Pluses and Minuses

(Photo Courtesy of Unlisted Website)

I'm married to a funny guy, both literally and figuratively speaking.  The other day he asked me if I was going to do a post on my "new" new boots and when I asked him why he said, "well your last post was so sad."  Funny, I never thought of it as sad, I was going for tongue in cheek, but this man of mine knew how much I had longed for those boots, so for him it was a sad post.  Little does he know...well actually he does but he must have temporarily forgotten, that I can turn on a dime...love something one minute and be moving right on down the line the next.

I returned the Coach boots and never looked back, in fact I felt kind of relieved that I had made the grown up decision of allowing comfort to trump looks.  In my younger years I would have likely muscled through wearing those boots, only to regret it when I needed to take a nice long bath to soothe my aching arches!  Now, don't get me wrong, I wasn't giving up that easily, I knew I would find other boots, and so it was last Sunday night on our way to dinner when I said, "hey let's stop by the store and buy you some jeans...you really need some new jeans."

I tried on 3 pairs of boots, all with lower heels, and when I tried on the ones pictured above, I knew they were the ones!  Comfy...check...on sale...check...and in my size...double check!  They are not red, though if they had had the red ones in my size, you can bet your bottom dollar they would have come home with me too.  They are from Unlisted by Kenneth Cole and they feel like bedroom slippers, at least to me they do.  They are almost a grey/green and will go with everything, so all's well that ends well.  I even put them on in the car and wore them to dinner...and did I mention they were only $23?!  And everyone knows that getting a good deal makes you love something even more...well, except in the case of the .99 cent off brand cookies my dad used to stock up on...they were disgusting, but we're not talking cookies here people, we're talking dirt cheap booties!

Fast forward to today, and although I have new boots and Mr. Tide has new jeans, neither of us will be wearing them.

We got some snow throughout the day yesterday and into last night, and along with the white stuff it's been blowing a gale.  Our temps were in the single digits, and the wind chills took us into minus territory...I think last night it was -8, and that was before midnight!

Even this afternoon when I took the dogs out it was still blowing, but not nearly as badly as yesterday, for which Mr. Quinn is very thankful.

He and Misty love the snow, but even they are smart enough to know that when it feels like 7 degrees outside, they shouldn't play for too long.

That face pretty much says it all.  That's the face of a happy, albeit cold doggie!

Misty insists on rolling around and burying her entire head in the snow like a snowplow.  Even in the minus temps, it is always a plus to have them around!

If you are part of this big snow storm, or feeling the chilling temps of January wherever you are, stay safe and warm my friends!

A Dog's Life

I think Misty Belle missed her calling as a movie actress.  In the photo above she looks as though her whole world has fallen to pieces, but the truth is she was just zooming around underneath the Japanese maple tree and had stopped just long enough to see Mr. Tide coming outside.  

The best I can tell, the only sadness this pup knows is not having free access to her food and other treats, not being petted 24/7, and being forced to come inside when she still wants to play a little bit more!

Ahh, to live the life of a well loved dog! :)

Sizzlin'

Mister Quinn?

Yes, Misty Belle?

It's Too Darn Hot!

Colors

I think one of the greatest gifts of photography is the way it makes you appreciate the subtle nuances of light and color.  From something as simple as dappled sunlight on a leaf, to more dramatic shadowing that is best represented by a black and white image.

Sometimes when I take an image I know exactly how I want it to look when I'm done, but other images start to unfold while you are in the process of editing them.  I think all photographers find this to be true.  They will begin with the image and then they let it speak to them, maybe it tells you it needs to be cropped, or that the contrast needs a little boost, but each image has its own voice.

Some choices are no brainers of course, like an image full of vibrant color, or a place you want to remember not only for how it looks, but for the colors that make you want to return there over an over again.

Sort of like the way we try to capture that perfect sunset on the last day of a wonderful beach vacation.  You want to be able to look at that photo 6 months later and be transported back to that very moment in time and have it inspire you to want to be back in that place the next chance you get.

But other images call for a less is more approach, and it's at these times that black and white can be such a powerful tool.  For me, black and white is a "just the facts ma'am," kind of image, one where you focus on the subject matter without the distraction of color.

