Big Hugs for all of DG African Violet AllKind Hearted Souls

YEA!!! Alright!!! Woo HOO!

Is that the alsobia behind your strep Christmas morning?

GUELPH'S CHRISTMAS

Are you just so darn excited! I'm happy dancing all over my playhouse for you!!! With an ear to ear grin that I can't wipe off!

GUELPH'S CHRISTMAS
Plant
Yes it's one of them !

What do you think ? My first pictures ? I have no idea what the setting was lol but the flash came on ? I used up my little care will put new large one in you all got me. !!

Precious ! My first picture she did not want to get off my lap and ept swatting me with her paw. lol

Thanks Bob Thanks Laurie . I'm smiling ear to ear Laurie watching you do the Happy Dance !

If only John Travolta was here to dance with me... sigh... oh yea, forgot he's married. oh yea, so am I! lol

Oh yes I'd love to dance with him. I use to go to oldie dances, Soc hops, and I had a Poodle outfit. I was so tiny children size. I could be twirled and lifted all over I loved it. I danced one night with a guy who did the original live show of Grease ! Oh how much fun it was !

I can't wait to squeeze your Precious! She's such a dumplin and I'm such a dog lover. (p.s. I'll squeeze gently)

Oh my goodness she love to be hugged and kissed :))

Woohoooo!! Allison's first digipics have been posted! Oh, what a treat!!

That's a wonderful picture of Precious!

You're off to a fabulous start! I thought I'd try to give you a couple of tips on getting better focus in some of your photos.... I hope my explanation will be clear & not too long (long explanations look more complicated than they are, and sometimes I get too detail oriented).

With the auto-focus feature on these point & shoot cameras, it can be hard to get the camera to focus on what you think is the main part of the photo... it will focus on a leaf, or on something in the background, and then your flower comes out a little blurry.

Sometimes, it's better to take a photo from a little further back, the way you did with the second picture of 'Guelph's Christmas'... When you're farther back, the camera can focus on a wider depth of field, for example everything that is 12 to 16 inches from the lens will be nice & sharp... When you're really close up, the depth of field gets pretty shallow, for example you can have a leaf in perfect focus and a bloom that's 1/2 inch closer or further away from the lens will be blurry.

One thing that can help is to give the camera time to focus by putting the bloom in the center of the frame and pushing the button only partway down (you should feel a slight resistance). Give the autofocus a couple of seconds to get a good "fix" and then press down the rest of the way to take the photo. Even with the "multiple focus points" that these cameras use now, they still focus best on whatever is in the center of the LCD screen. My camera has a little green light that blinks while it is trying to find its focus and then shines steady green when it is ready to take the shot.

You can also use this technique to get good focus on something that you don't want in the center of the picture... for example, may you're taking a picture of Precious next to a table filled with AVs... you want to focus clearly on Precious, but you may want her to be to one side of the picture. Start by putting her adorable face in the middle of the picture, press the shutter button halfway down, and give the camera a moment to focus. Then, keeping your finger on the partly pressed shutter button, move the camera so that Precious is where you want her in the picture. Now press the shutter button to take the picture.

Well, that wasn't a short explanation, but hopefully it was easy to follow. Just keep taking photos... that's the best way to learn! And we'll all enjoy seeing your pictures!!

:-)

Wonderful photos Allison! And precious is just ADORABLE!

This is so great - Precious looks like you could reach right through the screen and pet that sweet little face!
And that last picture of Guelph's Christmas is a drooler for sure.
Love those frilly edges!
You go, girl!

Way to Allison!!! The last two are PERFECT!!!

Thans everyone ! Thans Jill for the great tips ! I read some of this in my boo looked neat . Two girls in the water holding hand and focusing correct on both of them ! My fingers work slow I think I find myself doing this a lot . Well I just took around I bet close to a hundred pictures lol some good some not. Now I'm tired so much excitment ! I need a rest :))

Aha! I just found this thread after I have had a boring day here at work. I am so darned happy for you! It was funny how so many of us had the idea at the same time, eh? I even had a rare "Snoopy Dance" for you. Awesome-awesome-awesome. I think you once said that 'the more you give the more seems to be provided'? You had no idea then how true that is!!!

Yeehaw!
Kenton

Ed. to add a grand Thank You to those that organized it so well.

This message was edited Jan 21, 2006 3:03 PM

Oh yes ! So well said ! Thank you Kenton. And you know I ship boxes of babies out and never have an extra space on the plant stands. lol I took like a hundred more pictures :)) So I will be posting more :))
I am so excited ! Everyday is Christmas at DG African
violet forum ! My Mom wanted people's address so she could write Thank you notes. I said Mom I think a lot of people donated ! She said your all a wonderful loving people and Thank you so much for being kind to
her daughter. She only lives 30-45 minute drive but with my health and her health I can't go there and lot's of times she can not walk let alone drive I don't get to see her often. She comes to visit when she can !
Hugs everyone ! Allison

Woo hoo!!! Your doing great Allison!

This has certainly been the highlight of my weekend....everyone is so awesome...I am certain i was drawn here to meet and enjoy you all...Bob

Allison,
Where does your Mom live (city). I'm just down the road about 30 minutes in Pinellas Park.
Jan...

