news

Exciting news was received today. Brad has traveled three-quarters of the way across Canada from the east coast (Nova Scotia) and is one time zone away. After he visits family in Alberta he will be Vancouver bound. More I will not say at this point. You'll all just have to wait!

The weather continues to be sunny and hot during the day. Its expected to get hotter on Sunday, the day of the pride parade, but that's good since summer doesn't last long enough anyway. The plans are to attend the parade Sunday. More news on that later.

Meantime, enjoy your weekend what ever you choose to do with your time. I hope its fun and safe! More later! - V

hot weather and grooming

The other day I decided to shave my underarms and balls with the hot weather we're having. I also trimmed my pubic hair. I also shave my body hair but leave the hair on my legs and forearms. Its in part to stay cooler and esthetically pleasing in such weather or at any time of the year, something I've been doing for over 20 years. It also keep hair from collecting in corners and along the baseboard in the apartment, especially the bathroom. I'm the one that has to clean up, at least for now! A haircut is next in line. That's likely happening this weekend after some delays.

The pride parade is on Sunday which I intend to go to once again. Expect some awesome photos from the event plus from what ever is happening at English Bay and Sunset Beaches. So, whats new in your world??? - V

Belcarra to Sasamat Lake - Part II - Woodhaven Swamp to Sasamat Lake

Here is a selection of photos taken of the remainder of the hike, that portion from Woodhaven Swamp to Sasamat Lake. I found some spider webs and took advantage of the photo opportunity in both instances.
The reflections in the water at the swamp caught my interest too. Here are some of the best images to capture your interest.
The second spider web I found is in the image above plus I also found some moss growing on some of the trees though much of it is drying up because of our dry summer.
The flower above almost looks like its floating in the air. It isn't, of course, but that's the illusion! Below are some photos taken on the western end of the swamp. These are of the dead, bleached trees taken against the blue sky. We hadn't seen much blue sky until that weekend (July 10).
A trail marker is pictured above and below you can see one of the bear warning signs. I didn't see any this time nor in the past.
The illuminations of the trail and plants caught my interest, so I took a few interesting shots. They are posted here for you to view.
A log along the trail was found to be covered in all sorts of ferns and other plants, a usual sight along the way.
Above is the Belcarra village sign and below another view of the blue sky on the trail along Bedwell Bay Road.
I love the view of running water and the sound it makes. I'll let you guess at what I found swimming in the water. Take a guess!
I only got to see part of the loop that runs around Sasamat Lake but the southwestern part was worth it. Check out the photos of White Pine Beach on the north eastern shore of the lake, someone swimming across the lake and a boater on the water. The mountains around the lake all have trails, some with some excellent views. Something to consider for the future.
The photo above shows someone swimming across the lake.
Above is one of many boaters on the lake and below is a shot taken from a floating bridge across the southern end of the lake. I hope you've enjoyed these images. Feel free to comment! - V

cooling off

With the summer heat being what it is here in the northern hemisphere, choose a way to cool off, whether its by the pool, at the beach, on your patio or what ever but do it with a smile! Have a great Sunday, guys!!! - V

Sasamat Lake

I still have a third of my photos to edit but here is an unedited image I took of Sasamat Lake during that July 10th hike. There will be more photos coming up in a post soon but enjoy this one in the interim. Have an awesome day, guys! - V

family research

The other day I was doing some research on Brad's surname, its meaning and where the name originated. Without revealing the name (Brad hasn't given his permission as yet) all I can say is that the name is of Acadian French background and the meaning has something to do with valleys, or the people of the valleys. One possible source is Normandy and another is the old French province of Dauphine. Think of Grenoble and you've got the centre of that old province in southeastern France. When Brad permits me to post more details, I'll have a lot more to say.

My own surname is of German background. My ethnic heritage is not solely German but there is also Polish and Old Prussian in the mix. Both sides of my family, paternal and maternal, come from what was eastern Germany before 1945. My father was born in 1913 in a village east of the city of Allenstein, now Olsztyn in northeastern Poland. I have worked on my family tree and history for some years. A line on my paternal grandmother's side was traced back to the 1620s, which is remarkable given the number of wars that have occurred around Europe in the intervening years. My surname actually originates from the Salzburg region of Austria. An ancestor left Austria in the late 18th century and settled in a place northwest of Koenigsberg, now Kaliningrad in the Russian Oblast of Kaliningrad. The family spread southward from there. The aftermath of WWII sent most of my family westward and spread them across western Germany, those that survived the war. Its a long, sad story and war is never pleasant for any one regardless of which side is involved.

