Random STufF from DonnaB

This guy belongs to the neighbor, I suppose our girls looked more appealing to him. We have decided we might not mind a white-faced calf. We’ll see if he manages to outmaneuver our bull.

I actually posted another picture today, I’m so proud of my two posts in a row!

Our friends miniature donkey born earlier this month. They are tiny, adorable creatures with affectionate personalities. Seriously, they aim to please and like nothing more than being in your back pocket. At birth, they are typically 20 - 30 pounds and around 20 inches (give or take a few) in height. Adults are no more than 36 inches tall, weigh anywhere from 200 to 350 pounds and have a life expectancy of 25 - 35 years. They really do have wonderful personalities and we have enjoyed having the opportunity to interact with them.

Is this thing on?

I know, I have once again crossed the border into the land of “the almost, but not quite, dead blogs”! And for that, I apologize to my faithful few readers.

I have taken a lot of pictures lately and will try to share a few of them and see if I can once again become obsessed with sharing them. I have also continued to create a few graphics as well and perhaps the urge to post them will hit me too.

I made a beautiful memorial layout for my friend, Cathy, had it printed and even bought a frame for it, but have yet had the nerve to take it to her sweet Mom. I have felt so lost without hearing from her this last month and if I feel this way, I can only imagine the pain her family has felt.

I have posted a new photo on my photo blog, go check out a little smoke and fire!

We woke up this past Wednesday to icy road conditions and the tree limbs covered. We were presented with a beautiful show later that day when the sun emerged. Check out the photoblog for three pictures taken with my Canon A550. I left my memory card at home for my Minolta camera and I can’t say that I’m disappointed with what the point and shoot delivered. I did enhance these in Paint Shop Pro by resizing, adjusting the levels, using clarify and more than likely a few other tricks that are escaping me at the moment. I did have my Canon set on manual using the Vivid Color setting and the exposure compensation adjusted. Both definitely add a bit of drama and vibrance and I like it!

Yesterday I shared the picture of the feral hogs and pigs I had cropped to where it looked like I was very close to the critters. Let me show you what I actually saw from the road through my lens.

No zoom at all on the first picture

The rest zoomed to the max of my 300mm lens

The image below is the one I cropped to get the closeup view I posted yesterday.

If you haven’t played with editing your photos by cropping to the subject of your pictures, you should try it.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, there are many software applications created just for editing your pictures. Most are also capable of creating graphics like I do here. You know my choice for playing is Paint Shop Pro. I’m sure you’ve heard of Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Photoshop Elements. Within these programs mentioned (and others) is a tool for “cropping”. Literally meaning to remove unwanted portons of a photo or to change the aspect ratio.

You see what my camera captured in the next to the last photo above, but by cropping to the animals, I was able to show you a better view of them. This method isn’t always successful. Sometimes the cropped photo is blurry or becomes less interesting without the surrounding scenery, but in this instance, it worked.

Remember this post from last January?

It was cloudy and very gloomy this January afternoon, but I checked a field we have been seeing deer hoping to get a photo opportunity anyway. I got my photo, but it wasn’t what I expected to see. I took 52 pictures as they foraged in the wheat field. This is the best of them and it is a bit blurry. I was using my zoom lens and I was still quite a distance away.

You know… I don’t know what to think about the thrill I get in photographing wild animals. Reckon that says something about me? And if it does, what exactly is it? Please tell me if you have an idea, cause I’m fairly sick of analyzing myself!

Enough rambling… here’s the pic!

Ed and I have resumed our afternoon and evening photo excursions without very much success UNTIL yesterday. This sunset was spectacular and we both took many pictures. This was the favorite of mine since the silhouette of the microwave tower, building and surrounding cedar trees made the shot more interesting.

We’re still the proud owners of three boy pups. I did not feel well Sunday morning, so did not take the last three pups to the flea market hoping to find owners. This one is Sandy’s biggest pup and he is an adorable little guy although he will someday be a handsome big guy. I need to find him a home soon since I really do like his personality. Please… I’m beggin’ ya, come and get him!

Yes, he’s still here… want him?