blushone

Fruit Flies Got You Down?

2011-09-16T21:39:00.004-04:00

This contraption trapped about 20 - 25 fruit flies in 24 hours!

All you need to make this is a glass, paper, tape and some malt vinegar. (I've also used cider and balsamic in the past.) And presto... best fruit fly catcher ever!

Oh Sweet, Sweet Shamus

2011-08-04T10:29:00.021-04:00

January 2007 to August 2011

Rest In Peace

I wish I could report something more pleasant after not posting for 4 months, but Shamus (the big clumsy one) passed away yesterday. We think he got tangle up in a cloth bag that was holding some baby accessories and he broke his leg trying to escape it. He may have broke it either on landing from the kitchen counter or while racing downstairs with it attached to him - he never was very agile. Jeff heard the commotion and checked to find Shamus in the basement with the bag and baby accessories strewn across the kitchen and basement floors. Shamus then raced to the 2nd floor on three paws and hid under our bed. Pure determination and luck on Jeff's part made for a successful rescue into the cat carrier.

The vet clinic did all they could to make him comfortable. They said it was the worst break they'd ever seen and quoted a $3-5k fix with the possibility of amputation, either right away if it couldn't be repaired or if the attempt at surgery fails. We started to really panic when their orthopedic surgeon said the repair was way beyond his expertise. Not that we thought that we could afford it, but we had an appointment today for a consult at an orthopedic vet clinic, plus we asked for a referral to Guelph's vet college hoping they might be able to do it at a reduced price. However, Shamus didn't survive yesterday's sedation. He had become so violent towards the staff, even with the pain management, that they gave us the sedation spiel so they could to more x-rays. With his diabetes, we were aware of the worst case scenario.

We're okay, it was just so sudden. At least the injury happened while we were at home and not while we were away visiting family in Muskoka for 3 days; a few hours of suffering was more than his fair share. The real tear-jerkers are that Shamus let Max pet him for the first time that morning and that Watson went looking for Shamus before eating his dinner last night. Right now we're just trying to keep Max and Watson happy.

Super Shamus Cape Costume

Shamus and his trusty side-kick Watson on duty in the watch tower.

Shamus' Nifty Laser Eyes

The Not So Secret Lair

Now that's putting your heads together! Awww...

You'll be missed, xo.

Babies & Cats

2011-03-31T16:06:00.005-04:00

A lot of people have been asking me how our cats are getting along with Max. At first they were just very curious and then came a cautious indifference. Now it's cute to see the kitties come and check to see what's bothering Max when he cries.

They're still a little leery, unsure of what he is and why he's taking up so much of our time, but I'll let the photos do the rest of the talking...

Introducing Max!

2011-03-08T13:23:00.031-05:00

It seems as though almost everything that our pre-natal class instructor warned us about that could go wrong during labour & delivery, did go wrong during labour & delivery. I'll save the details for another blog entry, but here's the news that everyone's been waiting for...

Drum-roll please...

Maxwell Yong-Shin Kil
Born February 26, 2011 at 20:53
Weighing a comfortable 8 lbs 10 oz
And measuring a cool 21.7 inches

Feb.28

Two Days Old

Water Ski Feet

Mar.5

O-Face
Flying Kung-Fu Kick

Mar.6

Asleep with Grandpa

Mar.8

Content Cuddling with Jenni

X's & O's to all my friends and family who've helped me along the way, especially Jeff who has been my rock and pillar.

Hope everyone had a safe holiday weekend!

2010-12-26T17:41:00.008-05:00

Watson's enjoying his Christmas gift...

Shamus is enjoying the box it came in...

Cool skyscraper scratching post from ThinkGeek!

FOUND

2010-11-23T21:29:00.005-05:00

Two kitties, about 8 months old, dropped in on us last night. Our neighbours, who've seen them more frequently than we have, agree that they're both stray and from the same litter. Both are very used to being handled by humans and cuddled up on my lap yesterday evening. If no one claims them, they need a home for the winter. We think they're both girlies, so we've affectionately named them so.

Princess Fiona
She has darker, more vibrant coloured fur than her sister. Both are friendly, but this little lady is much more forward.

Watson, curious at the back window, was being very polite.

Princess Peach
Her much rounder Shrek Puss n Boots Eyes will make you weak at the knees and the colour of her fur is more muted than her sister's.

Shamus, curious at the back door, was not so polite.

They both visited again this evening and it took me all my might to simply give them a little food and clean water and walk away despite the colder weather.

