Nature As Is

Moving On

2011-05-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone

I know it's been awhile since I've posted, but I've been really busy as of late with Art/photography sites. I've never really been a great blogger, it definitely gave me the stepping stones that I needed to get started with my photography and I have all of you to Thank for that.

So this is officially my last post here on Blogger and for those of you who want to see what I'm up too here are a few links you can access:

http://nature-as-is.deviantart.com/
http://natureasis.weebly.com

Both of these sites are the ones I use the most and where you can come and look through my galleries.

Thank you everyone for all of your support!

Sincerly Crista Cowan

The Sun Has Finally Arrived ~ Farm Life

2011-04-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

Well at last we are finally getting temps above 0 !!! Yeee Haaaa as some cowboys might say ;) LOL. So I got out of the house for a much needed hike...man you can tell it's been a long winter when I get tired on my hike. I'm used to hiking all day long...not on this photo shoot..only put in a few hours. My legs are no longer in shape and grew tired to my dismay. My dogs on the other hand gave me a look...like your kidding right??? We are going back already! Saddly I said to them..yes we are. Dogs are funny how they can give you certain looks. I'm really working hard at my tecnique this year...better light and artistic flair. I hope as the year progresses you will start to see a change in my style of photography.

http://creativecards.blogspot.com/

http://nature-as-is.deviantart.com/

What I've Been Doing While I'm Waiting For Spring

2011-03-27T10:54:00.000-07:00

While I continue to wait for spring I'm trying to keep up my photography skills. I'm finding the long cold winters here just too much. Although I'm determined to find different ways to stay on top of the game. Here are some shots I've taken since my last post. I hope you like some of the creativity.

I'm also proud to say that the image above was aired on CBC Saskatchewan News in "Show Me Saskatchewan" It's my very first win with my photography and I'm soooo thrilled. This image was taken a couple weeks ago. I couldn't sleep so I was up before dawn...and when dawn finally appeared I jumped towards the camera. I love the light in this tree highlighting dawns light and frost on the branches.

Window Magic @ -30 !!!!

2011-02-28T10:12:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!! Yes it's been awhile but I've got some images to share with you finally!! Saskatchewan is a very unique environment quite an eye opener for me. Winter is not the time for photography here, simply because the weather and temps are not conducive for outdoor activities. You can't use your camera if your fingers and hands are frozen. I've tried thick gloves too, and it's too awkward to operate the camera with them on...they are more in the way than useful. One thing I have notice is that you get the most amazing window frost patterns here...please enjoy a little window Magic!! Hugs Crista

http://creativecardscc.blogspot.com/
http://nature-as-is.deviantart.com/

What I've Been Up Too ~ New Blog

2011-01-22T13:19:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone and Happy New Year. Sorry I haven't been on for awhile, but all we've gotten here is SNOW: SNOW: and more SNOW. So there has been no photo opportunities for awhile. Even my bird feeders have become dead quiet...the birds are gone. So to take up some of my time I have been working on a project. I have so many fabulous pictures that I wanted to do something with them, so I've made a new blog. This blog is the creative side of me, and I've been creating unique one of a kind cards with my photography!!! So come and see my dialy posts and my creations!!!

http://creativecardscc.blogspot.com/

Long Johns!!!!

2010-11-24T15:37:00.000-08:00

Well as usual it was snowing today! Thankfully my wonderful loving husband went and bought me some long johns so I can stay outside a wee bit longer than before. Alas I wish I had something that protected my face a little more, it sure starts to hurt after awhile. Anyway today my feeders were really really busy, so much so there was no room at times for the new comers. So they had to sit and wait, like the first little one you see here at the top. I feel so sorry for them, I don't know how they do it.....keeping themselves warm enough to survive in these extreme environments. I wish I could put long johns on them I bet they would really love it! Can you image little birds flying around with long johns on??? Hahahahah it would be a sight to see wouldn't it. This poor soul below actually has an icicle hanging off it's beak!!! click on the picture to see it.

Look at all the snow on top of the bird feeder, and to think that first thing in the morning I had already clean off all the snow and dug out all the seed for them. Now at 1pm I had to tidy up the feeders again so they could find their food.

Hoar Frost So Interesting And Beautiful

2010-11-22T07:43:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone sorry about the delay in between posts, but Saskatchewan is a very extreme environment. You can have beautiful weather one day then a blizzard the next! Something I have never experienced before in my life. Moving out here from B.C has been an eye opener for sure. I was a pampered pet in Victoria B.C with temperatures never dipping below -5!!! Out here though I have already in NOVEMBER I might add experienced -23 without the wind chill factor. GREAT SCOTT that's cold...keeps me indoors let me tell you. Plus when I have gone outside in my many layers your face goes numb within 15 minutes, so I have to go in and out all day to get pictures that I would like to take, which of course takes up allot of time. In these next photos I would like to show you Hoar Frost...what is that you say???? Well apparently out on the Prairies they have this. The frost is sooooooooo thick it looks like snow, but it's not it's frost!!!! Something I have never heard of, but very common here. Enjoy these extreme photos!!! I think I managed to give you a variety to view. Have a fantastic day! Hugs Crista

Fay's Story ~ Farm Life

2010-10-18T18:12:00.000-07:00

Before we made the move out to Saskatchewan we came out to visit my Mom. Knowing how much I love to take pictures she asked a friend of hers who owns a farm if I could come out and take some pictures.
So off we went, it was a lengthy trip from Regina to Fay's farm....OH and did I say HOT!!! Yes it was a very hot day mid to high 30's.
As I walked around her farm my mind wondered to my Mom's story about a tragic accident that happened on Fay's farm. This accident took her husband's life, it was very very tragic and traumatizing to her and her family. So much so that Fay's farm is up for sale. I wanted to try and capture some of the simplicity and beauty of her farm to honor the land for what they loved about it. Not for the sad memories that now come from the land for her. Here are some lovely shots of Fay's beautiful farm and in memory of her loving husband.

Land Of The Big Sky ~ Dynamic Sunsets

2010-10-14T15:02:00.000-07:00

One thing that I love about my new environment is the big sky...no mountains to get in your way to see the sun come up or go down. I have enjoyed many nights of sunsets with such stunning colors it would knock your socks off!!!!
Enjoy these lovley shots of one of the sun sets that I managed to photograph.

I Spy With My Little Eye.....Sweet Birds

2010-10-12T19:39:00.000-07:00

I've been on a number of walks since we have moved to Elbow, most of them training my new dog that we rescued from the SPCA in Saskatoon. I will have a post just about her I promise. Now during one of my walks I did manage to spend a few hours just watching the birds, there are so many kinds out here that are different from B.C. Some birds I know right away, but these sweet ones I couldn't tell you for the life of me what they could be. So if you happen to know what kind of birds these are I would love to hear from you :)))

Cute Critters that I've come across

2010-10-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

Nothing says cute than a groundhog! I know I know not all of you would think that way, I certainly know that farmers would look a me as if I was suddenly hit with a lack of common sense. They are beautiful, cause allot of damage and simply put just a lovely animal trying to live among us. These little mammals are quite prevalent in the B.C Rockies and all of the prairies in Canada. I'm sure they can be found else where as well, but for sure they live in these regions.
I like them and they remind me of my first pet when I was a wee girl my pet hamster...yes I know the groundhog is significantly bigger, but it triggered a happy memory for me. :)

Back On Line But Moved to Saskatchewan

2010-10-06T21:30:00.000-07:00

Oh dear it has been awhile hasn't it, but I do have a good excuse as to why I haven't been posting. Our family has had a very huge change. We left the Island and B.C for a better life in Saskatchewan. My husband got offered an opportunity that we couldn't refuse and we took the bull by the horns shall we say.

It was a huge move for the family and we are still adjusting to the dramatic changes that have happened. I'm looking forward to the future with a much needed change and new start away from city stresses. For the first time since I was a child I can go out at night and actually see the stars outside, because where we live now there are very few street lights. So when it gets dark Wow it's dark outside.

Above are some lovely pictures that I've taken since I've moved here.

Lovely Images I've Come Across On My Walks

2010-06-05T11:56:00.000-07:00

I hope you enjoy thise lovely images. From Flowers, rabbits and even a Toad!!! I tend to walk allot and Icome across thing that simply grab my interest. No storey's to tell today just the images of nature as I happened to come across them.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

The Touch Of The Human Hand

2010-06-01T17:19:00.000-07:00

The human hand and what we can do with it and the decisions we make. I'm guilty as charged in this area I'm afraid as much as I should admire animals in their natural habitat with my camera there's a part of me that wants to interact with the animals as well. For example I feed the birds in my yard; most of these birds are no longer afraid of me and come to see what I'm up to in the yard when I'm out. Deep down it delights me, but what if I were to move away? What would happen to all the birds? Especially the birds that every winter and summer who migrate here know where my house is; what hard ships would I impose on them if the food was gone? I always worry about these things, because it would never be my intention to hurt any wild animal. Why am I bringing this up???? It just came to me while I was watching this squirrel in the park being fed by a woman. She was laying in the ground with her body stretched out as far as she could to coax the squirrel to come and eat sunflower seeds out of her hand. The squirrel as you can see here was delighted to be getting some food for which it didn't have to forage for. So having animals rely on our human hand to give them hand outs is it wise? Not sure what the answer is; there are always pros's and Con's to both sides of the coin. What do you think???

