Egads! How did I manage to not update this blog for four months? Scary stuff. I imagine being busy is a good thing (so long as it’s in good ways) but it was still rather disconcerting to log in and see ice & Christmas ornaments staring back at me.

Time keeps hopping along, doesn’t it? We’ve been watching spring slip into summer. We started seeds a few months back and transplanted them into our garden. We’ve been fighting the “Great Unknown Bug Battle of 2010″ this season; evidence now suggests earwigs. So. Earwig hunting it has become.

The birds are happy. The garden has worms. Nature is smiling.

And us, too, of course.

We’ve been taking photos. We’re always taking photos … it’s just, sometimes life dictates we stay away longer than we’d intended.

I hope you’re having a nice summer. Or winter, depending on where you are on this planet of ours.

As is typical, it’s been a busy time around here lately. I’m pretty pleased to see January roll into February. Our last week in January was painful, filled with medical appointments, automotive appointments and a plumber as well. Need I mention that they all cost money?

January wasn’t a horrible time, though, as we did get out and get some great photos taken. While winter will never be a “favorite” of mine, it’s tolerable through the camera’s lens.

The photos in this post were taken mid-January. We had a fog that was freezing on surfaces and it made beautiful crystal formations all around the neighborhood. Very pleased with the photos in this series.

I hope everyone has a great week!

Today was spent sorting through files and organizing pictures. Got some much needed organizing done – and spent a bit of time missing summer. Can’t wait for the spring/summer of 2010.

I was a good enterprising young woman today and got some photography things done. I am perpetually behind the curve on holidays, on events, on seasons – you name it, I have a great idea regarding it about three days AFTER said event. Christmas is a great example. I took several scenic post card type winter & Christmas shots for use in my cards & post cards …. and …. didn’t get them printed in time. Hmm.

I am indeed working to improve that as the year goes along. I have a lot to learn. Quite a lot, in fact.

I have had an Etsy shop for quite some time now, since 2006. It’s a sporadic thing for me; I tend to let it sit dormant while I’m participating in other venues during the summer & fall months. With a little time on my hands, I tend to put a few things in it every now and again.

Tonight I took photos of photo postcards and made a few new listings. There are more to come, of course, but right now, with the workroom in a bit of disarray, the studio a work in progress and feeling a bit under the weather the past 24+ hours, slow is a good pace.

Chickens, tulips & lilies seemed a good starting point. All are favorites of mine.

Today, the tree ornaments came off our Christmas tree. I spent a bit of time sorting and re-boxing things, tossing out the bits and baubles and broken parts that always seem to reside in the bottom of the seasonal totes. We are much more organized for next year and will maybe have a handle on which boxes contain what.

Lots of memories in the ornaments. The majority of them came from my parent’s home; a collection started while I was a child. My favorite ornament is a blown glass mouse with orange ears and a pink tail. Was that a sign? I don’t recall when I got it but I do know that I haven’t put it on our tree in years because my cats took great delight in scaling the tree and batting anything dangling off of it.

Today is not only New Year’s Day, which in itself is a pretty neat thing but also my husband and I’s one year wedding anniversary. Not a long time, no, but when you consider how much we’ve surmounted to get to this sweet day? Seems like ages. We’ve had an excellent day together, lazing about, watching movies and talking. I picked up some things for the studio in progress. Tomorrow we’ll do some work on that.

Life is good. I don’t make resolutions, particularly, but I am working on a 101 in 1001 list. On that list are things such as “visit Australia” and “visit 25 states” as well as the more mundane “remember to think before opening your mouth.” Thankfully, I don’t have anything on the list about being prompt, because I wanted to have it done and written out by New Year’s Day – and I’ve missed that a bit.

I would like to settle on a set way to display photos. I change my border style quite often – a quick flip through my flickr stream will demonstrate that. I vacillate between watermark or no, digital signature or no …. So far, a distinct way has not made my 101 list. I’m certainly a work in progress.

I hope you had a wonderful day, filled with memories and family. I know sometimes things are rough, sometimes they just flat out suck – but now that I’m not in my teens or early 20s – I can also appreciate that 1.) it will eventually get better given time and 2.) it can likely always get worse.

Sometimes, I wish I had a magic rule book to get me (and especially loved ones) through tough situations. I mean, it’s common sense. Listen. If you hit your thumb with a hammer, it hurts. Then, you do it again – and it hurts, and 10 times later, guess what? It hurts! At what point do you STOP doing it because it hurts? At some point you HAVE to realize that the same action will cause the same pain – and you stop! Amusingly, that logical action/reaction does not seem logical to everyone. I would do just about anything to save my kids some of the stupidity and foolishness of my teens & early 20s.

I appreciate that to an extent you have to live it to learn from it, and I know some are slow learners (hello, I was). I know that my HS boyfriend and I had our disagreements and our falling outs, but goodness. Kids seem to take the drama & game playing to an entirely greater level now. I appreciate that some of it is “natural” as they learn their way but part of me is wondering how much this behavior/emotional baggage is going to affect their future lives and how it will impact their chances at a healthy adult relationship much farther down the line.

Maybe I’ve lost touch with what it was to be 14, 15, 18, 20 and in love … but I don’t think so.

Some things, you just don’t forget.

My best friend since forever breeds & shows cockatiels. Every week or so I try to get over there and take pictures of them as they are in the process of morphing into “real” birds. If I didn’t know it, with my limited experience with birds, I probably never would have guessed the top two pictures actually grow into something that winds up looking like the bottom picture. It is pretty neat watching them fill out and turn into something that I’m accustomed to seeing.

They are interesting little buggers. And -so- loud when they think there is food involved.

“There are some people you love so much, that a hot dog tastes like steak. And you can have the finest cut of beef with other people and it ain’t all that much fun.” ~ Paula Deen

I came across that quote today at work. It really appeals to me – and is so true. Also appealing to me today? These images, on an entirely new level now as I am looking out the window at the snow falling.

When I find myself pining away for spring & all the wonder that comes with it, I browse back in my photo library and find images that I took in April and May. It’s always spring on my hard drive. It’s sunny, warm and always 70 degrees in some of these photos. I sure wish I could import them to more than just my laptop!

I was cold just taking a picture of that squirrel. Funny how they will go to great lengths to get their food but don’t particularly enjoy anyone -else- helping them out by cleaning off the perch.

The cardinal got sick of me clicking away as she was attempting to forage. I swear she’s saying, “Enough already!”

Forecast is more snow starting tomorrow afternoon.
Snow tends to bring a greater variety & more birds to the feeders.

I may have to admit (grudgingly) that this winter is proving to be … well, not a favorite, by any means – but more bearable than others have been. I’m a fall person. I’m a spring person. I tolerate summer. I’m not much for heat & humidity – but I’ll take that gladly over below freezing temps & snow.

This winter, though? It’s almost enjoyable to take walks in air that freezes the hairs inside your nose. It helps that I’ve been rather pleased with some of the winter shots I’ve been getting. That always helps.