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A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

color

On the Trail: Lake Louise/Banff Gondola

August 6, 2020

As I try to get back into regular blogging (again) and work on some of these features, it’s time to dial back the clock nearly a year for this one. 

It’s crazy to think this trip to the Pacific Northwest and Canada was nearly a year ago. When getting on a plane didn’t require masks and worry. When the ability to go to places didn’t require six feet of separation. It’s nice to remember these things and hope they will get back there. 

This trip was a geocaching-based one and got bigger as it was planned. We covered a lot of miles and saw a lot, but one thing was getting to Banff and Banff National Park, even just for a day. I’d like to go back some day when I can spend more time there, that’s for sure. 

On this day, we hit two places – Lake Louise, and then the Banff Gondola. I’ll put the two of these together as they were on the same day. Be sure though – they are highly different. 

Lake Louise

First, by the time we reached Lake Louise, it was too late to get parking, so we had to get a shuttle. And that took forever, it seemed. We waited for one at the wrong spot and if we had just driven back up to one area, we would have been there much quicker. Alas, live and learn when you don’t know the area. 

But, we did arrive. And we explored. Though we didn’t go hiking up, we took the trail around the lake for a bit. It’s a striking area, that’s for sure. The Lake Louise “hike” was a bit more than four miles, but if you had time, there are many more miles to explore. And it seems quite a bit of different terrain, too.

Remember, though, that the Banff area is very touristy. And with that brings a lot of people. I think to visit a spot like Lake Louise would mean getting there very early, spend your time there and then try to get out of there by 12 or 1 p.m., and then go visit some areas that might not be as crowded. 

Lake Louise itself, though, is striking. The color of the water and the wandering trail that takes you around the outside of it is wonderful. There are also a few geocaches, which is cool. It’s truly amazing to see what kind of things nature can give you. 

And photo opportunities? Plenty! There’s no chance you could leave here and claim you didn’t have anything to take photos of, that;’s for sure. But don’t just focus on the photos, focus on the beauty. 

The great part about this trail was all of the different people. Because it’s not the most strenuous stroll you will take, there were people of all shapes and sizes. It’s nice when you can get that in a place like this because it allows everybody to enjoy the scenery and brilliance. 

Banff Gondola

This was a definite on the list to hit. The gondola ride up was a blast. And there weren’t many people when we got there.

Remember, we went in the fall, and later in the day. That’s a check mark to each item as that meant fewer people. When on top of the mountain, there are a series of “trails” that take you to different parts and viewpoints. While

I might not consider this a trail, per say, it’s nice to know when you get to the top of the gondola ride, it’s not just one viewpoint and back down you go. Instead, you can go find a bunch of different places and there’s also (of course) a gift shop at the top as well. 

We didn’t have issues parking here, but I could see where it could be tougher during tourist season. Either way, it’s worth coming to and experiencing this. 

When done, I would encourage you to jump down into Banff and explore a bit. We only got to do so for an hour or two (including dinner), but what a cool town. This is definitely a place I want to visit again – preferably in the spring or fall when there are fewer people. 

Final thoughts: 

Positives: Lake Louise is an amazing and relatively easy hike. If we had more time, I think we would have tried some of the other trails and maybe looked to see where things led. The Banff Gondola is a great experience and spending time at the top of the mountain is really wild. A lot of fun. 

Cons: Parking at Lake Louise. Do the research. Either get there really early, or know where the best place for the shuttles is. The gondola has a price tag, so make sure you know that ahead of time and make a reservation if possible. 

Overall: Both are well worth the time. Lake Louise is breathtaking. There are some great spots to stop and soak it in. I have no doubt if you explore the other trails, the views will be simply amazing as well. The gondola “trails” give you some awesome looks and make you appreciate where you are. Make no mistake – if you go to places like this, appreciate what you see. If you ever get the chance to visit the Banff area, spend more time there than I did. I really want to go back one day … it’s truly an amazing place. 

To watch a Relive video of this hike, please see below!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Filed Under: Hiking, My world, On the Trail, outdoors, Photography Tagged With: Alberta, Banff, Banff Canada, Banff gondola, Banff National Park, blue, Canada National Parks, Canadian National Parks, color, hiking, lake, lake louise, life, national park, nature, On the trail, outdoors, park, photography, water

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Sun goes down

November 14, 2016

Sometimes, on a Monday … a photo is all you need for a post.

Took this photo in Avalon, New Jersey this past Saturday.

8a6a4503

Hope you all have a relaxing week.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Filed Under: My world Tagged With: avalon, beautiful, beauty, color, nature, new jersey, sun, sunset

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Photo Blogging Challenge (August 2014): Colorful

August 29, 2014

From people I have talked with, if this theme is any indication, we should have a pretty good turnout.

