Tina Parkhurst

Fun While Freezing

2024-01-15T18:10:00.002-07:00

There's no doubt that the subfreezing temperatures in the United States have been brutal and better over the past few days. Here in Colorado it hasn't just been subfreezing but subzero.

So what's a photographer to do? Find ways to take advantage of it and maybe have a little fun at the same time! I couldn't stay outside very long before my hands started to feel the effects of such cold temperatures but I did manage to get a few shots off.

Cats, cats, and more cats...

2023-11-03T15:31:00.001-06:00

https://tina-parkhurst.pixels.com

If anyone ever tells you that they want to be a cat photographer, the first thing that you should do is to advise them to get a mental health check. Photographing animals, especially cats, can be extremely difficult and nerve-racking at times. Imagine trying to shoot a hummingbird in flight with a pea shooter at 20 ft...It's virtually impossible. Unless the only thing you do is photograph cats while they are sleeping, it's a difficult task because they are always moving and when they do, it changes everything from lighting to focus, and composition in general.

I'm very fortunate in that I get a lot of practice with my cats at home and in particular, Mack is an excellent model.

I had the opportunity to shoot some cats that were not my own today and it reminded me of why I love doing it and how grateful I am for digital photography because you will probably have to take 100 shots to get 10 good ones if you are fortunate and good at what you do.

When it comes to photographing cats, I delete a lot more images than I keep. These are some that I took today while I was having some work done on my truck.

Sometimes, your subjects want to check things out... LOL

Lesson Learned

2023-11-02T07:00:00.008-06:00

We recently got our first real snow here in Colorado Springs. I woke up early and was SO excited when I saw the moon hanging over the Rockies with a fresh dusting of their first snow. In my rush to get my gear and get out the door, I dropped my camera body and big lens in the driveway (I think my soul momentarily left my body) because my camera bag wasn't zipped all the way around the top. When I picked it up to test it... I couldn't get the shutter to fire. I was devastated.

The good news is that after I had some time to get past the initial fear reaction, I was able to diagnose things properly and discovered that the memory cards had been jostled loose - thereby rendering the camera useless. Thankfully, I fixed the problem and it's perfectly ok.

In the meantime, I had to do the best I could that morning by tweaking my cell phone camera settings. It's nowhere near the quality of my Nikon D750 but I hope they are good enough for you to see the beauty of that morning.

https://tina-parkhurst.pixels.com/

One Last Hurrah

2023-10-31T11:15:00.003-06:00

We had our first real snow in Colorado Springs over the last weekend but before that, it was almost as if the flower knew they had once more chance to celebrate their colors for those of us willing to join in and witness it.

View more here - and purchase them on a variety of items!

And lastly... A happy Halloween to all! This image has a "ghostly" feeling for me. Celebrate those who came before, those who have passed from your life and the love you still hold for them.

I Love Fall!

2023-10-25T12:30:00.001-06:00

Fall has always been my favorite time of year - and this one is providing some great opportunities! Some involve getting up early or staying up late but often, it's completely worth it!

https://tina-parkhurst.pixels.com/

Shift Happens...

2023-10-18T13:55:00.002-06:00

The past month has been incredibly difficult for me but getting behind the camera has been my saving grace and is helping me heal. I missed the fall colors at Mueller State Park in Divide, Colorado but it was still a beautiful day! I hope that the changing seasons are being kind to you.

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Look Around

2023-08-18T11:49:00.002-06:00

Sometimes, the perfect shot is literally right in front of you. That's the reason that my camera is almost always within reach. It's also taught me to look around me more often and appreciate what's there.

Sometimes life gets in the way...

2023-08-08T10:32:00.000-06:00

When I first came up with the idea of posting a picture a day here, things had already been a bit... well... messy, in my life. My photography and my cats have been the things that have brought me any joy and kept me afloat for the past several months after being laid off from tech/IT twice in the past year.

Then the rug was completely pulled out from under me yesterday.

This is Basil. She is one of only a few hundred Registered Animal-Assisted Therapy Cats in the US. She was also one of the first (if not THE first) cat to be nationally accredited as part of a Animal-Assisted Crisis Response Team. Earlier this year, she was diagnosed with Feline Injection Site Sarcoma and the incredible people at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital - Flint Animal Cancer Center have been doing the very best possible since then to help beat this.

Sadly, I was told yesterday that despite the treatments, the cancer metastases in her lungs have multiplied and grown. Her medication was switched up and we are currently doing everything possible to keep her comfortable. If you look at her right now, you'd hardly know anything is wrong and I hope that lasts as long as possible.

Losing her will absolutely take the wind out of my sails and does nothing to make a horrid year any better.

