Reflections from Crumbly Acres

Thursday, 26 July 2012

Muskoka Rocks Road Race

Hit the road in support of Camp Oochigeas! Here is a good cause I am happy to promote.

Registration is now open for the 9th annual Muskoka Rocks Road Race. The event will be held in Minett, Muskoka, on Sunday, August 5.

CAMP OOCHIGEAS 1984, Camp Oochigeas has been providing kids with cancer and kids affected by childhood cancer a unique opportunity for growth through challenging, fun, enriching and magical experiences.
Ooch could not offer this wonderful experience without the generous support of the Muskoka Rocks Road Races.

One hundred percent of proceeds will be donated to Camp Oochigeas, a camp for children affected by childhood cancer with facilities in Toronto at Ooch Downtown, SickKids Hospital, and at an overnight residential camp in Muskoka, Ontario. Over the past eight years, the race has raised more than $350,000, enough to cover the cost of sending one hundred children to camp.

The race is expected to have 500-600 runners including elite athletes, Muskoka celebrities and families alike. The event features a 10k run, 5k run/walk, and the Magical Muskoka 1k Kids Run. Both amateurs and elites now know the race, which runs through rolling cottage country, as one of the most difficult 10k runs in Ontario.

Now more than 100 volunteers and event sponsors come together, making the annual Civic Long Weekend event possible.

Camp Oochigeas does not receive any government funding and relies entirely on the generosity of donors and volunteers. “Camp Ooch is extremely grateful to Lynn and Laurel, the event sponsors, and participants who have provided crucial funding for almost a decade so that children from the Muskoka area and from across Ontario can experience camp while undergoing cancer treatment,” says Camp Ooch Executive Director, Alex Robertson. The race is set to kick off at 8:30 AM on Sunday, August 5 at the Peninsula Recreation Centre and a post race party with music and entertainment will be held in the same location. Click here: for registration.

View Larger Map Get Directions View Bird's Eye

My photo collection!

I have fun snapping photos of these. I'm up to 702 photos in this album. Isn't that silly? But it amuses me.

I can delete them off of my iPhoto application, knowing they are here when I want to look at them. I like to keep my saved photos at around 12,000. It's hard to delete photos of the grandkids, and the great memories. I have sold one photo of a horse and its rider, after covering the Coldwater Horse Show. She wanted an 8 x 10 for a keepsake. Does that make me a professional photographer?! It was lovely to help her out!

Coldwater Horse Show Videos | Coldwater Horse Show | Coldwater Horse Show

My daughter took this photo
of her children!
I photoshopped it!

For safety sake, I old post low resolution photos, as many are prone to stealing this intellectual property. Some even remove a pro's Watermark, and put in their own. Shameful. I don't know how the pros do it. It takes a lot of energy to market your photos, as well as ensuring they are not stolen. I just don't have it! As a teacher, I blogged with students in the 1990s, teaching them how to create web pages, take photos, and create a positive on-line persona, and how to avoid predators or bullying peers. I posted How-tos for my peers, had students teach my colleagues how to showing off their student's work. I enjoyed it very much, sharing my expertise. Now it is a hobby, with many, many wonderful blog buddies who celebrate each other's work or play.

These days I get 2 or 3 requests a day from publicists to read some client's book, and/or offering a promo contest for my readers. I just don't have the time to read them all! This is the issue with having a web presence.

I usually respond to it with this stock message:

Due to an increasing demand, several requests per day, I simply don't have the time to feature every request, nor check its veracity, nor read all the books publicists want to send.

Please be advised that I charge $50 for an adverpost. Profits go to my favourite charity, where I volunteer: Community Home Support & Hospice. I can post a short information piece, about 250 words, and hotlinks. If this is unsuitable, please remove me from your email list.

Tuesday, 24 July 2012

After the rains...

After a delightful morning at the beach, including a picnic, we had a massive set of three thunderstorms rolling through our locale. Everyone came out after the big wash of rain: critters, sun and brightly lit clouds.

As we drove home, the wind was blowing the meagre corn plants, as if their leaves were waving in the rain.

There is a total fire ban in southeastern Ontario.

You could hear the forest sigh as it began to soak up the rainfall.
For many, in places like Renfrew County, north west of us in Perth ,and Ottawa, it is too late. There are those that say that rather than Climate Change, it may well be a normal part of the weather cycle. That said, we can't back off the actions that waste fuel and put pollution into our atmosphere.

Renfrew County farmers warn their crops are in bad shape | Ottawa

Farmers in one eastern Ontario county say they’re experiencing a drought crisis as western Quebec braces for more weeks of drought. Renfrew County’s economy.

Level 2 drought declared in Renfrew County

Level 2 is declared if one-month precipitation falls to between 60 and 40 per cent of normal or when the three month or 18 month total precipitation is between 60 and 40 per cent of the average level. A Level 2 means that there are minor problems with the supply of water.

Renfrew is a county in the Canadian province of Ontario. In 2006, the population was 97,545 and county covered 7403.46 km2, giving a population density of 34.2 /sqmi. There are 17 official municipalities....

Open Wikipedia article

Monday, 23 July 2012

Don't fence me in, gate me!

We're looking at spending this month's pension on a new gate. The dang tourists come and visit, unannounced, on Sunday afternoons.
The photos for $20 sign didn't work. It might noe be obvious it is a private drive? I don't know. Many people on rural roads compalin about this.

Drives me nuts... and it's not a long drive. In fact, it's a 100m walk!
We spoke to our fence man, Scott Dobson, he is famous in these here parts. We are percolating some ideas.

Sunday, 22 July 2012

A wedding in Stewart Park in Perth

We were in at the Stewart Park Music Festival and had a grand time. Lots of people, kids, vendors, music!

But Stewart Park is a popular place for wedding photos. Now, on a day with the Festival going on, you'd think there might be problems with photography.
Not so.
The happy, beautiful couple caused passers-by to reflect. Like the stream flowing, they parted the waters as strollers waited for the photographer to get his shot, then they walked by.
Everyone was smiling.
One man shook the hand of the groom. Another spoke to the couple about the geology of the Tay River!

I knew there would be a wedding - white limo!

The bride was gorgeous, and her hair just so. But her shoes were clearly the hit of the day.
Her bridesmaids wore black dresses and red shoes. A great choice, as everyone needs a little black dress!
Even the guests were into taking their own photos! Of course, the mood of the day was all fun, with music and laughter. The women in the last photo, obviously wedding guests similarly looking fabulous, told me that the bride walked all the way from the church in her shoes!