Porte Photos’ Daily Quote: November 21, 2022

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If you lose wonder,
you’ve lost everything.

~ Goldie Hawn
American – Actress Born: November 21, 1945

Porte Ponderings:

My youngest sister had her Annual Christmas Tea on the weekend. She collects and displays Dicken’s figures. This year she arranged them according to location in London England. Complete with the Queen’s coffin at one end and the working train at the other. Her collection grows every year as she scours sales on line and in person. Buying a whole lot just to get one building or character, then selling duplicates. So much so she’s become familiar with the local post office staff and invited them to come see her extensive collection. She now has 120 buildings on display.

This sense of wonder and excitement continues and brings joy to her to include others in her annual tea.

Porte Photos’ Daily Quote: November 17, 2022

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I’ll tell you one thing,
it’s a cruel, cruel world.

~ Danny DeVito
American – Actor Born: November 17, 1944

Porte Ponderings:

Happy Birthday Danny DeVito.

You’ve made us laugh so many times and taught us how to laugh at ourselves.

It may be a cruel, cruel world, but like a rose in the first snowfall there is beauty in everything.

Porte Photos’ Daily Quote: November 14, 2022

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Insulin is not a cure for diabetes; it is a treatment.
It enables the diabetic to burn sufficient carbohydrates
so that proteins and fats may be added to the diet
in sufficient quantities to provide energy for the economic burdens of life.

~ Frederick Banting
Canadian – Scientist November 14, 1891 – February 21, 1941

Porte Ponderings:

My husband has insulin dependent diabetes. He was diagnosed in 1997 and is still living with the disease at 70.

The incidence of diabetes is much higher among indigenous people.

His mother was diabetic when she was pregnant with him. My husband weighed 12.5 lbs when he was born at home. His mother died at the age of 61 from diabetic complications. Kidney failure, Retina detachments and toe amputations just to mention a few of her health issues due to diabetes.

Advances have been made since my mother-in-law died. The needles are much easier to use. The testing is much easier and more accurate than the urine tests. Now you can wear a sensor that continuously monitors blood glucose levels. The sensors last 2 weeks and are easy to apply. My husband uses 2 types of insulin, a long acting one at night time and a fast acting one before each meal (yes a total of 4 per day).

Other drugs also help control glucose levels: Metformin, Jardiance, Ozempic (injectable 1x per week)

Then there are all of the other diabetic complications such as neuropathy, so he takes Pregavalin for pain; poor circulation so compression socks, special orthotics and a scooter to help with his limited mobility. Oh and don’t forget the Goldbond for dry skin.

We’re lucky, Indian and Northern Affairs pays for most of his medical supplies.

My one daughter-in-law had a pancreas and double kidney transplant. No longer insulin dependent, she now has a handful of anti-rejection drugs to take with every meal.

Non-insulin dependent diabetes is also on the rise in North America. I’ve had non-insulin dependent diabetes for 2 years. Although being over-weight and inactive increase your possibility of developing Type II diabetes you can be active and underweight, so get tested.

New developments and research are aimed at curing the disease, but until then the symptoms are kept at bay with stop gap treatments.

Donate to Diabetes Canada – Make a Donation Today – help find a cure.

Use this link to make a donation: Donate Now

Porte Photos’ Daily Quote: November 11, 2022

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My mom, Irmelin, taught me the value of life.
Her own life was saved by my grandmother during World War II.

~ Leonardo DiCaprio
American – Actor Born: November 11, 1974

Porte Ponderings:

Today is Remembrance Day.

Go to your local Cenotaph or War Memorial to honour our Veterans.

Porte Photos’ Daily Quote: November 10, 2022

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Even if I knew that tomorrow
the world would go to pieces,
I would still plant my apple tree.

~ Martin Luther
German – Leader November 10, 1483 – February 18, 1546

Porte Ponderings:

Yes, I would continue to plant things as well.

Yesterday, I painted two more Christmas Cards.

Today, I’m going to have my left eye lasered to clear off the back of my replacement lens. There was a terrible mix-up with the referral from my Optometrist, but once the referral was received the appointment was set up quickly. It’s a very quick procedure, I had it done 4 years ago on my left eye.

Tomorrow is Remembrance Day, so Zumba is cancelled and we’ll all be at the Cenotaph to pay our respects.