Vancouver Islands Jewel ~ Tofino's Long Beach ~ Part 2

2010-05-28T17:34:00.000-07:00

Here are some interesting pictures that I took that show life just under the water....these wonderful pink tipped invertebrates look just like a flower garden but under water.

This picture below is a capture of the wind blowing the sand across the beach...it was a very windy day. My hair came right out of my pony tail!!!!!

Vancouver Islands Jewel ~ Tofino's Long Beach

2010-05-26T16:52:00.000-07:00

I think no matter where you live in the world there is an area close to home that is a Jewel to you. For me it's Tofino. Tofino is at the farthest end of our Island and faces the outer edge of the Pacific Ocean; the winds are strong and the surf is strong. Unlike Hawaii where you can surf without a wet suit...here you can't even in the summer the ocean is ICE COLD. Over the next few day's I'm going to post some lovely images of Long Beach for you to enjoy, maybe you will want to come and see it for yourselves one day. I know that when I look at other blogs and see what I'm missing it really motivates me to add new areas in the world to visit. Africa being one of my many areas to visit. Enjoy

Finally The Rufus Humming Bird Caught in Flight!!

2010-05-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

Well here is a treat for you.....finally I found the Rufus Humming birds for you. Beautiful with their colors of browns and greens. These humming birds prefer the areas of condensed wooded areas. While I noticed that the Anna's like the wooded areas but don't really find it necessary for their comfort level. At least that's my perspective on the two species. How do I base that simply by my observations, I simply see more Anna's in the City versus the Rufus. I hope you enjoy these shots...they were taken up Island in my Mother and Father in laws yard.

For Mom...Hummingbirds Do Bathe

2010-05-19T18:24:00.000-07:00

Well this little series is for my Mom. About a week ago I was telling her that there was a female hummingbird who had taken a liking to my water fountain in the back yard. She laughed, but while I had her on the phone I said " Oh Mom I wish you were here the hummingbird is taking a bath in the fountain!!! I had never seen that before....she got all excited and wanted me to take some shots the next time I was outside reading. She didn't have to wait long because the next time I went out with my book there she was at it again. I hope you enjoy these cute little shots..not really based on quality, but rather capturing a moment in time watching a hummingbird take a bath.

My Twinkle

2010-05-17T17:42:00.000-07:00

Well the weekend held allot of things to be done around the yard. Flowers to be planted; some Veggies and cleaning out the pond pot and little pond my husband make for me over this past year. The roses are growing lush and full this year, better than last....and so far cross my fingers as I say this no powder mold on the leaves. Here are some lovely shots I got in the yard with some of my flowers. I hope you enjoy them.

Albino House Finch

2010-05-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

Albino's beautiful but a mystery. I was out on mother's day when I heard some house finches in one of the trees just off the trail I was walking on. When I spotted the Albino Finch...at first I thought my eyes were deceiving me but after taking some pictures it became instantly clear at what it was. Genetics interesting subject really all it takes is one code to change in the DNA molecule and change occurs whether positive or negative. More leaning into the negative if you really research the statistics of it all. Genetics was one of my favorite subject and to this day still captures my mind to the endless possibilities that can happen in the DNA molecule. The Albino is one of them.

My First Picture Of An Orange-Crowned Warbler

2010-05-04T17:15:00.000-07:00

Well here are some more pictures of bath time images and in these images is a capture of my first Orange-Crowned Warbler....which pleases me because I didn't know what it was until I looked it up. I originally thought it was someones canary that got loose, but I was wrong LOL. I really love the reflections you will see in some of these images I really try to capture more than one look when I take Nature shots. In the shot above this Robin sat in the water for over 10 minutes before it finally took it's bath. So I was thinking this is what happens as you age...you've got to wait for the water to warm up first...LOL

Here is my little Warbler...very cute. Nice in wet as well his little orange head is all a mess.

Here is the lovely pond that I took all these bath time shots at....I hope you love what you see. Have a fantastic day!!!!

Bath Hour!!! Activities At The Local Pond

2010-05-02T16:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day lots of sunshine. Today of course it absolutely poring rain outside so this gave me the perfect opportunity to put in some quality editing time....lots of work this editing but I must say rewarding all at the same time. Here are some cute shots of some of our local birds enjoying the sunny day and having a lovely bath. I enjoyed watching them it was quite relaxing and I could help but smile.

Male Versus Female Birds ~ Example The Peacock

2010-04-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

I have always wondered why the male species of just about all varieties of birds in the world are the most colorful. It's not like that for the rest that live on this planet. You can't tell one Zebra from the next they all look the same. Consider the hippo is one better looking than the other??? No I would say their not. So why the difference in birds??? It's a quandary for me really and I find no logic in it at all other than the male must convince the female that they are the best and have the better genes to continue the line. Never the less their colors are extraordinary and amaze the senses. The way the males dance, prance and try to grab the attentions of the female are an art to watch. Male Peacocks are the most exquisite dancers and have a display of feathers that would knock your socks off. Nature at times can be mysterious....but even at that I love the fact that not everything is so cut and dry.

Beautiful British Columbia's Dog Wood Flowers

2010-04-27T17:17:00.000-07:00

Well I have been trying for years to get a decent shot of these flowers...Dog Wood flowers come from a tree for those of you who might not know. They are also a protected tree here in British Columbia Canada. In other words they are against the law to cut down...the problem with the Dog Wood is that the flowers are very delicate and really can't stand direct afternoon sun...too hot for the blooms and they tend to go brown around the edges of the petals, which doesn't make a nice picture. So while at work one of my co-workers brought it to my attention that the dog wood just outside our window was just blooming and I should get some nice pictures of it...so the next day I brought in my stuff and during lunch when out and did just that. Lovely no brown edges on these shots.

Nature In Bubbles

2010-04-26T19:52:00.001-07:00

What a fabulous weekend I had this weekend!!!! It was so nice not being at work that I couldn't stay indoors for one minute. I managed to get some interesting shots off and I've done some experimentation on some ideas of how to portray nature in exciting and different ways. Here are some great shots of my son's Kenton and Corey blowing bubbles for me so I could capture reflections in the bubbles. We had a smashing great time. Lots of laughter and who could blow the biggest bubble. I loved it....it's not very often the boys will play with me very much anymore so this was a special day. The challenge look carefully into the bubbles tell me what you can see :) Have fun

Fresh Scenic Shots ~ Black N White

2010-04-22T20:37:00.000-07:00

I've always loved the look of Black N White images there is something about the depth that seems to come through over color. Maybe that's only my personal perspective on that but I love how the light just plays among the textures of the shrubs and trees. I have never seemed to master that perfect look of Black N White, but in my mind everyday is an opportunity to try something new and to hopefully learn from it. Or at least get some constructive criticism on how to improve on what I've achieved or trying to achieve.

Back Yard Images Again!!

2010-04-21T17:42:00.000-07:00

Well I'm looking forward to this weekend everyone. First I will have some time to go out and get some new shots so I don't bore all of you too much with the same stuff. Second I will finally have the time to spend looking at blogs I follow and I'm really looking forward to that. I was playing around with photoshop in this top shot. I wanted to add some interest to a simple flower...I could have done better I think or a least make the lighting effects no so noticeable. These shots were from the back yard...the Golden Crowned Sparrows are in full force and are constantly in the yard for seed and a lovely surprise at the suet feeder I've got two males who fight over the suet....I managed to get a decent shot off considering all of the others where so blurry.

Squirrel Caught Eating Rhododendron Blooms!!!

2010-04-19T19:48:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with you a cute picture today. While I was out in the gardens of UVIC I caught this squirrel along with it's friends eating Rhododendron blooms....I didn't even know that Squirrels ate those types of things. Totally made me giggle inside while I watched them stuff their faces with flowers. They couldn't get them in their mouths fast enough. A absolute PIG OUT! LOL

Bald Eagles and Blue Heron

2010-04-15T20:45:00.000-07:00

Well I finally found a Bald Eagle....it's days like this that I wish I had an SLR with a 400mm lens. I feel though that the images I did manage to capture across the pond are lovely and I'm very proud of them. Took me a year and a half to run into these beautiful birds....and they stayed in the trees for a very long time. I also managed to get a spectacular picture of this Blue Heron....I definitely enjoyed my walk. Went home with a smile on my face an a lift to my steps!!!

