One of my goals this year is to start using my Canon camera much more. I used to have my old Panasonic Lumix camera velcroed around my neck. I've gotten lazy with the phone camera...I think a lot of us have because it's more convenient. But nothing beats a real zoom lens on a good camera! I took this photo from my office as the Blue Jays fed on the sunflower seeds. The glare on my window shows you how sunny it is today!
This little fella waits for me every morning in the tree just above the feeder. He watches quietly as I take each dog out then as I fill up the feeder, he chirps with delight! Another photo through the window. I'm going to make more of an effort to sit outside in the mornings to get better shots of the visitors at the feeder!
My Blogger friend
Wisps of Words asked if people would share photos of their kitchens. Some Bloggers have such nice kitchens...oh I wish!!! Mine is the size of a cubicle lol...but I pack plenty of cooking and baking into it! This is the view from my office, not much room huh?
You're all recognize this view, from the "breakfast bar" area. This is where we eat and I photograph all of my foodie shots. When we look for our home to buy, a bigger kitchen is on the wish list. I have a little window that also gets lots of sun. The cats were using it as a viewing area, but I've decided some shelves are going up there for more seedlings.
We have a winner! :) I'm so sorry it took this long for me to announce the winner of my Dom Deluise cookbook giveaway! Cleaning and shopping got in the way! I'm happy to announce that of the ten or so people who entered, Martha's number was picked! Congratulations Martha!! (See Martha's wonderful blogs:
Plowing Through Life,
Miniaturopolis and
The Gateway to Enlightenment)
I'll leave you with some nice closeups of the eight fur-babies, have a great Saturday my friends!! :)
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| Dana |
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| Leo |
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| Oscar |
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| Charlie |
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| Jack |
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| Marlene |
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| Pavlov |
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| Stella |
Thank you for the kitchen photos!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh how I "envy" you, a zoom camera. What wonderful photos they can take. Oh yes, use them. :-)
Sweet photos of your fur babies. So very sweet.
Hi Rain a zoom lens that’s a canon! You couldn’t ask for anything better. Enjoy your photography! You will have endless hours of fun while you’re doing it. It’s nearly our tea-time. All of those vegetables. Mmm. I can’t wait. Tomorrow is day 72.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely fur family you have! And the blue jay pic was very nice; looks like a good gossip session happening there.
ReplyDeleteBig congrats to Martha!! Your new camera is amazing, incredible shots.
ReplyDeletethroughout my life i cooked in some tiny kitchens too! we are having a bright sunny day too. i hate sunlight. i should live in a cave!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me to start using my camera again. You take amazing photos. I love your fur baby photos.Charlue doesn't look happy lol. Stella looks clueless. They all look like they have fun personalities. Love the photo of Oscar licking his chops. Your Leo reminds me of our Tom. ...still miss him.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize they had birds and squirrels in the arctic!
ReplyDeleteI use a digital with a good size lens, it won't fit in any of my pockets unless it is a large coat but the large lens doesn't distort things as much as one of the tiny thin cameras or phones do. A good lens is more important than how many megapixils since after it reaches a certain point it doesn't really matter.
Oh...hahahaha! I saw my photo and for a second my brain didn't kick in and I thought "Well, what the heck is my picture doing here." Then I read why. That is wonderful! I'm so happy about that. I'm one of those people that never wins anything and here I am winning. Now it's not never, just...occasionally :) Thank you, Rain!
ReplyDeleteAll the pets are so cute. Dana looks like my Mocha! I don't know how you manage to take care of so many. We only have two cats and that's more than enough. Lots of furry love over at your place.
Like you, I've always wanted a nice big kitchen but this is our final home, so that's never going to happen. Whenever I see those beautiful kitchens with those big islands that you can work on, I drool. LOL I do hope you get it, Rain, since you enjoy creating some wonderful meals and desserts!
Have fun with your camera! I look forward to more of your images. How lovely about that little squirrel. Photographing animals is always such a joy.
I did tons of photography while we were in Kingston and it was such a great time. Then we got into the whole mess of selling our other house and the problems that came with it when it wouldn't sell and the rush to find a home when it finally did and moving to another city and the renovations throughout last year and on and on... I'm exhausted just thinking about it. In that craziness with all that stress, I stopped doing photography. But this year that it's quieter, we intend to go on road trips and adventures, and I intend to start taking pictures.
So here's to photography in 2018 for both of us!
