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Saturday, 25 April 2009

Photoshop Zoom Burst

In the good ol days of film i would sometimes set your camera to get a long shutter speed-1 sec or more and then when hitting the shutter button smoothly zoom and you would get a 'zoom' effect on the image, I played with this a few time on plants and landscapes etc, The other day i shot for the first time a baseball game, The images came out great-very sharp but some of the backgrounds were a tad busy so i thought i would have a play and came across the zoom burst effect on Photoshop, I know its not a wildlife image but this effect can be used say on a lions head to draw the eye into it and give it a dynamic effect, I am not really one for manipulating images but to have a play around every now and again is a good thing, For the baseball image here i firstly went to filter>blur>radial blur.Then set to best quality,Zoom and i dragged the slider up to 100%.Hit the OK key and the whole image had the zoom effect, I then 'painted'the player back in with the history brush and carried on normally doing the levels,curves,sat etc, Its not an every day effect but it cleaned up the background and made the player really 'pop' out in the image

1 comment:

  1. I really like it Dave and i am guessing the subject did too.
    I know that I have plenty of shots with a sharp sbject but very messy background so will have a go at this.
    I would love to see the various effects at say 25, 50 and 75%


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Sunday, March 30, 2014

BC Liberal's executive director refuse to answer questions in Ontario police investigation

No one has to co-operate with the police when they’re investigating a possible crime. You’re free to tell the officers that you have no interest in helping them and won't say a word.
But not if you’re a politician or political operative who hopes to be credible and trusted.
Laura Miller, the executive director of the BC Liberal Party, has refused to meet with police officers from Ontario’s anti-racket squad to answer questions. Police believe she could help with their investigation of breach of trust in an alleged high-level illegal coverup in the office of former premier Dalton McGuinty, where she was deputy chief of staff.
The investigation is focused on David Livingstone, Miller’s boss. Police believe Miller’s partner was enlisted to go through the computers of everyone in the premier’s office and illegally delete documents relating to the Liberal’s pre-election decision to kill two gas-powered power plants - one partially built - that might have cost it swing seats. The decision cost Ontario taxpayers more than $1 billion in sunk costs and compensation for the companies involved. (The story is complex - a good summary is here.)
Serious stuff. If the truth had been known before the 2011 election, the outcome might have been different.
McGuinty resigned, Miller moved on to help with Christy Clark’s election campaign and was then hired to run the BC Liberal Party.
And now, according to Gary Dimmock’s excellent coverage in the Ottawa Citizen, Miller is refusing to be interviewed by police.
That’s a citizen’s right. But politicians and political parties make a big deal about believing in the justice system, supporting and police and helping them keep communities safer by co-operating in crime investigations.
When the most senior party staffer refuses to sit down answer questions, that all is revealed to be hypocritical rubbish. We want you ordinary people to co-operate wth police, Clark and company are saying. We’ll act in our own self-interest.
And it raises serious questions. Why, exactly, is Miller refusing to answer questions about what she knows? What does Christy Clark think about the party executive director’s refusal to co-operate with an extremely serious police investigation?
And what does that say about Miller’s attitude toward accountability and the law in her B.C. job?
Norman Spector has been asking why Miller’s refusal hasn’t been covered in B.C. media. It’s a good question.

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Facts To Know About How To Consolidate Debt

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You would think that I would remember how we segued into this subject, but honestly, I can’t. I think we had been speaking about her adore of wine, my love of Jack Daniels and state politics and somehow the discussion turned to the possibility that Pennsylvania, yes, the condition that took 10 years to ban cigarette smoking in restaurants, might legalize pot for medicinal functions. Allow me to say that each me and my buddy are all for it.

The next set of columns below these described above provide all the same information besides that this time, the price shown is for a Customer dispensary card processing that is swiped through the POS and read electronically. You will notice that this price is a complete .31%twenty five reduce because there is much less assumed risk in the transaction.

Palmer informed the officer he was a dispensary card processing holder and he experienced a little quantity of cannabis on his individual. But then the officer asked him what was in the gift boxes he started to sweat. He told the officer they were sweaters, but following law enforcement dogs confirmed they were medication, they didn’t discover sweaters at all. Police found 3 pounds of illegal cannabis.

Flipboard app which appears like a journal that can display updates articles and pictures .You can also “flip” through the pages of a journal. It also consists of every day employees picks, interesting posts, pictures, and weblogs. You can also use it to share content from Instagram, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn and Flickr.

Buy or promoting chips does not have to be a lengthy and tough process, a couple of simple searches or getting a chat with the websites operator can really assist you determine if you would like to do company with them.


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Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Random Reads 1#

Random Reads

Hi guys!! I saw this meme this week for the first time and it sounds really awesome. I'm going to try it this month (:(:

I used and I got the number 224 (out of 378), which is:

My Life After Now

It's been on my TBR since Fecuary 26th 2013, and that means not very long at all...  wanted to read it this summer anyway!
I will post a review very soon!! (:

  1. that's a great way to get through books you neglected. My life after now sounds like a very intense read.. I've read a couple of reviews of it and they are all positive.

    - Juhina @ Maji Bookshelf

    1. That's great to hear!! I love intense, moving reads. (:

  2. Well... this is a good way to go through anyone's to-read pile. Thanks for sharing! :D

  3. The cover is really pretty. I hope you enjoy it! :)

    Christie @ The Shadower's Shelf

  4. I really need to do something like that. My to be read pile looks more like the leaning tower of Piza...
    Marian ^_^ x


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Friday, January 09, 2009

Tablescapes: Vicente Wolf

First, let me apologize to anyone who doesn't like the word "tablescape".  I know certain folks in the decorating world prefer to call them "vignettes" or some such thing.  While "vignette" is a very pretty word, I think that "tablescape" is perfectly suitable, precise and more meaningful when used to describe these table-top compositions!  It's what they are, after all - little "scapes" (a scene, or view) situated on tables.  The name makes perfect etymological sense to me!
A scene from Vicente Wolf's home in a Manhattan warehouse - notice his beautiful collections, arranged as tablescapes in the background.

Now,  where was I?

I wanted to talk about Vicente Wolf's tablescapes.  In case you don't know, Vicente Wolf is a renowned Cuban-American designer and photographer (self-taught) who I could have sworn I blogged about but guess I didn't feel I had the authority to - he is rather intimidating! He is one of my most esteemed interior designers - despite the fact that I don't always like his rooms!
I'm only kidding - I do like many of his rooms.  But although Vicente and I don't share the same taste even half the time, I admire him enormously and appreciate his rooms immensely.  They have a very particular look.  They're modern but not really minimal.  They look very clean but still have pretty traditional elements (often a traditional chair).  There is plenty of white, Asian elements, and a sophisticated, uncluttered but collected-over-time look with lots of worldly art and photographs.  Oh, and plants, lots and lots of tall plants and flowers!
Wolf has a very distinctive point of view, informed by his extensive travels and his photographer's eye for detail, color, shape.  I would love to go for lunch with him and spend the afternoon walking around town with him teaching me how to see the world the Vicente Wolf way (the title of his first book is "Learning to See").  We could all learn a ton.  Vicente, are you up for it?

But to get back to the focus of this post - Wolf puts together a mean tablescape!

His compositions are so worldly and elegant and recall far-away places.
Vicente's tables look like they've been put together by a cross between a well-travelled anthropologist and a slightly crazy child.  I've never seen tables quite like Vicente's for delivering a point of view.  For one thing, he always uses  giant, crazy-looking plant material.  I never see anyone else using houseplants, but Vicente has them!  And his plants and flowers are often tall and jungle-ish and totally suit the scale of the room.  He doesn't let the fact that they dominate the table bother him!

Then he has a few odds and ends on the table (often very small things next to ginormous flowers or plants) like you've never seen before. There are never familiar things - instead these beautiful things all look like they were hand-hewn by some undiscovered tribe somewhere.   Everything has provenance and you know  that each little thing has a marvellous story.

I don't think Vicente shops much at mass market retailers, but I could be mistaken.  Instead, his tables have an accumulated-in-our-travels, genuine look that I adore.  They speak of "life beyond these walls", and clearly say "to Hell with what everyone else is doing".
I love Vicente Wolf's tables - they're like the decorating equivalent of ikebana- precise, novel, a little weird, and utterly beautiful!
Another photo of Wolf's lovely warehouse home - his photography from his travels, as well as his collected works, is very beautiful, and he displays it casually on chairs (to facilitate quick decor changes).

If you're interested in reading more about Vicente Wolf, you can visit his firm's website here. For a very funny interview with Wolf and a photo montage from his fascinating home, you can visit New York Social Diary here.  Wolf also has a blog that can be accessed through his company website.  He travels a lot, so don't expect updates often!

(All photos from these sources)

  1. Great post Terri! I love that glass candlebra, pretty!

  2. He obviously thinks highly of his photography since he actually "seats" it as one would a guest. I like that.

    My, what an interesting post, Terri. I feel as if I've just been to an intriguing lecture with all the visuals to pull it together.

    I loved the way you describe his work as a cross between a well-travelled anthropologist and a slightly crazy child. I find his work highly sophisticated, but that shows my limitations for understanding it. I simply have no words. The only thing I can say about it is that I'd love to visit, but I'd hate to live there.

    Thank you for a rich and informative post!

  3. I just happened to run across your blog. I really enjoyed it. I thought you might be interested. A group of bloggers do a "Tablescape Tuesday". It's really a lot of fun. I'll be back!! Terrie

  4. This is a great post, Terri! I love doing stuff like this myself. Happy New Year, btw!

  5. Vincente Wolf is on of my all time favourite Designers. He has an interesting way of composing a room, which comes from seeing it through a photographers eye. And the pieces he picks up on his travels add to the diversity and depth of his designs. Thanks for the post. Some of the rooms I have never seen before.

