Photography excursion

I recently joined a local service club for those who are considered geriatric those who are over the age of 55.  One of the benefits of being a member of this particular club is being able to join any of the many groups which have been formed and which members coordinate  - one such group being photography.

Yesterday I joined with some of them and armed with our variety of cameras, visited a local park.  It had rained overnight and the prospects of good weather didn't look promising but the sun began to shine eventually and although it was quite windy, the morning proved to be most enjoyable. My attempts at photography are purely amateurish however I do enjoy using my camera and even though many shots are deleted on editing, here are a few I saved.  The park offered so much variety and was divided into gardens of international interest  including Italian, English, American, Japanese, Chinese, Dutch, Australian. 

THE WEEK THAT WAS

A busy week - daughter's birthday, chimney swept, naval oranges ready to pick, rainbow on the road to Canberra, ducks visited on a rainy day, August 1 - Wattle Day, camellia's blooming, first Daphne flower burst open, beautiful sunrise this morning  ... God's blessings!

KEN DUNCAN PHOTOGRAPHER EXTRAORDINAIRE

Its been a busy week capped off by an overnight trip to Canberra - our National Capital. A drive of around 3 hours from home, we left on Saturday morning getting there around 11am. A visit to the Australian War Memorial Museum was our first stop where we browsed for a couple of hours. It wasn't the first time we'd visited but as on previous occasions, I have personally found it all a little bit depressing.  Having said that though, the displays are beautifully put together, the diorama's, audio visual displays and whole setup are quite amazingly done.  One wing of the museum was under renovation so we were only able to visit the WW1 sections.  Some of the goods for sale in the shop though were rather quirky and some quite beautiful so picked up A13's birthday present to post off sea mail in the next week or so. Hope he likes it when it arrives.

After lunch at the museum cafe we found our way by map to the Best Western we had booked into.  Took advantage of their cable TV (or at least the sport channel is what interested DH until he fell asleep) and generally just 'veged out' until it was time to get ready and go to the function we had come for. 

It was a simply fantastic 'do' - beautiful meal interspersed with Ken Duncan's visuals of some of his wonderful photography, with his telling us of the stories behind the shots.  He is  certainly a very funny man and kept us both amused and enthralled. Leading up to the weekend, entries to a photographic competition had been received and the winners announced.  What a talented lot of photographers!  Even kids as young as 6 had entered their categories and some very nice work amongst them. 

Sunday morning we were back at the same venue for a church service where  Ken and a wonderful young soprano, Rachel Cunningham, were the guests.  Ken blew us away again with his stories behind his photos from both Australia and around the world.

He told us how he was woken from sleep one night by God - the message was  “If America removes the words In God We Trust from their currency, I will abandon them as a nation.” It seemed to Ken as though God was asking him to publish a book of photographs from every state in the United States of America, showing the wonders of God's creation there and and how much God had blessed that country.  He had little idea of how he could achieve this and knew from his savings he would probably have enough to travel to about 5 US states however it would cost thousands of dollars to pull off the whole thing, both travel and publication.  So strong was his calling from God for this project that he and his wife eventually mortgaged their home and were able to raise enough for him to undertake and achieve it.  Finally he was able to present the copy to the American president the day before the tragic 'September 11'.  (see full story at http://hubpages.com/hub/In-God-We-Trust-A-Panoramic-View-by-Ken-Duncan )

At the end of the service Ken made an altar call and a number of people took the walk of their lives and committed themselves to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour.

An hour's drive from Canberra and we were at the home of very dear friends in Goulburn where we had lunch and a couple of hours to catch up with each other's news.  Just before 3pm the dark clouds began to gather outside and we knew if we didn't make a move to the car, we'd get a drenching. So as the large drops began we made a dash for it and got on our way home.  It was good to be home again but after such a full and enjoyable weekend I'm still reflecting on all I saw and heard.  So many blessings!

Have a good week my friends!
Bless you!

Sunset Over the Blue Mountains

Yesterday was a brilliantly sunny and very windy day - a great day for getting the washing dry on the clothes line outside. Although the sun shone until late afternoon, there was little warmth in it - unless you happened to be having a nap on the bed where it was streaming in through the window - which L4 (soon to be 5) was.

On my way home from child-minding duty I thought it would be a great opportunity to get some photos of sunset. Here down-under they say if the wind is coming from the north-west it's a good time to take photos as it blows the smoggy filth away out to sea. So armed with camera and about 4.45pm I drove to a spot quite close to where I live to await the disappearing of the sun behind the Blue Mountains situated directly to our west. These photos are the result. I was disappointed to see so much cloud which prevented a clear picture of the sunset. Still some of the formations were quite interesting and the light certainly showed why this low mountain range is named. When taking the time to view this daily miracle, I cannot help but still be amazed at the wonders of God's creation.

HOORAY FOR THE BIRTHDAY BOY!

