This is me...strange.

I love the outdoors.
I love photography.
I like puppies, dogs, mules, horses...animals.
I like art.
I am a softy with a big heart [my own opinion, of course].
I have worked in the service field as a waitress, an insurance underwriter, a gas pump jockey, a bank teller, and a receptionist in a doctor's office, amongst other things.

Now I work in Security~~
Yesterday I trained at the range with a Glock 40mm.
And I really really enjoyed it.
I shot well.
A score of 290 out of 300 for the Qualification Course.

This morning I get up and the things on my mind of course is going out to feed 'Puppy', do chores, take a hike, ride Badger, and then practice my pistol skills.

I don't think I'm the normal 53 year old typical woman.
Nope, not at all.

Puppy has arrived!!!!

No story tonight...just pictures of an 8 week old Black and Tan Hound Puppy~~~~
Enjoy and know that she is loved...

Good Eggs Make Good Neighbors

OHHH.

Okay, I did have something wonderful [perhaps not thought provoking though] to write about this morning!

Eggs and chickens...and neighbors.

I live in an area where we have 4 neighbors, 4 households. Each of us are very different in nature and are all good country neighbors.
Need help?
Call a neighbor.

It works that way here.
About 2 months ago I was given 8 hens by a co-worker. I lost 2 hens the first day [these were free range chickens]. 2 more hens went wandering and disappeared in the next two weeks.

I now have 4 hens.
And these gals right now love to lay eggs, in fact, I get 3 to 4 a day.
Wayyyyy to many for me and hubby to eat.

These hens love to lay their eggs in the strangest of spots. They like old machinery and tractor chains for some reason. Half the fun is finding the eggs, the other big pleasure my husband has ~~ is that the hens follow him around on his morning chores and cluck at him, waiting for him to shuck some field corn.

The hens are great about cleaning up table scraps also.

Anyway I call up my neighbors and deliver eggs. No charge. Just because it gives me pleasure and it gives them pleasure.

Last night I had a message on my answering machine. A neighbor was inquiring about eggs.
If I had a dozen she'd gladly take them...if I could spare a few more, she'd bake a treat and trade for it.

Hmmmmm

She is a wonderful cook.

I'll be delivering 2 dozen brown beautiful hen 'fruits' this morning and awaiting my tasty treat!

How fun!

Good Morning!

Good Morning~~

I haven't had a 'day shift' for quite a while. So I was quite pleased that on my way to work, I was able to stop and take some sunrise photos.
I didn't realize how much I missed getting up early and watching the sun brighten the horizon.

Lucky for me that I had my old digital camera in my bag and was able to pull off a few places to 'catch' the morning glow.

I don't have anything thought provoking and enlightening to post about today.
Our weather is supposed to be mild for the next few days so I expect that after an 8 hour day on the Range [weapons training for work] tomorrow...

that Wednesday I am looking forward to taking both Badger AND Morris on a nice long adventure.

Hubby and I are driving to Illinois today to pick up an 8 week old Black and Tan Hound Puppy.
I don't know why we 'need' this puppy. But hubby is smart enough to know that my heart melts when I get a puppy in my lap.

Plus, what the heck, Morris will have a young pup to accompany us on our hikes this winter~~this all will create some fun...

and some interesting photos, right?

Watch for puppy pics!

Wandering along

Today was a day for wandering in the November fall air. It was warm enough that I didn't have to bundle up in multiple layers of clothing.

Morris and I headed for the creek bottom.
Seems we almost always end up there. Must be the soothing noises of the water trickling over the rocks.

My favorite shot of the whole day was the top photo.
Nightshade fruits, bright red against the backdrop of the inside of an old manure spreader that has been abandoned by the creek.

The winds were furious above us on the ridge ... Morris and I happily soaked up the late autumn sunshine and enjoyed our hike.

He is sleeping, a content Jack Russell [shhh, I think he is even snoring a bit...]

My mules are getting shaggy, putting on heavy winter coats and of course taking every advantage of muddy spots to roll in.

I won't get the pleasure of having free time to hike again until next week some time.

By then I'll be going bonkers to get into the forest and play.

Topaz Detail~my review

I decided to try the Topaz Detail Trial version which is a free 30 day trail. It is a plug-in that works with my Adobe Elements 5 version of photo software.

I've found it pretty handy when editing some photos that I'd like a bit 'more' detail in than what the camera 'shot'.
You can adjust the amount of detail a lot or just a little. You can adjust color, exposure...hue and saturation. You can go wild or just use it a little.
It works well with some photos, and doesn't work well with other types. So you have to choose wisely.


It can be used creatively also, but I like to use it just enough to tweak a photo like the following Marsh Marigold.
This was an extremely difficult flower to shoot at the yellow petals reflect so brightly that it actually blows the sensors away in the camera. I had difficulty shooting these with film also, so it isn't just digital.

Here is the original:

Here is the tweaked version:


Then for fun, I took the following fungi shot and got a little creative with it.

Original:

Fun:

For my photo book that I am working on, I will admit to using Elements, Picasa, and Topaz to bring out the best in my photos.

Most of the photos however, I am leaving alone.
After all, I hear my father leaning over me as I look through the lens, or peer at a photo that I have taken.
"Take your time, get the exposure right, frame it properly..."
He was a true believer in taking it 'properly' the first time. I grew up watching him labor over one shot at a time.
He still influences me every day.

Working on a photobook

Now that the weather has turned cold and a bit ugly [rain, high winds, cold, mud, yuck], I've started to compile a project that I've been working on since the beginning of the year.

A photo journey of the surrounding forest and how it changes from early spring through late fall.
I'm using Blurb the 'create your own book' company.
I've used it 3 times so far with some fairly good luck.
Preview the books here~~ My Books. Mind you, I'm not trying to sell you something here, just giving you an idea of the fun I am having with photography.

I did a wedding photo book for a young couple whose wedding I did last year. It turned out quite beautifully. I might add that using the premium paper is worth the cost.
I've done two 'kid' story books for my grandchildren featuring my dog's toys as the main quirky characters.
Morris is going to become a 'main' player in book number 3.

As the days grow short, and the weather for riding mules gets more limited, I turn my attentions towards my creative and fun side.

Which reminds me, I have to work on the family calendars!

One last note, I received my 2010 Mules and Jacks Calendar from Cravens & Associates. I was extremely pleased and surprised to see my photo of Thor as the cover.
Take a peek! It is on their website!
Let me know what you think of it!


Sweet!