Monday, December 28, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 211


Portrait of Nellie.

My collection of these wonderful resin sheep now numbers two. I got Nellie for Solstice - isn't she cute?

Photo taken December 28, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 210


Stare Down.

I loved this shot of our cat Auto - his eyes especially.

Photo taken December 27, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 209


Boxing Day Moon.

The moon rose in mid afternoon today, and I was able to get a nice shot about an hour before sunset.

Photo taken December 26, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 208


Santa's Helper.

Not much time to take any shots today, but I did play with the macro lens a bit...

Photo taken December 25, 2009

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 207


Peace on Earth.

Health, happiness and all the blessings of the season to you and all you love...

Photo taken Decembe 24, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 206


Just Before Dawn.

This display is in front of City Hall in my little town. I love that the season is noted with a natural scene of trees and deer.

I took this shot this morning on the way to work - 8:45am and not quite dawn.

Photo taken December 23, 2009

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 205


Hip and Happening Holiday.

This little tree in our conference room at work reminds me of the 60s.

Photo taken December 22, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 204


Pressed Tree.

A sprig of evergreen with pressed flowers for ornaments...

Photo taken December 21, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 203


Test Drive.

Only 4 sleeps until Santa!

Photo taken December 20, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 202


New Member of the Pack.

Cricket joined the family today. She's just under 8 weeks old - a registered Miniature Long Haired Dachshund. After much sniffing and playing, she wanted nothing more than to lay in mama's arms and sleep...

Photo taken December 19, 2009

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 201


8th Night.

Happy Chanukah everyone!

Photo taken December 18, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 200


Hangin' Out.

Ares has taken to writhing like a porn star when he's on his cat tree and I pull out the camera. This was the only shot I got without motion blur...

Photo taken December 17, 2009

365 ~ Day 199


Study in Black and White.

I loved the colour of the sky today, and how the trees stood out against the snow. It was warmer today, up to -16C, gray and hazy. A hazy shade of winter...

Photo taken December 16, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 198


Hoar Frost.


It was so cold that the heat from the furnaces in town created an ice fog, which, in turn, left all the vegetation covered in hoar frost.

Ice fog is a unique and bizarre experience - imagine moving through a fog so thick you can't see 10 feet in front of you. However, the fog is recreated and worsened with every heat source. The exhaust from the vehicle in front of you blinds you - especially when moving foward from a stop sign or light.

It's just weird. The joys of the north...

Photo taken December 15, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 197


Evergreens.

Effect achieved with Topaz Simplify pluging for Photoshop.

Photo taken December 14, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 196


Frozen.

On Sunday the high temp was -43C, and was over -50C with wind chill. Too insanely cold to do anything but watch football on tv. The ice crystals on the livingroom windowpane were beautiful, though...

Photo taken December 13, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 195


Noon Shadows.

This time of year the sun is so low in the sky the shadow at noon seems like late afternoon. Also notice the snow - that first branch is actually a foot and a half above the ground...

Photo taken December 12, 2009

Friday, December 11, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 194


Star.

I love how this photo came out. It just speaks to me of the holidays, and warmth, and light.

Photo taken December 11, 2009

Project 365 - Day 193


Partridge in a Pear Tree.

More colour in the office - this beautiful sequined bird is in a colleague's office.

Photo taken December 10, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 192


Silk Cardinal.

This lovely little cardinal came into the office as part of a flower arrangement. In a gray and snowy week I was looking for colour whereever I could find it.

Photo taken December 9, 2009

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 191


"And a Happy Ho Ho to You!"

I just love this lens! This little Garfield is about 3 inches tall... Again, handheld with the Canon 100L macro.

Photo taken December 8, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 190


Royal Eye.

Do you recognize those world famous eyes? It's Queen Elizabeth, sharply looking out from a Canadian $20 bill. Handheld at 1/60 with the Canon 100L macro.

Photo taken December 7, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 189


Sunday Sunset.

The glow of the sunset on the snowy fields was lovely. I ended up with a bit of flare, but I love the colours in this pic.

Photo taken December 6, 2009

Sunday, December 06, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 188


Growing Family!

We met the newest member of our family today. She is yet unnamed, and is a 6 week old purebred mini dachshund. She will come to join the brood right around Christmas. We wanted another hound, but as I get older I've been drawn more and more to smaller dogs that I can easily exercise, etc. She is the tiniest hound!

Photo taken December 5, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 187


Holiday Bokeh.

My creative take on the tree lights.

