Fresh Baked Winter

What a beautiful day.

Its snowing. Im drinking a delightful beer by Big Ditch called “fresh baked winter ale”. I am watching Santa Clause with Camdon and his mom, a movie I’ve never seen.  A whole chicken from the farmers market is roasting in the oven

Earlier today we took a trip to downtown Syracuse in the deep of snow. It was a storm of white fluffy goodness. It was heartwarming on the inside and frozen on the outside. I thought i hated snow. But i don’t. I love snow as long as I don’t have to drive in it. But it’s so much fun to play in.

May your days be bright and warm (at least inside), as the sun grows deeper.

Raven.

Classic Snow

Today, we got the first serious snow since my move to Syracuse.

 

Big puffy fluffs all over the place with more to come. So I bundled myself up, and went out with my camera(s), testing out my new boots.

The sound of snow plows and dogs whistled in my ears as I strolled around my apartment complex. Eventually my better senses came to me and I went back inside to the warmth and some tea.

Walking in the snow, when you don’t have to be anywhere is actually really relaxing. I didn’t think I liked snow, but today might have put a seed in my heart to change my mind. Don’t worry sunshine!  you are always my first love.

Guys, thanks so much for reading about my little adventures,

Raven

Oh. P.S. if you become a patreon you can see some more beautiful macro shots of today’s snow!

Reowouch!

I was getting ready to write. I was snuggled in my blanket.

When my cat Manu was hunting my other cat Bandit. These two do. not. like. each. other.  (and please, no advice. we are working on it)

But Manu was way more riled up than normal and I got the brunt force of his “play” all over my arm and leg now. Looks like it’s time to clip the nails again.

Anywaaaaays, that being said, I spent the afternoon drawing. Baaadly.  I am so rusty, it’s not even funny. And the location, the historical society, wasn’t really setup for comfortable positions, so after the first long session my back was a mess.

I took a note from some of the other artists, put my easel away and sat on the floor with my back up against some steps, and that helped.

Normally we aren’t allowed to take pictures, but today was different.  This was a genuine flapper dress she was wearing.  The only camera I had with me was my Lomo’Instant so I just rolled with it.

 

 

 

 

 

Look at that dress, and you can’t see here how shiny it is. It sparkled! And she had this round face that seemed to fit perfectly.

My arm hurts, it’s bleeding, i think it’s bedtime. 😉

xoxo,

Raven

Forestparktopia

Today. has. been. exhausting.

cold.

thrilling.

dirty.

Drove a little more than an hour to meetup with some other photographers and meetup at a waterfall/dam in Forestpark NY. I thought I knew what the weather was going to be like, but somehow 20 Degrees was much colder than I was ready to handle. So here I am trampling in the snow with my Camdon-Helper dragging along my tripod behind me.

I felt like a total walking disaster.  My brand new New Balance boots weren’t worn in yet, and i’m making my way along slippery slopes covered in a thin layer of snow and a thick layer of ice. I dropped a lense in the snow. I dropped filters in the snow. I couldn’t feel my fingers.  I was grumpy.

But you know what it was fun. I got some nice shots — I am not great at nature photography. I learned what kind of tools i’m missing for good waterfal shots… I ate in this dinner with the rest of the photographers talking shop and what not.

Delightful.

And to wind the day down there was a trip to the library, comic books and starbucks.

So a grumpy day can still be a good day.

Raven.

P.S. Most of the waterfall pictures will be on my patreon later this month!

Holidailies

Some days are just plain boooring to talk about.  Today is one of those days.

Do you want to hear about how I folded my laundry in the KonMari Style, or how I chased away my cat, Manu from chewing on my knee?

Maybe you want to hear about the crazysauce that is finding a doctor in Central New York.

It took me a week of phone calls. Of cold calling number after number on my list, asking “are you taking new patients” …. “NO…, oh ok”   *click*

Finally I emailed my Ohio doctor and he gave me a tip, so I reached out to the university and was able to find through the residency program an office that had gotten new doctors thus, was taking new patients.

Even with that, the next available appointment for me to have my”get to know me and all my meds” was mid-january.  exhausting.

If I had the desire to do so, I might try to do some research to figure out why it is so crowded here, that the ratio is so bad. Is it harder to be a doctor in NY? Do other states pay better? I’m sure their is something.

Lesson? Does a blog need one? If you move to a new state, start looking for a new doctor ASAP, you know, before your mind saving meds run out. (ps, mine didn’t!)

Also my Yule Tree is decked out in all kinds of geekery. Enjoy.

“

Game of … Cake

What can I say, titles, not my thing. (seriously, have you looked at the titles of my photos or art works.)

Today has been a busy day, where does one start in a blog.

On mondays I go to a local game night at a pub. I enjoy it. It makes me happy. We’ve started playing Kingdom Death – this epic level game with mysterious storylines and wonderfully wicked art.

And to add joy to it, we’ve been naming all the characters after Disney characters. You know, cause dark games need some cheer. or giggles. at least I think so.

Beast. Lelo… to name a few. And the lifespan of a character can be short. You can’t get attached. And I bond so quickly, I am sure I will cry a thousands deaths over before this game finds its end.

But, as I learned in my daily meditation (ok ok, semi-daily) today, being present matters. Being attached is okay, as long as letting go is also okay.

So stop for a moment, and breath in the scent of life and the game of death. (ha!)

Raven.

p.s. I tried the pub’s carrot cake, and it was delish.