But before we worry about that.

Colorful is an interesting theme as it can be so many things. This month, my camera pooped out again (seriously), so I am mixing things a little bit here with my regular camera and iPhone.

I tried to give a variety of things… though there’s always a theme within a theme, it seems.

Anyway, I am truly looking forward to seeing what others came up with me and how they went with the theme. Until then, allow me to share my five for the month with the theme colorful.

And, as a reminder, we’re a fun little challenge community. So come back in a day or two and check everybody who linked up and drop a comment on each other’s posts… it makes it more fun. I’ll be making my rounds at the end of the weekend! Oh. and don’t forget to come back Sunday, Aug. 31 to see the theme for September!

1. Cameron

Like I wasn’t going to put one of these in here? I did a photo day with my nephew/Godson (and you can see more photos in a post I did about that by clicking here) all dressed up in Phillies garb. So I had to find one I hadn’t used… and here’s one of them.

One happy and colorful little guy!

One happy and colorful little guy!

2. Little League World Series

I went to the Little League World Series for the first time, earlier this month. It’s truly amazing how colorful it is, from the team uniforms, to the fans, to the fields and everything else. Here’s a view from where we watched one of the games.

 

Williamsport!

Williamsport!

3. Champions!

Our softball team won the league championship this year. It was a fun season and an interesting series, but we prevailed, which was awesome. A couple of days later, another team I played on (a few times) this year, won a league championship. Very cool stuff. Here’s the trophy and ball from the championship game from my main league.

photo 1 (5)

4. Sunflower 

I always love photos like this… so bright!

In bloom!

In bloom!

5. Ski lift

I am editing this after posting to make this my fifth… as I had forgotten about it. But this was an old ski lift in the middle of a city… saw it while finding a geocache nearby, of course.

Stopped.

Stopped.

That’s my five for the month. And, now it’s your turn.

If you took part this month, make sure you link up below. And for those who participated, make sure you try and get to other people’s blogs and comment and visit so we can continue to grow this challenge. Don’t forget, too, to come back tomorrow, Friday, August 1, and see the theme for August! NOTE: I also set up a Facebook group for those who participate in the challenge and are interested. I’ll post any announcements there and hopefully it can be a place where things are discussed and some interaction etc. You can access it here.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Filed Under: blogging, challenges, My world, Photo Blogging Challenge, Photography Tagged With: August 2014, blog challenge, blogging, blogging challenge, color, colorful, colorful photography, hoohaa, photo, photo blogging challenge, photo blogging challenge august 2014, photo challenge, photo challenge new, photography, photography challenge

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Photo Blogging Challenge: August 2014’s theme is…

August 1, 2014

august2014

Where has this summer gone?

It seems like yesterday I was posting the first challenge for this summer. And now we’re already into August? Oh my!

Before we get to this month … as of me writing this, it seems like the July theme didn’t go as I was hoping, which is a shame. Only a few people had popped in with their submissions. Hopefully more will before the link ends.  Alas, we move forward.

I’ve also decided to make sure I went a little more broad in themes. This one should lend itself to everybody and can be interpreted many different ways.

And maybe even get you outside to do it!

Enjoy the month and have fun. Don’t forget to come back at the end of the month to link up. If you haven’t join our Facebook group (link below) as I *try* to post updates and reminders.

The theme is below… I look forward to seeing what people come up with!

As a reminder of a few things, let me copy and paste this from last month:

  • I have an e-mail reminder list set up (which I haven’t used lately because nobody seemed to want it. I’d like to start it again, so please let me know if you want in on it). Basically, I’ll e-mail the group with about 10 days left in the month to remind you. When I remember, I’ll also shoot one out the day before the end of the month, as a reminder to post the following day. I can’t always guarantee that one though! If you are not on the list, let me know in the comments below that you would like to be on it. Note: I was bad on this … please join the Facebook group if you can. I update there more often!
  • Second, I set up a Facebook group for those who are interested. Reminders and maybe some discussions or other things can be done there.
  • If you haven’t already, attempt to check out everybody’s posts and consider commenting. These challenges are great for personal growth, but it’s also nice to be interactive with all the others in the challenge! That’s one of the best parts of this challenge — interacting and seeing other people’s work!

Before we hit up this month’s theme, for new people, allow me to refresh the rules a bit.

Here’s how it will work.

