Reflection

123110: Do you remember where you were and what you were doing 10 years ago today? We were just beginning to pack for our new lives in Topaz Lake RV Park. The year 2001 was our first year here. Now on the eve of 2011 we are entering our 11th season. As always, we are hoping for a good year at the Park.

I took this photo yesterday afternoon after the storm blew through.

One lone pelican showed up the other day. He is a bit early for opening day on fishing.

Remnants of the snow/rain storm. The South dock is pulled up near the rock wall yet the water is creeping up under it. The water level right now is 9 feet vertically higher than it was on the same date one year ago. I *think* the lake will fill up this year!

I'm slipping a photo of our cat Rascal for you. He's a keeper because he's black and white.

We drove to town today and saw this juvenile Bald Eagle resting on a roadside telephone pole. We are always glad to see more Bald Eagles in the area.

Coming back from town we stopped to look at the lake. You can see our Park is along the shoreline near the bare cottonwoods. It was a beautiful, cold (24 degrees!) day out. Tomorrow the lake will be dotted with fishing boats on opening day.

This photo of the snowed covered mountains in the lake reflection is the last of 2010.

Enjoy and Happy New Year! May all your dreams come true and it be a prosperous year for us all.

Naughty and Nice

121910: I wanted to do a quick post before the holidays. We've been busier than we probably want to this time of year, but up until recently the weather has been real nice for us to get some projects done. The weather has now turned really very bad, i.e., naughty! And after the holidays are over, we start gearing up for the next season. So here are a few photos over past few days.

A gaggle of Ross' Geese joined us recently for the day. We've had one lone Ross' Goose for awhile. Now all his friends caught up to him and they all went South for Christmas. Nice!

The "winter" sunrises are always beautiful. And cold. Nice!

I was in our bedroom getting ready for the day and heard an Eagle outside screeching to another. I finished dressing and popped outside to catch just one perched in a nearby tree. Nice!

That same day I was forced to run some errands and keep some appointments. The weather was really yucky ALL DAY LONG. I snapped this photo driving home. The snow is really beautiful, but driving in snow is not! Naughty!

Two new visitors; bad photo! This is a male and female Common Goldeneye. I haven't seen a Goldeneye since 2007 (yes, I keep track of odd sightings) so this was a treat. They're gone now along with the Ross' Geese. They probably are meeting up for the holidays somewhere warmer. Nice!

Have a wonderful, warm, safe and healthy holiday season everyone!

My Camera, My Eye

120510: So a couple of mornings ago I stepped out to capture the sunrise glowing in the Eastern sky. Pretty, huh? It only took me 7 shots and 2 cameras to get the photo I wanted. *Only* Actually I take a lot of photos so 7 shots isn't a big deal, but the 2 camera part really irritated me!

For 25 years or so I used a Canon AE-1. For those who have become so technologically spoiled, myself included, that would be a FILM CAMERA. I will keep that camera forever. When digital cameras started showing up for consumers, my hubby insisted that I have one and he bought me a Kodak point & shoot camera that was a 4 megapixel (MP). This was only about 10 years ago, but on average cameras cost about $100 per megapixel. That Kodak broke and I got another Kodak. It broke, too and I got another Kodak - apparently I hadn't learned my lesson about Kodak, yet. I actually liked that camera very much and it was the camera that took most of the photos that customers see in my office. Until, it broke, too. I can't blame Kodak for quality, though....Shamu broke it when he splashed water on it. True story!

Side story~! Starting with the first digital camera, I purchased the extra insurance and for every camera that broke, and I returned, I upgraded each time only paying the upgrade difference until I was able to purchase my first SLR camera body, a Nikon D40X. I think Best Buy changed their return policy because of me, because as the price of cameras came down, the quality rose and I was able to purchase more expensive cameras each time.

Now SLRs have all the bells & whistles, but sometimes they can't beat a good ol' point and shoot pocket camera. My pocket camera is a Panasonic Lumix. I've had this camera for 4 years and put it through the wringer and it performs beautifully, i.e., it takes great photos! Especially on mornings that the lighting on my SLR won't cooperate!

The Lumix camera shot (above) - 1 photo....

The SLR. The expensive camera. The camera that I almost drop kicked off my balcony because it wasn't cooperating, but I didn't because I knew Best Buy wasn't going to take my camera back! I took 6 photos and gave up.

Sometimes more expensive doesn't mean better. You, too, can take, beautiful photos with practice on a point and shoot camera. I believe that the beauty of photograph is not in the colors or subject but how they are set up within the frame of the photo. A good eye is what makes a good photograph. Train your eye, learn your camera, and you can take good photos, too.