Continuing the Valentine Experience

First of all, one more photo for the 104 challenge ...

Something Blue - Photo 38 of 104

We walked for about 30 minutes after breakfast, which was plenty of time to take a few photos, as well as hold hands and steal a few kisses.

We drove to the Cinema with a few minutes to spare and we were actually the first people to enter cinema 5, so we got to take our favourite seats, which are the high ones at the back!

We saw 'The Vow', which I enjoyed very much.  It wasn't as sad as I expected, but it's based on a true story and was still very moving.

There was a young couple sitting two seats along from us.  The young lady, who I'd guess to be in her mid twenties, felt it necessary to give a running commentary during the movie.  She repeated lines, audibly gasped and groaned when unexpected things happened, made loud predictions and then gasped again when her predictions were wrong!

Her partner shushed her twice during the movie and I came very close to asking her to refrain too.

I think I'll have to go see it again.

After the movie, we came home to have some 'time out' before the remaining valentine activities began, but before we drove down our street, Adoring Husband took me to the park by the river.

This is where we spent the day, the first time we visited this town and also where we were married in 2010.  He walked me to our spot to remind me again, how much he loved me and we stood for a while to soak up the moment.

THEN it was time to return home.

Adoring Husband requested that I be ready for my surprise afternoon by 4pm and that I should 'dress up'!

When I was almost ready, I walked into the lounge room to find Adoring Husband standing there in his suit and tie!!  What a handsome devil!

I was ready with a few minutes to spare, when he appeared in the bedroom and wrapped his arms around me and handed me a gift wrapped box.

He usually buys me a different kind of heart-shaped pendant for valentines day, but this year, he said "I thought I'd try something different".

I've been eyeing this off since our last whale watching trip in 2011, so as far I was concerned, it was a good choice made by him!!  A lovely surprise!

I wasn't able to wear it out because it was on a leather strap, which didn't go with my 'dress-up' outfit!

We drove into The Bay and finally parked in the vicinity of the Urangan Marina.  I had guessed that we might be going on a dinner cruise :D and just as we arrived, a big black cloud loomed above us and, much to Adoring Husband's horror,  dumped some rain on us!

Luckily, it didn't last very long and he soon led me to a catamaran that was taking us, along with four other couples, on a sunset sail.

Not a dinner cruise, but the captain did serve us a fruit and cheese platter and other assorted goodies, along with the choice of champagne, red or white wine, beer or soft drinks.

We were the first on board and Adoring Husband asked the captain if there had been a delivery for him during the day.  Next thing that landed in my hands was a giant, long black box wrapped in a bright red ribbon.

Inside the box were a dozen beautiful long stemmed red roses!  More hugs and kisses ensued.

A Self Portrait - Photo 40 of 104.

A sunset with potential, and although it was beautiful, it failed to reach 'spectacular'.

Soon we were off enjoying a two hour sunset sail.  The other couples were friendly and happy and the captain was very approachable.

One of the males, on board with his partner who was expecting their second child in 6 weeks, had quite a bad sunburn on his face and when he removed his sunglasses, there was a very noticeable white area where the glasses had protected his face.  I told him that he looked like an 'off-duty superhero'.  They were highly amused.

It was a lovely couple of hours, but for the last thirty minutes I was beginning to feel very queazy!!

After we disembarked, I needed to take a moment to sit, catch my breath and find my land legs!

Finally, we were off to the second half of our evening and we parked the car outside a new restaurant that I have been wanting to try for a couple of months.

Naturally, being Valentines night, it was extremely busy, but the service was very good and the food was delicious.  I was expecting a long wait, but the food arrived quite promptly.

For our main, we had Pork Belly with Watermelon Salad and then splurged on dessert.  Adoring Husband had a Cheese Platter of Tasmanian cheeses and I had a Banana Split which had banana, banana mousse, chocolate sorbet, peanut fudge and caramelised popcorn.  Absolutely 'to die for'!!

