Puffs of air!

Apparently, as I learn more and more about my camera weekly, a couple of solid new tools have cleaned up the situation. Not perfectly, it's still a bit dirty to my eyes. This doesn't seem to show on the photos though. I had a day off today and went on what the Hubs calls a "duckpond safari". Walking through the duckpond area with the camera wedged on my face and my lovely fellow watching out for the perils: stepping backward into a ditch, awkward positions that show panties, rabid coyotes, animal turds on the trail, weird dudes and creepy old guys who try and tell me what to take pictures of and trap me by my manners into long conversations.

Bah! Dirty Camera.

So...after the fright of a raging house fire just beside us, I discovered that the changing of my lenses in the smoky ash filled air resulted in a dirty camera. Apparently the only way to clean it besides mucking about with it myself is to send it away. Until I can figure out a way to get the specks out of my view, I am stymied. On the upside, the dust doesn't appear to show over much in my photos.

Hawaiian Good Times con't

Hawaiian Good Times

It's a toss up whether the best part of Hawaii is Hawaii itself or the time spent with my family. As a re-unification of the Cowlings looms this week for some important birthdays, I post these with the hope eventually the same thing may occur in the place we all find it so much easier to relax.

Oops.

Forgot somebody...

Today I will be happier than a bird with two french fries...

Long weekend over. All is not so bad. A little time to head to the Parental Nest approaches. Some birthdays to attend to. Birds on my mind, bouncing along trying to make the best of a world full of cats and windows.

Memory carousel

Could't sleep. Up early. Clicking (as opposed to flipping) through old photos. Thought they should make reappearance. Happy Friday!

Plunge

After going for a dry, hot, dusty hike with some friends this week, we ended up at the top of a waterfall. There was a large clear pool perfect for a swim. I assumed it would be just like a river close to home. Plunging in, it the water literally took my breath away as it was meltdown from snowpack. Still refreshing but definitely not like I am used to. On that note, some creatures that exist in cold water....

The Island of Vitality...more life

Trying to use my words to elaborate on the thoughts below. All I can think of is that it is like the difference between yellow and gold. Which doesn't do my intentions to express justice. Surely everyone knows the feeling of going to a place where time slows down, moments seem sweeter and you are happy just to be with open eyes.

The Island of Vitality

Went on a little summer trip to Galiano, or the place I would rather be at pretty much any given time (barring Maui). I refer to it as the 'island of vitality' because there is something about that place that seems to infuse everything with a peaceful feeling of being aware of the moment, being alive and the slipstream of life. Maybe it's just me, but when I am there the air seems to seep into my skin and make me aware of everything around me in the most delicious way. Or it's just the quiet, and being able to see or imagine the source of every sound when I stop to listen. If nature can be luxurious, then it is on Galiano.

Birds that remind you of crazy/unhinged people you may have met in passing (hopefully)

I happen to know a couple of people who are afraid or unnerved by birds. Naturally I can understand this as if you've spent any time around large raptors, eventually they will begin to seem eerily dinosaur like. Especially if you watch them walk on their huge, scaly and taloned toes. I am not afraid of birds, with one exception. Pigeons. Hence the title, they remind me of the crazy people I have met (Note: not the quaintly or even annoyingly eccentric and likely smelly characters. The actually unhinged from the normal social mores and can't help themselves mentally ill). Can't say that I am huge fan of crows either.