Discombobulated.

First of all, let me get the photos out of the way.

A Fig Bird.  Already eaten my mulberries and now starting on the peaches!

Who can blame him for wanting these delicious looking peaches?

Orange Lilies just blooming in the front garden.

Hand of Man - a sculpture in the Bunya Mountains.

A Wallaby trying to escape the papparazzi!

Wallaby and Joey in the pouch.

I'm feeling a little discombobulated tonight.

My brother, Gryphonn, lost his partner, Phoenix, to a brain tumour today.  She was diagnosed just two months ago.  Surgery removed some of the large tumour, but they couldn't get to all of it and the prognosis was not good.

In two short months, the tumour grew bigger than it's pre-op size and today at 11.15am Phoenix lost her battle.  She was surrounded by family and friends who loved her.

I'm feeling a bit like the protective older sister without a job to do right now.  So many thoughts entering my head and leaving just as quickly ... I recognise the same thought processes that I experienced when my mother passed away six years ago, only to a lesser degree.

As I said to Vegan Chickie tonight, I know that time heals most wounds, but sometimes, time moves so bloody slowly and the healing takes so damned long.  I want to fix my brother now.  I want to take his pain away.  I want to bring new happiness into his life immediately.

But I know that he has to go through his own grieving process, however long or how painful it may be.  It's just the way it is.

So in the meantime, I must stand aside and let him be comforted by the people he needs most, around him, and attempt to be his safety net, should he need one in the near future.

For now ... to my brother ... I love you.  I am here.  In the coming months, our home is your home, should you need it.  If necessary, just arrive and my arms will be open to welcome you and protect you  for however long you need them.

I know that my discombobulation will pass, much sooner than my brother's hurting heart.

Nite all.

The Next Challenge

Our photography group has been set the next challenge for October.

The theme is 'Splash'.

I haven't even thought about it yet, except to perhaps fill our birdbath with water and wait for a bird to go for a bath.

I have an old photo of a Willy Wagtail splashing about in the birdbath from about three years ago, that I just love!  But the photo has to be taken after the challenge was set, so I can't use that photo.

I'll work on 'splash' over the weekend.

Meanwhile, Adoring Husband and I spent a good hour trying to create an acceptable photo of 'powder' for the Canon photo5 competition today.

The final result was not as I'd hoped, but at least I was able to submit it JUST in time!

I missed the cut-off point for the last brief, which was 'sequins' because I thought it closed at midnight, when in actual fact, it closed at midday AEDST, which is 11am here in Queensland!  Ugh!

For powder, we combined the two different coloured powders that were sent to us and heaped it like a little mountain, then dropped a cherry tomato into the middle of it and captured the powder spraying everywhere.

I tried, unsuccessfully, to set a mousetrap off with powder on it, but after about 8 attempts, I had to give up on that idea because we were running out of time and I couldn't get the composition right.

I admit, that I was panicking with the time constraints!  The mousetrap idea had so much potential .. if only I had started working on it earlier ... like DAYS earlier, instead of leaving it to the last hour before submissions closed!

Now there is only one more brief left.  'Ribbon' using the panning method of photography.  I have two days to get this one right, but half of tomorrow is already out, because Adoring Husband and I have previous commitments.

We might get to spend the afternoon on it.

Still trying to come up with some ideas for my 'Art Deco' exhibition next year.  Instead of getting bogged down in specific Art Deco ideas, I need to open my imagination to the era from 1900 - 1930.

After speaking to my partner in this little enterprise, The Artist, she has given me lots of ideas and we will be spending a day in Maryborough, checking out the exhibit space and looking at some ideas and locations in that area to photograph.

I am nervous, but excited, about all of this, which is new to me.  It's going to be a real challenge and a bit of an adventure, but, my partner's health permitting, it's going to be a hell of a ride!

There is always a new challenge, and the next one for me is 'Ribbon'.  I have two days on that and then there will be four days left of the 'Splash' challenge.  Gotta get that mind of mine working!

Nite all.

Short and not so sweet.

Tonight I am posting a few more photos with a few less words.

Tonight I'm thinking about my brother and the hurt in his heart, as he watches his 'rock' lose her battle with illness.

So this post is short and not so sweet.

Nite all.

Weekend Getaway

If you ever want a different kind of holiday or weekend away, try this ...

http://www.bunyamountains.com/

We had a fabulous weekend and plan on returning in the future to feel the serenity of Bunya Mountains and the surrounding rain forests again.

Adoring Husband and I met our new friends from the photography website, 'flickr'.