When we were leaving they charged us for our neighbouring table's meals, which were double the cost of ours!  They sorted it out quickly though and that was the only real hiccough for the evening.

So we were home by 10pm and were both exhausted, but happy.

The end of the night - Adoring Husband with my roses.
Also A Heart - Photo 39 of 104

It was a memorable valentines day and I felt very spoilt and very loved.

Nite all.

Valentines Day 2012

Gosh!  What a day!  Adoring Husband was very adoring and planned a full day of fun and frivolity for us.

It all started when I awoke to find a Valentines Card on my bedside table which was beautiful and romantic and full of lovely words written by Adoring Husband.

We got ready bright and early and drove into The Bay, where we had a delicious breakfast at Aquavue on the water.

Our view over breakfast ...

Adoring Husband had eggs benedict with smoked salmon and I had a delicious fruit salad with sweet ricotta and a berry coulis.

After we had breakfast, we went for a stroll along the beach.  It was such a glorious morning!  Of course I took my camera for a walk as well.

It was such a fabulous day and I want to tell you all about it but I am so exhausted!  I will share all the wonderful details tomorrow, with photos as well, but for now I need to sleep.

Just had to come in tonight to let you know that it was a fabulous day :D

Nite all.

Happy 1st Birthday Chicklet!

My little sweetie Possum turned one year old today!

We had a family birthday lunch here.

Vegan Chickie and the Bare-chested Chef made a cupcake stack for Chicklet's birthday and brought that with them today.  It was supposed to have three different types of cakes, including vegan, but the vegan mix that they got tasted yuk, so luckily I was able to get some soy milk from our local supermarket and I whipped up some vegan cupcakes this morning so that the Bare-chested Chef could have some cake too :D

It had little duckies and bubbles and hearts on the frosting.  There were lemon cupcakes and chocolate cupcakes and chocolate vegan cupcakes!  Delicious!  Which reminds me, there is still one waiting for me in the kitchen!

In between preparations for lunch, I stopped every twenty minutes to blow up a few balloons.  There were supposed to be 100, but my time ran out.  I think I blew up about twenty five.  They kept Vegan Chickie, the Bare-chested Chef AND Chicklet amused for ages!

You can never have too many balloons!

Or birthday presents!

... and then there are the birthday hats and whistles.

... and a new baby pool to splash in!

You can also never have too many Mum and Dad cuddles!

What an absolute joy it was to spend her first birthday with her.  I was so worried that they would move away before the day arrived, but luckily for me, they will be here for a little while longer now.

That means I can soak up some more Chicklet joy for a few more months.

Tomorrow is another day and I have a big Valentines Day planned for me.

I do know that we are going into The Bay for breakfast and then to the movies to see 'The Vow'.  After that we come home for a little while and I have to be 'dressed up' and ready to leave at 4pm for a surprise Valentine outing.

So, you will have to wait in suspense, just like me!  I will let you know tomorrow.

In the meantime, today, a fabulous birthday was had by all.  Now I need to rest up for another big day.

Nite all.

30 Ways to Boost Your Creativity

30 Ways to Boost Your Creativity

1. Do more of what makes you happy.
2. Clean up your workspace - put away clutter.
3. Surround yourself with creative people.
4. Don't try to be someone else.
5. Listen to new music.
6. Get away from the computer.
7. Make an inspiration board.
8. Make a colour palette and use it in your work.
9. Study shapes and forms.
10. Go somewhere new to shoot.
11. Break the rules.
12. Break your own pattern.  Try something new.
13. Make an honest self portrait.
14. Admire the colour palette of butterfly wings.
15. Go for a local photo walk.
16. Shoot through something.
17. Study people and their emotions.
18. Be open to meet new people.
19. Take breaks - be still.
20. Move in close on your subject.
21. Simplify something, to the point of abstraction.
22. Share a story from an unusual perspective.
23. Take a road trip and document it with your camera.
24. Watch short films.
25. Allow yourself to make mistakes.
26. Shoot how you feel.
27. Share tips and ideas - give back.
28. Make a scrapbook.
29. Practice daily.
30. Spoil yourself - have fun

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Today's count - 249 photos posted in the facebook 104 challenge group.

