Your Monday Photo Shoot: Such Great Heights

From the Blogfather comes this weeks Monday Photo Shoot:

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Show off a picture taken from a height. "A height" you can define as "Higher than I could shoot a picture by holding the camera over my head." Pictures from planes, from the observation decks of skyscrapers, from the roof of your house (although I don't want to put yourself in physical danger to take a picture) or wherever is up there in the air.

I knew immediately which picture I would use for this! This picture was taken at the top of the Pyramid of the Sun. what you see is the Pyramid of the Moon.. which we also climbed. We took a day trip to the pyramids during the time we worked in Mexico. That would have been the spring of 2003. Oh, and the walk to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun??? Wow!

Want to play along? Take a picture, find one in your archives, steal one from the neighbors! Put it up in an entry in your Journal/Blog and then pop over to John's and leave some linky love....

Photo Scavenger Hunt #104: My Pet

The Photo Scavenger Hunt is usually held over at Krissy's Journal, Sometimes I Think, but because she has been so busy Val, her sister, is hosting it over at her Journal, There is a Season. The Subject matter for this week is My Pet. I decided on this picture of Morgan, my Corgi, just hanging out on the couch watching TV.

If you want to play along, take a pic of a pet, post it in your journal/blog and then drop a link over at Val's.

The 131st Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

This is one of two dog shows we watch each year with interest. The other of course being the National Dog Show.

The Westminster Show however is special... They say every February that New York City goes to the Dogs! We enjoy the show (both days of it for a total of 6 hours) not just because we love looking at wonderful dogs, but because they hold the show in Madison Square Gardens, which happens to hold a special place in our hearts.

Without further ado.... The winner of this years prestigious Westminster Show is:

James the English Springer Spaniel

also known as Ch Felicity's Diamond Jim

 

To check out all things Westminster, click Here.... To buy either the poster or the DVD pictured here, Click HERE to be taken to the Westminster 'Shop'

The Eyes Have It -- Follow-Up

I had several people ask me about the picture I used for the Monday Photo Shoot this week. Yes, that was in fact an eye from one of my babies; the Rose Grey (or as I like to call him... the Pink One!). You can see a different set of pictures from the same photo shoot HERE.

Taking pictures of the youngsters is always a challenge. Sometimes getting close-ups is easier than trying for head or full body shots. Why? Because the little buggers are friendly and I actually get a lot of shots like this LOL!

Your Monday Photo Shoot: The Eyes Have It!

Gee it's nice when John puts up a Monday Photo Shoot that is a picture I've been meaning to post anyway ;p  So, Here's the assignment for this week:

You're Monday Photo Shoot: Get a really really really close shot of someone's eyes. Try not to use the flash. Or, you know, poke them with the camera. Some judicious cropping will do the job too.

And here is my entry.... It's only one eye, but it is a very cute eye LOL!

 So, get out there, take a cool picture and then drop the link over at By The Way

Gratuitous Animal Photo

Since my last two entries didn't have any animal photos in them, I thought I better add one quickly before someone could ask "Hey, where's the cute animal picture?" LOL!

Quick side note: I just went to Dictionary.com and I actually did spell gratuitous right! I kept looking at it and it just didn't look right... but it is.

This picture is of one of the red shoulder hawks that live here. Or at least that's what my friend who is into birds told me this was. I e-mailed her a pic and asked. LOL There are a lot of hawks in this area, but this fall I had what I assumed was a mated pair start hanging around over where the horses are. I would often see them in the trees or on the fence posts in the morning when I would go over... or at least hear them. Slowly they got used to me, and now I can get close enough to actually get a picture of them before the fly off. I am looking forward to the new lens so I can get some 'close-ups'.

Last week I thought the bird I saw looked smaller than normal, and I walked out into the pasture to discover that I now have four hawks living there. I have made the assumption (possibly incorrectly) that the two new smaller hawks are babies of the first pair. The two new animals seem to spend a lot more time 'skimming' the pastures and making landings that appear to be a little less graceful, almost as if they are practicing.

