Foto Friday: Winter Sunset

Happy Friday! Hope you had a great week and have an even better weekend.

As I mentioned last week, Ryan and I spent time in Tahoe a few weeks ago, here is another foto from our trip.

Story behind foto: took the foto a few days into our trip after it had been snowing for about two days straight. We decided to put on our snow clothes, layers were necessary, and take a “walk” outside the condo where we stayed. For me it had been at least 4 years since I had seen or touched snow, to say the least I was very excited. We got in touch with our inner child and had a snowball fight; it was so much fun! Once that was over I took foto’s and here is one taken toward the end of our walk.

And if you must know… yes, we made snow angels too.

-CAT

Foto Friday: Autumn a Mosaic

“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a
mosaic of them all.”  ~Stanley Horowitz

 

 

Story behind Foto: Where I live it finally started to feel like fall or autumn, we had rain and leaves are starting to cover the ground. After the rain lifted, earlier this week, something inside of me could not wait to go outside, during a break at work, and take foto’s. Here you have a mosaic of various shades of fall, all within one frame.

The change in season has really inspired me and I hope you check back to see what I create.

Enjoy, CAT

Foto Friday: Flakey Bark

Story behind foto: Lately I have noticed a theme with the fotos I take or is it called my style. Whatever it’s called I like to shoot objects up-close and personal.

Here you have a perfect example – a close-up of a flakey tree bark overlooking a lake. There is something that caught my attention, I ended taking multiple fotos from different angles and then I treated them with varies filter.  Here you have final result.

Thank you for visiting, CAT

 

 

Foto Friday: Black and White

Story behind foto: Let’s get personal here. Something you should know about me is that I really (I mean really) like black and white photos.  At times when I am shooting photos or looking at an object I immediately think “wow, this would look amazing in black and white!” And here you have it, my thought (at the moment) now in actuality – a black and white foto. As I was taking photos from different angles and using multiple settings on my little point-and-shoot camera I thought this tree stump would look amazing in black and white.

What do you think? Are you a fan of black and white photos?

Let me know what you have to say.

Enjoy, CAT

Foto Friday: California Capitol Building And Museum

Story behind foto:

Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending an event which took place at the California Capitol Building, in Sacramento.  The building serves as a museum and the state’s working area of the government. When visiting the Capitol you can explore the history of the state by browsing around the museum, or overlook the Senate Chamber floor during an actual proceeding.

The building is surrounded by the beautiful Capitol Park made up of gorgeous lawns, flower gardens, trees and memorials. The park measures 40 acres and it spans twelve city blocks – it is HUGE! If you ever visit the area take a walk around the Capitol Park and take-in the beauty that surrounds you.

-CAT

Foto Friday: Do You Volunteer And Why?

Story behind foto:

Today’s post is a little different. I would love hear from YOU. I want to know if you volunteer in your community, and if so, why? What do you do, how long have you been volunteering, lessons you have learned because of it, and what’s your favorite part about it?  Volunteering is something that I really believe and enjoy, how about you?

You see, last weekend was my first time volunteering in this new community of mine and I had such a great time. I was part of a small group made up of co-workers, we participated in a large annual community clean-up day where we helped beautify (aka pick up trash) a trail that runs a long a large river that goes thru the valley where I now live.

The foto was taken toward the end of the morning, a few hours into the clean-up event. My group and I had finished cleaning up one portion of the bike trail and moved on to another side, right off the trail there was a huge, I mean HUGE bush of green vines full of bright colored flower. I could not help myself and I had to take several foto’s, here’s one. The event was awesome! I had a great time contributing to the well-being of the parkway, but I must say I loved the nature aspects. I loved walking around the trails and exploring a new area. It felt so go to get out early in the morning, walk around, mingle with others, but at the same time knowing that I was contributing to a greater cause – the well-being and health of the parkway, and all the little critters and animals that live in that area.

So, once again, why do you volunteer?

-CAT

Foto Friday: Happy Heads

Story behind foto: As I mentioned last week, I was in San Diego during Labor Day weekend to celebrate my birthday with friends. On Saturday morning, we decided to get a massage, which is starting to become a tradition when we get together. As we drove around the Gaslamp Quarter, we found a little massage spot called Happy Head Foot Reflexology and Massage… Yeah, we thought the same thing. At first, we were a little skeptical, but we decided to be adventurous and try it. We were so amazed by the service, Lynn, the receptionist, was so nice and helpful, and our one hour Asian Style massage was unlike anything we have ever tried. We were definitely “Happy Heads” after our massage.

After our massage, we got to know Lynn a bit and she clued us in on how the name came about and gave us a little “tour” of the place. What added to our experience were all the art pieces throughout the gallery/massage studio. Lynn, as self-proclaimed “massage addict” with a marketing/interior design/retail background decided to put it all together and create this one of a kind place. She now has two locations. If you happen to be in San Diego, go check it out and say “hello” to Lynn.

~CAT~

Weekly Photo Challenge: Purple

One of my favorite hobbies is to find interesting blogs where I can find inspiration or learn something new. Last week as I was looking around on WordPress I came across something interesting, inspirational, and I can learn something new. Each week they provide a theme, then one is urged to interpret it, take a photo and post it on our blog. Here’s this weeks challenge: Purple.

My interpretation:

Thanks to my parents garden for providing me with much inspiration. Here’s a purple Glandiolus flower in their back yard.

Looking forward to the new themes, new one posted every Friday. You should also know that I have a weekly photo series called Foto Friday, came back and check it out each and every week.

–CAT-

Foto Friday: How to Build a Campfire

Story behind foto: I went camping some time ago, and I learned a new way of how to build a campfire. I am not a pyromaniac, nor do I condone you becoming one. However, I thought it was a pretty cool method, especially because my wildland-fire fighter-boyfriend taught it to me, so I’d say it has the seal of approval. We called it the “Log Cabin Method.”

Here’s what you will need:

• Matches or a lighter
• Tinder (anything that is dry such as dried moss, small stick, paper towel, newspaper, leaves or tree bark)
• Small sticks or rectangular pieces of wood

Step one: create the outer shell by placing two sticks about 5 inches apart, parallel to each other.

Step two: continue stacking them on opposite sides (making sure your structure looks like a square) until the structure is about 7 inches high.

Step three: once you have your outer structure (once again, it should look like a large square) built, add your tinder. I used shredded paper towels and pine needles to make a “nest” like inner filling to the structure.

Step four: create a teepee structure around your “log cabin,” make sure you leave space between the sticks.

Step five: use your lighter or matches to ignite your structure. Once the fire is going strong proceed to add your fire wood and you’re ready to make s’mores, yummy.

Hope you can use this next time you’re out in the woods and need to build a campfire.

~~CAT~~

 

Foto Friday: Blue as the Sky

Story behind Foto: I was taking a walk during my lunch break and I came across these gorgeous flowers. They definitely remind me of summer, which is pretty much my favorite season. Hope you enjoy.

~~CAT