An Interview with The Spooner Advocate

Last summer I enjoyed participating in my first fine arts fair in Shell Lake, WI where I met a reporter from the Spooner Advocate. He asked if I'd be willing to do an interview with him and he took my card. Lo and behold, he called me in December and asked if I'd like to do that interview. I of course jumped at the chance. How fun!!!! Yesterday the paper came out and there it was on page 11A, a FULL page COLOR spread on me and my photography. Yes, I jumped up and down when I saw it like I was about 4 years old instead of 44 years old!!! Frank did an incredible job capturing me in the article. I'm proud of where I've been able to take this passion of mine and look forward to where all it will take me in the future...all of the new people I will meet as well as all of the places I hope to see.

The full article can be found at:
http://www.spooneradvocate.com/articles/2010/01/07/community/doc4b44906630045965866712.txt

Below are the photos that were included in the print version of the paper along with the captions he added...
Frozen in flight. Barb Ray, a photographer from the town of Birchwood, captured this unique image of a bald eagle in flight by panning with the eagle as it flew - tracking the eagle with her lens - and then taking just one shot that makes the eagle appear still in flight and the background moving. She captured the osprey with her digital camera as it ate a crappie. Both images were taken in Washburn County.

Baby Snapper. Ray captured baby snapping turtles as they left the nest in her gravel driveway and made for Mud Lake. The little turtles, covered in sand, appear as animated rocks.

Golden leaf dressed with raindrops.

An example of Ray's portrait work. (personal side note - this is Miss Maggie M - isn't she a doll!!!)

Leaving home. Ray shot this snapping turtle as it just leaving its nest, which happened to be in her driveway in the town of Birchwood.

Stare down. Ray captured this image just off the intersection of Cty. Hwys M and D, on the south end of Long Lake.

A special thanks to Frank Zufall for the opportunity and the kind words!!! And thanks to all of you out there that have been supporting this love of mine and willing to be my practice subjects! Here's to a wonderful 2010...photography and all!!!

MCP Actions - Jodi Friedman - Camera Lens Giveaway!!!

Jodi Friedman's MCP Actions Blog is being sponsored by Tamron USA Inc. who is giving away a Tamron lens for a digital SLR!!!! What a great giveaway!!! Just go to the following link and follow the directions to get yourself entered!!!! Good Luck!!!! http://mcpactions.com/blog/2009/07/08/win-an-slr-lens-brand-new-tamron-lens-%e2%80%93-18-270mm-or-28-300mm/

Grayson - one month old!!!

Grayson is a sweetie!!!! For some reason, he feels the need to stay awake for all of my photos! When he closes his eyes, I have to be QUICK because it is only going to last a moment at most!!! Of course the day I went over there without my camera...he SLEPT on my lap nearly the ENTIRE time!!! In any case, here are some shots from the other day...on his 1 month birthday!!!

Spring at Crex

I'm so overjoyed by where we live!!! We have access to such incredible places. Check out these photos taken Sunday out at Crex Meadows! It was waaaaay windy but what an awesome place and what a beautiful day!!! Me...my camera...and some critters!!! What more can a girl ask for?!!!

Welcome to the family Harvey!!!!!

It is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to the newest member of our extended family...welcome Harvey!!!

Aunt Pat and Cowboy went to the Humane Society of Johnson County this evening with the intention of meeting and adopting a cute little Boston Terrier named Willie. After meeting Willie and while waiting to see how Willie got along with someone else that was there to see him, Cowboy started playing with a cute little black pup named Harvey. Harvey is a 6 month old hound/lab mix that loves to run and play. The last guy to see Willie really wanted to add him to their family and Cowboy was having such a good time with Harvey that plans changed just slightly...Aunt Pat and Cowboy decided to adopt Harvey instead.

So...Harvey joins Cowboy, Middie, Abby, and Andy as the apples of Aunt Pat's and Susan's eyes!!!! Welcome to the family Harvey!!!

These are the photos from the petfinder.com website...more to come!!!

The Great Mr. B...

I shared this on my Facebook page but wanted to add it here too...on Monday night, February 23, 2009, Oliver Ray, age 11 1/2, left behind all of us here that loved him to join Momma Ray in heaven. He no longer struggles to breathe, his eyesight is clear, he can HEAR, and he doesn't have to worry about his HUGE, very worn out heart any longer. He is romping around heaven like a pup!!! Although he was Momma Ray's pup, since adopting him upon her passing 3 1/2 years ago, I have loved him like he was my own. How could I not? I will look forward to seeing the little guy again some day...

Our many different names for Oliver
- Ollie (Momma Ray's fav)
- Ollie Bubba
- Bubby Boy
- Bub

- B-Bub
- Mr. B
- the Boy
- the Boy Dog (we only had one!!!)


Random things about Mr. B...

- I loved the patch of "unruly" hair on top of his head, best when made to stand straight up, even as a faux hawk...I'm sure he loved it...

- he loved to sit or lay ON you...not just with you...but ON you

- if your towel was left on the toilet lid when showering, he would drag it down so he could make a nice soft bed right outside the shower

- he was low man in the Ray "pack"...in other words, he was a wuss

- he loved with his whole heart...through his smiles and his wagging tail

- I loved watching him go down the steps to go to bed...his butt wiggled back and forth all the way down the stairs as his little legs carried him down as fast as he could possibly go...every time

- when he got nervous, he would "lick" the air...over and over and over and over...like his own little nervous tick...

- he loved his treats before bedtime - next to breakfast and dinner, treat time was the BEST

- when being fed, the twins knew thier place on the bottom step...his was on the left, Riley's on the right...not once did I ever see him eating out of the bowl on the right

- Faith picked on him because he is the only pup in the house that didn't fight back...we had to force him to socialize anytime after Faith would snap at him...

- he spent a lot of time sleeping in the bathrooms...his little safehaven away from Faith

- he loved to GIVE kisses...but was not so fond of GETTING kisses...I had to steal them!!

- he loved his crate...it was his other safehaven...and of course, the twin's crates were side by side and his, again, was on the left...and he knew it. If it was closed, not latched, just closed, he would use his paw to open it if he wanted in...clever little guy!!!

- he looked great wearing a red bandanna around his little neck

- it took us nearly 3 years of having him groomed to figure out he looked really cute with SHORT hair

- he was one of our best car riders...he would put his chin up on the little window ledge to look outside...he put in a lot of miles over the last 3.5 years with us!

- he loved his twin, Riley...they were inseparable...on occassion they would even sleep together in one of their little crates...or piled on top of each other in a chair...normally if you found one, you found the other

Thank you to the Great Mr. B for loving us as much as we loved you!!!!!!!!!!

Thankful...simply thankful...

Beginning this coming Monday, my dear Brad is back amongst the employed again!!! I'm so proud to say he is my husband...and I'm so proud to know what an incredible employee he is that in this bleak economy, when so many people are out of work, he has found a great new opportunity outside of telecommunications. Thank you to Bill for believing in my wonderful husband and providing him this opportunity. Thanks to Clay and his team for building a great product, BidBridge, for Brad to sell. I know he will make me proud and I know you will be proud to have him as your product's ambassador in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

And for you, my love, I am your biggest believer, supporter, cheerleader...because you are the love of my life!!!! I am so very very thankful...simply thankful!!!