Its nearly easter time.....

Emma! My friends baby dog....

This is Emma - my friend Claudia's baby dog.... She is such a cutie and I am sure Max and Ben will have lots of fun with her when she is a little older. Right now she is 10 weeks old and arrived in her new family on saturday. 

its cold again.....

....and there are still apples hanging on this tree - in winter!!!!!Took this photo 2 weeks ago when I visited my parents and sister...

This is what I see when I look through my window at my new office....

....and this is what I see when I walk a few steps out of my front door....

its autumn - its really autumn..... and I love our beautiful autumn...

Had to stop when I was on my way to Austria to do a wedding photo shooting - so warm and brilliant colours and the lake in the background - B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L.....

Weddings.... and things.....

Just a short snapshot I took on a wedding a few days ago - will be more online next week. Hope you all are fine :))

FRIDAY - WEEKEND.....

...and right now really autumn-like weather. Yesterday I took a loooong walk with Ben - over one and a half hour and we both had really fun. Cleaned the house as my char is still on holidays and spent the evening with my three men (one is still at the animals hospital). Thought that my mum will be with me next week but as my grandmother is moving out of the nursery home (into another) she is needed there (didn't want to tell her that I would need her most in the following week as this would make her heart sore). So next week I am all alone with Ben and sick Max - as hubby is on a business trip for two weeks and cannot cancel it.
Now off to do some shopping - trying to get big big big bones for the fourlegged and something nice for the twolegged :))))

Trying to sort my thoughts - not to focus on tomorrow.......

...as I am really feeling blue thinking about Max' second surgery. Even the first went well there is no guarantee the second will end well too. Thank god poor Max don't know whats going on tomorrow and I know that I will sit at home restless and wait for the doctors call. Ben will be very very lonesome and will search for Max the whole day- last time I think he cried a little...

But - Ben and me - we are a running team now - as he is such a fast runner I decided to take him with me for a run - on sunday we did 1,5 kms without stopping (great for the little one) - monday the same and yesterday we did 2 kms. Good thing is he is tired then - but its soo funny during the run he is always in front of me and looks like he is saying: Faster - mum - faster :)

Not off to spend the whole day with Max and Ben - then going shopping and looking forward to get big big bones to chew for Max (and Ben of course), carrots and lots of things to play with. My mum will be with me from Monday til Friday as Achim is on a business trip for 2 weeks - will be home for the weekend but then away again. So I won't be all alone with poor Max and little Ben. On Friday I am doing a photoshooting again (Friday evening til Saturday early morning) and on Sept. 28th I am doing a wedding photoshooting again - all excited as I didn't do that for a long time.

A.U.T.U.M.N...........

Honestly I am really looking forward to autumn/fall - we had a terrible summer like last year and therefore autumn couldn't be worse. I remember we had a most beautiful autumn last year and til mid of november the temperatures were nice and we had lots and lots of sunshine - blue skies and almost no rain. - the opposite of our summer this year! 

Right now when I walk my dogs in the forest there is more mud than the whole last autumn. So autumn - roll on.

This year the mushroom season started very early as it was wet the whole August and it was funny to see all those "mushroom hikers" with their baskets and knifes.... crawling in the wood.

As talking about weather it is raining again - but won't complain as it hasn't rained for more than 4 days now!

I started to run again - last year I was really good in time for a 10 kms run - about one hour and two mins - at the moment I do a run of 5 kms in 29 -32 mins - bad bad condition. But will do my daily exercise to get in a better condition soon. Hope I can do lots of outside runs as I don't like running on the treatmill.

I have moved with my office to the other half of the house and was busy doing that moving and recognized how many books about photography I own and how many I didn't even spent an eye on. So lots to read and to learn during autumn and winter - hope to be able to show some improvement here.

Thats all for the moment - still lots do do here in the new office ( I LOVE IT TO BITS) - even I am a little "away" from "home" - but maybe thats good.

Have a great weekend all and see you soon

Do you recognize HER? - Lady Di

Do you remember her? I am sure you do! Even I am not from the UK I did adore her! I remember her wedding (I watched it on tv and loved her from the beginning) and I remember the announcement of her death. This time (August 1997) I spent two weeks in Greece with my girl friend Bettina and on sunday morning we both called home to our parents. I remember my mums voice when she answered the phone and I enthuastically told her how I love my holidays (first holidays after the break of a long term relationship with my former boy friend). Her voice was like she was sick. I first talked and talked and talked and then recognized that she wasn't interested like she normally is - so I asked her what's going on. She replied and asked if I haven't heard about it--NO - and then she told me that Diana is dead. I remember that I squeezed my brain which "Diana" - all my family members ran through my brain but I couldn't remember any Diana in my family. Then I asked - which Diana? And she said: The Princess of Wales. I couldn't trust my ears - tried to get attention from my girl friend Bettina whose also talked to her parents- I saw her eyes wide open and knew that she got the same information. 