Toronto Zombie Walk 2010

2010-10-24T11:45:00.002-04:00

I didn't actually go on the Toronto Zombie Walk this year, but I had fun helping Jeff get outfitted for his TTC Zombie costume and documenting the make-up process with some photos. We picked up almost everything at the local Value Villag e and the Amazing Party & Costume store. A big thanks to you-know-who-you-are for some of the key components and a props to Good Will for the inspirational hat!

Au naturale!
Prosthetic numero uno.

Make-shift vanity in the kitchen!
Prosthetic number two.
Take special note of the cap!
Sans blood.

Avec blood.

Another huge thanks to Toronto Zombie Walk's founder Thea and all her little minions. Jeff came home with a prize pack full o' goodies for a job well done and he even got a free ride home, compliments of the TTC!

Have a great Halloween y'all!

It's gonna be a boy!

2010-10-19T21:00:00.003-04:00

We finally got the results today!

Photo is compliments of... Skerry Light.

19 weeks!

2010-09-29T19:17:00.010-04:00

Ultrasound #2 was today... baby's healthy! We have to wait until our next doc appt to find out if it's a boy or girl, but the technician let us know that she got a good photo that the doctor can determine the gender by. According to the ultrasound, our due date is Feb.21/11, however the doc's office says Feb.24/11.

Looks like we have a little prima donna on our hands!

The second trimester so far has been a constant pain in the neck... literally! I've had a stiff neck for about 3 weeks! It's been improving, so I have a greater range of movement in my neck now, but it's still sore and spasms if I'm not careful. I also had a 2 week long headache, have irregular heartbeats and had a nocturnal leg cramp in each leg a couple of weeks ago - yes, the ones that wake you up in the middle of the night thinking you've been stabbed in the calf! It was sore for days!

On the plus side, the nauseau has greatly improved and I've been blessed w/ more energy, although it's usually short-lived. Only trouble now is that I have a cold and I can't take anything decent for it!

Complaints aside, we're joyous and I'm more scared than ever! Jeff's been working hard getting the office renovations done, now onto the nursery!

Watson Loves His Corn.

2010-09-04T16:07:00.004-04:00

Watson never ever begs at the table, UNLESS we're eating corn. Corn on the cob, canned corn, steamed frozen corn...

And with the begging at the table comes a failure for me to say no when he's being so cute. I'm such an enabler!

Baby Making is Hard Work!

2010-08-11T18:11:00.010-04:00

Jeff and I saw the most amazing thing today - a little creature wiggling it's booty at us during an ultrasound... what a trip! We also caught a glimpse of its beating heart. (Wish they offered video footage!) We are ecstatic, scared, eager, in awe and everything in between.

I'd love to do an elaborate post about the 12 week journey up until this point, but frankly, I'm exhausted. I've heard and read that fatigue is a common symptom of pregnancy in the first trimester, but what I'm experiencing is above and beyond fatigue. They should come up with a new word that expresses 'exceedingly more than exhausted to the point one is non-functional what-so-ever, but not quite in a coma especially after eating'. Anyhow, fatigue aside, I'm thanking my lucky stars that my nausea stops at that annoying queasy feeling, rather than the vomiting so many other women experience.

We're sorry to all our friends and family that we've been hermits for the past couple of months. It's been an interesting journey of telling myself that it's okay to sleep for 12 hours a day. Thank you Jeff, for picking up the slack around the house - XOxo.

Airport oopsie reinacted by Lego...

2010-06-18T14:44:00.000-04:00

(PS. The driver is not Jeff.)

This is in tribute to Jeff's last day at the FBO!

Weddings

2010-05-26T20:46:00.012-04:00

Our friends aka neighbours tied the knot this weekend and I was honoured to be asked to photograph their wedding. It was an intimate affair, but definitely challenging and exhausting with their 2 children & co. scampering about. It was my first wedding request, so I don't really have anything to compare it to although I can say it was more exhausting than photographing a gaggle of 4 year olds hyper on birthday cake.

Going in I felt I was prepared with enough batteries and memory to last me a week of continuous shooting. My good friend Xrays even loaned me his flash so I'd be prepared for shooting in the dim lighting of the chapel. It wasn't until one of the guests had asked me if any of my memory cards have ever failed that I started to panic.

This is how one turns on the lights in
the Old Mill's chapel... blow torch in hand.

Sweet and simple.

Lorne was tricked-out in his kilt,
so naturally one needs a piper too!

I'm counting my lucky stars that everything went just peachy.