The Magic of Spring

2010-04-12T20:22:00.000-07:00

Take a walk with me into my dreams....where I walk alone and fill my spirit with natural energy. Nature and how she fills your heart and soul

The Call Of The Male Hummingbird

2010-04-10T18:40:00.000-07:00

Today was a great day lots of sunshine and the calls of the male hummingbirds were everywhere. Not hard to find them at all today. This fellow was just in the meadow behind my house and I was extremely lucky I could practically reach out and touch him. No excuses for some great shots.

In the shot above I caught him having a great stretch!!

In this shot the humming bird was caught in a strong head wind and it took him a bit to land on the branch in front

Caught the beautiful colors of his head....the sun hit his feathers just right....lovely isn't it.

Finally his close up.....I had a great time taking these. Spring is definitely in the air.

Cat Lovers????

2010-04-08T19:41:00.000-07:00

Good Evening everyone!!! Have I told you lately I love my cats? I do these beautiful animals have been apart of our lives for a very long time...I couldn't imagine life without them. They wake me up in the mornings, talk to me while I'm getting ready for work; at the door when I come home; and on my lap the minute I sit down with my cup of tea. Both Lemo and Truffles are indoor cats so from time to time I let them out when I'm in the back garden. What I find so interesting is that they don't wander far from me, just content at smelling everything and seeing what I'm up too. I'm very lucky and I wanted to share that with all of you :)

I would also like to let all of you know that I'm trying to get to my blogs that I follow, but time is not my friend. As soon as my second job is finished on the 18th of this month I hope to rectify that and visit all of you and see what is new and exciting in your worlds. I simply look forward to having time back for myself and what I love to do.
The top shot is of Truffles she is now three, we got her when our Mr. Beast died. Lemo what heart broken and cried all the time looking for him. So we decided to get her a new little friend, which really helped her get over Mr. Beast.

This lovely girl is Lemo, she's 8 years old now. I can't believe that much time has gone by already...seems we just brought her home yesterday. Most of the time she thinks she's a dog and gets very upset if Christopher doesn't get to bed on time!!! She sleeps with him :)

Woodpeckers

2010-04-05T14:58:00.000-07:00

One thing I have found the most challenging about taking photographs of birds is the fact that they are never still for a moment. I have been trying since I started my blog to get some decent pictures of Woodpeckers, Downey and Hairy Woodpeckers I think are the hardest to get. These two shots I managed to get in the UVIC Gardens. I've compared these two shots with others I've tried to get in the past....I've improved in clarity, but still have to work in the quality I think. My son Corey was watching National Geographic the other night and they had a special feature on woodpeckers all around the world. One interesting fact I learned was how the Woodpecker protects their delicate brains from the intense impact when they are drilling for bugs and burrowing into trees to make nests. Their tongues actually contract and circumference their brain to cushion the impact!!! Impressive I think so....I had always wondered how they could drill without knocking themselves out cold. Now I know why....

Happy Easter Everyone

2010-04-03T18:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone!! I hope all of you are spending time with family and friends. I didn't have a Lily to present you but here's a lovely Orchid instead.

Water N Ice

2010-03-31T17:53:00.000-07:00

Before winter set in last year. I manged in my whole Nano Second of time to get out and capture some interesting images that showed the wondrous beauty in frost. Nothing like the first frost before the onset of winter. It's like magic adding that coating of white on everything it touches. In the first shot I managed to find some plants that still had some berries on it...kinda adds a little contrast into the picture. Here in the second shot I found a back half of a leaf exposed and was amazed at how long some of the crystals of water extended out from the leaf....

The last two pictures are of basic puddles that froze over...I was hoping to capture some the the water designs as the water froze during the night. Interesting perspectives on water and how the molecules change with heat and freezing temperatures.

Ruby Crowned Kinglet ~ I Finally Found One

2010-03-27T20:05:00.000-07:00

This Ruby Crowned Kinglet is a great find for me.....I knew we had them here but they are so hard to find. They love to hang out in the thick undergrowth. Last year I managed to get a picture of the beautiful Golden Crowned Kinglet which you can find in my past history. I have to tell you these shots where a challenge for me....one I tracked this male for over an hour to be able to get a clear shot of him. He only came out three different times to quickly grab a bug then just a quick head back into the bushes to my frustration. I tried my best to get a shot of the top of his head for you to see the beautiful red crown, but he just was too fast for me to get the shot. I'm hopeful that now that I've located their Habitat that I might find them again and get some better pictures of their beautiful head. Nothing quite like it.

Mother Nature's Natural Gifts of Spring

2010-03-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

I love to look for the unusual the hidden surprises that Nature can provide if you take the time to walk slowly and look for it. While on one of my walks of late I came across this unique flower here in the top picture. Stunning look at the petals it's like a patchwork quilt!!! I couldn't believe my eyes...so beautiful. I wish I knew what I was looking at...so if any of you know please let me know what it is. This shot is of a Salmon Berry Blossom very prolific here on the West Coast. Our moist conditions and swampy areas are ideal for this plant.

Yes all of you know what this is...Blue Bells...so delicate and I think at time under appreciated, but with new camera technologies this flower stands out in a crowd!!

Bushtit Activity before nesting

2010-03-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

While on one of my many walks of late I heard the wonderful sounds of the Bushtit's Squeak. Since they travel in packs like wolves it's not hard to track them. But the challenge is to get a good shot off before they hop from one branch to another searching for bugs. In the top shot here I managed to get one eating an earwig. Gross bugs earwigs I'm glad someone eats them!!!

I love these little birds no bigger than a cotton ball so precious.

A Rare Find!!! American Bittern

2010-03-23T18:42:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful day it was here in the city. Lots of sunshine and plenty of birds to see, I really lucked out today I saw allot of species and managed to get some decent shots off. Of course I could have used a telephoto lens today to get the best shots off of this amazing American Bittern. This bird was at Swan Lake today, and very hard to get pictures of apparently. This bird is shy and doesn't like allot of noise or people for that matter. I would have missed this amazing bird if it wasn't for two birders already there taking pictures of it as well. I'm thank full for them both, because I don't see well they were able to show me where to look. Took me awhile to see the Bittern, the bird was well blended into the background.

I'm BACK!!!!!

2010-03-22T16:33:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!!!! Wow I've been gone for awhile haven't I. Well it couldn't be helped I'm afraid, working two jobs just took the time away from my photography. Not only that but my old computer crashed and we had to get me another one. That took some time and money LOL....but I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I will be leaving my second job at the end of April....managed to get rid of a very large bill, so I will have my weekends back. Yay!!!!!

I hope all is well with all of you which I'm sure it is. Here are some lovely spring flowers for all of you to admire. I've managed to get Photo shop and I'm practicing with some new techniques.
In the picture above (forget-me-nots) I did an application using a interesting application that makes your picture look like it's sinking into the page...drawing your eyes into the subject matter. I love the results I got with this.

In the middle shot I took a lovely picture of a Tulip Tree, white blossoms against a blue sky...a lovely affect indeed. But using this beauty I then added to it giving the outer petals of the flowers and stems a dreamy feel and texture.

Finally I gave COLLAGE an honest attempt with some lovely spring flowers I found in the forest last week. Yes I noticed a gray spot that I didn't fill, but I'm happy with the results. Very fresh I think.

Goldstream Park Part 2 ~ The Sands Of Time

2009-11-18T17:39:00.000-08:00

Time what a precious commodity...like sand in an hour glass it just slips through your fingers so fast that you can't believe that it has slipped by you. I'm finding that now that I'm working two jobs...good intentions end up being put on the shelf for later. I've started a new job at the hospital I now work 8-1600 Monday to Friday, I'm in my second week there and I'm defiantly going through brain melt...it should subside soon though as things are starting to click in my brain with working between two data bases and 8 Excel spread sheets!!! Where I input data from one system into another. Wow!!!! allot to learn...but I've always been up to the challenge...just exhausting that's for sure. So since my new job is 90% Computer work now coming home and sitting in front of another one has not been a motivator for me that's for sure. For my post today I have finished my day at Goldstream for you...with I believe some lovely pictures of song sparrows and some scenic shots I hope you enjoy them.

Thank you Laura from Wildenblue Farm Journal

2009-11-12T16:37:00.000-08:00

I would like to take the time today to say A Warm Thank you to Laura http://wildenbluefarmjournal.blogspot.com for this wonderful surprise and lovely award. What I find amazing about blogging is the people you meet and get to know here. I have met some very amazing, talented and wonderful people...people who somehow manage to make me smile, laugh out loud and cry. So with warmth in my heart I gladly pass this award to 6 other blogs who have inspired me and shown me a level of friendship I could never forget.

The rules of this award-

This award is bestowed onto blogs that are exceedingly charming.

