Thursday, January 5, 2012

Paws, Wheels, Wings and Other Things

I've been remiss at visiting blogs over the past couple of weeks - something I hope to remedy soon. Until then, I have a few random images to share - taken over the past several weeks.


skittlesplease
Shortly before Christmas, I received a couple of gifts in the mail, as mentioned in this post. My ever-curious Skittles had to know what I was unwrapping. Here he is in the kitchen, back paws on the floor. Front paws resting on the oven door. Big eyes on mine. Gotta love that cat - and I do.



car leaves
Back when the leaves were still falling, my neighbour's little boy abandoned his toy truck in my driveway. I thought it looked cute parked among the autumn leaves.




Sparrow seed
Speaking of cute, this little sparrow was enjoying his afternoon nibbles atop a fence in the park.



fuzzy and wet
Also seen in the park, the delicate hairs of this fuzzy branch glistened with post-rain moisture.



marbles
This tiny bag of marbles was the prize found inside my son's Christmas cracker.



sunset drive
Driving off into the sunset which always comes too early in winter.


I hope you enjoyed the photos. I should have more for you in a few days and hopefully, I'll be by to visit before then.

74 comments:

Ruby said...

All the pictures are excellent. The shades and the lights are so beautiful!!

Mimi said...

Gorgeous photos!
You have the art of seeing the beautiful in the ordinary, and thank you for capturing it and sharing it with us.

Gary's third pottery blog said...

SKITTLES baby! More Skittles in 2012 :)

Ruth Hiebert said...

I enjoy seeing your creativity. Seeing something worth photographing in almost anything. Have a great day.

DJan said...

I always love your lighting. It's the key to your beautiful pictures, and I am striving to find a way to get the same effects.

Brian Miller said...

nice...love the firs pic of skittles...def great lighting in that...and the truck made me smile...reminds me of my yard...

Anonymous said...

the fuzzy branch makes me swoon <3

Daryl said...

Skittles and Jack have that pose in common .. Jack accompanies his with loud vocalizing on how slowly I am responding to his demands for MORE or I am opening anything he thinks might interest him.

And I just noticed you spelling 'meager' (in the title of your last post) oddly ..

CiCi said...

Sunset does seem to come too early in winter. It doesn't get light until 7:30 in the morning here and yet it gets dark around 4:30. Have to get in as much day light activities as possible now.

I absolutely love the picture of the cat. I have been yearning for a cat lately and every time I see a sweet cat photo I melt.

Anonymous said...

Lovely shots - the light in the first one is gorgeous.

Suldog said...

You take the best cat photos ever (which shouldn't be surprising to anyone, as you take the best photos, period.) Really - the detail is superb. The sharpness of focus on the whiskers and eyes, and the softness of the paws and background. Truly wonderful.

L. D. said...

I really appreciate your photography. It is all very good and fun to see. I like seeing the little scenes of trucks and marbles. The cat is wonderful.

Anyes said...

Short of being a tree yourself, I always wonder how you photograph your birds. They are stunning :-)

ellen abbott said...

Little stories, all.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pictures. We have recently got a kitten so I'm currently very much into cats!!

CJ x

Sage said...

I love the cat photo--reminds me of my old cat, whose been gone now for 11, almost 12 years.

Dan said...

Love the peach fuzz on the branch. :)

Kerri Farley said...

Kitty steals the show! What a beauty!

TexWisGirl said...

the photo of your cat is GORGEOUS!!! perfectly beautiful! :)

stephen Hayes said...

I'm not too much of a cat person but your picture of Skittles should be on a calendar. It's really beautiful. What a character.

Out on the prairie said...

I stopped a number of times looking for that sunset shot yesterday.

messymimi said...

The toy truck, if you look at it right, seems to be full size, but in a land of giant trees.

At least your son knows where his marbles are -- i lost mine years ago.:)

Rosaria Williams said...

OHHHHHHH!
What's not to love here?

photowannabe said...

Always fun to see what you post Hilary.
The branch with the fuzzy little hairs is stunning.
I love how you think about photos.
Happy New Year. May 2012 be the best one yet.