Bird Watchin'

2010-03-29T22:34:00.006-04:00

I took these while visiting the in-laws last weekend. A nice reprieve in Muskoka, away from the stresses of the city. Perhaps the photos are little boring, but I had fun stalking this little grey-jay.

I'm not totally sure what it was trying to tell me. Perhaps he was signaling a left turn?

This little chickadee wanted in on the action too...

Kids these days!

2010-02-25T22:30:00.008-05:00

Literally speaking - I've taken a lot of photos of kids these days! In 2010 alone; Remy, Gryphon and Skye. I'm not fond of posting photos of the wee ones so publicly, so here are photos of their pets and of chocolate cake!

Echo belongs to Remy.
Moshi belongs to Gryphon.
And chocolate cake belongs to Skye.

I wonder what Darwin would say...

2010-02-01T21:57:00.002-05:00

I had to get Jeff to pull over while I took this photo of Grenadier Pond in High Park last weekend.

Sinus Cold FTL

2009-12-14T21:54:00.010-05:00

My sinus cold is so terrible, that it warranted a post. I've had it for a week now and it'll apparently be with me for another two weeks. Thank goodness for NyQuil Sinus. =)

On a lighter note...

..."Gee Shamus, those robots really bring out the gold in your eyes."

@-'--,--

2009-11-08T22:03:00.003-05:00

I don't get flowers very often, likely because I usually give Jeff heck for buying me something so impractical and expensive. I'm learning to keep my mouth shut, lol.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T11:59:00.004-04:00

Jeff participated in the Toronto Zombie Walk last weekend...

This last photo was posted on the Toronto Zombie Walk Event Site on Facebook by Brian Watts; me as fodder...

Happy Halloween!

What Now?

2009-10-27T21:26:00.010-04:00

262 posts containing 281 photos between Oct. 24, 2008 to Oct. 23, 2009. Ok, so not quite a photo-a-day as I had originally planned, but it was quite the try!

I'll continue to post nonsense for now, but "Photo-A-Day Randomness" has come to an end. Thanks for checking in. Xo.

Photo: Watson (Toronto, 2008)

Smallest House Ever!

2009-10-23T23:28:00.002-04:00

Photo: Ok, so it's not really a house, but it's between the driveway and the river at my in-laws'. It's a pool house in the summer and a shack to lace up your ice skates in the winter. You can't see it for all the fog, but the river is just beyond the trees and B sets up the rink to the left of the tree in foreground. (Toronto, 2009)

Coca-Cola Kitty

2009-10-21T21:08:00.001-04:00

Photo: What cat doesn't like a good box? (Toronto, 2006)

Frak

2009-10-20T21:42:00.018-04:00

Is it the weekend yet? It's not even Wednesday and I'm already feeling like I'm going to have a freak-out at work.

Photo: My department had their Christmas party at the Drake one year and this was one of the hors d'oeuvres served. It felt wrong eating creme brulee with a wooden chip truck spork. (Toronto, 2007)

Farewell Sweet Moon Eyes

2009-10-18T14:43:00.005-04:00

Photos: 6-photo series of J on his XJ550 cafe racer. The bike has a prospective buyer and then Jeff starts working on a bobber over the winter. (Toronto, 2009)

Feeling the Breeze

2009-10-14T21:23:00.002-04:00

Photo: Shamus hogging the open window. His head isn't tilted towards the camera quite enough for a good profile shot, but I've always liked natural light for portraits and it's hitting his chest quite nicely. (Toronto, 2007)

Content to be... In Your Face!

2009-10-13T19:46:00.007-04:00

Photo: Watson has these quirky ways of spending time w/ me when I'm on my computer. The physical contact seems to be very comforting to him - I often set him in a box right beside me on the desk, but that's not usually enough. When J and I are hanging out on the couch, he'll lay across one one of us and he'll extend a paw out to the other so he can be touching the both of us at the same time - not easy to get a photo of. (Toronto, 2006)

Wear a scarf!