They are a combination of people who have completed Andrew Goodall's Photography Workshop on the Sunshine Coast over the past couple of years, and who now share their photos on the flickr site for critiquing.

People travelled from as far north as Rockhampton and as far south as Brisbane/Toowoomba for this weekend.

We all pitched in with food, and of course, ended up with so much more than we needed.  The food, however, was all delicious, especially the desserts!!  Pavlovas, cheesecakes, caramel tarts and chocolate chip cookies, all home cooked, plus a delicious fruit salad.

Everybody was happy and friendly and helpful, sharing their knowledge of photography and their particular brand of cameras.

We spent hours and hours walking the tracks through the rain forest and capturing shots of all the birdlife, insects, flowers, beautiful trees and ferns, waterfalls and running streams, wildlife and each other!

A scavenger hunt was organised, so we had a list of 20 things to photograph over the weekend.  Some were easy to find and some a little more difficult.

Here are a few of my photos from the weekend ..

Blue Fairy Wren

Female Bower Bird

Tree Ferns

Orange Blossom Orchid

Running Stream

... and a few more

Another rain forest stream

Kookaburra about to take off

A male Satin Bower Bird

Yellow Robin

I will share some more during the week.

I have to say thank you to the wonderful Vegan Chickie, Bare-chested Chef and Chicklet for taking care of the Psychotic Dogs and Lovely Laying Chooks while we were away.  Without you, we couldn't have enjoyed our special weekend and we really do appreciate you taking yourself away from your 'island of calm' for us :o)

We have sore legs and calf muscles from walking and climbing, and sore cheeks from smiling so much, so we might take a day or two to recover from our weekend getaway, but it was sooooo worth it and we'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Nite all

We're Off Tomorrow

For anybody who cares ... I may not be able to update or post anything over the weekend.  Apparently, mobile coverage is unpredictable where we are going, depending on the weather and other factors, so if you don't see or hear from me for a couple of days, don't panic.

A few more photos from the horse shoot ...

We had a blackout for a few hours today, so we are way behind with our preparations for the weekend.

I need to get some sleep so that I can be up bright and early to finish getting ready.

I am very excited about our weekend and I can't wait to meet everybody!!

Nite all.

Coffee and Horses

The lovely young lady who makes my coffee at the bakery every morning, lives on a farm about twenty minutes out of town.

She owns horses, one of which, gave birth to a foal about three weeks ago.

She invited me to the farm to take photos of the foal, because she intends putting it up for sale soon.

It's a great farm, with lots of old rusted machinery lying around the place, car and tractor bodies, a large dam teeming with birdlife and, of course, animals.

This is not a photo of the foal, but it is a lovely moment captured between her and another of her horses.

She has offered her farm for Adoring Husband and I to use for our photography, which I thought was extremely generous of her.

So, one morning soon, bright and early, I think we will make our way down there with our cameras and see what gems we can come up with.

Meanwhile, I have just over 24 hours to complete my 'to-do' list.  It ain't gunna happen!

So much to do, so little time, but tomorrow, as always, I will get my morning coffee from the girl with the horses.

Nite all.

'Stuff'

Got some 'stuff' done and checked two more things off my 'to do' list today :o)

Adoring Husband went off to golf this morning.  He sometimes plays on a Tuesday for some extra practise.  His handicap has improved by ten strokes over the past few weeks and he is really enjoying his golf.

While I was at morning tea with Kaz and Lady Lynn this morning, I received a phone call from Adoring Husband advising me that he was on his way home early.

Somebody had tee'd off and when Adoring Husband realised that the ball was heading straight towards his head, he took a dive and landed awkwardly on his shoulder.

When he felt pins and needles in his arm, he realised that he couldn't continue playing for fear of risking further injury, and had to come home.

This is a fairly straight forward tale.

I'm looking forward to bringing it up with his golfing buddy, Claudius Maximus, who I'm certain, will have a much more hilarious take on this experience!

Just so you know ... Adoring Husband cooked dinner tonight, so he is certainly not incapacitated.  He is feeling a little tender where he landed, but appears to be in one piece.

If 'stuff' is going to happen .. it's going to happen to Adoring Husband, but he always survives intact.

I spent an hour or more trying to capture the perfect foam photo today.  I am trying to decide between three ... although I may spend a little time tomorrow trying for something different, because I'm still not completely happy with the results.

Isn't it nice that I have the freedom to spend so much time concerning myself with 'stuff' so petty and frivolous?!  How lucky I am!