Whatever you find joy in these days, please do so. Hug your family and friends (furry and otherwise) often. Thanks for understanding if the pic of the day doesn't happen every single day.

Picture(s) of The Day - August 3, 2023

2023-08-03T12:07:00.001-06:00

Please take a look at more of my work and consider buying something - and please share!

https://tina-parkhurst.pixels.com/

I have a camera with me just about all the time, whether it's my cell phone (a Samsung Note 10+ which takes fantastic pictures) or my "big girl camera" (Nikon D750). This includes walking around our home. I have some great models, or "meowdels" as subjects.

Sometimes, it's a hit... Mack is a great model!

Basil is always beautiful.

And sometimes things don't quite work out... LOL

Have a great day! Get out and see something!

Picture of The Day - August 1, 2023

2023-08-01T09:00:00.012-06:00

Well, here we are in the midst of summer. Here in Colorado, that means that the wildflowers are still going crazy! Sometimes, I enjoy pictures of an entire field, and others... The details are too beautiful to pass up.

I wish you all happiness - whether it's your entire life or the tiny details.

And don't forget to visit my art page to get my photograph and AI art on everything from prints and cards to mugs and notebooks, and more! https://tina-parkhurst.pixels.com/

Picture(s) of The Day - July 31, 2023

2023-07-31T13:40:00.008-06:00

Please forgive me for these posts being somewhat erratic but life has been that way lately. Hopefully, things will smooth out before too long. In the meantime, here's some shots I've managed to grab lately!

These and more are available as prints, canvas, cards, totes, and so much more at:
https://tina-parkhurst.pixels.com/

Picture(s) of The Day - July 18, 2023

2023-07-19T18:52:00.003-06:00

Messing with camera settings sometimes means choosing whatever is available and nearby. Enjoy!

Especially the last one...

Picture of The Day - July 13, 2023

2023-07-13T17:30:00.002-06:00

Manitou Springs, Colorado is another nearby gem that I discovered today! It's an artistic community that has a completely different feel from the surrounding Colorado Springs... And I love it! One of the things this lovely enclave is known for is a series of mineral springs, which the city has incorporated into fountains.

I'm sharing more than just the pic of the day so that you can enjoy!

And the rest...

Picture(s) of the Day - July 12, 2023

2023-07-12T12:37:00.002-06:00

Living near the Garden of the Gods in Colorado provides some amazing opportunities to grab the camera to get out of a "funk." These rocks spring out of nowhere to shoot straight up toward the sky in rows of various shades reds.

I couldn't resist posting more than one shot from yesterday... Enjoy!

Picture of the Day - July 5, 2023

2023-07-05T12:06:00.000-06:00

I hope that everyone had a safe and happy holiday. This is another cell phone pic I took a few years back. It always makes me smile and remember the holidays from my childhood.

Picture of the Day - July 4, 2023

2023-07-04T12:58:00.001-06:00

Whatever you are doing today, please stay safe. Enjoy the day, whatever it means to you.

Picture of the Day - July 3, 2023

2023-07-03T14:08:00.000-06:00

Several years ago, I spent some time in the midwest. While I wouldn't live there again (or in the south... too much humidity), I did get some great photos! These were taken with my cellphone but I still love them.

Enjoy!

Picture of the Day - July 1, 2023

2023-07-01T16:20:00.002-06:00

The local natives are out and about now that the weather is turned warm. This cutie saw me coming and raced up this tree only to sit there and yell at me while I took its picture! LOL

I'm going to try and do a new picture every day Monday through Friday. Please come back and keep enjoying the images!

How about a bonus pic for our official first time... Sunsets in the Rocky Mountains can be spectacular!

Creatures (pictures) of the Night

2023-06-30T18:34:00.002-06:00

We've been having some amazing weather in Colorado recently. A few nights ago, we had a lightning storm that didn't make a sound but WOW! did it ever put on a show. A "buck supermoon" is supposed to make quite a showing on July 3rd and you can bet that if we have clear skies, I'll be out there with my tripod and camera! I haven't done much night photography at all. So this was a great chance to have some fun practice.

WIn the meantime, whatever night scenes you might like, I hope there's one here that you can enjoy!

Animals That Aren't...

2023-06-19T11:13:00.004-06:00

One thing is certain... I love animals!

I even love animals that aren't animals, like these beautiful metal sculptures at the Denver Zoo. I didn't shoot all of them but these are a few near the entrance that caught my lens.

Lions and tigers and bears... OH MY!