These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends.

They are not interested in self-aggrandizement.

Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated.

Deliver this award to 6 bloggers who must choose 6 more and include this cleverly writen text into the body of their award.

I will pass this award to six blogs that I find exceedingly Charming.

Carol ~ http://carolmattinglyphotogrphy.blogspot.com

Chrs ~ http://photonature.blogspot.com

Cinner ~ http://memyfourchinsandi.blogspot.com

John ~ http://midmarsh.blogspot.com

Frank ~ http://fabearlybirder.blogspot.com

Shelley ~ http://shelleyslens.blogspot.com

I hope those of you who follow my blog take the time to check out these lovely blogs, they all have touched my heart in one way or another. The world is may be large but in the same breath can be viewed as small and precious. Blessed be to one and all Hugs Crista

P.S a warm hug to you Laura for your lovely and wonderful blog that I come and enjoy frequently :)

My Day Off ~ Bonus It Was Sunny!! ~ Dipper Shots

2009-11-11T15:30:00.000-08:00

Wow finally I have managed to get out and get some new shots. I have been going crazy not being able to blog!!! Our weather here has been awful lots of wind and rain not a good combination for picture taking. Plus with my work schedule I have been stretched to the max to say the least. Thankfully today on my one day off this month I was able to get out and putter around. My family went to Goldstream Park for the morning, it's the fall salmon run now so I thought I would see if there were any Bald Eagles around. I did see some but they were too far away for a good shot. But instead I saw this little dipper. For those of you who are not familiar with this little bird I will give you a little blurb for you now. This little bird swims!!! Yes and catches food underwater, they also love the salmon run and swim under the water to catch the salmon eggs. In the first shot you can see the lovely little egg in it's beak. Yes I was in the right place at the right time!!! I couldn't believe my luck. I managed to get some lovely shots of the park and I look foreword to posting them this week. Ahhhh nice to be back...enjoy the pictures

Rainy Days And My Work Schedule

2009-10-27T08:28:00.000-07:00

Well it's hard to believe that I haven't posted since last week Tuesday...Time flies doesn't it. Unfortunately our weather here has been the typical Coastal weather as of late. Heavy rain on the days I have time to go out and take some pictures. Beautiful sunshine like today when I have to go to work. Sigh..... This is where I get a little frustrated and I apologize to all of you who follow my blog. I'm hopeful that this Sunday I will have the opportunity before I head in for a 12noon work start to at least get in a walk and see what our high winds and heavy rains have done to change natures environment...but until then my friends I will be checking in on all of you instead and try to catch up with what has been happening in your worlds. Have a wonderful Tuesday everyone!!

Blue Heron Caught In Willow Tree

2009-10-22T09:03:00.000-07:00

When I was at Beacon Hill Park the other day I spotted this Blue Heron in a Willow tree having a nap. It didn't take long for the Heron to wake up and I tried my best to get as close as possible to get a decent snap of this wonderful bird. I have in the past tried to get good shots of them, but my light wasn't very good or they were too far away for my camera. I'm happy with the shot I got of this magnificent bird. I went back to work yesterday...man was it hard after being off sick for a week. I got tired fast and easy and it was smokin busy. Life on a Surgical floor...Tonight I will catch up will all of you and see what you've been up too. Till then have a wonderful day everyone!!!

Beautiful Images of Beacon Hill Park In Victoria B.C

2009-10-20T12:31:00.000-07:00

Since I have been posting so much on birds, I felt a change was due. Here are some wonderful shots of our Large local down town park. It's name is Beacon Hill and it's quite a large area containing lovely gardens, water features, old bridges, birds and just a feast of things to look at while your wandering around. Enjoy what our city offers and the beauty it holds.

A Fresh Kill ~ Cooper's Hawk

2009-10-19T10:46:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I couldn't stay in the house for 5 more minutes!!! I have been couped up in my house since Tuesday last week and I couldn't resist heading outside for a small walk. Was I ever rewarded!!! A Cooper's Hawk had just done a fresh kill. Please don't ask me why I was able to get this close, but I'm thrilled with the result I'm able to post for you today. The pictures unfortunately are in the wrong order...but I don't think it really matters. I left most of the gross shots out...the first shot is as gross as I wanted to get. Not appealing seeing a kill...but the beauty and power with this bird is breath taking and I wanted something this dynamic for my blog. Nature isn't nature without the realization that in order for some animals to live others must die. Sad yes I can't say I wasn't affected by this kill...I'm a very sensitive person so I felt it from beginning to end.

My Yard ~ American Golden Finches And A Fall Image

2009-10-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been having an abundance of birds at my feeders...yes fall is here and my suet feeders and seed feeders which weren't used that much this summer are now so busy I'm filling the seed feeders twice a day now. Yesterday we had our real first heavy rain fall, the rain drops were as big a quarters the poor birds were extremely soggy yesterday but still stayed out in the rain to feed as much as possible since no bugs would be found on such a wet day. Visitors to my feeders were: Downy and Hair Woodpeckers, Bushtit's, American Golden Finches, Red Breasted Nuthatches, Chickadee's, Junco's, Sp0tted Towhee's, and Golden Crowned Sparrow. We also had some House Finches, and House Sparrow. Unfortunately it was very dark and too wet for me to hide outside to get all of this activity I'm sure all of you would have loved some great shots of this excitement in my yard. I sipped hot coffee and sat at my window seat enjoying the view. I also finished a book yesterday.....oh yes I still work weekends but I'm home this weekend sick...I have a suspected case of H1N1 and I won't be cleared to go back to work until sometime next week. Anyhoo enough about me...have a wonderful Sunday everyone.

My Thanksgiving Walk ~ The Forest Floor..Beauty in the Smallest of Things

2009-10-16T10:44:00.001-07:00

Well today is about the small the beautiful, it's about fungus and what it does with the decaying wood on the forest floor. Living and helping with the decomposing process. Providing nutrients to the soil for the other trees to absorb in the spring. I love the simple things in life...the things overlooked and taken for granted. Our forest are our largest resource and provider of the oxygen that we breath and the homes for our animals. Our forest and all that live there should always be something we stop and look at and not forget about. Something we should always protect.....our future depends on it.

My Thanksgiving Walk ~ Fall Scenic Shots And Macro Images

2009-10-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

Today I thought I would post some lovely scenic shots of my most favorite walk. Since I live right across the street from UVIC ( The University of Victoria) I take advantage of the jogging trail that boarders the entire property. This jogging trail also leads right into the UVIC Gardens which is another favorite location for my photography. I love this trail you can walk it everyday, but see something new you haven't seen before. Lots of birds and animal live in the wood surrounding the property. Excellent opportunities for each and every walk I take.

My Thanksgiving Walk ~ Bushtit's N Spotted Towhee

2009-10-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

Morning everyone I'm glad to see that all of you enjoyed my post on the Cedar Wax Wings, beautiful aren't they. Soon after I got those shots of them I heard the lovely sounds of a group of Bushtit's in the same area so again off I went in search. Now in the spring I managed to find a nest and took a little series of them building and coming and going from their nesting sight. Unfortunately I didn't get a very good shot of the bird itself......today was my lucky day here was one finally at rest at the very top of this tree. These little guys are hard to get snaps of they are constantly on the go...jumping and feeding on bugs. So this was a definite treat to get this shot. Not far from them was a Male Spotted Towhee screaming his head off that I was stalking them..he was none to pleased to see me so close to him. As you can see here in the bottom shot. He was definitely yelling at me...LOL

My Thanksgiving Walk ~ Juvenile & Adult Cedar Wax Wings Caught Having Dinner

2009-10-13T07:23:00.000-07:00

Wow what a fantastic day I had yesterday. Perfect weather to head out for a walk before I made my Thanksgiving dinner. I hit the jack pot everyone this whole week will be filled with fabulous shots of gorgeous birds and Nature shots...I'm truly excited about it and I hope you are just as thrilled as I am with the shots I'm posting this week. In this series I have posted some beautiful Cedar Wax Wings having a fabulous time in this tree eating if you can believe this Wasps!!! In one of my shots I have an adult with a wasp in it's mouth....the Juveniles were doing the same things. Fabulous. The top posts are the Adults and the bottom 5 posts are the Juveniles. Tonight my friends I will catch up with all of your blogs to see what has been happening with all of you. Sorry I've been so busy and haven't come more often. But when I do I love everything I see. See all of you tonight and have a wonderful day.

Happy Thanksgiving ~ Rose By Candle Light N Mirrors

2009-10-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! From my home to yours I hope that you are enjoying this holiday day. I wanted to try something new and interesting for my Holiday Post today. Experimented with some candles and Mirrors to get a different effect for a flower shot. I hope all of you enjoy these pictures. I'm heading out now to enjoy the day and when I get home I will be putting our Turkey in the oven....love turkey a rich meal indeed but worth it. Not only the meal but what the left overs offer in return. Turkey Soup, Sandwiches yummmm.... Have a wonderful day!!!

