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Sunday, January 31, 2010

Day 31/365 - 2010

Meet Presley. Presley is 4 years old and a Black and Tan Coonhound

I had to use the old squirrel in the tree ploy to get her to sit still and pose for me so if you are wondering what she is looking at....... She could do this for hours by the way so if I want her to stay quiet for a while I keep telling her to look for Mr. Squirrel.

I got Presley 3 years ago, I first saw her as I was ending my shift at the kennel and went to say goodbye to all the dogs. She had just been put in the kennel and put up for adoption, she was huddled in the back of the kennel shaking like a leaf. I went in and she buried her head in the corner so I talked to her for a while and then leashed her and took her out for the whole walk she had her tail between her legs. She reminded me of my little Beagle Lily when I first met her. When I went home I just kept thinking about her but I figured she is so pretty someone will surely adopt her today. I went back Monday for a training class we do with the shelter dogs and as it turned out the Behavior Manager was sick and the class was canceled, so I thought I would take a look to see if she was still there and sure enough she was. I happened to have my two beagles Skippy and Lily with me and I brought them in to see what they thought, well everyone fell in love and she came home with us that night.

As soon as I got her home she knew she was home. She is the smartest dog I have ever trained she picks up anything I teach her within minutes. In the morning she jumps on my bed everyday around 5 a.m. and lays on her back and wants to be petted. When I get home at night she jumps on her hind legs and gives me a big bear hug.

She is my best girlfriend:)

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Day 30/365 - 2010

Volunteering at a shelter people always ask do I have any dogs of my own. Well as a matter of fact, yes I do. So I thought I would take the time to introduce you to my posse. It will take the whole week as there are 6 members to it, actually 7 Hermie the cat but she is a very elusive little girl that found us and only comes in when she wants, but I don’t give up easy if you don’t see her this week you will see her one of these days.

Let’s start with the little old lady of the group. Meet Sydney, she is now 13 years old and is a Belgian Sheep Dog. I first spotted and fell in love with this girl 11 years ago, I was looking for a dog for my mom and went to the shelter to look at another dog who wound up being adopted. So a friend that had come with me was wandering around the shelter and spotted Sydney and ran over and said come see there is a bigger version of Andy here (Andy was my sweet boy at the time). So she looked really sweet and we pulled her paperwork and asked to see her. As soon as she met me, she gave me her paw and she and I just sat and held hands through the whole interview, I later read in her write up that all the shelter volunteers noticed this about her; she would always give you her paw and just hold hands with you for as long as you like. I thought then and there this is the dog for my mom, you see my mom had lost my brother, dad and grandfather all within a 5 year period, I had moved out and she did not know how to be alone and was falling into a depression, so I figured this dog with the happy face and lovely demeanor would help her get through this tuff time. I was right, they have been best buddies for 11 years now and I do believe my mom would do anything for her.

Being a sheepdog Sydney does love to roam, even now with her back legs starting to give way on her as soon as I walk in the door she runs for her leash so I can take her for a walk. We did have one big adventure with Sydney, about 4 years ago she got out of the house and just ran. I was at work and my mom called me in a panic so I drove over there and we drove around for the whole afternoon and could not find her, John even drove down and he looked and looked and nothing. We even drove to the local shelter to see if she had been picked up, nothing. The next day I left work again in the afternoon (I had this really great boss at the time who understood BTW), and my Mom and I walked the streets looking for her and still nothing and I just kept praying someone tell me what to do. As we were walking we met two ladies and I showed them a photo of Sydney and one of the ladies said make posters this is how I found my dog, so the next day I came back with posters, well as we were hanging the posters this Latin man came up to me to say, you should make your posters in different languages as remember you live in a multi-lingual neighborhood, so that night I Googled up a translator and made posters in Spanish, Chinese and Tagalo. I had my friends who spoke each language tweek the posters for me the next day for grammer and we went and hung them around the neighborhood. Well it had been a whole week now and no sign of Sydney, my mom was broken hearted, the next day John and I had tickets to see the Lion King so we were not going to go looking but my friend called and said her brother told her we should place posters at the local Farmers Market, so I told John and we decided we would go for an hour and place our posters and then come home, so we took my little beagles (Skippy and Lily) and started hanging posters. So as we started to leave I just saw a spot and said to John let me hang this one last poster, it happen to be in Chinese and as I was hanging it I noticed a woman looking over my shoulder and then going up to read it and as I turned to leave she grabbed my hand and started pointing over toward the freeway and pretty much pushing John and I in that direction (she could not speak English and I could not speak Chinese so it was pretty much hand signals). Anyway John got in the car with Skip and Lil and I went on foot, as I was turning a corner I get a call from John, I figured he had been waiting for me and was wondering where the heck I was, but on the other end he was crying saying I have her, and I could not believe my ears and I started crying like a baby too. He said just as he was crossing pulling up to this intersection she just stepped out like she was waiting for him, at first she did not want to get in the car but then Skippy and Lilly peaked out to see what was going on and she saw them and hopped right in. Had we not found her that day, she would have crossed over to the other side of the Freeway toward the Farmers Market and gotten into a whole other section of the city and we would never have found her, or worse yet could have gotten hit by a car crossing the freeway. I truly believe God was watching us that week and sending people to give us these messages, as I had never lost an animal before and honestly had no clue what to do, miracles happen all the time, it’s just we never stop long enough to realize what we have just experienced.

