So last Saturday a friend and I joined the local painters group for a hike in Whitney Canyon. This coming Sunday the club has an outing at Vasquez Rocks for sunrise so hopefully I get alot of shots out there. I may bring Jake along since Daddy wants to go play paintball with the guys.

Here’s what I captured.

I loved how the light was coming through the oak trees and painting light along the grass and a little path.

We stumbled across one of the painters at work. He was really in his own world and looked so peaceful.

These little plants were so cute and delicate. I guess they are a type of lettuce and are edible, but I did not try one. I did wish that I had my macro lens, grrr.

While on a little outing with the club in Malibu creek, some military macaws decided to make some noise to draw attention. I watched them and remembered how truly annoying and noisy macaws are. So they flew off screeching the whole way. Ahhhh peace again! Nope 10 minutes later they were back and just as noisy. So I start taking pictures of the pair cause they obviously wanted someone watching them. Then this happened.

Yeah just wanted I wanted to see. Ha Ha Ha! So as they went on and on I turned my camera back to the little mud ducks who were being ever so cute ducking in and out of the water.

Saturday I hope to join up with a clubbie and go to Whitney Park out here and talk with other artists. Hopefully the wildflowers will be out for the painters and the photographers. Whoo Hoo!

Ta Ta for now!

Finally a moment of peace! We have been very busy since I last posted. Jake had the stomach flu the week of Christmas, then I had it the week of New Years, and Sean got it the week after.

I also had the opportunity to go on a small trip to Death Valley with my Photography club. I wasn’t going to go because Sean was still sick, but he told me to get out and have fun.

This was taken at 10pm in Death Valley. It was so nice there even though there was no cell phone service. Unfortunately in this small version of the picture you can’t see the stars, but they are there.

This was taken in Badwater in the afternoon. Very cool place and it was 300ft below sea level. The ground looks like dirt but it’s dried salt that is a little dirty.

So I had a great trip and came back to start renovating Mom’s house and get it ready for rent. All was going well till the 20th of January. I was driving to pick up our worker after dropping Jake off at school and BAM! Someone decided to be a rubber-necker and look at the accident that was across the street instead of paying attention to what was in front of him. I was stopped letting the emergency vehicles through and within seconds my pretty car was not so pretty anymore. He apologized over and over and felt really stupid. He was really lucky Jake wasn’t in the car, cause I probably would have kicked his butt. I was ok and I went to see my Chiropractor because my back was really stiff and felt off. After about a month of going to the Chiro I’m better and back to my normal self along with my car.

Now Mom’s house is 90% finished and just need to do a little cleaning and have one more garage sale then I’m done. We are also repairing the hillside in the back of our house because with each rainfall it slides little by little. So when the work is done on both houses and my backyard is put back together we are having a big BBQ and get back to our normal. So enough of my rambling, just wanted to let people know I’m still around.

First things, first…… Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my friends and family!

I feel so bad for not being able to send out Christmas cards this year. I have never missed a year, but I just did not have enough time in the days to put together the ones I wanted. So this in a way can be a Christmas card. Heck I didn’t even decorate my house! The only reason why the Santa is out is because he got left behind last year, so he was in the hall closet staring at me everytime I went to get the vacuum out. Sean also decided to make me decorate the tree tonight. UGH! So nothing this Christmas is normal.

This holiday season has really been hard both mentally and physically. With Mom gone it’s just hard. I had the yard sale last weekend, and although it went great, it sucked! I hate giving away her stuff or even selling her stuff because it just doesn’t feel right, plus the sale was on her birthday. A HUGE THANK YOU to all that came and helped out. Now to start painting and renting the house out.

I can’t wait to start 2009! Sean is now working for a great law firm in LA and really likes it there. Finally a job that he doesn’t get stressed about! Plus he takes the metrolink and doesn’t have to drive, plus the firm pays for his train ticket. Jake is still in Preschool full time and loving every minute of it. Me, not so much. I swear he comes home with a different sick bug every week. Of course it had to be the tummy bug the week of Christmas.

We hope to go camping alot in our trailer this spring and summer. It’s nice to just get away for the weekend. I’m hoping to go to Yosemite since I’ve never been. Talk about paradise! Some people like beaches, or resorts but I love the great outdoors with the hiking, animals, sites to to see and of course great sunrises and sunsets.

Sean, Jake and I wish you all the Happiest, Healthiest, and Best New Year ever!!! 2009 Here we come! It’s gotta be better than last year, right??

Bozeman Montana is absolutely gorgeous. A little chilly, but not bad at all. This morning at 4am we got a lovely false fire alarm to wake us up, and then the clock alarms went off at 5am to get up and ready to go to Hyalite Canyon. It was still dark when we got there but quickly got lighter. This is one of the pictures I have edited so far.

I decided to take a break from being at the hospital and actually pick up my camera again. Ruby (my Mom’s dog) is staying with us and has been having fun playing with both of my dogs but she is still kinda down. So I took her out to the backyard and spent some time with her rolling in the grass.

Here are a couple shots from the gardens I visited Saturday with my photog club. It was fun! I was the only girl and the only one under the age of 45. LOL Let me know what you think cause I want to get these printed up and hung in my office. Again they look totally different on here then on my screen.

So I got a fisheye and I am loving it! I know these are just snaps, but I’m trying to practice before a trip on Saturday with the local camera club. Any tips and tricks to this lens, I’ll take them all.

My Backyard- Nice and humid today hopefully the thunderstorms stay east.

My Golden Girl- Gimmie a kiss is what I think she’s trying to say here

My baby girl- She looks so funny.

Well last night was fun. Hot, humid and lots of bugs, but hey I got some good shots of the fireworks! I’m thinking of getting 2 or 3 of the best shots printed. I want to do it on the metallic paper from WHCC. Vote for the one(s) you would get printed. Click on the image to see it bigger.

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Ok so I tried to re-do my puppy shoot from the other day, but now my eyes are killing me and can’t see straight. Any advice or tips are welcome and so is some puppy love.

First w/o plexi glass

With plexi glass