• Blogmas,  dog,  dog photography,  Florida,  photography

    Look! A Squirrel! Blogmas Day 4

    Today I had to go out to Coquina Beach on Anna Maria Island to photograph a very sweet family. I have had the privilege of photographing them for seven years now. (I’ll post sneaks tomorrow) While I was waiting for them, this squirrel decide that he(or she) would be my model. It was a nice way to spend the time. I shot these on my iPhone with minimal editing. I think the only thing I did was crop them a little bit.

    Meanwhile, back at home, Amanda is puppy sitting this one, Luna is seventeen weeks old. Our dogs can’t be bothered. Poor thing, she just wants to play, all of the time.

    How is your weekend going?

  • Daily Life,  dog,  Florida,  Louisiana

    This and That

    Spring Break has come and gone. We didn’t go anywhere, and truth be told, I didn’t do anything productive. Well, I did write a paper for one of my grad school classes, but that had to be done anyway. I’m just trying to get through this semester. I wanted to quit after that awful February, but like Joel says, just get keep plugging on. We did binge both seasons of A Discovery of Witches, but I don’t think that counts as productive. I don’t know, I’m just tired all of the time. Aren’t we all though? Anyway, here are some photos from the last few weeks.

    Freyja, April 3, 2021
    Sunset March 29, 2021
    Idunn
    Annie, my sister’s cat, in Louisiana, Feb. 27, 2021
    On the way back from Dad’s funeral, wearing his hat. (I didn’t want to squash it in the suitcase) Th
  • Blogtober,  Daily Life,  dog,  Florida,  NaBloPoMo

    Blogtober Recap and NaBloPoMo?

    Well, October came and went…quickly. It was a crazy month for me with my very first ever trip to Washington DC.  I still need to put up the second post of that trip!  While I didn’t blog every day like I had intended, I did blog more than I have in years.  I found that I missed it and it was such a creative release for me. I think it was the jump start that I needed to get back on the regular posting that I used to it.  And that brings me to National Blog Posting Month or NaBloPoMo.  I don’t know if it is still a thing, but years ago, November was the big month for blogging every day.  It goes along with National Novel Writing Month.  I am going to do NaBloPoMo, even if it is unofficial, and while I won’t post every day, I would like to try and post three times a week.  Not sure if it will be a scheduled post situation, or what, although that would be easy to manage.

    Today Amanda and I stopped to vote and say this sign on the library book drop. (Makes you shake your head doesn’t it?) How many people put their ballots in the book drop before they had to put up a sign? Consider this your public service notice to go vote!

    Amanda and I are planning on going to the local Dia de los Muertos Festival tomorrow evening if it isn’t raining, and Saturday if it rains tomorrow.  I can’t wait for the photos from that!  In the meantime, here is a photo of Saga in the bathtub.  Just just slid down and let us bathe her…the only lab that we have ever had to do that.  Made the bath easier for sure!

     

  • Blogtober,  Daily Life,  dog,  dog photography,  photography,  Southeastern Guide Dogs,  Travel

    Weekending (Blogtober Days 6 &7)

    I was remiss in posting yesterday, but hopefully this will make up for it.  I shot Puppy Raiser Day at Southeastern Guide Dogs yesterday. Puppy Raiser day happens with a dog is matched with a handler and the people that raised the dog gets to come meet the new handler and see the pup that they raised.  Here Mendy (on the right) is looking down at Wrigley, a Golden Retriever, that she raised. To the left is Wrigley’s new handler. They became fast friends and I know they will continue to stay in contact.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Today, I met up with Chip and Chris and Irwin to take some photos of Irwin before he goes back for formal training in a couple of week. We headed up to Tampa to the Riverwalk area and explored Armature Works and had lunch at Ulele. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The guy up top is real and is pedaling his bike to make gin.

    While we were waiting for our table at Ulele, Irwin made a friend and showed off his cuteness.

    My lunch, Chip’s lunch and Chip’s Frose’

     

    Dog sculptures and a Humpty Dumpty sits atop Ulele…hope he doesn’t have a great fall!

    Around Ulele, there are these vintage storybook characters.  The owner of the restaurant spent $100,000 restoring them after he bought the characters from the now closed Fairyland area at Lowry Park Zoo.  I loved seeing these decorating the area. In addition to Humpty Dumpty, there’s the Three Little Pigs, Jack and Beanstalk and Alice in Wonderland.  I highly suggest that you get to Ulele a little earlier than you plan to eat and explore. It’s so pretty and peaceful. You forget that you are in the middle of Tampa. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Well, that was my weekend.  I have a guest blogger post going up on another blog soon.  I’ll let you know when that’s up and you can check that out.  Hope everyone had a great weekend and I’ll see you tomorrow!

  • Blogtober,  dog,  dog photography,  Florida,  photography,  Southeastern Guide Dogs

    Photo of the Day (Blogtober Day 4)

    Meet Freyja, aka Mama Freyja. She is a six year old retired breeder from Southeastern Guide Dogs.  She is queen of the house and she knows it.  (Taken with my iPhone X) . We brought her home at eight weeks of age, raised her as puppy raisers, sent her back for training. She came home three weeks later chosen as a breeder and had three litters before she retired.  Her babies have all grown up to be guide dogs, service dogs, ambassador dogs, and breeder dogs as well.  We love her to pieces.  

  • Blogtober,  dog,  dog photography,  Florida,  Kiki Mac Photography,  Knitting,  photography,  Southeastern Guide Dogs

    Ten Things About Me. (Blogtober Day 3)

    Ten things about me, that are probably ten things too many.

    Image result for Leap yearI am a Leap Year baby. Yep, born on Feb. 29, 1972 (you can do the math) I celebrate my birthday on non-Leap Years on the 28th. It causes all sorts of computer chaos when filling out forms.

    I was born in     Image result for Louisiana   and lived within 20 minutes of my parents until I was 30 years old and I was dragged kicking and screaming to  Image result for florida   when my husband took a job here. That was 16 years ago and I’m still not over it.

     

    One of my hobbies is    Image result for cameraI own Kiki Mac Photography in Florida.

    I also like to Image result for knit clipart

     

    We raise Image result for puppy clipartfor Southeastern Guide Dogs. 

    I drink way too much unsweet Image result for iced tea clipart(minus the lemon).

     

    I go by our local Image result for starbucks clipart so much during the week, that the barista starts my order when I pull up. (Trenta Black iced tea, unsweet, no water)

    I teach at my daughter’s old high school  

    I took my very first Related image on the MSC Seaside  last April and can’t wait to do it again. (Psss… call my friend Chip at Oceans and Lands Custom Travel 

    In 2005 the previous version of this blog had a write up in Image result for southern living talking about a knitalong and swap I hosting that revolved around hurricane season.

     

    Ok, that’s ten things about me.  All random, but it was fun finding all the clipart.  I’d love to find out more about people, so leave a comment with your ten things, or send me a link to your blog!

  • dog,  dog photography,  Florida,  Kiki Mac Photography,  NaBloPoMo,  photography,  St. Petersburg

    Throwback Thursday-Dog Edition

    I have spent the last three years photographing some gorgeous labradors before they go in for training at Southeastern Guide Dogs.  These are a few of my favorites from the last year.

    Kiki

    Nisey

    Kiki

    Penny

    Wilder

    Aja