One of our greatest talents is the ability to articulate joy. We all have this talent – it is not rare thankfully. Though fleeting in some lives. But just because it is a common talent, recognising joy, does not mean that it is of lesser value. I find that lift of the heart so frequent and usually, it is in the smallest of things. Three calves surging like young racehorses across the field. Molly the sow grizzling because Sheila stole her bed. Selling two hogs instead of the usual one meaning there is no hog left alone in the cold. And even luckier for me I am able and willing to capture some of my joyous moments in an image and share them with you. This doubles the joy factor.
I was feeling quite grim there for a while – in fact, I was feeling a little like a dartboard in a noisy pub full of strangers. Unable to join in and getting sharp objects thrown at me at regular intervals. But the workload is lifting, people are settling into independence again and I have my new camera and a trip home to my own family just around the corner.
A new camera would be like getting a new tool to many people but I feel as though I have been given a new eye. yesterday I was SEEING again. A new and rich and eminently achievable challenge. The richness I have discovered in my new Christmas Camera is delicious.
Mr X, my Fujifilm X30, has a knack for capturing rich colour where I only saw ordinary. With the correct settings it gives me a great depth of field (the area that is in focus) even up on the porch in the darkish corner where the cats and dogs have their beds I found a quilt of colours and textures. 
BooBoo again. Where Ton will race out to get into the background of photographs, Boo will be in the foreground.
The lens is sharp.
We had entered the very low light of dusk when Sheila came to the husk tangled gate to say hullo and gloat a little as Molly cried in the background too afraid to go into either of the beds. They will settle down. Though Sheila is still feeling towey. And dare I say it: a bit bitchy. She will relent soon and once Molly relaxes they will sleep together and keep each other warm for the winter.
I had been warned that this camera does not perform well in low light but the settings are easy to change and it captured all the information I needed.
Look at that sunset. (above) A perfect fade of colour into the sky.
Beautiful contrast, and I am only just beginning to work out what this camera can do.
Yesterday was below freezing all day. Cold. Cold. Everything frozen – I carried many buckets of warm water to the pigs and bales of straw to their beds.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Love celi
WEATHER: We get above freezing in the afternoon. That is good. I will run the hoses and milk the cow during that period. Maybe even a little snow overnight.
Friday 12/08 0% / 0 in
Plentiful sunshine. High 36F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.
Friday Night 12/08 60% / < 1 in
Cloudy with periods of snow after midnight. Low 24F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 60%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
Sun
7:05 am 4:24 pm
Moon
Waning Gibbous, 70% visible 10:20 pm 11:25 am
The Kitchen's Garden 
50 responses to “RICH”
Someone help me, please!! I want to buy one of the Kitchen’s aprons with the farm’s solar eclipse artwork on it. HOW do I do this? PLEASE HELP!!!
I am not sure I have a solar eclipse on an apron – go here – https://www.zazzle.com/apron_wai_the_wonder_pig_long_apron-154423712147910596 and check – i will have another look after the milking and make one if i missed it.
Hi, Ceci! I found the art on a T-shirt – V-neck, women’s Med., but didn’t know how to order it. I saw it once on Zazzle on the tote, apron, and T-shirt, but am unable to find any of them now. Would you still be able to help me? It was called ‘Total Eclipse on the Farmy’, I believe. Thanks – Sunny
Yesterday was a blur so I’ll take a moment here today to say how much I’ve enjoyed seeing what you can do with your new tool. Camera’s are very much a tool, as you said, and the better the tool, the easier the project. Mr. X looks like he will fit into your pocket easily and not be left somewhere odd as happened on occasion with camera house. Each tool serves up different results. What a sweet gift to get from your John and his mother. Something you can use and play with. 🙂 Enjoy capturing those fun shots of stubborn creatures. Enjoy seeing every one.
Enjoy – Joy!
Camera Xtraordinaire: )
Congratulations!
Life is good
I love the photos but it’s the word picture you painted of the pub dartboard that got me. Bullseye!
I am the bullseye…
That really is a wonderful camera. The colours are rich, intense and saturated, and you still have great texture and detail capture. What a lovely gift, just before you go away and take lots more photos to make us all envious. And the suitcase is finally out, waiting for the knives, the posh boots, the camera, the silver bracelets…. and not much more!
not much more than all the christmas presents!
I’m wishing for a year rich in joy for you my friend.
And for you darling girl
The countdown is on now until you leave for NZ! It has turned HOT here. We haven’t had a spring this year, it has gone straight from wearing coats and wet, to 30°C beautiful sunny days. Very unusual to have it this hot this early in the season. I’m not complaining, it’s so nice to see the sun again!
OH I really really hope that heat holds on until I get there!!
No photographer am I but even I can see the difference in the pics! So clear. How funny your comments on joy. It’s been a bit grizzly around here of late but last evening as I was feeding the gang we had the most glorious cerise sunset, it was one of those purely joyful moments. You’re right, more often than not it’s those fleeting moments that smack you upside the head and give you joy and what a dismal life it would be without them.
Yes – you understand..
These little bits of Joy are like the stepping stones of life…
Bravo, Celi! Bravo, Mr. X! A team of great depth and promise. Wonderful photos today. I’ve got a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5. It’s a point and shoot, but it’s got a great lens and chip. It does well with low light, the only thing it doesn’t capture well it anything bright red in full sun, that just washes out, but I haven’t seen much bright red in full sun so it’s not really a problem. I’ve got to get back to taking more photos if we ever get settled.
Super images Celi ..