More Hummingbird Photos

Just because they're cute and I'm pretty happy with them.  Especially this poofy little guy.

Vacation

I wish I could have the week between Christmas and New Years off every year, I am so enjoying myself.  It will be a few years before my turn to have it off comes around again (I am completely okay with it, we are a great group of coworkers because of how well we work together). I have been feeling a little guilty about how much staying-up and sleeping-in I'm doing and so I set my alarm to get up around 9 this morning.

And still I did AB.SO.LUTE.LY nothing all day. Unless you count "making" breakfast (reviving leftover sausage gravy, popping a biscuit tube, and making scrambled eggs (that miraculously didn't stick to the pan!!! cue the angel's chorus, I was dreading the egg stick)).  Or maybe you could count the 1-1/2 loads of laundry and the dishes I washed - by hand! Or dinner. Meh, I'm still counting it as a lazy day.

A glorious lazy day.

I watched a punch of TV with Carus, played Diablo II, and then I broke out my stocking gift (hello Vodka), installed Lightroom 5 and Photoshop Elements 12 and pulled up one of the hummingbird photos I've gotten recently.

It's not exactly the shot I was going for (I want the wings to be frozen and they're still a little blurred) but I'm fairly happy with it.  And I have other images to go through yet as those little birds are incredibly fast and it's a bit hard to get the shot composed, metered, focused and shot before they buzz off again.



(A before & after editing comparison is available here.)

Little hummingbirds

It was gorgeous again yesterday with blue skies and a bright sun.  And I was stuck inside working.  It's days like this that make me wish my work computer was portable enough to pull outside on the porch and work in the sunshine.  Robert says he can make this happen for me; we'll see though.

After work I went outside to soak up any remaining sun as it quickly set behind the not too distant hills, and took pictures of how the backyard is adjusting to fall.

Of the freshly fallen leaves and Leia playing.



Of the brightly colored leaves still on the tree.





Of the one of the final sunflowers in my garden.



Of the last rays of sun.



And then I paused and tossed the ball for Leia once or twice, when I heard them.  The hummingbirds in the tree in the neighbors yard directly behind ours.

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They were buzzing around, speeding from tree to tree and chirping to each other.  I think there are only two but there could be more.  I believe they've been around all year too.



They are shy little guys that always run from the hummingbird feeder the moment they see me (and my camera).  I do love my zoom lens; I stood close to the back fence hoping they would continue to frequent that branch.

Hummingbirds always make me smile. They make me think of my Granny and watching the visitors to her feeders, and that makes me smile too.

Summer evening

Yesterday evening, we took the dogs to the dog park.  We haven't gone in a while since it's been hot and it wouldn't be good to have Leia running as hard as she runs when at the park.  From the moment we get there she is ready to chase her ball - and nothing else.

After she fetched about 20 times we walked over to the kid park and let them play a bit.  I had my camera with me and wandered off a bit to take pictures of the Queen Anne's lace (my favorite wildflowers).

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I also found some weed that went to seed.  Fluffy, fluffy seeds.  They looked lovely in the evening light.



And heard a red-tailed hawk calling.  S/he flew almost directly over my head. From the series of pictures I got it almost looks like s/he grabbed something out of the air with it's right talon...?

End of last week

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Japanese maple leaves after a rain


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Carus's dance is finishing up for the year, it follows the school year - September to June and her recital is tomorrow, Friday.  This spin is from the in class dress rehearsal last Friday.


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I wasn't intending on taking a photo of just my hummingbird feeder.  I was trying to get the beautiful rust-colored hummingbird that was visiting, but noooooo he didn't want his picture taken.  &#$@!# jerk.

I've also been trying to photograph the more-daring hummingbird at the dance studio, but every time I bring my camera he doesn't show up.

Hummingbirds are jerks.

First photo shoots

Saturday was my first "official" photo shoots.

In the morning was a baby and family shoot at a lovely park in Hillsboro, Dawson Creek Park.  I have sneak peeks of that shoot on my photo blog, here.  And then in the evening I did another individual/family shoot BUT I can't share that one yet.  The lovely lady who was star of that shoot hired me because she wanted to surprise her husband with some nice photos of herself and I suggested we add in some with her grandkids as well since Father's day is coming up.  As soon as he's seen his photos, I can share it.  I probably won't remember here (though I'll try) so follow the photo blog or my Facebook page.

Dawson Creek park was so pretty.  It has a pond so it's quite popular with ducks and geese.  We watched a family feed the ducks, which was extremely amusing, and a geese family with several babies, and then a momma duck and her ducklings.

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There is also a tunnel with chalk drawings on it.  There were a few drug and gang related drawings, but the majority were lovely messages and initials in hearts with dates.


Have a Wonderful Day


Unicorns Rule


I Love You Indubitably


Do You Believe In Magic?


I <3 p="" you="">

Be Kind


It's the Most Wonderful Time of Year

Sunday, I spent most of the day editing photos.  I took a few breaks to go to the park and to work in the garden.
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The end of the week

Hey look, it's the end of last week.

So where were we.

Oh yeah, last Wednesday and the final band concert of the year.  The school district, thanks to budget cuts (and it's mostly a real thanks and only a teensy bit of a sarcastic one), has one band director.  He teaches all band students from 5th grade through high school.  The end of the year concert is always a bit emotional.  He gets to show off how well his students have learnt over the year and has to say goodbye to his seniors, and their goodbye to such a great teacher is always emotional.  And awesome.  It's teachers like him that give me hope for our public school system.

