Feb 25th, 2014

                              Hello from Upper Brickton !

2014 - Here I am again with lots of excuses and apologies for not posting more to this site…

And the truth is that the apologies I make are to myself and the excuses are…well…just excuses!

Let me begin this posting with a little humour.  These two gulls are trying to avoid a collision on ice.  If you haven't figured it out yet, I am indeed a bird lover.  They and their habits never cease to amaze me.   

One day late December, while standing in the kitchen window a flock of about twenty Evening Grosbeaks showed up in the yard.  These two decided to hang around and gorge themselves…giving me lots of time to get a few nice shots.  

We've had a lot of winter here in Nova Scotia…really!
This is a snow scene that Gary and I found at the top of the Beals' Mtn Road…

This sweet little goldfinch 

was sitting at the top of this tree 

and I was focused on him.  

The wind was blowing and every once in a while 

he would flip out his wings 

to maintain his balance.  

I happened to catch one of those moments 

and thought it was so cute! 

 This happens so fast

 it almost does not register 

so seeing the action 

'stopped' 

is quite interesting! 

Here again I am in the spot I like the most…Watching the birds coming and going, feeding and being territorial.  The jays are so lovely in the bright sun…sometimes hard to get the exposure right but this particular day the light, the birds and the action all were in sync.  Viola…and enjoy! 

And then there was Valentine's day…Ok…here are more birds, this time ducks, on ice.  Mr. Mallard seems to be saying 'hey there, look at me…I am standing on one leg stretching my wing to impress you!" And she isn't having anything to do with him…"Where are the chocolates?"

 

Sheffield Mills is the place to be, to see the wintering eagles.  The local chicken farmers contribute to the daily feeding and there are celebrations on two consecutive weekends to mark the annual occurrence.   his fellow cooperated with me and spread his wings for the camera…I love the tips of his wings…spread like fingers in the wind…

And finally for this post, I am including the postcard I made for my friend Cathy.  Every year she asks me to make one to celebrate International Women's Day…She sends it to a long list of women she has worked with, and her friends and acquaintances and so do I…It is amazing to realize (through responses) just how far and wide it travels through email…wow!  
You can find out more info at    …   www.internationalwomensday.com  

So that's it for me this time.  I am looking forward to spring and all that it brings…it will be such a treat to watch the first flowers appear and the trees begin to bud out!  It will be an even bigger treat to put away boots, mittens, scarves and woollen socks.  

Till next time, Stay safe…Viki 

: )

Ok...here I am again...It has been the longest, most terrible spring here in NS and everyone, including me, is ready for summer weather...then we'll all join our voices together and complain about the heat and the humidity!!!  Well at least it will be a change and they say ('they' being the old folks, of whom I have become a part) 'A change is as good as a rest' !!!
Life goes on and so does the photography.
Always watching...keeps me alert to the changes in the landscape, the subtle differences in the plumage of the backyard birds, and the gorgeous native flowers that we are blessed with here in NS.
I will share a few images with you at this posting and hope you like them...you don't have to click 'like', or anything 'like' that, just plain old-fashioned 'LIKE' them - or don't 'like' them.

But what's not to 'like' I ask?

Nature and NS surroundings in general are all there for our enjoyment and yes our amusement...so enjoy the out-of-doors and everything you do in the next two months...It will be here and gone in a flash...📷

So, that's it for me for this post...hope you enjoy the pics...

I wish you all a wonderful summer filled with family and friends..."Lots of fun stuff!"

Treasure the memories while they are being created...

AND take lots of pictures to remember them long afterward...Viki

March 2013 Already !

I continue to think I am the worst Blogger ever.  I simply never think to put anything on here!

Not that I don't have images....my goodness, I have images coming out of my ears for heaven's sake...

Let me begin with the image I made this year for my friend, Cathy to send for International Women's Day 2013...Check out the official site and start planning how you will celebrate the women in your lives on March the 8th 2014.  

The Photographic Guild of Nova Scotia is my home club when it comes to Photographic interests.  I compete with PGNS and also from time to time with a second club, the St Louis Camera Club.  I also belong to the Carolinas Nature Photography Association.  I am also a member of CAPA, Canadian Association for Photographic Art.  I belong to the Photographic Society of America, serving on a couple of 'committees' and I compete in international competitions recognized by PSA. ...On the PSA website you can find a group of 18 images (of hundreds to date) I have used in those competitions.  The URL is http://psa-photo.smugmug.com/Member-Portfolios/Viki-Gaul/23698325_pN7NW2#!i=1918385520&k=Hpqz5zk 

For a fun activity NS Photo Guild Members were asked to bring a brown paper bag with items to photograph and bring back the results a couple of weeks later.  In the bag I brought home, I found Gumby and Pokey...The following image is one I made on my cell phone in a program that makes collages...with a little Photoshop work done to create this final result.  Does this bring back memories? Careful you might date yourself!

