One Christmas Night In The Kitchen
Documenting a night over Christmas, in the kitchen.
As with most homes my kitchen is the heart of most of the action. This was one of many evenings spent here, but the only one that I decided to pull out my camera. For shame, I know.
The evening like many others, was well spent, laughing, cooking, eating, clearly some drinking, and playing games. Christmas tunes playing on Spotify..
Confession- I’m relentless with the Christmas music, when the opportunity of repetitive indulgence becomes available.
It is not very often that every one is able to get together under the same roof, at the same time. And at the time of these photos not all family had arrived. Lucky for mom, she’d had enough of the shenanigans and wandered off to bed earlier in the evening.
I am so very grateful that this holiday season was one of those rare occurrences where our Reesor side of the clan gathering, was not missing a single soul.
In the series below and ones to follow are in no particular order, my dad Dennis, my youngest son Daxon, his girlfriend Shylo, husband Brad, sister Tonya. Niece and nephew Jayce & Jaryn, and last but not least, Dany the elf.
Till next year.
Mountain Time
Travelling in general is near and dear to my heart. But the Canadian Rockies, well they hold a special place in the old ticker. I've been travelling there for summer get aways since my boys were wee little.
Hell I loved being there so much I would pack those little turkey's up, diapers and baby wipes in tow, and haul ass out to the mountains (also Grizzly country) with a tent.
The Tent
The vast beauty, giant mountain peaks, and towering aromatic pines were worth the risk of being dragged out of our tent in the middle of the night by a deranged and starving grizzly.
Ok that would probably never happen, but in the pitch black darkness of the night your mind does tend to be a little over active. After all there is merely a flimsy wind breaker between myself, my children, (one of which may or may not have had a full diaper), and a 1700 pound carnivorous beast.
We now have a trailer. A pretty big one at that, and the walls are definitely thicker than that of the old tent. The real perk is not having to hang your ass out in the dark forest at 3am to pee.
Trailers with bathrooms are the best.
So our little family vacations have evolved. It's rare both boys can be there, jobs and holiday time are always an issue as with most families. This particular trip my youngest was unable to make it. But that just makes the times we can all be together that much more special.
Hold on to those days where the kids are still in the back seat. They fly by way to fast.
xx - TD
Sailor Dan
Famous in his own right, Sailor Dan is kind of a local celebrity around these parts. I had been looking to find this infamous local artist for the sole purpose of a brief photo op. So you could probably imagine my level of happy when he happened to turned up in my neighbourhood mall parking lot. There he was, just standing there, selling his art to some guy in a truck. So I seized the moment and asked if he’d be a willing subject. He graciously agreed.
Sailor Dan & his drawing
We set up a time to meet in an hour or so, because wouldn't you know it, I had my dogs in the back of my truck, and of course no camera. The next hour transpired as such.. High five'd myself - did a happy dance - got a coffee - walked the dogs - drove home - grabbed my camera, and booked it back to the arranged location. Would he bail? Will he be where he said he would be? He didn't, and he was - true to his word.
No surprise someone had recognized him, and commissioned one of his drawings right then and there. So I had some time to shoot this fabled sailor in action.
While he's creating his masterpiece he attracts a bit of attention.
A few admirers stop to say hello.
Chatting up this old Sailor can be a challenge with his gravelly mumbled voice, but he is such an iconic and gentle character it was worth the struggle.
I thank you Sailor Dan, you are a brilliant subject, and a genuinely talented soul.
TD