My Walk At Cattle Point And the Wee Birds I Saw There That Day

2009-10-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

Back on September 25th the same day I took those really cool dew shots of the spider's webs and plants that had gone to seed. I wandered by my favorite Ocean Side spot Cattle Point. There was no mistaking that a House Wren was near by..you could hear it from every direction. So off I went and tracked it down. Then I heard a chipping sparrow and a house sparrow...I believe my middle shots are the Chipping Sparrow and the last shot is the female house sparrow. I'm really happy about the Wren shot...I haven't gotten a picture of a House Wren before this is my first capture. Happy about that.... Everyone happy Saturday!!! I'll be thinking of all of you as I work today...hoping that you are getting fabulous shots to share.

Dusk ~ Dynamic Sky Images When Warm Air Meets Cold

2009-10-09T07:17:00.001-07:00

My Wonderful Husband fixed my computer!!! Whoo Hoo...so my post today is quick and simple. I was coming home from work the other day and these images where just too hard to resist. Enjoy some lovely Dusk shots!!! I will catch up with all of you tonight to see what you have been up too. Have a great day!!

Identification of the Mysterious Pink Flower In My Post From Yesterday

2009-10-08T08:43:00.001-07:00

Goodmorning everyone

This morning it seems I'm having some serious computer problems. I keep all my pictures that I take on a Sony 16GB Microvalt. I do this because my computer is very old and can't store the amount of photo's I take on the computer memory...plus I'm afraid that if my old computer should ever crash I will loose all my photo's as well. This is my little safe guard against problems like this....but for whatever reason my computer refuses to recognise my USP port today...I've tried everything but it won't work. So I thought I would share with those of your who are wondering about those lovely pink flowers you saw in yesterday's post. These flowers come from a SILK TREE. These tree's do very well in our environment here on the Island and they are a very striking tree simply because come the end of August into September they are full boom the whole tree turns pink with these blooms. It attracts beautiful birds and bugs. Plus it's a lovely addition to any one's garden....just a stunning tree. Google it and you will love what you find out about this wonderful tree. Maybe you should add it to your garden,it will bring you joy as you watch it grow and provide lovely living environments to your local birds and bugs!! :)

The Last Of The Summer Flowers

2009-10-07T09:10:00.000-07:00

Victoria B.C has been very blessed this year...we are deep into fall yet our temp has reach highs of 19-20 degrees still even in October. So it has prolonged the life of our summer flowers by about two months. My hanging baskets are still in full bloom and my roses are now on their third set of flowers after trimming them back. We still haven't had our first frost and the temp has only gone down to 6 at night. For those of you who are getting snow now...sorry to hear that...so here are some lovely summer flowers for you to see. Don't worry our winter will come...just later than yours if your season now is winter. I know that in Africa and Australia they are currently in spring and should be seeing their spring flowers now. Have a wonderful day everyone.

Reflections of Canadain Geese ~ How Many Days Since I Posted Last~ Oh Dear

2009-10-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

Wow I can't believe I haven't been on since Thursday last week!!! Well not really I've been struggling with a virus and working two jobs is very tapping on my time. I haven't had the energy to do what I love which is photography. Exhaustion has been the problem as of late, but I'm feeling better now and back on line!!! On Thursday I posted some lovely duck reflection shots I took at Swan Lake and the same day I took these lovely shots of our Canadian Geese. These guys were enjoying the muck just too much and I loved all the green that is attached to their beaks and feathers...looks like they are getting ready for Halloween!! LOL Tonight I'm going to sit down and catch up with all of you too see what you've been up too since I don't have time this morning before I head out to work. Until tonight I will catch all of you on the flip side :)

Female Anna Hummingbird ~ Swan Lake Find

2009-10-01T18:39:00.000-07:00

I had a very successful day out at Swan Lake the other day....so many little birds I captured. This little female Anna Hummingbird for one was hiding in one of the trees. I heard her singing away and crept as close as I could to her without frightening her away. I got really close as you can see in these shots. What I'm not happy about is the background it's very bright with the sun coming through the leaves of the tree...but what can you do. I caught her stretching and fluffing out her feathers as well...I really enjoyed my time this close to her. It was great!!!.

Shore Birds and Their Reflections ~ Swan Lake

2009-09-30T09:15:00.001-07:00

Goodmorning everyone...well today I'm home sick and I was home yesterday as well. I'm not one to be couped up in my house for days on end.....unfortunately as much as parents look forward to having the children go back to school after the two month off for summer. Children have that extra special way of coming home and sharing their germs with the rest of the family. Kenton my oldest within being back to school came down with a lovely cold..you know the kind fever, chills, heavy cough, swollen glands, snotty nose...yep and as much as I disinfected the house guess who got it next. ME!! Love the way children share...hmmmm NOT. Hopefully I can head back to work tomorrow in the mean time fluids, fluids and more fluids. But for today I thought I would post these lovely shots I got at Swan Lake another of my favorite places to go. My focus was on the REFLECTION not the duck I wanted my bang for my shot than just the birds. Enjoy everyone....back to bed I go HIGH HO :)

Turkey Vulture Spotings In Victoria BC!!!! The Lost Bird

2009-09-29T09:12:00.001-07:00

First I would like to say WOW!!! for what ever reason these Turkey Vultures have shown up here. Some how they have gotten lost or caught an outflow that brought them up here. Apparently this happens from time to time. According to local birders they are patiently waiting for the proper outflow again to get back home to the Mexican area. Are they lost I would say so. So when I was walking the other day I saw them in the sky about three of them. I'm so sorry for the quality of these shots...but I don't own an SLR so this is it. Look at their wing span amazing and you can see their white beak and red face. I did try to track them to see where they would land...but they just flew even further away. So what I got is what I've posted. I did go out the next day...there had been sightings at Cattle point but I couldn't find them.

Dew Drops Part 2 ~ The Dynamic Dandelion

2009-09-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

Well I'm very pleased with the results of my Spider's Web pictures. Thank you everyone they definitely look like the spiders during the night decked out their webs with special jewels!!! You can only see them if you get up early enough in the morning to catch the decor. Well for my follow up encore of the same them......right within the same location actually I took these shots. I at first just zoomed in to see if the detailing of the dew would even be visible to see... or if you just had a soaking wet Dandelion. WELL to my amazement you could actually see every individual dew drop. I was totally stunned and awed with the beauty in what I was seeing again through the lens of my camera. I have to tell you I just love my camera it's like my third eye into a world I would never ever see or notice. If I was just going for a walk without my camera I would have never ever have notice this.

The Morning Dew ~ A Spider's Dew Jewels

2009-09-26T19:15:00.000-07:00

Well I took a day off on Friday...just because I needed one now that I'm working 7 days a week. I wanted to capture some of the things we at times don't notice or even see. I wanted to capture dew on many different forms of nature...the sure sign of fall with all the wonderful moisture in the air that naturally collects on a variety of things. Like these spider's webs. I wanted to show you what the sun can do to make these wonderful works of art just explode with excitement. The Spider's Web....stunning...so stunning.

Fabulous Fruit Friday ~ Fall Apples Harvest Time

2009-09-25T14:46:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more appealing to me than coming across an Apple Orchard in the fall. Looking at these trees reminded me of my Grandma and Grandpa. They had 5 apple trees in their yard when I was growing up. Fall time was time to make apple sauce, apple pies, apple dumplings and apple crisp. Ahhhhhhhhh the smell was a piece of heaven......I will never forget the way my Grandma's house smelled during September. I simply loved going there and licking whatever bowl was offered to me. :)

Victoria's Beautiful Birds ~ The Peacock

2009-09-24T09:38:00.000-07:00

Today I wanted to show all of you the wonders of our fabulous peacocks. They live in two locations around Victoria. One location you will know right away being Beacon Hill Park. The other location is out in our rural location at Hatley Park. These wonderful birds are stunning and so beautiful when they dance around it is such an eye candy that everyone stops to admire the show. The males and females are extremely loud with their calls...you can hear these birds literally from a mile away wow!!! You know when it's breading season that's for sure. I'm hoping come spring time to find a nest and do a small feature on them and their babies. A goal I would like to achieve. But for today enjoy the beauty in the Peacock.

When Plants Go To Seed ~ The Next Phase Of Beauty

2009-09-23T08:56:00.000-07:00

Another find in a Field......Now that fall if officially upon us, the plants realize this as well. Going to seed is that beautiful final stage of life for the majority of plants on earth. Their reason for existing to reproduce oneself is a high priority. Or as we know it the plant will cease to exist. As I take the time to look at things from a different perspective with my camera, I have come to notice the small things. The simple things in life and I'm finding I'm more and more interested and intrigued I become. This is just one plant I found very interesting as it prepares to release it's future to the wind. Do you notice the small...if not walk around your yard with your camera...you might be amazed.

