to the zoo

last sunday's trip to the toronto zoo. this is a place that i would go to 6 days a week, if i could. well, maybe even 7 days a week. most of the animals were out and about, so it was a good day to do the walk around. the kids were good, too, which always makes for a better day; here are a few snaps from the day........
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freakishly large, yet beautiful animals to watch:

esme was our little map girl -- tour guide, so to speak -- which might explain why we went up and down the same paths so many times....

they were just so darn happy to be at the zoo........

lunch time for hugh....the 52 minute hot-dog......

these jelly fish were wicked to watch float around....strange little things....

there's esme back on the map, and hugh.....well, just hugh being hugh, i guess.....

esme and the camel......she was definitely more impressed than the camel was.......

hugh hid in this little cave type thing that i couldn't fit into, which he knew, which is why he's got that little expression on his face.....

on the trip home. 'twas a good and exhausting day.....

all pics, toronto, on

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no frills
aylmer, on

love - not a term i use loosely

ok. so maybe i do use it loosely. like really loosely. i love a lot of things: my kids, my family, the drive-by truckers, a fiftymen tune on the stereo while changing the oil in my truck (my truck that i love a lot); wakefield, quebec, and most people in wakefield; photography; and a lot of things i'm not ashamed to admit, too, like a refreshing g&t in a short glass on a hot summer day, or casual and random touches of the hand behind the bar while working with danny mombourquette (i know he loves that just as much as i do, too). there are just way too many things to "love", afterall.

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i know this crazy list goes on and on and that i "love" a lot of things....but ultimately, that which i love most, especially in pink..........my best friend, the love of my life, and my wife..............becki:

aylmer, on

mini photo essay #2 - wakefield chronicles part 1

the grand-daddy of all posts.....this would be the highest number of pictures i've ever posted at one time, but rather than just do one pic a day for the next 3 months, i figured i would do it all in one shot. i came home with so many pics, but the ones i decided to post are primarily of the people....the people that are so amazingly welcoming when i am there, the people that i love to spend time with when i am there. except joel turcotte. he hates me. i hate him too. whatever joel.

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canada day. love the fact that there was a guy walking down main with a canoe on his head.

this is alex. i tell you, if he learns to apply himself, works a little harder, stops drinking so doggone much, and gets a t-shirt that fits, he'll fit right in at the kaffe.......

this is danny. good ol' danny. i tell you, if he learns to apply himself, works a little harder, stops drinking so doggone much and keeping me up 'til all hours of the day, and stops eating on the job, he'll fit right in at the kaffe.......

two of my most favouritist people. jeff and leigh, leigh and jeff. love you and thank you.

whatever joel. why do you always have to look so sexy? this is joel and morgan. they just wouldn't leave. we asked them nicely, but they wouldn't leave......and then they kept coming back....

i loaned danny my point and shoot panasonic a few times....and he took some pretty wicked pics while he had it. this would be danny showing dale some of his handywork. i'm glad he enjoyed taking the pictures that he did.....he seemed to have a lot of fun doing it.......

some of the boys at the bar. from left: nick, paul, luc, claude. jeff took this pic first (go to http://wakefieldnoir.blogspot.com to check it out), and i like his better in b&w. but i still had to post this one, because, though the data shows you may have taken it first, i thought of it first.......you beat me to the punch this time, my friend, this time........

this is lulu. i find i take a lot of pics of lulu (she's a tough cat to expose for...). we spent a lot of time together on the front porch at 691. i asked her to smile, this is what i got.....

morgan and mark with their rock-star poses on canada day. wait....that's just morgan with a rockstar pose.....just throwing this out there, morgan......big fan.....throw it back if you want, put it on the back burner, let it simmer....but big fan.

the story worth telling has been told to anyone worth telling it to...but this pic of declan was taken after i discovered him walking down the road cursing and swearing loudly into his phone at joel, because joel abandoned him and left him to walk home. so, this pic is of declan needing a ride home at 6 in the morning. really funny story, you may have had to of been there......

joel turcotte might hate me....but i love him. he loved this one though, i can tell.....photo courtesy danny.....i tell you, if that guy on the left would learn to apply himself, just work a little harder, stop drinking so doggone much, get a t-shirt that fits, stop eating on the job, stop drinking on the job, stop staying up until all hours of the day......one day, he might just fit in at the kaffe....

mark....marker.....what can i say, man, i love you....and i haven't even had anything to drink yet. your a good guy, a stand-up guy for sure.

ahhhh, jeff....i just keep getting all these strange photos of you.....but i am going to give you credit on this one, becuase i am sure that, at this point, you were talking to crazy chester......

eli. silly eli wouldn't smile. sometimes the talent needs a little urging......

morgan / joel / mark. this pic (i'm talking to you now, mark) is simply to document and prove that there is a blinking issue, and "sparky-blink-mc-blinks-a-lot", is not only an affectionate nick-name, but is, in fact, quite acturate as well.

the last three standing, helping close the bar down at light-time. mark....i'm pretty sure you are still blinking.......

you, me, and the truck, my friend....so many good times with declan. this time however, i think he was upset with me because i was taking pictures from the relative dryness of the truck. "get out of the truck," i think is what he said, "and help with these fucking beer cases." i belive the count was 121 cases from canada day. or maybe that was just from turcotte's back deck. one or the other. can't remember.

dear, dear, wakefield, how i love you so. thanks again, and, more than likely, more pictures to follow. but i am home with the kids this week, and i think hugh just tried making himself some pancakes or something....i should check that out, and i'll see if i can get a pic of it and update you later.

all pics in wakefield, pq

a few hours at pinafore park

we spent a few hours at pinafore park in st. thomas yesterday. hugh hates the water. especially when it just jumps out of the ground at him.
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this was very much his preferred way to watch what was happening on the splash pad. i love how much esme and hugh get along, and how she is constantly watching out for her little brother. makes me very happy as a dad.

st. thomas, on

mini photo essay #1 - lorrie matheson

i had the great pleasure in meeting and rooming / talking with mr. lorrie matheson from calgary, ab. last week, and well, these are just a few of the many pics i took of him. he's a pretty photogenic guy, so i guess i just couldn't stop taking pics of him. in fact, it was pretty scary when i got home, downloaded the pics, and realized just how many pictures i now have of lorrie. that's for a different day, though. all photos are right out of the box, taken with the panasonic, thus the often times look of shock/surprise, and the inconspicuous ability to capture lorrie in his true elements.

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ahhhh, lorrie, how i miss you already......and we didn't even get to say good-bye.

i really wanted a close-up of his glasses. well, my friends, he didn't disappoint, and in fact, was very eager to oblige......

he was pretty hungry canada day......

still hungry on the second burger..........

finish her off with the chip bag combo, my friend.....i don't think he was getting upset with me at all.....very gracious of him to play the part.

lorrie, it was nice to meet you, and thanks for being such a good sport with a camera shoved in your face for the better part of three days. perhaps we'll see you around, and maybe i'll get a chance to hear you play. i promise i'll pay more attention to the memos next time. cheers.

wakefield, pq

portrait

after a recent trip to quebec, i am back in the position of having way too many photos to go through, and back in the position of way too many photos that i would like to post ("back"? no, not "back", for i never really left the "having too many" problem). this one is just a straight up shot of e.r.g.i. and h.d.k.i. at the toronto zoo yesterday. i love my kids.

toronto, on

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h.d.k.i.
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leave it to hugh to develop a rare skin condition requiring the use of anti-biotics. it's one for the books, folks, here's hugh and his "burned skin rash". oi.


sparta, on