The Mega Pawsitive Fundraiser

[margd]

What a beautiful photo, 1CatOverTheLine . It's so peaceful. My 2:00 am photos of freshly-fallen snow never capture the mysterious light so well!

We had a very warm and happy time around the tree last night. My gifts to Sylvia and Millie were very well-received - here is my son-in-law letting them examine their Christmas goodies.

 

[Norachan]

Well, it kinda is, I mean I'm very introvert person and I have my blanket, my internet, supplies to last well rest of the year, so I don't need to leave safety of my cocoon until it is 2018.

So my existence in the other's real world is done for this year and thus it kinda is 2018 until I'm seen in outside world again, thanks of these long holidays, what a wonderful recharging time

No no no! I'm not ready yet. I still have another 4 days of work and I have to clean the house and buy a load of groceries and cat food before the stores close and I have to make sure I have enough kerosene for the week and I need to make at least one more trip to the coin laundry. Don't close the year before I'm done!

What a beautiful photo, 1CatOverTheLine . It's so peaceful. My 2:00 am photos of freshly-fallen snow never capture the mysterious light so well!

How do you get those lovely effects on your photos? Are you using a really good camera and lens or is it done with filters? My snow pictures look good if I take them the day after a heavy snow fall, when the sun is out. When it's actually snowing they just come out all grey and miserable looking.

Just got a text to let me know the books I ordered from Amazon will be here tomorrow. I'm going to have plenty of good stuff to read this winter.

 

[foxxycat]

Glad it appears all these cats are having a nice Christmas. We grow two types of catnip, Taffy hates it... but when it begins and flowers about 4 months each plant but different times, we have an endless supply. Did you know you can "tea" catnip, it helps humans to sleep - consult your pharmacies first...

Yep i have heard of that.

This morning I got an early start on housework. Since I work a ton of overtime my house has been lacking. So got bathroom cleaned floors in 3 rooms vacuumed and laundry going.


From 8 to 12 the furnace guy will be here to do a cleaning..long overdue...sad that I have to schedule it on holidays from work cause I never know what's going on with work. But it will be done for anoither 2 years.

Now to eat my oatmeal and play online sending faxes n emails n tweets to representatives. While we wait all day! Yay for service folks cause it's a tad over my head!

 

[raysmyheart]

I am spying a bird family, maybe sparrows, coming and going to the birdfeeder. I am always amazed at how animals know how to take care of themselves, even in this bitter cold. It is helpful for me to think of this when I'm down. They are huddled in the shrubbery.

Alicia88 , I am excited for you, also, that the baby will be here soon!

 

[jtbo]

How do you get those lovely effects on your photos? Are you using a really good camera and lens or is it done with filters? My snow pictures look good if I take them the day after a heavy snow fall, when the sun is out. When it's actually snowing they just come out all grey and miserable looking.

You could try to set EV to -2 (underexposing quite a bit) and white balance to shadow preset.

If you want more blue, then you could set white balance to cloudy. Most likely these work best with your bigger camera.

Also flash needs to be off.

Or alternatively you could set gamma to lot lower and adjust color balance. Actually I'm not sure if gamma is called Lightness in Silky pix, or if Lightness is brightness, problem is that adjusting brightness down can make photo look flat quite easily.

 

[foxxycat]

I too noticed the birds hiding out in my burning bush yesterday and today..tiny little birds that Honeybee watches with interest from the kitchen window...love watching her watch cat tv!

 

[Alicia88]

I think I'm gonna make some oatmeal for Aislyn and Ifor breakfast. It just sounds really good to me right now.

 

[gaogier]

I think I'm gonna make some oatmeal for Aislyn and Ifor breakfast. It just sounds really good to me right now.

How do you make it? I take it's for your cat?

Catnip is in a herbal drug I take to help sleep, that's how I know...

 

[Alicia88]

No, it's for me and step daughter. I just make it on the stove with water then add stone milk and sugar.
But it seems I'm out. I don't remember running out, but it's not in there so I guess I'll need to get more when I go grocery shopping.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

How do you get those lovely effects on your photos? Are you using a really good camera and lens or is it done with filters? My snow pictures look good if I take them the day after a heavy snow fall, when the sun is out. When it's actually snowing they just come out all grey and miserable looking.