2009-10-12T20:55:00.003-04:00

It's cold out there! Wear a scarf!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Photo: If you remember me telling you that I've knitted a scarf before, this is the one! It was meant for Watson, but he wanted nothing to do with it. Our Colonel Sanders coin bank adopted it which worked out because it suits him better anyway. I was just learning to knit at the time and if I remember correctly, it has two or three difference knit patterns on it. I haven't knitted since. (Toronto, 2006)

V Dub

2009-10-11T00:57:00.001-04:00

Photo: I can't take the credit for this one, I'm pretty sure J took this one and treated it w/ some Photoshop TLC. I miss our little Golf. (Toronto, 2005)

His Biscuits

2009-10-09T21:50:00.003-04:00

Photo: My sister-in-law's Hibiscus tree bloomed quite nicely during the summer of 2004, though it didn't quite last past the first summer. My next tattoo should be a hibiscus I think; perhaps a Rose of Sharon? It's the national flower of South Korea and I do love my roses! (Gravenhurst, 2004)

Autumn

2009-10-08T20:39:00.005-04:00

Photo: Off the in-laws' dock. Reminds me of when my father used to take the family on road trips in the fall to see the mother nature at work. (Fraserburg, 2004)

Sun Bathing

2009-10-05T22:25:00.001-04:00

Photo: I can't even begin to imagine how hot this polar bear was that day. Referencing some other photos, I was wearing capris and a short sleeve shirt! I wish it were still summer. (Metro Toronto Zoo, 2004)

Weeping Willow

2009-10-04T13:05:00.002-04:00

Photo: The Willow Tree is my most favorite tree and this ideal location of one looking over a pond in Stanley Park gets my stamp of approval. (Vancouver, 2003)

Prrr... meow!

2009-10-03T19:03:00.001-04:00

Photo: Bow-chicka-wow-wow... Watson the Kitty Pr0n Star. Another photo taken before my X-700 film SLR went all broken on me. (Toronto, 2003)

Blahs

2009-10-02T18:13:00.002-04:00

The weather has gotten crummy and I'm already in hibernate mode even though I don't want to be.

Photo: The days of fields-of-green-grass are over. (Vancouver, 2003)

So Tired

2009-10-01T22:33:00.007-04:00

I was hoping to check-out Rcade's work at tonight's Pop Up Print Shop opening reception, but I'm beat. I walked from work to Bloor & Christie and lugged home a bunch of Korean groceries on the TTC (J was at work all evening). After feeling guilty that I hadn't cooked anything in a while, I put together the ingredients for beef stew - trying out the slow cooker method - while juggling some dinner for myself and that cats. Then came the clean-up... glad it's all over, but no time for fun. I'd better have the perfect stew when I wake up in the morning!

Photo: Lovely bouquet of miniature flowers. (Vancouver, 2003)

Brrr...

2009-09-30T22:31:00.003-04:00

Nearly froze my fingers off wearing my leather gloves to and from work today. Need to invest in some snow mobile mitts!

Photo: Our friend O taking a photo of me at a Toronto BBR Get Together (BBR was an Unreal Tournament clan generally situated in and around Vancouver, BC). This photo was taken when my Minolta x-700 film SLR was still in good working order. (2003)

The Ex

2009-09-26T11:34:00.002-04:00

Photo: I love this panel from the haunted house at the Ex. (Toronto, 2009)

Bass Lake

2009-09-23T20:55:00.005-04:00

Photos: The wildlife at Bass Lake Provincial Park just outside of Orillia isn't so "wild". This tame pair let me get within 2 feet of them while other ducks got chased away. We were also visited by a skunk the night before, but he didn't seem so bothered by people either. (Orillia, 2009)

Lost & Found

2009-09-21T21:00:00.012-04:00

Photo: J found this cute little pup wandering our street back in August. Luckily we had a fenced in front yard to wrangle him into - we figured someone would come looking for him soon. When our neighbour came to collect him, she admitted it took her family a couple of hours of settling in after grocery shopping before they even realized he had gone missing, lol. What an adorable guy, though he had a most irritating bark! (Toronto, 2009)

Wicker Tree

2009-09-17T22:52:00.002-04:00

Photo: Our cats love this wicker tree that we installed for them in our living room. Personally, I can't stand wicker furniture, but this piece was too cool to pass up. Our cats are spoiled. (Toronto, 2009)

NPS50

2009-09-16T21:34:00.009-04:00

Photo: It's a 2003 Honda Ruckus NPS50 and it's what I've be riding around town this summer. I purchased it from an extremely friendly guy from just east of Oshawa; he even delivered it to Toronto for free and lowered the price - he just wanted to make sure it went to a good home... awww! If I remember the story correctly, his son races for Honda and Honda gave him this Ruckus as a pit bike, so it came w/ very low mileage.

It's been described as the scooter for the "urban warrior", but it's only 50cc and goes at a snails pace - I still love it. I've come to realize that I'm a bit of a speed demon and the forced slow speeds is probably a blessing - saving me from speeding tickets, or worse, an accident.

