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Over night stay at the hotel ~ $100, tickets to Balloon Fest ~ $60, watching the mass ascension of over 125 hot air balloons ~ priceless.

211/154

Really, what can I say!

210/155

What the heck is going on with Blogger? Last evening I tried, unsuccessfully, to add a Flickr feed to my sidebar. Then this morning upon opening and viewing my little cyber place, I found the format was entirely mess up, the arrangement of sidebar, photos and text were askew. I tried numerous times to reset the format but had no luck.  This was the best I could get and I don't have the time nor the patiences to play anymore this evening.  So for today it will stay this way and maybe even for tomorrow and the day after that.

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Most photos I post of Shyla are that of her during her off time. During which, she can just be the fun loving young party girl she is. But it is part of my job, as a puppy raiser, to teach her what behavior is appropriate for the current situation and surroundings. Much like children need to learn their loud outside voice and running around at the playground behavior is not proper while in class at school, what is appropriate at the soccer field is not appropriate in church. Shyla has plenty of time playing, swimming and ball chasing, but as a potential Seeing Eye dog she must learn the difference between work and play.

Last evening my group of raisers met at a local ice cream parlor. We walked to the boardwalk and down into the amusement ride area. It was terrific exposure for the puppies. The crowds of people, both young and old, lights and noise, the smell of the ocean and all the boardwalk food can be overwhelming and learning to ignore the hands reaching out to pet her is most difficult. She did wonderful.

I was hoping to get a blog worthy photo of Shyla in her working jacket and admittedly I did get several nice photos.  I preferred this one of her watching as a group of teens enjoy a ride on the twisty turny scrambler.

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Sorry for the rant today. Yesterday I tried to make light of the adventure Phriend and I were on. But seriously, we should have thought it through. We have seen no less than 1000 photos of the Barnegat Lighthouse and in our quest to capture something a little different. I suggested driving over to the barrier island across from the lighthouse and shooting across the inlet. We haven’t seen many, if any photos, from this view point.

That should have been a hint. Yesterday, we undertook the task of capturing these photos. It wasn’t easy. We had to walk a total of 3 miles through the NJ sugar sand. It’s soft and your feet sink under, making it difficult to walk on. It was high tide, so as to avoid getting the cameras wet, we were unable to walk in the cooling water and we blistered our feet walking on the burning hot sand.  To make matters worse, not realizing we would have to walk such a distance and spend that much time in the sun, we hadn’t used sunscreen. We’re fried, extra crispy.  And I will not mention the number of greenhead fly bites we have.  No wonder, we don’t see many photos from this angle.

I have spent $1000s on my camera and lenses, spent hours learning to edit and texture my photos. Viewed millions of others photos, all in the hopes of improving and learning about my photography. Than with a right click someone else steals the photo and uses it as her facebook profile photo. Really!!

So do I say something, let it go, defriend, or just remain confused as to why people think just because a photo is posted on the internet they have a right to it?

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There is a story to go along with today’s photo. It involves two women with what they thought was a really good idea and ends with two women with blistered feet from burning hot sand. It includes two sun burnt bodies and four incredible tried legs from a three mile (unexpected) walk in fore mentioned burning hot sand.

When Phriend and I discussed capturing our lighthouse from an angle not often seen, we should have taken this as some sort of sign. What were we thinking!

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Ordinary everyday objects look so totally different when seen in a marco shot.

This just some beach sand.

join the Macro Monday fun over @ Lisa's Chaos.

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Day 3 of 100+ temperatures, it is starting to wear on me and I would venture to say everyone else in the northeast.
It’s difficult to be motivated to do much when you’re sweating just sitting still.

204/161 (take 2)

If it makes anyone who didn't make it to the beach today feel better, there was a land breeze this morning. For those of you who are not aware of what this means, while the air temperture was 99 degree, the breeze was coming across land making it seem much hotter and bringing along with it, 1000s of black biting flies.

B and I escaped both the heat and the flies by standing in the cool ocean. But even at that we didn't last a little more than an hour.

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With temperatures forecasting to reach near 100 degrees, B and I decided we needed to park ourselves in our beach chairs right at the Atlantic coast line. We were successful at escaping the heat while sitting and enjoying the cool breeze while the ocean water washed over our feet. But as the clock ticked and neared 2:00, the witching hour for the rental return of the 500mm, my heart started to beat faster and I could feel the depression creeping over me. It was soon time, not only to leave the surf and sun, but to bring the lens back.  We dragged ourselves off the beach.

It’s not all bad, we’re packing up the girls and heading back over so they can enjoy a good game of tennis ball retrieval while cooling off in the ocean. And I’ll bring my 300mm to try and capture some fun shot of them playing in the waves.

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I know you’re all tried of see and hearing about “my” Osprey. I have been having a wonderful time watching them and an even better time capturing them. Especially with the rented 500mm.

This little one is the younger sibling to the fledging pictured yesterday. Since Osprey can lay their eggs over the span of three to four weeks, it is possible for these two to be four weeks apart in age.

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I along with the sun rose at 5:44 am. I was at the Osprey nest with the rented 500mm by 6:15am. I was anxious to get out while the light was perfect. Upon arrival I could see one of the parents sitting watch on the nest. Generally, as I approach the nest and entered into their perceived danger zone, the adult will fly off circling the nest while the hatchlings duck down, hiding from the enemy. Today, to my surprise, Mama flew off in the direction of a near by electric pole. There she joined two of her off spring. They had fledged! This being much like children taking their first steps. I estimate their age to be about 12 weeks.

