a photo a day :: day 72




I'm still taking at least one picture every day.  Well, I guess I forgot a couple times last week, but I'm trying to take at least one picture every day.  Have I learned anything yet?  That's hard to say.  I think I'm becoming more familiar with all the numbers (aperture, f/stop,etc) and how they relate to each other, and ultimately how that affects the picture.  Although, I still very much operate in the trial and error mode most of the time.

I am also having to think of creative ways to shoot regular day things.  I don't often go out for an exciting picture taking journey every day.  Most days I find myself just about to cook dinner and discovering I haven't taken a picture yet, so I wander around the house, first upstairs, then downstairs, then out on the front porch, looking for something news worthy.  Something that's just screaming to have it's picture taken.  Then after coming up with nothing, I realize that I have to just find something, anything, and try get the best shot possible.  Hopefully, after a year of this, I will have some better techniques for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.

shout out to all the orange kitties


via here, here, here, and here

If you have an orange male cat, you know what I'm talking about here. When we got Simon, the helpers at the animal shelter, the nurses at the vet, and the vet herself all told us that male orange tabby cats are the sweetest cats around. They make great family pets.

We sometimes refer to Simon as our dog, because he always has to be where we are, especially where the kids are. Ever since he was a kitten, when the girls are tucked in for bed, Simon voluntarily tucks himself right in with them. And when they go outside to play, he cries at the door if he gets stuck inside.


And because Simon is the sweetheart that he is, my neighbor made him this gorgeous bed for Christmas.

Cheers to you orange kitty cats!

camera challenge{d}: time to practice



Pictures from around the house, on a warm, lazy, fall afternoon.

It's been a long time since I've had to learn something new. Something that I am motivated to learn. Something I am selfishly learning just because I want to. They say the only way to get better at doing something is to practice, practice, practice.

I am feeling the luxury of having the time, the equipment, and such a beautiful day to spend learning something new. I carefully guard these precious pockets of time. For myself and for my girls.

a yellow kitty

our yellow kitty has finally arrived!
we call him simon peter.
we adopted him from our local animal shelter.
he was actually living in a foster home being bottle fed,
until he was old enough to be adopted into a family.
he was found in a field with his 4 sisters.
yes, i wanted all of them.

this "little guy" (that's the other name i call him) is all love.
as soon as you touch him, or even look at him he starts purring,
and you can hear it across the room.
he's only 9 weeks old, and sleeps most the day
(usually while being held by one of his new mamas).
when he's not sleeping he's attacking dust balls, scraps of fabric,
and imaginary things only he can see.

kitties

photo from here

oh, kittens!
you're so cute!!
just big balls of fur and purr!

after my kitty of 18 years died last summer i have had a cat sized hole in my heart.
and i am happy to say that the time for a new kitten is finally here.
we are now officially looking for the right one.

we are going to visit a litter of wee kitties tomorrow afternoon,
in hopes of falling in love.
they are at a foster parents house (someone who is so wonderful to bottle feed these babies until they are big enough to be adopted into loving families).
if we like one, we will be able to visit it as much as we want until it is old enough to come home with us.

soon maybe my dreams will come true!

petting

we went petting the other day. first time ever! we went on an outing with a fun family friend who suggested visiting woods humane society.
the girls and i have definitely been going through some petting withdrawals, and until it's time to get one of our own, this is a perfect antidote.

oh! they were all so cute and lovable. i loved the rows of baskets, all occupied, some a better fit than others.
ruby went right to work combing, then decided she'd be better off spending her time organizing the cats. little ones in this room, bigger ones over there, sort of thing.

we even visited the doggies too. they all have a story. it was like reading a personals ad.

yes, we'll go petting again.

good bye

good byes are never fun, especially when they're forever. we had to say good bye to my kitty of 18 years yesterday. they said she was an old cat, they said her kidney's didn't work anymore, they said she had lived a good life. i want to believe what they say, and i do, but that doesn't make it any easier. my heart still hurts.