Day 120

ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/18, 1/4 sec.

Day 120 - Hosta Drops

One of our varigated hostas provided a pillow for last nights rain drops.

Day 119

ISO 250, 200mm, f/4.0, 1/500 sec.

Day 199 - Breakfast of champions

I watched this little beauty for quite awhile this morning as she gathered her breakfast in the grass.

We must grow really good night crawlers.

Day 118

ISO 100, 154mm, f/4.0, 1/800 sec.

Day 118 - Cancer sucks

Last week our boy Duncan was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, bone cancer, in his left shoulder. Sadly the best treatment for osteo right now is amputation and Duncan is not a good candidate.

So, we'll keep him comfortable for as long as we can, give him extra lovin's and enjoy him for the rest of his days.

Day 117

ISO 100, 95mm, f/4.0, 1/50 sec.

Day 117 - Catching some rays

They say that when you live in Oregon, if you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes.

We went from gully washer rains, to rainbows, to blues skies with puffy clouds, to dark rain clouds, to flat gray skies and finally ended the day with this.

Red sky at night... and I'm holding the weatherman to that.

'Tis Twitter Tuesday.

Day 116

ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/8.0, 1/60 sec.

Day 116 - Bugged

Welcome to the dreaded learning curve.

Two pocket wizard plus', a light stand and a reflective umbrella.

And all I have to show for it is the portrait of a bug.

I think I need a mind meld with a lighting genius. Anybody?

Day 115

ISO 100, 140mm, f/4.0, 1/640 sec.

Day 115 - Portrait of a greyhound

The weather today was stellar and what better way to spend it than lazing around with a bunch of couch potatoes.

This is Murphy, on June 1 he will be 12 years old. We adopted him 8 years ago and he loves freshly mowed grass more than any other greyhound.

Day 114

ISO 160, 149mm, f/4.0, 1/320 sec.

Day 114 - Lil' Peeps

Popping over to the Clagget Creek wetlands after sushi tonight, I was pleasantly surprised to find momma duck and her babies out for an evening swim.

Day 113

ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/9.0, 30.0 sec.

Day 113 - Smoke & Mirrors

I decided it was time to light up the incense again tonight and see what I could do.

First lesson I learned, incense in a small bathroom without much ventilation is worse than peeling onions.

I hung my dark robe over the door, set up the incense in front of the mirror and used an off-camera flash directly to the left of the smoke this time.

I turned off all of the lights in the room and found that with a 30 sec. shutter speed the robe was total black.

I shot towards the mirror focusing on the smoke and got a soft reflection in the mirror.

Day 112

ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/2.8, 1/30 sec.

Day 112 - Thatsa lotta pink

The azalea bush is in full bloom right now. The pink is almost blinding.

Day 111

ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/4.0, 1/640 sec.

Day 111 - Poof

The 100mm macro lens and I had a few bonding moments with yesterday's dandelion this afternoon. Scoping out the best poofy head I could find, I spent a little quality time looking for an angle.

Loved the look of the "take-off".

ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/2.8, 1/800 sec.

But decided I liked the green background better. Then I discovered while laying on the ground using my elbows for a tripod, that changing the focal point was quite entertaining.

At first I focused on the outside edges.

ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/2.8, 1/1250 sec.

And then, I took it to the inside. They do remind me somewhat of a sperm commercial. Yuck.

ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/2.8, 1/500 sec.

I laid there and played with the same dandelion head for a long time, focusing here, blurring there... until a greyhound discovered that I was laying in the grass.

End of session, this is all that was left of my dandelion beneath the dancing paws.

Day 110

ISO 100, 105mm, f/4, HDR 1/125 sec., 1/500 sec., 1/30 sec.

Day 110 - Over Construction

A new two-story building is going up on campus. These two men were fascinating to watch as they straddled the beams on the roof working together as a team.

I don't have a fear of heights, but I don't think I want their job.

It's Twitter Tuesday.

Day 109

ISO 400, 105mm, f/4.0, 1/400 sec.

Day 109 - Urban Heron

Up until last Friday, I don't think I have ever seen a blue heron in the feather. When I saw them, I was in awe.

Tonight, on my way home from work I drove past the field behind the high school, only 1/2 block from our home and standing in the middle of the field was a blue heron.

I have to wonder if he has been there before and I just didn't notice.

And so, officially on my bucket list, is the perfect picture of the blue "urban" heron.

Day 108

ISO100, 35mm, f/16, HDR 1/6 sec., 1/25 sec., .6 sec.

Day 108 - Upper North Falls

Upper North Falls is one of ten waterfalls in Silver Falls State Park. The North Fork Silver Creek tumbles down 65 ft.

Although it probably isn't the most scenic or the tallest waterfall in the park, it is a waterfall you can hike with a dog.

Day 107

ISO100, 105mm, f/4.0, 1/100th sec.

Day 107 - Almost Unruly

We have 1000s of these little beauties growing in our backyard this year.

I suspect that I would be a gardener's nightmare. I pretty much live with the attitude if it grows, it grows and if it doesn't, it doesn't.

But secretly, I love all of out flowering trees and plants that come back year after year just because they want to.

Day 106

ISO 100, 105mm, f/4.0, 1/25 sec.

Day 106 - Feelin' Sluggish

Today's plan: Alarm 3:15 am, Greet the sunrise at Finley National Wildlife Refuge.

Alarm - check
Skies - Clear and filled with stars
Finley National Wildlife Refuge - Driving in the gates at sunrise
Sunrise - Ummmm, maybe somewhere else, overcast at Finley

Not to be discouraged, we headed off on a trail. It was so peaceful and beautiful, we were the only people there. Saw three blue heron and a bald eagle, mere dots on a 200mm lens but still so beautiful.