I had a lovely family lunch today.  Chicklet and I had a little fun with some water, while Vegan Chickie sat by giggling at us.  Precious 'stuff'.  Precious moments.

There are kittens being born in Blackwater tonight.  While I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a cat fan, it's exciting 'stuff' for Squirt and the girls.  At last report, there were 5 and I received a photo of them on my phone, as they suckled on an exhausted mother cat.

I'm thinking of the 'stuff' going on for my brother, the Convenient Greenie and his partner, Soul Mate, whose lives are not going along so smoothly at the moment.

I hope that they are either travelling safely, or have arrived safely at their destination and are feeling the love for a while.

I love you.  Take care of each other.

So, there is plenty of 'stuff' happening in the family, some good, some not so good and some heart-breaking.

That's life.

Nite all.

Time Flies

It's already Tuesday tomorrow!

I only did one thing on my 'to do' list today.  I don't think my 'to do' list is going to be completed this week.  I have extra things to put on it and less time with which to do them.

I was lucky enough to run into Kaz and Lucy's Man this morning.  They were taking their first morning walk since returning home, so we had a quick catch-up and I'll meet Kaz for morning tea tomorrow.

I spent a couple of hours pedalling around town with my camera and got a couple of good shots.

Irises growing outside the shopping centre.

Wattlebird feeding from kangaroo paw in our front garden.

Then I played with the macro lens by taking shots around the garden.

I have no idea what this is, but it was on the lemon tree.

Giant mozzie on the fig tree.

If you look hard enough, you'll find some interesting creepy crawlies in the garden.

After that I tried, again unsuccessfully, to get my 'foam' photo for the Canon photo5 competition.  I will spend a couple of hours on it again tomorrow, but I only have until 13th to submit it, so I'd best get a wriggle on!

Once again, my day has been filled with all things 'photography'.

Adoring Husband cooked me a delicious dinner tonight as well, so really, it's been a day filled with all the things that I love.  Photography and food!

Tomorrow will be an added bonus with family lunch!

After that, it will be time to panic trying to get everything done before our weekend away.

Time flies faster than you expect when you have a 'to do' list that's not getting done :o)

Nite all.

Welcome Back!

Welcome back Kaz and Lucy's man!  I'm looking forward to seeing you during the week!

My 'to do' list for this week is ...

1. Make two white necklaces, one white bracelet and one pair of white earrings.
2. Complete module two of the Photography Degree.
3. Meet with 'The Artist' to get further information regarding the exhibit in September.
4. Using the new info I got today, practise using the macro lens and see if it makes a difference.
5. Have lunch with the family.
6. Have morning tea with Kaz.
7. Buy some hiking/walking boots for the weekend at Bunya Mountains.
8. Pack for the weekend at Bunya Mountains.

I'm sure there should be more on the list!  I'll remember the rest later.

This morning as I rode to get my coffee, I was stopped by someone to make comment about my photo.  I said 'what photo?' and they replied 'the one in the Chronicle yesterday'.

My whale photo had been published in Saturday's edition and I didn't even know about it.

The information page for the competition stated that the winning photos were published in Monday's or Tuesday's edition each week!

Then I parked my trike and was stopped by another 'acquaintance' who had seen it and congratulated me.  The sales person who gave me my coffee also commented.

As I reached the Seat of Knowledge, the boys announced 'here comes the star'!

There was a message on our answering machine from Mrs Piccolo, that she'd left yesterday, congratulating me.

It seems everybody knew about it except me!

So I asked the local shop if they had any of Saturday's newspapers left and luckily, they did, so I bought two copies.  I have no idea why I bought two copies, but I just got so excited, I got a bit carried away!

My photo took a whole half of page two!  The headline read "Roz snaps whale courting ritual".

It was pretty impressive ... even if I do say so myself!

This afternoon, I spent a couple of hours at Woman of Many Talent's place with her and Mrs Bucket.

It's been a long time.  The three of us were once very close and spent a lot of time together, but life seems to have got in the way for the last 18 months or so, and our time together has suffered.

I think I have to re-establish some kind of routine of catching up with my friends again, because I have become a bit of a recluse this year and I am struggling to find the motivation to socialise.

I'll start by having morning tea with the girls on Tuesday morning to welcome Kaz back into the country ... and work on it from there!

Nite all.

One Hundred Buckaroonies

I won it.

One hundred buckaroonies.

I entered a photo in the weekly whale watching photo competition that the local newspaper, The Fraser Coast Chronicle, is holding over the whale season, and won the weekly prize, which is a $100 voucher from Harvey Norman Camera Dept.