Well Sydney and my mom are both little old ladies now. Sydney’s back legs are going, she can’t see well anymore but she still has that smiling face and will hold your hand all day if you ask her :)

Friday, January 29, 2010

Day 29/365 - 2010

If you are still hanging on to a dead dream of yesterday, laying flowers on its grave by the hour; you cannot be planting the seeds for a new dream to grow today.

Quote from: Joyce Chapman

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Day 28/365 - 2010

Finally a nice day yesterday so I opened up all the windows in the kitchen and took this photo, reminds me of sherbet!

Quote of the day::
There are only three ages for women in Hollywood - Babe, District Attorney, and Driving Miss Daisy”
Goldie Hawn

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Day 27/365 - 2010

"The calla lilies are in bloom again. Such a strange flower, suitable to any occasion" , Katherine Hepburn - From the movie Stage Door (1937)

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Monday, January 25, 2010

Day 25/365 -2010

Sonny and Cher, 4 weeks ago I could not even come within 5 feet of these two and now I can stick the camera in their face without a blink! On their way to happy homes, lets keep our fingers crossed.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Day 24/365 - 2010


We are back to my friend the carnation. This time I turned the whole photo B&W and hand colored it. I like the softness of the photo, it turned out looking very vintage to me which is something I am trying to learn to do. Some of the people out there are such masters at this technique but I think I still need a bit more practice.

Definitions of: carnation

Definition: The natural color of flesh; rosy pink.

Definition: Those parts of a picture in which the human body or any part of it is represented in full color; the flesh tints.

Definition: A species of Dianthus (Dianthus Caryophyllus) or pink, having very beautiful flowers of various colors, esp. white and usually a rich, spicy scent.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Day 23/365 - 2010

Well another rainy day project, I re-worked the carnations I bought a few weeks back, using desaturated color. Someone mentioned the colors in my photos are very rich, and this is not the first time someone has said that to me. I guess yes they are, my eye tends to love rich colors, maybe it is because I was born in the Mediterranean and it is part of my DNA. Well anyway today I am going to see with a different eye and try de-saturing my color see what it does for my soul.

Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Discovery consists of looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking something different.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Day 20/365 - 2010

On my way to work this morning. I got called out yesterday for clicking and driving but I assure you the car was fully stopped here I was waiting for the light to change and thought in my morning blurred vision this looked quite interesting. So any police officers out there I was not breaking any laws today :)

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Day 19/365 - 2010

Photo taken from my car window as I was passing through the Bay Bridge trying to beat the storm and the high winds!

The winds are expected to be 50 mile an hour winds, I can take most types of weather but wind for some reason has always scared me, just because I have seen the damage it can do. It can take a tree that has been in the earth for hundreds of years and just lift it up and set it along the road. Of all of mother natures powers the wind is the one I respect and fear the most.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Day 18/365 - 2010

Day 18/365 - Spent the weekend up in Santa Rosa at John's place. It was a pretty gloomy weekend so not much landscape material out there with the gray skys and rain! As we were driving along Hwy 12 I just asked John to pull over in desperation and took this shot and added a texture. There is something about horses grazing in a pasture that just brings me peace and makes me think all is well with the world.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Day 17/365 - 2010

Been mighty thirsty this weekend, since it is so rainy and cold thought I would go out and get some of my favorite soft drink to cheer me up. This is the best green apple pop you will ever have, don't know if I can say the name, but it is the same as my partners if that is a clue :)

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Day 16/365 - 2010

I work for a pharmaceutical company,so these little guys are laying around everywhere. I decided to put them to a different use and have some model for me. The original photo is of clear glass bottles sitting on top of my Orange Covered Mac, I thought it came out a bit dull so with a little help from my friend PS this is what I got. I just love that PS!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Day 15/365 - 2010

So I am going to do it again! This is the same sky I took a photo of on Day 5. This time I shot directly into the sun and got a totally different look. The other sky looked calm and this one looks a bit ominous, It is funny as we all see things differently but to make yourself see something differently can really help you climb out of the box we sometimes place ourselves in.
A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and at such a speed... It feels an impulsion.... this is the place to go now. But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns behind all clouds, and you will know, too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond horizons"

Quote by Richard Bach

Happy Weekend all.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Day 14/365 - 2010

Someone asked me the other day if the photo I took of a clock was a photo of a portrait, well it was a real clock one that I found in a garden center. Seems like I also go to garden centers and wind up coming home with exactly the opposite of what I went there for. Anyway, sometimes it is a good exercise to take an object and do different interpretations of it. So here is that clock again with a very different look, tick toc.....

