Spring Cleaning, and Sweet Times...

I’m enjoying the free time that I’ve had for the last few weeks. It’s given me a chance to reconnect with my family, and catch up on things around the house (Speaking of catch, I played catch with Jordan yesterday! Beautiful evening! Spring is here!).
Anyway, last weekend I spent a lot of time cleaning my workshop which has been totally neglected. I’m trying to get things in order before Sue and I head out camping this summer. I got rid of 15 gals of old paint, and a trash barrel of do-dads and thinga-ma-jigs that I thought would come in handy some day. Rube Goldberg would be rolling over in his grave. I also burned 4 bags of old paper (do I really need bank statements from 1987?), and old scrap wood. The shop isn’t done, but I can actually find a hammer now! Another weekend of cleaning and even Norm Abrams would be proud. I used to collect all this junk thinking it would be useful someday. Ya never know when you need a watcha-ma-callit. Well, it got to the point that I just didn’t have time to look for that watcha-ma-callit, so I’d buy another. And I used to think I’d spend my later years (much later), putzing around the workshop banging nails into wood, and drilling holes, and sawing things, and somehow trying not to injure myself. But photography has just taken over that creative need, and I find myself wanting to build things less and less. I just love getting out into the fresh air and making photos.
So, in between sniffing paint to see if it was still good, and organizing screws and nails, Sue and I went over to my father-in-law, Ernie Bolduc's, maple sugar house to watch them make syrup. Bolduc Farm on Morrill St. in Gilford, is the oldest continuously-operating maple sugar house in the country. It has been producing maple sugar and syrup since the late 1700’s. Here are some shots from the maple sugar shack:

Back o' the shack,  3/11/12

Armand Bolduc checking the consistency



Laconia City Councillor Armand Bolduc,
and Gilford Public Works Director Sheldon Morgan
(This shot made the front page of the Citizen on 3/12)



Armand Bolduc testing the syrup

  

Sheldon Morgan(L), and Ernie Bolduc (R)
filtering the syrup

Ernie Bolduc



Laconia City Councillor Bob Hamel



Shot of the shack from Nov 2010

 

Front of the shack taken in Nov 2010


I even got to have some of Ernie's pancakes with FRESH maple syrup. MMMMMMM-Good! Just another great day experiencing what New Hampshire has to offer!

Have a great day yourself!
Em

Ahhh.. Saturday!

It's been two weeks since I actively stopped covering sports for the Citizen. And I'm just starting to catch up with life. Had an awesome time last weekend with Mom and Sue. Got to do one of my favorite things, (drive around lake Winnipesaukee) and stop at one of my favorite hangouts on the water in Wolfeboro (Garwoods). Sat in the sun by the window, drinking a Sam's winter ale, and watched 2 sets of bald eagles soaring around the water. Really beautiful.

We enjoyed watching them until some guys on snow machines skimmed and scared them off.  Crazy bastards. Fun to watch, but I can't figure out the physics of it.

 It was a wonderful weekend!

What else? Sue and I set up for my gallery showing at the Gilford Public Library. It will be there for the entire month of March. 31 Potter Hill Rd, Gilford, NH. I was honored to be invited to show my work.

Here is a press release in the Laconia Sun.

I was psyched to see that I had 715 individual hits yesterday on my website! Thanks for all your support everybody! I hope you enjoy looking at my work. I love what I do and hope it makes you smile!

Oh! Yesterday I received my first big print order. 16 prints! 5 12 x18's and 11 24x30's. Took them to the framer to get matted and framed. Was shocked to hear they were matted by last night. Now I have to go sign them before they are framed. I know what I'll be doing tomorrow : practicing my signature. Problem is that it is different every time I sign my name. Maybe I'll have to get a stamp! Or Sign it 'X'. I think my signature is fancy...Sue says it's messy. I should have been a doctor. :-)

As I said, I've been trying to catch up on life...Off to Maine shortly to see my sister and brother and the rest of the fam for our Christmas get-together...What is it? March 3rd? Well, not just my fault...We've all been busy or sick or whatever...Anyway, looking forward to getting together. Always a fun time.

Hope you have an awesome weekend too!

'X' (em)