2015/01/22

TJH: Inspire – The Beach, part II

Da Goddess @ 04:04

The beach in Encinitas

Wave Detail

2015/01/21

TJH: Inspire – The Beach, part I

Da Goddess @ 19:04

I need some help deciding between two images. Please, decide for me. Send your friends over to tell me what sucks and what doesn’t. Send your dentist. Send your dogs, cats, ferrets, pigs, and personal chefs! Really, I just need help deciding between the two images. Which one do you prefer?

Option A or Option B?

Which one do you like?

2015/01/17

TJH: Inspire – Mmm Mmm Good!

Da Goddess @ 03:41

Exhibits A and B as to why I have a big butt.

Raspberry Sherbet

More Raspberry Sherbet - Macro food photography

2014/11/19

3 Favorites

Da Goddess @ 20:40

For your enjoyment, three of my favorite finds this week:

title=”Lorenzo Duran Leaf Art” target=”_blank”>Leaf art (Delicate beyond imagination)

Superheroes in the style of the Dutch Masters (I died when I saw the last image)

Rock Photography of Brad Elterman

2014/10/28

Miss Celia

Da Goddess @ 03:43

A while back, Celia had to go in to have her teeth cleaned. It was at that time all her blood tests had basically come back to relatively normal levels. Me, being me, of course, had to take photos when she came home. This would be them.

Celia after her visit to the vet

She's ready for her closeup, Mr DeMille

Yep. This is my little princess kitty. I love her. Even when she has poop stuck on her tail, I love her. Not enough to let her climb all over me with the poop tail, but I do love her. However, now that we know she can handle the shower, she doesn’t have poop tail any more.

2014/10/16

TJH: Inspire – Just a Couple Faire Folk

Da Goddess @ 01:07

Here are a couple of friends from faire. These ladies are in the guild next to ours. The purple blouse? I gave that to L. I could never get the chestal region to fit quite right so I passed it along and L made it work. I love when that happens!

Faire Folk 1

Faire Folk 2

2014/09/08

TJH: Inspire – Mother & Daughter Art Collaboration

Da Goddess @ 04:15

I know title=”Pamibe” target=”_blank”>Pam will like this, but I’m betting there are others who will enjoy this as well: mother of toddler uses her daughter’s drawings as the foundation for paintings.

I now wish I had thought of this. What a beautiful way to look at the world, to be inspired, to encourage your child’s imagination and love of art! Well done, Ruth Oosterman!

2014/08/18

I Want a New Camera!

Da Goddess @ 13:25

There’s nothing wrong with my camera. No. Not really. But I would give my left hip for higher resolution, full frame sensor, and a greater ISO range.

So, since the Canon 5D Mark III is waaaaay out of my price range (everything is, but this really, really is), I figured, why the hell not get more entries for the giveaway?!

src=”http://bit.ly/1vJmPKM” title=”Best Local Wedding Photographers” alt=”Best Local Wedding Photographers” border=”0″ />

Go ahead. Click on the link. Because, why not?

2014/08/08

It’s International Cat Day!

Da Goddess @ 16:51

Not that we don’t celebrate cats each and every day here, but it’s nice to know other people celebrate, too.

title=”Amazing cat photos” target=”_blank”>International Cat Day is a thing, people. C’mon, do your part to make nice with the pussies of the world!

International Cat Day model Celia

2014/07/15

Finally, the Hummingbirds

Da Goddess @ 02:44

Yes, I did promise long ago to post these photos after the birds had gone (thereby ensuring I wasn’t jinxing their ability to do so). As you know, one baby hummer didn’t make it. The other, though, did. The nest has been empty for a couple weeks. Mom is gone, too. I’m sure she’s around somewhere, it’s just not…here.

Anyhow, without further ado, the nest.

We’ll start with the first fuzzy shot because it’s mom and the babies and it’s feeding time. It sucks, but it serves a purpose.

The fuzzy one

Of course, we have to see where the nest is. It’s on the leg of the carport. It’s about 6 feet up, which is hard to see from the ground (and why I missed it the first time), but was at the perfect height for us to spy on from the den window.