Anita said...

All great shots. Skittle is my favorite.

Thanks for linking to the Christmas cracker. Don't know how I got to be this old without knowing what it is. :)

Anita said...

ps. My memory is back. I have seen these at a few kiddie parties. :)

Redbush said...

Thanks for the wonderful photos! You really captured Skittles at his best! Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

Yes, I did enjoy them! I tried to pick a favorite, but couldn't. :)

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

What Suldog said...Amen! You haven't mentioned Zephyr lately. Is he doing all right? I know he had some health issues there for awhile. I loved the bag of marbles, too. There's just something about marbles.

Pauline said...

Oh, that cat!

Barb said...

Happy 2012, Hillary! Skittles has BIG eyes. I've seen marble photos lately and have an itch to photograph my old ones (which I used to play with). Thanks for the inspiration.

yaya said...

I always enjoy your photography..you make the everyday, simple things in life just pop!

Gail Dixon said...

Finally back from my blog break! So nice to reconnect and see my buddies faithfully posting. These photos are unique and wonderful in their own way. Well done!

Reena said...

So agree ... these days are too short! Always enjoy seeing the world through your eyes.

Red said...

Quite interesting that you have such a wide variety of topics in these photos...all well done. You bet I enjoyed them.

ADRIAN said...

A very good set.....the first and the truck are special.

Glo said...

A delightful display of your photographic genius!

Shrinky said...

That is an esquisite portrait of Skittles, utterly purrfect!

Indrani said...

Yes I enjoyed the photos.
Great captures.

Liz Mays said...

I enjoyed them so much. I always, always do!

Anonymous said...

I love how you always find the beauty in the small things that get overlooked by most people. And Skittles portrait should be hung on a wall!

Hilary said...

• Ruby, thank you so kindly. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. :)

• Mimi, you're too kind and I thank you for that. :)

• Gary, I'll aim for more Skitty. And Zephyr too. And of course, Benny. :)

• Ruth, thanks very kindly. I feel the same way bout yours. :)

• DJan, thank you. I got lucky with the Skitty shot. The only light I had was the small bulb above the stove but he stood right beneath it. :)

• Thanks, Brian. It's been a while since toys have been strewn across my yard - except of course, for Benny's toys. ;)

• Christine, I'm glad you like it. Frank pointed out that it's like the fuzz on deer antlers. :)

• Daryl, Skitty rarely stands like that but he could probably smell the yummy cookies inside the package and just had to be a part of the unveiling. As for "meagre," we Canadians are funny that way. We also go to the "theatre." Go figure. ;)

• Cici, the sunsets also tend to happen really quickly - unlike the slow, lingering changes in summer skies. I suspect that the right, heart-melting cat might just find you, one day. :)

• Lady Fi, thank you kindly. :)

• Jim, thank you. I love that the Suldog has such a fondness for cats. I'll have to work on getting more feline photos, this year. With twice as many cats as dogs, that shouldn't be too difficult. ;)

• Thanks kindly, Larry. I'm pleased to know that you enjoy my photos. :)

• Anyes, I go out on a limb. ;) Thanks for your kind words. They're very much appreciated. :)

• Ellen, that's the essence of photography. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• CJ, kittens are such day-brighteners. Enjoy your new baby. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Thanks, Jeff. I have a couple of old girls that I remember fondly from way back when, also. :)

• Thanks, Daniel. It tickled my fancy, too. :)

• Thanks, Kerri. I'm mighty fond of the little beastie. :)

• Thanks, Tex. He walks around looking like that all the time. ;)

• Thank you, Stephen. Skitty could make a cat person out of you. He has so much character, you'd think he's part dog. ;) Just about everyone who gets to know him kind of falls for him. You'd be putty in his paws. ;)

• Steve, who knew it was lurking up here in Canada? ;)

Hilary said...

