Outstanding

Posted on December 13, 2021 by Pazlo Standard 1

Rewind to last May. Daughter Kerry and her husband hosted the Outstanding In Our Field festival at the farm. It was chilly, drizzly and gray, but folks were overdue for time outside, and time in public without restrictions and masks. Weather did not deter the crowd, and several hundred people attended to listen to the Barn Band, and peruse the booths of many vendors. Daughter Kerry sold flowers from the flower wagon while daughter Miranda manned her own booth in partnership with her mother-in-law Kathy. Kathy is a very skilled seamstress and crafter extraordinaire. Her handmade table runners and place mats are truly works of art. Miranda got herself a new machine that customizes coffee mugs and can cozies, and offered these souvenirs of the event. The fire department brought a truck to show off, and promptly got it stuck in the mud. Luckily there are a number of tractors on the farm, and quick work was made of the vehicle’s retrieval (and what a great story!)

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The shoot was a little challenging in the sense the weather was poor and skies gray. It wasn’t difficult to find color though, between the vendors and the flowers. I included a couple shots of the parking area and the mud to convey the weather. Photos do not relate how chilly and breezy it was, but everyone was in great spirits. Breaking out into spring, leaving winter behind, and the first occasion of the year to allow a big social gathering without masks. The Festival was a resounding success, and hopes are high to do it again next year!

Take care and keep in touch.

Paz

George Washington’s Birthday

Posted on February 11, 2021 by Pazlo Standard 4

My son Ryan brought two grandkids with him up to Engleville Pond to do some ice fishing. Ellie and Evan got to see the ice auger at work and listen to dad drone on about how to set a tip-up, then they were free to cavort about. So maybe more cavorting than fishing. It was in the mid-20’s and overcast, and all that snow made for tricky exposures. It’s tough to check pix on the camera screen, too, because of the brightness. Even with all the modern metering, snow is still overwhelmingly bright. I got too involved looking for stick arms, berry buttons and other adornments, as well as assembling a snowman to put them on. Didn’t shoot as many photos as I could have, and I think I actually fished for a sum total of perhaps two minutes. Cavorting is so much better. I carved a few facial features into the snow, and inventive Ellie colored balls of snow with her blue drink to make eyes. Ryan said “He looks like George Washington!” Maybe the pix don’t show it, or maybe you had to be participating in the cavorting to appreciate it.

From The Pond

Fishers!

Snowbirds

Evan

Ellie

Snow Angels

Manning The Auger

Frolicking

Taste Tester

Ice Stair

All Aboard!

Snow Machine

The Gathering

Rolling The Snow

…Over The Brother

Artists Commence

Progress

Final Touches

Mr. President

Dapper, indeed!

Evan The Mule

Load Out

Spillway Bridge

Homeward Bound

Until Next Time!

I’d like to promise more fotos and less frolic next time, but somehow that seems unlikely.

Paz

Springing

Posted on April 10, 2020 by Pazlo Standard Reply

A March sampler from around the town and trails. Click any image to start a full-size carousel.

Grovenors Corners

Red Tailed Hawk

North Loop Trail

In The Pines

Spring Woods

Remainders

Mohawk Valley

Down From Winter Yards

Moon, Mars & Venus

Down The Lane

Geese At Engleville Pond

March Sunrise

Sunrise On Schoharie

Boney Breakfast

Sugar Shack

Fog In The Glen

Turkeys In Corn Stubble

Deer And Turkeys

Dogwood Flush

Spring Sun

Turkey Vulture

On The Widowmaker

Deer In The Yard

Last Of The Snow

Green Moss

Kite Season

Easter Egg Hunt

Egg Hunters

Eggs? What Eggs?

See You Soon!

Gotta run. Trout are calling.

