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Sunday, December 26, 2010

Sunrises galore

K and I have continued our routine of arising early and hiking up to see the sunrise. This morning, we arrived just as the sun crested the eastern rocky hills. Fittingly for this day, an airplane left its contrails above the sunrise.
I received a very special gift from my father for Christmas - a digital SLR camera. It's a much fancier digital camera than I've ever used before. My father gave it to me in the spirit of my mother who was an avid photographer and very accomplished by the time of her death. 

I barely know how to make my new camera function but I used it for all the photos in this post. K's incredible sunrise fur glow wowed me again.
Below, K contemplated when I was going to stop pointing my crazy contraption at her!
The almost horizontal sun rays left a shadow directly behind K on a lichen-covered boulder.
Later in our hike, the rosy hue had faded from our world. K pranced to me through an aspen grove. She's been limping a fair bit, activating my "paw radar" as I monitor her recovery carefully. I'm supposed to continue to let her gradually increase her activity - to strengthen her paw despite the bumps in the recovery road that we've encountered. Tomorrow, a specialist will check it... Hopefully, we're just seeing a normal topsy-turvy recovery from a major orthopedic surgery like an amputation.
We arrived home to find R playing wildly with the stuffed toy cardinal given to him by our nephews.
Our nephews and K posed many times on boulders. R never stayed still long enough for a posed photo!
The elk herd has grazed near our house almost constantly for days. The herd is huge, more than a hundred-strong, so my photos never capture all of them. Sometimes, the coyotes come out and play on the frozen pond behind the herd. Usually, the herd completely ignores the coyotes. However, occasionally, for unknown reasons, the herd aggressively chases away the coyotes. My guess is that the herd acts protective when one of their own is weak and might be vulnerable to the coyotes.
The herd doesn't always completely ignore me. This photo was from about 75 yards away! I love my camera!
My recent sunrise escapades form the backbone of my strategy for keeping my spine happy despite the holiday hoopla. I need to be active to keep the pain tolerable so I arise in the dark to get out early while everyone else sleeps. First, I hike with K. Then, I leave K at home and head out for some mountain bike trail time - the key activity for keeping my back happy. I finally return home when my "regularly scheduled" morning muscle spasms have loosened up. (This whole routine was more compact when K was able to mountain bike with me...) This strategy works but I always need to catch up on my sleep when the holidays end! Here's one of the sunrises that K and I have seen.
I hope that you are all well rested and happy after this vacation time!

30 comments:

  1. You mean all of your amazing photos before were taken with a regular point and shoot camera? I love my digital SLR!!!! There is just so much to learn on them... They should offer a class when you buy them! Good luck and as always, I love your photos!!!

    ~The Mama Monster

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  2. Your photos are always beautiful, I'm impressed that the previous photos were taken with a point and shoot! I just got a DSLR in November and I'm definitely still using approximately 1% of its actual capabilities :) I can't wait to see what you do as you learn more about yours!

    Kira

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  3. Oh what beauty - that is definitely THE time to take pix, but we also can't believe your last camera wasn't a single lens reflex cam! Amazing! However, K's furs are definitely amazing in the sunrise - sorries to hear that she's limping tho... R is adorable playing with the cardinal - Avalon "lovies" her toys like that sometimes!
    Hugs xooxo
    Sammie and Avalon

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  4. Oh my my!

    Please thank your father for us!

    He gave us a special gift as well: YOUR PICTURES!

    Incredible!

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  5. We like to remind people that it is not all the camera. Most of it is what you point it at and when. You have that part down good!

    We have a good Nikon set up, but most of the good photos were taken with a smaller Nikon point and shoot, because it is fast to grab and it is easy to pocket when we leave the house.

    Mogley G. Retriever

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  6. In the middle of serious pictures - R being R . It really made me laugh out loud.

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  7. You certainly do live amidst beauty. The elk continue to fascinate me. To think of seeing them live, and so many! I'm hoping that K's limp is just part of her path to recovery.

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  8. Just goes to show - not the instrument, but the eye! I was assuming you already had some impossibly fancy camera. You definitely inherited your mom's talent.

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  9. What a wonderful gift! You must have inherited your eye from your mom. Can't wait to see more photos from the new camera.

    K looks like she is twice the size of your nephews!

    Your pal, Pip

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  10. What a special gift from your father...that final sunrise shot looks like one of those English pastoral paintings from the 18th century. I love K's glowing red fur in the shots above.

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  11. Your dad has given all of us a gift, by giving you the camera! Please thank him for us!

    Gorgeous pictures as usual, I love the picture of R!

    Woofs,
    Pepsi

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  12. What a wonderful thoughtful gift foer your dad to give you that new camera. Your mothers legacy of being able to capture the worlds beauty through the lens of a camera is being now lived through you.
    You have a talent that touches us.
    These photos are absoutely spendid.
    Our eyes cannot get enough of what you share.,
    Tomorrow,,, we will be with you in thought as you and K go to the vet
    love
    tweedles

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  13. Holy Canoli! I thought the pictures you were taking before were with a DSLR! We got one for Christmas from my mom and stepdad, too, and I don't know all of what it does yet, either. lol We took it out to the dog park with the girls today to play with it a little. Under K's tutelage, your nephews will be able to start modeling soon!

    I am proud to say that we spent most of the morning in pajamas, though! :)

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  14. I love enlarging your elk pictures and you find yourself almost sitting in their laps! Wonderful and fun! I agree that was a super good gift for you.

