Gunner Cat

We got our cat over 4 1/2 years ago. It was right as I decided to go back to grad school, and Reggie asked can we have a kid or get a cat? I said lets go to the Humane society! Gunner truely picked us out. We were in the cat room for about 25 minutes and none of them really stuck out to us. We decided to step out in the hall and were chatting next to the window about whether we should just pick out a kitten instead of an adult cat as we had discussed before. Then I looked down and those big green eyes were staring at me. Something made me go oh, look at that one! We went in and he was so lovable. I picked him up and carried him in my arms for a bit and when he fell asleep in my arms I was hooked and couldn't get him fast enough! His full name is Gunner Thor Ramirez Shouse. Reggie thought it would be fun to give him 4 names like his catholic friends had :) So the Ramirez comes from a buddy from grad school (rd. 1)  Here are a few of my favorite pics of him.

Creepy neighbor

This little guy was hanging out between the bushes next to our patio a few weeks ago. It was kind of gross taking the picture, good thing I'm not afraid of spiders. I actually was trying to get a picture of a different web when I noticed the spider was right in the middle of this web on the other side of the patio.

Sunsets

Sunsets are one of the most beautiful things in nature. I am not a morning person so you will probably never see a sunrise picture from me.

I remember hearing to old adage, "Red sky at night, sailors delight, Red sky in morning sailors take warning." I never really knew if it was true or not, but thanks to Google I know know that it does have some merit. Check out http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/weather-sailor.html

This is a view from the 10th floor of Offenhauer towers at BGSU zoomed into distant woods.

There is nothing like the sunset at home. I grew up with the perfect sunset out my bedroom window each night. Most of the year the sun would set perfectly in between our woods and our neighboors wood far beyondthe railroad tracks that lay close to us.

Another Sunset from Rawson.

The sun setting behind the convention center in Boston, MA.

Night time at the fall festival.



When the sun goes down at Luckey campfires roar and sparks fly.

More from Luckey



Various Gourds
Mom even decorates outside the camper.



All lit up.

My Official Start of Fall

Luckey Fall Festival is coming up this weekend.
It's one of my favorite weekends of the year, its the first weekend of fall, it includes gas engines, fair food, flea markets and pumpkins!
Here are a few pictures of Luckey from years past, I'll add more through out the week.

This is the spark show from one of the steam engines. The longer exposure also captured a passing tractor's lights.

My dad's Colman Lantern collection...at least some of them.

The beginning...

That's me...I am usually behind the camera, instead of in front.
So what does my husband do when he gets a camera, takes a picture of me taking a picture.  

Photography for me is a hobby. I took a class in college and have learned the basics of how to take manual photgraphs, using aperature, shutter speed and depth of field to manipulate a photo, but I am no where near a hard core photographer. I think some of my pictures are good and want to share. I love using film, but often find the convienence of digital to be easier in this digital age. I do not yet own a scanner, so for now you will not see any of my film work. (It's part of my Christmas wish list, so hopefully as soon as January). I do not do digital art, if I edit a digital picture it is only to crop, or change overall color balance.

The beginning...here are some thoughts as to why I may have developed an interest in photography.

1. Great Uncle Gerald - I remember being a child and looking at the West Virginia Magazine at my Grandam and Grandpa's house. Uncle Gerald was a photographer and I thought it was amazing to see someone in my family with picture credits in a real magazine. We lived almost 5 hours away so I didn't get to see Uncle Gerald much, so I think that may have added to the allure of the art.

2. A 4-H project - I joined 4-H in third grade, since we were not allowed to take animals as projects my sister and I would choose simpler projects. I chose photography and I carried with me a disposable camera for and entire summer taking pictures and learning about the basics. I also took plants and still find phototropism one of the amazing oddities of the plant kingdom.

3. Great Grandma and Grandpa Cooper's House - Each major holiday as a kid would be spent at my great grandparents house. The basement space was the largest area of the house, so when the weather wouldn't allow us to be outside we would congregate together downstairs. Grandma had kept large bulletin boards and would post pictures of the ever growing family as large collages on the wall. I loved being able to look at the pictures, see the family way before I became a part of it and laugh at the fashion and hair style choices of my aunts, uncles and older cousins.

4. Smiles - There is almost nothing greater that having someone look at a picture I took and smile...I simply like making people happy.

So, welcome to my blog...I hope you enjoy your moments with my moments.