Sharon's Week 36: September Morn

I know that back to school happened here last week but for me, the return to my regular school schedule begins tomorrow.  That's when I begin working with kids every day rather than sit at my computer writing reports.  It's funny...I do look forward to the end of the school year when I can relax a bit and not have to be "on" all the time to keep the kids engaged while working towards our goals but I really look forward to getting back into it all in September.  I was not meant to be an office person, that's for sure.

I have had to think a lot about my career over the past few weeks as I had three opportunities to switch jobs within my organization and avoid all of the ongoing uncertainty around the school program and my job.  The first two chances I let slip by because I had little notice and I don't have a resume.  The third job opportunity gave me plenty of time to get organized and I did dig a little deeper into what it would mean if I did change jobs to work in the adult program but in the end I chose not to apply.  The final decision was a result of me realizing that I love working with kids.  They make me laugh out loud every day and I want to end my career (in seven years and 21 days, but who's counting?) laughing every day.  As it stands now with the upcoming changes, my job will likely be much different from what I am currently doing but it will be with kids and therefore, I will laugh.  That's all I need.

This week's photos were slim on the ground until Friday when I had one of my days off.  Then they multiplied.  Here we go.

wild card

This is one of my motion blur photos.  I have been looking for this composition for years (since I saw a similar photo in a photography book) but hadn't been able to find it:  a stand of birch trees with something colourful at their base.  As I was driving around St. Joe's Island Friday morning, I found this spot and proceeded to take a million photos while moving the camera up and down (even though I feel like the camera is moving the same way all the time as the shutter keeps clicking, it's amazing how many of these photos do not turn out).  I am glad nobody chanced to drive by and see me looking like I might be seizing by the side of the road.

6

We had a number and a letter this week.  Obviously I wasn't paying attention when I made the list.  I caught this 6 with a quick glance into the bushes as Pam and I walked on Whitefish Island.

stress

There are two different stresses going on here.  Levi does NOT love driving and would not get his licence if I didn't force him to.  That's number one.  Number two is that he is driving my three day old car.  Eeeek.

back to school

I had absolutely no ideas for this and then Pam said she assumed I would be doing something with pencils or crayons.  Thank you Pam!  I did get a new set of pencil crayons for the year and here they are.

silly face

What was I thinking?  I don't photograph people and especially not when I have to make them look funny.  I guess I was trying to challenge myself again but again, I weaseled out of it.  I believe that a turkey has the silliest face on any farm.

This goat licking his lips is pretty silly too.

H

I went up to Hiawatha thinking that I could find two trees beside each other with a fallen tree or a branch crossing them forming an H.  Maybe I chose the wrong hiking trail for this because such a thing was nowhere to be seen.  I changed tactics and decided that an H formed by branches against the bright blue sky with green and a few orange leaves would be perfect.  That too, was difficult.  I found this and shot it quickly hoping for better later but better didn't come.

harvest

I am nothing if not dedicated to my sunrises.  On Friday (my day off!), I set my alarm for 6:00 so I could head out to Echo Bay farmland for sunrise.  Unfortunately there was not a single cloud in the sky so sunrise was rather boring but I enjoyed my drive, a cup of yummy tea and the audiobook I was listening to.  There isn't any actual harvesting going on here but it is a farm and I assume harvest has happened or will happen at some point.  Those bales of hay must have been harvested, right?

Here are a few photos from a trip to Farmer Bob's with Pam, Duncan and Danica Friday night.