Black and white images evoke strong emotions and allow the viewer the chance to impart their own feelings onto a photo.  In the image above it could be said that Miss Misty Belle is sad, when in fact she was just sleepy and wondering why I insisted on taking her picture when she was trying to nap.  Devoid of the color it takes on a more melancholy feel and makes you really focus on her eyes.

Whether you think she looks sad or sleepy, the point is it that black and white imagery makes the emotions in photographs really pop.  Perhaps this is why it is so popular these days with wedding photographers.  I don't have a single black and white or sepia image in my wedding album, and although I love our photos, I am bummed that they lack that raw emotion that you can only achieve with a well done, dramatic B&W image.


 

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think every photo should be processed as a black and white image...that would just be downright boring!  But I do think there is a place and time for colorless photos, and I'm happy that I have that option with my own photos.

And speaking of color, I would be crazy to process this last image as a black and white.  Imagine missing out on that blue...not a chance!

Have a wonderful rest of the week! :-)

Here is a lovely song about color...enjoy!

The World According to Misty

Every day is a good day, especially if you have something stinky to roll in or a stick to chew

Looking cute will get you very far in life

If you lay close enough to someone they will pet you and pets are almost as good as food

Blueberries aren't just full of antioxidants, they are also pretty darned delicious

Wag your tail, it makes people happy and it's contagious

Run and play with wild abandon, it's good for the soul

Drink from a hose, you'll feel like you're living dangerously

Be careful about barking too much, sometimes it will be appreciated, but most of the time it will just be considered annoying to those around you...choose wagging your tail instead (see note above)

Have a wonderful weekend because weekends are meant for sleeping in, playing more than usual, and for fun car rides

xoxo Misty Belle

Life at My House

Finding your place in the world, a comfy safe place where you can grow and thrive is so very important.

Finding that place, the one where you are loved, accepted, supported, and even pampered a little is what we all want and need I think.  And when you are cute, you can even get away with taking up all of the available foot room underneath the desk of the hand that feeds you!

Eat Too Much?

 

(click images to enlarge)

Feel like you've been indulging a little too much in all of those holiday yummies?!

Well you're not alone.

Even the birdies have been feasting on some holiday treats.

This Cardinal was caught with his beak in the proverbial cookie jar! ;-)

And here's little Miss Misty Belle gnawing on a stick and waiting for me to come back inside the fence to give her breakfast this morning...and she's hoping for something special too, like some apple or cheese.

I'm off to make a dessert for a luncheon tomorrow.  Yup, it's that time of year, so enjoy every minute of it!

Thanks again for all of your wonderful emails and comments about my post over at The Polished Pebble!  And thank you Kelley for featuring me!

Welcome Home

 (Kim Klassen free Phoebe texture was used on both photos)

After a wonderful few days spent with Mr. Tide's family and some old friends (more on that later), we were greeted at home by our son Bugs, and two very happy furry friends.

Mr. Quinn and Misty Belle followed us everywhere we went in the house as if to say, "Welcome Home Mom and Dad, we missed you!"

Although we know that our son Bugs takes VERY good care of these two while we are away, he also tends to bend the rules a little...ie. doggies sleeping in bed!  When asked about it, Misty rolled over, looked the other way, and pleaded the 5th! ;-)

 

I will be spending the week getting caught up on work stuff, and I will be ordering prints to send to the winners of my giveaway, plus getting laundry and house work back on track.  Going away for a few days is always a lot of work, but seeing those you love on both ends, makes it all worth while!  Thanks Mom and Dad Tide for all you did to meet my wacky organic eating needs, and thank you to our dear friends for a truly wonderful get together...even if we did stay out until 2:30 in the morning!  Thank goodness for daylight savings time!

I hope everyone is having a great week!

I'm a Big Girl Now

So many birthdays this weekend!  As you read this post, know that I am frantically running around trying to do all of the last minute things you do before you leave on a trip, but I had to post, because today is another special day at our house.

Today, Misty Belle has her 1 year birthday.  How time flies!  It was just yesterday that we were bringing home a tiny fur ball, and here she is, all grown up, a big girl!  Happy Birthday Misty!

