Walk and Talk

While driving home after breakfast at Aunt Chubby’s I asked Bhavna to take a walk with me along the Aunt Molly Trail of St. Michael’s Nature Preserve. I had mentioned to her that a few weeks prior, I had walked the Aunt Molly Trail after breakfast by myself at Aunt Chubby’s. After we started walking Bhavna mentioned that after our adult children returned to university for the winter semester that the two of us could develop a weekend routine of breakfast and after breakfast walk.

It was cold and windy and the trail was muddy and swampy, not at all like the frozen trail I walked a few weeks ago. We walked along on the grass to the side of the trail. Bhavna was concerned about walking out alone in the woods for fear she would be murdered and her body disposed of in a wood chipper. She asked about my concern when out by myself and I mentioned that I was far more worried about falling and hurting myself. We both agreed that our iPhones provided some comfort because we could be tracked via GPS. I guess we've been watching too many movies.

I noticed that the Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2 has a tendency to sun flare but I liked the way it looked.

My wife is attentive. She had noticed that I had been looking at camera bags on my iPad Pro and wanted to know more. I told her that I wanted a camera bag to hold my Fujifilm X-T2 and a couple of lenses along with my diabetes kit, a small tripod, and some snacks but that I was having trouble making a decision. Some of the leather “Indian Jones” style satchels are expensive and I didn’t feel that I could justify the expense. But she reminded me that I was the type of person to buy quality items and use them for a very long time.

I also like classic canvas and leather look of the Fujifilm/Domke F-803 Camera Bag. But I don’t like the padded velcro dividers inserts that come with many camera bags. I would prefer to toss my lenses and camera body into the bag, using lens wraps and pouches to protect the lenses from damage in the bag. But the bottom of the bag may not be padded and I could damage my body so I would at least like some padding on the bottom of the bag. Argh! Choices!

We walked and talked further than when I was out on my first walk but eventually, the trail was too muddy, and we feeling cold so we turned around and walked back to the car. I'm looking forward to the next one.

📷 FujiFilm X-T2 | Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
📷 FujiFilm X-T2 | Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
📷 FujiFilm X-T2 | Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
📷 FujiFilm X-T2 | Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2

Aunt Chubby’s Luncheonette

I had every intention of getting up early this morning, driving to Hopewell for breakfast at Aunty Chubby’s. Afterwards, I planned on either walking around town or the Aunt Molly Trail with my camera. However, I was up late last night binge-watching episodes of Messiah. I had that series on my watchlist but hadn’t watched it until it started trending on Netflix. I woke up tired and didn’t have the motivation to get dressed.

Instead, I made my breakfast and coffee and settled on the sofa to continue watching the show. I was fascinated by Messiah, a show with a brown-skinned middle eastern messianic main character whose actions (or non-actions) threatened the long-standing world order.

Around 11 AM, Bhavna came downstairs, and we chatted for a bit while I binge-watched my way to a show-hole. She suggested we get out of the house for brunch at Aunty Chubby’s. I misunderstood her, thinking she meant that we included our kids, and I started watching another show, which she took to mean that I wasn’t interested and let me watch shows until almost 1:30 PM before asking me if I was still interested in going. We didn’t leave the house until 2 PM, but fortunately, Aunt Chubb’s is open until 3 PM on Sunday.

After we were seated, we both ordered grits and greens with an egg on top. It’s warming, healthy, and filling.

I told Bhavna that the feelings I have when I am greeted and served at Aunty Chubby’s reminds me of when I would visit my grandmother in Bequia. Mom always got us on the early morning ferry, a hand-built sailing vessel called the Friendship Rose, which often meant that her young boys were ready to eat upon arrival at Port Elizabeth. We would ride to LaPompe, stopping at one of the restaurants/rum shops/convenience stores to eat. I reminisced with Bhavna that because the island was so small, most of the owners were my mom’s family, second and third cousins. Being at Aunt Chubby’s feels like that.

I brought my FujiFilm X-T2, to which I had attached my Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2 lens. Manual focusing is harder for me but made easier when using the peak focusing feature of the FujiFilm X-T2. Combined with the Classic Chrome film simulation preset, it almost feels like I am back in college, shooting a roll of film.

I asked about the drawings and other scribbles all over the diner bar. I was told that they had a minor fire that burnt the surface, and while it was being refinished, they covered it with paper. Patrons and kids were decorating it with art.

📷 FujiFilm X-T2 | Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
📷 FujiFilm X-T2 | Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
📷 FujiFilm X-T2 | Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2
📷 FujiFilm X-T2 | Asahi Optical Co. SMC Takumar 55mm f/2

Out of Focus

While my wife drove, I had fun capturing images out of the windshield while experimenting with the focusing ring of the aperture of my Asahi SMC Takumar 55mm f/2 lens attached to my Fujifilm X-T2.

While my wife drove, I had fun capturing images out of the windshield while experimenting with the focusing ring of the aperture of my Asahi Optical Co. Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 55mm f/2 lens attached to my Fujifilm X-T2.

Bokeh – FujiFilm X-T2 + Asahi Optical Co. Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 55mm f/2 @ ISO 400