Paz

Snow Dogs

Posted on March 4, 2020 by Pazlo Standard Reply

We were fortunate to have a local dogsledder, Kate Walrath of Run By Dogs, give us a demonstration at the village Library. She told us about different types of sled dogs, including the Siberian Husky and the Alaskan Husky. The latter is a smaller, rather plain looking dog. I was surprised to discover these canine competitors were about the size of my own Sassy June (a Chow-Husky mix called a Chusky). I thought sled dogs would all be big, strong 60-pounders. The small black dog with some white on her face (I wish I could remember her name) is actually a retired racer from Alaska. Racing dogs get a share of race winnings, and they are put into a “doggie 401k”. Kate’s place, called Run By Dogs, is a retreat for retired sled dogs as well as a training facility and a place to learn and enjoy dogsledding. The monies in the 401k’s pay for the dogs’ boarding and veterinary expenses.

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Kate Walrath of Run By Dogs

Informative Presentation

Hands-On

Siberian Beauty

New Friends

Dog Helpers

Alaskan Husky

Dogs Love Kids

Kids Helped

Another Alaskan

Pink-Coat Was All Business

The Queen-The Retiree

Who’s Ready To Sled?

Let’s Get To It!

And They’re Off!

Who’s Next?

Pink-Coat Gets Her Turn

Kate Coaches Kids & Dogs

Oh! To Be A Kid Again!

A Little Rest

And Another Rider

Snowy And Cold

The Queen Was The Fastest

Snack Time

All Hands Assisted

These Dogs Get A Lot Of Love

Up You Go!

Time To Head Home

Braving The Cold

Clear Trails!

It was very cold that Saturday, as you can see by the apparel. It was in the mid-twenties, but no wind. It didn’t bother the dogs a bit, though. For the retired Queen from Alaska, this is probably equivalent to retiring to Florida!

It’s good to get a different perspective sometimes.

Until next time,

Paz

Winter Walk

Posted on December 10, 2019 by Pazlo Standard 2

We donned our snow shoes and headed for the woods, Ryan and I. He had visited a few days before to check out the trail and break it. It was fairly cold, mid-20’s. The overcast skies would sometimes part enough for a brief wash of sunlight, and were otherwise true to their grays of winter. We stopped at the lean-to for coffee, and stopped from time to time to shoot a photo. Mostly, we were overwhelmed by the beauty of the woods, the snow, the sky and the breeze.

Welcoming Woods

New Snow

Off-Season

American Beech

Beech Detail

Unbroken Trail

Leaf Pool

Snow And Sky

Lean-To Coffee Break

Cat Tails

Winter Rose

Snow On Sumacs

Snow-capped Tree Ears

Hiking Buddy

Coyote-eye view

Overwhelmed

Falling Snow

Winter Reeds

Bird Art

Sun And Snow

Though it occupied barely an hour of our Saturday, it was the highlight of the weekend. New snow, the wind in the woods, and my favorite hiking partner, son Ryan. One hour of perfect peace. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Paz

Rodeo

Posted on September 6, 2019 by Pazlo Standard Reply

The 127th Annual Fonda Fair, the Montgomery County Fair, held a special interest for us, as my grandson, Max, took up bull riding this year. The Rodeo included barrel racing, calf roping (single and team) and bull riding. To begin, a stunning team of Clydesdale horses parade into the arena flying Old Glory, and carrying the Fair Queens. After the National Anthem, events got underway.

Max is in a red plaid shirt, and the highlight shots of his ride are included herein, along with shots of all the other exciting contests. While the bull riding is some of the most intense rodeo you’ll see, the barrel racing ranks right up there. One can see the thrill of racing not only on the rider’s face, but that of their mount as well! These horses love to run and compete.

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Beautiful Clydesdales

County Fair Queens

Equine Arena

Ornate Dressage

Barrel Racing

Racers

Go!Go!Go!

Roping

Lasso

Roper

Real Cowboy

The One That Got Away

My Favorite Cowboy

Cowgirl

Tiny Cowgirl

Bull Rider

Thrown

Hard Landing

Max’s Ride

Hand In The Air

Four Feet Aloft

Getting Thrown

Saved By The Clowns

After The Ride

Success = No broken Bones

Until next time,

Paz

Photoshoot: Kerry’s Wedding

Posted on October 11, 2018 by Pazlo Standard Reply

Daughter Kerry and her beau Kenyon decided on a spur of the moment to legalize their domestic cohabitation by getting married. Not ones for pretense, they set up an awning and pulled some machinery out of the barn, and were ready. The “official uniform” at Parson’s Farm is the custom printed T-shirt. Everyone who works on the farm or at the stand, myself included, wears a Parson’s Farm shirt. They have tag lines that change from year to year. So for the wedding, everyone was required to don a red T-shirt. Coincidentally, this year’s tag line is “Parson’s Farm: Where the vegetables are sweet and the women are bitter.”. An unfailing sense of humor will carry this couple through their lives with fewer heartaches and tears than most.