149/365 - Carus playing the trumpet.  

And the band teacher can just stand back and watch them play, because he's that good.

Adam getting ready to play trombone.  

150/365 - Thursday, after work, Carus and I made little felt crowns for use in photo shoots with babies and little kids.  Though adults could wear them too, if they wanted. Carus did most of the sewing.  She enjoys sewing, I need to sew with her more often.  I think I'll schedule a sewing day soon.

The finished crowns, they're reversible.

151/365 - Friday, while Carus was at dance I walked the dogs. Then, back at the studio the dogs and I waited on the studio porch and watched a visiting hummingbird.  That bird liked those flowers so much it didn't mind how close I was.  I will be taking my camera to this week's' dance class. Cross your fingers that he returns.

Weekends are for working

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While working Friday I finally caught this guy with the camera.  He's a regular visitor, but he's fast and the second I grab my camera, he takes off.


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Saturday was my day off this week since I worked this Sunday to have next Friday off to be a chaperone for a field trip.  I didn't have to work, but I had laundry and dishes and wanted to garden, but my body had other plans.  Apparently I caught a bug.  I had a HORRIBLE headache, was dizzy every time I stood up and tried to do anything, and was a bit nauseous every 5 seconds too. I didn't want to spend the day in bed, so I ended up spending it on the couch, with Yoda as company.

Robin Red Breast

I think this is the only robin we have in the neighborhood.  We have one blue jay and about 5 million little finches and probably that many doves.

I used to like doves. They're pretty and all, but the cooing. Ugh! The cooing just DOES NOT STOP!

And it's not just in the spring. It's year round, non-stop coo coo coo.

Driving me a bit coo coo.  (Like I wasn't there already...)

Adventures in urban suburbia

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I think spring is really here.  *knock on wood*

The chill is gone from the air and 50 degrees feels different than 50 degrees felt just a few weeks ago, and we're getting more then 50 degrees on a regular basis.

And, unlike a majority of people, I am in love with Daylight Savings in the spring. I LOVE having the sun still up when I get off work at 5:30, and staying up for more than just minutes.  I am always very happy to see the next season when it arrives.  So YAY for spring.

Yesterday I took the dogs out to wander around the yard, well mostly to watch Leia run laps and wear herself out.  Yoda isn't too playful in his "old" age, but even he was getting bouncy.











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Today, the weather was so nice I opened up the sliding glass door to get some fresh air.  It also allowed Leia to run back and forth and play without trying to insist I throw a toy for her every five seconds (which isn't conducive for me working).  I opened the door, she took off into the backyard, and I suddenly hear a chicken freaking out.  I figured Leia was sticking her head under the fence to the neighbor's yard (there's a hole just the right size for a lab's head - Leia's or one of their three) and bugging their chickens.  I was surprised to see a chicken in our yard.  Leia was rather excited about the possible new toy/playmate.  The chicken, however, was not interested in playing.   I don't mind the visit - they eat bad bugs and I find them extremely amusing - and someday I plan to have chickens too, but I don't want to be responsible of Leia getting carried away.  I caught her (fairly easily) and took her back to her yard.

And of course I had my camera and had to get a picture first. (The purple is my shirt - I was aiming and snapping half blind with one hand.)

And then another week went by...

Time flies when you're having fun...or working and staying busy.  Imagine what time does when you're doing both.  Sometimes it feels like I do nothing but work and cook dinner and wash dishes and go to bed to get up early to do it all over again... and sometimes it doesn't.  Right now - completely and totally does.

Now onto a bit of 365 catching up and maybe this week I can stay on top of things just a bit more.  I don't like "getting behind", it makes me worry I'm going to lose count - which really I don't have to worry about that this month with the numbers lining up with the dates, but still. It sets a bad precedent on some self-imposed time table. I'm probably just crazy, don't mind me.

Wednesday, 23/365
Nothing super exciting, just doves in the backyard.


Thursday, 24/365
Trying to make leg warmers for Carus for drress up day at school.  I didn't get them done. :(


Friday, 25/365
Dress up day at school.  They wee dressing up in the theme for the 60s, 70s, or 80s. Carus chose 80s.  We let her wear eye-shadow and I just about hyperventilated - my baby is wearing makeup.




Saturday, 26/365
It was time to can another batch of spaghetti sauce.  I got 18 quarts, 4 pints and about 2-1/2 quarts not canned and just saved for dinner tonight. That should last us until June or July or so. Special thanks to Jessica for coming up and keeping me company. :)

Carus's first band concert

This evening was Carus's first band concert.  She was in the back so we couldn't see her too well.  Yay for my zoom lens. She is playing the trumpet now, and enjoying it.  The beginner band is doing pretty good.



We woke up this morning to a light dusting of snow that quickly melted only for it to start snowing about the time for the kids to head to school.

All day today, it would snow until there was a light covering and it would stop, melt, and start snowing again.



Drip drip drip

Little puddle in the yard.



The neighborhood little birdies were very active with the snow. I tossed some bird seed out for them and they distracted me from work a bit.



Yum! This photo cracks me up.



During one of the melts, the little birds took a bath in the little puddle.



Cute and distracting little birds.