Plaza Lights in Kansas City

We took our niece, who is interested in photography, on a photo shoot of the Country Club Plaza lights tonight.  We got there in time to get some twilight photos.  Twilight, for you photographers, is the half hour before sunrise and after sunset.  No matter the weather conditions, the sky will photograph a brilliant blue during those times.

Below are some of the pics I took.  Of course we took a Topsy's popcorn and Starbuck's hot chocolate break mid-way through the photo shoot!

My niece

My brother-in-law

Twilight sky

Twilight sky with slow shutter speed showing
the "streaming" headlights and tail lights.
Note the stationary car which
did not move when the shutter was open

Reflections in the partially frozen stream, taken
about a half hour after twilight 

An interesting shadow on a textured wall

The below images are my niece's.  I love the creativity she shows.

Intentional camera movement while the shutter is open makes
for interesting photos

Nice balance with camera movement.  These are difficult to do!

Looks like a bow on a package

   

Store window - wonderful colors

Interesting light and camera angle

One of the Plaza's horses.  Horse drawn carriage rides are a favorite
during the holiday season.

Our Pups 2010 Christmas

We enjoy sharing Christmas Day with our furry friends.  Each Christmas, we loosely wrap a couple of toys for each pup in tissue paper.  Our pup, Camden, who crossed the Rainbow bridge two years ago, knew when we placed the dog presents under the tree.  Whether Camden smelled the toys or knew that tissue paper wrapping meant TOYS, we don't know but he literally would stake out the tree when the presents appeared, patiently waiting for the DAY.

We have never had a present "opener" like Camden.  He got the hang of freeing the toy the first year he lived with us.  Our other pups let him do the honors and then would steal the toys.

Our new little puppy, Kauffman, kind of got the hang of it this year but Fenway and Rosa didn't.  They let us and Kauffman do the honors.

We missed having Hanny with us this year but know she and Camden were watching from the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.

I hope you had a great holiday season and have a happy 2011!

Bob, Kauffman, Rosa & Fenway

Kauffman guarding his critters

Don't take my ball!

Rosa in her holiday collar

Yours truly with Fenway & Rosa

My 14 year old "heart dog" Fenway.

Border Terrier Fenway & Santa

Okay, okay,  I admit I'm the kind of person who puts a holiday collar on my pup and takes him to visit Santa.  However, I have an excuse this time.  Fenway participated in a fundraiser for the Humane Society, so it was for a good cause.

Fenway is my "heart" dog.  He turned 14 years old in October and we are so thankful we have had the privilege of being owned by him for all these 14 years.  He was my agility dog in his early years and he had a blast running through tunnels, jumping over hurdles and just plain running fast.  He was very fast.  But being a terrier, he thought for himself and there were days he'd stray off the course looking for mice or chips of horse poo (most of the agility competitions were in horse barns).  I never figured out what the allure of the horse poo was - but he loved it!

My trainer used to ask if Fenway was going to run on any given day or was his "evil twin" present.  The evil twin was slow and always ran off course but brought lots of laughs.

Fen is a lot slower these days and spends a lot of time snuggled in his bed.  However, he loved his visit to Santa where he got lots of attention.   He's a very amiable dog and nothing fazes him.  We walked around the Plaza after the Santa visit and were even invited into the Kansas City Store to buy a barbecue cookbook.  The store is "dog friendly" and has amazing merchandise.

https://www.thekansascitystore.com/

Fenway and Santa December 2010

Cookie Party!

Kids at Christmas - does it get any better?  These little ones love the annual Christmas party at their aunt and uncle's house.  It's a night of excess in the sugar department but well worth it for the smiles it brings to those of us who are young at heart, if not in age.

The musical reindeer kept the kids entertained all night.  It's a season of simple pleasures.

Does it get any better than a snuggle with grandma?

Four out of five isn't bad.  The fifth never slowed down all night.

Happy Holidays!

