Prairie Storms

 

The one thing that keeps me in great awe, it's the storms that I have witnessed in my time living outside of Calgary Alberta. The skies that go on forever, in all directions, become a canvas of nature. 

Sorry for the long extended absence from this site. Life has gotten in the way. Things change, locations change and yes, people change or have changed. in these past many months I have lost family, gained a few new family members. I've become a grandfather and in the coming days... I'll be ordained as a deacon with the Anglican Church. Maybe it's time that I get reacquainted with my old love... photography. Who know's what the good Lord is going to do for (with) me.

Cheers

A trip back home.

   I recently made a trip back to the city that I call home. It was to say the least, bitter sweet. The trip included visits to many old friends. A few that I know I will never see again. That was the toughest part of the whole trip.
   Then there was the unique opportunity to see my home town of Windsor as a tourists. To be honest with you it was the most photographs I have shot in a long, long time.

   This one photograph of the Detroit skyline is one of the best photos of the whole trip. I cannot begin to tell you how much I miss seeing this view!  

Cursillo

I have been going through an amazing spiritual journey these last few weeks. It started with Cursillo Calgary. Pictured here is my cross from that weekend. Then this past weekend it was a workshop put on by Promise Keepers Canada. (www.promisekeepers.ca )It has been a walk and a path of direction is becoming apparent. It looks like it will be an amazing journey.

and a new project begins....

I have been driving around the city of Calgary for quite a bit now. On a recent trip I was inspired and now I have made it my new project. The uncelebrated corner store. These are not the same as the ones in the little strip plaza. These are neighbourhood institutions that in some cases have been around for a generation, or two.

These were and are family run businesses. The person at the register would know your name, your brother or sister`s name and what brand of smokes your father smoked. That of course was at a time when as a kid, you could stop in a grab a pack of your father`s favourite brand and the clerk knew that your word was good enough and pass them across the corner.

I even remember going to the Starlite in Windsor and buying a bag of chips for fifteen cents. How`s that for dating myself. Anyways, I am using this topic for the start of a new photo series. Keep in touch and see what I come up with.

a friend and a hero

I used to be a member of the Moose Lodge here in Calgary. One of the highlights of being a member there was the day I met a wonderful lady who I now have the honour to not only call a friend, but a hero. Why do I call her a hero you ask. Well she works hard at telling the stories that needs to be told.

This photo is from a shoot for a project that she is currently working on. I have included a link to her web site. Check it out. I assure you that it is well worth the visit. http://www.phylliswheaton.com/

from Grandma...

Growing up, we usually found a pair of these under the tree on Christmas morning. The ones for us boys had a bow tie on the top. Our sister's had a flower. This was also the case in my cousin's house.

Then as my cousins and I got married and had kids, there would be a pair of knitted slippers beneath the tree for our wives and kids. All handmade by Grandma Burgess.

Well Grandma has been gone for a few years now. She's one of the many ghost's of my Christmases past, along with a long list of loved ones who made Christmas and Christmas mornings special. They live as fond memories that I will once again look back on this Christmas morning.

Now I have taken to going to winter craft shows in community centers or church basements looking, searching for slippers for the coming cold season. It was either this or hire some gray haired granny to make them for me. The fact that they are not wrapped to be found under the tree I will have to get over.

I will deal with that on Christmas morning. I will sit in my chair reflecting back on my Christmases past. I can still remember the tag signed, 'to David from Grandma with love.'

There