The next days we got some more information via newspaper and I was really shocked how a "famous" can be "hunted". There a several thoughts about the death of Diana - starting with the idea that Charles hired a "killer" ...... For me it was just an accident which could have been avoided. 

There were some "movies" shown in the german tv about the life of Diana - if just 10 per cent were the truth then I still think: Poor Diana - and you really "lived your life like a candle in the wind"....

RIP Lady Di

I took the photo above back in 2007 when we spent a few days at "Cote d'Azur" - there was a huge poster there in our hotel (saying that Lady Di spent a few days there)...

Changes..... in my life.....

Wow - sometimes we need a little time to recognize that we haven' t recognized.......

Exactly one year and one week ago my whole life changed totally - my usual world turned upside down with the arrival of the little (now grown grown grown :)) fourleged Max and Ben.  For those who know me and as told several times the first time was one of the toughest times I had to go through and even the dogs are now 1 year and 3 months old they still keep me busy the whole day.

And with all the doings during the time I didn' t recognized that my "me and myself " disappeared slowly but constantly. And a few weeks ago I woke up and felt myself so so so "burned out" - I never had this feeling before. I was tired from going up - was tired from having a cup of coffee - sometimes I couldn't even imagine putting on my shoes and go for a walk with the dogs. I sat in front of my computer and didn't know what to do - what to write, what to read, what to check...... and time flew by sooo fast.

My whole day was just "the dogs need to be walked, to be feed, to be entertained, to be educated. to be loved, to be pampered, to be.... to be......

I took photos which I immediately deleted when I checked them as I thought - what the hell is that? I didn't even had any interest in my normally so beloved photography..... I did some shootings because I was asked but never had the fun I had years before. And believe me or not - I see the difference of photos which are taken because they have to be taken and photos which are taken with fun and love and the right view....

So last weekend when I sat in my comfy sunbed and had a book in front of my nose I put this book away and thought about my life and that its bitterly needed to make a change.

With all my love to Max and Ben I first have to think that those two "banditos" are "just" dogs - and they have each other. Noo need to be around them 24 hours a day.

Does it surprise you that all in all I spend around 5 hours a day with/for them? Summarize these hours and we have 25 hours per working week. That means that my week "lost" more than two working days.

So I won't make a cut in that way that I will leave them alone the whole day but I found out that I have to do a plan for my days and that every day needs a few hours for me and myself.

So here I will walk in my new/old  life step by step again.... with

 - going up in the morning with my first cup of coffee

 - walking the dogs for an hour

 - having a healthy breakfast 

 - putting on my running shoes and doing a run for 5, 7.5 or 10 kms

 - taking a shower and taking a seat in front of my computer

 - doing some proper and needed work

 - walking the dogs in the afternoon for 1,5 hours

 - grabbing my cam and doing some photos

 - having dinner with hubby 

 - and last but not least going to bed way earlier!!!!!!

There will be days I cannot live this plan but that should become routine again - for sure when there are some photoshootings ( and there are quite a lot upcoming shootings) I have to change a little.

I want to find my "old me" again - I want to have fun again and not being "depressed" by thinking about all the things I wasn't able to do the whole day - I want to be that "Kerstin" I was before....so what do you think about that all?????

Cheers to my new(old) life - welcome back again.

Holiday review part I - LAS VEGAS

Hi all, I am back from a great holiday in the US - I really loved to be there again - it was such a fun to see Las Vegas - I had no idea how "crazy" this city is... I've heard a lot about it and was pretty curious but I never expected what I have seen. CRAZY, CRAZY, CRAZY....

First photos when we arrived in Las Vegas on Monday, May 30th at around midnight (after a 24 h journey - left house on monday morning 7.00 am (MET) and had our flight via Zuerich and Miami).

After checked in in our hotel (Bellagio) we did nothing than going to bed ......

Even its not allowed to take photos at a casino I couldn't resist and took a few - promptly was asked not to do any further photo... was a friendly guy who told me and so I was a "good girl" and stopped taking photos....

It was sooo funny - I haven't been in a casino before and thought I have to do some gambling while staying in Las Vegas - so I took 10 dollars and within the first 30 seconds I won 20 Dollars..... Was sooo surprised and pressed the "print" button and got this gaming voucher.

Next evening I spent a 5 dollar and - you (and either me) won't believe that - 30 seconds later I won 70 Dollars - pressed the "print"button and went to the cashier - 90 bucks more in my purse :)

Back from hols - 4 US States in 2 weeks - thanks Nevada, Arizona, Utah and California for this fantastic time

Here is a quick "overlook" of my holidays - again on the run as lots do do. Will check my photos these days and will post the best of them here....

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1973952342312.2114057.1048160808&l=d7cb90c762

Philippina is back....

.... as I have to look forward for a new project I have to admit that I missed my little Philippina and I've decided to give "her" a new chance to be my "365 days photo challenge".... So I will take a photo of her every day from now on and will post it on a separate blog.

If you want to see what she is doing all the time click here:

Philippinas life 

Have a great start for a new week....

