Blog Archives - Dick MacKenzie

Dick MacKenzie

Full moon

8/30/2015

The full moon last night was a beauty, rising bright through the trees and above the lake.

We have had smoke in the air the past couple days - from distant forest fires, I assume. I wonder if that accounts for the brilliant orange color.

Friends, what did the moon look like where you were?

I need to buy an additional tripod - one to keep at home and the other to store at camp. As happened last night, I'm often one place and the tripod at the other.

On the other hand, a few months ago I bought a small tripod that I carry in my camera bag for just such situations - and forgot about it until just now as I was writing this. I have never used it. There must be some little smart alec jibe in there about one tripod short of a brain.

Anyway, here are a couple shots I got while trying to stand still.

A little lean

8/29/2015

"Nah, " I told myself. "A little lean is probably a good thing. Rain will run right off. "

I noticed my homemade firewood rack wasn't quite level before I spent part of the afternoon stacking half a cord of split logs in it. It was the second of two identical racks beside the steps outside the door that I filled up, dreaming with every stick of the glorious fires to come as winter settles in.

Finally evening tapped me on the shoulder and persuaded me to pour a glass of wine and stoke up a cigar.

As Mary and I lounged contentedly in the palace, planning supper and dreaming of the hot tub to follow we were startled by an earthquake - or a very close thunder boom. Or maybe a train derailment somewhere up the line.

In a matter of seconds our puzzled expressions transformed into an "ah" moment as we hustled over to check the stash.

And there was the proof that a little lean to an 8' X 5' rack of firewood does too make a difference.

Thistle

8/29/2015

I think if a thistle could whistle it would sound like a saxophone.

Big table

8/29/2015

No wonder I need a big table... within just a few minutes I can clutter an area like a champion of chaos.
Here's my sitting spot in the palace - glass of wine, glass of ice tea, camera, binoculars, kindle, pen and paper, fly swatter, speaker with music on the side, dogs at my feet.
The barbecue is just a few steps away in case of a hunger attack.
Sometimes it seems the only good reason to get up is to toss another log into the hot tub stove for later when the evening chill creeps in.
There's lots of work to be done, I am reminded. But, heck, we're only in year six of a 30-year project, so...
Merlot.

How much corn

8/21/2015

Mary helping with supper preparations wondering how much corn would a mother shucker shuck if a mother shucker would shuck corn.
I don't have a quick answer. I'm thinking a burger will make an easier Friday evening.

Pancakes in the Palace

8/16/2015

Sunday morning pancakes in the palace. Our friend Steve Nicholson spent the weekend with us at camp. He poached the eggs while I cooked up the bacon and flap Jacks on the bbq for a breakfast treat that will surely destroy any semblance of sensible dieting during this visit. I feel so guilty that I've agreed to join Steve tomorrow for a round of golf to work off today's piggery.

Saturday evening

8/9/2015

Saturday evening sliding into sunset... view from our lakeside bar at camp.

Viewed through the stem of a wine glass

8/4/2015

In the middle of a work afternoon at camp I was overcome with the beauty of our lake viewed through the upper stem of my wine glass.

Gardening and pancakes

8/3/2015

Tomato luck isn't with me this year. Our little garden at camp has started producing a few on the vine, but I think we'll be ripening most of them on the kitchen counter after frost hits. They are late, and not bountiful.

Lettuce, chard, and zucchinis... wonderful year for them. We're eating green these days and happy about it. (I have a little formula that allows me to dish up some ice cream after a garden salad).

Sioux Lookout has almost 6000 happy fingers today. Our Rotary club served 600 pancake breakfasts this morning. I poured coffee at the tables for most of the diners and by closing time at 11 o'clock we had only a handful of scalded digits. I'm hoping the Tim Horton's scouts were in the house. I may have a bright retirement future as a coffee pourer.

The weekend of our disconnect

8/3/2015

We were without cell/Internet at camp all weekend. Hardly the end of the world, but a little bit inconvenient - especially if Publishers Clearing House was trying to call us for delivery of a million bucks.

It's funny how we forget... Saturday morning we wondered what the weather would be. Normally I'd just check the forecast using my cell phone. Part way through the afternoon - hours later - I had a brilliant idea. "Hey, why don't we turn the radio on and listen for the forecast..." That's a duh moment.

We fired up the table on the Palace deck for the first time. The evening was cool enough for pleasure of the heat, and the full moon peeking through the clouds of our southern sky was a treat.

I've been a good boy, more or less, so treated myself Saturday night to barbequed tenderloin and baby potatoes served in a cast iron sizzler. That was pretty special. I'm either going to behave myself again soon so I can do it another time, or just cheat and do it anyway.

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