Wind - Photo 35 of 104

Hopelessness - Photo 36 of 104
The hopelessness of a veggie garden overrun with weeds!

Monument - Photo 37 of 104
My monument to recycling.  This water feature is made of all recycled materials, including an old plough disc.

Once again, I didn't get out and about with my camera today, so I resorted to back yard photography.  

Tomorrow is Chicklet's birthday, so expect birthday photos!  Got some decorations and balloons and hats and gifts and a pool because it's going to be hot again.  I'm looking forward to a nice family lunch and sharing her special day.

I'd best get some sleep so that I have the energy to enjoy the day!

Nite all.    

Not a single shot fired!

Can you believe it?  I didn't even take my camera out of the backpack today.

It was Chicklet day today :D

I caught the bus into town and it wasn't Rocket Rod driving the bus.  It was the same driver that put me on the wrong bus to Maryborough a few weeks ago!  I didn't say anything to him about it though.

He was the exact opposite of Rocket Rod and drove at about 40kph all the way into town.

He only had to pick up one person along the way.  He got all the green lights and didn't even have to wait at the roundabouts.  He had the best run into town imaginable and he STILL couldn't get me there in time for the early connection!  Ugh!

So I walked to McCafe to get a coffee and by the time I returned to the bus depot, a different connection was there to take me to my destination.

The driver was very happy and friendly and as he picked passengers up along the way, he knew all but one lady's name.  He even told us all a recipe for a chocolate ripple cake!  Unfortunately, my memory isn't that good!

I arrived at Chicklet's house earlier than if I'd made the early connection!  So now I know which is my preferred connection.

Chicklet was very talkative today.

Apparently, she has not been sleeping well at all for the last week and has been waking up shouting.  She has been a little grumpy ... Vegan Chickie found three new teeth today, including two near the back!!  No wonder she has been out of sorts!  Poor little possum.

Vegan Chickie and the Bare-chested Chef took Chicklet to the park today after I left.

Feeling the love :D

How cute are those little checked trousers?!  These photos are brought to you by Vegan Chickie :D

That's all for today.  It was a good day - especially because I got my Chicklet 'fix'.  Can't wait for Monday when they come here for her birthday lunch :D

So, not a single shot fired and surprisingly, no withdrawals or noticeable pain!

Nite all.

An Unusually Productive Day

Not a lot of photo opportunities today.

I did my usual thing and got coffee before going to the Seat of Knowledge for an hour or so.

The talk of the morning was about The Captain's (Yes, Arty Farty Friend, that would be your husband!) boat being almost dragged out to sea by the tidal current yesterday.  Much animated talk and gesticulating was had by all!

I then rode down to the park, where I met a new couple in town, and during the course of the conversation, discovered that they live five doors up the road from me!  We chatted for a while, until a couple of pelicans came flying in our direction, and took my attention.

Unfortunately, they flew too high to get a good shot, and though they circled a couple of times, and looked like they might land in front of us, they were just teasing and continued past the park until they disappeared behind the line of high trees.

I left the same way I came, and by the time I got back to the Seat of Knowledge, all the boys had left and the seat had been taken over by the old biker dudes who ride into town every Friday for morning tea.

Some of them sit outside the Bakery and their bikes are lined up all along the street.  I would estimate about 15 - 20 of them.  Another group of about 6, sit at the Seat of Knowledge.

I must take a photo of all the bikes parked in the street one Friday!

Three more photos for my February challenge, but they are not new photos, they are old shots revisited.

The Sun

Front Door

Self Portrait

Adoring Husband used my brand new camera to take this shot of me last year.

As I said at the beginning, not a lot of opportunities today.  I took my little folding stool and sat in the bushes waiting for the birds, but none turned up.  Maybe they did and I just didn't see them!

