Saturday, April 2, 2011

Somebunny Loves You


Thank you everyone for your sweet comments about my cherry blossom photos from yesterday's post.  The cherry tree actually belongs to my neighbor, but she kindly lets me snap away at it each spring.  Her yard is so lovely, and we benefit from her master gardening skills.  We also feel a little bad about not reciprocating by having our own lovely gardens.  She says she's content to watch the dogs run around, so at least we offer her something besides weeds to stare at each day!

Several people asked how I got the blossoms to look so soft and delicate.  The truth is that those shots, except for some minor cropping on a few, were straight out of the camera.  The reason they looked so ethereal is that it was actually pretty windy when I was taking them, so that subtle motion was captured by the camera and gave the shots a softer look than I normally achieve.  I also shot them in AV mode, with the lowest aperture I can get with that lens, around 4.0 to 4.5,  and as always in RAW format.




You all may not know this, but I have a thing for bunnies.  I love them, and have quite a collection.  Besides my Beatrix Potter bunnies, I have all sorts of bunnies tucked around my house.  Some only come out during Easter, while others find a home all year long.

The cute little bunny above was a gift from my daughter Angelfish a few years ago and I love how pudgy and simple he is.  Somewhere along the way I decided "he" was a he.




We've had crazy weather here for the past week, with sun one moment, only to be replaced by thunder and lighting a few minutes later.  But I ran outside today between rain storms and snapped a few pictures in the sunshine.




I received Fifi's wonderful book, Romantic Prairie Style, a few days ago, and I plan to do a full review on the book next week, but it was so inspiring that I felt compelled to create a little prairie style of my own today!  The book really embodies all that makes life in the country so wonderful...wide open spaces to live in and enjoy...something I've always loved about being a country girl.




When you live in the country, you can haul your wicker out into the new spring grass and sit and read a book, or use it to photograph a bunny and some tulips.  Out here where I have very few neighbors, I am free to do these sorts of crazy things without people thinking I'm crazy.

Being crazy in the country is kind of expected, and I love that about growing up with land around me and getting back to my roots again. 




As kids we wandered the fields and woods all the time, letting our imaginations run wild.  I find now that I have lots of space around me, I am able to unleash my imagination once again and for that I'm very thankful!




It allows me to focus on the simple things in life, like the beauty of a few fallen petals on an old wicker rocking chair.




Or the graceful petals of a nearly perfect tulip that will soon begin to fade.  Slowing down and enjoying life is the premise of Fifi's book, and it's the way my family and I have chosen to live out this stage of our lives.  I just wish I'd done it so much sooner.  I'm glad my children had the neighborhood experience growing up too, and they were fortunate to have my grandparent's farm to wander and play on as children, so they had the best of both worlds.  But out in the country, far from stores, traffic, and often people, is where I feel the most at home. 




Miss Kylee agrees, she's happy somebunny loved her enough to move to a place where she can run free too!


Spread the Love...

24 comments:

  1. Beautiful photographs again...Miss Kylee is precious!

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  2. Completely gorgeous, as always!!!

    I need to talk to you about shooting in RAW sometime, I've yet to try that.

    Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!
    XOXO,
    Anne

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  3. I love that my neighbors lights are a pleasant twinkle in the distance..country for me, too!

    Adore the bunny..it's perfect.

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  4. I stopped here to comment...but the post before will have me going back to look again! Beautiful blooms! Gorgeous photos! Happy weekend, my friend! ♥

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  5. You have a lovely neighbor...mine just complain about my dogs! Oh...city life. I do envy you, and your post makes me think about why I love the lake so much. I sit out on the dock in the morning with my jammies on and no one says a word about it! The kids grew up there and although they preferred city life and all of their friends once they got older...they are now coming back to all the slow life the lake and country offers.

    I am looking forward to getting The Book!! I am sure it will give me a lot of inspiration, too. Beautiful photos, as always, Kat!

    XO,
    Jane

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  6. That is quite a large bunny, isn't he. I loved the sweet story along with your photos.

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  7. You have an amazing eye. the way you can capture a moment is beyond me. I always enjoy seeing your talent!!!Kathysue

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  8. I like the pudgy bunny... he's shaped like me! HA HA HA

    Di

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  9. Love your bunny and chair AND tulips - oh heck, love it all! Hope you're having a great weekend. :O)

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  10. I love my bunnies too! I've got them all over my home!

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  11. Beautiful photos, Kat...green grass, tulips, and wicker...I can't wait!

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  12. I am soooo behind on blog reading and e-mails as always but just wanted to tell you how beautiful these photos as well as the cherry blossom ones are! You are so talented, Kat!

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  13. Love your bunnies Kat. I went to an estate sale Friday that had a lot of Beatrix Potter ones and thought of you! Lovely images.

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  14. It's so nice to have neighbors that you really enjoy. The neighbor on the one side of us is just a doll, and we can stand at the fence and talk an entire afternoon away. Beautiful photos! Looks like we may finally have spring here this week. I can't wait to pull out the outdoor furniture. Thanks for sharing.

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  15. Beautiful photos, Kat ~ simply scrumptious. Love the shot of Miss K.
    And I knew there was a reason why I love living in the country, other than the beauty.

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  16. Nice to be reminded of a dear late friend who liked to say, "you're nobody till somebunny loves you."

    Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

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  17. Beautiful post Kat...what a cute cute bunny!! Hope you have an awesome Sunday.

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  18. Love these pictures to Kat! Love the bunny your daughter gave you too! Miss Kylie looks like she loves that you love her :)!

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  19. Luv that fat bunny. Thanks for sharing the shots that show how it all was snapped.

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  20. Beautiful photos Kat, I am going to go peak at your previous post here in a second. I love the bunny, he is so adorable! What a sweet gift. :) I couldn't agree more about having the space to grow. We grew up in a neighborhood but it was small at the time and we had free run of that and the woods that were next to it. Sadly it is all developed now. I wish my kids had the freedom to run and play as we did, unfortunately times change and this small town has grown so much.

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  21. Kat,
    The photos are lovely, I adore the one of Kylie! Laughing about the bunny obsession...I've got it too and my kiddos nurseries were decorated in Beatrix Potter fabric from England! Did you see Pottery Barn is now offering it?!
    xo,
    `R

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  22. Fat bunny, wide open spaces, pretty flowers - loving what you are seeing!
    xo Cathy

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  23. Beautiful words and images too, here and on your previous post...have a "crazy" beautiful day ;-)
    ~ Rebecca

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  24. Loving your photo shoot and especially the petals on the worn wicker! Oh how I would love to see a neighbor doing such fun things as you! xo ~Lili

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