V-Day!!! ...Southern California/Birmingham, Alabama style!!!

In the end of April, Virginia of Birmingham Alabama Daily Photo fame came to Southern California to visit for a few days and had a whirlwind tour of some of the hottest spots in SoCal!!! We started at the Huntington Library where Virginia got to show us all up with her outstanding shots of the gardens,here, and our group, here and here...

Soooo, not to be out done by Ms. V, I got a couple of shots of Ms Laurie (Glimpses of South Pasadena Daily City Blog) and Raine, the recent birthday girl...

the group with the decent docent of Altadena Hiker fame, Karin Bugge...

and a quick capture of Petrea, of Pasadena Daily Photo fame...

hugs for Mama Laurie and kidlet Raine...

and our fine feathered friend by the pond at the Huntington...

on a quick walk to the tea room for high tea...

Petrea, Virginia and Judy, Virginia's hostess with the mostest!!!

Ms Tash of Palos Verdes Daily Photo had her camera to her eye as often as Ms V!!!

and did you really think anyone in this group would not have a camera???

Mr. Earl...basking in the delight of being in the company of all these crazy women!!!

On our way out of the gardens...Virginia had to get in just one more shot!!!

Then on to:

Dinner at Bistro de La Gare in So Pas

Lunch the next day at Villa Sorriso in Pasadena Norte...

A walk around Ambassador College grounds...

Kaldi's in South Pasadena...

And the bistro at Casa de Chieftess in Glendale...

Whew!!! I'm exhausted!!! For more photos...be sure and check in with each of this crazy crew on their fab blogs...

Happy Mom's Day!!!

It's Mother's Day and I want to say I have the great good fortune of being blessed with an awesome Mom-in-law!!! It's been quite a few years since my own mom passed to the other side of life, but I lucked out when I married the Hubman...his mom is the best!!! At 89 she's goin' strong...even bought herself a great new little car...yep, a VW convertible..in red!!! Which she drives in style...even a bit of a Grace Kelly nuance thanks to Great Grandaughter Kieley's red shawl!!!

Happy Mom's Day Jackie!!!

Takin' a class in night photography...

Many of you know that I've been taking photography classes at Tri-Community Photography Center, an adult education program in the Covina Unified School District... It's really a cool program, and definitely geared to the adult who wants to learn (or play) in photography. For a single fee per term, you can take as many classes as you want, use the lab, and no attendance requirements as "we're all adults, and while we know that sequential learning may be best, we also have lives and can't always make it!" They take attendance, but not for grades...as there are no grades. If you complete a certain amount of hours, you earn a vocational certificate... The instructors are all professional photographers in their own right...and you can take classes in Photoshop, Lightroom, basic camera and photography, Portraiture, Lighting...you name it...they've probably got a class in it!!! These were taken for Eva's night photography class..my first location shoot for this class...others made it to the other previous night shoots..I told Eva the next time I saw her that I didn't think night photography was my thing...I got very frustrated with my monopod and settings...then I downloaded my photos...so tell me, what do you think???

The Castle Green in Pasadena, CA

A jazz bar and dinner house...Red, White and Bluezz

Pasadena City Hall...

From inside city hall...

The back side of City Hall...

All Saints Episcopal Church...across the street from Pasadena City Hall...

Another shot of City Hall...

An interesting doorway on the way back to my car...

Loved the lighting and the reflections in the glass...again, on the way back to the car...

Another shot of Red, White and Bluezz jazz club...

And a last shot of the Castle Green...

The South Pas Rotary is at it again!!!

Well folks, the South Pasadena Rotary Club was at it again last Thursday night...it was their annual pet clinic! Dogs and their humans came in droves to get caught up on the dog's vaccinations for a reasonable fee. Veterinarian services were donated by Dr. Malcolm S. Jones (Steve), past So Pas Rotarian. Dr. Steve is currently practicing in Fallbrook, CA, www.alvaradovethospital.com.

The event was held in the fire department garage...don't worry So Pas residents, to create this opportunity for the K9 citizenry, the illustrious So Pas Fire Department was ever on alert, driving through the city...

The event was attended by many dogs and their humans...

Some dogs were quite pleased that this event was held especially for them...

And some dogs figured out that there was something going on in there that they might not like...

"A hug is great...but something's fishy here..."

"Yikes!!! Look at those needles!!!"

"Ouch!!!"

Daisy did her part...calming an anxious new friend...

"Hey!!! Who’s this guy...and what's he doing with all those needles???"

"Whew!!! Not so bad...Now what???"

"Huh? I thought I was going on a play date..."

Some got bored while waiting for their humans to finish all that paper work..."what's that about anyway? Can't a dog just be a dog???"

This senior canine had encountered this many times before and was not happy about it...

"It's over...and life is good again!!!"

(Don't you just love this ol' senior's wise face?)

"Mom...can we go now??? Huh? Can we? Please, can we???"

Some thought this was the K9 beauty pageant...

Some just wanted to get going..."there are things to do and people and canines to see out there!!!"

Some needed extra hugs...

"Hey mom! What's the hold up? Let's get out of here!!!"

"Aren't I just as cute as a button?"

Ok...so after the clinic, everybody was pretty hungry...

And thirsty...

Yummmm!!!

Thanks to all who made this annual pet clinic a success!!!

And thanks to all the canines who allow us to be graced by their presence in our lives...