  6. Wow - what a massive post! So interesting to see the tablescapes from one designer - especially Wolf.

  7. I love the word 'tablescapes'. Once, when in an antique store, I used the term and the owner assumed I was a designer because of my knowledgeable use of the term!

    Although Wolf is not one of my favorites, I have tremendous admiration for him as an artist, because his work is truly artistic.

  8. What a thrilling post! Vicente Wolf seems to be a very interesting man and I would like to sit in on your lunch. LoL

    I have never heard the word tablescape. I guess I would say arrangement or still life but maybe that would be wrong.

    Anyway, I love still life! Most of my photos are of still lives or arrangements.

  9. Awesome post. (I don't mind tablescape & I'm confused as to what the issue is with it?? I was actually wondering about that today.. really!) Love his interiors & all the white!


text:
September 01, 2011

Down The Dirt Road

Boy Riding A Bicycle

Goa, 2008.

From the house in the shade of trees,
A little boy in red cycled down the winding dirt road.
Past harvested fields and coconut trees he rode
Clasping an empty bag against the handle,
As he flew down the stretch.
With the loose end of his bandana bouncing behind him,
He pedaled furiously and was soon upon us.

But before I could ask him
What it was his mother had sent him out on an errand for,
He curved past me before turning into a blur on the road
We had ridden along on our way to the river Zuari.

When you’re young and raring, any road will do.
And freedom is pedals under your feet,
A set of wheels at your command,
And an excuse to hit the road away from home.

Riot Kitty said...

Sorry if I say this all the time, but you are such a talented storyteller and photographer. I so enjoy visiting your blog.

Daisy said...

Anil P, you did a wonderful job writing this poem--you chose just the right details to include to describe it all perfectly. Great photo too. The red road adds to the urgency of the boy racing away. I really enjoyed this post.

Ugich Konitari said...

And when you are still younger,
you rush back
with the special bread
from a special lady
in a special shop in the next village.

The bike chain has slipped,
the pedals useless,
but visions
of your Mom
and the Sunday lunch
power you on.

The road meanders,
uneven and rocky,
as you pedal
tilted once this way, once that.

You've just learnt about life.

Anu said...

lovely! in addition to your wonderful way to telling a story, today we get to read a poem too! loved it!

Lynn said...

A wonderful poem to go with the wonderful photograph. Just beautiful, Anil P.

dr.antony said...

You are too good. But I have told you the same thing at all your posts.
You paint with your words.Your words take up color and shapes.Unseen mysteries.
The photograph,is it original color?

Amber Star said...

Gosh, between the two of you my whole younger life is told and I live a world away.

Anil P said...

Riot Kitty: Thank you. Such a pleasure to be told so :-) And it's wonderful knowing you enjoy reading the posts here. :-)

Daisy: Thank you. The red of the dirt road is the red of the laterite. He was in a hurry for sure.

Ugich Konitari: It helps the shops are not next to the house like they would be in a city, allowing the little boys enough pedal space to run errands.

Folks back home would keep a watch at the window for signs of the cycle bell ringing to announce the return of the little boy bringing home goods from the shop.

Anu: Thanks. Picture poem :-)

Lynn: Thank you.

Dr.Antony: Thank you. The street is such that they invoke the words by themselves. And there're so many things happening on the street, many interesting things.

The image is the original colour. When dirt roads are newly laid or newly relaid, more so where laterite soil is used with laterite stone broken down and used as a base below the laterite soil, then the sight is as you see in the image above, red, bright, deep red.

As school going children at play we would suffer many a fall, invariably with deep bruises over jagged laterite edges that also left our white school uniforms stained red, and it would not wash off easily.

Amber Star: Thank you. How nice it would be to have that carefree cycling days back again.

Anonymous said...

I was wondering which part of Goa is it (if at all).
He was perhaps rushing to get 'paav' for lunch in the mid day sun as unannounced guests may have come to their door step.
You are getting lyrical. It is a nice addition to your literary journey(pun intended).

Lucy said...

A wonderful life-filled moment you've captured.

Anil P said...

Magan: This was in Maina, along the Zuari.

That too could be possible, the boy setting out to get Pao for lunch, or else maybe something else. It was half past ten in the morning at the time. The stretch was sparsely populated so it's unlikely if a Poder would cycle off the main road all the way to this point to sell Pao.

Lyrical? Not much really :-)

Lucy: Thank you.

Balachandran V said...

"When you’re young and raring, any road will do."

When you are old, you look back at the roads you have come and sometimes wish you hadn't taken this one...

That red laterite soil is typical of south-west coast.

Anil P said...

Balachandra V: That too is true. The benefit of hindsight is something one will avail of age, but age will not let us avail of the hindsight before our time, surely not before we've blundered onto roads for a while!

Anonymous said...

Maina as I understand is a very generic name (I will try and get it's meaning)and there are at-least 3 Maina that I know in Goa. Two in Sanquelim and one in Santemol. Obviously not close to Zuari but one across Savoi-Verem is on Khandepar river.

Anil P said...

Magan: You're right. There's more than one Maina. It must have some generic meaning though I'm not sure what it is.

This place is most likely Bomsad, and I think it adjoins the Maina that in turn adjoins Santemol. The place is located not far from the Maina lake.

This place lies almost on the banks of the Zuari at a point where it curves away on its run to Borim and beyond, passing the Rachol Church just past the bend, not far from Bomsad.

An Iengar Chick .... said...

The pic says it all, You have caught the moment brilliantly.

Nisha said...

Beautiful poem with a equally good picture. Your words tell a whole story.
Here are some more photos of dirt road & beautiful sky.

Do we see another poem for these pictures? :-)

Anil P said...

Iengar Chick: Thank you.

Nisha: Thank you. Will check the pictures. Not sure of a poem, was never much of a poet :-)


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Welcome to our new website!

Lots of cool things happening at Camp Winnataska this fall. Ok, not technically AT Camp Winnataska.....But you know what I mean.

One exciting thing is our new website! We hope you like the new format, videos, and pictures.  Registration for summer 2012 is already open and ready to take campers!

We also have a new blog. This will be a great place for everyone in the Winnataska family - campers, leaders, Comanches, Blackfeet, alumni and parents - to share about camp.  I'm the blog administrator, and I would love to have some guest bloggers share about their camp experiences.  It's like an ever-changing scrapbook, and I can't wait to see how it evolves!

A little about me - I'm a volunteer Weekly Director at camp.  I love camp so much that I have been coming since 1981, AND I am willing to post a picture of myself with a hamburger hat.  That's a lot of love! But one thing that camp has taught me is that you've got to learn to laugh at yourself, and growing up doesn't mean losing your sense of play.

One thing you can do to help us out is to like Camp Winnataska on facebook.  Check back soon for more blog posts. I did promise my children not to post any more embarrassing pictures of myself, but I am on the hunt for some funny pictures from camp!

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Research paints a picture of the future for our young people

Earlier today I was reflecting on getting my school exam results as I listened to the now standard media coverage of exam results day in Scotland – where three anxious teenagers ‘volunteer’ to open their results live on air!

That wouldn’t have worked for me as I used to grab the envelope from the post, run to the bathroom and lock the door allowing me to open the envelope on my own!

But for those receiving their results by text and email this morning, it not just the method of delivery that’s changed. In the Foundation we recently commissioned research to enable us to understand the changes that are, or will, impact on children and young people as they grow up over the next 10-15 years. We can then reflect these changes in the work we develop now and in the future, to empower all young people to achieve their personal best.

A lot of the research is not specific to Scotland but reflects global trends. Those getting their exam results are interested in developing their future through work and/or study so what will that future look like?

In the USA, it is predicted that today’s children will have 10-14 jobs by the time they are 38 years old, most of the jobs available in the future may not currently exist and most of the  technologies involved in future employment and communication are yet to be invented.

In short, the future will be full of rapidly changes in jobs, skills, knowledge, tools and techniques.

So are we preparing our children for this?

In Scotland, our uptake of smartphones is faster and we spend more time per day on media and communication than the rest of the UK, with 64% of 10 year olds having their own mobiles.  However there appears to be a disconnect between this rise in computer literacy and young people being prepared for work, with employers reporting that the majority of school and college leavers lack the self-management skills required.

There is also a knock-on impact of this increased screen time on the level of physical activity and play, with reports of the loss of 12 hours free time per week for outdoor activity and play in the past two decades. This reduces the opportunity for children to develop physical strength, co-ordination and balance and to learn social skills such as negotiation and teamwork.

We can’t, and wouldn’t want, to stop these changes but we have to work with the reality of what is really happening to our children as they grow up and develop ideas and tools that will help prepare them for the rapidly changing world so they don’t just survive but thrive.

We don’t have all the answers but we are determined to develop new and innovative approaches and techniques which optimise the culture around children and young people in Scotland to allow them to flourish.

If you have any ideas, or are trying to tackle the same issues, I would love to hear your thoughts and I can’t hide in the bathroom on this one.

Post Comment


text:
Thanks to many readers for the tip: Online retailer NewEgg has published the long-awaited OEM prices for Windows 7. Here's how they break down:

Windows 7 Ultimate Full $190 (compared to $320 for retail)
Windows 7 Professional Full $140 (compared to $300 for retail)
Windows 7 Home Premium Full $110 (compared to $220 for retail)

There's also a three-pack of Windows 7 Ultimate OEM for $550 and Windows 7 Home Premium OEM for $310.

So that's one mystery solves. Now how about those Windows 7 upgrades?  ;)


text:
PC World:

Apple fans have made much of the fact that the newest figures from Net Applications show that Apple's share of the operating system market has jumped almost 32% in the past year. But they're ignoring a simple fact: Vista's market share during that same time leaped more than 355%. When you add in other Windows versions, Microsoft owns more than 90% of the market.