Norachan - Your Winter photos are delightful, and I've remarked about them on several occasions. That said, it's a digital image, using a digital SLR, and there's really no such thing as a "good" DSLR.

Thankfully, the camera is about the least important element in photography, in fact, my personal opinion, formed from roughly fifty years of using film cameras (primarily an 11x14 Deardorff Field Camera) is that the camera body is sixth, behind patience, a good lens, a sturdy tripod, an accurate light meter, and good shooting habits, such as never touching that little button that goes "click" and jars the camera, and never using a "zoom" lens rather than a fixed focus lens (a remote shutter release and a serviceable tripod can be had for just a few dollars, and will improve anyone's photograph by 100% instantly).

That said, the above was shot on a virtually windless night - Nikon D5; half-stop blue filter under a polarizer (mounting the colour filter over a polarizing filter can add to diffraction problems with smaller apertures), on a 28 mm AF-S lens; ancient Majestic tripod; cloud-diffused almost-a-quarter moon; old battered Gossen LunaPro SBC, making a wild guess at the EV; three exposures at f22: 65, 70 and 75 seconds:

Almost as simple as an Instamatic.
.

 

[gaogier]

I am jealous... I love snow and cold. Here in the Uk, we get snow only every 2-3 years and most just enough to make everything white... it still sends the Uk into a massive standstill as nobody prepared...

 

[Gonzo's grandma]

Members on this site were extremely helpful when I needed advice regarding my cat Gonzo. Very much appreciated!

 

[SheriB]

What a great thread! I’m very happy to be sitting with my long term fosters this morning! Getting flirts from Sugar who sticks her tongue out when I scratch her back, so cute.

 

[betsygee]

Happy Day After Christmas! It's warmer this morning than it has been the past few days. It will be a nice day for a long walk.

 

[neely]

Extremely cold here today, -2 F now, (-15 w/windchill). I plan to spend the day indoors doing all the house chores I have put off but I have a four-legged bundle of fur on my lap as I type and just don't have the heart to make him move. He must know he's more important than my chores.

 

[donnae]

I do hope that 2018, does not bring more deaths to us, My husband lost his sister last january, and his brother in February, I lost my Dearest Sister in Jan this year, and my brother in February, I lost my fav uncle November and my other uncle Dec, Am nervous about this coming January.

@Jax53 deepest sympathy for your losses. That's a lot of crosses to bear. Prayers for you and your family. Health, happiness and love for 2018.

 

[betsygee]

MOD NOTE: Remember, folks, keep the posts positive!

1. Positive posts only. Tell us something nice about your day or about the world in general. Forget neutral - spread the joy! If you feel like ranting or venting about something that's, well, not as positive, start a separate thread for that please. If you get confused and post something we don't think is positive, it could end up deleted or moved to its own thread.

You can add neutral content to a positive post (for example, if you have a question about this fundraiser or if you want to respond to a previous post in a neutral way) but please avoid negativity so we don't have to edit it out.

 

[donnae]

My PAWsitive for today, I finally decided on a New Year's resolution. I am going to help my family be more responsible and foster independence. As of January 1st, everyone will be responsible for doing their own laundry!!!

 

[marie846]

I love this idea! I belong to a neighborhood site that has a lot of cat lovers. There are many of us that take care of feral/stray colonies. The nice thing about this site is that if anyone needs help with food several of us step up with donations. If someone can't take care of their colony due to illness or injury, someone will offer to take care of their colony temporarily. Together, we have found homes and fosters for some kitties. If there is a lost cat, the whole neighborhood starts looking! It's wonderful! I hope everyone had a lovely day yesterday!

 

[foxxycat]

I think I'm gonna make some oatmeal for Aislyn and Ifor breakfast. It just sounds really good to me right now.

That's what I ate this morning. I use all seperate ingredients because I don't like processed foods. Cranberries. Pecans-pumpkin seeds cinnamon. Dark brownsugar, oatmeal and nuke for a minute. Voila!