Your pictures are so beautiful. Where you live sounds like paradise. You are one brave lady to swim in that pond though. I'd be terrified of snapping turtles biting off my toes.

Lovely Rachel!...thanks for sharing!

Konrad

Thanks! Snappers have never bothered me, and I prefer pond water to pool chlorine/chemicals, though!

Thanks for the beautiful pictures and comments. Would you mind posting what state or area you live in?

Glorie

Thank you, and welcome to the forum!
I live on a farm halfway between Morehead and Olive Hill in Kentucky; it's in my name-"rachel from e. ky," and more information when you click on my MyPage. Clicking on any of my photos should take you to my Picasa Web Album (I think. They keep upgrading Picasa so I don't know now) which links my photos to a google map.

If you fill out your own MyPage information then others can see where you live, what camera equipment you use if you post a photo, links to any blogs or websites you may have, what name you would like to be called, maybe something about your hobbies, etc.

Nice pictures,Rachel! I agree with you about a pond being better than a chlorinated pool for swimming. I'm an ocean person,but a lake or pond will do.

Nancy

Thanks, and me too..I grew up 5 miles from the ocean in Haiti. We used to have beach parties on New Year, but we're land-locked at the moment. I'm thrilled to be able to swim on Poppy Mnt, only 1 1/2 miles from here, because it's semi-deserted at the moment. DuBois and I used to drive 15 miles to swim in the Licking River or in a deserted pond over the mnt from us where we had to hike through tick-infested brush to reach it.

But, speaking of oceans, this year we did skip down to FL for our anniversary over New Year and camped at Ft Desoto Natl Park but it was too cold to swim. But I could take photos of wonderful birds from the car

12-31-08, dock beside Gulf Blvd, preening American Oystercatcher, 4:19 p.m.

This is a link to the first day at Ft Desoto in my photo album. I love Kentucky warblers and other birds, but the ocean TRUMPS ALL (sigh). Slide show button on upper left corner, click F11 key for full screen

http://picasaweb.google.com/rachelbro3/123008FloridaTrip#

These are lovely pictures, Rachel! Are you a professional photographer? Because you should be! You're brave to go into the icy water with a storm coming! The older I get, the less tolerance I have for cold water! Which is a shame since I love to swim.

Kentucky is a beautiful state. Hubby's family is from there, although no living relatives left there. We go back to visit his old haunts every so often though.

Rachel, thanks for the input, I followed up on your suggestions -- and thanks for the information on cameras and the printer you have. Portrait is professional!

Just a note: sea water (sea salt in particular) contains a high percentage of chlorine which accounts for its antibacterial/antifungal qualities.

Beautiful photos, Rachel!

Rachel, I agree, you must be a professional photographer.
I really enjoy your photos, they make we want to see Kentucky.

I have never learned to use our digital camera,but your advice here has inspired me. We go to Cape Cod every July for a family reunion. I am going to learn enough to try and get some pictures of ocean and coastal birds, ones that I have watched for almost 40 years but never been sure of what they are. Last year I stayed up all night on the computer trying to figure out what a surf scoter was. (I had no picture or field guide, just my memory).

Also, sometimes seals come up the beach and swim around our kids.
If I am lucky enough to manage some decent shots of anything at all that is of interest I will share them here.
Thanks for the advice!

Thank you!
Although my equipment turns out better quality photos than those of my former point-and-shoots, they are not the quality capable from a professional Canon lD Mark lll. I don't even use the full capacity of my Canon 40D, usually shooting on auto, altho I'm finally starting to use a filler flash.

I know I'm being lazy, which why I clung to the no-brainer Canon Powershot S2 IS 12X and resisted facing the learning curve of a DSLR. I only took the plunge because Gail promised my photo quality would improve!

I hope you take photos and post them, though; I've surfed waves with dolphins in the Gulf of CA when I taught in Mexico and sea lions have followed our boat, but I've never been swimming with seals..that would be so cool

i want my birds back. nice shots. heeh

I especially love the butterfly/thistle photo.

And I agree: it does seem like you live in paradise! And with an accommodating husband, how pampered can you get? Do I sound jealous? :-)