WOW Seminole

Just down the street, I work at the VA and graduated from Seminole HS many many years ago. LOL My Mom and sister live in Seminole as well. If she ever needs a ride up to see you, just let me know. I'm available on weekends.
Jan...

Oh Allison, those pictures are fabulous! Your camera is as much a gift to us as it is to you! You just don't know how much we enjoy seeing your pictures! And you gave Precious the perfect name, as she is completely precious!
I recognize the name Guelph's Christmas! You sent me leaves of that one! Yay! It's a beauty!
It has been so much fun for me to see you get your camera!
Hugs to you Allison and everyone involved!

Hey, my dog is named Seminole! We call her Semi for short!

http://www.dogster.com/?2262
She's 13.5 yrs young now. Not many teeth left and mostly deaf, but the sweetest little girl.

what a cutie!!!

Thank you Jan ! Thank you Amy for all your kindness :))
Your dog is so sweet Laurie. Our 13 year old dog passed away this past summer. Not a dog goes by when we don't miss her.

laurie...that's so wonderful...my dachshund was 14 or 15 before she passed the monday before christmas...she was a wonderful companion...here she is when we got chased by the hurricanes...lol....and yep, she ran this joint!!

don't know why pic didn't come through...let me try again

guress i'm not suppose to post it..he he..will try later...Allison did you see how much fun I had with "precious"...think on the optimara collage i posted....

Just this last April, we had to assist our beloved Biscuit to the bridge. She was 16. I adopted her from the pound when she was 8 months old. She was like my child. In fact she was almost as old as my daughter. It broke my heart. She had gone into multiple organ failure and was just old.

You can read more of her story by clicking the dogster link above. Go to the big yellow dog's link named Biscuit.

I miss her each day.

laurie..i know what you're feeling but how wonderful to have had her so long...and yes,,she was part of you and your family...My dogs name was Happy...and she was special as well....Just about a month since she passed..and i still open the door expecting to see her there....But we had a great time together.

Aww. I love short legged dogs! Bassets, Doxies, Corgies I just love them all. I'd love a doxie, but with four dogs now, my hands are full!
I could spend all day just sweeping up fur! In fact I could make a whole new dog out of the fur I sweep up.

Are you considering getting another dog? Of course not to replace her, but for the company they provide. you can tell that Precious is her mommy's little baby! My dogs are BIG, one is teetering on 80 pounds, and I get on the floor and rumble with them all. No way they could get in bed with me! I can just see four dogs, ranging in size from 35 pounds to 80 pounds (about 215 collective pounds) in our full size bed! HA! It would be a circus for sure.

I'd take on another 10 of them if I could. 'Fraid DH would divorce me! so four is the limit!

sorry to get so far off topic Ali!

I know how hard it is to lose a pet.
When I was little..I always had surgeries and was laid up a lot. My parents bought me a yorkshire terrier when I was 9 to keep me company. I lost him when I was 25 and I was totally devastated.
When I got married my husband bought me a viszla which I always wanted. We had to put him down 6 months later because he was dominant aggressive and attacked both of us a couple of times.
Finally, We now have Carly and Sly which you guys have all seen! You could not ask for better pooches..though they are BIG :)...50 and 90 pounds of BIG!
Sly *the black one* Always sniffs my legs and takes care of his disabled mommy. He thinks he is my companion dog and watches me like a hawk!
They are both 2 1/2 yrs or so..and I can't imagine losing them.
After my yorkie died..I didn't want another dog..but it is amazing how much they add to our lives while they are here!

This was an especially hard year pet wist, We lots not only Biscuit, but my baby - The Cat of all Cat's Thomas O'Malley, the Alley cat. He was an idividual if ever there was one. Then in August, someone stole Templeton, Thomas' twin hooligan kitty. We believe he was stolen, but can't be certain. He was such a character though. So I wouldn't doubt one of our tenants took him when she moved out. The timing was too coincidental. So it's been a sad year as far as our critters are concerned.

Just curious, how did Sly get the name? Hmmm?

i'll let Lorry tell you about their dogs names....but they are wonderful dogs and i really love them...Lorry...gosh..you have shared the same feelings we have...with my "happy"...i watched her closely for 2 weeks...she just wore out....i have planted a nice garden spot where she is burried...she was a character and as I've indicated before..she ran this place...lol...thanks for sharing everyone...

Babe on my Birthday 2005. She died about a month or so later. I'm bad on time. She was the best sister from day one when Precious was 8 weeks old only 4 pounds. They ate togher, and played together everyday. I never seen two dogs love ach toehr so much. We mis our Baby girl everyday/ She was the sweetest good nature and awesome personality ! I always felt safe to Babe took care of us and when she barked you knew something was wrong.

showed this before sisters playing

oh Alllison.thank you so much for sharing these pics....made my day....maybe i should get 2 little ones again...lol...hey Lorry has 2....why can;'t I?...hey howbout...a kitten and a puppy...yikes...i better stop thinking like this.

One more had too ! Sharing treat time together !