They are so beautiful in flight. I wish I had a way to get a clip of it for you, but my older point and shoot camera which had a 'movie' feature suddenly quit working last week. Eh! It was a 2.1 megapixel and was almost 5 years old. I was due to replace it. It was my first digital camera and it was getting a little outdated, but I still used it when I didn't want to lug the SLR out. There are times when you just want to be able to take quick and easy snapshots or need something that is easier to carry around. It was a small camera about the size of one of those disposable cameras..... I was just looking at (and drooling over) one of those cute, tiny, skinny digitals the other day, now I have a reason to ask for one.... Let's see... I have a birthday coming up in a few months LOL

Weekend Assingment #150

John Scalzi over at By the Way reports that there will be some big athletic/sporting event this weekend, not only that but he says that a lot of people are very excited about it. Eh... whatever! Anyway, in the spirit of the weekend he has decided to base this week's assignment around it:

Weekend Assignment: Share your memories of the first Super Bowl game you remember seeing. Which is to say, the first one you had an actual interest in -- Super Bowls playing in the background while you faced away from the TV and read a book or something don't count. If you remember watching one but don't remember quite the year, here's a list of the Super Bowls to date to assist your memory (click on the particular game to a full description of the game).
Those of you in Canada, the UK and elsewhere can substitute your own massively nationally important annual sporting event in the stead of the Super Bowl if, in fact, you have no Super Bowl memories. I mean, I'm sure there were some rockin' Grey Cup games.
Extra credit: So, ever been to a Super Bowl game?

Hmmmmm.... thinking... wracking my brain.... Nope... Nada! I have never had any interest in the Super Bowl game beyond the commercials LOL! And now, thanks to the Internet, I don't even have to watch the game to see the commercials, I can just go online.... bwahahahahaha!

On the other hand, I HAVE attended my fair share of Super Bowl Parties.. some of which I even vaguely remember <.snort> I also have it on good authority that there will be a gathering of people to watch the game tomorrow evening at G's bosses home. I will make my appearance, eat me some food, give everyone big hugs and... retreat to a corner with either my book or my DS and my copy of Nintendogs.

Extra Credit: Yeah, Right! LOL

Want to play along? Write your answer in your blog, then pop over to the blogfather's place and leave a link!

Locks of Love

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.

A couple of months ago I thought that my hair was getting a little long. Because I have very baby fine hair it starts to just 'hang' if I let it grow out for too long of a time. G loves my hair long, but I was ready for a change. Except for trims, I hadn't cut my hair in a little over 2 years. Several friends had commented on how long it was getting, and I began to wonder if it was long enough to donate to Locks of Love... This was in late October.

I was surprised when I checked the Locks of Love website that the length asked for wasn't really all that long. Looking at my hair and estimating, I decided that if I waited till January it would probably be long enough to donate. Having made the decision, I stopped putting any rinses in my hair and thought I could cringe and deal with the few gray hairs for a month or so in order for my hair to be as natural as possible when I donated it. (I keep an auburn rinse in my hair most of the time to hide the icky gray, but it is one of those 'washes out in 6 to 8 weeks' things instead of a permanent dye)

This last Tuesday we were in town and we decided to drop by the mall so I could check on the price of a tripod and drool a little over the lens that I will be getting very soon. While there I saw a Regis salon and told G that I would like to stop in and see how much longer my hair needed to be. I was pleased when the young lady told me that if I didn't mind my hair being short it was long enough AND that they would package and ship the hair in for me!! I promptly told her that I couldn't care less how short she made my hair, to take as much as she needed! They were a little busy, so I made an appointment with her for about an hour later and G and I decided to grab a bite to eat and then return.

Luckily I had my camera out in the truck. I had planned on trying to get some tree pictures on the way home. Unfortunately it had clouded over, so the tree pics were out, but G could take a quick pic of my hair before it was cut... thus the picture in the parking lot... people were looking at us a little funny when he was taking a picture of my backside LOL!

Going back in, I sat down in the chair and the nice stylist asked me how I wanted my hair cut.

"Any way you want that you get plenty of hair and hopefully I don't look like a complete horror" I told her laughing.

"I think I can manage something cute AND still get plenty of hair" She then told me that even my bangs would be sent because they were over 6" and, since the rest of my hair was longer, that would be enough ! She was also pleased that although fine and straight, my hair is thicker than it looks.

The picture below is before, then back/front/side of the new cut... I know that I don't look too happy (and could use a little blush/lipstick!) but that is more due to the fact that G is holding my camera and trying to figure out which button to push while I cringe. I do NOT like being on this side of the lens! I actually think I like the cut. Now, tonight we hide the grey! LOL!

So.... It's such a small thing... it's hair that would normally just be swept up and disposed of... but to a child it might mean much more! If you, or anyone you know, is going to have a good amount of hair cut off, please consider donating it to Locks of Love. Even if you don't think it is long enough, ask the stylist... you never know, it might be enough, and it never hurts to ask!