Diane Jarvis-Schuller

“Tamrac’s Maggie Has Moxie”
January 1999 – January 2012

Dear Friends,

It is with a heavy and pained heart I share with you that our dear Maggie May Muggins Magoo (as we often dearly called her) died in our arms last week.

In her 13 years with us she brought John and I so much joy. She loved us both in the way only a dog can, though certainly was deeply attached to John. She faced every day with an abundance of joy and independence. We delighted in how exuberant she was on her daily runs, and how she would leap and ‘quarter’ the fields in her pursuit of birds, mice, and other vermin. She was a master hunter and taught both the Aussies how to track, hunt, and capture their prey. She was soft, kind, and never ever had a bitter moment. Despite never having been raised with children she was a supreme matron of youth. There wasn’t a human she didn’t love and immediately trust. We will miss so much about her.

We’ll miss those floppy ears as she flew through the air with her Springer gallop; her well honed instincts; her cute and sometimes awkward way of going berserk, especially in wet snow; how she’d put Austin into his place when no other dog would ever dare try; how she’d snort as she rolled on her back, belly exposed and full of Springer friskyness; and how she was a quiet friend cuddled at John’s feet on the end of his Lazyboy; and how she’d paw at my leg when I would groom one of the other dogs and she wanted her turn. So much more we’ll miss.

Her people meant the world to her even if she wasn’t as demonstrative as our demanding Aussies. She was silently devoted. John and I will both miss those big round brown eyes and we’re already missing her little “arrroooo” which was her expression of delight that it was feeding time.

I had thought I would put together a brief slideshow of some of my favourite images of Maggie but simply looking at photos of her is far too painful right now. We’ll both miss her, a lot.

PS: I recently removed nearly all my photos and will likely continue to take down photos that I post after they are up for a week or two. I will write a post in the future to explain why I have made this decision. Photographs on my website continue to remain online.

The last of the day’s light. All set for the party.

falling leaves
hide the path
so quietly
~John Bailey, “Autumn,” a haiku year, 2001, as posted on oldgreypoet.com

Since I’m not working at the moment, and because I’ve had some recent discussions relating to favourite things and recommendations, I’m adding something a bit different to these pages. From time to time, in addition to some of the book recommendations I have shared, I’m going to add an occasional post about some of my favourite things — as in material items. These “things” may be photography related but they may also fall into other categories such as “in the kitchen”, cooking, gardening, pets, natural health, or some of my favourite books. To make it easy to find some of my favourite things, I’m creating a new Category titled, “Diane’s Favourite Things” so if you click on the Category button (just above in the menu bar) you will easily find a listing of all my recent postings.

To get things started, I’m going to share some information about a book written by a writer friend, Rick Lauber. Caregiver’s Guide for Canadians.

I don’t know why this essential book is not more widely publicized. It’s a lifesaver for anyone who is caring for elderly parents or relatives. Utilizing his own personal experience, the author adeptly addresses every and any issue caregivers are faced with.

I’m amazed at all the details covered in this helpful guide. Some examples of the important information addressed include sharing caregiving duties & defining roles; caregiving from away; all manner of emotional aspects; living arrangements & other responsibilities; paperwork; things to do together or when visiting; managing the medical aspects; keeping balance in your own life; and so much more. A quick flip through the Table of Contents demonstrates just how much help resides within this book. A review never quite touches all the multiple benefits that rest between the pages of such a helpful book.

At the back of the book are pages of helpful resources, including links to organizations and government agencies. Then a final section dedicated to checklists and worksheets. He has thought of everything!

Being a caregiver can be frustrating, tiring, and sometimes confusing. “Caregiver’s Guide for Canadians” is a tool, much like a roadmap (or GPS) to help guide you through the trying times. It’s also like having your own companion letting you know you’re not alone and how to move forward as a caregiver. Do yourself or someone you know who is a caregiver, and buy this book.

I’ve already told my local librarian she needs to have a copy in our library for those in the immediate community. I hope you too will check it out if you or someone you know is caring for an adult family member.

And, sticking with books for today’s post, here is one of my favourite recommendations for great summer reading. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. 

I laughed, I cried, and I felt joy reading this book. I’ve passed it on to several friends, they’ve in turn bought it as gifts for their daughters (or mothers), and I recommend it every chance I can. This is a book about mothers, daughters, loss and hope. Hope reigns triumphant in this delightfully written novel.

The protagonist, Lily, is a girl in a bad situation but her spunk and drive erase any trace of woe-is-me that might be found in other books on a similar subject. The cast of characters in this heartwarming book will delight you, enlighten you, and make you wish you could spend your days with them.

I read this book originally in 2003. At that time I read to senior citizens every week so read the entire book to them (a chapter at a time) and they were mesmerized and delighted with the book. Each week they could hardly wait for the next instalment to be read. Read it to someone you care about.

If I had to summarize this book in two words, I’d say it is both heartwarming and uplifting. Enjoy! (btw, it’s a great gift book for any mother or daughter). Or browse around all Literary Books

PS: I still read books the old fashioned way but I just may splurge one of these days for a Kindle 3G, + Wi-Fi, Ink Pearl Technology — Many people, even of my age, are finding these hand held readers quite nice to use either as an alternative or a complement to real paper books. What about you? How do you read your books?

Red Breasted Nuthatch at our peanut feeder here in frigid Alberta

I hope you all had a Christmas season that was filled with joy and glad tidings. Ours was of that ilk and a bit on the lazy side to boot. The birds, of course, continue to flit about seeking out sustenance but our dogs are, as they should be, inside and warm with us and being taken for multiple short walks through the day.