That's a neat shot of the bluebirds. They're happily frolicking about, eating, and socializing. I like the light you got in the photos of your dogs.
ReplyDeleteOh, what beautiful pictures of the jays and the little squirrel. Had to smile at that one. I uses to cook in a hospital kitchen that was huge....wore me out just going from one counter to the stove to the fridge. Now I have a small kitchen like yours where everything is at my fingertips and still enough counter space to prepare cooking and baking. Those expressive eyes on your fur babies..beautiful portraits. Enlarge them and print and hang on your wall. They are so lovely.
ReplyDeleteHi Wisps of Words :) My camera is really nice, it was a gift from Alex for my birthday and I just love it. I need to take it out more, it does take great photos. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Terry :) I hope you have fun with your veggies lol! ;) Yes, the camera is a lot of fun. I used to take so many nice photos, well, we all get lazy about things! But not anymore, I'm loving the photography again :)
ReplyDeleteHi Tpals :) That's funny because I used to call it the "Blue Jay Pub" when all the jays were around the feeder squawking at each other, felt like a gossip fest to me too lol!
ReplyDeleteThanks Christine :) The camera is really great! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Joyce :) Lol...a cave, that's funny ha ha....I was telling Susan from ei ei omg that I used to watch a show where this older guy lived in a cave and he was very content! Yeah, the kitchen is way too small, hard to navigate, but it was build for a weekend cottage, not for every day cooking.
ReplyDeleteHi Marsha :) Thanks :) I hope you get your camera out too. It's so much fun. Charlie is NOT happy...she's in heat right now poor girl, kind of painful for her. Stella is always looking around, listening for sounds!
ReplyDeleteHa! Yes Gill, haven't you heard of the famous Arctic Rodent? :) I have a really good lens on my camera too, the zoom is optical, not digital. I used to have an old Kodak digital camera with a high digital zoom, but I found it to be always blurry with closeups, the optical zoom is wonderful! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Martha :) Tee hee...glad you were surprised! Ha! You probably thought I was nuts posting your photo like that! ;) I was so glad to see your name come up! :) For me the dogs are easy, well, all of our pets are easy...NOW. When S&P first arrived, as you know, it was terribly stressful and difficult, but they are all settled, so they work well as a pack. The cats too, all but Dana are okay with the dogs. Dana still tries to swat at them, the little devil.
ReplyDeleteBut with spring coming then summer, it'll be even easier because the 4 big dogs can be tied outside on their long ropes all day and they never want to come in! :) All I have to do is entertain Jack on the porch while I enjoy the summer. Sounds easy huh? :)
A big kitchen is the dream with an island, yes, I drool too lol...but if it doesn't happen, that's fine. For us it's all about location. Away from people on lots of land. I really hope you get to do some great photography. Moving and redoing a house is a lot of work! Now you can settle down more and enjoy your hobbies again! Isn't it wonderful? Cheers to 2018 and our photography! :)
Hi Stefanie :) Thank you! The Blue Jays are gorgeous birds, in fact, they left me a gift the other day, a nice little feather that will find a home in one of my hats! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Tewshooz :) Thank you! Oh yes, the little squirrels make me smile too. They are so innocent and not at all afraid of me or the dogs, though I can't get too close. They make great photography subjects! :) I appreciate what you said about my photography, that was very sweet :) I think that if my kitchen were twice this size, I'd be happy!
ReplyDeleteMy kitchen is just as small! I refuse to post a picture though as right now the counters are a cluttered mess....The sad part is that compared to the apartment I was living in the kitchen here is quite large!
ReplyDeleteHi Ruth :) Oh gosh...I should remember some of those apartment kitchenettes when I complain about my tiny kitchen lol! I just find it difficult because there isn't much storage and the storage requires me on my knees digging things out or on a ladder grasping. It's not very user-friendly.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the winner!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou accomplish a lot in that small kitchen! Yes! That window would be a wonderful place for shelves to grow things. Nancy
ReplyDeleteYou DO have a small kitchen! But, oh my, the wonderful food that comes out of it! Do you have a kitchen plan for when you buy your property? Of course, you could end up with a nice house on the property so you wouldn't be starting from scratch or building your kitchen from the ground up. That's okay. I've made some pretty nice kitchens in houses we've bought. My kitchen before this one wasn't too much bigger than yours . . . and I had a wood burning cook stove in it!
ReplyDeleteYour animals all look so very healthy! What loving care you and Alex give them.
