My Life in Pictures...

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T19:12:00.000-08:00

Just a quick shout out to my friend, Gregina, who's 45th birthday is today. Happy Birthday you old hag! Ha ha ha ha!

2007-01-01T16:18:00.000-08:00

On Idaho Blvd, to the right of the fence is the lot. To the left of the fence is the 10 acre lot, which is empty and not for sale.

2007-01-01T16:16:00.000-08:00

On Idaho Blvd, facing the lot. To the right of photo, you can see part of the "house" and also the Facklers' home.

2007-01-01T16:15:00.000-08:00

On Idaho Blvd. It intersects Lower Bluff Rd at the end of the street. You can see the "house" to the left of the road.

2007-01-01T16:11:00.000-08:00

On corner of Lower Bluff and Idaho.

2007-01-01T16:10:00.000-08:00

On Lower Bluff Rd. At the end of the road, it intersects with Idaho Blvd, and that is where the "house" is.

2007-01-01T16:01:00.000-08:00

Standing on Lower Bluff Rd. To the right is the Fackler home. Behind this lot (and the Fackler's home) is the 10 acre lot.

2007-01-01T15:58:00.000-08:00

This is the opposite corner of the lot by the Facklers' house.

Searching for Sola--a letter for you

2006-11-13T08:25:00.000-08:00

Last year's Christmas list, I asked for DPChallengers to help me find a long lost friend whom I met in my first year of college. Her name is Olusola "Sola" Olowude, and I have been actively searching for her online in the past couple of years. We were best friends and inseparable from the day we'd met on the third floor of Turner Hall.

A couple of days ago, I received an email from Sola Adebayo, who asked me if I were the same person from college. Yes, I am most certain of that. I have since responded to your email twice, but I am uncertain whether or not you've received the emails. I know that AOL has a very thorough filtering system. If this is the case, then my emails may have been immediately sent to your junk mail folder.

I hope that you read this. I would love to get in touch with you again. I miss you "Lala" and our friendship. Please email me again and send me your current info so that I can get a hold of you. There are plenty of fun times and memories still to be made!

2006-09-10T14:38:00.000-07:00

Bella Ella

2006-09-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

Close-up please

2006-09-10T14:36:00.000-07:00

Colorful Ella

2006-09-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

Snapshots of Ella

2006-07-09T08:01:00.001-07:00

Filipinas

2006-07-09T08:01:00.000-07:00

Sash 2

2006-07-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Mrs & Little Miss

2006-07-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

Sash 1

2006-07-09T07:58:00.000-07:00

Float 2

2006-07-09T07:57:00.000-07:00

Float 1

2006-07-08T20:32:00.000-07:00

4th of July Parade "Oh Brother"

2006-07-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

4th of July Parade "Madame Butterfly"

2006-07-08T20:25:00.000-07:00

4th of July Parade "Little One"

2006-07-08T20:23:00.000-07:00

4th of July Parade "Butterflies"

2006-07-08T20:21:00.000-07:00

4th of July Parade "American Girl"

2006-07-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

4th of July Parade "Friends"

2006-06-16T21:05:00.000-07:00

Sleeps with butterflies

2006-06-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

A camas field in Northern Idaho

2006-05-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

Twin Falls, Idaho

2006-05-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

My friend Jody

2006-02-14T22:23:00.000-08:00

My sweet nephew

Back from vacation...

2006-02-12T19:37:00.000-08:00

I know; I've been sooo bad about posting. Of course, I didn't think ahead as far as how I would post while on vacation, but in any case, here are some photos for my friend Eric and some new found friends in SLC, UT. It was a blast ski-boarding with you guys!

2006-02-12T19:28:00.000-08:00

Jen gives the camera a big smile...or is that smile meant for someone else? :)

2006-02-12T19:26:00.000-08:00

Johnny give us his "I meant to do that" look.

2006-02-12T19:25:00.001-08:00

Should we help Johnny out?

2006-02-12T19:25:00.000-08:00

Watch out for those....trees, Johnny. Hee hee

2006-02-12T19:24:00.001-08:00

Johnny finally gets upright...sorta!

2006-02-12T19:24:00.000-08:00

Give me a big smile...no, bigger!!!

2006-02-12T19:21:00.000-08:00

Denise Eric Johnny w/ their goggles off :)

2006-02-12T19:17:00.001-08:00

Johnny & Denise

2006-02-12T19:17:00.000-08:00

Eric on the lift

On vacation...

2006-02-02T20:22:00.000-08:00

I know--I haven't posted for a while. I didn't take into consideration how I would post while on vacation. Anyway, still alive and kicking and will post photos when I come back.

2006-01-23T20:56:00.000-08:00

Mallard

Reflections...

2006-01-22T23:29:00.000-08:00

Ok, so this one is probably going to look really familiar, but dog-gone it, I've been working extra hard for that darn dSLR. Just one more day and I'll get a day off...*sigh* It's actually 12:30am here now, but the date and hour post is about an hour late...more later.