Oh!  I just remembered!  I did get a photo for my 104 challenge...

I actually love the colour of this house, but I am very partial to the colour purple :D

I found this beautiful cactus flower along the river.

There were about 40 flowers, but they were all drooping or dead, except for this one!  It's not a great photo, but it gives you a good idea.

So I came home earlier than usual and did some washing.   I then decided to give all three psychotic dogs a hair cut, nail clipping and a bath.  That took me over two hours, but they look and smell so good now!

I also cooked a nice lunch today, but after that, I did my usual thing and parked my butt on the couch and focussed on the few photos that I took today.  For me, comparatively speaking, I had a very productive day which wasn't all about the camera!

We are up to 219 photos on the facebook group.

Well, I'm having my Chicklet visit tomorrow, so it's my bed time.  She will be one year old on Monday!  Here is the video that I promised, of her walking ...

Everybody has to start somewhere!  Such a cutie :D

Nite all

Bragging Rights

Tonight I am going to brag about my brother and his talent as a photographer.

Years ago, long before I ever showed a real interest in photography, I remember seeing some of my brother's photographs and I was super impressed.

We rarely see each other.  In fact, I would guess that in the last thirty years, we would have come face to face perhaps a dozen times.

Aside from our childhood years, the longest we have spent in close proximity, would be when he spent a few months in Griffith, where I lived for 22 years.

Our lives have gone in very different directions

One year when I spent a holiday with my mother in QLD, she took me to visit my brother and that's when I first saw some of his photographs.  I clearly remember there being some 'WOW' moments, but he never took his photography further.  It was just his own private hobby.

So now, years later, thanks to modern technology and social networking, we are in regular contact through facebook, email and texts.

He is in my facebook 104 challenge group and tonight has been posting some of his older work that I just wanted to share.

He no longer has the DSLR camera that he used for these shots and now has to use his phone to take photos, which is a real shame because he is living in Cooktown and that area has so much beauty to capture, if only he had a decent camera!

Anyway, it's been fantastic to see his stuff and I hope he has some more to share in the coming weeks.

Vegan Chickie emailed me this gorgeous photo of Chicklet today.

How cute is this??!!

Tomorrow, I will share a little video of Chicklet walking with the aid of a toy with wheels.

I don't have any of my own photos to share tonight.  I forgot to change the battery in my camera, so I went out with a flat battery.  I also left the house without my mobile phone AND I again forgot to take the photos that we printed out for everyone!

It was a very forgetful morning!

Anyway, thanks for allowing me to brag - about my brother AND my lovely Chicklet :D

Nite all.      

Totally Engrossed

What a great day I've had - totally and completely engrossed with photography today, and almost all of it from home!

I had a lovely morning at the Seat of Knowledge - even though Adoring Husband and I spent yesterday afternoon printing out a stack of photos to give to people who frequent the seat, and THEN I left the envelope containing them at home on the kitchen bench!  Ugh!

The weather was very hot and steamy this morning and there wasn't even a breeze down by the river, which is very unusual.

After I left the seat, I found a big puddle on the road which was left over from the storm last night, and as I rode past it, I saw a very clear reflection of a palm tree in it.

Reflections in puddles, is one of the photos on my 104 challenge list!

Reflections in Puddles - Photo 28 of 104

Cars even stopped in the street while I took this shot!

Further up the road, as I reached one of my main corners to turn, I saw an interesting looking car driving towards me and he turned down the same street that I was going, so I raced around the corner to see that he was driving into the car park of the local service station.

I stopped in the driveway of the car park and took a photo with my long lens.  I liked what I saw in frame and was pleased to see that the driver had a bald head ... which is another item on my list!

A Bald Head - Photo 29 of 104

I even blurred out the number plate - just like on the news!

I pedalled further to the bushland where I could hear a million (ok slight exaggeration) birds.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take my little stool for sitting in the bush, but found myself a shady spot and waited.

As usual, I could hear them all around me but could not see a thing!  I'm sure the birds throw their voices like a ventriloquist!

