another run/walk up tower mountain in the ice and snow.  training for the longest run I have done in April with lots of hills.  21 miles at big sur.  kind of scary but exciting all the same.

we went so high up we were above the fog on this day  normally you could see the city below.






sometimes you just have to say it to the world



just loved that this was on a gate up a mountain

well that is about it for a week now till I get my next batch processed from our recent trip.

ready for some ......

football?  

actually a bunch of guys were clearing the field of snow for some soccer games.

  

that is dedication   these were for some adult soccer games but with the temperature dropping to the teens brrrrrrrrrrr

chilly afternoon

last weekend was went for a walk out near the palouse highway.  the light amount of snow that had fallen and the fields and farmlands were very pretty.  

personally I couldn't imagine living out here especially in the winter but it has some great charm. 

the birds were flocking to this tree where the apples had frozen but were still a good food source.  Saw several pheasant and hawks but didn't get any pictures of them.  one because I just had my point and shoot and two it was never ready in time. 

we did run into several dear though.  I never tire of of them.  though I suppose if they were eating my gardens and trees maybe I wouldn't feel the same. 

2013 a brand start

Well I have been a bad blogger no excuse really just wasn't into it for a while.  Going to try to start back again hoping for a post a day but no stress if it doesn't happen.  Trying to do more from my iPad as well so that will prove to be a new challenge.

Took this picture a few days ago on my second trip snow shoeing up on mt Spokane.  Used the new Flickr app on this one.  Flikr is part of yahoo and they drive me batty seems I can sometimes get in and sometims not bad have to change my password way to frequently because of problems so may be searching for a new photo storage






I am really liking snowshoeing even though I am not a winter fan.  Trying to embrace it a bit more and find some activities to enjoy. Will probably post a few more from the trip 


Goals for 2013: 
Blog more 
Drop a few pounds before the big anniversary in July 
Increase my speed from snail to turtle in running 
Finish more protects that I have already started 


Edited to add I will try to keep up with this p52 challenge

tall enough?

when I saw all this snow I knew I had to do this picture.



you see my dad went over the cascade highway a few years ago and took a similar picture and gave it to me.  Can't show you as it is hanging up in my office but it makes me giggle everytime I see it.

don't fall to far from either apple on the tree

ps I am 5'1" so thats a lot of snow still for july.

snowball fight

had to stop and have a little fun along the way





yeah I am not good at this game

snow????

first stop once we hit the park this is the sight we see.  all that snow!!! its the middle of july and they have snow still.

ok so you will notice this later but this picture was taken as we left the park.  as we came in clear sky as we left no so clear.

where does your road lead you?

its been a while since I posted I can make lots of excuses but basically winter blahs.  I did figure out what I really love to post is places I go.  So finally we headed out of town recently and hit the road.  spent a long weekend away.  it felt so good and so rejuvenating.

This was shot from the car going 70 on a grayish day headed to Seattle.  I loved how the light was hitting the cascade mountains.



It reminded me of the anticipation of where the road was taking me.   It also reminded me of all the places I and things I see everyday.  I think each day is a new road of an adventure.

where does your road lead?

February Robin

Poor little robin confused in all the snow today.

We got about 4 inches or more of snow today and saw this little robin sitting in the tree making a pitiful chirp.  Just yesterday the yard was full of robins singing for spring.  today with the wind, cold and snow they weren't so happy.

today was our Team run thought about sleeping in and skipping but Cancer doesn't sleep and patients don't get a reprieve so why should I.  It was a cold windy and snowy day run but I managed to do make it.  Didn't realize how much a snowflake could sting.

P52 - the Dreamer

the dreamer

Its starts off with a burst of energy

You continue to pound away at it with your enthusiasm

knocking any loose stones out of the way as you go

there are ups and there are downs

And long flat parts that seem to go forever

you continue to knock those stones loose

you feel like giving up

but see the end in sight and just know you can make it

and knock away a few more stones

something inside you pushes you

its that finish line in your sights that gives you strength

until finally there are no more stones

for this is your dream

you have reached your finish line

Until your next dream

this weeks P52 theme is by life with my 3 boybarians (see sidebar for link) is I dream the dream this is my interpretation

edited to add:  I had this post already to go and poof gone grrr  so in closing I just want to say as a teenager I use to write a little poetry I thought I might try writing a little more now and again and came up with this bit using a runner as a parody

the steel statue represents a big race we have here called bloomsday  since it snowed and was a blah day I added some textures by french kiss and an overlay by shadowhouse  did a bit of light rendering and added a border  

FIRST SNOW

Over the weekend we had our first snow.  while I am NOT a fan of snow it did look pretty.  this is the only shot I got of the day.  but it does show our nice new expensive roof and gutters.  We were going to remodel the kitchen but the roof was really bad so it came first. 

snow much fun

while up on hurricane ridge we came across some snow (yes snow in august) so hubby and I had a toss of snowballs

yuck

Today's challen is a song I use to love but now hate. 

this took me forever to think of but finally came up with one.  I generally don't hate much of anything.

clues include:

look closely at the photo something in it is the main part of the song

this is a picture of a river or stream

the song is by 2 people that normally sing solo

its an older song came out the year I graduated 1983

probably considered a country song then .

the song is islands in the stream by dolly parton and kenny rogers.

chasing rainbows

found a quick and easy tutorial and thought I would give it a try on this imagine that you have seen before.  yeah it's one of those images that I just plain like. 

the tutorial uses the gradient tool to create a rainbow and can be found here. Please check out this blog they have some great information on it.

CALM

sunset on the prairie and a calm feeling is around.

snow angels

over the end of last week we got dumped on with snow, this after it was all clear.  feeling rather frisky I decided it was time for a snow angel. 

mt spokane

Our mountain.  not a huge moutain my some standards but big enough to offer lots of recreation like down hill sking, hiking, and snowshoeing.


edited to add:   I shoot mostly on the weekends and then schedule out my blog posts.  last weekend yes indeed the mountain looked like this.  last night we got 13 inches of snow and housebound today I am sure it looks nothing like this.  for starters there would be no grass visible.

snowflower

taking a break from my Vegas shots I played with texturing again.  still don't fully understand it but playing around helps.  created this with some shadowhouse textures. if you want to play with textures on your photos I highly recommend this site.  the textures are free and pretty cool.



the original photo looked like this:

sky

I am back.  sorry had to take a little rest and then went away for a few days on a short trip.  I was uploading my photos and came across the following in my little point and shoot.  I don't use it very often they were from NOVEMBER wow. 



the above is the same photo as below but the top photo was enhanced by using a little tool in the quick editor of photoshop elements 9 (new to me I just upgraded) called make dull skies blue.  pretty cool and easy to use.  I think I am going to like the elements.

I have been a bad blogger with the only excuse that I have been to busy, sick or tired to take any new pictures.  but I do have this lovely shot of my favorite subject from a short while ago. 



of course over the weekend we have had a bit of warm weather if you call mid 40's warm and all the snow has just about disappeared.  of course I am not disappointed.  Snow is pretty in the winter on the trees and such but on the streets no not in the least.