Net Applications reports that the Mac had 7.94% market share in June, up from 6.03% a year ago. Going from a little more than 6% to just under 8% may be a big gain when measured as a percentage of growth. But when seen in absolute numbers, it's not particularly impressive.

Vista, by way of contrast, showed far more explosive growth. In June, 2007, it had 4.54% market share. In June, 2008, it had reached 16.14% --- more than a 355% gain. Those numbers are substantial not just in percentage terms, but in raw terms as well. Apple would sell the first-born children of most of its employees if it could ever get to a 16% market share.

This is a great bit of info because, as noted, Mac fanatics do in fact love to point to these not-really-market-share numbers as "proof" of the huge gains the Mac is making in the PC market. Take that, iCabal.

Anyway, I've been making this kind of argument for a long time and demonstrated some time ago on the Nexus blog that making huge market share increases is easy when you almost zero market share.

And let's be clear: Net Applications does not measure market share. They measure usage share, and only on the Web. There's a big difference between the two and they're not interchangeable. (That is, the actual real-world usage share for Windows is higher than these numbers suggest. There are over a billion people using Windows, for crying out loud.)

Thanks Marc.

And speaking of myth-busting, did I ever tell you about the joke were iCabal high-priest Walter Mossberg actually busted the myth that Macs are somehow used over a longer period of time than Windows PCs? I know, that's funny, right? Well, it really happened.


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Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Inaugural Faye 50K

I ran a handful of marathons as a kid, completing my fifth and final race as a seventeen year old high school senior. That was thirty one years ago – and I haven’t run the distance since. I’ve always stayed active, but over the past two decades, my running has been focused on getting in shape for backpacking trips. Week long trips in the mountains are much more enjoyable when one is in shape. My first backpacking trip in 1995 was painful, as I was out of shape, and I vowed never to put myself in that situation again. I trained for six months each year, preparing for summer backpacking trips in the Sierra.

I was introduced to trail running in 2007, when I ran a 17K at Muir Beach with Sue and with Faye running the 50K. In the spring of 2013, I was sitting at my desk at work, reminiscing about the fun we had on the trails that day, and I e-mailed Faye, asking for a recommendation for my next trail run. Her reply was something along the lines of, “Oh, do I have a recommendation for you….you can pace me at the Leadville 100.” I can still visualize the smirk on her face as she was typing that e-mail to me. That fateful day revitalized my running program and got me excited about running again; running for the sake of running and not running as a means to an end. Nearly two years and two thousand miles later, trail running has become my mental and spiritual therapy.

A part of me loves formal races and another part of me enjoys “just running.” The atmosphere at races is amazing. I love the energy and buzz in the air, and I’m inspired by the competitors pushing themselves to their physical limits. On the other hand, I love running for the sake of running and I haven’t found the need to run in a “real” race. Races are expensive and Lord knows I don’t need another t-shirt (or race swag). Trail runners, particularly ultra-runners, have what they call ‘Fat Ass” runs (pardon the term). The mantra is, “No fees, no awards, no aid, no wimps.” These are informal, self-supported runs…just for fun. Yesterday, Faye and I had such a run. I’ll call it the inaugural Faye 50K, a 30.5 mile run starting at Lake Chabot Regional Park, meandering across beautiful trails to Redwood Regional Park, and looping back, with wonderful views from the hills overlooking Lake Chabot. This was my longest run since the 1983 Honolulu Marathon and the longest run of my life – and I crossed the magical line between marathoner and ultra-marathoner. I didn’t receive a t-shirt or shiny medal at the finish line, but I left there with water in my shoes, mud on my gaiters and a smile on my face. Thanks Faye for a great run!

Here are a few photos from our run.

It's been a wet December in the San Francisco Bay Area and the swollen creek gave Faye an opportunity to finally get a bath.

This is a fence near the border between Lake Chabot Regional Park and Redwood Regional Park.

Pre-run selfie. Faye hates selfies, but she should appreciate the opportunity to have her photo taken with trail running arm

Saturday, November 22, 2014

A Wet, Rainy Photo-Run

During my Thursday run in the rain, I wished I had my camera. Although it's a pain carrying a camera on wet runs, the fog and rain create an opportunity for interesting landscape photography. The forecast called for rain again today, so I packed my Panasonic LX5 camera in a fanny pack, keeping it dry under my rain jacket. The LX5 is the perfect trail running camera. The slippery, slimy, sticky mud on the Pleasanton Ridge trails made for a challenging run, so I decided to take a leisurely 20 mile photo-run today.

Here are a few photos from my run.

It was "one step forward and half a step backward" going uphill on the wet, slippery clay trails.

I enjoy running on the single track through the oak trees.

The wet weather brings out the California Newts. The newts blend in with the dirt, so it's always tough avoiding these little guys.

I've run past this arrow dozens of times, but the fog today made for the perfect opportunity to photograph it.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Foggy Vision, Clear Mind

Rain was in the forecast for Wednesday, so I adjusted my weekly Monday/Wednesday trail running schedule to Tuesday/Thursday for this past week.  God has an interesting sense of humor, as the rain on Wednesday ended up being a light drizzle and the rain showers arrived on Thursday instead.  This was the third time in the last month that I had the pleasure of running in a steady rain.

I love running in 100 degree heat, 35 degree cold, or pouring rain.  Well, to be honest, I like the challenge of running in the heat, but struggle on longer runs, and I hate the cold and rain.  I do, however, love the heat, cold, and rain because the trails are empty under these conditions, enabling a more serene and peaceful running experience.

As I approached the trailhead to the Pleasanton Ridge, I smiled as I saw the fog blanketing the ridgeline.  It was going to be fun.  I ascended the east-facing side of the ridge slowly, being gentle on my healing Achilles and careful not to slip on the slick clay.  Within a mile, I was in the fog, which got thicker as I approached the ridgeline.  It was a zen-like experience.  The fog clouded my vision, but the serenity cleared my mind.  I was treated to the soothing symphony of the rhythmic pattering of rain and the gentle rustling of leaves, as the wind passed through the trees.  I focused on nothing, but the relaxed breaths of air quietly entering and exiting my body; my mind interrupted only by the occasional California Newt wandering the trail.  I finished the run wet, cold, and entirely relaxed.

Saturday’s weather forecast calls for rain showers -- 70% chance by 7 AM and 90% by 8 AM.  It’s going to be another fun one…

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Ia 'Oe E Ka La Hula Festival

When we first moved to Pleasanton, California, my wife and I watched the hula performances at the Ia 'Oe E Ka La Hula Festival, held annually in November at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. We actually have an Ia 'Oe E Ka La hula festival poster from 1995 hanging in our dining room. Little did I know, my future daughter, yet to be an itch in her daddy’s pants, would be competing in this hula competition decades later.

I photographed the halau performing at the last few Ia 'Oe E Ka La competitions. This year, I asked my daughter if it was okay if I didn’t photograph during the performance. I wanted to sit back, relax, and enjoy the performance. Sometimes as photographers, we need to set down the camera, enjoy the moment, and just be a parent. Ironically, photographing an event and being able to view the photos decades later helps bring back memories, but often the actual real-time experience is lost behind the viewfinder. Parents are not alone in this phenomenon. Kids (and adults) are often too engrossed in taking pictures and videos on their cell phones, uploading it to social media, and tweeting/texting their friends about the event, that they don’t actually experience the moment.

This year, I enjoyed the performances with the wide-angle perspective from my two eyes (and not the tunnel view via my viewfinder). It was beautiful!

Here are a few photos from the 2014 Ia 'Oe E Ka La Hula Festival.

After each performance, the parents all rush outside to take pictures of the girls. This year, I decided to stay out of the gaggle of photographers, deciding instead to capture the multitude of iPhones and DSLRs via this photo. Who needs "the same photo" as everyone else!

This is Kami after her wonderful performance.

Kami's friend, Caitlyn, joined us on Sunday to watch the performance.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Washington State University

Time sure flies!

It seems like yesterday, when the wife mentioned she was prego...and my pending bass boat instantaneously fell out of the budget. Nine months later, we were proud new parents of a healthy baby boy. There was a bit of a learning curve, but diapers quickly transitioned to mother's group, followed by Y-Indian Guides, Little League baseball, CYO and PYB basketball, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, high school basketball, high school track, and DECA. In a blink of an eye, Kevin grew up, graduated from Amador Valley High School, and headed off to Washington State University.

We made the fifteen hour drive up to Pullman, Washington last weekend to deliver Kevin to his new home for the next four years (three and a half?). I'm really excited for Kevin. Although WSU is in BFE, it's a beautiful campus and Pullman is a wonderful, college town. I think he's really going to love his college experience. There's something special about going to a Division 1 school because in addition to a great education, he will get to experience Pac-12 football, basketball, etc. The WSU Cougars have quickly become my second favorite college football team and I will be cheering for them all year, except for 11/1, when the Trojans visit Pullman.

Here are a few photos from our trip.

Kevin's dorm room (Rogers Hall).

We had a nice dinner at Rancho Viejo, our last meal with Kevin in Pullman.

Martin Stadium. WSU did a nice job building a new football complex adjacent to the stadium. It's a first class facility.

While Kevin was getting situated, we took a quick trip to the Steptoe Butte State Park.

There was a cell site on top of the hill at Steptoe Butte SP.

Kami at the WSU visitor center.

Here are a few photos of the Washington landscape....taken from the passenger seat on our drive back to California.

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Desolation Wilderness Trail Run

"As every runner knows, running is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other; it is about our lifestyle and who we are."

–- Joan Benoit Samuelson

According to the U.S. Forest Service website, the Tahoe Basin was covered with ice sheets over a thousand feet deep during the last ice age, over 200,000 years ago. The glaciers receded 10,000 years ago, creating the wonderful place we now call the Desolation Wilderness.