Photo taken December 4, 2009

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 186


"Red Sky at Morning..."


I took this just after 9am. As we get closer to the winter solstice the sunrise comes later and later here in the north. The sky looked as if it was on fire.

Photo taken December 3, 2009

Project365 ~ Day 185


Holiday Helper.

Frog offers up an ornament for the tree....

Photo taken December 2, 2009

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Project365 ~ Day 184


Finally Full.

The moon is full tonight and the sky is clear. The air is cold (-14C at 6:30pm) and the stars are shining. It is truly a beautiful night.

Photo taken December 1, 2009

Monday, November 30, 2009

Project 365 ~ November 2009 Mosiac


November Mosiac.

Days 154 through 183 of my Project 365.

Project 365 ~ Day 183


Let the Holidays Begin!

We're a multi holiday family. Chanukah is early this year, beginning at sundown on December 11. Then Solstice is on the 21st, and the season winds up with Christmas on the 25th. Good thing we like to celebrate!

Photo taken November 30, 2009

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 182


Fluorite.

I love the colours in this piece.

Photo taken November 29, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 181


Holiday Heart.

This tiny bear is my very favorite tree ornament. He offers his heart to one and all.

Photo taken November 28, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 180


Afternoon Moon.

As you can tell from the background, the sun hadn't yet set when I took this photo of the moon as it is waxing gibbous.

Photo taken November 27, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 179


Blue Escape.

What I felt like doing after the morning I had at work!...

Photo taken November 26, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 178


Wonka.

He looks very mischievous, doesn't he? LOL

Photo taken November 25, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 177


Office Colour.

Once the winter sets in and the environment turns gray and white, it becomes so nice to have flowers in the office.

Photo taken November 24, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 176


Winter Perch.

Photo taken November 23, 2009

Project365 ~ Day 175


Dusk.

More playing with exposure. This was taken using the same settings as yesterday, out the front window. Again, handheld.

Photo taken November 22, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 174


Cold Night

I was working on a project all day and suddenly realized at about 10:30pm that I had not taken a picture yet! That's the first time that happened. I took this out the window, using manual settings and with a shutter speed of a quarter of a second. It's hand held, so I was pretty happy with it...

Photo taken November 21, 2009

Project365 ~ Day 173


Purple Mountain's Majesty

Amethyst crystal makes a lovely miniature...

Photo taken November 20, 2009

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 172


...Until Spring...

I think the snow is here to stay. Today was sunny and bright, but there is over 8 inches of the white stuff, and the drifts are already 3 feet in some places. ::sigh:: Gonna be a long winter...

Photo taken November 19, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 171


Pensive.

pen·sive (pen siv)
adj.
1. Deeply, often wistfully or dreamily thoughtful.
2. Suggestive or expressive of melancholy thoughtfulness.


[Middle English pensif, from Old French, from penser, to think, from Latin pnsre, frequentative of pendere, to weigh; see (s)pen- in Indo-European roots.]

Photo taken November 18, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 170


Make a Joyful Noise.

I've had this little bunny for 35 years. He was given to me when I was in high school, when singing took all my time and energy. My voice has weakened with age, but my memories still ring sweet...

Photo taken November 17, 2009

Monday, November 16, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 169


Fossilized...

Playing with lighting.

Photo taken November 16, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 168


Auto Portrait.

All those birds in our tree that I keep photographing? They have hypnotized Auto.

Photo taken November 15, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 167


At Home.

Still have the flu and didn't get out, and barely got a shot at all. Dori and Ares on the couch.

Photo taken November 14, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 166



Photo taken November 13, 2009

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 165


First Startrails.

This is my first real attempt at capturing startrails. The flu kept me awake last night so I set up the tripod and my wide angle lens. This is from 75 shots - 20 second exposures with 2 dark shots taken over half an hour. Set the camera at continuous shooting, set the shutter speed and lock the remote. This took about 26 minutes. I then stacked the images using the program from startrails.de ( a wonderful free program.)

Next time I'll set up where I can have Polaris centre frame - then the trails will form circles in the night sky. Because I felt so bad, this was just from the back deck.

Photo taken November 12, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 164


Remembrance Day.

In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae - 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.


Photo taken November 11, 2009

Project 365 ~ Day 163


The Beginning of the End...

Charlie Lake is beginning to ice over. By this time next month the snowmobiles will be screaming across what is now open water, dodging ice shacks and shallow ice.

Photo taken November 10, 2009