There's tons I want to do to improve the acceleration, top speed, general performance and appearance of the bike, but once you start tinkering, the greater the chances it stops working properly. To be honest, I've already spent too much on putting her on the road and I've run out of cash! My motto for now... "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" (Toronto, 2009)

I don't remember where I got this photo from, but this photo along with these photos, is something I keep tucked away for inspiration.

Kajama: Fin

2009-09-14T22:24:00.001-04:00

Photo: Buoy that was fun! *groan* (Toronto, 2009)

Kajama: Headed for Land

2009-09-13T13:16:00.001-04:00

Photo: What goes up, must come down. (Toronto, 2009)

Kajama: Lovely View

2009-09-12T13:46:00.002-04:00

I've been slacking-off w/ the photos, I know. I've been dreading having to go through my collection to find another month's worth :|

Photo: Another photo of our city's lovely waterfront. (Toronto, 2009)

Kajama: Silouette

2009-09-09T20:31:00.003-04:00

Turns out I now suffer from seasonal allergies... sux.

Photo: After weeks of just theory and developing photograms, our first project in Photo 101 was silhouette photography. Now, every time I take a silhouette photo, it takes me back to the days when I knew my way around a dark room. (Toronto, ON)

Kajama: Bowsprit

2009-09-07T13:27:00.003-04:00

I'm suffering a summer cold and the congestion is making me go a little nutty; Facebook is acting up on me and this morning it actually had me convinced that today was Sept.1st. Hope everyone else is having a great Labour Day holiday. =)

Photo: This is my favorite photo from this collection and I had to Google "schooner diagram" to find out what this part of the schooner was called: bowsprit! (Toronto, 2009)

Kajama: Rope and then some.

2009-09-05T08:12:00.003-04:00

Re: Taxi Cab Drivers - If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all.

Photo: The rope is endless! (Toronto, 2009)

Kajama: More Rope

2009-09-03T19:44:00.000-04:00

Photo: Really BIG rope. (Toronto, 2009)

Kajama: Rope

2009-09-01T23:10:00.003-04:00

Hello September! Good riddance to a soggy summer.

Photo: Boat rope. (Toronto, 2009)

Kajama: 3D v2.0

2009-08-31T21:21:00.001-04:00

Goodbye August.

Photo: This one would kick-ass in 3D too! (Toronto, 2009)

Kajama: Heavy machinery.

2009-08-30T12:55:00.000-04:00

Photo: I would love to have this as a center-piece in my living room. (Toronto, 2009)

Kajama: Bombs away!

2009-08-29T21:07:00.004-04:00

Photo: Pffft... we had to wait for the silly little boat across the way to continue its journey before the Kajama fired its canon. I guess it would have been anti-social of me to yell, "Sink it!". (Toronto, 2009)

Kajama: The View

2009-08-27T21:30:00.002-04:00

Photo: Toronto, 2009. Nuff said.

Kajama: 3D

2009-08-26T22:15:00.002-04:00

Photo: It would be cool if I could figure out how to turn this into a 3D photo just for an excuse to send all my friends those cool blue & red 3D glasses! (Toronto, 2009)

Kajama: Pajama

2009-08-25T19:00:00.003-04:00

Photo: Behind me, in this photo, is the schooner Kajama that departs Toronto's Queens Quay for willing tourists. J and I toured the channel in this beautiful craft one afternoon for our 11th wedding anniversary. Our trips can't be as extravagant as Las Vegas every year! (Toronto, 2009)

Caught Off Guard

2009-08-24T23:15:00.003-04:00

Photo: This pose of Sandy, the camera shy dog, didn't last very long. (Bracebridge, 2009)

Only a couple left...

2009-08-22T08:25:00.003-04:00

A couple of what you ask? A couple of summer weekends. The Ex started yesterday which marks the beginning of the end. With the wet summer we've had so far, some have let the summer slip by and seem to be scrambling to get some vacationing in before September.

Photo: Sandy, on the other hand, is content just watching the world pass him by. I think I've mentioned how camera-shy Sandy is, so I was able to get this nice photo of him as he napped. (Bracebridge, 2009)

Quite the Weather

2009-08-20T21:23:00.006-04:00

Gotta have respect for Mother Nature... tonight's storm was a trip! As the rain was going sideways, 3 cyclist were stuck in front of our house while one was trying to get his chain back on his bike... what horrible timing. We offered them shelter on our covered porch while the storm passed. I gave them each towels, but it was almost pointless since they were soaked to the bone. I hear a tornado touched down in Markham.