With Yosemite National Park blanketed with smoke from the local forest fires, Faye, Li, and I headed over to the Desolation Wilderness for a mid-week excursion. We arrived Echo Lake shortly after 9 AM and parked at the Echo Chalet. We not so quickly sorted out our gear, loaded up our running packs, visited the latrine, and hit the trails at 10 AM. Faye and I ran the trails, while Li hiked.

Running along the trail overlooking Echo Lake was a different experience. The last two times I've been to the Desolation Wilderness was in the winter and we snowshoed across Echo Lake. The lower perspective from the lake's surface provides wonderful views of the granite mountains forming the northern border of the lake. Running the elevated trail offers one a different, but equally beautiful view of the lake and terrain beyond. We followed the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), running along Lower Echo Lake and the smaller Upper Echo Lake. I find it amusing that there are two Echo...Echo...Lakes, but, I digress. After a few miles, the trail overlooks Tamarack Lake on the left, which is a distinctive flat spot surrounded by trees during the winter months. Continuing northwest along the PCT for a few more miles, we reached the large, but shallow Lake Aloha. I'm always curious about the names of backcountry lakes and Lake Aloha is one for which there is no apparent explanation. Perhaps the islands in the middle of the lake reminded one of the Hawaiian islands in the Pacific. Anyway, we stopped at Lake Aloha to take in the the beautiful views and to snap a few photos. We neared our predefined turnaround time, so we proceeded a bit beyond Lake Aloha to Heather Lake. I took a quick photo of the lake with my iPhone, capturing a square composition to be uploaded to Instagram back at the parking lot...and then we headed back.

It was a very relaxing and enjoyable trip; a bit of running, a bit of walking, and a bit of landscape photography. For me, that's the beauty of these "fun runs." We took our time and made sure to pause for a few special moments to enjoy the incredible views. The total round trip distance was 17 miles, with about two thousand feet of elevation gain. Overall, I thought the trail was graded nicely and was mostly runnable, although there were sections of really rocky terrain which we walked to minimize the risk of twisted ankles. The trail climbs from 7,400 feet at Echo Lake to 8,120 feet at Lake Aloha, so the "actual" pace was slower than the "perceived" pace. Often at elevation, I feel like I'm running eight minute miles, but my Garmin GPS watch lets me know it's only ten minute miles.

Here are a few photos from the trip.

I liked the mirror-like reflections.

I tried to use the grass in the water to provide some foreground interest.

Lake Aloha

In the winter, the islands in Lake Aloha appear as bumps on an expanse of white. It's such a different view in the summer.

There were a lot of day hikers on the trail and the younger ones were thrilled to see Barney.

Faye (AKA, Vanna) and Wayne at the Desolation Wilderness boundary.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

“Some seek the comfort of their therapist's office, other head to the corner pub and dive into a pint, but I chose running as my therapy.”

-- Dean Karnazes

One of the things I love about trail running is the peace and solitude. The stress and frustration from a bad day at work just melt away on the trail, seemingly exiting my body through the sweat from my pores and the carbon dioxide from my lungs.

My daughter performed in a hula competition during a recent weekend in Sacramento. I missed Saturday, while doing my long-run, and joined them on Sunday. My wife mentioned to the other parents that I was doing my long-run on Saturday and the “18 mile” distance came up in the conversation. They asked what I was training for and she explained, “Nothing…he just does it.”

I’ve been running off and on for the last 30 years (since I was an infant), but it wasn’t until last year that I really ramped up and started running year-round. I volunteered (sort of) to pace a friend in last year’s Leadville 100, trained hard to get into shape quickly, and just kept the running program going after the race was over. Now, with no special race in mind, I “just do it” because it’s fun and relaxing.

Interestingly enough, while on my 18 mile run, I bumped into another runner on the trail and we chatted a bit. He asked if I was training for a marathon or something and I mentioned I was just running for fun (don’t people run 18 miles for fun?). I explained that I enjoy self-supported, fun runs because organized races are expensive and I don’t need more t-shirts (just ask my wife) – and I get to visit cool locations that I’m interested in seeing, the scheduling is totally flexible (and can be rescheduled in the event of injury, etc.), and it’s free.

My friend Faye and I have a few fun runs scheduled this year. We’re running Desolation Wilderness next week, near Lake Tahoe. Our original plan was to run in Yosemite National Park, but we changed the venue due to a forest fire in the area. We also canceled a Yosemite run last year due to a forest fire, so the fire gods must be mad at us – or perhaps it’s because California’s in the middle of a multi-year drought and the summers have been extraordinarily hot. I’m also planning a Lake Del Valle to Sunol Regional Park run, traversing 20 miles along the Ohlone Wilderness Trail. There may also be another run later in the fall (I can always be “convinced” to do something fun).

Peace out.

Here are a few more photos from the Pleasanton Ridge trails.

Sheep grazing and enjoying the peaceful day (at least until I ran upon them, causing them to scatter off the trail). I tried counting them, but I fell asleep...

Chris dashing through the oaks.

Chris running off into the distance.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Anything but the Omelet

I recently traveled to Guam on business. While Guam is a wonderful place to vacation and relax, my business travel there has usually consisted of long work days, starting at 4 AM to support conference calls with North America, and ending late with customer dinners. Now that I’ve completed this trip a few times, I decided to compile a few tips for travelers visiting the island.

United Airlines pretty much has a lock on air travel between the US and Guam. The real choice is whether one connects through Honolulu or Tokyo. I prefer connecting through Tokyo because it offers one long flight from San Francisco to Tokyo (10 hours) and then one short flight from Tokyo to Guam (3 hours). Flying through Hawaii results in two medium-long flights, which isn’t as good for sleeping. I also enjoy the food and shopping at the Narita Airport.

The food on US air carriers is generally bad, at best. When flying United Airlines, I generally opt for ABTO (anything but the omelet). The texture and flavor of the “egg-like” food product is horrendous, but it complements the “cheese-like” food product enveloped in it surprisingly well (in a disgusting sort of way). On the flight to Tokyo, the chicken and rice was gourmet compared to the omelet-like food product. My ABTO theory/practice was proven incorrect on my flight home, however, as the pasta was actually worse (although by a narrow margin).

Tumon is the “Waikiki” of Guam, with a lot of shops, restaurants, hotels, and beaches to cater to the tourist. Historically, the Japanese and Koreans furnished the bulk of the tourism; however, more Chinese and Russian tourists appear to be flocking to the island lately. One tip for the business traveler (and tourist) is to buy a $13 mask and snorkel at K-Mart, and spend some time in the water. Floating in the warm Pacific Ocean, viewing the colorful tropical fish amongst the coral will soothe your soul. Sixty minutes in the water after work cleared our minds, melted our stress…and prepared our appetites for dinner. We repeated this day after day and the fish – the bright blue starfish; the brilliant yellow puffer fish; the school of angel fish; the colorful trigger fish; and the sand-colored flounder – always amazed us.

When in Guam, or any tropical island, take the time to chill out. Drive a little slower, enjoy dinner a little longer, and don’t sweat the small stuff. My flight from Guam to Tokyo had a projected three hour delay, jeopardizing my connection in Narita and the connections for many other travelers. While waiting at the gate, a group of locals opened their guitar and ukulele cases, and started playing music. The band entertained the crowd and the music helped pass the time (and gave the Asian tourists something to photograph). What would typically be bummer ended up being a nice experience, with live music, and drinks and snacks provided by United Airlines. Who knew hanging out at the airport could be so fun!

Fortunately, the flight left Guam after a two and a half hour delay, and the airline held my connecting flight in Narita. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to shop and eat at Narita….and I was so looking forward to the ramen.

To wrap things up, when traveling to Guam, remember -- ABTO and relax a little.

Here are a few pictures from my trip (Nikon FM2, 35mm f/2 AI-S, Fuji Pro400H film):

View of Tumon Bay from my hotel room.

Afternoon view from Two Lover's Point

Here are a few photos from my iPhone5:

Morning view from the hotel

Another photo taken from Two Lover's Point

Friday, May 2, 2014

My Photography Style and Other Miscellaneous Ramblings

I read an article on photographic style recently, and it got me thinking about my own personal style and shooting preferences.

Since I was a child, I have been interested in photography to some degree, using primarily Instamatic and similar point and shoot film cameras. A college roommate introduced me to the SLR, his Minolta X-700, and I eventually purchased my own SLR in 1992. My wife purchased a digital SLR, a Nikon D80, for me in 2008 and I used it sparingly, primarily for backpacking trips and special occasions. In 2010, I started a 365 “photo a day, for a year” project and my knowledge, experience, and skills increased exponentially (for the non-engineers, that means “a lot”). In my opinion, shooting daily is the best way to become a better photographer. It makes the camera settings and handling second nature, and more importantly, it trains your eye to “see” better photographs.

While I no longer shoot every day, I shoot regularly and include the camera in my daily life. I don’t consider myself a specialist in any one genre of photography. I just photograph life around me. I’m a landscape photographer when I’m hiking, snowshoeing, backpacking, trail running, and camping; a sports photographer when I’m watching my son’s basketball games and track meets, and my daughter’s softball games; a street photographer when I’m wandering around San Francisco; and a portrait photographer when my wife needs a family portrait for the Christmas cards.

In general, I prefer natural light over artificial light, prime lenses (fixed focal length) over zoom lenses, shooting outdoors instead of indoors, and lately, more film than digital. My photographic style is bounded by these preferences.

My landscape work is usually shot wide, with a 24mm (or wider) lens, although I have been shooting more and more at 35mm. My tendency (or “style”) is to fill the foreground with an interesting subject and shoot from a low to the ground perspective. This places the horizon at the upper third of the frame and accentuates the foreground subject. I don’t use the longer focal lengths often, but when I do, it’s to isolate an interesting feature or for foreground/background compression (i.e., make the foreground and background appear closer together in the frame).

