alskuefhaih
asoiefh

Sunday, October 19, 2008

the "ruthie method"


Fourteen of us prepped the family cottage for winter Saturday.



We cleaned . . .


. . . repaired . . .


. . . washed windows and replaced the screens on the porch with them . . .




. . . and took in the dock (I wanted you to see how chilly it was for the poor men who had to bare their legs and get into the 40°-something water, that would be around 7° celsius).

So what's the "ruthie method"? That's when you work for 30 minutes, then break for 30 minutes. That's about how it went, eating doughnuts and drinking coffee along the way.

























I wiped down a lot of knick knacks. These Indian paintings were given to my parents by some MSU students back in the day.



















Lydia is showing you the tree that got hit by lightning a month or so ago, taking out the television and computer modem. We think the electrity went up the guide wire there up to the power line pole and through the cottage.








In case you didn't already get the idea that I am lazy after describing the "ruthie method" above, I have another confession. My second confession is that up to now I have used the "auto" setting on my DSLR camera for 99% of my photographs. I am determined to learn the manual settings. Rather ignorantly I experimented at the cottage and had my f-stop and shutter speed set wrong, so that most shots were over-exposed and/or blurry.

44 comments:

Donica said...

Thanks for sharing these shots of work day. So sorry i could not be there to help! I feel very sorry for the guys who took the dock out....wow, was that chilly!! For those of us who could not make the journey, your pics make us feel like we know what is happening. I look forward to seeing everyone at Christmas time :)

Kerri Farley said...

Oh I LOVE the Ruthie Method!! And I really want one of those signs about "chunky dipping". How cute!!!

I think your pictures are wonderful!!!!

Ginnie Hart said...

I like the Ruthie Method, too, and just wish I could be there one clean-up time to share that camaraderie! One day.

I agree with Donica that the photos say everything for those of us who can't be there. Thanks for doing that for us!

And bravo to you for venturing past the Auto setting on your camera...though I must say that that Auto gives you EXCELLENT images. You'll be a Pro in no time. :)

Ruth said...

Donna/Donica, you help every time you go to the cottage. But we do miss you being there, it would be so fun if you and Boots were part of the day. But I take it you would not have ventured into the water, like me?

Let's hope for snow this year at Hukilau Christmas!

Ruth said...

Hi Kerri! Nice to see you here. :) Yes, my sister Nancy found that sign and loved it. We keep adding to the wall of signs. Thank you, you aren't seeing the awful pictures. I'm still frustrated about the process of learning the manual settings after venturing out today. :|

Ruth said...

Boots, I know you would love being there. We know you can only come once or twice a year, so you have to be judicious! I tried to get everyone in a shot this time, and I think I managed it. Oh Boots, I'm discouraged after experimenting some more today. Boohoo. I don't have much patience for the process. I need some good results from manual settings to move me forward now.

Anonymous said...

That is some confession you made...the 'green button' Tracy would say, point and press.
Ruth these pictures are just great and please have patience, one day at the time......once you will get the hang of it, I did too, and we are about the same age...so.....just take the manual and do one page a day, I did the same....and keep your faith up high, if you want something you can do it....
Good luck and nothing wrong with the 'green button'.
The story these pictures tell is lovely, a big family having fun and that is more important than the settings on a camera......

Susan said...

Auto setting rocks! I do the same thing with my DSLR, although sometimes I go a little wild and use the "child" setting that lets you snap, snap, snap with no lag time. I used the night setting for the sunset picture on my latest post.

Your pictures are always lovely, Ruth, and don't sell yourself short because you use the auto button. The pictures still need you for composition and that's half of getting a successful outcome.

Anet said...

I just love seeing the cabin! What a great place. The doughnut looks so good and love the chunky dunk sign. ;)

Amy said...

I love that chunky dunk sign! I MUST HAVE ONE! LOL It looks beautiful at the cabin right now. I do feel sorry for the guys who brought the dock in. Brrrrr!

Gwen Buchanan said...

