Happy New Year!

2007 was, without a doubt, an AWESOME year for Cynthia and myself!

  • The photography keeps evolving we’ve had a blast with it this year.
  • We planned and executed our most ambitious vacation ever!
  • Our jobs remain steady (knock wood)
  • We have our health (knock wood again)
  • All in all, no complaints. Good health, good friends and good times.
    We can only hope that 2008 will bring more of the same.

    Here’s to a healthy and prosperous new year for us all!

    And a special wish for all my photographer friends that the world around us remains full of interesting and dynamic subjects for us to aim our lenses at!

    *photo courtesy of Cynthia

    12 Giraffes Of Christmas

    As in years past, Cynthia’s family sends us a few boxes of Christmas presents via the US Postal Service. It’s always nice to have them to open on Christmas day since we usually just celebrate with the two of us.

    This year there was the expected assortment of wrapped gifts from Cynthia’s mother and some of her sisters.

    There was also included an unusual set of numbered gifts from her sister Patricia in Florida. These came with a note indicating to open these IN ORDER. There were 12 in all and we puzzled over them a bit before putting them under the tree.

    This morning we got up and had breakfast and then proceeded to exchange gifts and open up the presents from Cynthia’s family. We decided the gifts with the special instructions should go first.

    Cynthia opened the first one and looked at it and I exclaimed “It’s a giraffe in a pear tree!!!”

    It was a hand-made Christmas ornament of a giraffe climbing a pear tree. With 11 more to unwrap, we knew where this was heading. Yup, the 12 Giraffes Of Christmas. Each one hand-made by Patricia and representing a play on the 12 Days Of Christmas. And they’re all ornaments for Cynthia giraffe tree which will now have to be a full sized tree next year.

    My favorites are the “calling birds” giraffe dressed in hunting gear with an orange lined hat and a bird call, the “maids-a-milking” giraffe dressed as a cow with a little cow-bell on his neck and the “French Hens” giraffe, replete with beret, baggett and bottle of wine that says “Chateau Giraffe 2007” on the label.

    Click on any of the images below to see a more detailed shot.