My portraits are usually environmental/candid portraits -- un-posed shots of family and friends, using natural light. I tend to frame tightly, typically capturing the subject from the waist, on up, and filling the frame. This is probably my least favorite genre of photography, but I think it’s important to capture your loved ones in photos for future enjoyment. I love looking at old photos of the family, especially the kids. As the kids get older and as the older generation passes, the old photos become priceless.

For sports, I try to fill the frame with the action. Framing is always a challenge with fast-moving sports and I don’t hesitate to crop a photo in post-processing. I often complement the “action” shots with wider views to provide context and with candid portraits of the coaches and players. I almost always use my digital SLR. The action is fast and shooting digital (with autofocus) is more efficient and productive. I most often shoot with my 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. The f/2.8 maximum aperture allows me to use faster shutter speeds to freeze the action, while minimizing ISO.

I’m new to street photography, but this is one area I’m interested in experiencing more. I tend to shoot my FM2, with a 35mm f/2 lens, and Kodak BW400CN B&W film, pushed two-stops. Pushing the film (shooting at ISO 1600) allows me to use a smaller aperture for more depth of field and faster shutter speeds to freeze the motion. Additionally, the small FM2 is less obtrusive and allows me to shoot without drawing a lot of attention to myself. I will also switch to a 50mm lens, when I want to fill the frame with the subject, with less background.

From an equipment perspective, I won’t say that “cameras don’t matter,” but I personally don’t worry too much about the gear. For most of my work, my current camera of choice is the Nikon FM2 film SLR, with either a 35mm or 50mm lens, shooting color or B&W negative film. Shooting a modern digital SLR would clearly give me “better” technical image quality and using a zoom lens would give me more flexibility and convenience, but, I prefer the more compact size and lighter weight of the FM2. Furthermore, the manual controls help slow me down, enabling me to better focus on exposure and composition before pressing the shutter release button. Too many photographers evaluate “image quality” by looking at razor sharp focus and the absence of digital noise. My recommendation is to focus on composition and quality of light instead, and not worry about the camera. Some of my favorite photos have been taken with a point and shoot, film camera, or even my iPhone. While the technical image quality would surely be better with the latest, greatest digital SLR, the simplicity of the other cameras often helps me see the compositions better.

Here are a few photos, illustrating my "style" of photography. These pictures were captured with a variety of cameras, including a Nikon D80 digital SLR, Minolta film SLR, Nikon FM2 film SLR, Panasonic LX5 digital point and shoot, Olympus film point and shoot, and iPhone5.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Kami and Ashley Pitch a Solid Game

It rained and poured all day Friday and well into the evening. The softball fields were surely going to be soggy and unplayable today. This would benefit the PGSL Storm because their team would be short-handed, missing four starting infielders -- pitcher, first baseman, third baseman, and catcher.

The alarm went off at 6 AM and I shut it off, secretly praying for the game to be canceled. I lay in bed, periodically checking the PGSL website and weather line. At 6:45 AM, the website was updated -- the softball fields were open and playable. I quickly consumed my warm cup of coffee, packed up my glove and camera, and headed to the Pleasanton Sports Park with Kami.

An 8:30 AM game time is early for the average high school girl, but the Storm came ready to play. Several players had to play in new positions to cover for the missing players and although there were a few errors, the team performed well. The pitchers stepped up and pitched a great game. Kami started the game on the mound, with the plan to pitch two innings and then play third base for the balance of the game. She walked a few batters early on, but settled into a rhythm as the game progressed. The coaches decided to keep her on the mound for four innings. Ashley came in on relief and pitched a wonderful three innings. Both pitchers took care of business, yielding no earned runs in seven innings. Offensively, the team generated runs on several clutch hits and aggressive base running, and they took advantage of a few timely defensive errors.

The Storm had a few young players cheering them on today. Members from the PGSL Mini Rec Mighty Minions softball team arrived at the Sports Park early to watch the Storm game. The Storm practiced with the Mighty Minions last week, with the older players mentoring the younger players. It was nice to see the Mighty Minions showing their support for the Storm today. After the Storm victory, a few Storm players went to watch the Mighty Minions play their game. The Storm were honorary coaches, acting as the base coaches while the Mighty Minions were on offense. It was fun watching the little Minions play today -- and I think the Storm girls had a good time, as well.

Here are a few photos from today's action:

Kami getting encouragement from Coach Q before heading back to the mound.

Marisa behind the plate: Marisa normally plays shortstop and center field, but played a few innings at catcher today. She's a great softball player and I'm sure she can play any of the nine positions in a pinch.

Veronica S. talking to Coach Rick, just before laying down a beautiful bunt for a base hit.

Another coaching moment, starring Coach Rick and Zoe.

Zoe coaching first base during the Mighty Minion game

A Mighty Minion player quickly exiting the batters box, on her way to a nice base hit.

Friday, April 18, 2014

The Mighty Minions

The Storm, playing in the Pleasanton Girls Softball League (PGSL) Senior Division, conducted a joint team practice today with the Mighty Minions, a team from the PGSL Mini Rec Division. It was a great opportunity for the younger Minion players to interact and learn from the older Storm players. I think young players listen well to their coaches, but it's something special to watch and learn from older, high school aged players.

After practice today, I took a short drive down Memory Lane. I remember when Kami was that age, playing in the Mini Rec Division. Observing the two teams together really highlighted how quickly the girls develop as softball players and mature into young ladies. It happens so quickly!

Here are a few photos from today's practice.

Jamie getting thrown out at first base by the Mighty Minion defense.

Marisa paired with the Minion shortstop, during infield practice.

Coach Rick hitting infield practice.

Lexi behind the plate during batting practice.

Jamie mentoring the Minion third basemen.

Here's a throwback photo:

Kami at Third Base, April 2010

Sunday, April 13, 2014

April Storm

Another Storm blasted through Pleasanton yesterday, the PGSL softball Storm. Although the team was missing four players at game time, the remaining ten put on a dominant performance. The bats were on fire, generating an incredible amount of offense. Defensively, the pitchers threw strikes, enabling the opposition to put the ball into play, and allowing the stout Storm defense to make plays. There were many ESPN Sports Center quality plays, including Kami snagging a line drive at second base, robbing the batter of a sure base hit.

Here are a few photos from the game:

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Happy Birthday Kami

Fifteen years ago today, Kami squirted out into this world and at that moment, Kevin had a sister.

Happy Birthday Kami!

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Back on the Trails

My running has been a tough going for the last few months due to injury. I had a decent 2013, but various soft tissue issues impacted my training at end of 2013 and entering into 2014. The injury duration was likely prolonged due to recurring misdiagnosis by Dr. Kodama and a poor treatment plan by Physical Therapist Kodama. I now believe I had Piriformis Syndrome. In layman's terms, a major "pain in the rear." It took months of trial and error, but in retrospect, I seemed to exhibit the classic symptoms -- sharp pain down the leg and significant discomfort while sitting. Thanks to Google, I finally uncovered an advanced piriformis stretch, which reduced the pain dramatically and effectively unlocked my tight hips.

I traveled to Hawaii for business and took a few extra days to spend with family. Running wise, I intended to take advantage of the nice weather and kick start my running program. Before my first run, I was doing my "advanced piriformis stretch" and my brother said, "oh, the pigeon pose." Perhaps I should have started yoga months ago!  We ran four times during my stay, which exceeded my expectations.  I did the pigeon pose every morning and evening, and before and after each run.  After a pain free week of light running, I decided to resume my trail running this week in California.  The weather today was pleasant, perfect for my seven mile route on the Pleasanton Ridge.  My breathing was a bit more labored and my legs a little low on power, but overall it wasn't as bad as I expected.  As I passed a couple hiking up the ridge, the gal said, "you're a stud," and the guy followed with, "we wish we were you."  I love the encouragement I get from hikers, runners, and mountain bikers on the trails!  Any thoughts of walking quickly disappeared and I pushed my way to the top and across the ridgeline to my turnaround point.  After a short pigeon pose stretch at the top, I descended the ridge pain free.  It was a good (re)start to my training program.

While in Hawaii, I went to the parents' house and spent a few moments sorting through a box of my childhood memories.  After accumulating a house full of clutter in California over the last twenty years, the sentimental value associated with the boxes in Hawaii decreased dramatically.  I do, however, cherish the old photos -- particularly my baseball and marathon pictures.  The photo above was from my final marathon, the 1983 Honolulu Marathon.  My first marathon was the 1980 Honolulu Marathon, but I won't share that photo....I'll just say I was a pretty skinny 14 year old...with an era-appropriate hairstyle...and era-appropriate, goofy glasses.  :-)

Below are a few photos from my trip.

Fresh Akule for $4.95 per pound at a market in Chinatown.  Whenever I'm in the islands, I always try to have local seafood.  I travel on business to Hawaii, Guam, and American Samoa, and the fresh, tropical seafood is always incredible.

This is a view of Aloha Tower from an office building on Bishop Street.  I loved the view from the office window.  I had a Mahi Mahi sandwich for lunch that day, blackened with Cajun spices.  The only thing it was missing was a cold beer...

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Marisa's Home Run

Marisa's Home Run by Wayne-K
Marisa's Home Run, a photo by Wayne-K on Flickr.

The Storm defense started a little slowly today, with multiple errors early in the game. Perhaps it was the 8:30 AM start, but the defense eventually clamped down and the bats came alive, giving the Storm another win.

Overall, it was a great game. Kami started the game on the mound and pitched well. Marisa put on a hitting clinic, hitting one out of the park for a home run!

Here are a few photos from the game.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Storm in the Forecast

Kami by Wayne-K
Kami, a photo by Wayne-K on Flickr.

California is currently in a drought condition, with below-average precipitation this year. However, the weatherman didn't predict the big storm hitting Pleasanton...the PGSL Storm, that is. The Storm played a great game, with outstanding pitching, defense, and hitting.