Photo: The total opposite of what Watson was doing during tonight's storm. He was racing up and down the stairs and I couldn't tell what was upsetting him more; the crazy thunder and lightening, or the fact that there were 3 strangers on our front porch! (Toronto, 2009)

NYC: Fin

2009-08-18T21:37:00.002-04:00

Photo: This corsage - floral arrangements were compliments of my cousins, E and her husband R - concludes the photos from our trip to New York City for my brother's Central Park wedding. I just wish my shoes didn't hurt my feet so much that day so I could better appreciate my surroundings... I've been to NYC about a half dozen times and that was my first time venturing into Central Park. Oh well, guess we're just going to have to do the trip again! (Manhattan, 2009)

NYC: Ruckus Gang

2009-08-15T21:21:00.016-04:00

Photo: Check out the beautiful pinstripe detailing and artwork on this Honda Ruckus. The owner of this fine mode of transportation, who worked in one of the tattoo shops on St. Marks in the East Village, noticed that J and I were admiring it so we chatted with him for a bit. If I lived in NYC, he offered that I could be the leader of his ruckus gang since I had the oldest model, lol. J asked why none of the parked motorcycles had plates on them, and as suspected, stolen motorcycle plates are in high demand there... who knew? (Manhattan, 2009)

NYC: Photo-Documenting a Photo-Documenter.

2009-08-12T20:51:00.003-04:00

Photo: Here's W recording a historical event. One of the very many guest photographers at my brother's wedding - another one to add to my Event Photographer Series. (Manhattan, 2009)

NYC: I Love Weddings

2009-08-11T22:22:00.006-04:00

I wish I could bottle my memories like in Harry Potter so I could show you all the asshole taxi cab driver that had a road-rage-lite fit on me from Ossington & Harbord all the way to University & College. I apparently wasn't cutting off cars fast enough for him on my scooter, because cutting off cars is a safe thing to do on two wheels. (Insert sarcastic rolley-eyes here.) Boy, was he pissed when I passed him... twice!

Switching gears to happy thoughts...

Photo: My new sister-in-law and her entourage on her wedding day in Central Park! (Manhattan, 2009)

NYC: Didn't you know?

2009-08-10T19:33:00.001-04:00

Photo: J's on a first name basis with Chewbacca, New York's friendly neighbourhood wookie. (Manhattan, 2009)

NYC: This is why I love New York...

2009-08-09T00:41:00.001-04:00

Photo: Those ARE storm troopers I see! (Manhattan, 2009)

NYC: Only in New York City

2009-08-08T00:40:00.001-04:00

Photo: Are those storm troopers I see? (Manhattan, 2009)

NYC: Brunch

2009-08-07T23:34:00.002-04:00

Photo: Brunch at Le Pain Quotidien, across from Bryant Park. (Manhattan, 2009)

NYC: The Algonquin Hotel

2009-08-06T20:21:00.006-04:00

Photo: Matilda, the Algonquin Cat, lounging w/ the luggage trolleys. (Manhattan, 2009)

NYC: MET

2009-08-04T21:19:00.001-04:00

Photo: One of the many installations at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Manhattan, 2009)

NYC: Gotham

2009-08-03T20:03:00.005-04:00

Photo: We were sitting in Bryant Park enjoying a cold beverage on a humid day, when just over the trees I spotted this beautiful building. Gotham City immediately came to mind, but it's the Bryant Park Hotel. (Manhattan, 2009)

NYC: Hot in the City...

2009-08-02T00:27:00.003-04:00

...but not too hot! Couldn't have asked for a nicer Saturday. =)

Photo: Bryant Park. (Manhattan, 2009)

Interspecies Luvin'

2009-08-01T08:54:00.004-04:00

Photo: Caught in the act! Look at the guilt on Sandy's face! Molly and Sandy enjoying each others company... bow-chicka-wow-wow. (Bracebridge, ON 2009)

Happy Dog

2009-07-30T01:20:00.003-04:00

Photo: Sandy just isn't the type of dog that will let you take a photo of him. As soon as he notices a camera aimed his way, he gives you this look like he's being scolded. Even if he's in the most comfy position that a dog could ask for, he'd get up and simply walk away. This photo was secretly taken from the waist. (Bracebridge, ON 2009)

Sigh

2009-07-28T22:01:00.005-04:00

The lack of spending money is raining on my parade. I was pretty close to not posting today due to my miserable mood this evening.

