I can’t believe that this goofball turns 11 years old today. Happy birthday, Logan!

I should have muted the word "Tarantino" a while ago.

It’s currently -11°C (+12°C) outside. And it’s raining.

Update: ‘tis wired for signal and power.

I’m finally putting together a pedalboard for my guitar effects. Here the pedals are laid out and affixed to the board with industrial-strength velcro. Next are the fun parts: soldering a dozen patch cables, wiring up the board, and running 9V power to everything. (Note: signal chain in alt text.)

I’m listening to Pink Floyd’s “Delicate Sound of Thunder” concert album as I’m cleaning up dishes. A fee minutes ago, my grandfather clock began its 8:00 chime - just as the cacophony of clock bells and that start off “Time” kicked in. I’m not gonna lie, that was a pretty cool coincidence.

Dammit.

Great culture can save lives. Literally. Amazing letter in today’s @thetimes.com about Tom Stoppard

“Third-world country.”

In a new development*, I’ve finally mixed up chemicals to start processing the b&w film I’ve shot over the past few months. I mixed these up from basic chemicals using recipes from Lambrecht and Woodhouse’s “Way Beyond Monochrome” (2011). *yea, pun fully intended, and I’m not even sorry

This reminded me of the time, way back in the ‘80s, when Charles Schulz completely wiped me out while I was ice skating. Out of nowhere and BOOM, I was on my ass, sliding across the ice. (He was also sliding, right next to me.) I’m pretty sure he owned the skating rink.

November 28 is pretty late in the season for the first appreciable snowfall, but I’ll take it. The snow, plus this morning’s -13°C (9°F) temperature, made for just-about-perfect riding conditions.

I popped down to the river’s edge during lunch today to take a couple of pictures of the pancake ice with the 4x5 camera. I hope to get the camera to a more scenic spot along the river before it freezes over completely, but wanted an insurance shot or two in case that doesn’t happen.

I appreciate how much of my feed here is occupied by folks using similar tools today. Relatedly, this photo of me is from this summer, shooting 4x5 film above the Bow Glacier on the Wapta Icefield (Banff Nat’l Park, Alberta).

Here are 30 seconds of calm: pancake ice drifting down river, from the perspective of the N. Saskatchewan River’s north bank in Edmonton.

2025:

This silver Nikon FE2 was my main camera for 2+ decades, accompanying me to Yukon, Antarctica, Greenland, and countless other places. Sadly, its shutter self-destructed a few years ago. I’ve just replaced the light seals on this black FE2, and am looking forward to running some film through it.

The weather will be turning next week and if you have somewhere warm and safe to go, don't take that for granted. So many people in our community are not so fortunate. The money I'm raising will ensure Bissell can continue to offer services and supplies to those in need. Please donate if you can!

Hmm, might this fit in my garage?

I do love pancake ice season.

Here are 31 seconds of pancake ice calmness to start your day.

I would buy this on a t-shirt.

Pancake ice drifts down the North Saskatchewan River in the last moments before dawn.

As a militant grammarian, I really enjoyed this... Its sew good.

Alberta’s UCP: hell-bent on making every possible worst decision.

…and how it ended.

How today started vs. how it proceeded.

Update: the freezer will be full of venison this winter.

Since Derek features a Canadian manufacturer in this thread, I thought I’d mention that in Saskatchewan, hoodies are called “bunny hugs.”

I can think of far worse ways to spend the past two evenings than enjoying this view from a hunting blind, watching for whitetail bucks.

55 years ago today, the Oregon State Highway Division had a whale of a problem on its hands. How it solved it is the stuff of legends. In other words: Happy Exploding Whale Day!

I’ve listened to The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald about a dozen times today, and am ready to go on the record: Ed “Peewee Charles” Ringwald’s pedal steel guitar part is PFM.

The Edmund Fitzgerald sank 50 years ago today.

Obligatory crumb shot. That’ll do nicely, thank you very much.

Update:

With Fall comes the beginning of sourdough bread season. Here’s the first boule, fresh out of the oven.

Is a fatbike overkill for the 1-2 cm of snow we’ve received thus far today? Of course it is. Do I care? Of course not.

If you’ve ever wondered why Steve Kimock was one of Jerry Garcia’s favourite guitarists, well - here you go.

Well, colour me bummed. After re-commissioning my fatbike for winter duty, I went for a quick test ride - and came across one of our neighbourhood merlins (Falco columbarius), dead in the back alley. Rest in peace, you dear little murderbird.

With snow forecasted - at long last! - to arrive later today, I suspect that my fatbike will take over commuting duties tomorrow morning.

I walked to work today, carrying my 1952 Leica iiif camera, to which I screwed a recently-acquired 5cm 1:2 Summitar lens. I'll likely send the lens off for a CLA soon (as there's a slight haze that I hope can be removed), and wanted to get a few 'before' shots.

Cinnamon buns, fresh from the oven!

There are few things in life finer than an evening spent with Logan, doing the very thing for which he was bred (and that certainly gives him the most joy). I'm not sure how many more such evenings we'll share, given his worsening arthritis. But damn do I appreciate each and every one of them.

I've just finished rewatching Band of Brothers, closely on the heels of rewatching Casablanca (for the umteenth time). And I can't imagine why.

I’m so flippin’ happy to confirm that there are northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) in my neighbourhood. I just spotted my second one in as many months; both were within a ~two-block radius of my house (and in locations approximately the same distance apart).

Today's news of "oopsie" Nazi tattoos reminded me that years ago, I inherited a German K98 Mauser bayonet and scabbard from a relative. Along with marks identifying the maker, each was stamped with a small but immediately recognizable symbol: a heraldic eagle atop a swastika.

Thinking of Gord Downie today, on the eighth anniversary of his passing.

Solid turnout for this morning’s Alberta Teachers’ Association rally in Edmonton.

Good morning, Edmonton!

Damn it, this one hits *really* hard. Rest in peace, Doc. Thank you for all of your hard work. You’ll be remembered, and missed.