It turned out a nice evening. The family gathered to celebrate with DH for a nice meal at a local (newly renovated) watering hole. We had balloons and cake as well and the birthday was shared with young Glen who turned 20 yesterday as well. Grandies had a great time. Hope to have some photos by next post - son was planning to take his camera but forgot it in the rush to get out of the house - just as well son in law remembered his! Now I need to wait until he can send them to me via internet.

A lot of heavy rain overnight has left everything rather soaked so I think the washing will need to wait a day or so till the sun comes out again. Today might be a good day to catch up on a scrapbooking album I've started - oh yes, and another cake has to be baked for a special lunch tomorrow. Off to make a large pot of vegetable soup then put the cake in the oven.

Blessings!

NEW LOOK

I've decided to try a new look and a name change. Now I'm not a very inventive or ideas person - I like what I see, but don't have much skill in putting it together. After searching on the net for something I could use that reflects 'me' I gave up and decided to put on my table some of the things that I love, and went from there. Camera out, moving items into different positions and 'click' took some shots. The result is my new pic at the top of this page. I'll keep searching for just the 'right' look for me but for now I'm happy with how it has turned out.

The new name? You may think this is rather strange but again, it reflects 'me'. I love shabby chic - in pretty much any form - but the 'chic' part of the name is kind of a play on words. You see my DH has for many, many years called me "Chookie"! As for the shabby? Well I am getting on in years now and no longer a crisp fresh young thing. Much as I would love to think those days are not over, alas, they are long gone! Still we can dream can't we?

Blessings!

THE BIRD IN THE TREE

Spring is the time of year that all the birds seem to come out of the trees and show themselves after the long cold winter. Oh some do continue to come to our backdoor throughout the cool months but others begin to show their lovely colours as they flit about looking for tidbits to feed their young.

Each year we have a family of cheeky butcher birds nesting in the tall eucalyptus tree in our front yard. Shy, with a diet mainly of insects they are always looking for a handout of bread which I feed to the Rainbow Lorikeets. Last Friday after the big truck had collected rubbish from our bins I went down to collect them and bring them around to the back of the house. I felt, rather than saw, something fly past my shoulder. Looking up to where the bird had settled, it was one of our friendly butcher birds - telling me in no uncertain way that bread was what he wanted. With beady little eyes on the bread I threw into the air, he swooped down to pick it up and proceeded to 'soften' it against the tree branch before he took it off to his family.

As I was watching his antics my eyes caught on a large brownish 'lump' further up the tree sitting on a branch. My heart did a flip - not knowing what it was. My neighbour saw me from over the fence and came and looked too. "Oh" he said. "I think it might be an owl".

A week or so ago, he had come home very late at night after playing squash and noticed an 'owl-like' shape sitting on his boat as he drove into his garage. We wondered if it was the same bird. I took a photo of it thinking that would be the last we saw it. These kinds of birds are certainly around the area but rarely seen in daylight hours.

Yesterday I was watering in the front garden and was surprised again to see the bird up in the tree again. This time it was sitting facing me so I got another photo of it. After checking it, I realised that it's not an owl at all - but a tawny frogmouth. Not the most attractive bird I have to say but I don't mind if he decides to hang around for a while. I'll be out there again this afternoon to see if it's come back again. Aren't God's little creatures wonderful?

Have a good week my friend.

Blessings!

JUST FELT LIKE KNITTING

The last two months of almost inactivity for me kind of 'got to me' a couple of weeks ago and I felt like doing a bit of knitting. I thought that even though I was sitting so much, I could get my hands busy. I don't really mind too much if I don't get enough squares to finish a rug this winter - that's the beauty of knitting squares isn't it? Doesn't matter how long it takes, eventually if you keep it up, there should be enough to put a rug together. I'm thinking I'll need at least 35 to make a smallish size but I'd prefer to do one a bit bigger than the last one I finished a couple of years ago. So... I've finished 12 with another more than half way done. The squares measure 10 inches each way (15 cms) and are so very easy to make.

With double knitting yarn (I think in the US that's Sports) and my needles are 4mm. Start with 1 stitch. Next row increase into that stitch then knit those 2 stitches. Turn. Increase into first stitch and knit across the row. Keep increasing one stitch at the beginning of each row until you have 60 stitches on your needle.

then

Knit 1, slip 1, k1 and pass slip stitch over (psso). Continue knitting till the end of the row. Turn and repeat until you are down to 1 stitch again. Cast off.

See? Easy Peasy as the kids say (or used to).

I can't say I'll post a pic of the finished rug yet as I'm not sure if the warm weather will turn up before I've got enough squares done (I don't knit much in the summer). But here's hoping that at least by the end of next winter I'll be able to show the finished product.

Have a blessed day!

CALLIGRAPHY CLASS THAT WASN'T!

I feel so silly! I got all my bits and pieces ready and left in good time to catch the bus. Although the bus was running behind time at our destination but I got to where the class was being held OK just a few minutes late. On being shown the room being used, I was surprised to find nobody there. I thought they were probably running late like me! LOL

After waiting for nearly 30 minutes I was convinced I had gone on the wrong day. The receptionist seemed to agree with me and felt sure their previous class had been held last week - it's held fortnightly.