2023-06-12T17:20:00.003-06:00

I was part of a group of people that recently had early access to the Denver Zoo. Now, I have mixed feelings about zoos... A few in the country are excellent and provide opportunities to see animals that we would soo otherwise. On the other hand, almost every zoo out there doesn't have sufficiently large enough enclosures for the animals - including this one. However, this is a discussion for another day.

I ended up taking almost 500 shots this day but like taking photographers of any animal, that's how many you take to get a few good ones, if you're lucky!

Not all the "cute" animals get the great shots - this Cinereous Vulture was huge!

It's spring and this baby mountain goat was having some fun!

Who doesn't love (African) penguins?

This Mandrill wasn't eager to have its picture taken but patience paid off.

A sea of pink!

This Northern White-Cheeked Gibbon clearly hadn't had enough coffee yet.

This Sarus Crane was beautiful awake or sleeping.

The zoo visitors aren't all human.

Sadly, I'm not sure what type of bird this is but they were stunning.

The giraffes are always beautiful.

Zebras are amazing studies in black and white.

And nobody passes up the lions.

Now, be like this lioness and head on over to tina-parkhurst.pixels.com! I'll be adding more images from this trip over the next several days. Thanks!

Mouse For Dinner

2010-12-08T17:54:00.000-07:00

As you read this tail/tale, keep in mind that the whole thing happened over a 5-10 minute time period and is best accompanied by the theme from the Looney Tunes cartoons or better yet, Ride of the Valkyries.

After returning home from a recent dinner out, we noticed that our cat Moo was extremely interested in getting behind an antique wooden beer box. My first thought was "bug" or at worst "lizard." After putting our leftovers in the fridge, I went to move the box so that Moo could kill her quarry. Unfortunately, it wasn't a bug or a lizard but a small and lightening fast field mouse. This character was surely a descendant of Speedy Gonzales.

ZOOM!

(Cue music)

And WE'RE OFF!

Around the corner it went into the living room right under the nose of Spatz who showed his intense interest by yawning - what a cat. Moo was hot on the trail though with both my roommate and I bringing up the rear. The mouse went directly behind the couch where no breathing critter that SHOULD have been in the house could fit.

First, I pulled the couch away from the wall and Moo ventured forth but the mouse went under the couch. So I grabbed one end of the couch and lifted up and said "push the coffee table under this end of the couch" since Moo was now under the couch as well and I had no desire to make cat pancakes. The mouse made another break for it to the end table on the opposite side of the couch that was now a good two feet off the ground. We were now officially trying to avoid surfaces being perpendicular to the floor for the mouse to hide under so the end table ended up on one corner at a 45 degree angle. That mouse haven only lasted a few seconds and it rounded the next corner and was now behind the big screen TV.

With the couch and end table still up on one end and at strange angles, we moved on to the TV. Moo was expressing her frustration at not being able to get behind the TV so of course I grab one side of the TV and pulled it out of the alcove that looks like someone forgot to put in a fireplace when they built the house. Please also visualize that this TV is almost as tall as I am and wider than my arm span. In went Moo, the mouse was still there. Then I went over to the other side of the TV and pulled that forward as well. As with the couch, the mouse just moved from behind to under.

At this point, I decided that we needed all the troops and went to get our room-mate Rob. After a brief explanation of the situation, it was now a group effort.

"Can you bring me the broom?" Within seconds I was armed with a broom and a flashlight that could knock out an elephant. My comrades were armed as well... my partner had a long handled Swiffer duster and Rob was armed with a long 2"x2" that we use to secure the sliding glass door, clearly an item that keeps out burglars but not mice (note to self: write Congress member that mice should be monitored as possible weapons of mass destruction).

I was now lying on the floor looking for our tiny, but speedy, visitor. Imagine, if you can, that in this position and without hurting myself, I can only move at about the speed of a sea lion on dry land and I probably resemble one too. Somehow, the mouse knew that I was just such a target and made a dash immediately after I spotted it.

Remember a few lines back when we started rearranging furniture? Did you know that a wooden end table set on one corner at a 45 degree angle can become an object capable of inflicting incredible pain when met with the back of a head moving at the speed of light? Our little guest now had several companions, all with stars circling around them. They could have done a routine from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers across my forehead and I wouldn't have moved an inch.

Okay, so the head bashing thing didn't really happen but it was a vision that was crystal clear in my mind as this whole thing was turning into a disaster waiting to happen. The mouse was in no danger what-so-ever but the three humans, three cats, and 105 pound German Shepherd might as well have been trying to walk into Chernobyl.

