Angel bokeh. Maybe I should keep the tree up all year round and start a new blog called Bokeh. I won’t do that of course, but I definitely have fallen in love with bokeh. Having a camera that allows me to play with this effect is such a gift! (Thank you Santa for last year’s BIG present of my camera.) In fact, it’s a year ago yesterday that I drove Don to the airport for his trip to San Diego and our Christmas apart from each other began. The next day I took the bus into Manhattan and bought the camera. I think we have a birthday to celebrate!
We had lots more snow yesterday. It fell all day long and added at least 5 more inches to the snow already on the ground. It’s very pretty out there today, but true to form, I was a little irritated by more snow. And so it begins. The first snow? Love. After that? Not so much. We were housebound and I was a little restless. Part of that, I think, was a wee bit of depression that the renovation on the dollhouse is finished. I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself. But we shoveled (the temps are in the teens, so it was cold out there) and shoveled again. I’m just about finished with the latest Lee Child. I love Jack Reacher. And not Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher, but Jack Reacher as written and described by Lee Child, blonde, big, well over 6 ft. tall. Does that sound like Tom Cruise to you?
One of my favorite ornaments, with a sweet bluebird on each side. Isn’t this lovely?
Another beauty. We have two of these.
This is our Winston ornament, in honor of our first dog. We loved that boy so much. He was taken from us much too young, at the age of 8. We miss him every day.
We don’t have an ornament for Riley yet, but in the meantime, this guitar ornament I gave to Don years ago is our Riley ornament. Riley loved to hear his dad play the guitar. No matter what was going on, if Don brought out the guitar, Riley wagged his tail with happiness. Then he settled down on the floor to listen. That boy loved music. So did Winston.
My boys. I really miss them. I wish all three of my dogs were here right now and that we were all spending Christmas together. Nothing would make me happier.
Happy Wednesday.
Does not seem possible a year has passed since Don left for SD! I remember everyone encouraging you to get through the holidays alone. I know it will be a merrier holiday for both of you this year. Together is everything.
Yes it is!
I am a dog lover bit time. I feel for you with your dogs not here. My Ginger is missed and it has been so long . I have pictures of her and then it makes me feel worse. Then my son loss two dogs which I was attached too. Then another gal she had her doggie for 11 years and one day her sweetie seen the girly across the street. Away she ran and was hit. How many doggy lovers are sad.
Your tree is pretty. Love the guitar.
Yes nice with your camera what you did. I think in my posts. I have my Ginger doggy on my blog. One of my older pictures. Scroll down will see. Me and my girl. We have same colour of hair back then. We were both young. Her and I are on my title = My art journal Affirmation . Memories are Forever I have written in blue. In the cornor is my Gingerand I.
She lived way over her dog life. Merry Christmas my blogger friend .
Not sure why sometimes I have to fill in my cooment box so detailed . Other times it is automatically.
Merry Christmas, Carol Ann!
I have got to get R.H. to practice that with the camera. I have tried that effect with Picmonkey but only one I used on our big farm bell for the 4th turned out the way I wanted it to.
All the good dogs we’ve had, I miss them too. And memories of them at Christmas piled up in bed with us to open stockings when they got their pig ears. And it was a year ago that we lost our 15 yr old Penelope. These two little 9 yr old dachshund brothers we adopted this week have been a joy. Just to know they are with us instead of in the shelter is all the Christmas present I want.
I thought of you and Don when I saw the national news last night. It’s beautiful but I know how much work it is for you. Stay safe.
I just went over to read about your dachshunds, Dewena. What a wonderful thing you’ve done! Blessings to you and yours this Christmas. Will you be posting a photo of the new members of your family soon? I can’t wait to see them!
xo
Another great photo! I think I’m going to try that today! You’ve inspired me! I know you miss your boys, it is so hard, isn’t it, the memories that Christmas brings but also the JOY. And I agree Tom Cruise is NOT Jack Reacher. Refuse to see that movie. Love the books and the character Jack Reacher is one of my favorites. Ok, stepping down off the soap box. Enjoy your day and stay warm.
hugs,
Linda
I’m on that same soapbox, Linda. I refuse to watch the movie. (I think Lee Child sold out on that one.)
