Daily Photo 2022: Mar. 16-31
In the early 1940s Aaron Copland composed a ballet called Appalachian Spring. Listening to it, you can easily imagine plants sprouting and deer frolicking... The only problem is that it's all a lie.
Copland wasn't picturing anything especially Springy when he wrote it. The title was stuck onto the music afterwards. Even that was a misapplication; in its original poem the line "Appalachian spring" refers to a water-spring rather than the season. Regardless, people have pictured prancing antelopes ever since the song came out, and it proved so popular it won a Pulitzer Prize.
Likewise, calling this a post about Spring is rather misleading. That theme only emerges in the latter half of it.
2022 March 16
Nothing shouts "Spring!" like a razor... Erm... Maybe nothing doesn't shout "Spring!" like a razor. Anyway, I think it looks cool. The devices are seeing a slight resurgence this season; Nova Scotia has dropped its mask mandate, so some guys are back to sporting a clean face.
Olympus E-PL9, 60mm macro lens
f22, 6 secs, ISO 800
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
2022 March 17
I figured I would take a photo of some beer for Saint Patrick's Day. While I did do that, at the end I thought this top-down view of the sudsy glass made for a more compelling photo.
Olympus E-PL9, 60mm macro lens
f2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO 6400
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
2022 March 18
Perhaps the other climbers saw a little too much green for Saint Paddy's. The next day was the quietest one I've ever had at the climbing gym. For much of my session there was just me and one other person! It afforded me a rare opportunity to snap a large-scale view of the place.
Palm PVG 100: f2, 1/33 sec, ISO 1000
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
2022 March 19
I sometimes go grocery shopping. This shot shows the results of a somewhat typical haul. I suspect that I eat more peanuts, trail mix, and asparagus than most people.
Olympus E-PL9, 12-200mm telephoto lens
f5.1, 1/60 sec, ISO 6400
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
2022 March 20
To me this looks like a closeup of a cozy sweater. It's actually a very-closeup of my dishcloth.
Olympus E-PL9, 60mm macro lens
f22, 4 secs, ISO 800
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
2022 March 21
Recently I have been attempting to learn Italian. In the furtherance of my cultural absorption, I bought an espresso maker and some adorable tiny cups. I don't particularly like coffee, though, and espresso isn't much better. Here's hoping things improve as I get more practice. Incidentally, the Italian translation for "yuck" is "puah".
Olympus E-PL9, 60mm macro lens
f2.8, 1/125 sec, ISO 6400
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
2022 March 22
The espresso may be a work in progress, but I have had no trouble getting behind the Italian tradition of eating tasty desserts. This is a lemon cookie. It goes well with espresso... Or any other drink!
Olympus E-PL9, 60mm macro lens
f22, 2.5 secs, ISO 800
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
2022 March 23
"When they are flecked with brown and have a golden hue, bananas taste the best and are the best for you!" - Chiquita Banana
I'm not sure the health bit is entirely correct. As they ripen, bananas become sugarier. The difference is significant enough that it affects how much insulin a person with diabetes needs to take! By the time I got to the end of my bunch, they were flecked with brown, sweet, and oh-so tasty.
Olympus E-PL9, 60mm macro lens
f22, 6 secs, ISO 800
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
2022 March 24
One last food-photo. Here's the spear of an asparagus. As I see it, asparagus are proof that extraterrestrials exist. They seem so otherworldly.
Olympus E-PL9, 60mm macro lens
f22, 8 secs, ISO 800
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
This is the point at which I join Mr. Copland in slapping a name onto my theme after the fact. My sister sent the family a card for the game of Springo. It's like Bingo, but with Spring-items.
2022 March 25
The first square I filled in my Springo card is row two, column two: umbrella in action. I took this from my window as quick as I could when I noticed the bright-yellow rain-shield, and just barely caught it before the person walked into the building next door.
Olympus E-PL9, 12-200mm telephoto lens
f5.6, 1/400 sec, ISO 1600
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
2022 March 26
Row three, column one of Springo is new tree bud. I took this photo in the Public Gardens. I did not think to check which type of tree it was...
Olympus E-PL9, 60mm macro lens
f6.3, 1/250 sec, ISO 200
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
2022 March 27
I took this picture on my way to the climbing gym. Several people who live on Jubilee Road have crocuses in their front gardens. That's rather convenient, since the Spring-heralding flower is found on row five, column three.
Olympus E-PL9, 60mm macro lens
f2.8, 1/100 sec, ISO 6400
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
2022 March 28
As a rule, I avoid photographing litter. Row four, column two, however, is garbage that was under snow for months. This bolt certain seems to have spent some time beneath an incredibly dirty snowbank on the Halifax Boardwalk.
Olympus E-PL9, 60mm macro lens
f4, 1/800 sec, ISO 200
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
2022 March 29
Next we shift over to row two, column three, for sprout. I wonder what these fingerlike ones will grow into? I found them in the planter box in front of the Halifax Folklore Centre at the corner of Brunswick and Doyle Streets.
Olympus E-PL9, 60mm macro lens
f2.8, 1/500 sec, ISO 500
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
2022 March 30
Feather is at the lower-left of the Springo card, in row five, column one. I found this one in Victoria/Bobby Burns Park. Did you know that feathers are vaguely fractal? The shaft of a feather is called its rachis, and off of that grow dozens or even hundreds of barbs. On each barb grow hundreds or even thousands of tiny barbules which hook onto each other like Velcro.
Olympus E-PL9, 60mm macro lens
f4, 1/60 sec, ISO 200
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
2022 March 31
Row two, column one is V of returning geese... I don't think this counts! To finish off the month I went on a small adventure: I took the ferry across the Harbour to Woodside. I went to a Value Village there, where I bought this loosey-goosey sugar dish. It reminds me of my Nanna's dishes, which feature similar geese. I also tried a local restaurant, Charger, and visited a game store, HFX Games. At the Charger I ordered onion rings with my chickenburger. When the server handed it to me she said, "That's not enough onion rings. I'll bring you more!" Talk about excellent service!
Olympus E-PL9, 60mm macro lens
f2.8, 1/160 sec, ISO 6400
IrfanView: Crop, Colour
Below is my Springo card as it stands currently. I've used the magic of photo-editing software to colour the squares I've competed. I look forward to continued Springo-ing in April. If it does indeed have showers, perhaps I will see a worm.