For the next few minutes, the mouse dashed back and forth around the next corner and behind yet another couch that was clearly destined to be tilted on end more than once. There WAS also a stack of video tapes in the process of being converted to DVD sitting on the end table next to it. I imagine that from a mouse perspective, that must have looked something like a Road Runner cartoon where the pile of pianos comes crashing down on some poor creature that is passing by. Don't worry, just like the cartoons, the mouse survived without any damage and afterward, the tumbled stack provided a place to hide out at one moment. This just meant that video tapes eventually went flying everywhere as I chased in after the mouse with my faithful and potentially deadly broom.

We finally succeeded in herding the mouse around to the wall where the sliding glass door was. By this point, the cats had vacated the first floor of the house due to the obvious abundance of human insanity. As the mouse went flying past the sliding door the second time, I yelled "OPEN UP THE DOOR!" After a few more plays at 'mouse hockey' and my careful construction of the great barrier mouse wall on one edge of the door (consisting of one footstool, the end of the second couch, and a few carefully placed blankets), I literally threw my hands up and cried "VICTORY!!" as the mouse scurried out the door.

We laughed hysterically, as we had in a few scenes of this episode, and began putting the living room back in to some sort of order. The last big piece was to take the first couch off of the coffee table and push it back against the wall. We were almost able to do this after I got Moo out from underneath. One end back against the wall.... Second end.... scramble, scratch, mew.... Some nights, it really sucks to be a small, blind, AND black cat that we don't see every time. She ASSUMES that we see her whether it's noon or midnight. You know what happens when cats assume? They make humans out of us.

We apologized to trying to make Crepes NeeNee and after a few minutes of petting the dust off, kisses, and proclaiming our love for her, she was okay and purring again.

Sweaty and panting, I went upstairs to take a shower. Spatz was sound asleep on the bed as if none of this had happened. It clearly wasn't his concern and he felt that Moo had all the bases covered. Duchess was downstairs on her dog bed through all this, sitting patiently and watching. Somehow she knew that if she moved, she could get caught in the cross-fire.

And what about Moo? She's still looking for the mouse....

Cats, Crisco, and Shoehorns

2010-10-08T15:40:00.000-06:00

Some people think that I have three cats at the moment. In actuality, I have two animals that might qualify as cats, one dog who thinks that she's a really big cat mistakenly put into a dog suit, and one very large cat that adores the dog. That would be Spatz.

I've had Spatz for 13 years. Now, he's 16 years old and is a very handsome black and white tuxedo cat who weighs in at 18 pounds. He's a talker and a lover and when he isn't playing with the dog, he's trying to convince one of the humans in the house that he too, is in fact, a human. It's not his fault that he looks like a cat to us!

This month was time to catch Spatz up on his shots and teeth cleaning. Yesterday, he had to go in for his blood work to make sure he was healthy enough to handle the operation at his age.

The phenomenon begins as soon as I try to start acting like I'm not getting ready to leave the house to go to the vet. At that moment, every cat within three blocks suddenly disappears. There have been times when the cats in my own house have literally become invisible and have vanished into some deep space worm hole. It doesn't matter what I think about, or don't think about, THE CATS KNOW! I don't know how, it is just one of those miracles of the animal kingdom that humans may only aspire to evolve towards. Then the cat carrier comes out and it's all over.

We have a king size bed so no matter how hard I try, I'm still only 5'2" and cannot reach any cat that may be hiding directly under the middle of the bed no matter how far I try to stretch. If someone were to walk in on this scene, they'd see me trying to crawl under the bed (HA!) and yelling at "GO ON!", "GET OUT!", or "COME HERE!" Now let's face it... if you were a cat and I was trying to grab you from under a bed exhibiting this behavior, would YOU listen? Okay, clearly this needs to go to the next level. Out comes the broom to play "herd the cat." They all know that once I'm wedged under the bed trying to get them out from underneath, that's their chance to make a break for it because I'm temporarily stuck.

We go through similar maneuvers from room to room as I close the doors behind me. It's sort of like ticking things off the "to do" list. Walk-in closet, check. Under the bed, check. Bedroom, check. Office, check.

The best thing that I can say is that eventually, I do win this game. Yesterday morning it was due to an amazing surprise ambush attack from over the back of the couch. The trick here is to look quietly behind or over the back of the couch to locate the cat and then move at lightening speed to grab the cat before you find yourself stuck behind the couch because you fell over the back of it.

One thing about this evolution, if you are assigned the job of cat catcher in this house, you must be willing to be okay with catching the subject cat by any body part that you happen to be able to grab at the opportune moment in order to end the traumatic pursuit and quickly grab the scruff of the neck before it turns ugly. Yesterday? Let's all just be very thankful that Spatz has a big, strong, hefty tail.

Wait, it's not over.