Dismal

Misty Belle's face kind of says it all.  Although it was supposed to be a bright sunny day with lower humidity, instead it is gray and overcast.  Not because the weathermen and women were wrong (don't even get me started on their accuracy these days!), but because there is a a thick cloud of gray smoke which has enveloped the lower Chesapeake Bay and it's tributaries. 

You see, tragically there is a large fire burning south of here in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia, some 200 miles from where we live.  So although it means no running around outside for puppies and no yard work that desperately needs to be done, my heart breaks for the animals that live there and now have no home as nearly 6000 acres have burned.  And there is no end in site to this fire that was started by a lightning strike over a week ago, so if you know how to do a rain dance, please dance away before more people and animals are affected!  Click here to see pictures.

It truly makes me appreciate the folks in other parts of the country, and the world, who have endured even greater fires, and much more often!

I thought this haunting blue grass song entitled Return to Dismal Swamp was fitting.  And yes I like bluegrass!

That Time of Year

It's that time of year again.

When branches are weighed down with barely ripe berries.

When the hazy days of summer are in full force and nature tends to show off.

When Queen Anne's Lace fills fields and ditches, and suddenly a weed becomes a thing of beauty.

When patient puppies sit in an air conditioned truck while humans suffer 102 degree heat...

Hoping for a few of these...or maybe a lot of these!

And when even the ants are happy to be hanging out in their newly decorated abode.

Yup, it's that time of year, when a whole bowl of these seems like the perfect summertime dinner!

What does this time of year mean to you?

Baby It's Cold Outside

Remember just a few months ago when we were all saying how cold it was and how we couldn't wait for summer?! *raises hand*

Well, unlike my post title, it's anything but cold outside in most of the US right now.  In fact, it's downright steamy.

My mom used to call this kind of weather hot and sticky.  And I would have to say that that's a pretty fair assessment of the way it is outside right now.

Even the dogs don't want to be outside...well unless the sprinkler is going that is!  Misty Belle loves the way the water gives her that awesome 80s crimped hair look!

I love this out of focus picture of Mr. Quinn chasing the water droplets as they zoom around the yard.  It's kind of how I picture Monet capturing his true essence! ;-)

We over seeded part of our yard so they are loving that we have the sprinkler set up for a little while each day.  And it is a great way to beat the heat, but I sure do spend a lot of time cleaning up wet paw prints when they come inside.  It's a small price to pay for happy, cool doggies though.

Last night we had some crazy weather.  There were storm clouds all around us, but the sun was like a ball of melon colored fire (ok I know it actually IS a ball of fire, but you get my drift) sinking below the horizon.

Then when I gazed up above me there was this...another wonderful heart shaped cloud, drifting amidst the dark storm clouds.  I'm sure it was a gift from a dear friend.

Later we ended up having quite a light show as the storms eventually reached us.  There was also lots of thunder and wind, and thankfully plenty of much needed rain!  Today it's back to the steam bath, but hey at least it's not the 1700s and I'm not wearing "summer weight" wool, and lots of undergarments, without the benefit of AC...so it's a good day I think! 

I hope you are managing to stay cool where you are...or warm, whichever you're in need of at the moment!

Hello

Hi Everyone, I just wanted to pop in to say hi and to thank everyone for the lovely anniversary wishes!  I would love to tell you that Mr. Tide and I traveled to Paris or Fiji for our special day, but we stayed much closer to home.  We did go to another city, visited some wonderful shops, ate good food, and managed to wander around in the heat, so we did have a wonderful time.  I'll share some pictures of our little adventure in another post!

Mr. Tide took the entire week off so that we could not only celebrate our anniversary, but also to get some things done around the 'ole homestead, and we are ticking off things on our to do list.  Like major yard work, and starting to clean out our garage in nearly 100 degree heat...woohoo, how romantic right?!  I have to admit that it felt good to be dripping in sweat today as we are on a quest to finally park a car or two in there after nearly 4 years!

I'm afraid that's as exciting as it gets around here at the moment, with more sweat and hard work in the plans for the rest of the week and into the weekend.  Misty Belle would like to say hi too, and she hopes you are having a relaxing and productive week, and that those of you who are suffering with this heat will stay nice and cool...she highly recommends using a sprinkler! ;-)

A Request and A Winner

Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments about my encounter with the skunk and my moon photos in my last post.

