Moving On

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

  

 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

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 !!!!

 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

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!!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!!!!!