Just an idea of where the nest is

And now we see (with some clarity) what all the fuss is about.

more baby hummingbirds in their nest

Birds in nest

yes this would be another shot of baby hummingbirds in their nest

baby hummingbirds in their comfy nest

Birds. Because that’s what this is all about. That and my not-so-excellent spy skills. Seriously, shooting through the blinds is hard, y’all.

doing my best to act like a spy and shoot through the blinds

Birdies in the nest

mom is protecting the nest

baby hummers with notes

baby hummingbirds with their mom

The babies are getting bigger

And here is the shot from just below the nest. I actually went outside to get this one and got yelled at by the neighbor. She was afraid I was going to disrupt the birds’ lives with my big ol’ camera, my big ol’ lens, and my big ol’ self. First, the birds didn’t see me, I don’t think. Second, mom wasn’t around. Third, it wasn’t like I was trying to touch them (I wasn’t; I wouldn’t). Fourth, the “glare” the neighbor was (supposedly) worried about was non-existent (from the lens, but in full stink-eye mode from BEHIND the camera). Fifth, she made more noise and was more intrusive with her yammering than I was with my camera and my quiet self. Some people just have to be in charge of everything, I guess. Too bad she wasn’t around to save the one bird from its “help, I’m being eaten by a stray cat” fate.

Hummingbird babies in nest

While I had intended to include a photo of the lone survivor, I decided against it. It makes me too sad to look at that shot and see just the one, all alone in the nest. Yes, I understand that nature has its own rules and part of letting nature take its course means sometimes bad things happen and I shouldn’t get all upset about it. BUT I CAN’T HELP IT! So, it turns out one of my own weird rules is to go with my gut and not post an image that makes me sad and blah blah blah.

Was it worth your wait? Probably not. But, really, it kind of was just to see a nest of baby hummingbirds, right?

2014/06/24

Sitting Pretty

Da Goddess @ 03:05

Oh, Fletch!

Fletch sitting pretty

Honestly, that cat is just weird.

2014/06/16

Behind the Scenes Look at Underwater Photo Shoot

Da Goddess @ 00:27

The results are stunning, but even better than that is seeing how it all came to be.

2014/06/12

Mumblin’ (the) Word, Hummin’ (the) Tune

Da Goddess @ 22:16

After a full week of feeling like shit that started with sinus crud, moved into glandular crap, and consistently headachey, I’m finally starting to feel a little better. Still fatigued. Still headachey, still congested, and still a bit enlarged in the glands, but definitely moving in a more healthful direction. Lots of sleep this week. Lots of pain that refused to go away. Lots of watching movies I’d likely never watch otherwise. Lots of tv shows to catch up on. Lots of trying out of new shows (the best thus far are Jennifer Falls on TVLand and Gang Related on Foxx. Also, really love Murder in the First on TNT. We’ve also been watching Penny Dreadful on, I think, Showtime. It’s weird, but good. Sadly, we only have one more episode of the season for Game of Thrones, which I’ve come to love beyond all reason. About a month ago, we watched from the very first episode of the series through to the current season and I am so very much into the stories and the characters. I may even need to buy the books.

Gotta have something to do while my voice recovers, right? And you know me, I’ll take books any day.

Also, I’ve spent the past couple days watching a hummingbird nest. YES! Baby hummingbirds! Mama was there one day feeding the two little ones and now I check on them at least three times a day, just to see how they’re doing. I get my camera and my 70-300mm lens out, zoom in as far as I can and take photos. I’ll post some later. It’s really amazing to see baby hummers! They’re adorable. I knew there were somewhere in the vicinity when I had a mama come after me whie I was cleaning the litterbox. I just couldn’t find the nest. Probably because it wasn’t where I expected it to be. But I know where it is now. And I study them throughout the day (between naps, cups of steaming hot tea or soup). I can’t wait to see them finally emerge and test their little wings. I wish I had video mode on my camera for that!

Now, it’s time to go back to sleeping. Gotta heal up. Life won’t wait for me. Gotta get back to my Rear Window activities asap.

2014/05/03

How Real Women Used to be Portrayed

Da Goddess @ 01:43

I love series of photos.

2014/04/20

Spotlight on Fletch

Da Goddess @ 00:29

Just a few of my favorite Fletch shots.

The first two were taken in the shower, one of my handsome boy’s favorite places. Him inspecting the bench where we set all our shampoo and soap and such. Him up on the ledge.

Fletch in Shower

Fletch in Shower

And here we have Fletch up on the tree again. On the shelf that’s too small for his full figure.

Fletch treed

Fletch treed