• MessyMimi, you made me laugh with that line. And I like your land of the giants perspective. :)

• Thanks kindly, Rosaria. I'm glad you approve. :)

• Thank you, Sue. I just happened to take a few more shots of hairy branches today. ;)

• Ah, Anita. I knew you'd know what they are. ;) Thanks for the visit. :)

• Thanks, Redbush. He makes it easy for me. He's always at his best. :)

• Thank you, DS. :)

• Thanks, Barbara. No need to pick a favourite. I'm just glad you enjoyed them. :)

• Thank you, Linda. Zephyr is doing just fine, thanks. He's just a much less sociable cat than Skitty, so my camera doesn't seek him out as readily. He's my great, big hunk of purring affection though and I'll try to snap a few of him soon. Marbles are great as long as we're not losing them, like MessyMimi so cleverly stated. :)

• You'd love him, Pauline. :)

• And to you and yours, Barb. I look forward to seeing your marble photos. :)

• Yaya, thank you kindly. I hope to pop over to your fine blog, soon. :)

• Welcome back, Gail. So nice to see you in circulation again. Thanks always for your kind words. :)

• Thanks, Reena. Always happy to see you drop by. :)

• Glad to hear it, Red. Thanks for that. :)

• Thank you, Adrian. :)

• I thank you kindly, Glo. :)

• Much appreciated, Shrinky. I am amewsed. ;)

• Thanks very much, Indrani. :)

• Thank you, Liz. I'm glad to hear it. :)

• Jillsy, thank you so much. Your kind words are much appreciated. :)

Kat said...

You have such a keen eye. I love the truck in the leaves. :)

Lynne with an e said...

Skittles! I like dogs okay, but really I'm more of a cat person, and your cat is adorable. (I hope Benny can't read).

Lisa said...

The photos are wonderful. I love the Cat. You get the perfect light.
Love the light always

Bob Bushell said...

Those pictures are superb, even the cat, and I don't like them, but, you carry it so beautifully.

Frank Baron said...

Beautiful portrait of Skittelski. Like the marble shot too. Takes me back. I used to have sacks of them, with my best ones kept in that velvety bag Crown Royal whisky comes in.

Scott Law said...

The holidays and end of year sure get busy, and then I think there's a New Year hangover, even for those of us who don't drink.

Linda said...

Happy New Year, Hilary. Love this batch of pictures - most especially Skittles. That is a fantastic picture of him.

Laura said...

beautiful Hilary...that 4th photo of the branch illuminated is amazing!

WritingsForLife said...

Oh my God! my sister's cat looks just like that :-). I almost thought it was her. Tabby cats are gorgeous :-)

I love the sunset image too :-)

Deb said...

I am so glad that I wasn't asked to choose my one favorite photo from this group because I loved them all. You are truly an artist. Thanks for sharing your art with us !

Kappa no He said...

I said it once and I'll say it again, your Skittles looks just like my Whiskey. Love the photos. And the bird with the seed was amazing. You must have a very good telephoto lens. And a very steady hand. ^^

Anonymous said...

I love your Skitty!
Is it bad that we have never had crackers at our holiday tables? I wouldn't have thought to include marbles. Maybe I should click that link and read up on them...

ruma said...

Hello, Hilary.

 I was given many crops from your glorious works.
 We are far distantly each other, but this human interchange has cultural significance.

 Thank you for your heartwarming message and many visit, in this year.
 I thank for your encouragement for Japan.

 Healthy and Happy new years for you and yours.

Close spring, ruma ❀

Reb said...

Love the little truck, and the sunset is beautiful, even if it does come to early in the day at this time of year.

Cheryl Kohan said...

Sweet Skittles...reminds me of our sweet Jane. I miss having a cat.

Kerry said...

Skittles has such lovely eyes. And i really like your shot of the fuzzy branch; I just like the fact that you notice that kind of detail, and then have the ability to photograph it so well.

Joanna Jenkins said...

Hi Hilary, This is a terrific collection of photos. Thank you.

Your cat is so sweet. I've thought a lot lately about getting a cat but there are so many big, scary dogs in our neighborhood that I'm guessing a cat would not be to happy around here. Sigh.

xo jj

Leah J. Utas said...

Lovely. Especially your kitty. So very expressive.

icedgurl said...

hi! thanks for visiting me back...

cheers!
..TREK..