The Ruthie Method... I like it!!


The photo of the reflection... in the smooth as glass water.. wow!

... you have some very hot men there to get into 40 deg water... oh I get it now.. they Had to get into the water to bring in the dock.. I at first thought they went for a polar bear dip...

Great memories!

Ruth said...

Dear Astrid, I read what you wrote out loud to Don, that was kind.

I know we all start somewhere, and I'm just glad a digital camera is an easy and cheap way to learn, so I shouldn't complain. I need a photographer to follow me around, look at the photos with me, and tell me what I should have done. :| Like you!

Ruth said...

Hi Susan! That sunset was gorgeous, we have so little time to catch them, right? Thank you. I am fine with composition, but that's about 1/3 of the job.

Ruth said...

Hi Anet! Have you been out to a cider mill yet? Don bought some cider yesterday at Meijer yesterday, but we never made it out to Uncle John's, so sad.

Ruth said...

Amy! It's a great sign, isn't it? I think Nancy bought it at a shop up in Bear Lake. You might find one online, but if she has another one at that shop (she works there sometimes) I'll have her nab one for you! At least the sun was shining for a bit when the guys went into the frigid water.

Ruth said...

Gwen, I don't think you'd get everything done with the ruthie method. You are too industrious and have to make a living with what you make. I guess the key is enjoying what you're doing, that's part of it, not making it a chore.

You would have loved the glass water in the evening, when the clouds were billowing out patterns.

Amy said...

the ruthie method sounds perfect! Love love LOVE the shots that little babies face:) makes me melt and the last shot here wow spectacular! Have you been using the holga at all lately?xo

Anonymous said...

Great shots, Ruth, as usual! I sure miss these times at the cottage and I appreciate the brief glimpse into the day through your eyes! Thanks for sharing!

Loring Wirbel said...

f stops are like learning a slide rule. What with calculators and digital cameras, you have this feeling you'll never need those tools again (abacus, anyone?). Yet there's something in the back of your head saying, "What if all the auto-computing functions stopped? Would the knowledge be preserved in monasteries?"

Ruth said...

Oh, A, little Emmet is such a cutie, and so is Clara, whom you couldn't see very well in her mom's arms on the lakefront. They melt my heart too.

Oh dear, the holga. Well I have one roll shot and another in the camera, and I'll mail them to Kansas when that one's done. I've slowed down on it. Did you get yours??

Ruth said...

Amy! Thank you, I know you miss being here with us, and we miss you too, and Nicholas and Dennis! Jeesh, we need to catch up . . .

All my love to you, Nicholas and Dennis.

Ruth said...

Loring, for goodness' sake, what is up with the counter-intuitiveness of f stops? "Stop down" etc., ayayayayay! Some of my photographer friends (who love film BTW) think people like me who take photographs but don't bother to learn about photography are major losers, so I have a definite stigma I'm afraid. I do agree with them that digital photography is overly easy, and the art of film photography slows the process down. I dunno, it's easy to be a snob about anything, I guess. :D Not saying anyone out there is one!

Loring Wirbel said...

Ruth, we had everyone at work standardize on Flip video to take instant video clips with easy porting to YouTube. The snobbery among the digital film cognoscenti is disgusting - "Well, if you're interviewing a CEO, you certainly don't want to pull out a Flip, it's a statement that you don't care." In reality, every big muckamuck that gets interviewed with a Flip wants to play with it. Photography buffs, vinyl-record buffs, slide-rule buffs all think that something is missing in life if you don't learn things the hard way. They may be right, but they need to get their noses out of the air.

Ruth said...

Oh I love being a snob about snobs. Recently at one of our faculty meetings, one guy was pontificating on the nature of literature (read with Brit accent), the canon, and someone piped up that our students don't read much any more. One of the younger profs dared to opine that "oh yes they do read, they read a good deal . . . " proceeding to include text messages and IM-ing as reading and text. You should have seen some noses shoot up in the air! But hey! Jane Austen had to defend the reading of novels at one time.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the big compliment, I think Ginnie would love to show you too......erm.....but that is Canon.....neahhh....we rather stay to Nikon....grin...
Ask me what you like to know, anytime....
Have a nice day.

