The Old and the Restless

It was a dark and snowy day. Megan and Michael's  wedding took place at their farm near Markdale. This car is stuck! The bride returning from driving her parents' car out of the snow. Michael, Paul and Sandra pushed. Relaxing now, ready for everyone else to arrive. The groom relaxing before going to pick up the minister. Michael and the minister, Mark Waugh. Mark need a lift because his wife had taken the car to Fergus. Michael's mother, Pat Smart, arriving at the farm. Michael's father, John Smart, two days after a nasty fall wrenching his knee. He and Pat drove the 7 hour trip from Ottawa the day before the wedding. Pat preparing for the Old Testament reading from Isaiah. Sandra and Paul later read from Corinthians. It's about time... Explaining the ceremony.   "Then I say, then you say... " After the ceremony. The wedding documents are longer than an exam! Signing the registry.  Pat Smart signing the witness book. A toast to the wedding party. Say... yo...

We were invited for dinner with Mark and Margot so that we could see their newly finished basement with its beautifully refinished "historic" French doors. We stayed overnight in Barrie, 60 km north of Toronto, because Paul was concerned about driving back in the snow. Also... we had to try out the new shower in the basement in the morning. Joshua relaxing after breakfast. Busy mother Margot. She said that she hadn't had time to do her hair yet. Later, when it was done, it still was spiky in the back, but the front part hung over her right eye, not her left. Ella did not want to let go of the tree. The same day it was sunny at Megan and Michael's house in Toronto with no sign of snow. I rode my bike to the grocery store. A carpet of colourful fall leaves in Megan and Michael's back yard.

On November 6 we were invited to Daryl and Jane's for a lovely lunch and a walk in Niagara-on-the-Lake. We left Toronto in the sun but the closer we got to the lake, the more we found fog. Jane and her garden for all seasons. The fog did not extend as far as Daryl and Jane's house. Daryl and Paul in deep conversation. No sun, some fog, but still a good walk. The path ahead. Looking down towards the Niagara River. Even though the sun was not out, there was still lots of leaf colour in the "banana belt".

No new photos; however here are the results of some things I learned at a Photoshop Elements course this week. Here is the original photo of Michael at the Thanksgiving dinner. What is missing? The background could be improved. Eliminate the refrigerator and toaster. An original picture of Joshua with the flash shadow. Besides being cropped, what else is missing in this picture? I have been trying to discover how to get rid of a shadow like this for a long time.   No shadow and a better colour. An original picture of Daryl. Here is Daryl minus a few wrinkles, with a bit of a haircut, and without the shadow.