Oops!

I turned off my computer, took the dogs outside to pee before putting them to bed, locked the doors, tidied up a little, filled the water bottles and stacked them in the fridge, went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth and was just about to open the bedroom door to go to bed ... oops!

Forgot to do a blog post!

So this will be short and sweet because it's almost 1am.

Lots of photos of Chicklet which I took today during my visit.  I hope you enjoy.

That's all for now :o)

Nite all.

A Challenging Challenge

"A photo taken in my front or back yard"

Andrew thought he was giving us an easy challenge this month, but really, is any challenge easy??  

When you are competitive and you want to do something special and different that stands out from everyone else, every challenge is tough!

This afternoon, in the warm afternoon light, I took 47 photos of various things in our yard - both front and back.

I looked at each photo on the computer screen and one by one, deleted 46 of them.  

Here is the 47th ...

... but I am far from happy with it.

I have one more idea that I'm going to try this weekend.  I've got til Monday.

Adoring Husband is struggling for ideas too, so I am not alone.

Vegan Chickie emailed me this lovely photo of Chicklet in her new overalls today.

It's an amazing photo.  Chicklet is very photogenic, like her parents, both of whom take a great photo.

Just look at those beautiful eyes :o)

I get to spend a few hours with Vegan Chickie and Chicklet tomorrow.  I'm a bit excited.  Camera will be in hand of course, although I can't seem to capture Chicklet in a photo the way her Mum can.  

While I'm with them, Adoring Husband will be submitting my photos for the Burrum District Garden Club Photographic Competition.  The theme is 'Around The Garden'. 

I've submitted 'Avocado Flower', 'Pink Petunia', 'Bee Happy', 'Waiting Spider' and 'Confucius Frog'.  

I've posted all of those photos here, over recent months.

I won this competition last year, unexpectedly.  I don't expect to win it this year, but I might come a place!  Fingers crossed.

We are also entering our front garden in the garden competition.

Adoring Husband has selected three of the categories to enter:

1. New Garden established less than three years.
2. Frontal Effect, which is judged from the opposite side of the street.
3. 'My own favourite garden feature'

Adoring Husband has put a lot of back breaking work into our front garden and it looks pretty special, so I think we are in with a good chance of taking a prize this year.

It's all happening!   But now that we have that sorted, it's time to focus on the challenging challenge.

Nite all.

Nature's AWOL

This morning, I decided to take my time riding around town with my camera in the trike basket, looking for some wildlife to photograph.

I followed some different paths that circle a nature reserve, which is home to a protected tree and into which, people are not allowed to venture.

I expected to at least see some different birdlife through the foliage, or a lizard, a butterfly, some interesting insects or wildflowers.

Nothing!

I heard a couple of birds way off in the distance, but there were none to be seen anywhere.

I pedalled as slowly as possible so that I could observe closely and see the smallest movement, if it happened.

Nothing!

I found my way to the park, where I was told there was an owl in the corner tree.  I've taken photos of this owl before, but I thought I would have a look anyway.

No owl.  He'd flown the (pardon the pun) coop!

Beside the tree, were a couple of shrubs and in the middle of the shrubs were a couple of spider webs and one of them had a beautiful spider sitting in the centre ...

... and that was the best I could do for ninety minutes of pedalling and searching.

I went to the community hall grounds which is abundant with bottle brush trees.  They are always full of lorikeets and bush parrots.

Last Saturday at the markets when I was manning my stall, I was disappointed not to have my camera because there were so many bush parrots feeding in the trees.

Not today!

No bush parrots and only a few lorikeets that flew off whenever I got close, which is unusual for lorikeets because they don't really scare that easily.

So much for Spring!

I guess I'll have to give nature a couple of weeks to realise that it is actually Spring now and that they should all be out playing and mating and singing and creating a stir!

All of nature is AWOL except that little mouse who is still scuttling around in my lounge room!!  Ugh!

Nite all.

Faster Than a Speeding Bullet

Had the family over for lunch today.

I can't believe how much Chicklet can change in a week!

She is growing up so fast and changing and developing daily.  I never noticed it so much with my kids when they were babies because I was so busy doing the motherly and wifely stuff.

Life happens and you go with the flow.

With Chicklet, I just get to watch and observe, and it is SO noticeable!

I should have taken photos today, but I get caught up in the moment with her and I can't take my eyes off her, watching her every move and listening to her every sound.  It's difficult to even have a conversation with anybody because my head is full of Chicklet.

I'm a hopeless case... but I know I'm not alone because I've had many conversations with other grandparents who all make the same observations with their own grandchildren.

I believe that grandchildren should come with warning labels.

I get to have more Chicklet joy on Friday :o)

Yesterday, I mentioned that I got some nice sunset shots, and here they are.