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Day 13/365 - 2010

I actually went in to buy these beautiful white roses and saw these little carnations sitting in the throw away section of the shop. I wound up coming home with them and had a photo in mind and as I was putting together the shot I noticed all the different shadows this little stem gave off and wound up taking this photo. So not only are these not the flowers I wanted or the shot I expected to take this is what I got. The thing that photography is teaching me is to look beyond what I see and SEE the possibilities.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Day 12/365 - 2010

It is a cold and gloomy day today, looks like rain is on the horizon. Thought I would try and do something light and airy to get myself out of the winter doldrums. Mind you I am not complaining I live in California and am not experiencing the real cold that the poor folks on the east coast and other parts of the world are experiencing. So from my little bit of God's Country here is a reminder spring will be here soon.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Day 11/365 - 2010

Volunteer day at the shelter and my friends Sonny and Cher improved by leaps and bounds! When we first met them all they wanted to do was huddle together and now they are actually coming up to John and I for some affection. I know we are not the only ones at the shelter working with them there are a lot of great volunteers and staff there that have helped them to move up this far. I tell you when Cher came over to give me that kiss I wanted to yell YAHOO but couldn't because I would scare the heck out of her so I yelled it inside. They are even remembering who we are, when we came into the kennels to get them they came right up front to say hello. Sonny is ready to go when you go into fetch him Cher is still a bit shy of that leash, but upside to that my cattle roping skills are improving.

BTW thank God dogs don't care what you look like, if you read my post from yesterday you know I need a little tinkering to look presentable, well when I go to the shelter I don't tinker. But that is what I love about dogs they love YOU!

So that is the news from the shelter this weekend, hope you all had something to make your weekend as happy as mine :)

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Day 10/365 - 2010

Well these guys are all over the place in the area I work in. Rows and Rows of them, again something I would have passed by just because it was a tall functional structure so how could that make for a good photo. I must tell you the original nothing to write home about but with a little tinkering I got something I liked, it's like when I put my makeup on in the morning, Fright night when I first get up in the morning and then not so fright night after the tons of stuff I put on. Gee all my make up may make for a good photo too, wonder if I have a lens wide enough:)

Happy day people blog you tomorrow...

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Day 9/365 2010

Was walking by the hallway last night and saw the little thingys on my lamp glitter so I pulled out my trusty Pentax and took a photo. A nice warm and cozy Friday night which I need after a long week.

I must tell you I had a crazy ride home yesterday. As I was on the freeway this crazy guy cut in front of me within inches of my car and almost hit me, so I did the obligatory honk but he did not care he just kept moving and terrorizing everyone who was in front of him. Then to boot I noticed he took the same exit I was going to take, ye gads, now he is going to terrorize my poor little town too! Anyway I drove slower so I would not have to deal with him, but then just as I was crossing the El Camino there he sat STUCK behind 5 or 6 other cars waiting for his light to turn. So as I passed I drove slowly and turned and looked him in the eye and just smiled and waved and passed him up and let him sit in the dust! Ah the universe does work in strange ways, thanks universe for giving me a happy ending!

Friday, January 8, 2010

Day 8/365 - 2010

Was walking by this old bobbed wire fence so I thought what the heck! Wow made it through one whole week of pictures, now only 51 more weeks to go....

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Day 7/365 - 2010

Well Day 7 has me back at the dog park. With a little texture the barren trees don't look to bad. At least now I have something else to do at the park instead of chasing the dogs and yelling take that out of your mouth!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Day 5/365 - 2010

getting up early does have it's advantages. The sky truly did look painted on this morning, Monet could not have done a better job!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Day 4/365 - 2010

Day 4 is Volunteer day at my local animal shelter :)

Meet Sonny and Cher, these two lovelies were found as strays back in October of 2009. They are quite a challenge to work with as they are so afraid of anything new, i.e. people, environment, etc. They so love and depend on each other, if Sonny think we are mishandling Cher he immediately comes to her side. They are both making progress slowly, yesterday was monumental Sonny actually came up to John and I and wanted to engage us and Cher meekly followed which took great courage on both their parts.

It makes me sad to see situations like this, not for the dogs as I am glad that they got themselves out of their situation but for the people who made them this way. Not just Sonny and Cher but all the animals in the shelter my heart just hurts to see them in their kennels scared and alone and not knowing why.

I would love for all people to go to a shelter and adopt an animal, especially now with the economy being like it is and so many being surrendered. But what I stress most is do your research first, make sure you are ready to invite one of these beautiful creatures into your home. The benefits of having an animal in your life are too infinite to list, but I can guarantee if you want true and pure love you will receive it hundred fold.

Hope to update you on Sonny and Cher in the weeks ahead with good news on their progress!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Day 3/365 - 2010


Spent he day at mom's yesterday and she made us Pastizzi. John and I had to fight over them and if you knew how good they were you would too! They are made of ricotta cheese covered with a buttrey flakey shell. If you are Maltese these are worth a kings ransom to you!

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Day 2/365 - 2010

New Year's Afternoon was spent at the movies enjoying the movie Sherlock Holmes. Movie chairs sure have come a long way :)

Friday, January 1, 2010

Day 1/365 - 2010

May the very best thing that happened to you in 2009, be the worst thing that happens to you in 2010, Cheers!