    Cheers and Hugs,

    Jo, Stella and Ali Z

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  15. Hey there KB...
    I've not yet had the opportunity to wish you a happy Christmas! So...HAPPY CHRISTMAS! I know it's a bit belated, but hey, what's a few hours between friends?! I really hope you had a happy day.
    Your photos are probably the best in blogland. I'm sure you are going to enjoy your new camera. I've also recently got my new NIKON 3100SLR, but quite frankly, I think I'm goin to have to get some serious training before it shows off it's skills like yours does.
    Holding thumbs for a good specialist report for K.
    Sending lotsaluv
    MAXMOM IN SOUTH AFRICA

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  16. Hey there KB...
    I've not yet had the opportunity to wish you a happy Christmas! So...HAPPY CHRISTMAS! I know it's a bit belated, but hey, what's a few hours between friends?! I really hope you had a happy day.
    Your photos are probably the best in blogland. I'm sure you are going to enjoy your new camera. I've also recently got my new NIKON 3100SLR, but quite frankly, I think I'm goin to have to get some serious training before it shows off it's skills like yours does.
    Holding thumbs for a good specialist report for K.
    Sending lotsaluv
    MAXMOM IN SOUTH AFRICA

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  17. Beautiful photos as always. Thankin your Mom for sharin her gift with you and your Dad for supportin your love of photography :D

    Glad your holiday was a happy one :D

    Waggin at ya,
    Roo

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  18. Elk! Amazing! Fingers crossed that K is recovering in her own way (not a straight line, but forward). I loved seeing R all cracker dog.

    Mango Momma

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  19. I'm glad you got that camera as I know you've been wishing for it. Great pictures, as always.

    TOO much snow, cold, winds here. SO unusual for us. All Christmas celebrations are on hold ... maybe by the week end?

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  20. We agree with the Herd's Hu-Dad, nothing quite like a good laugh in the midst of all those seriously beautiful photos. And how your photos can get any more fantastic is beyond us - we have always been overwhelmed by their excellence.

    Hopes from here for a good report from the specialist.

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  21. Beautiful photos...today as well as previous - As someone above said...the camera does not make the photographer and much proof here :)!

    Pat from East TN mentioned your blog to me. My Karelian Beardog, Karl and I walk/hike around my property in NW MT. A cat left spectacular prints in the snow the other morning. I'd seen the occasional print in winter but nothing so clear. It was fascinating looking at your videos subsequent as it showed, better than my books, the "walking" pattern. There is short area where this cat loped a bit - then more walking. I believe he/she is a pass through -there are some small lakes "below" my walking area where the wildlife and most of the local deer congregate: lion/coyote smorgasboard...

    Happy hiking and biking from a Montana walker/snowshoer :)!

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  22. What beautiful sunrise pictures! I'm sure you'll make good use of your new camera.

    Teddy

    teddypoodle@sbcglobal.net

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  23. Last night I watched Nature on PBS...re: Yellowstone Nat. Park at Xmas time...so awe inspiring AND I thought of you and what you have shared with us. The new camera(name and type Pls) is such good fun and energy especially with your mother's influence and your Pa giving you it.I use a Nikon D50, no longer made, but at least it's a joy sometimes to see what you never thought you'd be able to take. Now all I need is some handy helpful hints on how to really utilize all the manual aspects of the camera. Have you ever thought of doing something like that on your blog? Might help a lot of us.

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  24. Last night I watched Nature on PBS...re: Yellowstone Nat. Park at Xmas time...so awe inspiring AND I thought of you and what you have shared with us. The new camera(name and type Pls) is such good fun and energy especially with your mother's influence and your Pa giving you it.I use a Nikon D50, no longer made, but at least it's a joy sometimes to see what you never thought you'd be able to take. Now all I need is some handy helpful hints on how to really utilize all the manual aspects of the camera. Have you ever thought of doing something like that on your blog? Might help a lot of us.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Last night I watched Nature on PBS...re: Yellowstone Nat. Park at Xmas time...so awe inspiring AND I thought of you and what you have shared with us. The new camera(name and type Pls) is such good fun and energy especially with your mother's influence and your Pa giving you it.I use a Nikon D50, no longer made, but at least it's a joy sometimes to see what you never thought you'd be able to take. Now all I need is some handy helpful hints on how to really utilize all the manual aspects of the camera. Have you ever thought of doing something like that on your blog? Might help a lot of us.

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  26. Hi Y'all!

    I always love to share the walks with K and you!

    Between Christmas, computer internet connection problems, and a few other things, I haven't put any new posts up lately...hope to do so today or tomorrow.

    Glad you had a wonderful family Christmas!

    Hawk aka BrownDog and his Humans

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  27. Wow K every day your walk is like an adventure. All those beautiful animals you see
    Benny & Lily

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  28. OMG, I totally covet the SLR digital camera! But I haven't gotten up the nerve to get one or ask for one. (not worthy!) That camera rocks. the best i may do this year is upgrade my compact digital camera.

    great shots!

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  29. I'm excited to see where this new camera takes you. Your photography has continually improved over the time I've been following you. This will be so cool!

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  30. Happy that you got a new camera, but truthfully, I always assumed you had a top of the line one already. Your pics are just that impressive. I suppose that means you're just a damn good photographer! Merry Christmas and thanks for sharing your new toy with us!

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