52 Fridays, Week 3: "Warmth"

Okay, these are going to be a little more challenging than I thought they would be! They are forcing me to really think outside the box! I really had a hard time with this week's theme since it's the MIDDLE OF WINTER! and FREEZING outside! And the only warmth happenin' inside our house are the fevers of 102+ that we've been running for the past 4 months!!

So, I'm down to the wire on coming up with SOMETHING! ANYTHING! and I walked into my son's room to get something and there was my picture, laying on his bed! We adopted Marbles a few years ago... She was a stray with a litter of kittens and she was really underweight and malnourished when they found her from not being fed and having hungry babies... She very quickly bonded with me and is my little shadow. She follows me everywhere... all day! If she wakes up before I do, she sits in my bedroom door and won't go downstairs until I'm up and joining her.. She waits for me to go to the kitchen to have breakfast together. She sleeps with me and likes to be spooned........NOT KIDDING! She truly is the sunshine in our family and warms our hearts with the love she gives us every day.

Okay, now hop on over to Shea's blog and check out her Friday shot! And at the end of her post will be the link to Lisa's blog, and so on..... Have fun looking!

New Adventure!

I am really excited about a new project I am doing called "52 Fridays". I am hooked up with a group of photographers from all over the world who have come up with a list of themes or ideas for each week of the year. I will post each week's photo on Friday with a link to the next photographer in the group. Then her blog will have the link to the next photographer, and so on... If you continue to click on each link under each picture, you should see all the other pictures in our group and eventually make it back to my blog. There is some amazing talent in this group! You will want to tune in every Friday to check them out!

So, I am a little late joining in and missed the first weeks' assignment.....which I was asked to do............. a self-portrait............ darn! I can't even tell you how much I do NOT like being on the other end of the camera! But, I guess it helped me to understand what my clients go through so maybe I can be a better director and help them to feel more at ease when they are having their portraits taken. So, with a little help from my son with the shutter, and without further ado...... (no laughing allowed!)...........

Now, head on over to Shea Parker's blog to see her beautiful self-portrait......feel free to leave her a little love!

Adopt Me PLEEEEEEEEASE!!!!

It's a new year!!! I've had some time off to relax and spend the holidays with my family! I've been thinking about my photography and where I want to take it this year. One of the things I've wanted to do is volunteer regularly at an animal shelter to take pictures of the animals that need a good home. I want to do my part to try to ensure happy endings for these amazing animals that just want to be loved. Have you seen the ASPCA commercials?? Yeah, well I can't get through one of those without bawling! So, this effort has been pulling at my heartstrings for quite awhile now. So, today, I popped down to the King County Animal Care and Control shelter and signed up to volunteer as a photographer for them. And, of course, I brought my camera... ready to start! So, I started with cats today! I almost went home with 10, but knew my kitty waiting for me at home would not approve!

So, these cats are up for adoption. If you are interested in fulfilling one of their dreams, you'll need the number I reference for each one of them. You may reach the shelter at 206.296.PETS. I didn't know this, but they have a shop down at Kent Station called the "Store of Hope" where you can meet pets that need a home on Saturdays and Wednesdays. So, on to today's adoptables..........




This is Lady Bug (#A051521). She is about 2 months old and wants out from behind her bars VERY BADLY! She just wants to be set free!!! Someone has got to get down there and get her NOW! She is BEGGING for it and would make the sweetest family member!




This is Atticus (#A051660). He is very friendly and loveable!

This dolly was adopted while we were there! But I just had to put her picture on because she did such a good job posing!

This is Rosalina (#A05160). She's a sweety!

This is Zelda (#A051309).

This is Pumpkin (#A051940). Very loveable!

This is Cookie (#A051638). I didn't think I was going to be able to get a good picture of her. She was soooooo.... busy petting herself on anything she could rub against, I couldn't get her to hold still! But, I got one!

This is Cherokee (#A051513). She's beautiful!

And here's Lady Bug again (#A051521)..... out of her cage where she is in her happy place. Look at that face!!! Don't you just want to run and get her RIGHT NOW!?

*For all you photogs - because I didn't want to use flash, these were all shot with an ISO of 1600 on my ROCKIN' Nikon D90! LOVE my camera!!!