Bucket Lists

 I have a Bucket List and a Photo Bucket List. 

I revised my Bucket List. The old list only had one thing crossed off!

Old List

1. Ride in a convertible...I did this twice. 

2. Beach Boys or Moody Blues Concert...Bee Gee's would have been on the list but only Barry is left.

3. Play in the World Series of Poker

4. Go on a Cruise in the Caribbean

5. Go to Finland for a sauna

New List

1. Visit Morden Manitoba Canada Display Gardens some year when it rains.

2. Visit the Peace Gardens

3. Learn to spin

4. Visit the church in Annandale Minnesota that my Great Grandfather helped to build

5. Spend two months in Hawaii during the winter.

This is the old church I longed to see in person.  On one of the recent trips to Minneapolis we did a slight detour...went early and visited the church and then went on to stay overnight in a hotel near the clinic. 

The church was originally built in French Lake Minnesota in 1896 -1897 and it was donated and moved to Annandale Pioneer Park in 1975.  My Great Grandfather Isaac Yliniemi was one of the founding members.

I was thrilled to see the church in person! 

If you have a bucket list...are you revising your list..or are you managing to cross some things off? 

Far Side

Photo Bucket List: Baby Buffalo

I played driver yesterday, it was a cloudy day and I knew the sunflower field was in full bloom.  I could double back for photos after I dropped Far Guy off at his Physical Therapy appointment or “learn how to walk properly with a walking stick session.”

On the way into town I saw that the Buffalo (Beefalo most likely) were grazing in the field next to the sunflowers…JACKPOT.   If only the herd stayed put until I got back.   They were even near the approach where I could park the car.

Far Guy told me to “be careful” about five times….either he repeats himself a lot or he thinks I pay no attention to him.

I stayed near the car, the buffalo were quite curious about me…oh I wanted to get closer to that fence…but I have great respect for buffalo and not much faith in that fence…even if it is electrified. (Falling in the lake and getting trampled by a buffalo all in one week did not appeal to me.)

Low and behold there was even a baby…he was on my photo bucket list.  I had photographed one at the Zoo in Winnipeg…now I have a photo in a field…maybe next in the wild…who knows.

Buffalo butts and a baby.

another baby

Jackpot!  Buffalo on one side and Sunflowers on the other. 

What a perfect morning taking photos.  I had one thought…what if I went into the sunflower field and then took a photo…would I get sunflowers and buffalo? My second thought was “tresspassing” so I remained on the road right of way. Sensible decision.

Photo Bucket List: Flax

I have a photo bucket list.  One of the things on that list was to photograph a field of Flax. 

Yesterday Chance had to go out early so after he did his business we headed out.  My other baby brother told me about a field up on the prairie.

Flax only blooms for part of the day.

I will wait a few days and go back again.  There are new flowers everyday…until it is bloomed out and the seed heads are formed.

Flax fields are rare in this area. Of course there are different kinds of Flax…oilseed or linen seed.  The oilseed type can be used to make a flour, as a cattle feed or pressed for their oil.  The linen seed type can be used to make  fiber that can be spun …it is called linen (The stalks are dried and pounded and the fibers spun.)

It has been 60 years since I first saw a Flax field south of Lake Park Minnesota late one Sunday morning on my way to Uncle Theron and Aunt Skip’s house.  I have never forgotten what a beautiful sight it was.

Baby Buffalo and Lightning are still on my photo bucket list.

We have smoke in the air from the fires in Canada.

Photo Bucket List

This year I hope to make some photographic progress.  Taking more photos in manual mode and reading my owners manual.

That baby buffalo is still on my list as is lightening.  This year I want to add Northern Lights, Perseid meteors in August and mountains somewhere.  A Moose and an Elk or two would be good also.  I read in the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer that Golden Eagles are in the bluff area of Minnesota.  We saw a Golden once in early spring…I was not fast enough to photograph it.  I would also like to snap a photo of one of those Cardinals that are along the river in Park Rapids.

I think it is good to dream.  I rarely go anywhere without a camera. You can’t take a photo if you don’t have a camera.

I have a Canon Point and Shoot that fits in my pocket.  It takes okay photos…not as good as the big girl camera, but I won’t leave my big girl camera in the car in the extreme cold or extreme heat…or for someone to notice and steal. 

What I have learned over the past year:

Never exit a vehicle with your camera bag unsnapped.  I was getting lax about that…and then Jen called with news that her bag was unsnapped and her camera flew out of the bag and Andy drove over it.  Smashed it to smithereens.  Now that is a sad thing.  She also braved the water in a kayak on Lake Superior with her big girl camera. She is a gutsy photographer. ( Andy said he was sure she and her camera were going for a cold swim that day.)

It is really nice to have someone especially a daughter share your passion for photography. She will often say “Lets go take photos Mom.”

Patience.  You have to have a fair amount of patience and time to just wait.

Patience photographing wildlife. Hoping for one great shot!

Patience waiting for the light to be just right or for rainbows to form.

For Lady Slippers to bloom.

Seeing how many Orioles you can get in one photograph.

Most of what I photograph is right in the yard…or within a few miles of home.

All my photos are backed up to two simple save devices and to disk..but I am way behind on my disc back up…I have to purge some photos first.  I save way too many photos.  I have to learn to save only the best!  I absolutely love the digital age of photography.

We are fine, yes it is freaking cold. The HIGH yesterday was –14 F or –25C.  Wind chills are brutal.

Bucket List Update

I first wrote about my bucket list in January of 2008. Here is the list:

"The Bucket List" has spurred me on to make my own proverbial list before I kick the bucket.


#1 Go for a ride in a convertible, with sun glasses on and a long scarf blowing in the wind..this should not take place in sub zero Minnesota weather..picky aren't I ?
#2 Go to a Beach Boys or Moody Blues concert..The Bee Gees would have made this list..but Maurice kicked the bucket.
#3 Play in a World Series of Poker Tournament
#4 Go for a cruise in the Caribbean ...and not hear one complaint from Far Guy
#5 Go to Finland for a Sauna
Nope none of that sky diving, race car driving for me..I am going to wait until I get Alzheimer's to do those things.....:) What would be on your list?


Then In August of 2008 my niece Ellen gave me a ride in her convertible. Here is the story!


Then in July of 2009, Far Guy, Chance and I were in the "pee-raid" and I spent the afternoon in a convertible.

Did you notice anything? I seem to be stuck on number one. I am like a record stuck on an old phonograph, like a car stuck in a snowbank spinning it's wheels, like a little kid with his tongue stuck to a pump in the middle of the winter, like someone in quicksand..you know like in the old movies..someone gets stuck in the quicksand..then the music changes..and the hero comes riding up on his white horse in his white hat and ropes you in the first try and drags your sorry butt out of the quicksand pit.

Far Guy often makes lists, he actively works on them to see them to completion. He says I am not actively pursuing the things on my list..maybe not..maybe that is what is nice about my list..I am just waiting for life to happen..and to see if any of it just happens to be on my bucket list.  If I am stuck repeating number one, one more time I will just cross it off the list ( the third time is a charm) ..and put something else in it's place:)