2006-01-22T23:28:00.000-08:00

Reflection of a Photographer

2006-01-21T22:36:00.000-08:00

Flower

2006-01-20T22:13:00.000-08:00

Airbrush

Green With Envy

2006-01-19T22:30:00.000-08:00

This photo makes me chuckle. Totally reminds me of myself whenever I read a post on DPC of someone getting his/her new digital SLR. Someday soon I know it will (hopefully) be me posting the same thing...probably something to the effect of "A new addition to the family--my dSLR" and as patient as I have tried to be, everyday I check online to see if my camera's in stock. Anyway, until then, just color me green...

2006-01-19T22:26:00.000-08:00

Envy

2006-01-18T22:15:00.000-08:00

Cradled

Rock-a-bye...

2006-01-18T22:14:00.000-08:00

Ok, so obviously this is not a photo I had taken today, considering some of the mountains here in Idaho received anywhere from a couple of inches to several feet of snow. Didn't have time to photograph anything today since I was soooo busy at work that I'd decided to go to my little stash of photos and look through some that I've always wanted to post.

Minimal post-processing on this photo. I liked it because the first thought I had when I saw him was, "Wow, he looks really comfortable nestled in this cluster of trees--almost as if he were being cradled by a hand." So, I decided to sneak a couple of photos...

FYI, the photo was taken on my trip to Costa Rica with some college friends.

Flyfishing: Tie One On

2006-01-17T23:28:00.000-08:00

In the summer and fall, I enjoy flyfishing. I usually use a dry fly because I love to watch the fish break the surface of the water to rise for the fly. And nothing gets me more excited than to be the first person to say, "Fish on!"

I have fished all over Idaho, and luckily, there are still plenty more places to go and see and fish. The sport is both relaxing and exhilirating. It is also an excellent opportunity for me to reflect on my life and the simple things that make me happy.

I know it isn't for everyone. Before I even tried it, flyfishing was something that I thought I would never ever enjoy, but the first trout that rose for the caddis at the end of my flyrod was not the only thing that got hooked that summer. I've been flyfishing ever since...

2006-01-17T23:23:00.000-08:00

Tie One On

Four Days...

2006-01-16T23:33:00.000-08:00

I've been away for an extended weekend and was unable to post my photos without my computer. Unfortunately, I don't know how to back-date so I have to post four photos for the past four days so have a go at it.

Yes, I did go snowboarding and conditions were great. It shouldn't be surprising that one of the four photos is of snow. :P We're expecting more snow tonight, and I am crossing my fingers.

2006-01-16T23:31:00.000-08:00

Boarder's Paradise

2006-01-16T23:29:00.000-08:00

Morning Coffee

2006-01-16T21:54:00.000-08:00

A Touch of Red

2006-01-16T21:52:00.000-08:00

Moving Forward

2006-01-12T22:26:00.000-08:00

In black & white

Oh Beautiful

2006-01-11T22:45:00.000-08:00

I hope that (as I become more comfortable with my camera and photography) I can capture beautiful scenes that show some of Idaho's natural beauty. Now that I am more actively pursuing photography as a hobby, I see a lot of things differently and have become more appreciative of the town and state in which I live. I find that I don't necessarily have to travel far to find subjects to photograph so plan to see more of "my backyard" in future submissions.

Thank you so much for the wonderful & helpful comments you have left. Don't be dismayed if I haven't left you one yet. I do plan to make the rounds to ensure I leave everyone a comment on his/her PAD.

2006-01-11T22:41:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Idaho

2006-01-10T23:36:00.000-08:00

Fruit

I'll Fly Away

2006-01-09T23:11:00.000-08:00

Do you ever sometimes wish that you can just fly away? Get away from it all? Boy, I've been feeling like that a lot lately, and I have to seriously ask myself if I am having an early midlife crisis.

At times I do find myself asking if I've made the right choices, and if I haven't, do I have time to correct my mistakes or at least change the path that I've chosen so that I can more closely parallel the "right" path. What if I were really meant to do something else and live a completely different life from what I'm living?

"What if...?" I guess that is the million dollar question for many of us. Is there anyone out there who actually feels like he/she is living his/her "destined" life?

2006-01-09T23:08:00.000-08:00

Flies Away

Give me a light...

2006-01-08T22:32:00.000-08:00

Yes, this is tougher than I thought it would be. It would definitely be easy to post a photo, but it is definitely hard to make it look creative or different. When I saw this light bulb, I thought, "Interesting shape..." Voila! A light bulb photo is born.

2006-01-08T22:28:00.000-08:00

Light

2006-01-07T21:45:00.000-08:00

paper fish

A Wine Charm for a Popular Girl

2006-01-05T21:10:00.001-08:00

Last year, I had accidentally made commitments to attend three different Christmas parties, which unfortunately were all being held at the same time on the same night. Needless to say, after the first two parties, I was more than just "fashionably late" to the third party. When I walked in at 11pm, my co-workers bombarded me with the question, "Where the hell have you been?" I simply answered, "A popular girl like me has plenty of other engagements to attend," and we all laughed.