How Do They Do It? ~To Walk On Water Would Be Glorious

2009-09-22T09:08:00.001-07:00

These bugs I'm posting today have been a wonder of mine since I was a child. I was very fortunate as a child to have the fortunate attribute of living only 10 steps from the lake. All summer long I would watch them walk on the water fascinated with what they could do and could not. Just think if we could walk on water....what a wonderful concept that would be. I took the time to really get a close shot of these Water Skaters on how their legs are shaped and how they can just sit on the water. Amazing little bugs (animals) I'm not too sure what they do or their purpose but I'm sure it is something amazing and important. All life has a purpose...it's just hard to determine what that can be sometimes. This is one example of that.

The Forest Floor ~ The Beautiful Gastropod

2009-09-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

Morning everyone.....A one time before I had this many followers I mentioned in one of my posts the wonders of the Natural recyclers. The animals that we miss that work so hard in our forest floors cleaning up decaying debris and helping the ecosystem take care of the break down of large materials can turn into natural compost. Compost that our forest floors rely on for nutrients to sustain all levels of life. From the growth of plants that feed our larger animals and birds to the small. The animals we don't notice like ants, bees, centipedes and other small living things we tend not to notice. This silent Gastropod or slug as some of you would call it plays and important roll in the forest...I love them. So shy, so quite they go about their business in a very determined manner. Which is to help decompose matter and help make compost. A very important animal in our forests. So the next time you go for a walk take a blook at your feet. You will me amazed at what you find.... Happy Monday everyone

Out Of The Mist ~ My Attempt At A Scenic Shot

2009-09-19T18:00:00.000-07:00

As all of you know scenic shots are the shots I need the most practice with. Here is a shot I took at Beacon Hill Park last week. It was the same day I captured the Red Breasted Nuthatch shots. As I explained before Beacon Hill Park also butts up to the Ocean and sometimes you can see the Cruise ships either leaving or coming in. Here is a ship coming into the Harbour...but what I found so lovely is the mist or fog just hovering over the ocean. As summer merges into fall the warmer water and the cooler air meet and sometimes the images are quite mystical with the mist just above the water. I also like the images of the mountains behind not quite clear but part of the mystical scene.

Fabulous Fruit Fridays!!! ~ A Day Early ~ Squash Are Fruit

2009-09-17T19:35:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone I know I'm a day early with the post. But it's Thursday evening and I thought that since I'm up early and don't have time to post before I go to work that I would post instead before bed. Some of you who are in Europe are still asleep anyway so I don't think the early post will matter in the whole scheme of things.
Did you know though that Squash are actually classified as a fruit!!! Yes it's true. I had a little niggle and thought I would investigate my thought process. I knew that Tomatoes are a fruit because they bare seeds.....so that lead me to believe that foods that we call Vegetables who have seeds could actually be a fruit. So foods like Pumpkins, Squash, Zucchini's and Tomatoes although we associate them as Vegetables they really are a fruit. Cool isn't it!! So since I have such a lovely fall theme going here I thought I would throw this into the mix. Happy Friday everyone. Oh and before I forget....I had a hard time deciding which photo to post I like them all. So I posted them all even though they all look very similar, I just couldn't decide :)

The Forest Floor With Fall Images

2009-09-16T17:03:00.000-07:00

You can tell that the weather has definitely changed and things are progressing into the Fall season. For one Victoria has received some rain fall and with that comes changes on the Forest floors. Yes something you don't see allot of in the Summer...mushrooms have popped up everywhere. They are not small at all......so large are they that they topple over with their own weight. I call this photo: How the Mighty Have Fallen. I took this next photo in Beacon Hill Park on the same day I took the pictures of the Red Breasted Nuthatch posted below. The light in this shot is what I like the most about it. Catches your eye.

This Little Bird ~ Red Breasted Nuthatch

2009-09-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

On Sunday my family and I went out for the afternoon when I got home from work and headed out to Beacon Hill Park. Beacon Hill Park is one of our more popular parks that is located down town Victoria. The park also boarders onto the sea side walk way which would take you down to the break water where the Cruise ships dock when they come into town. My objective was to try to spot some birds before they start to migrate to warmer locations for the winter. I didn't really have much success, but I did spot this little red breasted Nuthatch up at the very top of a tree all fluffed out and making it's usual beeping noise that they make. They sound like little broken horns don't they. I like the sound and was drawn to it's location because of it. My husband though will argue that this isn't a Nuthatch but I'm positive that it is....if I'm wrong let me know guys...some of you are expert birders and would know in a heart beat if I was wrong. In this first image I was having a little fun and wanted to give this bird an aged look. It's the same image at the bottom. Just wanted to add a little texture into this shot...mainly because the bright blue sky was just so intense that I wanted to tone it down and show off a little more detailing on the bird. Rather than featuring the sky. I really like the effect.... Warm feeling.

Native Art ~ The Totem Pole And The Stories They Tell

2009-09-13T19:24:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh ....another weekend come and gone. Working weekends really taps into my Photography time....so much so that I'm not sure I will be able to post everyday anymore. But I'm an optimist and we will see. Anyway I wanted to show you some of the wonderful work our Native Aboriginal People do here on the Island. Totem poles are carvings made out of wood (Cedar) that tell stories from the bottom to the top. These stories I believe come from life experiences. They then tell the stories in carvings, paintings and verbal story telling. These carvings also have a spiritual purpose with all plains of life for the Native Aboriginal People. At the University of Victoria these beautiful totem poles stand in the middle Court yard. So many people come to admire them and to sit on the grass under them to talk or do homework. Quite a popular spot.

Fabulous Fruit Fridays!!! ~ The Zestful Orange

2009-09-11T07:05:00.001-07:00

Goodmorning and yes Happy Fabulous Fruit Friday!! Today's feature is the orange and I did three different things with this fruit to add some drama and flair to this particular shot. So under each photo I will tell all of you what I did!! In this top shot I got the boys to take a eye dropper and place it under the water to shoot air across the mirror that I have placed under the orange...this effect then made the water shimmer adding some depth and excitement in front of the orange rather than just a simple reflection.

In the middle shot again I had the boys use an eye dropper and I attempted to capture a water drop hitting the water as you see here in the middle. I should have used a higher speed shutter but I still like the effect I have here...soft and dynamic.

Then in the final shot I simply took a nice shot utilizing the mirror and water under the orange. So tell me which shot is more appealing to you? Happy Friday everyone!

Managed To Fit In A Walk Between The Drops ~ Part 2

2009-09-09T17:42:00.000-07:00

I'm posting the second half of my walk....I tend to notice the smaller things the simple things that seem to make me happy. Doesn't take much does it? But does something need to be large to make us happy....I figured out long ago that Grandma was right it truly is the small and simple things in life that make us happy or what you make of life makes you happy. One or the other are strong and true statements. Take your time and you will see nature reflected back at you in these lovely drops. In the leaf in particular you can see the reflection of a tree turning color. Have a wonderful day :)

Manged To Fit In A Walk Between The Drops ~ Part 1

2009-09-08T16:57:00.000-07:00

Well I managed to get out yesterday afternoon late....I watched it rain like Cats N Dogs all day! So between all the rain drops I headed out for my very favorite walk to UVIC's Gardens, since it's across the road I knew I could get some lovely shots off before it got dark on me. Notice how it's getting darker sooner...bummmer....that's one thing about summer I enjoy the most. The fact you can still be outside at 8 or 9 at night and it's still nice and bright out before sunset. So here are some lovely flowers I found...a bit wet but lovely none the less.

My Dedication To Little Hope

2009-09-07T14:21:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone....I have just found out some sad news. My blog friend John from Midmarsh Jottings lost his little baby Hedgehog. Hope was her name....John loves Hedgehogs and spends lots of wonderful hours posting great videos of their endless activities in his yard. He has even gotten them a little home and has put it in his back yard. I personally have become quite interested in the little animals and it saddens me greatly that little Hope as passed away. So I dedicate this Water Lily to Hope today and to John who loves Hedgehogs and Water Lilies.