Ruth said...

Astrid, good idea, no mixing of brands. We'll be Nikon snobs. (I know I can probably ask her for help, even so.) Thank you kindly for your offer! I might just take you up on that.

Anonymous said...

Greetings to all of those brave men on the dock ( this is a correct name, I did not know, thanks! )
and all of you hardworking women and the adorable children too!

We do all those things tomorrow :)

Ruth said...

Oh! so Leena you will get your place ready for the Finnish winter! Our lakes look so much alike, whenever I look at your photos I think I am at Hukilau.

Swubird said...

Ruthie:

For someone who stuck with the auto method of exposure, you did quite well. Artistic pictures are okay, but nothing beats a good subject and composition. In those areas, you did super. After seeing all of the art photography on the web, seeing your pictures taken in the old fashioned snapshot style was a real pleasure.

I think I like the Ruthie Method. Long breaks and donuts sounds like a winner.

Stop by my site sometime and give me your opinion.

Until then...Happy trails.

Ruth said...

Welcome, Swubird! And on your first visit you are full of praise too, which should be the case if at all possible. Thank you! I've seen you and Bob exchange words about space over at Blackholes & Astrostuff, so you aren't a stranger.

Believe me, I have gotten through many dreaded chores with the ruthie method, feeling quite wonderful the whole way.

Bob Johnson said...

Lol, I'm loving the ruthie method, also crack me up with the feed limit and the Chunky Dunk.

Your pics turned out great, love the first one, as far as the auto setting feature, I don't remember even using mine yet, shows you how many daytime pics I've taken,lol.\m/\m/

Sherer said...

Wow, what an amazing picture at the end there! I will be back, looks like you have a wonderful family as well.

Jesse

sandy said...

Great post. I enjoyed reading about the day and seeing the photos!

I still am only using my Intelligent auto on my camera and I know it can do so much more...

I need to focus in and learn.

Ruth said...

Welcome, Jesse! How nice of you to visit and comment. I wish you could have seen the lake in person at that hour, it was stunningly beautiful and quiet at the same time. I'll be happy to see you here when you come back.

Ruth said...

Auntie Sandy, we missed you at the cottage. Wouldn't you have liked to get in that water?

I was reading my photography book (which Ginnie and Donica gave me) about digital cameras, and these auto settings are so advanced, I wonder sometimes why I want to learn manual! Maybe it's what Loring said, someone needs to remember.

Ruth said...

Oops, I forgot you there for a sec, Bob.

Ha! Now that I don't use the Olympus much, I need to learn to shoot the moon manually. I might be paying closer attention to your settings next eclipse.

Aren't those signs great? When we bought the cottage in 1963 there was a wall full of them, most of which came down because they were too 'off color' for a preacher's family. :)

Katy said...

The pictures that did come out look great and I must agree that the "ruthie method" is an excellent system. Sorry I missed it!

Ruth said...

Hi Katy! I'm sorry you missed it too! You did a lot in the spring though! But anyway, we missed you.

Be sure to tell your mom and grandma about the "ruthie method" - they work too hard!

sandy said...

I am determined to learn all about this camera, because I know I can take better pics some day. I get good ones just using IA, but why waste all these wonderful options.

Yes I would have LOVED to be there.

Ruth said...

Sandy, we would have loved having you there, shoving doughnuts at you. We wouldn't have made you work. :)

Good luck on your camera too! I'm not the most technology savvy person in the world, but when I put my mind to it, I finally get it. :|

Anonymous said...

Love those fall colors and sexy man legs! The look of the new site is great too mom!

Ruth said...

Thanks, bo. I don't know how they did the dock without you.

PeterParis said...

What a wonderful place, what a wonderful big family!!

PeterParis said...

... and of course, what a nice method!