Photo: Shamus (Toronto, 2009)

Portraits by Preference

2009-07-27T10:20:00.001-04:00

You wouldn't think it after browsing my blog, but people are my favorite subjects for photographing. I love capturing that quintessential moment in someone's expression that just sums up who they are or what they're feeling at the time. The only thing that keeps me from posting photos of my friends and family, with some exception, is simply because this is a very public blog. Besides, people photos are only interesting if you know the person or people in the photo. The only exception is if the subject is very interesting and with the desensitization of today's society, the awe factor has to be huge, so I won't bore you. To compensate for the lack of people portraits on my blog, I still have a lot of cat portraits to show you, lol!

Photo: Shamus! (Toronto, 2009)

Good Morning?

2009-07-26T08:09:00.003-04:00

Like Bruce Banner is cursed to walked this world as the Hulk, I think I'm cursed to never be able to sleep past 8am.

Photo: The morning after my in-laws spent the nite, aka the morning of my birthday, this guy shows up in front of my house pretending he and his shopping cart are a parallel parked car. I wasn't really that embarrassed - living in Parkdale for a year over a decade ago plus working with psychiatrists and social workers slowly desensitizes one to this sort of thing - my in-laws on the other hand are from a rural area 2 hours north of here and they don't get this kind of entertainment where they're from. I saw him again a couple of weeks ago down the block. (Toronto, 2009)

Bromance

2009-07-25T10:46:00.003-04:00

Photo: Watson & Shamus bromance. (Toronto, 2009)

Drumroll please...

2009-07-23T20:49:00.004-04:00

Photo: ...and presenting, the long anticipated unveiling of Mr. Jasper Mittens! Jasper aka Mr. Mittens, depending on if you're talking to my brother or his wife, is a polydactyl 2-tone tabby kitten that they adopted earlier this year. He's so cool and laid back and he loves chillin' w/ J. (Toronto,2009)

Mew.

2009-07-22T18:40:00.002-04:00

Photo: I just can't get over how cute my cats are. (Toronto, 2009)

Vegas: Last One

2009-07-20T20:57:00.002-04:00

So this concludes our trip to Vegas. Hope you enjoyed the photos!

Photo: Beyond the chocolate fountain there's a quiet corridor to eat your icecream... or take photos of a lovely display of flowers. (The Bellagio, Las Vegas, 2009)

Vegas: On w/ the flowers...

2009-07-19T09:56:00.002-04:00

Photo: I can't completely recall if this flower was part of the conservatory, or if it was in the little strip of shops near the world's larges chocolate fountain by Jean-Philippe. (The Bellagio, Las Vegas, 2009)

Vegas: Secret Garden

2009-07-18T09:55:00.002-04:00

Photo: I secretly want this garden for my backyard. (The Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Las Vegas, 2009)

Vegas: Shiny Happy People

2009-07-17T22:02:00.011-04:00

Shiny happy people laughing. Meet me in the crowd. People people. Throw your love around. Love me love me. Take it into town. Happy happy. Put it in the ground. Where the flowers grow. Gold and silver shine. Shiny happy people holding hands. Shiny happy people laughing. Everyone around love them, love them. Put it in your hands. Take it take it. There's no time to cry. Happy happy. Put it in your heart. Where tomorrow shines. Gold and silver shine. Shiny happy people holding hands. Shiny happy people laughing. ~R.E.M.

Photos: These flowers are happy to see you! In a creepy way! (The Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Las Vegas, 2009)

Vegas: Anyone?

2009-07-16T18:10:00.000-04:00

Photo: Anyone know what these flowers are called? (The Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Las Vegas, 2009)

Vegas: And more...

2009-07-15T20:38:00.001-04:00

Photo: A clump of yellow in a sea of red and green. Not the most exciting photo, but I wanted to show a wider view of the flowers in the previous post. They were everywhere, almost overdone. (The Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Las Vegas, 2009)

Vegas: More at the Conservatory....

2009-07-14T21:21:00.000-04:00

Alright... enough w/ the dim photos. The next few will be nice and bright!

Photo: I didn't realize until the day I took this photo that my fish-eye lens comes apart and gives me a macros lens... love it! It was like getting a gift all over again! (The Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Las Vegas, 2009)

Vegas: The Bellagio C & BG

2009-07-13T20:20:00.009-04:00

Shamus has scratched the hell out of my back trying to jump off in a panic this evening. Now I have 16 sexy little puncture wounds to show off when I wear a tank top.