We were the home team, occupying the third base dugout. This made it difficult to photograph the right handed batters, with their backs facing the camera. I decided to take a lot more portraits today. The game was held at Upper Bernal Fields, which is smaller than the fields at the Pleasanton Sports Park. The close proximity to the players made closely cropped portraits possible.

Here are a few photos from the game:

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Yosemite National Park

Half Dome by Wayne-K
Half Dome, a photo by Wayne-K on Flickr.

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away”

- Anonymous

I took a day off from work yesterday to hike Yosemite National Park. Over the last 20 years, I've avoided Yosemite because of the large crowds, including tourists, hikers, climbers, photographers, and school kids. While Yosemite is full of breathtaking and iconic views, the outdoor experience is often tarnished by the mass of humanity. I generally prefer the less traveled areas of the Sierra Nevada. The Sierra is full of wonderful locations, relatively anonymous compared to Yosemite, but nearly as beautiful and much more serene. Yesterday, however, was incredible. The foot traffic was low and the spring temperatures were high. The off-season is a superb time to visit the National Park!

After four short hours of sleep, I wearily arose at three o'clock, showered, jump-started my brain with a cup of coffee, and hit the road to Gilroy to meet up with the rest of the hiking gang – Faye, Li, and Deac. Under Faye's watchful eye, the group (somewhat) quickly gathered the gear, packed the truck, and we proceeded down Highway 152, east toward Yosemite.

Upon our arrival in the valley, we started our hike near Mirror Lake, early enough to catch the mountains lit with the early morning light and reflecting in the appropriately named lake. The view was picture perfect, but unfortunately, I didn't have my tripod or graduated neutral density filter. The ND grad filter is a key landscape photography tool, enabling the photographer to balance the exposure between the brightly lit mountains in the background with the shaded lake/reflections in the foreground. Using Kodak BW400CN film, I decided to shoot the reflections tightly framed, excluding the brightly lit background from the frame. I then shot the entire scene with my iPhone5, using the HDR mode to deal with the exposure differences...not my ideal tool, but the best one I had available at the time.

We continued our hike along the Snow Creek Trail, climbing steadily for almost 3000 feet. The brisk pace slowed gradually as the miles and elevation increased. Our effort was rewarded when Faye guided us to the site of our lunch break – a large slab of granite overlooking Half Dome and Clouds Rest. Dropping our packs, we spent a moment absorbing the breathtaking views, before consuming our lunches and resting our bodies. An hour and a half passed in a moment, and it was time to descend the mountain and return to the valley. We spent some time taking photos before departing Yosemite and then proceeded home. After a quick stop for the traditional post-hike pizza and beer, and a long drive home, we concluded a wonderful day.

This afternoon at work, a colleague asked, “How did you manage to take a day off from work?” I searched for my soap box, hopped on top of it, and explained that life is short and we need to seek the opportunities that take our breath away. There aren't enough weekends in a year, so we need to augment them with vacation days to chase these moments. With the ever-present heavy workload, there's never a good time to take off from work...but there's always a good time to have your breath taken away.

Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Beautiful Yosemite landscape, lit by the morning light, and reflecting in Mirror Lake.

View of Clouds Rest, framed by an interesting foreground tree.

Mirror Lake

Half Dome, taken from the valley floor.

Misc Photos taken with my Nikon FM2, with Kodak BW400CN film.

Here are a few photos taken with my iPhone5.

Monday, March 17, 2014

2014 PGSL Season Kicks Off

Kodama by Wayne-K
Kodama, a photo by Wayne-K on Flickr.

The 2014 Pleasanton Girls Softball League (PGSL) season is here! Kami is playing in the Senior Division this year, open to high school aged players. She is one of only two freshmen on the team, but after a handful of practices and scrimmages, the coaches said she’s a “natural.” She’s the lead-off batter, a solid pitcher on the mound, a reliable second baseman, and she tracks down fly balls in the outfield like a field-seasoned Golden Retriever (unlike Paisley).

Here are a few photos from one of the scrimmages. I will be taking pictures throughout the season as one of the photographers covering the team. Just as the girls needed to “knock off some rust” due to the long off-season, I too needed to get back into sports photography mode. The players move a tad bit quicker than the landscapes I’ve been shooting lately…

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Under the Table by Wayne-K
Under the Table, a photo by Wayne-K on Flickr.

It's four AM and I awakened with the urge to pee. With anticipation, I opened the door to the warm, damp bathroom, where earlier I saw two large, American cockroaches, sunning themselves quietly in the darkness. As the door slowly creaked open, a flick of the light switch sent a lone cockroach scampering for shade. I tried to crush him with a bottle of bathroom cleaner, but the roach deftly avoided it and scurried quickly for the door. I hurriedly slammed the door, playing a deadly chess game with my prey. I watched his long antennae sweeping from under the door, giving away his presence, and I took a moment to pee, carefully aiming with one eye on the bowl, with the other eye on the roach. I opened the door and ran to grab the nearest insect crushing device, but the roach scampered across the white tile floor to the safety and security under the dresser, saving itself from gut-crushing shoe. I lay in bed, reflecting on the time, decades ago, when a large cockroach crawled up the inside of my pants leg one night at a Boy Scout meeting. I shook my leg feverishly, desperately trying to get the roach out of my pants.

My attention switched back to the roach under the dresser, as it noisily walked across the tile floor, breaking the darken silence and my eerie reflection. I lay awake, hoping he crawls back into the bathroom instead of up the bed covers. Thus is my first night in the Barrigada house, where my brother in-law is housing me for my weekend in Guam.

Dawn patiently arrived and I exited the bedroom to find my host sleeping on the couch. He graciously gave up his room and turned on the room’s air conditioning before my arrival so I wouldn't have to experience the warm, humid nights in Guam. It was clear, however, that he typically slept in the bed without air conditioning, as the sheets and pillows reeked of many sweaty nights.

I traveled to Guam on business and spent the subsequent weekend visiting my brother in-law. Here are a few pictures.

Guam is infamous for its large number of dogs, unconstrained with fences or chains. The Spaniards brought Catholicism to Guam and apparently the canines aren't spayed or neutered either.

On my last trip to Guam, Chris prepared a wonderful dish using banana hearts from the banana trees on the property. The delicious dish of banana hearts and pork is a regional dish from Pampanga, PI (I believe). Knowing how much I enjoyed it, he prepared it again…and it was as good as I remembered it.

Here’s a rare sighting of the Maytag repair man. According to legend, it’s rarer than Sasquatch, Big Foot, or the Loch Ness Monster. One little secret, Maytag reliability is poor, but their marketing is incredible. My father in-law used to service Maytag commercial machines and he let me in on this little secret years ago.

Here are a few more misc photos.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Eastern Sierra "Snow" Trip

Several months ago, we planned a snow backpacking trip for February, scheduled to coincide with Faye's break from school. It was going to be a long, arduous, cross-country (backcountry) ski trip in the Sierra, covering dozens of miles. Mother nature, however, had other plans. Unseasonably warm weather and a lack of precipitation didn't provide the requisite snow in and around Yosemite. We decided to do a snowshoe trip in the Eastern Sierra instead, planning to trek through the snow at higher elevations. Unfortunately, a storm system blew through north of us, bringing with it 60 MPH wind gusts at the higher elevations. Switching gears again, we decided to camp and do day hiking trips around the area.

We arrived at the Lone Pine Ranger Station and spoke with Tim, the ranger, who gave us a few ideas for day hikes in the area. We then drove up Highway 395 for a quick visit to the Manzanar internment camp.

"In 1942, the United States government ordered more than 110,000 men, women, and children to leave their homes and detained them in remote, military-style camps. Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps where Japanese American citizens and resident Japanese aliens were interned during World War II."

Learn more about the Manzanar War Relocation Center at the National Park Service website.

We then camped in the Alabama Hills. Many films and television commercials were filmed in the Alabama Hills. I'm sure I will notice the distinctive landscape a lot more, now that I've been there.

"The rounded contours of the Alabamas form a sharp contrast between the glacially chiseled ridges of the Sierra Nevada. This leads the viewer to believe the Alabama's are almost antique in nature. Actually, both geologic features were the result of uplifting that occurred 100 million years ago. The hills have been subject to a type of erosion known as chemical weathering. When the hills were still covered with soil, percolating water rounded the granite blocks and sculpted the outstanding formations you see today."

Find more information about the Alabama Hills at the BLM website.

We also spent some time hiking. On one of the days, we did a quick hike to the Tuttle Creek Ashram.

"The Tuttle Creek Ashram is situated at an altitude of seventy-six hundred feet on a steep ridge between the North and South forks of Tuttle Creek, a stream that flows briskly through a glacially carved canyon in the granitic Sierra Nevada Mountains. Built in the shape of a balanced cross, the ashram is a two-thousand-square-foot structure of natural stone and concrete, with a cement floor, heavy-beam roof, and a large fireplace; the stonework of the ashram blends so well into the ridge that the building is hard to see even from a distance of one-half of a mile away. The history of this remarkable building can be traced back to 1928, when Franklin Merrell-Wolff and his wife Sherifa first visited the area west of Lone Pine, California."

Learn more about the Tuttle Creek Ashram at the Franklin Merrell-Wolff Fellowship website.

On the last day, we stopped by a natural hotsprings, near Bakersfield. This was clearly not the trip we originally envisioned, but I must say it was the best "snow" trip ever! When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. After all, a bad day in the Sierra is still a pretty darn good day.

Here are a few more photos from the trip.


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Enrollment open for Campus Kids Summer Program

March 19, 2010

KALAMAZOO--Students, employees and the general public are invited to enroll children in the 2010 Campus Kids Summer Program offered by the Children's Place Learning Center at Western Michigan University.

The program will run from June 14 through Sept. 2, and each week will feature a different theme. It is open to children who have completed kindergarten up to age nine. Parents may sign up their children by the week or for the entire summer. Enrollment is limited, so register early while space is available.