  • On the first of each month (or close to it), I’ll have a blog post here with the theme for the month.
  • Over the course of the month, participants will take photos with their interpretation of the theme. On the last day of the month (or close to it), participants should  publish their blog post, which will include five photos from the month. (please don’t recycle photos from the past … the idea is to hopefully challenge you to go out and take new photos each month to interpret the theme). And please only use photos you took.
  • I’ll have a link-up thing at the end of my post so people can come and post the links to their posts so, hopefully, everybody can go go check out and comment on other posts.

There is no rule on equipment or anything. Use a cell phone. Use film. Use a point-and-shoot. Use a DSLR. It doesn’t matter. Just make sure you publish your blog post on the last day of each month, come here and link up.

It’s simple!

Your blog posts can be as simple or as in-depth as you want. I’ll likely talk a little about each photo. But if all you want to do is post photos, feel free. The idea of this is to give a small challenge and give everybody a chance to express themselves with photography, participate in a challenge and have something to blog about.

That’s it. Easy, right? So join in! Help us continue to grow this challenge by telling fellow bloggers/photographers about the challenge and hopefully it can become a great monthly thing!

For those still with me, this month’s theme is: Colorful.

I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with here. There are so many ways to do this and I think there will be some great stuff. I can’t wait to see.

Please make sure your blog post publishes Friday, August 29 (a little earlier this month!)

If you think you are going to take part in this, drop a comment below so we can see who all might be trying to tackle this challenge!

History of the challenge (past month’s themes – links to see everybody else’s posts are at the end of the linked post):

  • March 2013: My World
  • April 2013: Transportation
  • May 2013: Night
  • June 2013: Bridges
  • July 2013: Signs
  • August 2013: Summer 
  • September 2013: Outdoors
  • October 2013: Fall
  • November 2013: People
  • December 2013: Festive
  • January 2014: New
  • February 2014: Red
  • March 2014: One
  • April 2014: Smile
  • May 2014: Fun
  • June 2014: Vehicles
  • July 2014: Baseball
  • August 2014: Colorful
  • September 2014: TBA
  • October 2014: TBA
  • November 2014: TBA
  • December 2014: TBA

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Filed Under: blogging, challenges, My world, Photo Blogging Challenge, Photography Tagged With: August 2014, blog challenge, blogging, blogging challenge, color, colorful photography, hoohaa, photo, photo blogging challenge, photo blogging challenge august 2014, photo challenge, photo challenge new, photography, photography challenge, solorful

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Paint Nite brings out the inner artist in a fun and creative way

July 10, 2014

I’ve never considered myself much of an artist, per say.

Though I am an avid photographer and writer, I always found it hard to say I was an artist with those mediums. When I think of an artist – I think traditional, such as a painter or sculptor or somebody along that line of work.

My finished product!

My finished product!

In fact, in high school, I wasn’t much of anything when it came to art class. Sure, I did OK and got decent grades, but I wasn’t the next Picasso or anything.

Maybe times have changed?

A year or so ago, I came across a website called Paint Nite. Have any of you heard about it? If not, let me tell you – it’s fantastic. The idea is simple – people get together in a bar-type atmosphere, have some tunes and paint.

Simple, right?

The idea is to drink creatively. In other words, have a few cordials and create some artwork. It had been something I had wanted to try for a while, but never had a chance. It’s affordable (website is $45, but there are often deals and you can get it much cheaper on Groupon) and it’s a good way to try something different.

Tools of the day.

Tools of the day.

I recently signed up for a class with a friend who is an art teacher. It was a good way to check this out, as well as give me a reason to finally go do this and blog about it. The one I picked out was good because the art was supposed to be pretty easy. Turns out it was.

There were about 20 people for this one. From reading and looking at other events, I think they are often much bigger. This was a perfect size for a first-time person, though. The instructor, Toni, was excellent. She was fun and made sure people were enjoying themselves. There was music playing throughout and a waitress made sure you could get a refill or two, if you so desired.

As part of your experience, Paint Nite supplies the following:

  • Smock
  • Paint brushes
  • Paint
  • 16×20 canvas (which you obviously get to take home at the end)

So basically, you come, grab a drink and paint.

Hard at work.

Hard at work.

As noted, the painting we did the day I was there was pretty easy. The only thing I would have liked was if it was a little more social. It seemed like people were in their groups and kept a little to themselves. I wonder if the group was bigger or if the painting was a little different, if that would have made it more social.

It was nice a few times when there were breaks to go around and check out the other paintings. Some people had some amazing work. Mine was rather simple, which I was OK with. The painting was about being unique and the instructor offered a free class if you did it in another language.

I dug deep and remembered my French days and did it in that (if I remember right, unique is the same in English/French) and earned myself a free Paint Night class, so that’s cool. I also filled out a survey online and received a code for like 40 percent off or something for a class.

