Balloon Chasing Three

Hot-air balloons almost always come down outside the city. That said, there have been times when the wind has died and stranded the balloons over the city. Out of fuel the pilots have landed in football fields, open stretches of residential roadway and even in large back yards.

The other night the balloons easily made it into the farm country. The problem with farms is that there may still be a crop in the field waiting to be harvested. Landing in the wrong field results in an angry farmer and a big expense to the hot-air balloon flight company.

This balloon is skimming over a field of beans, I believe. The pilot brought the balloon out of the field and landed it beside the barn where the pick-up vehicle was already waiting. No damage, no expense, no angry farmer. We might of even had a quite happy farmer, if the pilot and his passengers shared their champagne. (Champagne to celebrate a successful landing is a ballooning tradition.)

Boalloon Chasing

Balloon Chasing: One

Saturday I was on my way to Westmount Mall for jeans when I saw a couple of hot-air balloons over the southwest end of the city. I pulled over, and ran about looking for an angle. Remember, I have only a simple, six-year-old camera, lacking a zoom lens. This apartment building on Wonderland Road just north of Springbank Drive provided an interesting angle.


Liking my first picture, I decided to chase the balloons. They were floating out of the city. With sunset approaching, I thought I might get a fine shot of hot-air balloons against a crimson sky.

With sunset nearing, the pilot of the hot-air balloon began scouting a suitable landing site bringing the balloon down low over the open farm fields. I jumped from my car and headed into the field where I got this picture.


Comeback tomorrow to see how this all ended. (Or just go to Rockin'on: the blog or Rockin' On: Photography.)


Cheers,

Rockinon

My wife's favourite turkey...

Last Monday was Thanksgiving Day, but we're celebrating the holiday almost a week late. This morning my wife and I picked up our turkey from the Oegema Turkey Farm on highway 4 just north of Talbotville. My wife insists on a fresh, never frozen, bird.

This isn't the best idea. Fresh birds, unlike frozen, can be bruised in shipping. Oegema raises the turkeys right there. Place your order by phone and the bird is waiting for you. It's perfect . . . well, almost. After my wife has roasted it, it's perfect.

See what is in the works on Digital Journal. This should link to some images taken yesterday in London.

It's snowing!

"It's snowing! It's snowing!" My wife was like a little kid last night. The sight of the first snowfall does that to her; she reverts to childhood. You would think she was about to head for the front yard and make a snowman. But, she is old enough to be retired and visions of snowmen don't dance in her head for long. Soon, her thoughts turn to shovelling, and snow tires — or lack of snow tires — and piles and piles of brown, wet slush.

Me? I'm a photographer. "It's snowing! It's snowing!"

. . . in a pear tree

I have to give my wife credit for spotting today's picture. She saw the pear tree, burdened with fruit but almost devoid of leaves, as we travelled south on Colonel Talbot Road toward Lambeth. From a distance the ripe pears hanging on the bare limbs looked like decorative Christmas ornaments.

The little fox was a blur.

It's not the best picture of a little red fox. I could have done better if I'd had a longer lens. But, I'm still pretty happy with the image. I think my little watch-pocket-sized camera performed admirably.

I live in a suburb of London, Ontario, almost at the southwestern edge of the city. I say almost as there has been development since moving here. Near my home there is a large open field which may never be built on; reportedly, it once was a garbage dump. At one end of the field there are methane vents lending credence to the dump story.

The field attracts mice. The mice attract hawks and foxes. Now, to get a picture of a hawk. (First, I will have to buy a new camera. To learn what two camera have my eye check my Rockin' On: Photography blog.)