Participants can explore the world of art, participate in a variety of sports, or learn what makes a rocket fly. The Children’s Place Learning Center is the home base for the program, which will include field trips and activities on and around campus.

Full list of themes
2010 Campus Kids Summer Program

Center hours are 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Special childcare arrangements are available before the June 14 summer program start date, and regular learning programs are available for children age 18 months to 5 years.

To register or obtain more information, visit the Children's Place online or call (269) 387-2277.

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Media contact: Tonya Durlach, (269) 387-8400, tonya.durlach@wmich.edu

WMU News
Office of University Relations
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA
(269) 387-8400


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Tree of Life

Hello everyone !

I am Lexa, a sixth year student from the French section, and I want to present a painting I have recently done. It represents a tree inspired by the ancient Tree of Life, from the Scandinavian mythology, and it was done with acrylics on a cotton canvas in approximately five hours. This is the fourth painting I have ever done on a canvas, and I am pretty proud of it, despite some mistakes I think I could have avoided.

What was my inspiration for this work ? This 1958 documentary film gave me the idea.


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Wood cookies

About two weeks ago I sliced up some wood cookies as an experiment.

Tamarack,Larch,Poplar,wooden discs, cookies,plates,rustic,made in Nova Scotia
wood cookie slices of poplar and tamarck

Now its time to set it aside and let it dry naturally, and see what happens.

I ordered up some Pentacryl which finally arrived today. I couldn’t order direct so it took more than 6 weeks to arrive via the distributor.

Pentacryl,wood preservative,woodworking,sawmilling
Pentacryl preservative

Now to find time to slice up some more cookies and use the Pentacryl to see how well it compares to the naturally drying method I did earlier.

About Jim Barry

A Newfoundland born Canadian with a life long interest in woodworking, baking and anything else that peaks my curiosity.

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Jimmy Webb Live: Books & Music

Jimmy Webb Live: Books & Music

The WGC’s Fourth Anniversary Celebration continues with this special event hosted by Booksmart Tulsa and Magic City Books!

Jimmy Webb’s words have been sung to his music by a rich and deep roster of pop artists, including Glen Campbell, Art Garfunkel, Frank Sinatra, Donna Summer and Linda Ronstadt. He’s the only artist ever to win Grammy Awards for music, lyrics, and orchestration, and his chart-topping career has, so far, lasted fifty years, most recently with a Kanye West rap hit and a new classical nocturne.

Now, in his first memoir, Webb delivers a snapshot of his life from 1955 to 1970, from simple and sere Oklahoma to fast and fantastical Los Angeles, from the crucible of his family to the top of his longed-for profession.

Webb was a preacher’s son whose father climbed off a tractor to receive his epiphany, and Jimmy, barely out of his teen age years, sank down into the driver’s seat of a Cobra to speed to Las Vegas to meet with Elvis. Classics such as “Up, Up and Away”, “By the Time I Get to Phoenix”, “Wichita Lineman”, “Galveston”, “The Worst that Could Happen”, “All I Know”, and “MacArthur Park” were all recorded by some of the most important voices in pop before Webb’s twenty-fifth birthday: he thought it was easy.

The sixties were a supernova, and Webb was at their center, whipsawed from the proverbial humble beginnings into a moneyed and manic international world of beautiful women, drugs, cars and planes. That stew almost took him down―but Webb survived, his passion for music and work among his lifelines.

The Cake and The Rain is a surprising and unusual book: Webb’s talent as a writer and storyteller is here on every page. His book is rich with a sense of time and place, and with the voices of characters, vanished and living, famous and not, but all intimately involved with him in his youth, when life seemed nothing more than a party and Webb the eternal guest of honor.

7:00pm – 8:30pm


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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Sweet dresses for those extra-girly moments ♥

Are you feeling SPRING yet? :)

Yes!! Heehee... This is what it's called ♥
Sure this lovely but still very comfortable drees will be Emma & Julie's favorite dress for the season :)

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Say Hellooooo~ ♥

Say Hellooooo~ ♥

Meet your new favorite hoodie! :)
Four adorable colored hoodies to choose from~
How would you match this lovely hoodie?

Pants or skirts? Or you can just wear them alone! :) ♥
Have you picked your favorite color yet? :)

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Happy Tuesday~ ♥

EMMA : Phew~ What a busy day!!

 JULIE : I know...

EMMA : They say few peeps are coming over for a small tea party this afternoon.

 JULIE : I really hope they drop something from the table...

 EMMA : Teehee.... :) Happy Tuesday, guys! ♥

 How can we get rid of them this season?

If it has to be a simple t-shirts day, we want to be DIFFERENT!

Look how simple t-shirts can transform your pooch into a fashionista! :)
How would you style these cute tops with prints?

Can you wear cooler than us?
Yes, we believe so! :)

Monday, January 28, 2013

♥ ♥ ♥ CLASSY & FABULOUS ♥ ♥ ♥

Not a problem!

And now you know what we are saying... :-)
Fashionista WOOFLINK girls!

Can you handle this? :-P

Saturday, January 26, 2013

♥ ♥ ♥ COLOR BLOCKS ♥ ♥ ♥

Just because it's cold, doesn't mean you can't still dress cute!

Adorable velveteen coats in three colors, ORANGE, PINK & BLUE ♥

Easy layered look with any bottoms, one of those MUST-HAVE items for fashionista pooches!

Friday, January 25, 2013

New ♥ PRINCESS COLLAR ♥ necklaces in two styles ~ ♥

Elegant style & lovely style :)

We honestly LUV both styles as this is just so easy to match with outfits and also can be worn without any outfits!

Once you try them on, you will just know what we meant :)

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Thank you!!

WOOHOO~!!! We've reached 10,000 FACEBOOK FANS!!! THANK YOU!!!

Thank you for all your love all the time, and we very much appreciate interaction with you guys! ♥

Just to show you our appreciation, we are giving out ♥ FREE SHIPPING COUPON ♥ to online customers :)

Use FBFRIENDS10K at your check out, and enjoy FREE SHIPPING till 2013 January 31.

Sorry! This offer is limited to some countries only, so find out when check out if this coupon can be applied to your country.

Once again, thank you! Love you guys!! Muahhh~ ♥ ♥ ♥

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Play with me~!!

JULIE : Play with me! Play with me! Play with me!!!!
EMMA : Umm..... Okay... but what kind of play this is??
JULIE : It's just so easy and fun!! You just stay there and I keep saying "PLAY WITH ME"
EMMA : ......Sure souunds like....lots of.....F.U.N..............

Monday, January 7, 2013

JULIE : I know, I know, I know... It's Monday...
But do I really have to wake up???
I'm just asking....

Friday, January 4, 2013

Feeling a little WILD?

It's FRIDAY!! ♥

And girls are feeling a little "WILD" today~ :-P

Animal prints, how can we possibly get rid or them?!

Happy Friday, guys!! Muahhhh~ ♥

Thursday, January 3, 2013

2013 New Year's Resolution ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ 2013 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ Do all things with LOVE

♥ Always be grateful

 ♥ SMILE more
♥ Read more

♥ Eat healthy
♥ Sleep more

What's your resolution for year 2013?

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Too much party?

After having too much parrr~ty, this is us today... Zzzzz....Zzzz....

How are you guys doing today?
Hope you guys are having a productive day :-P


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Thursday, December 30, 2010

Double Double Giveaway!

I have enjoyed the comments and new visitors and noticed quite a few who live outside the states.
One thing I love about epatterns is no matter where you live, shipping is free.
So, I decided that I will draw two names, one in the US and one outside the states.
I will close the drawing on friday night and announce the winner on saturday, Jan 1.
Make sure you leave your message in the original contest post.

Also, this contest is for any of my patterns, it does not have to be the sheep, you get to choose.
You do not need to be a follower, but it is a great way to keep up with my newest patterns and freebies.
I will be doing my Go review after the contest, so watch for that, coming soon.

Moki has decided to help me clean the house. He loves to beat out the dirt in the rugs;)

He also likes to redecorate and rearrange the trees. Have you ever see a the new bent trees? Well Moki decided to make me one.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Double Giveaway!

With the new year coming, we all want to start a new project.
So, I will be giving one winner, a choice of one of my epatterns and a chance to give to someone else.
The winner gets one and the winner gets to give one away, to anyone they would like.

Just leave me a comment on this post and I will draw a winner on friday, December 31st. Just in time for some weekend crafting.
And for this weeks special, you can buy one get one free. Just leave your free choice in the comment section.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas!

Opening presents is fun, I knew there would be a ball in there.

Now this present looks interesting, wish they wouldn't tape it so much.

Hey, there's no present, this critter ate it.

I'll show you, oh it squeaks, happy happy, joy joy, I really really love my toy.

I think Mom has lost it, I think I will go hide my toy before she starts playing with it.

Merry Christmas to all!

Friday, December 24, 2010

Christmas Blessings!

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.
Roy L. Smith

I was planning on doing a review, but it is almost Christmas and I thought it might be best to wait until after the holiday;)
Last week I won a wonderful giveaway by Lark Crafts. I was expecting to get it next week, but it arrived at my house today. What a wonderful surprise for Christmas. I have been wanting this book and tried winning it for months, so imagine my surprise when I won it, this time. Not only that, but I also got tons of felt to work with. Plus a calendar that has a pattern each month, and it comes with a full sized pattern set. I was totally amazed at what I received, really made my day.

Here is one of the patterns in the book. The patterns are all simple and great to add your own touches to. I love the different bird patterns, they will be fun to make for any season. Check out LarkCrafts, they have a lot of tutorials and patterns for visitors.

And to all of my visitors, I wish you a Very Merry Christmas and a wish that Blessings follow you into the new year! I feel truly blessed by the friends I have made by blogging and the generosity of those who have giveaways and friends who have sent me gifts to cheer me up.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Moki and Me!