As for the banana slug (a tasty delicacy from what I've been told), I think everyone should lay down on the forest floor and go face-to-face with a slug at least once in their lives.

Many thanks to tasamar.com for the Friday Feature

Day 105

Day 105 - Starlight, starbright

First star I see tonight.

Day 104

ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/14, 1/60 sec.

Day 104 - The Wave

Found a large incense cone on Saturday, man does that baby make smoke. I had just a few minutes to play tonight, but smoke is definitely something I want to come back and play with.

Oh, the house smells pretty terrific right now too.

Day 103

ISO 100, 105mm, f/4.0, 1/50 sec.

Day 103 - Apple Futures

To bad I can't buy stock in the old apple tree, looks like it is going to be a good crop this year.

Almost forgot, it's Twitter Tuesday.

Day 102

ISO 100, 200mm, f/4.0, 1/250 sec.

Day 102 - Fire to the west

I love it when the clouds aren't too high and they aren't too low, but they are just right to catch on fire as the sun sets.

A view from my back yard.

Day 101

ISO 100, 200mm, f/4.0, 1/500 sec.

Day 101 - Maple Light

I love Sunday mornings. No rush, just coffee and dogs.

The sun was just coming up over the house when it hit the new blooms at the top of the maple tree.

Day 100

ISO 100, 85mm, f/8.0, 1/50 sec.

Day 100 - Such talent

We went up to the Saturday Market in Portland again today. I love to watch people. As we were strolling around, we walked pass this young woman. She had carefully taped her painting to the brick wall, turned up the tunes and painted away.

Ahhhh, to have such talent.

Day 99

ISO 100, 200mm, f/8.0, 1/250 sec.

Day 99 - Tulip season

We took the twins out to the tulip fields this afternoon for their first official photo shoot. The fields were absolutely amazing this week.

I'm the daughter of a wheat farmer and John Deere tractors always remind me of him even though by the time they had me, his farming days were long gone.

I'm really loving the 70-200mm f/4 L lens, I shot everything I took today with it.

ISO 00, 135mm, f/8.0, 1/250 sec.

Yes, photographing one greyhound can be a challenge on the best days. Two greyhounds totally ramp up the challenge.

This was Jillian and Slinky's maiden adventure and they did remarkably well. Everything was new to them and there were people everywhere.

Day 98

ISO 100, 200mm, f/4.0, 1/400 sec.

Day 98 - Looking Out For Spring

Everyday this robin perches on our maple tree just off of the patio. Everyday, I think I should run in and grab the camera, try my luck.

I did today. I spent a little time chasing her around the tree so that I could have a clear close-up shot. She must have known because she never went very far away from me.

I think we are both wondering where spring is. The weather has been completely unreliable.

The robin was in the tree during a 10-minute sun break. Clouds and wind rolled in about 5 minutes later.

Day 97

ISO 250, 200 mm, f/5.0, 1/320 sec.

Day 97 - Deep in Thought

Out and about with my 70-200mm.

So the story goes like this. Right before we went on vacation, I really wanted a 70-200mm lens. I bought the 70-200mm f/4L non IS. I think I used it once, maybe twice.

Last week-end we popped into a camera store and they had the new 70-200mm F/2.8L IS. I had my camera with me and the salesperson let me mount the lens on my camera.

It was true love at first click. OMG.

That night I dreamt about the lens all night long. The lens and I made sweet bokeh together.

To say the least, my taxes are due and I don't have $2500 pocket change just lying around, so I have decided that my lens and I will bond until the day comes when the 2.8L and I can become one.

Day 96

ISO 100, 82mm, f/9.0, HDR 1/50 sec., 1/200 sec., 1/13 sec.

Day 96 - Layers

I watched a video today posted by @therealmikewong, http://bit.ly/b9KX42, by @BrianMatiash.

I was so inspired by his architectural photography and HDR, that I really wanted an HDR image today.

The clouds were quite cooperative on this Twitter Tuesday.

Day 95

ISO 100, 105mm, f/4.0, 1/30 sec.

Day 95 - Still at Peace

This Peace Lily was a gift from our veterinarian a year ago when we had to put one of our greyhounds to sleep. My window at work is perfect for plants and this afternoon the graceful remains of a beautiful white flower just happened to catch the light.

Day 94

ISO 100, 60 mm, f/11, 1/15 sec.

Day 94 - Ramblin'

We took a little drive today in between rain showers. Didn't know where we were going. Have no idea where we were. And still have no clue where we've been.

We just followed the path of least resistance.

Day 93

ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/8.0, 1/160 sec.

Day 93 - Fallen

I knew the flowering trees took a beaten yesterday. Today during the sun break I went out to survey the damage and found this fallen cherry blossom in the grass.

Looks like the cherry crop this year will be sparse.

Day 92

ISO 100, 105mm, f/9.0, 1/50 sec.

Day 92 - Rain Flower

The flowering trees took a beating today with the wind and the rain. The asian pear lost almost all of her petals and the cherry trees are pretty sparse tonight.

This little beauty however, lives in our front yard and she is just beginning to bloom. We had a 10 minute sunbreak and I ran out to catch what I could.

I love the frilly petals on this tree. She is without a doubt one of my favorite spring blooming trees.

ISO 100, 105mm, f/9.0, 1/160 sec.

ISO100, 105mm, f/14, 1/25 sec.

Day 91

ISO 100, 65mm, f/8.0, 1/60 sec.

Day 91 - The Campus Quacks

We've gotten so much rain lately that we have standing water in one of the common areas at the community college I work at.

Just a little before 5 pm, someone called our office and asked if I would go down and take a picture of the ducks that were paddling around.