Holy Communion .....

its time for that in Germany again - so I am booked for 3 of those photoshootings. I am really excited when it comes to such "official shootings" as I always think maybe I forgot how to take photos - LOL. No I am really nervous the day before and check my cams and batteries and and and .... pack and unpack my bag - always thinking I will forget something....

I NEVER FORGOT ANYTHING - I NEVER GOT TOLD THAT THE PHOTOS ARE NOT GOOD - I NEVER DID ANYTHING "WRONG" - but.... that's me.

The photo above is one of the best shots I've ever captured without a flash. It was just one or two seconds the sun came out and sent a few rays though the church windows. I simply love that shot.

A few more photos from our trip to Lake Garda

Back from a most beautiful prolonged weekend at Lago di Garda

I had such an amazing and brilliant time with hub, my parents and my mother in law. Our short holidays started on friday morning and we came back monday evening. We all had a fantastic time and I will never forget the fun we've had. Family is such a important thing for me and I love having my parents around.  Above a few first photos....

Even I am very happy in Munich - this is my beloved hometown...

this is "my Schluechtern"

what a (birth)day...

So, now as I am a grown up I normally shouldn't behave like this but I have to say I love my birthday.

This day makes me feel special the whole day and I always have a big grin on my face all over the day.

Normally hub and I start our birthday at midnight. Hub sent me up on the 27th a few minutes before midnight and at midnight he called me. I went downstairs again and got guided into the living room where he lighted up a candle and showed me the pressies. There was a bottle of sparkling wine with two glasses on the table - I didn't expect this as hub (like me) both caught a cold and normally we don't drink any alcohol when we are "sick"....

Then he showed me my pressies - there was a huge one in the middle of the living room - a new bike!!!! Its a so called "city bike" which I now can use to do my daily shoppings. I have a mountain bike but hardly use it to do the shopping.  We bought this bike 4 weeks ago so I knew I would get it for my birthday and tough as I am I didn't use it before because its the birthday present..... I got a bunch of my favourite flowers (in germany its called "Gerbera") and a blue "Hortensie"and then - yes - something more - a Pandora necklace. I got the bracelet 2 years ago and now that it is almost "finished"(I have now 20 different pieces on it) I got the necklace. 

So I think I have the best hub in the world! Not just because of the pressies - he is my star!

Went to bed at half past one and got up at seven as Max was "calling" so did my usual morning work (walking the dogs and preparing breakfast).  By having breakfast a little peace of one of my tooth broke and I called the dentist - appointment at 01.20 pm this afternoon .....Hub stayed at home because of his bad cold and we had breakfast. NOrmally at 9.00 my charwoman arrives - she didn't appear - half past nine - no char - ten o clock no char and I tried to call her several times - no answer. In the meantime hub recognized that Max was limping hard and hardly could use his right leg (that one with the new hip). I sent hub with Max to the vet - and started to clean the house : (.......  

At 12.30 o clock Max and hub arrived - the vet couldn't see anything but mentioned there is "something" - have to see the vet who did the hip surgery and a special x-ray.  I went to the city center to see my dentist at 1.00 pm and came back at 3.00 pm. Tooth is "rescued" and looks great again. Appointment at the vet at 4.30 - as hubby looked so bad with his cold I decided to do this appointment to give him a little time for himself - told him that he should take a nap as in the evening I had invited some friends. So it was me who left again with Max. Vet did a x-ray and told me that the hip is fine - no problems at all and nothing to see what is wrong. He thought that maybe Max sprained his foot or something like this. I was happy to hear the hip is okay and nothing is broken and it seems its nothing serious. So left the vet at 5 o clock and arrived home at 5.30 - and started to cook for dinner.  Was ready for taking a shower at 7.15 pm and had my first "break" at 8.00 pm - friends arrived 10 mins later...

It was such a hectic and stressful day but enjoyed the evening with a good bottle of red wine and some delicious food ( I have to say I did a great meal!!!)  Went to bed at 01.00 am and that was my (birth) day.

Any questions? LOL

Ah forgot to mention that Max is walking normal again - jumping around like a jojo...

New ideas..... challenges....

Bang - I am back on track (or something like this). I feel sooo good these times I think I am weather addicted (nice weather addicted). I feel so much more relaxed when the sun is out and the weather is nice. I am so much more motivated and even the weather is good and I should be outside the whole day I am inspired with work and doing the house cleaning. So this morning I have finished my piano class (its just this week that I am doing my piano class in the morning) I will re- organize my office and my desk (bitterly needed) - will sort out some cupboards and more things and then will go and buy some spring flowers.

Did my morning walk with the dogs and now off to the piano class and in the late afternoon I will meet a friend for a 10 km run. Looking forward for that as I didn't run with others for almost a year.

We had a great weekend with sun but not so high temperatures but we could use the time to do some gardening. Saturday we were invited for dinner by friends and took our dogs with and what can I say: They were the best dogs ever. After we came in they immediately did "vanish" under the table and weren't seen the whole evening. So good dogs :) (Proud "mum" is speaking). So now off and back later to post a few pics from the weekend....