Photo: The tribute to the Lunar "Chinese" New Year was very elaborate and the hedges in the shape of panda bears at the base of this display was a nice touch. However, my only criticism is that everything looked so temporary - I guess I'm just so used to our local conservatories where things haven't moved in decades. The pandas were very cute, but not photogenic. (The Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Las Vegas, 2009)

Vegas: Eiffel Tower-lite

2009-07-12T10:44:00.001-04:00

Photo: Paris Las Vegas, 2009.

Vegas: Flamingo

2009-07-11T07:16:00.004-04:00

Photo: Drive-by Photo-shooting from The Deuce on an overcast day. (Las Vegas, 2009)

Vegas: Missing

2009-07-10T18:51:00.002-04:00

Photo: Lost - 1 golden arch. (Las Vegas, 2009)

Vegas: The Palms

2009-07-08T18:52:00.004-04:00

Photo: I love palm trees, especially in February because then I know I'm for sure somewhere warmer than Toronto. That pedestrian bridge in the background belongs to the Venetian. (Las Vegas, 2009)

Vegas: Ta-da!

2009-07-07T16:25:00.015-04:00

Aside from being a most awesome husband, this is the most flattering thing anyone has ever done for me... I'm honoured.
xo.

Photos: Jeff sketched out what he wanted beforehand, took it in to Starlight one afternoon, Jason worked on the artwork that evening and then Jeff got tattooed the next morning - all w/in 24 hours. (Las Vegas, 2009)

Vegas: Time for a new tattoo.

2009-07-06T22:20:00.006-04:00

It's not that I couldn't handle the pain, it's more that I don't want to have to handle the pain, lol.

Photo: A very talented Jason Tritten working out of Starlight Tattoo, Mandalay Bay. (Las Vegas, 2009)

Vegas: Meandering

2009-07-05T08:55:00.004-04:00

I like the word meandering, it's suits its description well.

Photo: The flight back to Boulder City was more direct - as the crow flies. I think that's part of Lake Mead just below the horizon. (Lake Mead National Recreational Area, 2009).

Vegas: Wildlife

2009-07-04T07:34:00.001-04:00

Happy 4th of July!

Photo: Chipmunk looking for lunch scraps. (Grand Canyon Reserve, 2009)

Vegas: Wide Angle

2009-07-03T22:47:00.003-04:00

Photo: Another little cactus. This one through the eye of a fish. (Grand Canyon Reserve, 2009)

Vegas: Canada Day Special!

2009-07-02T21:09:00.010-04:00

Three photos to make up for missing Canada Day!

Photos: Well, I could have stitched the photos together for a nice panoramic, but I felt each photo told it's own story. We didn't know until we landed, but the helicopter tour company we went with boasts a landing closest to the water. The tour companies pay landing fees to the reserve, hence the higher cost for lunch-in-the-canyon packages. Aside from the pilot's time, the low key lunch definitely wasn't what made it cost more. But I'm not going to complain, we were upgraded to this package for free because another couple didn't show. Our original package was just an air only tour. (Grand Canyon Reserve, 2009)

Vegas: All American

2009-06-30T20:18:00.001-04:00

Photo: Check out our transportation! Nothing says USA like the American flag plastered on the side of a helicopter! (Grand Canyon Reserve, 2009)

Vegas: Miniature wild cacti are freakin' adorable!

2009-06-29T06:49:00.020-04:00

Today is your lucky day! I'm feeling generous today and am posting 2 photos!

Photo: After landing for lunch in the Grand Canyon and quickly surveying the area, this prickly and perfectly round cactus was the first thing I took a photo of. I'd never seen a cactus growing in the wild before, just those little potted ones at the grocery store or maybe larger ones at the doctor's office or mall - at best, some strategically placed ones in people's gardens in Florida. (Grand Canyon Reserve, 2009)

At first glance of the first photo, someone said the cactus looked huge. Does it really look huge? The photo below is of the same cactus...

Photo: It's just a wee one! Even so, still bigger than the ones at the grocery store. I'm assuming that the needles on top still need to mature so they're not prickly yet, more bristly. (Grand Canyon Reserve, 2009)

Vegas: Are we there yet?

2009-06-28T05:03:00.002-04:00

Why they hell am I up at 5am on a Sunday morning?

Photo: Entering the Grand Canyon National Park, 2009.

Vegas: Front Row Seat

2009-06-27T10:31:00.002-04:00

Photos: Somewhere between Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon, 2009.