We got to the park and waited 30 minutes for the sky to change from that first photo.  Not even the slightest change happened, in face, the colour almost all went away.

Adoring Husband gave up and began wandering around taking photos of other things.

I was JUST about to give up myself, when I saw a slight change in the clouds and then watched it all unfold into this beautiful crimson sky that turned the river into the colour of malten red lava.

This lasted for ten glorious minutes and I couldn't stop pressing the shutter button.  It was an amazing natural spectacle.

Everybody loves a good sunset!

So I'm sitting here watching a little mouse scuttle around my lounge room floor.

One of our lounges has been taken away for repairs and I think the mouse is a little disoriented!

I'm not amused and I don't like mice and I don't have any traps and I can hear his little feet hitting he carpet as he runs.  Ugh!

I've known we've had mice for a while and we've plugged in the electronic sensors that are supposed to keep mice away ... I think we all know how effective THAT has been.

At the same time, I can hear the Willy Wagtails singing outside.  I love Willy Wagtails :o) but I find it strange that they sing at all hours of the day and night.  Sometimes I wake at 3 am to the sound of their song.  When do they sleep?

I know when I sleep ... right now, while Chicklet is growing faster than a speeding bullet.

Nite all.

Whale Day

Well, this is the 7th year we've been whale watching, and on the same boat, with pretty much the same crew, except there was a new Captain this year.

This year, I am sad to say, was the least enjoyable.

There were less whales.  The whales were sluggish.  The boat was full with 49 passengers.  The people were inconsiderate, pushy and rude.  The new Captain was a little disappointing, but then, he has big shoes to fill.

I didn't have the opportunity to take many photos because I am short and couldn't see over or through the crowd, but here are my best two shots.

The weather was glorious and the rest of the crew were friendly and happy, so it was beautiful out on the water.

When we arrived home, we had enough time to download our photos and clear our cameras ready for a spectacular sunset down at the river.

Those photos will have to wait until tomorrow, because for now, it's bed time.  It's been a long, tiring day.

Nite all.

Twi-hards

My sister informed me tonight, via facebook, that there are 68 days til the movie 'Breaking Dawn' is released!  The countdown has begun!

I only spent an hour at the 'Seat of Knowledge' this morning, then I rushed to the supermarket to get vegetables for lunch and quickly pedalled home so that I could watch Samantha Stosur play her semi-final tennis match.

She won!  She now plays Serena Williams in the final tomorrow!  Woot! Woot!

Unfortunately, I didn't get to have lunch with my little Chicklet today and now we've rescheduled to Tuesday.

Adoring Husband and I had roast lamb and veggies for lunch anyway.  It was delicious!

While he was in the garden this afternoon, doing all the outside jobs, like mowing the lawn, whipper snipping the edges, weeding and watering, he found a lovely green frog and called me out with my camera.

I got these great shots of the most beautiful and delicious frog ever!

He posed for us for about fifteen minutes and then we put him back in his safe spot.

I love frogs!

We've watched my NRL football team win their first finals game this weekend too.  Go Broncos!

Tomorrow is the big whale watching day for us.  Cameras are ready and we must be up bright and early!  I'm a bit excited!

Of course, you know that you should be prepared for a LOT of photos over the coming week!

For now, I am going to watch the end of the Twilight movie which is being shown on telly tonight, as I am sure my Twi-hard sister is also doing, and then I'll be off to bed.

Nite all.

Failing Markets

After the dreadful weather yesterday afternoon and evening, it was a relief to wake up this morning to a fine day.

I set my alarm for 5.15am so that I could get myself organised for the markets, but when the alarm went off, I lay there in the dark wondering why I had set the alarm!!

Is that a sign of age?  Or was it just that I had to wake up properly first?

I took my time getting ready, but as I left home, I had that 'feeling'.  You know?  The feeling that I'd forgotten something important, but try as I might, I couldn't work out what it was.

When I arrived at the markets and began setting up my stall, I realised that I'd left my earrings stand behind, along with my signs.  **forehead slap**

As the morning wore on, the wind got stronger and stronger, to the point where it was very uncomfortable and all of my stands kept falling over, so I took the stands down and lay the jewellery on the table.

Other stall holders were packing up more than an hour earlier than usual because their goods and their gazebos were at risk of blowing away!

For the first time ever, I sold nothing at the markets.

There were quite a few people about, but they were spending their money at the one fruit & veggie stall and the one plant stall.

Still, I got to spend a couple of hours with Aussie H, which was nice and we got to chat to lots of the local folk as they wandered around the grounds, which was also nice.

Adoring Husband appeared briefly with my coffee and then bought me breakfast from the SES stand.