Cat carriers are generally made for an average cat of about 10 pounds, even the large carriers. An amazing thing happens when you grab a cat by the scruff and start to put it into the carrier. ANY CAT will by the laws of cat physics (VERY different from the laws of physics that we humans are bound by), INSTANTLY double or even triple in size in order to not fit through the opening of the cat carrier. Now with Spatz, imagine trying to fit a furry elephant with claws on his back legs into a travel carrier made for a mouse. I've thought of shaving the cat, greasing the opening to the carrier, greasing both carrier and cat, knocking out the cat, knocking out myself - in the end, it's usually just a test of who gets tired first. Nine times out of ten, I win. On that tenth time though, it's back to square one under the bed or at the very least, behind the couch.

This morning, Spatz had to go back to the vet for his teeth cleaning. Since the vet is on the way for my roommate's commute, she offered to take him and drop him off. God bless him, somehow Spatz thought that if he stuck by me, he'd be safe and thus, avoid the dreaded carrier and vet visit. Little did he know that I detected his plan and was part of the entire conspiracy. As he snuggled up with me on the couch, both of us still quite groggy, I put my loving arm around him and he started to purr. He thought all this was just the best thing that had happened all morning until he figured out that I wasn't letting him loose in order for him to play his disappearing act. I was quickly branded a traitor.

All that was left was to get out the shoehorn and wedge him into the cat carrier. A little Crisco, a lot of determination, and in he went.

I picked him up this afternoon and all is well. Good news, his teeth are clean and none needed to be removed. The vet said that for a cat of 16 years, he is miraculously healthy and that whatever we are doing, to keep doing it.

Guess that means more shoehorns and Crisco. I do love my cats.

(Editors Note: April 2009 - I just finished re-reading this post. Spatz made his transition back to Source late last year at the age of 20. I miss you Bubba Man.)

The 10/100 Pound Cat

2010-09-08T15:47:00.000-06:00

My youngest cat, NeeNee, got her splint off today after being the innocent victim of recent visitors. She had a badly broken leg and was in the splint for eight weeks. The top of her poor little paw is a scattering of black fur, dirty white toes, and rubbed VERY RAW, RED, AND SWOLLEN. The vet took the the splint off, washed her leg, and she was aggressively chewing on it immediately. So much so that she had it bleeding withing seconds.Now I have give her a dropper-full of antibiotics twice a day. I've given shots to cats, rabbits, pigs, dogs, sheep, and horses and I've even helped to brand cattle. I consider myself a wiz with handling animals but I've never encountered anything like this...

It takes two people to hold down this little blind ten pound cat to wash her and give her medications. She has jaws of steel that clamp shut like a trap to prohibit the passage of the eyedropper full of antibiotics. This is a mountain lion disguised as a domestic house cat. My roommate has to hold her by the scruff, grab both back legs, we wedge her between us against the couch cushion, and then I take both hands to open her mouth and put the dropper contents in. Just try and picture that one....

Because it just gets better...

Her leg and paw have to be washed EVERY DAY NOW. We lay the beach towel down on the bathroom counter before we attempt to wrap NeeNee in as a kitten burrito. Hopefully, before she has a chance to figure out what's going on, we once again secure the rear paws and my roommate lays on NeeNee with just enough pressure to keep NeeNee from going off like a roman candle when the water is turned on. We estimate that this would ultimately require approximately 2,500 psi and both of us combined don't amount to that much and in the end, we would end up with a kitten pancake so we do the best we can, hopefully without incurring injury to any parties involved.

Once the leg and paw are thoroughly washed (but before we dry off ourselves, wipe the pools of excess water from the counter and mirror, and apply the neosporin and band-aids to ourselves), we take the dry portion of the towel that is now half soaked and dry off her leg, and then we put on the VERY dreaded lampshade.

We tried putting the newborn sock on her leg (pink of course) and securing it with first aid tape (the first alternative) but God expressing as this little creature continued to gnaw so relentlessly at her paw and leg THROUGH THE SOCK that we had to resort to the hated Elizabethan Collar. Never in my life have I seen a cat (or any creature) pout SO SEVERELY as when she finally comes to rest after all this is concluded. You would think that we have removed her reason for living and insulted her family line at the same time.

So, we hoping that now that the splint is off that the leg and paw will heal within the next week and we can try removing the lampshade little by little. We have to watch that especially carefully since when we take it off now, she goes after her paw like a wild lion goes after a fresh kill - seriously, growls and all. Hopefully, once it's all healed, that urge will go away.

We're all retiring for the day.... between the lot of us, wet, scratched, collared, bloody, pouting, and exhausted.... and this is just day one of this phase.

Oy.