My first teacup of my teacup collection. =)

Happy New Year 2009!

Happy New Year 2009

Well dear friends it's here. 2009. Can you believe it? I can't! I'm working at the moment and just got out of the OR for the first birth of my hospital of this new year. Don't know if it was the first of the states..I'll have to investigate that lol.
Went well tho. I've been busy and a bad blogger. For this I promise to do better in 2009!

Blurred Frustrationsss!!

Grrrrr.

Ok I feel better. I guess I'm just thinking that because I haven't taken any formal camera classes that I'm Just missing out on something; ie not understanding it. I Thought I had a handle on this but last night Just proved me wrong..again.

I can't seem to get good Unblurred photo's of people when they're moving. Last night. Christmas Eve. Kids moving!! Blurred photo's =(

Get the image? I also find myself in low light conditions alot and can't seem to work out the settings either. Last night was in a low light living room and just could Not get the settings to work. When I thought I had it....I'd click and the time would just dragggg until the shutter clicked.

Delete. Try again.

So I don't know exactly what advise you can give me; but I'm feeling very discouraged about it today. This is what I know. Low light, open your aperture and bump up your ISO. Shutter speed. Well that still sort of baffles me at times. When I set the shutter speed faster; I end up with a black photo lol.

Grrrrrrrr.

Ok I swear I'm done grrr'ing. But I still don't understand. So can anyone help a sista out here?

Or tell me where to look it up lol.

Oh and Merry Christmas =)

I'm back to work at midnight so I'll check back in.

Here is a sample of what happens to me in low light. I think its a fun photo; because this little girl cousin was really putting a show on for my camera. But it's a blur.

Flickr'ing!

Hey guys! Just thought I'd share some of my Christmas Flickr photo's!
I've been off for a few days; but back to work tonight. Hope your weeks going well and you're ready for christmas!

exHausted!!

Yep. Exhausted. I'm not this tired when I'm working!! Decorating the house has taken all my energy. Good thing I don't go back to work until tomorrow night lol. Whew~

Anyway just wanted to share a moment I had at work the other night that made me think "That's why I love nursing!"

Patients baby had been having decels all night. We all watch the "icky" strips at the desk even if they aren't ours. And all night we were saying.."now That's ugly!" concerning this one strip. Doc was on site and doing all kinds of interventions. Nothing was working. We all knew she probably was going to get "cut". And we were all sitting there when the call light went off and we heard "Call a STAT Csection" when the clerk said "can I help you?". I think most of us got up and sprinted to the room.

There is always alot going on Especially when the section is called stat. No time to waste. So as I helped in the room I noticed the two grandmothers-to-be in the corner. They were holding each other and crying.
"It's going to be alright!" I said to them even tho this was the first time I'd seen them. I sure hoped it would be alright but you never know. But I could see the fear and somehow I just felt it Was going to be alright. As I helped get the girl to the OR I thought more about those mothers. I felt for them...so I went back to her room. They were still there holding onto each other. I told them where they could wait and then reassured them that their baby would come into the world in probably 15 minutes or less. Then I told them that I would peek into the OR and come out and tell them when he was born. "Ohhh thank youuuuu!!!" they both said in chorus.
I didn't have a patient at that moment so I was free. I tossed on a cap and mask and headed for OR#1.

As I stepped inside I could see them pulling the little guy out. It's such a surreal thing to see doctors fish baby's out of abdomens. I still am so amazed by the skill. He was limp and not very responsive; but the Ped team quickly got him stimulated and with a little blowby O2 he started crying loudly. We all breathed a sigh of relief.

I headed out the door and down the hall. There in the waiting room were the grandmothers. Not grandmothers to BE but real grandma's!

"He's born"!

I shouted as I walked towards them. They jumped to their feet shouting and running for me. They both were crying but now it was tears of joy. I almost started crying with them lol. "Ohhh thank you nurse..." they both said. "Oh no problem; I understand; I'm a grandmother too" I said to them. You should of seen the looks of relief on their faces. I felt so good to be the bearer of great news. And I thought as I walked away...this is why I love being a nurse =)

Bright Red and Shiney

Ok I've been a bad blogger. Please forgive me tho because I've just been too darn busy. Plus I admit I am sorta addicted to flickr and when I Do have a few minutes I tend to wander....

SEE!!!

Ok so I promise an interesting post .. erm tomorrow? I had a lovely moment at work last night and I'll share.

But right now I'm assembling our tree. Bought some cool old glass ornaments too the other day. So I'll share that with you. Hope you have a great Monday night! Ta ta~

Post Thanksgiving Leftovers

Man! My fridge is Stuffed and I swear I am too lol. I can remember years ago I could eat my Thanksgiving dinner and have a turkey sandwich in the evening. Not anymore! I literally fell into bed last night. Stuffed. Full. Done!

So now you know what we're having for supper tonight. But first we're going to the movies this afternoon to see Australia. See you later *urp*

Love After Love

Love After Love

The time will come

when, with elation

you will greet yourself arriving

at your own door, in your own mirror

and each will smile at the other's welcome,



and say, sit here. Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was your self.

Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart

to itself, to the stranger who has loved you



all your life, whom you ignored

for another, who knows you by heart.

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,



the photographs, the desperate notes,

peel your own image from the mirror.

Sit. Feast on your life.



-Derek Walcott

...but thanks to Shutter Sisters =)

Sharing with Friends..

Back in the 80's I wanted to learn to quilt. So I did! I don't have any time now to do this...but took these photo's the other day to show you that I Could! =)

Machine sewn but all hand quilted. I'm a purist hehe!

* Da Funk *

WW http://www.wayfaringwanderer.com/ is running a challenge here. To name one of our favorite photographer's that we look to for inspiration when we have lost our way...

You know the feeling. The funk. The "I don't know what to even Take a photo of today" kind of funk. Especially now I find it a challenge to find pretty or interesting things. There is not really snow yet and the ground is quickly just turning a dull....brown....drab...blah! No flowers. No color. So what do we do? We look at others and look To others to help us find our groove again.

Well WW herself is someone who had personally helped me find my way in my photography life. Her photo's have inspired me and shown me how to center in on the things around us to find the beauty. Her blog is a joy to read. Her photo's make me want to do better! And I have to tell you; she has been a godsend to me when I've been stuck in a problem. She has helped me and conselled me to help me figure out what I was doing wrong. She took the TIME! For that I am very grateful and happy to have met her here; altho only as a net meeting. Plus she lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains where I hope to settle oneday. Lucky girl!

So when you're stuck and can't get inspired. When you can't even see the light around you; go to your fellow photo blogger's sites and cruise. You'll soon feel that artistic spark again!