135/365 Where the pictures live pt II

More than a few posts ago I showed you where the pictures that aren't stuck inside my computer or a scrapbook live - well at least the color photos. I have a whole other collection of b&w family photos. B&W photography is my favorite and what drew me to photography to begin with. I have a romantic nostalgia for these pictures. I think that they are much like a book where I imagine what things look like. In a black and white I have to imagine the colors hidden in the shades of grey. I also appreciate that the time and expense of these old photos, that there were generally not the resources to shoot off 300 or 400 pictures hoping for the right one. Besides wedding photos, the b&w I love the most are the posed pictures where someone "dared" to smile... my favorites have smiles.

134/365 Still trying not to complain

I am trying to find something good about the day that the weather ruined. I hate the wind and it is cold. Apparently someone for got to turn on the furness it is May in Sacramento for crying out-loud.

This is starting to sound a little like complaining...lets try again.

Was driving home this morning and saw all of these flags. Kept thinking about them all day and decided to go back. I was in luck that the wind was in full force and presented this great shot. Thank you mother nature.

133/365 The Universe is not Random

In the service dog world there is a service dog team Wallis and Caspin. They are somewhat legendary in our circles. Wallis is an amazing college student who was matched with great dog named Caspin. They have traveled across the US and to other countries, Wallis has taught Caspin to do commands well above and beyond what they learned in Team Training, and Wallis continues to give back to the CCI community.

Caspin was raised here in the Sacramento area by a wonderful puppy raiser Mary Ellen. She is a wealth of information, and as a new PR she has been a great inspiration and helped me with my pups. I don't think that it was a random event or some sort of weird coincidence that several years after raising Caspin - Mary Ellen raised another dog named Tina IV who just graduated as a CCI Skilled Companion. Tina was named in memory of Wallis's mother.

I don't think it is a coincidence that Tina was destined to graduate.
I don't think it is a coincidence that Tina was raised by Mary Ellen.
I think it was meant to be, it was the way it was written to be.

Congrats to team Nick and Tina - I have a feeling that great things were written in the stars for you.

Mary Ellen and Tina reunited before Tina starts her life with her new partner. 

132/365 Outside

This year we are having the most fickle weather that I can remember. Today however, I will celebrate the day and the sun instead of wasting it complaining about what is coming this weekend.

There was a time when I generally didn't care for summer, and then as today despite developing an affinity for summer, spring is still my most favorite time of the year. Something about all the bulbs coming up, the crisp mornings and evenings and warmer afternoons, and of course Easter. This year I am longing for the warmth of summer so we can get some more swimming in and probably most importantly to get the tomatoes off to a good start!

Tomorrow is the Northwest Region of CCI's graduation. 17 graduates!!! That is the largest graduating class ever and 7 of the dogs graduating were raised right here in the Sacramento area. Before making the trip to Santa Rosa decided to get the oil changed, which comes with a free car wash. While I was sitting outside enjoying the sun I saw this great shadow on from the picnic table...

131/365 More Gratuitous Puppy Pictures

It would be very easy to make this the 365 Dog Photo Challenge. I have tried hard not to do that. This week will be an abysmal failure on that front, especially with CCI Graduation coming up on Friday. At least that is all of the  bad news - the good news is that they are cute to look at.

They are both aspiring service dogs, and apparently they had worked so hard they couldn't even get to their crate before falling asleep.

130/365 Sleepin on the job

This is aspiring service dog Yalu. She is hanging out with me for a few days, and going to work. I see she has been hanging out with to many of us government workers! Sorry Barbara, I am not trying to wreck your dog. =)

129/365 Carpooling

Carpooling is pretty cool, Dave and I are going to do it whenever we can. I am thinking 3 or 4 days a week (I only work 4 days - so that would be the max!). The downside, is that my camera was ready to be discharged from the spa at about 1115. Normally I would have imposed on someone to take me to the store to get my camera, but I exercised some self control. Never mind the near breakdown in the car after Dave picked me up because of the traffic. Needless to say I got there in enough time to have a lovely Cannon v Nikon debate (friendly of course) with the staff.

Then I had a board meeting to get through and the picking up of a puppy we are sitting (Yalu, who will probably make and appearance at some point this week.) Then after all that waiting a picture!!! Took it out (of my newest Crumpler) and found the subject of today's pic. Crisp and clean pics (yay! thank you camera spa workers at Pardee's Cameras - www.pardeescameras.com ). About today's pic - this is some left over salt-water taffy from a recent street fair. I can't stand salt-water taffy. Mostly because I don't know what flavor it is going to be - too much risk of getting something horrible like popcorn (which shouldn't be in taffy) or god forbid something melon flavor.