The moon.

Just a few short years ago i decided i wanted to learn how to shoot the moon, since every photo i ever took of it was a white blob. i've always loved looking at it, and wanted to capture it, but i never could do it.

Out on the lake in Oregon i went out every month in the winter, when i wasn't too tired and shot it. i would run in so excited, only to load the photos and find nothing but white blobs.

After a few months i started to get it, the settings i would write down for the following month. Soon enough i was taking awesome moon shots.

Now, i can run out on the fly and shoot it!

Persistence pays off!

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...41637534_n.jpg

Staying home and getting things done...

I must say my bedroom looks much better now. No more stacks of clean clothes, dirty clothes on the floor, and the bed is freshly made. Ahhhhhh...I even took the liberty to try it out and watch some amazon prime instant video. *BIG Smile. Yep! It is comfy!!

spending an entire day with my brothers without any arguing at all...

some assembly required ....

The smell of candels burning

My sweetie pie bringing me coffee in bed. Swoon, sigh, melt. :rrose:

An IKEA bag full of goodies...

Sitting upstairs this morning...listening to the family's interactions downstairs since my brother and his family are visiting from many miles away. I noticed that my brother's role in the family when he comes home is that of story-teller. All of the family sits around and interacts with him as he tells the tales from his life. He only makes it home about twice maybe three times per year. Funny part is he just returned to the states from Puerto Rico and the Carribean. Today he is in Pennsylvania where there is 19 inches of snow. Haahaa!! He asked what was wrong with that picture.

More joy came tonight by my niece asking me to teach her how to crochet. I gave her a skein of yarn and a crochet hook and taught her two basic stitches. She practiced and practiced. I think she may eventually get good at this...Haahaa!! But right now she is all thumbs and fingers with yarn all over the place. *Laughs some more. She is a sweetie. Hard to believe she is quickly approaching 30. Ahhhhh...where do the years go??

Waking up and throwing back the shade...seeing the amazingly beautiful sight of snow-covered water, tall oaks covered in pristinely-white virgin snow, stretching up towards the pale-blue sky...with a glorious sunshine reflecting it's lovely golden rays...making the snow sparkle like diamonds scattered everywhere.
Magnifique.

Sleeping till I woke up the doing the chores but what really boughti me joy was ACTUALLY getting to have Sunday morning breakfast with the incredibly beautiful ms Cinn

knowing that a good friend had reason to smile this morning ....brings me joy & calms my own storm

The way a dusting of snow shook down from the trees....and backlit by the sun....made little jewels in the sky... it was a beautiful and surreal moment....
Blessings are truly bestowed upon us in tiny doses.... :)

Spotting one of these, while on a dog run, to the marina.

burrowing owl

A really personal conversation.

---A walk, in 32 degree weather no doubt, but stimulating all the same.---

Getting a surprise house warming gift from a neighbor,a yr subscription to netflix.. how cool!

starting off my year right, making changes for me! yep life is pretty darn good :tease:

Watching my son and his antics... 4 days was too long for me to be without children... or maybe, just long enough.

Working at home and listening to an audiobook all day. Scruffing up the orange fuzzy sweet potato (Gracie). Getting back into some very good habits.

Finally got off work.....

While sitting in my recliner eating dinner. My dog had her chin resting on my knees watching me eat. She would start to fall asleep, but was really trying hard to fight it. It was the cutest thing ever. And of course she got some when i was done eating. :)

perfect cure for cold weather ...
 

fresh hot homemade buttermilk biscuits with their golden lightly -salted tops and how the steam rises when broken open to reveal their very soft fluffy perfect middles...how heavenly they taste smothered in butter and seedless local homemade blackberry jam......yum yum yum.

Kenna's biscuits would be great with the joy I'm finding in my
cup of coffee !

...love that first cup.

Nothing in particular...I just feel so *happy* today. :hk1:

A sunday morning breakfast already made. Okay mostly made. I still had to brew the coffee. Isn't that the most essential part?

After my son-in-law left for work, my daughter was about to put the baby in her playpen for a nap and lie beside my grandson till he fell asleep. I asked if I could put the baby to sleep instead and she, of course, said yes.

Baby asleep and placed in her playpen, grandson and momma fast asleep on the couch. I sat in the chair for a good 30 minutes and just watched them all sleep so peacefully. Gave her a kiss on the forehead and told her I was going home. She drifted right back to sleep... just like when she was a little girl.

It was a great visit!! :)

The Santa Cruz Mountains.

The spate of warm, dry, spring-like weather we are enjoying, and the kitties I live with.

:rollcat:

Dinner and movies
 

Movies then din din

Home Made Sketti dinner, n salad ,n warm juicy garlic bread

Not having to do any dishes

Brought home nuff leftovers for a week...well, maybe a couple days

Knowing that the sun will come out tomorrow...really, no..really it has been very dark in my neighborhood. :moonstars:

Okay, so yesterday we got a donation of homemade Valentine cookies done by a 5th grade class that adopted our shelter kids for the school year. It appears the night staff never gave the cookies to the kids so today after lunch I put them out for the kids to enjoy. One of my older guys stood over the cookies that had been designed artistically by these artsy little kids trying to decide which one to pick. He kept oooo-ing and awww-ing and grinning and finally picked one. He held it up and kept staring at it while walking away and said, "It's so detailed. I don't want to eat it, I just want to appreciate it."

That was the best Valentine's gift anyone could have given me at the shelter today. :formalbow:

All of the small little thoughts and gestures today!