At one time when people didn't move around as much, certain surname where common in certain regions of Germany, so that one could tell whether the origin was the Rhineland, Bavaria or the Prussian lands (East and West Prussia) as an example. It was also possible to tell the type of work that ancestor did for a living, or the height, and so on.

I'll have more on family history and research in general at a later date. Brad might want to hear more, so who knows what more you might learn about the Acadians and the French in general. Keep coming back for more on this! Its off to bed now. Morning is coming soon enough! - V

Scott Herman in Cosmopolitan Magazine

My friend Scott Herman sent me an email this past week letting me know that he's on page 72 of the latest issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine. Check him out and perhaps the rest of the magazine too! For those interested the online link for the magazine is here. You might find a few things of interest though this is mostly a magazine geared toward women. The weekend is almost over, and for some of us it already is, so have a good one and a great week as well!!! - V

Scott Hoover Photography

My friend Scott Hoover has allowed me to post some of his photos for your benefit and enjoyment. I've chosen some with a summer theme for this post but there will be others later. I asked him about his model shoots and what he looks for in a model. Here's what Scott had to say about the former, the shoots:

"I do not usually plan out my shoots in advance but prefer to make it up as I go along. A great model inspires me to try new ideas out and it just comes about as we shoot."

The Scott had this to say about what he looks for in a model:

"Great face is first and foremost for me. Yes, I shoot a great deal of body oriented images but my real focus is always how the face looks...how the eyes catch the light, the expression. I like to move around a lot...when I shoot that way, I get real reactions and non-posed shots. I do like to pose models in certain positions at times but the shots that happen naturally are my favorites. I don't think I could ever work in a studio with lights and assistants and too many people around. I like it to be just me and the model."
His photography is in both colour and black and white. There are examples of both here. So, if you're a model looking for a photographer or an agent looking for one to photograph one of your hot models, you can check Scott's website for more information and certainly more images: Scott Hoover Photography. If you're in the Los Angeles, California area, you can surely look him up easily. Meantime, enjoy these images and feel free to comment. - V

gout

Well, I've got a few blog posts in mind but a recent gout attack has postponed them until I get better. To make a long story short, a gout attack is set off by stress. I won't go into the details but this is not the worst one I've had within the last ten years but its bad enough when your foot is swollen and there is difficulty walking. I'm expecting to get a new prescription for anti-inflammatory medication on Saturday. The last prescription dates from October 2006, which is the last time I had a major attack. That time it was a medication my doctor was giving me that brought on the attacks. When that medication was no longer taken, the gout symptoms subsided. Currently I'm taking aspirin which only dulls the pain and does nothing for the swelling. The new posts should come along on the weekend. Hope all is much better with you, guys! - V

Belcarra to Sasamat Lake

Saturday's hike up the Springboard Trail began in Belcarra on Indian Arm. The trail went up the mountain in a zig-zag fashion and then leveled out. The first photo looks up into the tree canopy with the bright sunshine coming through. There are some flowers along the way such as Foxgloves (Digitalis) to brighten the walk.
I found it interesting how the sunshine would illuminate certain parts of the trail and took a number of photos along the way that showed this example. There weren't many trail markers but there was this one about halfway to the Woodhaven Swamp. There was also a marker at the beginning of the trail in Belcarra.
Whether you consider them flowers or weeds, these yellow blooms cheer up the walk along the way. Below is a view down the mountain road. From here the trail levels out.
There is another canopy shot above, and below, I found lots of salmonberry plants but not sign of berries. On the other hand, I was eating huckleberries along the way. They are red and related to blueberries.
Here is another view along the road typical of the area and below I took a good shot up toward the crown of a conifer tree along the road. The trail runs roughly parallel to the road and meets it at some points. The next post will feature some shots taken at the Woodhaven Swamp. Look for them! - V