Overland Park Arboretum Luminary Walk 2010

Today was the first of four nights for the holiday luminary walk at the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.  Despite a winter chill in the air, the event was well attended by families who bundled up, including lots of little ones in their strollers.  I heard more than one family saying they have made this a tradition.  I've been photographing the event for three years now and it gets more and more beautiful each year.

There is a lot for "big ones" and "little ones" to enjoy - including a lit maze and tunnel, a gingerbread house, hot apple cider and caroling in front of a bon fire.  As you walk through the lighted woods, you may hear the melodic sounds of the flute player and the carolers.  

Come on out - the event will be held tomorrow night, November 27th and next Friday, December 3rd and Saturday, December 4th  from 5:00 - 8:30.

Also, for you photographers, you can get the beautiful cobalt blue sky by using a tripod and shooting within the first half hour after sunset (about 5:00-5:30).

Christmas Day

Oh, the indignity our dogs have to endure to lead comfy lives with us humans. Year after year, when holiday time arrives, the poor pups are dressed in jingle bell collars and reindeer antlers, or other festive attire.  Hanover sits in her garb motionless, just sure something terrible will happen if she moves.  We release her from her anguish and utter embarrassment quickly after a photo is taken.

Fenway,  on the other hand, will let us dress him up in anything, just as long as there's a treat involved.  This year it was lamb jerky.  He was so obsessed with the "bestest" treat ever that he wouldn't look at the camera -- the treat was being offered as a bribe to the left of the camera position.  I suggested I put the treat between my lips to get him to look at me but that idea was quickly nixed when he kept jumping at the camera!   

All in all the pups and their human family enjoyed the Christmas festivities, particularly since my sister from St. Louis and her husband made a surprise visit to KC to join us for dinner.  It doesn't get better than having family together for the holiday season!

HANOVER (9 year old Border Terrier)

FENWAY ( 12 year old Border Terrier)

Happy New Year to all!

Christmas Memories of Camden

In October, I blogged about our three dogs, Fenway, Camden and Hanover. Ten days after my post we lost Camden following two abdominal surgeries in three days and a diagnosis of lymphoma. His little body just wasn't strong enough to recover, although he fought with all his might.

Today, I'm writing in Camden's memory - Christmas was his all time favorite holiday. He knew when the tree went up that good things were coming in tissue wrapped packages. Christmas morning, he would be beside himself waiting for the gift opening -- he knew he always got a few dog toys wrapped in tissue paper.  To see Cam open his presents was a delight.  Of all the dogs, he best knew how to rip the tissue and get to the gift.  Cam treasured his soft toys. Often, we would find him laying with his head on his newest soft toy (probably to make sure neither of the other two dogs would take it).

One of our funniest stories is the year Camden kept pulling a gift from a friend out from under the tree and tearing at it. We couldn't figure out why since he never bothered any present wrapped in regular wrapping paper. On Christmas morning, we discovered the box he had been trying to open was filled with tissue - he must have smelled the tissue and thought the box was an early gift for him!

Below is a short video of Cam eagerly trying to get to his presents on Christmas morning last year (with Fenway coming into the picture at the end) and some snapshots of all three pups.

Cam, we all miss you greatly but we know you're celebrating Christmas on the other side of the rainbow bridge, where there are as many presents as you want under the beautiful trees. Open them with joy and when you tire, lay your head on the softest and dream sweet dreams. You are with us today and always little man. We love you.

Camden in his finest Christmas jingle bell collar

Guarding his toys - the look says it all - I'm not sharing!

The best way to rest!

You can see Camden's paw, where he is missing two toes - the result of surgery he had when he was five - the vets at K-State, particularly Dr. Chad Johannes, saved his life when he got a mysterious disease dissolving his toe bones - they gave us another 6 wonderful years with Camden.  We are eternally grateful to Dr. Johannes and K-State's vet school for all they did for Camden.  

Classic Cam  

One of my favorites - it's pure Camden

He loved being outside and the hair was always in his eyes but he hated having it trimmed

Best buddies - Fenway grieved terribly when Cam died

The posse doing what they love best - watching for squirrels!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your families!