Over the next month, they will continue to practice their aerial maneuvers and fishing techniques until they are successfully at both. At which time the family will migrate to a warmer winter climate.

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I have had the pleasure of watching several avian families this summer. The Osprey hatchlings are growing quickly. I can see them testing out their wings, readying them for their first flight. Once they have mastered flying, Mama and Papa will teach them to fish. Then the long journey to a warmer winter climate can begin.

I have, also, being watching a Bald Eagle family. While this family doesn’t resided quite as close to my home, I make the short trip to watch them. They have chosen the highest point of a cell phone tower to call home. Perhaps not the best choice but they are thriving. I have not be able to capture a web worth photograph of this family, that is until today.

I rented a 500mm in order to enable me to get something that actually looks like an Eagle rather than a small black dot. Today’s visit featured one of the two fledglings. He/she was testing out it’s wings and taking short flights over the tree tops and returning to the safety of it’s home.

Shortly, it’s downy baby feathers will be replaced with regal white one about it’s head. Then our majestic national symbol will take fly over our shining seas.

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"Ladybugs are a symbol of luckiness,

waiting to generously unleash

and share with you their good fortune!"
and I use to think they were cute ~

join the marco monday fun over @ Lisa's Chaos

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Zoos are such a mixed bag of emotions for me. Are they for entertainment or education? Do they help to save endangered species or due to the low birth rate would the animals be better off in their natural environment? Do they feel safe from predators or are they bored? Do they like having their dinner served to them or would they rather hunt? Should we hold animals in captivity or as Peter Singer asked in the 1970s, do they have rights?

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I’ve always been a Cheerios girl. One of my favorite summertime breakfasts are that of a bowl of these round little oats topped with a fresh and juicy peach.  But after years of enjoyment, I had the crazy thought of adding a bit of morning time variety.   I would try Special K with chocolate bits. I could start my day with tiny chunks of chocolate under the disguise of cereal. What a delight, this would surely make my day.  I am not a milk drinker so the liquid used to moisten my breakfast cereal remains in the bottom of the bowl. The problem here, while pouring the remaining white fluid down the kitchen sink I often see several of the little chocolaty goodness treats taking the ride down the drain. Why do I feel so cheated by missing out on the best part of this cereal?

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Raising the lid of the hot tub revealed this little quarter size frog. Instantly, Shyla spied him and thinking he was make a tasty little snack, lunged directly for him. B acting quicker than lightening scooped him up and placed him safely on the fence. I ran for my camera. As a thank you for saving his life, or still in shock from the near death experience, he remained still while I took several photos.

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Last evening was hot and sticky.  The boardwalk was beckoning B and I to come for late night walk. The boards were a buzz with summertime visitors, strolling around, eating ice cream, spinning the wheels of chance, and enjoying the stomach turning amusement rides.

I have been wanting to attempt some slow shutter speed shots of the swirling and turning rides. B held me by my shoulders, acting as a tripod helping to steady me. I set my camera to several different speeds ranging between 1/6 and 2 secs. Just as this gyrating machine started to reach it’s highest speed and I could hear the screams of fear and delight, I snapped.

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I have become some what obsessed with watching and photographing this Osprey family. The parents ever fly far from the nest, whether they are on the hunt for the next meal or finding new additions to add to the nest.  The large grocery bag is easily seen from the ground however it wasn't until I viewed the photo that I noticed there was a wrist watch hanging from the nest.  Makes me wonder what other great finds are decorating their home.

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Playing around with Kim Klassen's newest texture.
Harbor Refuge Lighthouse is a water base lighthouse.
It stands in the Delaware River 
and can be seen while traveling on the ferry
between Lewes, DE and Cape May, NJ. 

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Everything is just peachy around here!

join the marco monday fun over @ Lisa's Chaos

192/173

A walk at the bay this evening.

191/174

Why is it so difficult to go back to work after having a week off?

190/175

It's all fun and games until someone eats the dead fish, then it's leash on!

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Nothing but me in my chair listening to the sound of the surf while my toes play in the sand.

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Having the last several days off has afforded us the opportunity to spend some time getting “the girls” out for a swim. While Shyla, true to her retriever name, dives into the bay after the stick, brings it back and begs for it to be thrown over and over again. Just the kind of fun B and I had in mind for our girls.

Willow, on the other the hand, has a mind and ideas of her own. Willow loves being a dog and doing all dog things including but not limited to eating the most foul things and rolling in the dead crabs and fish guts. Not guite the kind of fun B and I had in mind.  The joy of Willow.

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B and I took "the girls" to the bay for a swim.

Shyla could not get enough of the water or the stick.

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Happy 4th of July

These photos were taken in April, they were taken on the same day however not at the same place.

I decided to combine the two and thought it was perfect for today.

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Yup, I went to visit the nest again today.

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You would not believe just how excited I was when I received a text from Phriend. She had discovered an Osprey nest with easy access, providing for great photo opportunities. I grab my camera and ran over to the site. I am so happy to be able to capture my beloved raptor.

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Just in case you're not keeping track, I am. We now officially half way through Project 365!
 Congratulations everyone who has made it this far.