Sunday And Exhausted!! ~ These Forgotten Homes

2009-09-06T20:22:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone...sorry for not posting this weekend. I've just started a second job, so now I'm working 7 days a week. Victoria is getting more and more expensive, food cost is up from last year, Hydro went up, gas went up...you get the picture. So my plan is to work hard and see where we are at in six months time. By that time we are hopeful to be caught up and ahead for a change. I hate living from pay cheque to pay cheque, not a good way to live....stresses me out!! So this will defiantly bite into my photography time. I'm hopeful that it doesn't affect my postings but we will see. Today I posted the sea's Forgotten Homes and I did it in Black N White and Color. So tell me which one do you think is more effective? I look forward to hearing what each of you prefer...should be fun :)

Fabulous Fruit Fridays!!! ~ B.C's Native Plants The Oregon Grape

2009-09-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhh another Fabulous Friday has come upon us...Wow time just flies doesn't it. I know I can't keep up. Today is about our Native plants here in B.C. This plant is called Oregon Grape and these berries are very edible and were a main source of food for our Native Indians that lined our coastal waters and interiors of BC. These wonderful berries were dried and eaten throughout the winter months and where a valuable part of the Native Indian diet. If you ever get a chance to come to Victoria B.C we have a wonderful Museum. They feature a very large section about our Native Indians and how they lived a long time ago. Not only featuring the foods they ate but the wonderful talent they have at carving. They could create a canoe out of one large cedar tree...I believe it's referred to as a long boat. Don't quote me though. These berries also make wonderful jams, jellies and are extremely tasty. As you can tell from the bottom pictures other animals find them tasty too. LOL Happy Friday everyone

Soft Light and What It Can Do For Your Photo's

2009-09-03T08:57:00.000-07:00

Morning everyone I thought I would put a small bit of softness into your day. I have really learned allot with my photography lately and one is light. I really does make the difference on how the image looks and turns out. If you have morning or evening light for some reason it's the softest light the best light for your subject matter. Midday light is too intense and will bounce off your subjects and cause a bright exposure problem. Let's use my post from yesterday as an example. My Woodpecker shots would have been stunning in the morning light...but because I spotted him in the afternoon the exposure was too bright causing the top of the birds head to become a beacon rather than showing how beautiful he really is. To accomplish a better look I had to modify the Woodpecker. With these two shots today I didn't have to modify anything the light was perfect giving both the animal and flower the best way to enjoy it's colors and contrast. What do you think ?

British Columbia's Beautiful Birds ~ Pilated Woodpecker

2009-09-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I went for my favorite walk.....I love walking through UVIC's Gardens it's so nice. Although I was expecting to see exciting things I wasn't expecting this!! I heard a Knock Knocking sounds telling me we had a visitor here. I was thinking Oh a Hairy Woodpecker or perhaps a Downy Woodpecker...NO to my great surprise it was a Pilated Woodpecker our larges Woodpecker on the Island. Unfortunately everyone the great morning light was already past...so these pictures had to have large modifications with exposer because of the bright sun light. Plus my angles are something to be desired. I'm happy with these shots...but the action shot in the middle is still a wee bit blurry....but what can ya do....Woodpeckers are not known to stay still while they peck for grubs and bugs are they. LOL I think at one point I asked to stay still for a minute please...It did stop and look right at me...but turned quickly to finish what it was looking for...I laughed out loud when I saw that it was listening to me talking to myself. I was extremely amused.

In this last shot the Woodpecker suddenly turned it's head as if being called and flew away. The action was very noticable it took me by surprise.

Water Effects ~ The Beauty in a Water Drop

2009-09-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

Morning...yep here I am again obsessed with water...LOL what else is new. I find it truly fascinating what water can do for plants and for a photograph. This is an area that I need allot of practice on. I have seen what you can do with water from Flickr...stunning work on there....Wow. My objective though is to bring the beauty in everything that Nature has to offer us. There is so much that I haven't even touched on yet...and look forward to investigating over time. I wanted to bring a little sparkle for all of you today when you come. I hope you enjoy my Water Drop post. Have a wonderful day everyone!!

Ocean Birds ~ The Sea Gulls

2009-08-31T07:46:00.000-07:00

Sea Gulls....you either love them or hate them. Like the Pigeon they do make allot of mess! One thing that the Sea Gull has over the Pigeon though is it's strong history especially for sailors in the days where navigational systems didn't exist. To see a sea gull out at sea was a huge life line letting the sailors know that land was very close at hand. I know if I was a sailor back then seeing a sea gull would be like seeing God I think....the feeling of thank God!!! Land is just over this horizon. Sea Gulls are also a protected bird for those of you who don't know. So killing a Sea Gull would put you in a bad light according to the laws in place to protect them. I personally like Sea Gulls I love the way they communicate with each other at times they can be loud, but so can we. For me they represent water and what we rely from water, and oceans. For food, new and upcoming uses for Hydro Power generated from waves coming into our harbours...so much that I couldn't possibly post it all one one small post today. I'm sure all of you could in some way contribute to this post about how much we rely on water...but really today it's about the Sea Gull!! Beautiful birds indeed over a very large period of time. Happy Monday Everyone!!

Sidney's New Discovery Center ~ A Series of Under Water Ocean Images~ Part 2 Invertebrates and Fish

2009-08-30T15:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday everyone. Today here in Victoria we are having a fabulous day. Nice and sunny you can't get any better than that! I managed to get out for a walk today and got some great pictures...lots of editing on the horizon for me. My favorite part. Ahhhh I'm getting off track as usual...so this is the next half of Sidney's Discovery Center. Lots of Invertebrates in these snaps, sorry everyone the fish except for the one I posted today were all too fast moving and I couldn't capture a clear crisp shot of them, which is too bad because there was one female fish and she was giving birth at the time to a baby! Little did I know that some fish give live birth just like we do.... I was truly amazed.

This image below is a Sea Cucumber...very cool. It was cleaning the glass and I was amazed at what the inside of it's mouth looked like. Click onto the image to get a larger image....it's mouth is truly awsome inside.

Sidney's New Discovery Center ~ A Series of Under Water Ocean Images~ Part 1 Invertebrates

2009-08-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone and sorry for the delayed post, but I had a project in mind. Sidney has just recently opened a New Discovery Center and this exciting new exhibit features the species that live in our ocean that surrounds our Island! So I thought I would take the opportunity and check it out and was I impressed....There were examples of all kinds of life and I had no idea just how beautiful it is under the water. I'm now thinking I should take a Scuba Diving Course next summer...I would love to see these wonderful creatures up close it would be a very wonderful experience to be able to swim with and explore the ocean. To be able to witness it's abundance of life. Today's post is all the invertebrates....look at the variety you have with this one type of animal in the sea. From Jelly Fish to Sea anemones!! Simply delicate and beautiful...Wow

Fabulous Fruit Fridays!!! ~ Papaya's N Mirrors

2009-08-28T07:54:00.001-07:00

The Papaya!! What a beautiful fruit...not only does it taste great but look inside. The seeds are soft perfect for the tropical areas it comes from. Ready to germinate when spread by wild animals....Today I wanted to try a different way of presenting this fruit, so I took my big mirror outside and tried to get some unique shots. Anyone can put fruit on a counter and take a shot...but I wanted a little bit more. Happy Friday Everyone :)

This Morning Bright N Happy Snaps!! A This and That Kinda Day

2009-08-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

Well now that my dreamy water series is complete, I thought some nice bright colors would be a nice post for today. From summer grasses to flowers.... a this and that kinda day! The work week is almost done and time just flies by doesn't it. Wow...but in a way I like it like that...I'm not one to sit around looking for things to do. Instead I'm a person who squeezed every minute out of my day...and even on a good day I could use just a few more minutes to finish things off. Go figure not enough minutes in a day, I never thought I would ever say that. :) Have a wonderful day everyone.

Goldstream Park ~ Part 2 Capturing Moving Water Dreamy Style

2009-08-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome to part two!! Now this little series was the hardest part of my photography challenge. I have seen and worshiped this style of photography where your water looks smooth and dreamy. Not an easy project let me tell you. I have a tripod but it's definitely not a high end one. It's made of light aluminum and the slightest movement causes the tripod to shake. Not something you want to happen while taking these types of shots. I would like to give a big hug and thank you to Claudio, he emailed the details on how to achieve this look. My first day out was unsuccessful...every image was blurry from the slight movement when I pushed the shutter. So I came home and Googled techniques on how to decrease the wiggle problems I was having with my tripod. So the second day I went out I was very successful. Apparently if you take a large breath in then as you release your breath you push the shutter button at the same time...that movement is smooth and you get no vibrations through your tripod causing a crisp and clear shot!!! It must have looked very funny to see a tall woman with a camera and tripod doing deep breathing while taking pictures...but I must say it works very very well. Note when doing dreamy water pictures your shutter speed is extremely high thus the reason for the tripod tool.

Goldstream Park ~ Part 1 Senic shots

2009-08-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

Goodmorning everyone!! Well this morning I wasn't about to give up all the goods with the Goldstream post. I had such a lovely collection of pictures that I thought I would post images in fazes. First I wanted to give you a glimpse of how beautiful Goldstream park is. Allot of families go out for picnics, hikes, walks and they love the Nature house where the children can go and listen to a story about nature. Very popular area. My shots though are not of the populated areas, I tend to hike into a world all it's own to show how tranquil things really are and can be. These shots are from different locations of the stream itself. During our rainy season these banks flood and are quickly filled with spawning salmon...which attracts all kinds of wild life including the Bald Eagle...I'm going to go out when this happens to try and capture this wonderful event, even though the smell is something to be desired. The Bald Eagles actually will sit on a dead fish and will stay there while they eat...which as you know is a great opportunity to get that wonderful shot!!

