Archive for the 'Animals' Category

Champion Blueberry’s Cold Cash

June 8, 2008 | Animals

Our puppy Cash finished his championship today on his 1st birthday. We should have him home sometime the week of the 16th. Here are two pictures, crops from the professional photos taken at the dog show.

My telephoto lens

May 6, 2008 | Animals, Equipment, Travel

I’ve alluded to it here and written about it a little on New England Mamas but today, I am going to tell you all about my new love: my Tamron telephoto lens.

For Christmas, my wonderful family (husband, son, mom and brother) gave me the Canon Digital Rebel xTi that I craved. It came with a very acceptable 18-55mm lens, and I’ve been enjoying messing around with the camera since the holidays.

My brother also recently got his first DSLR, a Nikon. We’ve always geeked out about stuff together — from Star Trek in the 60s til now and Web 2.0, so we’ve been talking cameras a lot lately. He even contributes here from time to time. He got a telephoto lens about 6 weeks ago, and from the moment I saw his, I was jonesing for my own. But trying to be fiscally responsible and all.

Then we went to San Diego on vacation. And while I wished for more proximity while watching the pandas,

it was at the beach watching Doug play in the surf that I realized I didn’t just want a telephoto lens, I absolutely needed one.

Because I am just WAY too far away.

I had to go north on business mid-week during the vacation, but when I got back, God bless my husband, he found a photo shop near Balboa Park in the Yellow Pages (remember those), George’s Camera, and we went there to talk telephoto.

While I am a big believer in online shopping, I am sooo glad we went to a good photo store for this purchase. They showed me a number of mid-price options, including official Canon lenses, but the Tamron prevailed. And not just on price, though at less than $200, it was much less expensive than either of the Canon options. What sold me? The macro function. I had it on the lens on my old Pentax film SLR, and I really like being able to shoot close-ups of flowers.

Like this one I shot on Coronado Island:

Or this one at the San Diego Wild Animal Park:

So now I can get close up on David and Douglas, when they are not paying attention to me with the camera, as well as get close-up shots of birds and animals.

Doug, Coronado

Doug and Dave, La Jolla

Doug and Dave, at the William Heath Davis House in the Gaslamp District

San Diego Wild Animal Park - Cheetah

Elephants

A one-day old giraffe and his mother

And seals, La Jolla

Worth every cent.

Technorati Tags: Tamron, telephoto lens, San Diego, La Jolla, seals, San Diego Wild Animal Park, panda, cheetah, elephant

Nice weather for ducks

April 29, 2008 | Animals, Equipment, Spring

In our backyard this morning:

Also in our backyard:

Which is why the ducks are gone.

Magic, the cat, finally started to stalk them, so I had to intervene. The ducks flew away, and I doubt they’ll be picking our yard for their nest.

Photos were taken with my new Tamron telephoto lens, through the glass window of the slider. I forgot to readjust white balance on the first shot from indoor to shade which is why the grass seems so much bluer than in the subsequent photos. More on Flickr.

Technorati Tags: ducks, Tamron, telephoto lens

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my: our visit to the San Diego Zoo

April 22, 2008 | Animals, Douglas, Holiday, Travel

Zhen Zhen, 8 month old panda bear

Today, I am sitting in my hotel room in Santa Rosa while Douglas and David continue to enjoy San Diego and the Lawrence Welk Resort (tiny bubbles…) in Escondido. I’m up here for two days for New Comm Forum, flying back south tomorrow evening.

Sunday we spent the day at Legoland followed by dinner in Oceanside.

Monday, as the title of this post suggests, we went to the San Diego Zoo and had Mexican food for dinner in Old Town San Diego.

Technorati Tags: San Diego Zoo, Legoland, panda, legos

Christmas Video

April 11, 2008 | Animals, Holiday

Yeah, I know. Christmas was a while ago, but I finally got around to messing with some of the Flip video I took on Christmas morning. Now that I’ve more or less figured out the editor, I’ll try to get some of the video from last Friday’s karaoke party up.

Technorati Tags: Christmas, Scottish Terrier

A different perspective

March 30, 2008 | Animals, Vermont, Winter

Last weekend in Vermont there was still quite a bit of snow. Here’s Cash getting a different perspective on the field behind our house.

Technorati Tags: scotties, scottish terrier

Scottie Angel

February 25, 2008 | Animals

If you’ve read the comments to my previous post about my Scottie Sabrina, you know we had to put her to sleep this morning. And it was hard. It was also the right thing to do.

I thank you all for your emails, comments, twitters, phone calls, everything.

The mail came shortly after we got home. There was a package from a woman who used to work for me at SurfControl.