However, it was a long and uncomfortable morning and I left 45 minutes early, feeling a little dejected.

I wish I'd taken my camera because there were some lovely little green bush parrots in the trees beside my stall and I'd have loved to have taken some photos!  Yes, my obsession continues!

I only have one photo to post today, of my precious little Chicklet.

She makes my heart go all aflutter :o)

We have a lunch date tomorrow (I hope) so I will try to get more photos and more cuddles then.

The markets may be failing, but the Chicklet love is still stronger than ever!

Nite all.

Market Day Arrives Again.

This morning after my coffee at the 'Seat of Knowledge', I visited a friend who has a lovely garden.

I asked her if I could come and take some photos of her flowers and plants, so when I arrived, we sat with a cup of tea and chatted for a while, then I attempted to take some photos.

Unfortunately, we had gale force conditions here today, so it was next to impossible to get perfect shots.

Out of 270 photos, I was able to salvage about ten, and edit them to a presentable state.

That was a huge disappointment, but she has offered her garden anytime for me to take photos, so when the weather calms down, I'll try again.

Still, it was a nice visit anyway and a pleasant way to pass the morning.

The rest of the day was spent inside because of strong winds and very heavy rains.

Adoring Husband slept for a couple of hours and woke up when the rains came - the bedroom windows were open so he got a little damp :o)

He cooked dinner again tonight, which was lovely, and then we watched the first football final between St George and Wests Tigers.

Number One Son will be excited that his team, Wests Tigers won easily.

Tomorrow is market day, so I'd best get a good night of sleep so that I can be fresh for what I hope to be a reasonably busy day.

Aside from that, I'm not organised, so I need to get up extra early to get it all together!

Nite all.

September Challenge

Our photography group has been set a new challenge for September.

The theme is 'A photo taken in my front or back yard'

The first thought that comes to mind is a flower or vegetable photo, but really, it's about being original and different, so once again, I am racking my brain for a unique idea.

I have a couple of ideas that I will try out tomorrow.

A morning stroll along the sand flats at low tide.

Not much to share today because I went to indoor bowls this morning and then afterwards I visited Mrs Bucket, whom I hadn't seen for a few weeks.

After I got home, I picked some fruit and veggies out of the garden.  A tub of snow peas, one asparagus stick, two ripe tomatoes, a peach and some mulberries.  Delicious.

Adoring Husband and I watched a couple of old movies during the afternoon and then he cooked dinner...

Crispy skinned salmon fillet with a delicious pillow of mashed potato and a green salad with avocado, cucumber, tomato and snow peas with a light french dressing.  Then for dessert, slivers of fresh strawberry with dollops of fresh thickened cream and a strawberry coulis.

I really should have taken photos of both courses, because Adoring Husband always presents meals as a work of art, unlike me, who just throws everything on a plate!

I can't begin to describe how delicious both courses were.  I ate really slowly because I wanted it to last longer.

One last photo to end with tonight because it's time to obsess over garden photos for the challenge and time to get some sleep because the tennis was postponed last night and I'm pretty sure it will be another 'no-go' tonight due to more rain from the hurricane.

White Dove

Calling out for any ideas for the September challenge!

Nite all.

The Witching Hour

I started my day by waking up, going to the kitchen and making myself a cup of tea and then going back to bed.  I turned the tv on for the news and drank my tea.  It felt self indulgent and fabulous!

Adoring Husband and I spent the morning browsing furniture shops for hall cupboards and garden swings, but had no success finding what we wanted.

Then we had lunch at the Bayswater Bar and Bistro, which is part of the Peppers Pier Resort.  Lunch was delicious and the view over the bay was an added bonus.

I then got to spend about five hours with Vegan Chickie and Chicklet.

Chicklet has grown and changed in the four days since I saw her last!  She is growing up so fast!

The adorable Chicklet with her loving Dad.

A freaky photo to share.  All to do with the light and slow shutter speed.  I call it the 'whoosh' photo

Their new home is lovely and the view from their lounge room is 'to die for'.

They call it their 'island of calm' and it's the perfect place to relax and regenerate for a few hours.

Chicklet's giggles and happy sounds make you feel all warm and fuzzy too.

At the end of the day, 'Woman of Many Talents' picked me up after she finished work and we drove home, which was a lovely way to catch up.  She has been working so hard lately that we haven't been able to play golf or do lunch or any of the usual girlie things.

The big bonus at the end of the day was the beautiful dinner that Adoring Husband had prepared.  Beef fillet, snow peas, cabbage with bacon and baby potatoes boiled in their jackets.  Very very nice!

Last night I went to bed before the tennis started and this morning Adoring Husband informs me that it had been cancelled due to rain ... so now I have a second chance tonight, but already, my eyelids are feeling very heavy.

