coffeedrinker

Oh, double meaning here methinks!

Agreed.

Beautiful.

(both meanings)

The pics are FAB as well.

Learn2Live

Thank you for sharing. Your pics are SO not boring! Visiting this area, especially the Redwood forest, is on my Bucket List.

P.S. Your first pic makes it seem like the trees are spiraling upward, toward heaven. Very cool.

Tuffgirl

I agree - like that one the best...it just speaks to me somehow. When I travel to the southeast part of my state, closer to Washington, and get to stand under the huge trees, I feel the same way as I do when I look at picture #1. Small and insignificant, which is actually a good way to put ones troubles into perspective!

LaTeeDa

Yes! I get that. In fact, as we were hiking through the forest, I said to my kids "I feel so small..." It really does put everything in perspective. (The Mighty Pacific has the same effect.)

L

BobbyJ

WOW! Breath Taking...

I love to take pictures too.

Relaxes my mind & takes me away (like a Calgon moment)

My favorite is taking pictures for low income kids for their high school senior pictures
and low income families who cant afford to have them taken.

Im far from a pro, but when someone can shed of tear of happiness over a picture
that I have taken for them, it does my soul good...

Keep sharing, there are so many words in every picture...

barb dwyer

LOL at the pic of the stellar jay!

I almost ran off the road the first one i saw -

it was the size of a CHICKEN!!!

I love those birds

TakingCharge999

Wonderful pics!!
I love how these activities take you to the present moment!

I am painting again. In fact I can't stop painting. Last Saturday I painted a bag, jewelry boxes, my nails, many papers and two canvases and continued two older paintings, and even got a request from an American coworker to send him something.

Hours can go by... and when I finish its like "oh..great.. wonderful.. WHAT'S NEXT??" which is VERY therapeutic to me, someone who has lived in the past most of her life.

Thanks for motivating me to do my thing also. Now I would like to hand paint clothing. Even design clothing. I got no idea of where to start, but THAT is the fun thing!! the process...

I dream of show my "art" during weekends... just showing things I have done would mean too much for me... if someone likes something and even buys it it will be great but its not my main goal .

So its like I become Dettached, Free, & Recovered while painting Great way to tend to our playful Inner Child, and nurture our soul.


We need more pictures

theuncertainty

Oh, this is one thing I actually miss about the place I rented with XAH. One year, we had a family of stellars living nearby that we'd leave peanuts out for in a bird feeder. One summer, we'd leave the front door open to catch a breeze and they'd just fly on in and help themselves to the bag or bring peanuts back in and hide them above the cupboards.

Luckily, other than hiding nuts, they were very conscientious guests and never made a mess.

Thanks again for the photos, La.

barb dwyer

I'd never seen or heard of one when I moved here
and they ARE about the size of a pileated woodpecker
(which THEY don't have out here)

then there's this EXPLOSION of brilliant BLUE when they take off!

flipped me RIGHT out.
what the %$)(*&$# was THAT????
lol
amazing birds.

Alone22

Beautiful! Love those areas of Cali. Looks like Morro Bay in the beach pics.

LaTeeDa

For Jazz--the "zenmobile."

LaTeeDa

The stellar's jay was actually a consolation prize. I had an osprey nest staked out and was waiting (and waiting and waiting) to get a picture of one. Then I heard a noise behind me and there were two jays willing to pose for the camera. So, I took what I could get.

L

LaTeeDa

I did eventually get the osprey, though.

StarCat

Gorgeous.
I love those birds.
And that's a really awesome picture! I never realized how large a wingspan they had, really.

Thank you!

gns

So gorgeous LaTeeda!! You are so inspiring!!!

LaTeeDa

You know, this whole thing began with that "real camera" idea, lol. I had a decent point and shoot, it was about 5 or 6 years old. I kept telling myself when it dies, I will get a DSLR. Then, one day, I'm looking at them online and say to myself what the hell, and click the "add to cart" button. Then the "checkout" button. And my point and shoot was still working fine.

So the thing arrives about a week later, and all of a sudden I realized, I don't know how the hell to use it. What in the world is an f-stop anyway? So, I put it on "auto" and went out clicking away. But, most of my photos sucked. So, here I am with a nice, new, expensive, "real" camera, and I still can't take a decent shot.

That's when I decided I must learn how to actually use it, lol. So now I've upgraded from my original entry-level DSLR, spent umpteen hundreds on lenses, and I sell enough photos to make about $20-$30 a month.

But I found my passion. It was a long time coming, but I'm so glad I found it. And the bonus is, my son likes to go along on photo shoots (as long as I don't point the thing AT him, lol). So, when I'm sitting there waiting for an osprey to fly over, or the sun to go down, we get lots of time for long conversations. It's a beautiful thing--all of it.

L

LaTeeDa

Well, I would have gone sneakin' out there, trying to get a better angle, and probably would have scared the damn thing away, lol.

Here's one I got a couple months ago. But, I had to drive 70 miles to the wildlife refuge, there are none of these in my backyard. And it was freaking cold--about 16 degrees and windy. I was lucky enough to discover a nest, though.

L

LaTeeDa

Ah man. I'm sooooo envious, though. THEY come to YOU! I have to go searching.......

L

Tuffgirl

Thanks for the awesome photos to look at tonight - you both are very good! I drink way too much coffee most days and my photos tend to be a bit shaky!

LaTeeDa

Anvil, are you mooning me? LOL

Nice shot.

L