Also on my last post I got a lovely comment from Leaf and Ink asking to see some more pictures of my dogs.  You see when you're a dog lover, and over at Leaf and Ink they clearly love their puppies, you can never really get enough of seeing dog pictures, especially herding dog pictures.

I had to chuckle when I saw the comment and thought, you know I do need to post a few pictures of the pups.  The only problem is that I've not taken very many pictures of them lately.  I did take a few of sweet Misty Belle last Friday morning at the crack of dawn just before we took her in to the vet's office to be spayed though. 

I am now officially one of "those" dog owners.  The kind who worry when their dog gets spayed and my strong maternal instinct has now extended to my furry friends as well.  Oh it was always there, but now it's bad! 

Thankfully Misty came through her surgery with flying colors, and my vet also understands this sort of neurotic pet parenting and called several times following the surgery to let me know how she was doing.  I'm sure they've seen worse, but hey I can't help it if I love my dogs and want them to be safe and happy!  Besides, sane people are so much more boring than us crazy neurotic types anyway, right?! 

I actually sent these pictures to my daughter this morning and told her that Misty wants her to come home for a visit this weekend.  It's been awhile since she's been home, and I knew that this face would make her want to come home!  It worked, though she did make note of my not so subtle guilt technique.  Hey, sometimes you just have to bring out the big guns...you know what I mean?

And now on to the winner of my Giveaway.  Random.org seems to hate me lately and although I saved the image it is now floating somewhere in cyberspace never to be heard from or seen again!  *sigh*

The winner is #28 who said...

28 ...Living in Southern Maryland makes me feel lucky every day. Having a happy healthy family is also something I am lucky and grateful to have!

Turns out the winner is a local girl!  Kelly, shoot me your mailing address and I'll get the magazine in the mail to you right away.  Or maybe I'll just show up on your doorstep and deliver it myself and you can fix me dinner...what do you say?  Ok, I'm just kidding...kind of! ;-)

Before I go, I wanted to share this amazing video with you all that my daughter sent me this morning.  I just love how this student put a twist on traditional time-lapse photography.  Not only are the images gorgeous, but it makes me long to go to Paris again!

Le Flâneur (music by The XX) from Luke Shepard on Vimeo.

 

I completely forgot to Spread the Love in my last post...sorry!

Ms. Bake-It

Completely Coastal

Pondside

The Frick and Frack Show

Everyday, in fact several times a day, this is what my backyard looks like.  Our yard transforms from its normally quiet haven for birds, squirrels, and the occasional rabbit, into the puppy WWF, or as we like to call it, the Frick and Frack Show!  

The wrestling moves Mr. Quinn and Misty Belle engage in are in no way harmful, but they are far from gentle.  I have to constantly remind them to slow down and "be easy" with one another, but it mostly falls on deaf ears!

Sometimes their ninja like moves are hard to even capture with the camera, they move that quickly!  In the photo above Misty Belle is doing her best imitation of a scene from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.  I'm pretty sure if I took a video of them I could set it to the soundtrack from a Kung Fu movie and it would fit quite nicely!!

Miss Kylee sometimes joins in, but mostly she stays out of the fray and I can't really blame her.  She looks on like the grandmotherly figure, and I'm betting if she could talk she would smile and say "kids these days!"

I can only imagine having these active dogs in some sort of apartment or even a small lot neighborhood setting, no wonder many of them end up in rescues across the country.  They need this crazy play time and they let you know if they don't get it throughout the day!  They could care less if it's sunny, rainy, snowy, hot or cold, they want to be outside and I always accompany them when they are out.  It's good for all of us, and I crack up whenever I watch them play because they are so full of energy and find joy in the simplest of things...even a stick shaped like a wishbone!

Oh, and if you are wondering where the term Frick and Frack comes from...click HERE...who knew?!

I'm glad you all enjoyed the bird photos from yesterday, I tried again today to get some more swan pictures, and I think I may have gotten some by George!

Have a wonderful weekend my friends!