee River (what a cool name !) when we were out for a walk this morning. Every few seconds they'd raise their big claw in the air and snap at some imaginary (?) thing. Either that or they were spoiling for a fight.

(70-200mm  f11  1/100 sec  ISO200)

click on photo for a larger view

(18-55mm  f11  1/250 sec  ISO200)

looking at the inlet; the crab was found to the right of the walkway

(Day 260) Day at the spa

Friday Sept. 17, 2010

You would think that when you're on vacation on a sun-drenched island like Rhodes, you wouldn't also need to go to a spa - that would be over-kill, but that's exactly what we did today. However, the spa, located in Kalithea, hasn't been used as such since the 1960's. It was built during the 1920's by the Italians, who ruled Rhodes at that time. The setting, on a quiet bay, was stunning. The architecture of the buildings, with its many arches, and pergolas, was beautiful - a photographer's paradise; so beautiful in fact that it was used as a location for a number of Hollywood movies in bygone years - and for 3 weddings on this day ! I could post many photos I made here today, but will leave you with this one. Perhaps you'll put it on your list of places to visit some day.

(10-22mm  f8  1/800 sec  ISO200)