Leapin’ Leopards!

Would you just look at this big guy??

I am slowly going through the 3,000 photos and videos I took while in Kenya – I would love to thank those who said “Put the camera on SPORT mode and take burst shots!” because they were so right.  The animals are moving, the vehicles are moving – people are jostling around to get the best vantage point for their own photos, the safari vehicles were rocking.  There is no way in heck to use a tripod and special settings.  Just burst shot and go and hope you get something good.

Or wonderful – just look at his eyes! The tufts of fur in his ears – the individual hairs on his belly fur.  And that gorgeous grain of dead tree wood – magnificent.

I am so glad that I didn’t just go to Africa with only a cell phone.  I can hardly wait to take my Canon SX70HS to Germany in a few weeks.  With a bigger memory card.  Because I intend to take ALL the photos!

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When Life Falls to Pieces–PIECE!

This was my yesterday.  But it isn’t my way to just handle the events of the weekend, but any time that my thoughts seem to be running in every direction.  Sleep patterns awry (No thanks to “fall back” time on top of international travel upheaval) sometimes the best way for me to deal with things is to just get up and get going.

The body clock wins, no matter what the actual time clock says.

When there is no sleep to be had, the best thing for me to do is get a bit creative.

Before I go any further – I do want to acknowledge all of the wonderful messages and heartfelt comments in regards to Sadie’s passing.  It hit us unbelievably hard, but in the end there really is no avoiding it, is there? 

I just wish we could have done more for her to ease her suffering in her last hour.  She is at peace now.  Our hearts are raw. We weren’t ready to say goodbye, we weren’t prepared for it. But can you ever be?

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Rest in Peace, Sweet Sadie Jane.

It is with unbelievable sadness I write this - our sweet Sadie Jane crossed the rainbow bridge at about 1:15 am this morning.

We believe she had a stroke just past midnight after we had gone to bed - we awoke to her having a seizure.

I called the emergency vet in Boone, an hour away.  We were on our way there when she passed away in my arms.

We are devastated.  We loved her so much.  She was the best rescue dog ever - in fact we didn't rescue her, in so very many ways she rescued us.

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Stick Your Neck Out There! (New Pattern Release!)

Can you believe it’s November 1st?!

I’ve been asked when when WHEN I was going to share the animal photos here on the blog.  And in the back of my mind I’ve been wondering just HOW HOW HOW I was going to present such variety and amazing experience into just a few posts on animals.  I can’t.  I just can’t -

And then it hit me – do the by type!  Do them by category!  Stick your neck out there and break it down.  And there isn’t a need to do it all at once.  I can chose an animal of the week, or every couple of days in between the “real life stuff” I have thrown myself back into since returning from Kenya.

Isn’t this pair just gorgeous? I love the one looking at me as if to say “Hey! Can’t you see we are eating here?”  In fact Giraffe are ALWAYS eating.  It’s their main job in life.  To eat and eat and eat and eat.

But what about sleeping?

In the wild, giraffes almost never lie down because of vulnerability to predators. They usually sleep standing, sometimes sitting, and they give birth standing up. When giraffes sleep, they curl their necks and sleep for about five minutes at a time, sleeping no more than 30 minutes a day.  I can’t imagine!

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