November is almost 1/2 over and I’m looking forward to going to Cuba at the end of the month. Christmas is already trying to make it into the discussions as I’ve booked our Family Christmas Eve get together. I’m having a house-sitter while we go to Florida, so I’ve invited her to stay while we go to Cuba. So much to do. So little time. ❤

Porte Photos’ Daily Quote: November 9, 2022

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Black and white are the colors of photography.
To me they symbolize the alternatives
of hope and despair to which mankind is forever subjected.

~ Robert Frank
Swiss – Photographer / November 9, 1924-September 9, 2019

Porte Ponderings:

November 8th was Indigenous Veterans’ Day. A day to remember all the Indigenous Veterans.

Frozen in time in Black and White Photos, my husband’s uncles:

Earl Halpin
Chester Golder

Porte Photos’ Daily Quote: November 3, 2022

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We don’t make movies for critics,
since they don’t pay to see them anyhow.

~ Charles Bronson
American – Actor November 3, 1920 – August 30, 2003

Porte Ponderings:

Foggy mornings with a very slight breeze. Walks on these mornings have a surreal feel to them. The sounds are attenuated and the fog closes in around you. I was hoping to capture some sun beams this morning, but the fog may not lift until noon. The local school bus routes were cancelled before dawn even appeared.

So who do we take pictures for? Ourselves? Our customers? or our Peers? It depends on the situation. We take pictures for ourselves to learn new techniques and improve. We take pictures for our customers to get paid and justify our business for taxes. We take pictures for our peers so we can get feedback on our work.

Porte Photos’ Daily Quote: November 2, 2022

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I have never been lost,
but I will admit to being
confused for several weeks.

~ Daniel Boone
American – Explorer November 2, 1734 – September 26, 1820

Porte Ponderings:

The picture I used for today’s quote is from 2014 using the Nikon D60 I had just bought from my stepson. Travelling I75 to Florida this is still my favorite view of Indian Mountain State Park. The trees were in their full colours and the mountain so huge. This is how I like to envision autumn colours.

Porte Photos’ Daily Quote: October 23, 2022

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Life begets life.
Energy creates energy.
It is by spending oneself
that one becomes rich.

~ Sarah Bernhardt
French – Actress / October 22, 1845 – March 26, 1923

Porte Ponderings:

Sunday in the Indian Summer. The temperatures today will be at about 21C (70F). The trees are still showing their colours and a killing frost has finally gotten rid of a lot of the allergens in the air.

This season is probably one of my favorites, but there is so much to do before winter steals her way into the shorter days. I still have plants from the Fall plant sale to put in the ground. The summer toys need to be put away. The garage needs to be cleaned to make room for my car before we head to Florida. But my heart wants one more kayak ride down the Old Ausable Channel. I have school photo retakes tomorrow morning, then I’m headed to the Pinery with my sister for one last adventure of the season.

Porte Photos’ Daily Quote: October 22, 2022

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If your pictures aren’t good enough,
you aren’t close enough.

~ Robert Capa
American – Photographer October 22, 1913 – May 25, 1954

Porte Ponderings:

I don’t think Robert Capa meant to take the picture closer and do only close-ups. I think you have to start by understanding your subject matter and getting closer. If you’re photographing wildlife you need to learn about your subject and have a passion for the subject to have it show in your photos.

I’ve loved turtles every since I was very little. Back when you were allowed to keep pet turtles, I had two painted turtles in a little dish with a plastic palm tree on the TV. We would take them out of the dish and race the turtles on the kitchen floor in the sunshine. Then it became illegal, apparently turtle habitats in captivity are high in e-coli and other bacteria that might be harmful to humans. Now as a more mature person I understand that turtles need to be in their native habitat and permitted to live their lives as free creatures. But I still love to be close to them, so kayaking and photography is a much better way to be observing them. Pinery Provincial Park is the place to find them. My record number of sightings were 179 painted turtles and 2 snapping turtles.

Learning more about my native heritage, I can see why turtles are so important to me, as we all live on turtle island. My ancestors left their family and reservations in search of adventure and safety for their children. In recent years we’ve heard more about the children that were taken away to residential schools or taken away by child welfare agencies and the abuse they suffered often including death. Many of the women left the reservations to ensure they could keep their children. Indians gladly enfranchised, gave up their native status, to be able to vote and live a life of freedom. The ties to heritage, culture and family were severed as intergenerational damage cut the final connections to language and religion. It was shameful to say you were part Indian, so families hid their heritage. It’s surprising to discover how many people in my subdivision growing up had Native heritage. I’m so glad to see that this is slowly changing as culture is being reclaimed and shown with pride again. My husband’s Muncee-Delaware flag hangs on the front our home. Yes, it includes a turtle on the flag.