Hilary said...

• Thanks kindly, Kat. Much appreciated. :)

• Louciao, evidently, Benny can read because when I emailed Frank about a really cute JRT that I saw in the park, he told me that Benny was unhappy with me. I've always loved both dogs and cats but only really knew cats until Benny came along. They're all wonderful in their own way. Thanks for you visit. :)

• Lisa, thanks very much. That light was simply the bulb on my stove fan. :)

• Bob, you keep saying that you don't like cats and I keep hoping to win you over. ;) Thanks for the kind comment. :)

• Thanks, Frank. I knew you'd like the Skitty pic. Our velvety Crown Royal bag held Scrabble tiles. :)

• Scott, I think you might just be right about that. Hope yours is a happy one though. :)

• Linda, thank you kindly. Skitty is strutting as I type. ;)

• Thank you, Laura. I thought you might like that one best.. it's so you. :)

• Raajii, thanks very much. I haven't seen too many cats that weren't gorgeous. Thanks for your visit. :)

• Deb, thank you so kindly. Very much appreciated. :)

• Terrie, thank you. I am pretty sure you've mentioned it before. I'd love to see photos of Whiskey. My lens for the bird shot was a 70-300mm, and it helps to keep your elbows close to your sides when shooting. :)

• Karen, I rarely see crackers at the table and they probably wouldn't have been at this gathering if it weren't for the fact that they have young children. Though we all do get a bit of a kick out of them. ;) Those crackers were prepackaged .. not handmade so you never know what you might find in them. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thank you Ruma. You're very kind. Happy New Year to you and yours, also. :)

• Reb, thanks so much. It's early, but getting a bit better every day. :)

• Cheryl, the few short months that I was without cats (before Skittles and Zephyr came along) felt wrong. I hope you share your life with another feline soon. :)

• Kerry, thank you so much for your kind words. They're so appreciated. :)

• Thanks, Joanna. My cats are mostly-indoor cats (though Skitty tends to wander a little bit under mostly-attentive supervision). If you think you could enjoy a cat that doesn't go out, the neighbourhood dogs shouldn't be a problem. And even an outdoor cat learns to show them who's boss, anyway. Thanks for your visit. :)

• Thank you, Leah. He's a great cat. :)

• My pleasure, Icedgurl. :)

VM Sehy Photography said...

Lovely shots. Your cat is adorable.

I also wanted to say thank you for coming by my blog. I have to apologize. I went to publish your comment on my iPhone and hit the delete link instead. Ugh! I tried to recover to no avail. Needless to say I will no longer be publishing from my phone unless I get a stylus. I did go ahead and cut and paste the comment into the post.

My favorite shot from that bunch is the spider and the weevil. Never found out who won that match.

Dianne said...

Skittles is so beautiful, the most amazing eyes
love all your shots of course, I always do but once there's a critter I get sidetracked
It's amazing that you caught the wee bird with food in his mouth

Elizabeth Grimes said...

I love this collection of photos. Your little sparrow is my favorite. :)

Nancy said...

Love the pictures, Hilary. You never fail to immerse me in your photos.

Anvilcloud said...

You take photos like none other.

SandyCarlson said...

Skittles is adorable. Your images are always so much fun, Hilary.

Mage said...

You see things so well. That's all art is, seeing. I think my goal for the year is to see better. Thanks for being here.

Hilary said...

• Thanks very much, VM and no worries about the comment being deleted. But thanks for rescuing it for me. :)

• Dianne, you'd love this cat - he's a true pal to all. Thanks so much for always stopping by. :)

• Elizabeth, thanks kindly. :)

• Thanks so much, Nancy. Much appreciated. :)

• AC, you're too kind. Thank you. :)

• Sandy, thanks for that. :)

• Mage, you make me smile. Thank you so much for such a sweet comment. :)

lime said...

the sparrow looks like it's scolding someone. hehehe. wonderful as always.

Zuzana said...

I love your photography, as it captures moments in an ordinary life, making them extraordinary.;))
xoxo

Hilary said...

• Lime, he kind of does. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thanks, Zuzana. :)