Claudia, I agree Lee Child really sold out…I mean Tom Cruise???? Still, the newest book is a good one! I am currently reading the new Grisham novel and it’s better then many he has written!
Oh, good to know! I used to read Grisham a lot but I haven’t read anything of his in a while. I’ll have to get his newest – always looking for another book to read. Thank you, my friend. xoxo
It seems we always think of loved ones we’ve lost during the holidays, doesn’t it? The best ornaments are always those that hold sweet memories. We have many homemade ones from the two neighbor kids who are like our own. Saturday night will be the unveiling of the big light & music Christmas show “our” boy has worked so hard on. We are hoping for a big turnout and no tripped breakers because he just keeps adding lights. Donavin does nothing in a small way. He is one of those unique individuals who not only dreams what we think is imposssible but actually creates it. He has blessed my heart so much in his almost 19 years of life. We still have the heat on here.
Donavin sounds like a terrific kid, so inventive and imaginative – we need more like him! Can’t wait to hear how it all turns out, Janie.
Claudia, you mentioned the other day the wonderful aroma of your Noble Fir. For the last decade, I have not been able to smell the tree any more than a small waft here and there.I have typically purchased Douglas Fir. I was beginning to think it was just one of those Happy Old memories that we remember more vividly than it really was. This year I got a Noble Fir, I can smell it before I even open my door! Do you think it could be that much difference in the type of tree?
Your tree is Beautiful too. Judy A-
I think there can be a big difference in the type of tree. I like Noble Firs for their scent and for the way their branches seem to be made for ornaments. I’m glad you got a Noble Fir, Judy!
Love, love, love that angel! I miss my doggies too. And because of you we have a stack of Jack Reacher sitting on the coffee table. Kids and friends come by and borrow them. Everyone loves Reacher. What I can’t figure out about him is how all the women find him irresistible and think they can tame him. He’s wonderful its true, but not marriage material at all. And quite happily too. I could never fall very hard, or for very long, for a man who carried his toothbrush in his pocket and had no change of clothes. But maybe that is the attraction. But I don’t see it.
I think that’s the attraction! Mysterious, smart, elusive….
Of course, all of that makes for a romance but not marriage. Interestingly when I met Don, he had about two boxes of possessions and that was it. Almost like a toothbrush in one’s pocket. But he was definitely marriage material, Tana!
Sweet pictures, Claudia. And let it snow, I really like lots of snow. ;) Happy to read that you are enjoying the book. I finally bought it the week before last and finished it in two or three days. It seems as though Lee Child put a little more effort into this one but I do miss the more tactical story elements of his earlier books. I wonder if he will ever regain the writing/storytelling style that was so good before being discovered by Hollywood? Have you ever noticed that once an author becomes popular they are encouraged/pressured by their publisher (?) to put out a least one book every year? I can’t think that kind of pressure is conducive to their creativity and have noticed that the story lines and characters are not as well rounded and very often the plot is thin or the author will overuse a character. Perfect example being Patricia Cornwell with Kay Scarpetta, she should have let that character go a long time ago. Yeah, I guess I have a soapbox! Enjoy your day.
I think that Lee Child published a book a year even before the movie was made, Rebecca. That is his usual pattern.
Hmmm. I haven’t noticed a change in his books – maybe because I read most of them in one fell swoop a couple of years ago? That might have something to do with it. I think every author feels the need to change things up occasionally – they don’t want to get into a rut.
I was never a fan of Kay Scarpetta. I read the first few books, but my problem with them is a coldness and a distance that Cornwell’s writing style evokes. Because of that, I’ve never been able to connect with Scarpetta. Every once in a while, I’ll check one of the books out of the library and I’ll try again, but no dice. I just don’t like her books.
Claudia,
Love the Bokeh shots. I only get them by accident and I have the same camera. I think I have the same lens. Your ornaments are wonderful. I am glad I did early as I am sitting here with a fistful of Kleenex! We have a Frasier fir – not very much aroma this year. I shall check into a Noble fir next year.
Carol
You have to use the AV setting on your ideal, Carol. Then it’s all about the distance between your focal point (in this case, the angel) and the lights. If the lights are too close, you’ll get hexagons, I believe, and if they are further away, you’ll get circles. You have to play around with it, but it’s worth it!