At this year's party, one of the girls made this wine charm, on which is engraged, "Popular Girl." I loved the colors and the history of this gift, and since I have been on a "macro" kick, I thought it befitting to photograph the charm. I'm pretty proud of how it turned out, and I think I may even make a Christmas card of it next year.

2006-01-05T21:10:00.000-08:00

Charm

Path Less Traveled

2006-01-04T22:08:00.000-08:00

In my life, I have certainly made many choices that weren't always the smartest or the most exciting or even the most logical. However, I can honestly say that majority of them have always been safe and practical. Perhaps it's my upbringing or maybe my physical make-up that I am not always the risk-taker. Even my chosen career has its mundane predictability.

Perhaps that is why I enjoy snowboarding so much. The sport allows me so much freedom and often times I make decisions not necessarily based on my personal safety but by how much adrenaline my chosen path will reward me. Snowboarding should never be relaxing. If it is, you're not doing it right!

2006-01-04T22:06:00.000-08:00

Path Less Traveled

2006-01-03T21:24:00.000-08:00

Great Blue

Don't be such a pill...

2006-01-03T21:01:00.000-08:00

Several co-workers have expressed concern for me, and one of them pretty much called me "a pill" because I haven't been my upbeat self. I guess when you're always laughing and cracking jokes, everyone notices when you're quiet. I find it interesting that some of my co-workers interpret my silence as being "in a bad mood" but in all honesty, I'm not in a bad mood. Anyone who knows me understands that sometimes when I'm really quiet, it's because I'm so absorbed in my thoughts...

Anyway...

One of my goals for the year is not only to post a photo each day, but also, I want to participate in as many challenges as possible on DPC. Of course, that may not always be possible to due to work. Luckily, I found some down time and took a couple of photos prior to closing (9pm), drove home, uploaded photos and crossed my fingers in hopes of finding something close to what I had envisioned.

Since the photos I had taken today are so very close to each other as far as theme, I will have to take a photo from the past to post today and will post the ones from today next week, once the challenge is over.

Oh yeah, only had time to run 5 miles today but my pace was better...just under 8:30 per mile. YAY!

A mountain of solitude

2006-01-02T13:48:00.000-08:00

In our busy lives, it's often hard to find time for ourselves. With work and family commitments, life can be overwhelming. Luckily for me, I'm close to the mountains and rivers so that whenever I feel weighed down, I have a way to escape.

Today, I was fortunate enough to do two of the things that I love to do--snowboarding and photography. "Why not bring my camera to the mountains today?" I'm pretty comfortable on my board, and I'm (almost completely) comfortable taking photos of people. Now, if only I can combine the two.

So while on the lift, I turned on and set the camera. I had actually taken some photos of other snowboarders, but this one of a skier was my favorite. Somehow, I was able to catch up to him/her from behind, and being careful not to fall (and have a yard sale), I took the photo. It was just us and the mountain, and it was amazing. I needed that today.

2006-01-02T13:45:00.000-08:00

A Life's Journey

2006-01-01T15:45:00.000-08:00

Lotto Lady

Beginning...

2006-01-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

So everything has a beginning. Each day is a new beginning. Today is just a little more special because it is the first day of the calendar year.

Working towards two of my goals this year (to look kick-ass for my trip to Australia and to run a half-marathon), I ran 7 miles at an 8:50 per mile pace. Not bad. I definitely hope to improve on this time, but hey, it's only the first of the year!

I also finally got the photo-a-day started and will post a photo so check it out.

2005-12-31T21:35:00.001-08:00

there are more...I just got tired of taking photos in the cold. :)

2005-12-31T21:35:00.000-08:00

..and...yep...

2005-12-31T21:34:00.001-08:00

...and...

2005-12-31T21:34:00.000-08:00

and...

2005-12-31T21:31:00.000-08:00

and more...

2005-12-31T21:30:00.001-08:00

and more...

2005-12-31T21:30:00.000-08:00

and more...

2005-12-31T21:29:00.000-08:00

More lights

2005-12-31T21:28:00.000-08:00

Mom's Christmas lights

Goodbye 2005! Hello 2006!

2005-12-31T21:04:00.000-08:00

Just saw the countdown for NYC on television. How amazing would it be? I've always wanted to go but never have. Someday...

Anyway, this is my very first post on my very first blog. No new year's resolutions, but there are some things that I want to accomplish this year:

1. Photo-a-day to improve my skills.
2. Run a half-marathon to start (then we'll see if I can do a full marathon).
3. Look kick-ass awesome for my trip to Australia, planned with some college friends.
4. Get a website started and completed.

Happy New Year to all my family and friends all over the world.

Hi Peanut! Uncle loves you!