I stood for about thirty minutes, but I was so hot and was getting bitten by mosquitoes (my insect spray was a good distance away where I parked my trike), so after swatting and scratching and dripping for half an hour, I gave up and rode home.

Then I spent a couple of hours editing my photos and downloading them onto flickr and facebook.  Chatting, updating and commenting in the facebook group photos, and then in the flickr group.

It's quite time consuming.  Luckily I'm a touch typist, so it doesn't take as long as it would for some, who are one finger typists!

190 photos posted to date.

Of course there is a little bit of banter goes on under some photos as well, but I feel like it's important to comment and encourage people, because some of them are new to photography and some have been doing it for a while, but have found new motivation.

There are a five people (that I can think of right now) in the group who are a bit broken, and have personal issues that have caused deep sadness and heart ache.  It's nice for them to feel like they are a part of something that brings a little bit of joy into their lives.

Anyway, this afternoon, a huge storm, lasting about 30 minutes, dumped it's contents over our head.  Lightning and thunder and VERY heavy rain.

When it was all over, I looked out the front window and saw the end of a rainbow, so I ran outside with my camera (as I do) and found this above our house!

A Rainbow - Photo 31 of 104

It was beautiful and amazing!  Naturally, 'a rainbow' is on my list!

I wandered around the garden smelling the fresh rain and watching the sun glistening on all of the droplets on the plants.

A Droplet - Photo 32 of 104

This was the very first droplet photo that I took and I loved it straight away!

These were the spectacular post-storm clouds that were above me as I strolled through the garden.

I already posted a 'clouds' photo, but this was worth sharing.

So the photo opportunities today were abundant!  I also decided that my photo of 'Kazrenwin' would be my 'happy' photo, because I love their smiles so much.

Happy - photo 30 of 104 (yes it's out of order - sorry!)

Then, last but not least, my home-made dessert photo.

Home-made Dessert - Photo 33 of 104

I'm feeling all photo'd (yes I just made up that word) out now!  I also feel very happy and satisfied with my efforts.  I think I got some nice shots today that filled a lot of spots on my challenge list.

Time for bed - I think I might even dream about my camera tonight!

I really loved my day :D

Nite all

Another Dad Gone

An on-line photography friend, who I have met up with a couple of times just recently, lost her Dad tonight.  These past few weeks have been a waiting game for her and her family, but he clung to life for much longer than anyone had anticipated.  He had been sick for a long time and had fought a hard battle, but lost the fight tonight.

I know it will be a relief for them to have him suffering no more, and be finally at peace.

My thoughts are with you.  Warmest hugs to you all.

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"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that its those who, instead of giving much advice, solutions or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a gentle and tender hand.  The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness.  That is a friend who cares" --Henri Nouwen--

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Adoring Husband and I finally got to see the movie 'The Descendants' today.  It was a GOOD movie.  A little morbid and sad.  A little inwardly uplifting.  Surprisingly insightful about relationships.  The acting was great and I loved George Clooney in this role.  

It was set in Hawaii and used a lot of Hawaiian music, which I really enjoyed too.

I didn't know anything about the movie before I saw it, so I had no expectations and no pre-conceived ideas.  It really made me think and wonder what I would do in the same situation.

I recommend it.  It doesn't matter if you see it on the big screen or wait for the dvd, but it's definitely worth watching.

I didn't get any photos today for my 104 challenge.  I did, however, catch up on the February challenge ... 

Ok I cheated by taking this from an earlier challenge - desperate situations call for desperate measures!

To me, this man is more 'strange' than 'a stranger' lol - we don't know each other by name but nod hello occasionally.

I was in the car going to the movies at 10am

Adoring Husband made a delicious Lime, chilli and garlic marinade and then flattened the chicken - DELICIOUS!

This would have suited my Dad so well!

Tomorrow, I will have to make up for the 104 challenge.  The group now has 179 photos posted and 33 members.

Gosh I can't believe that it's already after midnight!

Nite all