The overall prize for the season is over $1800 worth of Olympus camera + various other assorted camera paraphernalia.

I'm in with a chance.

This is the photo that won.

Adoring Husband demanded that I enter that one.

We dropped Kiwi Gal off at the airport this morning.

The weather was wet at the time, but a storm built up and the flight was delayed by about two hours.  We were a little concerned that the flight might be cancelled because there were storm and weather warnings all the way up and down the coast, as well as inland.

But she finally left and I can only assume that she landed safely in Sydney.  I haven't heard from her since she phoned to say that she was finally sitting on the plane and about to take off.

Adoring Husband and I had a lovely brunch with Vegan Chickie and Chicklet while the storm raged around us.  Lots of lightning and thunder and enough rain to cause localised flooding in The Bay.

After we arrived home, I grabbed my camera with the macro lens and got some shots out in the garden.

The garden always seems so different after a storm.  Cleaner, fresher and the creepy crawly insects come out to play.

Tomorrow will be a lazy day enjoying the peace and tranquility of my home being my own again and wondering how I will spend my one hundred buckaroonies :o)

Nite all.

Just Around the Corner

Do you know what's just around the corner???

Christmas.

There are just eleven weeks til Christmas.

I already have three orders for bracelets, a necklace and earrings.  Everybody wants white jewellery.  It seems to be the colour of preference.  So next week, I must begin creating!

Kiwi Gal flies home tomorrow, and I must admit that I am looking forward to having my house and my life back to normal.

I think she has had a good time and had a chance to regenerate and rejuvenate, ready for her fresh new start at the end of November.  She has lots to do before her big temporary move to New Zealand and this break was meant to be her kick start to a new future.

She has worn me out and now 'I' need a holiday to recover from 'her' holiday!

We had lunch at the pub today, and then tonight we all gathered at the Club to say Bon Voyage to Woman of Many Talents before she goes jaunting across the world to Europe for a few weeks.

This weekend, another friend, Kaz, arrives home from Europe!  We all missed her very much and are excited that she is finally returning after a very LONG six weeks away.

Well, psychotic dogs are telling me that they are ready for bed, so after letting you all know that Christmas is just around the corner, I'd best gather my goods and find my way to bed too.

I hope you are all better prepared than we are for the festive season!

Nite all.  

Art Deco

Something very exciting, and at the same time, very scary, happened for me today.

An accomplished,  award winning local artist, who for now, shall remain nameless, has invited me to partner her, with my photography, and share an exhibit themed 'Art Deco' in September next year.

The exhibit will be at a new Art Gallery in a town close by, which already has a very long waiting list for exhibits.

It's a fabulous opportunity for me, if I can make the most of it.

'The Artist', of course, is not leaving me alone to struggle with this and plans on giving me all the help and advice that I need, because ultimately, this is her exhibit and she wants it to be a huge success.

The planning that she has already put into this, is amazing, and knowing how important this is to her, I feel very honoured that she has asked me, an unknown, to share this experience with her.

Her previous exhibits have been highly successful and I expect this one to be no different.

So now I have to do lots of research into 'Art Deco' in all of it's forms eg fashion, jewellery, decor, architecture, art, furniture etc etc.

I might have to take Adoring Husband on some road trips in search of art deco 'everything'.

It's going to be an adventure and a challenge and scary and exciting and different to anything I've ever done in my life.  An experience of a lifetime!

How often have I marvelled over Art Deco and wondered about the era in which it evolved ... who'da thunk that it would pop so Arty Fartily into my life this far down the track?

Art Deco and Me ... let's wait and see.

Nite all.

Whale of a Time!

Remember how disappointed I was in our whale trip a few weeks back???

This trip was absolutely amazing and we got some brilliant shots of males, females and calves.

You know that I have to share them with you!

There were about fifteen of us from our indoor bowls group, as well as Adoring Husband and Kiwi Gal, who went today on the Tasman Venture.

http://www.tasmanventure.com.au/

The crew were happy and friendly, the boat very comfortable for whale watching, as well as fast for getting to the viewing area quickly.

There were lots of whales and they were very active.  Mothers showing off their calves and males slapping the water with their tails and fins, trying to get the other whale's attention.

The males and the calves were breaching and having a wonderful time on such a glorious sunny day!  It was only at the end of our trip when the skies became grey and gloomy, but it didn't matter to us by then.

Afterwards, we all gathered at the Boat Club for a very nice lunch.

I am a very happy chappy and I had a whale of a time :o)

Nite all.