Yes…bokeh shots! Snow! Funny…how sometimes we can’t wait for that first snowfall…then…ten snow episodes later…oh no…SNOW! I’m so glad you and Don will be together this Christmas. In my mind…if your loved ones are in your heart…they are with you at Christmas! Enjoy your day! ;)
I will say that the sun is out and it is shining on the snow which is very lovely indeed!
Claudia, I completely understand about the dogs. After 41 years [yikes] I still miss my very first dog Duchess, whom my parents had before they had me, We lost her when she and I were both 16. Whether human or animal, you never stop missing the family you’ve lost.
You never get over the loss of beloved pets, do you?
Your ornaments are so sweet, Claudia. I love that they each hold memories. I have those also, but we had a bigger tree then, and they are all large and won’t fit my 24 inch tree. It is memories of Christmas’ past that make this time so much more precious. Even with the bittersweet ones. Christmas was my mom’s favorite time of year. She loved to wrap packages, and there were never 2 wrapped alike. With ribbons and bows, and paper, and tape, and scissors she would sit at the card table for days wrapping. I think of this when I wrap, mostly because I am the world’s worse wrapper. I can feel her looking over my shoulder and shaking her head. These things make everything better. I always love your pictures. A new camera is on my list for February. With film I had the whole shebang, and truly miss it. I was never without my camera back then. I can’t wait to get the new one.
Have a very special Christmas Claudia, Donn, and Scout.
I am not a good wrapper, either, Trudy. I get very impatient with the whole thing! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
You’re stretching for things to do???? Where’s that quilting when you need it?
BTW, I long to see a long shot of the dollhouse, in its entirety. Can you scratch that itch for me??
Gail
I will do that shortly, Gail! I will work on the quilt when Don is away in February and March doing a play. I can work on it in the evening hours.
We have that same or very similar guitar ornament. I found it on an abandoned Christmas tree in a grocery store parking lot in San Diego. Who ever dumped the tree there after Christmas had left that lone ornament on the tree. Now how could I have left that lonely little guitar there on that tree… (smile) I snapped it up and have used it on my own Christmas trees ever since.
Maybe it came from the same shop – I bought that ornament in San Diego!
I have started reading all the Lee Child novels and so has Joe. We enjoy them immensely. I bought two used ones yesterday. I love the bird ornament.
I read most of his books at once, when I was recovering from gall bladder surgery and I was so disappointed when I finished them! So I really look forward to a newly published Jack Reacher.
Love the ornaments and the special effects both. Did I tell you that I saw a dog the other day (actually a few times now) that could be Scout’s double? Just amazing. I love that little ornament in memory of your first boy. Wen my girls died, I was so upset, I put their golden dog bones away. Now I can’t find them. :-( On a happier note, I love your bluebird ornament. That is a special keepsake as is the guitar and the angel and… Love them all!
xoxox
Sheila
You’ll have to try to get a picture of Scout’s double, Sheila!
I wish you had them with you too Claudia…it’s sad.
Beautiful bokeh.
Jen
Thank you, Jen!
The best ornaments to me are the vintage ones and the ones that represent something or someone special in our lives..Christmas is a wonderful time for remembering isn’t it Claudia..
It sure is, Nancy!
I’m enjoying your Bokeh shots and your dollhouse renovations. You really have an eye for decorating your mini house. I enjoyed seeing your ornaments. We found a box of Shiny Brites in Dayle’s parents garage in the rafters! I’ll have to photograph the box of them for my blog. I also got a miniature box of Shiny Brites after I saw yours last year. :-) Enjoy your snow as it’s so pretty.. we’re having rain.. ugh. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
Hi Claudia,
Lots of snow here in Maine yesterday too…more expected this weekend so I empathize. Your ornaments are beautiful and I love the photo effects with your new camera. I treasure the few vintage glass ornaments my parents passed down to me. I like the Lee Child Jack Reacher books too and, you are so right, I don’t picture Jack as looking like Tom Cruise at all. Love Jack’s “all I need is a toothbrush” approach to life! Have a very Merry Christmas! Cheryl
p.s. I’m off to look at your dollhouse!