Ok so now I want to add a little bit of Nature to this blog... I love all the photography I do and so you can imagine how hard it is somedays to stick with one subject and not want to play with another.  From Family photos, to birds in the backyard, nature, botanical, scenery, and capturing happenings on the shores of this beautiful province.  The list goes on and on.  

And the "NATURE" images I will share are these...Apes from the zoo...Spoonbill from Florida and a Baby Raccoon from my backyard (in close proximity to my backyard!)

Photography is the neatest hobby ever...I do love it!

I guess that is stating the obvious...hahaha!

So till the next time.

I'll be thinking about what to share in the next edition/addition..

Till Then my friends, "Take care!" 

         

Feb-August postcards 2012 'Menagerie'

Ok, here I am again...I admit I am terrible at the blogging thing, but tonight I had a reason to look for something and came across a note in my pile of 'stuff' that read...

"remember to BLOG once in a while"

...so here I am.  

I am doing my fifth load of laundry after a camping trip to the south shore in our fifth-wheel travel trailer and at the same time I am downloading a couple of cards of photos from the week long excursion.  There are some images there that I am pretty excited about so I need to get this done and move on...I am so impatient!!!! 

Recently I did a postcard with the hummingbird you'll see below.  I like it so much I wanted to add it to this page to share with the world (well with you at least!)

Can't believe how quickly the two months of our Nova Scotia summer have flown...wow!  The evenings are getting shorter and shorter when it comes to light, and today we noticed there are trees turning colour along the highway and even here in 'Upper Brickton'....  

So without further ado, I am hitting POST...

All of a sudden blogging isn't so bad after all...

Don't know why I don't do it more often...hmmmm!!

We'll see.............check back soon..

If you look closely you'll see a dead chicken clutched in his talons...

Pair of great apes at the Zoo...sharing a moment...like human couples do! 

Salmon River Speedway NS

I made this postcard with my dear friend in mind...Jeannie 'Roy', one of the Jamies on the infamous recording...Summertime, Summertime!!!!!

This guy is a favourite...Done in  my backyard in a little setup that I created to try to capture these gorgeous creatures...took a lot of patience, but here is one of the results I am thrilled with. 

 So long for now...Viki August 19th 2012

Here are a few of the email postcards I send to a long and diverse group of folks who have an interest in Nova Scotia...in nature, in travel, and in 'LIFE'...

I am very curious about a lot of things and that curiosity sends me in many different directions (sometimes more than one at a time, which can be confusing!) One of the things I remember about my childhood is my brother complaining that I always wanted to watch documentary type shows, especially Jacques Cousteau...(how I loved that man!)

"Muuuuuuuuum, she wants to watch that educational crap again!"

Well, curious people have to find out stuff...

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!!!

I will post some more images soon and maybe even share some that I have used in International Exhibitions...ahhhh...I'll tell you about my wonderful brass bell !!!  I have discovered here this evening that I can post a video...so I may share the 'little' video I made to celebrate the 'little' victories I've had in the competitive world of photography...way cool!

Ok, night for now...God Bless!!!!  

International Women's Day March 8th 2011

Hi...My friend Cathy Lively asked me to create a postcard to celebrate International Women's Day...she sent it to a huge list of women she does special consultant work with...

I decided to send it to my email list as well...When I hit the send button it went to 116 people in my address book.  

I believed that a very high percentage of them would choose to pass it on.  And...I already received word that several have done just that.  Hard to fathom just how far this might travel ???  (I am so curious!)

Just knowing that International Women's Day "exists" honors the work of women throughout history.  But...that same knowledge also honors ( and indeed empowers) those women who are actively making changes right now...

Our lives are touched by the women who stood tall and strong for our rights... and-that-is-what-IW-Day-celebrates......

                                              ....100 years old...WOW !

About International Women's Day

When:  Tuesday 8 March 2011

Where: Everywhere


What: International Women's Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is a national holiday.


Why: Suffragettes campaigned for women's right to vote. The word 'Suffragette' is derived from the word "suffrage" meaning the right to vote. International Women's Day honours the work of the Suffragettes, celebrates women's success, and reminds of inequities still to be redressed. 

The first International Women's Day event was run in 1911. Therefore, 2011 is the Global Centenary Year... 

more --   http://www.internationalwomensday.com/default.asp