So I got back to the bus station and waited 20 minutes for the bus home. Got inside the house and went straight to the class schedule to find out what I'd done wrong. Well - it was the right day - just the wrong time. I had gone for a 1pm start and it actually started at 2pm. I just wish I'd checked that schedule this morning before I left for the bus!

Unfortunately I won't be able to get to the next class as I've a post operative appointment with the Professor that day and as of yesterday, another appointment on the same day to have a DVT scan (deep vein thombosis) - to check for any post operative problems in my leg veins.

So now I'll have to wait another month to go to the class I was so looking forward to today. I guess these things happen - and in fact as I'd taken my knitting with me I got quite a lot of rows done while sitting on the bus. It's not anything terribly exciting but I'll get a photo of what I'm doing when I get a few more squares finished towards a blanket I've decided to make. I made one about 10 years ago and DH loves to snuggle under it if he gets up to watch any sport on the TV during the night. It's still OK but won't hurt to have a 'back up'!

Have a blessed day!

DAYS ARE BRIGHTER

These are the cheekiest little birds ever. They usually come flying over to the house from the trees at the back of our house and perch themselves on the shade sail directly above the kitchen window each morning as soon as they hear human sounds - the kettle beginning to heat, water running from the sink or even just us moving back and forth being busy with breakfast or coffee.

How could you be anything but cheerful when they poke their brightly coloured heads over the side of the sail and chirp and chitter making sure we know they are wanting their scraps of bread?

I managed to catch one a few days ago with my camera beginning to fly off the sail - it was unfortunate that I wasn't able to capture the wings totally but I did get a glimpse of the brilliant colours - no wonder they are called Rainbow Lorikeets. God's wonderful handiwork!

Blessings!

BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE

Happened to be up a little earlier than usual just before our clocks were put forward recently and caught a lovely sunrise. I was amazed at how quickly the sky changed, in fact by the time I had grabbed my camera it was almost gone.

THE ADVENTURES OF A STICK INSECT

After 3 days of temperatures of 38C and 40C (100F and 104F), mid afternoon a storm broke – a fairly typical summer Sydney storm – high wind, heavy rain, thunder and lightning. As I looked out the window my eye caught a movement on the sun umbrella which I’d taken down to avoid it being knocked over. Somehow, Mr (or Ms) Stick Insect had been blown against it and it was clinging for its life to the fabric of the umbrella. I was fascinated by the way it was battling against the elements and seemed determined to hang on to it’s anchor.

It seemed to be trying to move but neither up nor down had much effect as it was battered by the wind. Eventually it managed to turn itself upside down and with a few tentative steps made its way across the umbrella – which is when I decided to be a rescuer. It was well outside it’s usual environment and although not totally familiar with it’s way of life, I didn’t want to see it land in the pool and be drowned if it was flicked off by a heavy gust.

The rain still pouring down, I donned my gardening glove (I was fully clothed!) and went outside. Grabbing it gently I placed it in a little ficus shrub growing in a pot at the back door. It quickly sought the shelter of the inside twigs – where it was at least safe from the belting wind and rain. I made a quick trip inside for my camera and took a shot – can you find it amongst the leaves? (due to some technical difficulties the pics were not able to be uploaded)

Half an hour later, the storm was gone and so was the Stick Insect. They are quite friendly creatures and I believe some of the species can be kept as pets. They eat tiny insects such as aphids and are considered desirable in the garden. I hope it has found a good place to hide amongst the many trees we have around our yard – and continues to devour the pesky aphids from my roses!

FOUR WEEKS SINCE I POSTED - WOW!

I really am so amazed at how time can just fly by without me actually realising it. Who could have thought that it's almost 4 weeks since I posted in this journal. Not much of a journal at that rate I'd guess - but hey, I haven't been just loafing around here.

The pansies did come on and produce some pretty perfumed blooms after the shadecloth at night persuaded our possom friend that eating them wasn't a good idea! They've all gone now though - to make way for my first tomato plant of the season. Now I've discovered that 'something' (maybe I shouldn't blame possum just yet) is nipping off my tiny beetroot leaves right at the soil level, and leaving them lying limp and sad. I've never grown beetroot before so I'm leaving that opinion reserved until I investigate further - however for safety sake I've covered the tub with wire netting. Let's see the culprit get through that lot now! At least the tiny carrot seeds I planted recently have started to sprout and so far, and seem to be safe. I hope it stays that way.

I'd been thinking about learning a bit more about my camera and how to drive it efficiently and effectively so I booked myself in to a photography course and over two weekends in the past month, I actually did learn a bit more - now I need to practice! I'm hoping that with the coming of our Spring weather I can find some great subject matter and produce some good pics. I actually thought Spring had come two days ago - but it was only a rehearsal. Today we're back to dull grey sky, wind and a temperature of only 16 - brrr... I think I'll need to put the fire on again shortly - just when I thought it would be safe to pack the wood away in the shed until next winter.