After starting that awful novel just before heading to Edmonton (and dumping it while in Edmonton), I picked up a dynamite novel that I just finished last night. I’m now in novel withdrawal not only because I don’t have anything to read but because I’m missing the delightful cast of characters in this last book. If you haven’t read it already, I highly recommend The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society particularly if you enjoy great story telling and engaging characters.

So what have you read lately that you loved and would recommend? And what did you enjoy about it?

PS: Don’t forget to check in during the first week of January for my upcoming announcement regarding my business (or subscribe to the RSS feed so you don’t miss any posts!)

I definitely recommend this novel whether for yourself or as a gift, Resistance by Anita Shreve

Who are your favourite heroes (heroines) in fiction?

This is one of the questions posed by CBC in their version of Proust’s Questionnaire. One day I would love to play the questionnaire and respond to each question. In the meantime, here is my off-the-cuff response to this one question (that’s the idea of doing the questionnaire; the responses are meant to be what first comes to mind without having a lot of time to give it thought).

My favourite heroine is Penelope, the sixty-something protagonist in Rosamunde Pilcher’s The Shell Seekers. I found her spunky and honest in the way she examined her life and her connection with her adult children. There’s more but that’s what stands out in my mind. A very memorable woman.
I do have a second heroine — not sure why male characters are not immediately coming to mind — in Sue Monk Kidd’s delightful novel The Secret Life of Bees, I was absolutely smitten with the teenage Lily. Despite her situation, she had such a delightful and forward-moving attitude and she sometimes had me smiling so much that my cheeks were sore.

Quick, who are your favourite heroes (heroines) in fiction?

Do you have a photographer on your shopping list this Christmas? You’ve come to the right place to get great ideas. Christmas is only 3 weeks away!

1. Camera strap cover. These are not a necessity but they are a unique way of spiffing up ordinary camera straps. I recommend checking out Sara Eaton’s Swanky Stitch. I was fortunate to win one of her custom camera strap covers and am proud to have a more feminine touch when I’m out and about with my camera. She also has some masculine fabrics to choose from for the guys on your list.
2. Since I happen to love supporting creative people who make things, here is another excellent suggestion. An incredibly high quality padded camera bag for women who like to look stylish while carrying a camera with them (instead of those ugly black and bulky masculine bags) — and you won’t believe how reasonable they are. I have something similar but when I found this person, I was kicking myself that I didn’t buy from her first! Check these stylish (and well made) camera bags out and you will be guaranteed to have the BEST gift under the tree!
3. Books: either of David DuChemin’s: Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision, and VisionMongers: Making a Life and a Living in Photography. Both are photography books written by a fellow Canadian that any photographer would be delighted to receive.
4. A Microfibre Cleaning Cloth: Every photographer, whether an amateur or pro needs more than one of these in their camera bag. Even if a photographer has a couple he or she will appreciate having a few more.
5. Gorillapod*. Here’s a really useful little gadget any photographer should have in their bag. Basically they are a portable tripod with three articulated legs that you can use to wrap around any object and hold your camera or flash. They are relatively small and lightweight and are great when you need to support your camera or flash in some unusual position or location. They also have a version for the iPhone called the Gorillamobile which is a great little accessory with a number of uses (watch the video). In conjunction with the Gorillamobile, there is now a new iPhone application called Gorillacam and the best part is that it’s free! It features a camera timer, unlimited rapid fire, 3-shot burst and a grid overlay. Used together with the Gorillamobile, you can now take better self portraits or videos using your iPhone.
6. Another book suggestion is for the photographer who is still just getting started or who says they only do natural light. Well it’s time they learned more This book, On-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Wedding and Portrait Photography is so good because it’s not so technical that a person can’t get into it and yet it gives so much excellent how-to information. And if you’d like to know my favourite book on lighting, it’s Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting but this one is much more about learning to understand lighting rather than a lot of how-to.
7. Black Rapid R-Strap. I want one of these — soon! The company is smart enough to make them for men or women. From all the reviews I’ve read and comments from photographers who do have them, this is by far the best camera strap on the market. The R-Strap allows a person to hang the camera at your side quickly sliding it up to your eye to take a shot. This is far better than hanging a heavy camera and lens around the neck. It’s ideal also for travel photography or wedding/event photographers.
8. Want some more ideas that border on novelty rather than true practicality? Check out Photojojo for some funky ideas.
9. Subscription to KelbyTraining.com. Scott Kelby’s training website offers hundreds of hours of instruction on just about every Adobe program including Photoshop, Lightroom, InDesign, and others. There are also lots of other instructional videos on photography, covering topics ranging from legal and business issues to lighting and wedding photography.
10. Memory Cards. A photographer can never have enough memory cards. It’s best to stick with well known brands like Lexar or SanDisk.
11. This one won’t surprise most of you. Because photographers are always taking so many photos for themselves and because I feel we MUST get all our images printed rather than left on our computers, head out and buy the photographer on your list a beautiful photo album. Here’s a nice leather one for someone who like things a bit rustic or country, Genuine Leather Rustic Rider Photo Album – Stores 100 4×6 Photos, Dark Brown or for the photographer who prefers things a bit more classy, try this one Deluxe Leather Photo Album with Faux Suede Interior Lining – Stores 300 Pictures, Brown — I know I would always appreciate receiving an archival quality photo album of any kind.
12. Gift Card. Still not sure what to get them? A gift card to their favourite camera store is always a safe bet.

What items are on your photography wish list this year? Leave your ideas in the comments below.