She saw this pin, thought of me, and wrote a truly lovely note about her fond memories of working on my team. She had no way of knowing what was going on with us and the dog. She just did it, because…

Timing is everything in life. The pin and the note cheered me up on a truly horrible day.

For ever after, this pin will be my Sabrina Scottie Angel.

Thanks Maria.

Sabrina Fair

February 19, 2008 | Animals, Family

Sabrina at about 4 months

My first dog as an adult was Sabrina Fair, a now 12-year old Scottish Terrier who is days away from the Rainbow Bridge. I can barely type this for crying but I want to do it now, while she is still with me, because I know I won’t have the heart to do it after. And she deserves a tribute for all the joy she has brought to our lives.

We got her in February 1996 because I felt that my then-boyfriend’s (now husband) 10-year old Norwegian Elkhound Captain Kirk was lonely and needed a dog friend. I had seen her in the pet store earlier in the month, but had to go on a business trip. I figured if I came back from the trip and she was still there, it was meant to be.

David still wasn’t completely convinced that we should get a second dog. The weekend I got back, I suggested we go to the local shelter, with Captain Kirk in tow, and see if there was anything suitable. There wasn’t.

So then I said, well how about the pet store in Framingham? Sure enough, the puppy was still there, she went home with us that day, and yes, David figured out that I had conned him.

We almost lost her when she was 6 months old but she survived a very bad situation. And she was a tremendous friend to Captain in the last years of his life. You never saw anything as funny as a small little Scottie grabbing this 65-pound dog’s leash in her mouth and taking him for a walk.

Sabrina enjoying the April Fool’s snowstorm of 1997.

David with Captain and Sabrina on Mount Tom

Towards the end of 1996, I realized that Sabrina Fair was a pretty bossy bitch, and if I wanted to add a dog after Captain Kirk eventually passed, I had better get moving. If she were ever an only dog, we’d never be able to add another. By that time, I also had learned that you should never buy from a pet store. A reputable breeder is the best place to find a healthy purebred puppy.

I did know however that I wanted another Scottie, and was lucky enough to meet one of the best breeders of Scotties in the country, Kathi Brown. I eventually convinced her to sell me my second Scottie, Nick, also known as Champion Blueberry’s In the Nick of Time. We got him in April 1997. Nick is now 11 and I will tell you more about him when his time comes.

Sabrina and Nick at our wedding in 1998. Sabrina is in front of me.

David with Sabrina and Nick on the Cape in 1998

Sabrina and Nick became the best of friends, and even now, he and the other dogs sleep as close to her as they can get. We are in Vermont this week, and I am torn, torn between waiting until we get back and taking her to our vet, or just going to a local vet tomorrow.

I am sure that she’s ready. I’m just not sure I am.

I love you, Sabrina Fair.

What breed of dog are you?

January 17, 2008 | Animals, Memes

I’m really busy getting ready for my client’s film premiere at Sundance next week, but promise lots of pictures when I get back. In the meantime, here’s another one of those tests.

 

What Breed of Dog Are You?

My Result: Scottish Terrier

 

No bones about it, you’re an adventurous Scottish Terrier. Fearless, feisty, and always up for a challenge, you like having things your way. Some people might even label you stubborn or headstrong. But we know you’re just ambitious and motivated. (Being misinterpreted is such a trial, isn’t it?) Besides, your can-do attitude serves you well when facing challenges at work or in your personal life. No job is too big, and absolutely no obstacle is going to stand in your way. You’re always ready, willing, and able to rise to the challenge. A loyal, caring friend, you choose your pals very carefully, then stick by them through thick and thin. Woof!

 

Take this test>

Thank goodness it came out right

Whew, Christmas!!

December 27, 2007 | Animals, Douglas, Family, Holiday, Products, the Uncle

Well, Christmas has been and gone, and we got lots of photo-related gifts in our family. I got my longed-for Canon Digital Rebel, and Santa brought the family a Flip camcorder. Even my husband got into the game — one of the few things he really wanted was a device that attaches to his telescope and uses the PC as the camera engine to take astronomy photos. And my brother, known here as the Uncle, got some items for his new Nikon D40, including a book on how to get the most out of his camera.

So I expect we’ll have lots of things to write about in the coming year. Starting with a report on last Friday’s Hannah Montana concert, which we were lucky enough to attend courtesy of my client HP, one of the sponsors.

Because HP was a sponsor, photography was allowed at the concert, and it was amazing to see so many people clicking away. Our photos are on Flickr.

In the meantime, let me leave you with a video I took with the Flip of my dogs playing with another one of my brother’s gifts, an alarm clock that runs and hides if you attempt to snooze. It was dead easy to upload the video directly to YouTube using the Flip interface.

Tags: Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus, Flip, Scottish Terrier, HP