Paint.

Paint.

What I truly found out was how relaxing painting can be. I’ve seriously thought about buying a few canvases and some paint and brushes and just seeing what I can do. I know I’m never going to be the next Picasso or anything, but it’s a way to relax, be creative and maybe have some things to put on my walls – or to give to somebody else. I’ll have to see what kind of investment I’d be looking into. Or, maybe I’ll just stick to Paint Nite events.

On another note, take a peek at the Paint Nite website and see if there are any events in your area. It’s heavily on the female side, so if you’re a single guy, it might be worth grabbing a couple of friends and checking it out. At the event I was at, I was one of two males there – and the other wasn’t painting. What’s the worst thing that happens? You go, have a hoot and a few drinks and socialize some.

It’s an affordable and fun evening and well worth doing. I’d encourage anybody to try it as it gives you something outside the normal zone for fun. The best part is when looking at events, you can see what you’ll be painting and what they rate it (from easy to hard) so you can decide if it’s something you can handle or not.

Paint Nite was a heap of fun and I look forward to doing it again sometime in the future.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Filed Under: My world Tagged With: albany, art, artist, color, drink creatively, event, fun, paint, paint nite, painting

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She was so still for this photo. Make sure you f She was so still for this photo. 

Make sure you follow her on Instagram at: @harper_dublin !

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Harper is counting down to Santa Paws! You know, Harper is counting down to Santa Paws! 

You know, of course, Santa Paws travels with Santa Clause, making sure to find treats and toys for all the good little doggies! (We know they are all deserving, right?) So, Harper put out some milk for the big guy, carrots for Rudolph and the reindeer, and special cookies for Santa Paws! She is ready! 

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One of the best parts about having Harper as my be One of the best parts about having Harper as my best friend… ❤️
Couldn't resist stopping on the way to work to sna Couldn't resist stopping on the way to work to snap this shot. The colors in the sky were fantastic and the scene was nice looking (though, to be fair, I drove by what I think would have been a better scene -- the valley and hills full of snow etc.)

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The best of times??? 🤪🤪🤪 The best of times??? 🤪🤪🤪
Just a break on our morning walk … #goldenretri Just a break on our morning walk …

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Tired. Tired.
Harper is ready for tonight! Let’s go Phillies! Harper is ready for tonight! Let’s go Phillies! 

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I look at her and sometimes still can’t believe I look at her and sometimes still can’t believe I have her. It’s been a year and four months and she makes me smile and laugh more each day. It’s amazing how much a dog changes your look on life, and how much joy they can bring. 

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I’ve recently realized how many photos I have to I’ve recently realized how many photos I have to post here, as well as on Harper’s (@harper_dublin) account). So, as I start to transfer photos, I’ll try and catch up. So photos coming could be from all seasons and who knows when. 🤣

This one is recent from the courthouse square in Delhi. We had some pretty good fall colors this year. 

#fall #delhiny #seasons #iphoneonly #love #photography #photooftheday #instagood #happy #picoftheday
From a few weeks ago. I was trying to get Harper t From a few weeks ago. I was trying to get Harper to put her paws on the bridge and looked out, but she was more content jumping on me and looking up. I do love the way she seems to be looking at me.
Instagram post 17992900117561614 Instagram post 17992900117561614
Couldn’t resist a quick stop this morning with t Couldn’t resist a quick stop this morning with the fog and frost settled in. 

Hamden Covered Bridge 

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Harper’s friend Lucy is around this weekend! #g Harper’s friend Lucy is around this weekend!

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So… @harper_dublin wants to know why she can’t So… @harper_dublin wants to know why she can’t have @mallons_homemade_sticky_buns.
This is why we can’t have nice things. Saw this This is why we can’t have nice things. Saw this on me morning walk Friday with Harper. Likely some college kids, but also as chance at local hooligans. I had Harper so not a lot I could do, but I managed to get the cart off the chair. (See second photo) This was in a local park.
Harper is ready for #nationalfetchday on October 1 Harper is ready for #nationalfetchday on October 15! @chuckitfetchgames 

Should be fun! @discgolfdarren @harmm23
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P.J. Harmer

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A video looking at my first year and a half of owning a golden retriever, my first dog. It's had its ups and downs, but I've truly loved the ride and look forward to the future. 

Music: Happy before we get old by Michael Shynes via Artlist. 

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When these boxes come, there usually some excitement. But this one ... is the ultimate unboxing! 

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I hate being in front of the camera, but also realize sometimes it's not the worst thing in the world. So, I'm getting better with it. Week 4's theme was all about us and having us in front of the camera, so I tried to come up with a creative way to do it. 

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