Daily Challenge The April 2020 Challenge - day 30

I had hopes of getting out on the bike today but after an early bright start it turned wet and windy. Cannot find anything indoors to inspire so just a shot of the sky before the rain arrived. Had hoped for a better finish to the month but it was not to be.
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What a great time this was to see all these creative dealings with Corona lock-down. Such a creative variety with superb b&w posts that show how vivid this so often neglected way of looking at things still is. And what an outburst of creativity our host Matt showed with his introductions of every new day. Why didn't I have a teacher like you, Matt, I would have loved maths in shortest time (I was lousy).

From today's little outing. I passed a little chapel, closed by a wrought-iron gate to look through but keep you out.
It's amazing what you can do with this Leica zoom lens.
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I fully agree what Tony said about quality of Karen’s shots again and about creative eye and mind. Dedication to the series of photographs/videos leaves us others, less committed a bit in the shadows, but hey, this is for fun and it’s been pure pleasure to wait Karen’s new surprise every they. And she didn’t let us down, not once. Thanks @Briar 🙏

Well said Tony and @Matero.
An incredible amount of atmosphere in a stage so small.
Well done Karen!
 
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This image was not taken today, not least because it's still 90 minutes until sunrise and there are already blustery showers rattling through, but a few days ago. However these are unusual times and I wanted to use it to honour an unusual person who over the last three to four weeks has inspired many in this nation of the UK.

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Happy Birthday Captain Tom

Some, maybe many of you, will be asking who is Captain Tom? Well when he was 99 years and about 345 days old he decided he'd walk the length of his garden which is quite large by UK standards100 times before his 100th birthday which is indeed today. He uses a walking frame so his walk was to be split over several days. He hoped to raise £(GB)1,000 for the National Health Service Charities. To date he's raised something around £(GB)30 million and inspired many people. This week all letters posted in the UK are being franked with a Happy 100th Birthday wish for Captain Tom Moore, as of a couple of days ago he himself had already received over 125,000 birthday cards and, weather permitting, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will honour him with a flypast over his house sometime today.
I just want to mention one of the people Captain Tom's inspired, a 6 year old lad by the name of Frank MIlls from Bristol. Frank told his parents that he also wanted to help raise money for the NHS charities. The thing you need to know about Frank is that he was born prematurely, after barely 25 weeks gestation and so owes his life to many months of hospital care, and he suffers from Spina Bifida so each step Frank takes with the aid of a wheeled walking frame is hard won. He wanted to walk 99 steps and hoped to raise £(GB)99,a modest target. His parents marked off a 10 metre length of pavement (sidewalk) outside his house and encouraged Frank to complete the course. By now Frank has walked more than 99 steps and as of a few minutes ago his giving page shows he's raised a total of £(GB)256,198.
If I take any memories away from these strange times then these are the memories I hope my brain will recall once this lot is over and behind us.
Good luck to you all and stay safe.

Barrie

P.S. The plant is Ivy-leaved Toadflax with flowers just a few millimetres across tenaciously growing in amongst stones and mortar on a stone gate pillar.
A nice tribute, and quite a guy. He deserves all the notoriety and good wishes he's getting. I saw a picture in today's Boston Globe of someone another birthday card to the other 65,000 that have already been sent to him. Quite a site!
 
It seemed appropriate to end the month with a Covid-19 image, since that's what's been on my mind all month. The owners of this house change this dog's outfit by season, and all this month s/he has been standing sentinel as a tribute to all the First Responders. God bless them all and may they stay safe. (Photo on left was my iPhone 8Plus, on the right my Canon 5D Mark IV, 50mm, ISO 400, f/4.5, 1/320)

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I decided to end this challenge with a preview of my next challenge, and one I've been itching start. About halfway through April due to communication delays, asking price reductions and my own indecision I ended up with 4 lenses in a range I really only 1 or 2 at most. I'll probably keep 2, but time will tell. They are all lenses I've owned more than once (OK all more than twice now :oops:). But I've never owned them all at the same time.

Left to right: Olympus 17mm f/1.8, Panasonic 14mm f/2.5, Panasonic 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6, PanLeica 15mm f/1.7

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Day 30: the Farmers Market has reopened at long last

In southern Oregon as everywhere, much of life and society has been closed or shut down. Recently, on a limited basis, the biweekly Farmers Markets - held on different days in two local towns-slash-cities - have reopened. Subject, of course, to all the new rules and regulations of social distancing and non-virus-spreading - but it is a chance for many of the small farmers to emerge from the isolation of their gardens and share their wares with those hardy or foolish enough to venture out 'into the open' again.

I ventured out. Equipped with mask, gloves and, yes, camera. Bought a handful of items - some vegetables, some local eggs, some empanadas by our local Argentine empanada-maker-genius, and lastly some brilliant home-made asian-inspired tacos which were subject to the strictly 'no eating' regulations which are another small way in which our new world is different from our old one. I talked with a number of vendors and growers and asked permission to take their pictures. This man is a local artisan cheesemaker - who has named his small business in honor of his late grandfather, whose name was George. It feels like a good image to go out on - a mixture of old and new - and a testament to surviving in an altered universe but keeping some of the older traditions alive, to the extent possible.

By George---

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The expression 'By George' dates back to the late 16th century - the word 'George' was, supposedly, a substitute for 'God'. Some scholars believe it originated as "fore (or for) George" or "before George" - milder versions of 'before God'. Similar to the words 'gosh' and 'golly', used also in a euphemistic way. But for me, it now has a new meaning - a way of honoring the name of an elder relative who came before, whom one doesn't want to forget. (Yes, I have a few of those relatives who are no longer breathing and whose memories I don't wish to lose, either.) I'm hoping to sample the cheeses with some good wine, and raise a glass - both to the real George - and to the photographs and words of all of you, which have both kept me company and inspired me over these long days which have come to an end all too soon.
Cheers, everyone!
 
A different gear shot for day 30 - the corner of shame/ solitude/ reflection. As I use gear and decide there are issues I don't wish to deal with anymore, it goes into the corner. Same for gear I find myself not using. At some point I'll make a decision as to whether or not I want to keep gear I don't use enough. As a hobbyist and gearhead, not an easy decision for me. :hmmm:

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