I decided to upgrade from the iPhone and family point-and-shoot camera. I originally wanted an intro level SLR, but instead decided on a Sony Alpha A5000 mirrorless camera – more compact than a DSLR with nearly the same quality. Ben and I have been playing around a bit with the camera – he posted a picture on his blog earlier this weekend. Here are two pictures that I was playing around with today. As a side note – taking pictures in RAW format and editing them on Lightroom is a significant improvement from editing JPEGs on GIMP. The only downside is that Lightroom doesn’t natively run on Linux and we only have Linux machines running right now.
Will working on sanding the legs for the bed frame he and I are making together. Always happy to be the subject of the camera.Flower from the year (taken in the evening just after the sun set).
The boys and I are trying a new photo challenge. We will work our way through a weekly photo challenge to improve our photo taking. It will only be the weeks they are here and probably only for the next couple of months. The first challenge is a self-portrait. And since I’ve been playing around in B&W:
A quick upload while waiting in Kastrup for our flight to Oslo (and then home). Note to self: the WiFi at CPH is very good for a free connection.
More pictures of the lake from Dan’s cabin.Kronobergs slott (castle), Sweden.Will on the walkway to Kronobergs slott near Växjö in Småland, Sweden. The ruins are located on an island in lake Helgasjön. Will, Susanna and I went to the ruins while Ben went fishing with Dan.
On Friday, the boys and I took the train from Copenhagen to Alvesta, Sweden. We had to switch trains twice – our original train from Copenhagen was cancelled and we had to pass through an ID check at Kastrup Airport before crossing the border into Sweden. It was a little stressful to have to figure out where to go, but at least the people at the information desk spoke English.
In Copenhagen central station, we met a French family on their way to Stockholm that spoke little English and no Swedish. They stuck with us for the train swaps at Kastrup and again at Malmo. Their daughter sat next to Will on the train ride from Copenhagen to Kastrup, thinking he was older. She was shocked when he said he was 13. She was 18. Of course, it embarrasses Will when I tell the story. But his new haircut makes him look older.
On Saturday, we had Isabella’s christening – Susanna posted pictures on Isabella’s website.
Sunday was an easy day. We cleaned up from the celebration and the boys took it easy.
Monday we went to Kosta and got fish pedicures and ate lunch. After lunch we took a guided tour of the glass blowing factory. In the evening, Susanna’s sister, Rebecka, took the train back to her home, and we headed out to Susanna’s Dad, Dan’s, cabin which is near Sävsjöström, Sweden on Alstern Lake. The boys and I were going to camp out for the night, but after dinner Will felt sick, so Will and I came home while Ben camped out with Dan.
This morning, Will, Susanna and I went back to the cabin and joined Ben and Dan for breakfast. Breakfast was followed by checking out Dan’s harvester, and Ben rode along while Dan took down a few trees. We spent this afternoon taking it easy and playing kubb while the boys took turns trying to figure out the antique (1960s) moped.
Susanna keeping warm next to the sauna at the cabin on the lake.Enjoying the brisk Swedish evening on Alstern Lake, Sweden.A low camera angle and short (8-inch) wall make Will look like a giant at Herråkra Church, SwedenWill and Ben watching the glass blowers work at Kosta, Sweden.Will taking alone time to carve points on sticks at the cabin on the lake.
Visiting Nyhavn. A must see when visiting Copenhagen.Ben checking out a kayak slide into the canal. We didn’t ever see anyone use it, but it was an interesting idea.Will, Ben and Barbara enjoying the view of the canal in Copenhagen.Ben taking a Coke break along the canal in front of our apartmentBen looking at the moat at Kastellet, CopenhagenBen posing for a portrait at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek art museum in Copenhagen
The boys testing the waters at Diana’s Pool in Chaplin CT.
With the humidity somewhere well above 100% (at least in the house this morning) and the temperatures soaring into the 90’s (mid-30’s for those across the pond using Celsius) we decided to let the air-conditioning take a break from its thankless task and head north to find some shade and water to temper the heat.
I did some digging on the Internet and found a listing for Diana’s Pool – a spot on the Natchaug River in Chaplin, CT. We got to the pool in late morning, beating the crowds (and getting good parking).
It was a great place to get a break from the heat. The water was cool, there was plenty of shade, and lots of waterfalls to play around in. The boys claimed that they overheard some of the other visitors talking about how it got its name – the claim was that someone named Diana drowned there. Of course, I’m sure they heard it from the college kids that were playing around (and drinking crap beer – but of course I drank crap beer when I was that age) and a morbid story is always the better option. But an article from the Hartford Courant from about 2003 give many rumors on how the pool was named (and only one of them was morbid). We had fun, no matter how the pool got named.
The crowds picked up around 1pm, and we decided to head home around 2pm. Now both boys are trying to beat the heat by playing Minecraft (with Ben live-streaming it on YouTube) in their air-conditioned rooms while I wait for the workshop to cool off enough for me to head out there.
Ben playing in one of the waterfalls at Diana’s PoolWill and Ben exploring the swimming hole at Diana’s Pool.
