Jodie Ponto Photography

Here are just a few of the folks who put the music into the inaugural Music on the Mountain festival in Fort St. James, BC (August 27-29, 2010). To see some general views from the mountain click here.

Andrea Ramolo

Aurora Jane

Cindy Doire

Faye Blais feat. Sarah Burton, Jacquie B, and the ladies of Jungal

Fish and Bird

Fred Eaglesmith

Joey Only Outlaw Band

Mason Rack

National Treasure (Jesse Dee & Jacquie B, Ory No’Man, and more)

Sarah Burton

Scott Cook

Scott Dunbar

General views from the mountain at the inaugural Music on the Mountain festival in Fort St. James, BC (August 27-29, 2010).

To view photos of the folks that put the music into Music on the Mountain click here.

Lionel Conant, festival organizer extraordinaire.

Meet Newton.

He’s the crustiest old bastard I know. Don’t get me wrong though, I happen to find crusty old bastardness an incredibly endearing trait in both dogs and humans alike.

Newton has been a pooch on planet Earth for the past 14.5 years, which means he would be 101.5 if he had been roaming around as a human.

He is suffering from deteriorating hearing & sight, a slight case of arthritis, Cushing’s disease, cancer, and an intense fear of the ceiling fan.  Despite being given that nasty ol’ Death sentence numerous times over the past year he’s still kicking pretty hard at life.

What better way to celebrate the upcoming wedding of your friend Heidi than by feeding him copious amounts of moonshine and taking him to the Rolla Pub? This is the stuff Facebook nightmares are made of so stalk me down there to view further stag-capades.

Recently I found myself on an epic purge that saw me delete the entire contents of my cellular device’s received text message storage box. I also found that a great deal of these messages, when taken straight from the text box and out of context, were pretty freakin’ hilarious and sometimes seemed downright dirty. Since I deleted them all and didn’t bother to take photos of the amusing messages I’m going to share some of my favorites in written form.  Perhaps you’ll recognize yourself or someone you know in these quotes.

“Tap my ass and call me Sheila!” – 1:55am, October 15, 2009

“Are you going to shave me dry Barbarella?” – 1:57am, October 15, 2009

“Merry Friggin’ Christmas.” – 11:58am, December 25, 2009

“It’s a curth, I know – I’ve had to start drinking testosterone and watching monster truck racing.” – 9:40pm, January 28, 2010

“Knees are a bit sore but all positive. I need to keep working on my rhythm.” – 1:59am, February 17, 2010

“Pull him into the rest room and lick his beautiful face for me.” – 8:51pm, March 6, 2010

“In the parking lot sucking cock.” – 10:53pm, March 12, 2010

“I think I’m going to have to revoke a spandex permit or two here at the Hair Bin.” – 2:43pm, April 3, 2010

“I like your attitude. You are today’s recipient of the flattering legwear award.” – 2:57pm, April 3, 2010

“I just bought a pair of sequined purple shorts at a garage sale!!!!!!!!!!” – 2:18pm, May 29, 2010

“P.S. I’m watching Dirty Dancing.” – 5:42pm, June 5, 2010

“I ate an entire box of Kraft Dinner because I was so depressed you didn’t call. BTW, it was white cheddar ” – 9:46pm, July 4, 2010

“Finnish my chocolate milk.” – 1:14pm, July 20, 2010

“Remind me to send you the next installment of Wladyko’s erotica. you’re in it too!” – 7:50pm, August 4, 2010

“I just stepped outside the library and realized that this is the ugliest fucking town around. And I’m not even in a bad mood, it just is …” – 6:46pm, August 12, 2010

“U better get ur sweet ass 2 that bus station now!” – 8:09am, August 15, 2010

“Have you I will! Hehehe (evil laugh).” – 7:54pm, August 21, 2010

Recently I spent some time in Demmitt, Alberta where the Cultural Society is in the midst of timber framing a brand spankin’ new community centre.

In amongst cultivating my cake baking skills and indulging in a romance with the outdoor shower I spent my time admiring square dancing club relics from the days of yore on the walls of the old community hall.

And finally, my personal favorite, the shrine to the local Johnny Cash of square dance callers:

Once upon some 4 or 5 odd years ago I returned from living in Victoria to discover a concert given by an independent Canadian musician named Rob Szabo in my formerly devoid of such things hometown. Reading an old notebook from the time I find sentimental sentences like: “Holy shit. That honest and intense show and Szabo’s super-smile made me want to quit whatever it is I’m doing and high-tail it to some nerve center of free-flowing passion & happiness & creativity and I suppose basically just give a shit about something”.

Once upon 2 summers ago I was gifted an old 35mm camera and shortly after receiving it took it along as my date to a house concert given by the aforementioned Szabo.

Anyways,  all I’m trying to say here is that Rob Szabo is both the first musician who inspired me and the first musician I photographed.

Rob Szabo Circa Jodie’s Camera 2008

Rob Szabo Circa Jodie’s Camera 2010

This handsome hound here is Darby.

He likes long walks along the river, chewing on the thigh bones of large wild animals, and going to bed early to snuggle.

And as far as I know lady canines … he’s single.

Right out of that unassuming face comes a voice that could add a whole new verse to Jizz in My Pants.

(Photos of Steve Brockley at Egan’s Pub on August 20, 2010).