Lighted bouquet

Flower Girl in the rain

Rehearsal

Vows

Serious Business

Will you take…

A ring and a promise

Solemn Proceedings

Define Joyous

“With this ring…”

You may

Inking the deal

Famous T-shirts

Welcome

Plentiful spread

No Primroses

After vows, we proceeded to the barn as it rained outside. A little food, a little music, a little cake, a little champagne, and you have a recipe for a grand time. For the famous cake-feeding shot, Kerry hammed it up and made a little mess. Then it was dancing, dancing and more dancing as we dined on the generous spread before us. Across the road from the farm, sadly, is a GIANT distribution warehouse. For the dancing-in-the-barn shots, I slowed the shutter speed because I wanted to show motion. When I looked at a couple preview pics, I saw that the shots were backlighted by the outdoors, the couple almost silhouetted, and the over-exposed outdoors made the distribution center disappear!

Ancient Tradition

The windup

Sophisticated Lady

The Bar

Sumptuous Spread

Sweet celebration

Commence the dance!

Backlit dancers

Revelers

Can’t Stop The Dance

The rain continued as darkness fell. Indoors, I relied on the tripod for those low light shots, and ran the ISO up considerably. Youngsters one by one began to tire. Elders continued the ritual of dance and drink, and the party lights made a colorful atmosphere in the old barn. On the occasion of the bouquet toss, both granddaughters (Lizzy and Maddie) seemed to grasp the flowers simultaneously. Outside, away from all this foolishness, Elly and Evan took advantage of some high grade puddles. Alas, finally we had to take our leave, as the Mother of the Bride had had all the excitement she could stand for one day.

It’s Official

Nieces to Pieces

Party Games

MOB

Party Lights

Lizzy with rice

Bouquet Toss

Madison Grace

Evan and Ellie

The Blushing Bride

And so, I present Mr. And Mrs. Kenyon Parsons!

The Happy Couple

Until next time,

Paz

July Gallery

Posted on August 20, 2018 by Pazlo Standard Reply

So, I shot so few frames in July I couldn’t come up with 31 pix for the gallery. High point of my July was the annual camping trip to Forked Lake in the Adirondack Mountains with son-in-law Matt and grandson Maximus. Also joining us this year, my son Terence’s son, my grandson Kacey. Fishing was phenomenal, weather was perfect, and I enjoyed it so much I almost forgot about photography! Without further ado…

Paz

Now

First Catch

Happy Campers

Beer-Battered Deluxe

Matt, Max, Me, Kacey

Squirrel Watching

Lillies

Bookends

Doone the Wondercat

Windowbox

Sassy June

Heat Index 114

Orchids

Killdeer and fledglings

Ruby Throat

Bonzai

Bonzai Watchwasp

June Gallery

Posted on August 15, 2018 by Pazlo Standard 2

What? August? Okay, so here’s the June Gallery. Three shoots really occupied me in June. First, granddaughter Ellie graduates from Pre-Kindergarten. Many pictures for Grampa to cry over. They grow so fast! Kids at that age are always photoworthy and touch the heart. Then, a trip to Forked Lake with son Ryan and pal Carl. Clouds rolled over Blue Mountain, and I sat and shot dozens of frames. Worthy of its own post, watch for “The Many Moods of Blue Mountain” as a Photoshoot post. The other biggy: Daughter Kerry surprises us with an impromptu wedding, as she makes an honest man out of her long-time beau (and domestic partner) Kenyon. A unique wedding by a unique couple, the whole thing took place right there on the farm, the reception in the barn. Without a doubt one of the best weddings I’ve ever attended (being Father of The Bride had no influence, I’m sure). I’ll do a Photoshoot post for that, too. It was a great time with some great pix, and some trix and pointers.

-Paz

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