Thanks Nancy :) Lots does come from that tiny space :) I can't wait to get some more seedlings started but I think I should wait another month!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mama Pea :) I have NO CLUE about a kitchen plan. I just want it to be a little bigger with better storage! Mind you, we'll be buying a fixer upper so I can see how it goes from there. I thought about a wood burning cook stove at one point! Still not 100% though. And thanks, the pets are all very happy and healthy :) So far Pavlov's mystery allergy hasn't returned, yay for that! :)
ReplyDeleteI like the Blue Jays. We do not get such nice ones down here.
ReplyDeleteThey are beautiful birds TB, but my gosh they are LOUD. :)
ReplyDeleteI really need to use my zoom lens more often. Your pictures are all wonderful here, Rain. The blue jays -- that picture is wonderful! And all your fur babies... they are adorable and your pictures of them are beautiful. I love seeing your kitchen, and I'd reciprocate by showing you mine, but it's the saddest room in my house. I don't require fancy, but I, too, long for a nicer (more open) kitchen. Someday...
ReplyDeleteGreat close up shots of all the animals!! Especially the dogs...I love dogs the best.
ReplyDeleteLove the snaps of the outside! That's alot of blue jays! :) Our ghost squirrel was at our feeders yesterday. Such a weird genetic one he is. You don't need a giant kitchen, all you need is space to prepare, cook and the love to eat! :) All but one house I have lived in did not have a window in front of the sink - its a must for me since then. Gives you hope while you do the dishes :)
ReplyDeleteWell, I think your kitchen is lovely, cosy even, and it's about three times bigger than the kitchen we had growing up (that was converted to a bedroom closet after the new owners moved in)!
ReplyDeletethe pics of the animals are all so beautiful.
Yes, i would love a real camera and often think we should save up for one to take zoom photos like you have plus to print high res but then I;d have to lug that around too in our travels so never get around to it but it is sorely tempting as your lovely shots show too, Rain!
Hi Becki :) Someday is right! I would love to have a big open kitchen with an island in the middle! I do some much in the kitchen...not just cooking and baking, but the cheesemaking, canning and my kitchen is also my makeshift potting shed! And thanks, I'm really loving my camera. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jenn :) I'm a dog person too. The cats are sweet, but my heart is with the canine pack. :)
ReplyDeleteLOL Dianna..I love that "hope while you do the dishes"...it's true that I gaze out the window a lot doing dishes and when I"m cooking in there! :) Thanks, I really do love being able to fill the feeder, it does make for some good photo ops! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Michael :) Ha ha...converted into a bedroom closet! That's crazy...very small I should feel lucky to have the one I have! It just doesn't have much counter space and there's a lot of clutter, which I can't stand. The phone cameras are pretty good these days, but nothing really beats that zoom lens. Alex got me the camera for my birthday a few years back. It was a few hundred dollars, but we waited for a sale and got it at a very reasonable price. It works very well!
ReplyDeleteOh Rain....you have such adorable critters! Loving those sweet faces. And BlueJays....wow. They are pretty but those can be so mean! haha....I for one love to watch squirrels but not a big fan of them around the house. They moved into my attic space once and it cost a pretty penny to rid myself of them. Dakota on the other hand LOVES them....he loves to chase them up the trees! Lily only has had contact with watching them through the screen deck! I would lose her forever if she got out! haha....As for my kitchen, bigger than yours but it does not turn out the amazing stuff you make and produce! But if you wish to view what it is now you can see it here....https://pam-lifethroughmyeyes.blogspot.com/2017/01/thoughts-on-kitchen.html and here...https://pam-lifethroughmyeyes.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-kitchen-decor.html. It has changed some since these blogs. The cabinet has been moved upstairs in the guest room for antique glass that belonged to my granny, great granny and great aunt. I will be working on changing all this once I get the hall and two rooms upstairs changed......say another 10 yrs....haha
ReplyDeleteOh I am glad u got your camera out ... I need to do that too
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful post Rain! Love seeing all your outside friends!! Your kitchen is cute! Congrats Martha! Big Hugs to all your cute fur babies!!
ReplyDeleteLove your photos of the 'wild life' and the dogs and cats. Great one of Oscar with his tongue out. How did I miss your posts. I swear I've been in a fog since the girls got ill.
ReplyDeleteYour kitchen look so neat and clean. I love the idea of making a new recipe each week. I need to try that orange pie. My daughter and I are both nuts over anything citrus.