Today I received a wonderful package from my friend Kelley.
She knows how much I love fabric and she sent me bundles of wonderful textile fabrics.
And, plenty of velvet to create with, so I will have fun with some art quilts and maybe some nice runners.
She also made me the beautiful cross stitch, I love the linen and floss she used, she does such beautiful primitive work.

And for the Moki lovers, here is Moki doing what he loves most, playing ball.

And for those of you who are thinking about getting a Go cutter, I finally broke down and got one this week. This is what I decided to try today. I just wanted something to keep my hands busy and try the new cutter. Tomorrow I will give you my review and photos and It is not all positive;)

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

A little bit of Christmas!

I haven't done much this week, but got a few things done.
I found a this drawing on a site with stamping art. I thought it would be fun to stitch up.
I want to put in a better frame, but I need to rework it and I may enlarge it and add some words and a background fabric, so I just put it in this frame for now and I can decide what to do with it, for next year.

I found this feather tree in a thrift store. It needed something on it. So, I took my bag of spools and antiqued them, then wound floss around them. Then I made up some yarn balls and a piece of homespun. I couldn't get it done without moki helping, he really likes this tree;)

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Christmas in the 80's!

I am still laid up, my brain is still foggy, so haven't been able to do too much, but rest.
I have been visiting everyone's blog, but it is hard for me to write and think at the same time, lol.
I haven't gone shopping and my cards will never get done, but I still have the spirit of Christmas and will enjoy being with my family.

I found an old photo when we lived in a townhouse. I am not sure what possessed me to wear a black varsity jacket;) My son is in the red and white sweater and my daughter is sitting on my older sister's lap. And the goof at the end is my husband. It sure brings back memories. I am working on a small project and hopefully I will have it finished tomorrow.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Christmas Pillows!

I finally finished off the pillows I have been working on.
I am stuck on the couch most of the time. My coughing killed my ribs, then the ribs being so painful, I don't breath well, so I got sick again, so back on meds. Hoping this time it will go away, I have had enough. Since I have to sit on the couch, hand stitching is a great way to keep my hands busy. I am hoping I can get the binding done on my angel quilt and finish that next. The patterns I used for the pillows are from Primitive Blessings. If you are looking for something fun and quick to do, Tiffany has a lot of wonderful free christmas patterns.

Since I don't have the energy to do a lot or lift, I have been throwing things together to put some holiday in the house. I put some greens in a basket, put a cardinal in and instant decoration, along with one of my old kitties, that I made.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

It's Starting to Look like Christmas!

I was able to finish some things today, so I I have been able to put some things up and finish one project today.
I am keeping simple, since we know how tempting large trees, tinsels and jingle noises to certain furry kitties. I moved the three trees and put them in a corner with some furkins and things that could sit around the tree without getting ruined. It looked nice with the lights on, so I had to go with no flash. I like the dark look though, nice warm feeling. It is hard see, but yes, the toppers are all cats;)

I finished a piece that I found in the Quiltmania magazine. It is a design from Sandy Gervais. Love the issue and the special winter issue is another I want, hope I can find one in our area. I changed a few things on mine, of course. I used an old chenille blanket for the snow and added words to mine. Not sure if I should leave it, like this, or put something on the snow area? I wanted to hang it at the stairs, but I forgot wool doesn't stick to my sticky tape, so need to find a new place. I still have to finish my angel piece, so that can go on the stairs instead.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Christmas Kitties!

I haven't been able to put much up for christmas, but I wanted to put a few things up and I had found three alpine trees that I could decorate and put on my chest. Doesn't Dora look so sweet.

I don't even want to think what is going in her mind, right now. Actually Dora helped me decorate, try putting on homespun garland with a cat;)

It didn't take long for Moki to notice the trees and he saw just what he wanted.

Yup, he is a candy cane thief. For the last few days, I find them all down the hallway.

And it didn't take long to come crashing down. I decided I needed a new place for the trees, now they are in a corner, on the floor.

And I decided a new, simpler Christmas display would be better, but they found a way to entertain themselves with that.

Nothing is sacred from kitties, it is all fun and games;)

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Online Friendships!

I and I am sure a lot of you, have made some wonderful friends on the internet and through blogging.
Friends who we would never have known without online access and are blessed to know them.

This week, being rough with my rib pain, was a bit better by the generosity and thoughtfulness of my friends and the wonderful contests that they do. I have entered contests for the prizes like we all do, but have enjoyed the blogs so much, that I visit often and have made friends with many of them.

I wanted to show you some of the wonderful things that they have given me and some I have won.

This pilgrim doll was made by Jane, of Nothing Plain by Jane. It was part of a contest run by TDIPT and I was the lucky winner of Janes pilgrim doll. Is she not the most beautiful thing and the face details are wonderful. TDIPT has a group of wonderful artists if you are looking for finished primitive goodies.

Another prize I won, was from Madalynne of Pineapple Primitives. She generously gave away 12 handpainted ornaments and I was the lucky winner of this beautiful santa ornament. I love hand painted items and it looks wonderful on my tree.

Then this week, out of the blue, I received a package from Mary of Quilt Hollow. She sent me a card and a beautiful pin cushion that I will treasure and use. It sure made my day when I was feeling blue.

And to top it off, Carole of Quilting Adventures sent me a surprise package. I had chosen Carole's name in our group swap and
she went and sent me a little something to say thank you. She wasn't supposed to do that;) But it sure was nice of her and so much appreciated to get something to perk me up. She wrapped the present in this beautiful piece of homespun, I love homespun. I really needed those tissues, too, lol.

Inside was a beautiful wood, spool holder that her husband made. I should have taken side pictures, his work is so beautifully done, I just love it. It might just be the thing I need to hold my thin wool skeins when I machine couch. I just feel so blessed to have so many wonderful friends, who seem to send me something, just when I need them. And also blessed by my friends and visitors who leave me such wonderful comments.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Christmas Freebie: Cross Stitch Deer

I finished my piece and now you can make one for yourself or as a gift if you would like.
I love looking at antique samplers and the naive forms of the animals. I redid some antique motifs and added my own touches and design, to make this pillow. It is great as a bowl filler or you can add a hanger for a prim cupboard.

I made mine on 18 count aida, but I think this would look nice on primitive linen. I just don't have the eyes for the tiny holes.
I hope you enjoy my new pattern and have fun making one for yourself. Please only use this pattern for yourself or as gifts.
I try to make the designs so that you can expand on them to make them more detailed, or leave things out if you prefer primitive. I wanted to thank all of my visitors and new followers with a little gift, to say thank you for visiting.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

One More Day!

I finished the cross stitch piece, but I want to make it into a pillow first.
Plus I need to redo the pattern to match my changes.
I will definitely have the free pattern up tomorrow night.

Today was Moki's day to be obnoxious and he is still at it.
Since Dora won't play with him, he picks on Izzy. When he is not upstairs running around, I can hear things falling in the basement as they run and chase each other. Moki has also discovered toilet paper, so I found a few piles on the floor today and then noticed my tissues were pulled out of the box. He sure is making up for lost play.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Giveaway Winner!

Still resting, which is not fun, but I spent half the day working on a new cross stitch and the rest, working on the piece.
I could not finish it tonight, so tomorrow I will finish the piece and tomorrow, I will have a new freebie pattern that you can make up for the holidays. Since I have no photos tonight, I stole this one from facebook. This is how santa arrives in our town. In place of reindeer, kayakers lead the boat into the harbor.

I want to thank CSN for sponsoring the contest and hope you will visit their site to see all of the wonderful things that they sell.
And now onto the winner, The generator picked number 31, which is Kelley Belfast! Congratulations to Kelley, who has told me that she is using her prize to make someone else very happy this Christmas.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Christmas is Coming! Last Day of Giveaway!

Is it just me, or does Christmas come faster each year;)
I was all set to make some new wall hangings for myself and ended up throwing out my ribs again.
So, I am stuck on the couch most of the time, waiting for the pain to stop and making little stitched pillows.
I can't wait till l can get up and decorate and finish off my pieces with on the sewing machine.

This is something I made for our swap on our ebay group, USAPRIM. We were giving two designs and could hook or punch the piece. I got a kitty lover, so I made the kitty and some matching pillows. This was a fun one to do.

"Now what was I supposed to remind you about"? "Tomorrow is the last day of the giveaway and my mom is going to pick a name, tomorrow night. So, if you haven't left a comment, you have until 10pm, tomorrow night to get a chance at winning a CSN gift certificate. The contest is below."

Friday, December 3, 2010

Fridays Felines! Giveaway Continues

I want to thank everyone for their kind thoughts while I get through this wretched cold.
Today I took a break and started a wall hanging from the free pattern on Jan Pateks blog. I want it for the entryway, so plan on adding some words to mine.

I have also enjoyed the wonderful posts for the giveaway and the ideas of how we can all help out this season.
There is still time to enter the giveaway and hopefully I will have something new for everyone else who visits.

One of the ideas I had was to bring mini trees to nursing home residents. I have seen so many empty rooms and it is sad that they have no decorations or things to remind them of home. I go to the thrift stores a lot. You would be surprised at how many cheap mini trees they have and some are already decorated. If you sew, walker bags are a great idea to make and give to residents. Mini quilts are another quick and homey idea that they can use to warm up those cold sterile rooms. Or a lap quilt for those in wheel chairs. This year I am planning on spending more time quilting and making lap quilts for the residents.

On the home front, the kitties are being pretty good, at least by their standards, haha.
On some days the girls band together and before Moki, they never slept in the same area.

Izzy loves helping me unpack christmas items and this wreath, I need to decide what to do with. Izzy decided it made a nice nest and had lots of little things to bite off.

And Moki is still fascinated by water.

He just can't get enough, sometimes he uses his foot, sometimes he sticks his whole face in and sometimes he just sits and watches the water run. I think the kitties need santa to bring them a water fountain.