How Dumb Can You Get?

Once in a while I do something that is so dumb I even surprise myself.  Today was one of those days.  A friend and I went to Catoctin Orchard north of Frederick. The object was to take photos of the pumpkin pyramid at the orchard and to try a restaurant my friends like.  When I got home and downloaded the photos, I discovered to my great disgust that I had inadvertently turned on the date/time stamp when I was looking for some other control in the new camera, and I have this orange honking date on every picture.  There's no turning it off.  Believe me, I tried, and I researched it.  The only way to deal with it is to crop it out or painstakingly clone it out!  Fortunately these shots are just for fun and not some vital record of a family function or part of a photo club challenge shoot.  All I can say is that one must be very careful playing with settings on a touch-sensitive camera like my new Canon.  Otherwise the camera may do things you REALLY don't want it to do.  On the first outing with this camera, it kept zooming in and out like a thing possessed.  I finally got exasperated and went into the "Tools" and other settings area and discovered it came pre-set with a desire to find and focus on a face.  I was taking scenery.  It was not amused.  That feature got turned off rather quickly and things got a lot less bizarre.

Here are a couple of shots that amused me enough to rescue them.  I have no idea who the children are.  They are from a school group that was touring the orchard.

Renaissance Festival in Maryland 2011

Since the Maryland Renaissance Festival lives only about five miles from my house, I try to make a trip there at least once a season.  The shows are often very entertaining, but for me the most fun is the people watching.  The characters are not the only ones dressed up!  Yesterday the weather and my schedule finally agreed that I had time to go and it wasn't raining, so I went.  One of the first performers inside the gate is the flea circus guy. 

Some of the costumes worn by just ordinary visitors were almost as interesting as the people wearing them.  This couple really got into the characters they were playing.

  I liked the colors in this gentleman's outfit.

I took this picture of the man doing the organ concert in his aerie, and didn't notice the spider and webs in the picture until I got it home and into the computer.

 Maggie Sansone was there with her group and her hammered dulcimer.  What you DON'T often see with her is clowning around.  I'm not sure what motivated the "hat drum", but she appeared to be having fun.  You may have to click on the picture to see that she is actually playing the drum.

 Sometimes the casual performers are as interesting as the professionals.  This young man seemed to be enjoying himself just sitting and drumming.

 

 One of the things I saw this time that I have only seen once before was a real wedding.  There is a little "chapel" where mock weddings are held, but they will also rent it out for the real thing.  The ceremony is out in the open with all the passersby in attendance. Of course the participants dress according to their interpretation of the dress of the period. 

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It was a nice way to spend a couple of hours.  There are a few more photos on Picasa at Renaissance Festival photos .

A Pennsylvania Birthday Weekend

Last weekend little Jake hit his third birthday, and family and friends gathered to help him celebrate.  As usual, old Auntie Em had fun joining the celebration and being with the family up there.  For a change, the weather cooperated.  We have had weeks and weeks of wet, weird weather.  The birthday weekend was gorgeous--sunny, fall-crisp but not cold, just right for active children to run around outside and delight in it.

Actually we celebrated twice--once at the grandparents place on Friday with just a small cake and candles and then the larger gathering at his home on Saturday.

The party had a western theme--hats for each child and a western theme on the cake.  The pinata was a big hit, and it took a number of hits before it shared the loot with the scrambling children!

 To my amazement, Jen managed to get nine children seated for a picture when you could see all the faces!  Just try to do that to a group of adults!

 Everyone seemed to have a great time!  If you have any interest in more shots from the weekend, you can check the Picasa album. https://picasaweb.google.com/ejoyce2