So....how was your weekend? Mine was good, thanks for asking!
I think I've finally gotten past that cold I had (you know, the one that everyone on the friggin planet seems to have had, or HAS!) - but I took most of Friday after the show to chill out and sleep. I think that's what did it - so I was up early on Saturday morning and headed out to shoot after the snow "storm" from the previous day -
Photo: Greg Kretschmar
I seem to always end up in the town of Rollinsford. It's next to my hometown and I have always loved the back roads and farms in that town. And this farm is one of my favorites. It sits on a road that was the first road I ever drove a car on by myself. I'll never forget that day and what it felt like. It was probably the first sense of "freedom" I've ever felt. Even if I was just 16.
It also happens to be the town where my favorite tree is....
Photo: Greg Kretschmar
And with the winter weather here, and Molly getting older (she's going to be 14 this year), Valerie decided she needed a coat.
It came in on Saturday morning and Valerie had to try it out on her. Molly didn't seem to mind it at all - so I guess she's good to go!
Maybe it's just me, but I think it kind of looks like an Army dogs coat. Don't know if it will help her sniff out explosives, but if it does- I'll consider that a plus.
Saturday afternoon was CLEAN OUT THE GARAGE DAY. Man, I don't know about you - but I cant take a messy garage. I don't like clutter. So Saturday was the post-xmas - "PUT IT AWAY OR THROW IT OUT" day!
There's no pics from it, but just know that I finally feel good about the space. That means every day when I pull into the garage after work - I don't get agitated by all the s*** hanging around..... haha -
We took my parents out for dinner on Saturday night to one of my favorite restaurants - Diverge, in Dover NH. I only take pictures of my food if the dish is killer - and this was-
Statler Chicken, with root vegetables, cranberries and more - surrounded by a delicious pastry ring. It was awsome!
My Mom took a pretty bad fall on Christmas Eve when she took a header in a parking lot. She got pretty banged up on her face, hands and leg, but thankfully nothing was broken!
This was one of the first time they've been out with us since - so it was good to see her moving again and having a good time!
Sunday morning - the plan was to hang in, but I woke up early and figured I might as well go out! So I headed to Plum Island and the Parker River Wildlife Reserve. I have been trying to catch a glimpse of - and photograph - a coyote or two. I'd been about 5 times lately, but came away with nothing each time. Well, that ended Sunday.....
I got watch this coyote go on the hunt -
Photo: Greg Kretschmar
Photo: Greg Kretschmar
The problem with being in a reserve like that is that once you see them, a crowd suddenly comes out of nowhere and some of them either don't know how to respect wildlife - or they just don't care. And when crowds form, that's usually when I back away. I don't like crowds of people with cameras jostling for position, driving quickly to get a parking spot in the area, or getting too close to the animal because they want "THE shot". I watched it come out of the brush into a field to hunt, and it was a good deal away from where I was. And as soon as the crowd started showing up (social media is like a hotline for this stuff) - a friend of mine and I moved out, and went a further distance away to watch it. Luckily- it ended up coming toward where we were and I got some shots I was happy with.
Don't get me wrong- I love people that want to photograph wildlife - I just don't like it when they don't show respect to the animal by trying to get too close or by creating a noisy disturbance.
As soon as the animal moved towards where we were- so did the crowd. And two minutes later- where my buddy and I stood by ourselves- we both had people at our elbows.
Those are the situations I don't like to be in. I do my best to avoid them, and shortly after it happened - I left. I have no problem with people who want to photograph wildlife. But I wish the ones who don't know how to be quiet, or know to give the animal its space and not interfere with it - would just stay home.
Anyway - Sunday afternoon - I was going thru the images and watching the Pats. Tough season comes to an end, but with the exception of the special teams play today- the Pats hung in there and put up a good fight.
But just like the season - it just wasn't good enough. Well, there's always next year....
And so here we are.....
In 8 or so hours, I'll be getting up and heading back in to work.....
So- I guess I'll see ya then!
Hope you all had a good weekend-
g