I can hear Adoring Husband's snoring through the wall, so I need to wait about twenty minutes for him to settle into his comfortable 'snoreless' sleep before I turn in.

It's almost midnight **yawn** the witching hour.

Nite all.

Empty Nest

Echo .. echo ... echo .... echo ..... echo

That's the sound I hear in my empty nest.

I listen for Chicklet's happy noises when she wakes up.

I wait for Vegan Chickie to appear in the lounge room doorway with Chicklet in her arms.

I miss our late night chats after everybody else has gone to bed.

**sigh**

Tomorrow, I get to see them for the afternoon which will be lovely **happy dance**

In the meantime, my obsession continues ...

I was in the right place at the right time to catch this guy just before landing!

Another shot from the Mary Cairncross walk.  Just magic.

Bee Eater

Just about to fly up into that branch.

One Two Three ... Jump!

Today, we booked our whale watching trip for next Monday.  Another photographic opportunity.  Five hours of whale photography!

Tonight, I'm hoping to stay awake to watch the Australian, Samantha Stosur, play her next match in the US Open Tennis Championship, but I think her match is on at 1am our time ... that is still over two hours away and I am feeling decidedly weary!

I don't have the same stamina that I had even ten years ago!

Oh and if you are interested, Canon finally got their site up and running for their competition and I submitted my entry this morning.  Whew!

I might just sit quietly in my empty nest and see how long I can stay awake ... I'm thinkin' it won't be that long :o)

Nite all.

Highlights

The highlights of my weekend were ...

... being gently woken up by Adoring Husband at 4.45am Saturday and realising that I had set my alarm for 5.45am.  Luckily we were not relying on me to get us to Alma Park Zoo on time!

... seeing Alma Park Zoo for the first time since I was about eleven years of age.

... meeting the other people doing the workshop, including Barry Beckham who I had chatted with in flickr but never met face to face.  Catching up again, with our teacher Andrew Goodall.

... spending the whole day wandering around taking photos of the different animals.  Seven hours of photography ... my idea of heaven!

... seeing Bribie Island again and driving by Mum's old house, remembering happy times.

... catching a beautiful sunset across the passage from Banksia Beach.

... wandering through the local markets at the jetty.

... having breakfast at Scoopies on Bribie Island.

... finding the Arts Centre where I was hoping to buy a pottery bowl to replace mine that got broken a few years ago.  I couldn't replace it but got some lovely gifts there.

... visiting Glasshouse Mountains for the first time.

... doing the Mary Cairncross walk and taking more photos.

... going to Montville for lunch.

... hearing from Andrew that he had made positive comments about one of my photos (the joey in the albino pouch) on flickr.  My goal, after doing is original workshop, was to have him make a good comment about one of my photos on flickr.  It's like a badge of honour!

... seeing Vegan Chickie, The Bare-chested Chef and Chicklet in their new beautiful home.

... arriving home safe and sound from a wonderful weekend.

Here are some of the highlights ...

Alpaca

Emu

Lace Monitor (goanna)

Water Buffalo

Glasshouse Mountains

Now I am waiting for the Canon EOS Photo5 competition to open.  Canon are having trouble preparing their site for uploads and the competition was supposed to open today.  A little frustrating.

So they are my highlights of the weekend.  The highlight of today would be Canon getting their act together so that I can submit my entry before I go to bed tonight!!

Nite all.

Done for the Weekend

Our wonderful weekend of photography is over!

... and now I have over a thousand photographs to sort through.

I've spent a couple of hours tonight going through some of them and here are a couple of my favourites, so far.

The forest canopy at Mary Cairncross

A yawning koala, but I think he's saying "All I can hear is blah blah blah"

Three lovely lemurs

Today we did the Mary Cairncross walk which was lovely http://www.mary-cairncross.com.au/

It's a nice walk for those of us who aren't as fit as we should be.  Not too steep and only something like 1.7 kms long.  There are also a number of bench seats along the way for anyone who needs to rest.  I highly recommend it.

When you finish the walk there is a lovely cafe where you can sit and have a cold drink or a coffee.  As an added bonus, the cafe has a wonderful view of the Glasshouse Mountains.

We drove on to Montville and saw Andrew (our photography teacher) in his shop, where we bought one of his 2012 calendars and he showed us some of his photographs from the workshop at Alma Park Zoo.

After that, we were homeward bound so that we could drop in and see Vegan Chickie, The Bare-chested Chef and Chicklet in their new apartment, on the way.

I must say that our house feels very empty now :o(

So, another short 'ish' post for today.  Time to sleep.  Perhaps I will have time to tell you all about it tomorrow, but for now I am done for the weekend.