I Stand Alone N Delicate ~ Happy Monday

2009-08-24T08:35:00.000-07:00

Ahhh Monday the beginning of a new week. I thought this wee plant kinda represented a Monday Morning. It was all alone in a Field....which was funny simply because the grass had been cut and here this plant was all alone...beautiful actually...so I took a quick snap. I like this image kinda soft. Sorry for only the one image...I started another photo project this weekend and I will be doing a series on Goldstream Park for all of you to see this week. I decided that before the rains and the spawning salmon come and ruin the atmosphere there. That I would get out there and finally practice my moving water shots. I had to give it a few goes before I managed to get some decent shots...Wow I had no idea that getting a dreamy water image was that hard.....but yes it is. I'm sure all of you will be pleased with the results. Tonight will be a large editing night for me....to get a few images ready for tomorrow. I enjoy this part the most with photography...pulling out the good images and dumping the ones that just didn't make the cut. Anyway have a wonderful day everyone.

The Depletion Of Chlorophyll ~ Fall Leaves

2009-08-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

Well I didn't do much yesterday...well let me rephrase that I didn't get as much done as I would have liked. But on one of my walks I did notice that the leaves on the trees are definitely turning color. Plants are fabulous don't you think? When they start getting ready to bed down for the winter their leaves loose their Chlorophyll which gives them their green color...then a miracle happens and their true colors shine through...I think it's fantastic. It's like the tree or plant are going to sleep with style. I wish I looked that good before going to bed LOL...I certainly don't look good when I wake up with Chicken hair!!!! Have you ever seen a plant wake up with Chicken hair ...no way not today. :) Happy Sunday Everyone

Kreativ Blogger Award !!! Wow three times given

2009-08-22T12:59:00.000-07:00

Wow I have just had the honor of receiving the Kreativ Blogger Award for a third time!!! Thank you WEST COUNTRY BIRDING AND WILDLIFE DIARY ~ http://westcountrybirdingandwildlifediary.blogspot.com/ The first time I did the work required of the award. The second time well I hadn't had the resources to award 7 new blogs. But I have expanded my reading to new blogs and I now have 7 new blogs that I faithfully follow and would like to pass this award off too.

But for those of you who are now new to my blog and are following me I guess you would like to know 7 things about myself...yes that is part of the award to let your readers know a few things about yourself 7 to be exact!! So here it goes:

1. I love Chocolate...I can smell it from at least 6 blocks away.

2. Photography is a passion for me I love it fully

3. I have three children Ages 12, 11 and 10 Yes they do keep me busy!!

4. I'm a warm compassionate person, who has a large shoulder and ear to cry on (So I have been told)

5. I'm Irish and Icelandic and English. I'm also Third Generation Canadian.

6. I love to travel and would like to do more of that as my children grow up and leave home.

7. I love to Hike, Garden, take very long walks, swim and stalk wild life whenever I can.

Now the 7 blogs that I would like to award. Usually with the 7 nominated blogs you would give a brief description about the blog. But in this case I would like all of you to go and check them out for yourselves see if you like them too. If you do follow them, some are just bran new and would love to have you follow their progress...help the new ones they have fabulous things to see and read!!

1. A Photographic Journey ~ http://carolmattinglyphotography.blogspot.com/

2. BrainWorker's Photo Gallery ~ http://brainworker-photo-gallery.blogspot.com/

3. Claudio G. photo's blog ~ http://gcphotoblog.blogspot.com/

4. Daily Discovery photos ~ http://www.daily-discovery-photos.com/

5. Lizzy's Photos ~ http://frizzfrockphotos.blogspot.com/

6. Things about Who, What, When, Where and Why ~ http://thingsaboutwhowhatwhenwhereandwhy.blogspot.com/

7. Faith, Fabric and Photos ~ http://faithfabricandphotos.blogspot.com/

Thanks and have fun everyone!! :)

Fabulous Fruit Fridays!!! ~ Cherries N Water

2009-08-21T06:54:00.000-07:00

Morning everyone!! Happy Fabulous Fruit Friday!! Todays feature Cherries....

The Dazzeling Dynamic Dahlia!!

2009-08-20T06:57:00.000-07:00

My post this morning...because I'm simply just not awake enough to connect my thoughts yet is simple. I'm so NOT a MORNING PERSON...thank GOD I have only one more shift to wake up early for..Yay :)

The Ocean Is Not Only A Food Supply...But

2009-08-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday after dinner my Husband and I went down to the ocean....and the light was perfect. Not to bright just right coming to dusk actually....the best light to work with. So what really grabbed my interest was the activity on the water. All the little Sea Cadets were out there with their adult partner learning to sail. It was very beautiful to watch as they practiced their maneuvers on the water....there was alot of nice wind last night. The whole evening was perfect fort them. Not only did I notice the sail boats...but I managed to capture a crow enjoying the beach. I have found photographing crows a bit of a challenge...if you don't have good light it really washed out their feathers and you picture is ruined. But finally I thing I have a decent shot of one....and enjoying the beach no less.. :)

Our LOVE/HATE Relationship With Pigeons

2009-08-18T06:39:00.000-07:00

Ahhh the Pigeon....We sure don't like them...they make their nests and homes in our tall buildings and their waste is something to be desired. Some of us have gone out and bought fake Owls that we attach to our balconies, roofs and anywhere they might see them in hopes that they will stay away. I feel sorry for them though...as we keep building homes and taking more and more land away what choices are we giving wildlife? Where are they going to nest? Take the Barn Swallow for an example they love to nest in old barns, car ports, sheds...why because it's better than a tree that's open to the rain right? Their nests are mainly made of mud so why not utilize what we have put up...yep a dry place to raise children....I would choose that wouldn't you? Even though Pigeons are considered dirty, and simply a pain in the butt....I love them. I love the colors of their feathers, the noises they make and the way they walk. I think these birds are beautiful....

Ducks Can Really Live It Up!!

2009-08-17T06:38:00.000-07:00

Well I did it I managed to get everything done on the weekend that I wanted to get done. Wow too much work....the boys when they get home are going to have a heart attack for sure. Their room is clean, de-junked and organized just in time for school, won't they be happy! (NOT) Oh well I'm happy so that should count for something right? Luckily I managed to get out for a bit yesterday. I jumped onto my scooter and away I went down to the break water to see if I could spot anything exciting. What luck I did...but I don't know if three little ducks in a row napping is exciting or not, but I was sure able to get really really close. So close I could have put one in my pocket and taken it home. In the picture above I just marvel at how they can sleep while on one leg without falling over, I think that is amazing all in itself don't you.

This litte beauty let me get right up to her.....look at the details in her feathers and the lovely colors on the top of her head when the sun hits her just right. Love this shot.

The Before and After Effect

2009-08-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I actually found an opportunity to get out and take some shots, and I thought I would post this lovely shot I took in June of this lovely Blackberry Flower and show you the results of this fantastic flower. Yep my fav Blackberries they are almost ready to be picked. There are some patches where I'm sure I could fill an ice cream bucket and I might do that this week when I get home from work. I work the early shifts this week, so my posting won't be until night time anyway. So Happy Sunday everyone!!! and pick some blackberries. There are pies to make, jam to boil and Vanilla ice cream waiting for fruit....yummmm.

Feeling Scattered Today!!

2009-08-14T08:41:00.000-07:00

Ahhh it's Friday!! But I'm in a hurry...the boys are leaving at 10am to head out for 5 days of camping with their Dad. I have to double check their bag to make sure they have packed everything they need. Once they are gone I'm going to ATTACK their bedroom and get rid of crap and clothes that they have out grown. Which by the way is almost everything they own. I promise that next week I will get back on track with Fabulous Fruit Fridays..I just haven't had the time or when I have the boys have already eaten all of the fruit. I can't win for trying here. LOL So today again it's all about the flowers....enjoy and I will catch all of you on the flip side tomorrow or catch up will all of you in the evening...oh I'm bad :)

Early Signs of Fall

2009-08-13T08:58:00.000-07:00

Fall my most favorite time of year. I have always been attracted to warm and inviting colors and fall does that for me. To walk through the leaves, to hear the rain hit the leaves on the ground. Ahhhh and the smell of fall....nothing quite like it. Wood, leaves, the crisp air, seeing your breath on a cool morning all of it just soothes my soul. So now that I have this new camera fall is a whole new future photographic opportunity that I'm on pins and needles waiting for. I don't know about you but fall is fabulous!!