Nice to see you!

Three major events occurred for me last year (2010), all in the space of about 2 weeks. I turned 50. The following day I got married. Two weeks later, my oldest daughter became pregnant with her first child and my first grandchild.

Most middle-aged people will tell you that in their minds, they still feel 20 something. It's the same for me.

Wasn't it only yesterday that I was planning a night out with guys from the surf club? That gorgeous new perm. Flaired, cuffed denims and the red t-shirt with the off-the-shoulder frill. Corked platform wedgies. **sigh**

Suddenly I'm looking in the mirror and wondering how 30 years can flash by so damned quickly!

So here I am in cyberspace, sharing my genuine shock and horror with anyone who'll listen and maybe I'll even meet some other over 50s who find themselves in the same predicament!

Welcome to my dilemna!!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Photo-free Day

In lieu of photographs ... 


I was going to use the title 'Camera-free Day', but I actually carried my camera with me all day today.  I didn't use it, but I carried it with me.

I didn't take any photos with my camera at all.

There were a couple of sneaky happy snaps taken with my iphone, but they didn't turn out so good and can't really be counted.

I took my first bus ride into The Bay since the dreaded Maryborough incident.

You'll be pleased to know that I reached my desired destination without taking any unnecessary detours!

Of course, my desired destination was Vegan Chickie's 'Island of Calm' with Chicklet on my lap.

We played for a while and then we both had a short nap and then we met Adoring Husband after he finished golf and we got some fish and chips and sat in the shade on the grass near the beach, for lunch.

The weather was mild and we played catchy with the new red ball and she ate sticks and leaves and lemon (one of her favourites!).

She's still as cute as a button and when Vegan Chickie blew bubbles, she said the word 'bubble'!  That was pretty exciting!  She's growing up so fast!

There has been a soft steady rain falling all night and the temperature has dropped considerably, so it's a lovely mild night, and tomorrow should be cool and comfortable.

It'd be great if the rain stopped by tomorrow morning though, because I have some catching up to do with my camera!

I think there may be some Wrens with my name on them, waiting for me in the scrub :D

Nite all.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Goblins and Fairies

What a pleasant surprise to have Adoring Husband turn up at the Seat of Knowledge this morning on his bicycle and wearing his camera backpack on his back!

I took him to the tree where the Pacific Baza chick sits waiting for food from his mother.  Unfortunately, feeding time was over, but Adoring Husband got a couple of photographs, even though the chick was not in the best position for good shots.

Then we pedalled across town to the dirt track that leads to where the Fairy Wrens and other interesting birds frolick.

I stood in the bush for over an hour with my long lens while little Fairy Wrens fluttered back and forth teasing me by not being still for longer than a few seconds at a time.

Too fast and too far away!

Still too fast and too far away.
There was a White Throated Tree Creeper.  A bird that I've never seen before and I am intrigued by his strange looking feet that help him climb vertical tree trunks.

White Throated Tree Creeper.
And then there were these guys.  They are about as big as my thumb.

Red-backed Fairy Wren
These are the ones that I want to capture more than any other bird, at this moment in time.  That may change in the future, but right now, I so want the perfect shot of the Red-backed Fairy Wren.

This will require setting myself up in the bush, on my little folding stool, coated in insect spray,  being very very still and waiting for the birds to come to me.  I am determined!


So the little birds in the bush are almost as elusive as goblins and fairies (Yes!  Of course I believe in goblins and fairies!) but while I will leave goblins and fairies alone to be magical, I will not leave the little birds alone!

I might need a bit of luck ... so ... wish me luck!

Tomorrow, I have decided to NOT set up my stall at the local market, and instead will spend the morning with Vegan Chickie and Chicklet.  I am excited!

Nite all.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Cameras and Accessories

This is how I started my day ...



A glorious Summer morning :D

It started out very warm, developed into bloody hot and then changed mid afternoon to cooler and mild.

Thank goodness!!

I found an interesting article that I wanted to share.  It's only short.

http://www.petapixel.com/2012/01/10/this-photograph-is-not-free/

I've been asked by people if I sell my photographs.  As soon as the question is asked, I withdraw.

I withdraw into my head, pulling the big black curtain across it, and I feel guilt about the thought of charging money for my photographs.  Why?

I've often discussed digital photography and how great it is that the results are instant and we don't have to wait for film to be developed or discover, after paying the high costs of developing, that the photographs are duds.

I've often ended the discussions with the fact that the price of cameras have increased dramatically with the digital age, which makes up for the cost of developing, but I didn't take into consideration all the other accessories like filters, flashes, tripods, editing software, the computer etc etc etc.

So this article not only appealed to me, but helped open that big black curtain in my head and now I can seriously consider the idea of selling my photographs without feeling the guilt.

I created a new album on facebook and posted a dozen or so photos over the last couple of days.  My ego has been suitably massaged by some friends and family, so I'm feeling good.

I'm feeling especially pleased that my little brother has acknowledged my stuff.  It's nice.

Almost midnight again!

Nite all.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Summer is well and truly upon us!

Holy crapoli it's hot!  The temperature in our lounge room at 7.30pm was 30C.  Not long after that I suggested to Adoring Husband that we turn on the air conditioner.

Adoring Husband bought a new column fan today, to replace the pedestal fan that we've been using.

Personally, I prefer a fan to the air conditioning and I was pleasantly surprised by how effective the new fan is.

It looks like a storage unit for CDs, so I was not expecting such a strong airflow and it also feels cooler than the other fan.

I do like the room temperature in our bedroom to be comfortable when I go to bed, or I struggle to go to sleep, so turning on the air conditioner for a couple of hours before bed time works well for me.

I got a couple of nice shots of one of the juvenile Pacific Bazas this morning...

Staring me down!

Airing out the wings.

Feeding on a stick insect.
I missed good shots of the adults feeding them, because people kept stopping to discuss the birds with me, which took my attention away from the job at hand.  I'll try again tomorrow.

It's been an uneventful day ... due to the heat.  Tomorrow will probably be similar.  Luckily the forecast is for cooler weather by the weekend.

I really don't like the heat.  Don't get me wrong.  I adore the sunshine, but not the heat that accompanies it in Summer.  Sunshine gives me positive energy, but too much heat drains it away.

Anyway, now that the house has cooled, I'm off to bed.

Nite all

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

First off the Mark

I was first off the mark and lodged my entry into the 'Black and White' challenge last night before I went to bed.

A foggy morning on the river
No other entries yet, but I'm sure that there will be some spectacular ones.

I had another movie day today with Kaz and Lady Lynn.  We saw 'Tower Heist'.  It was funny and required no brainwork at all.  It was nice to have some girl time.  It's been a while.

This morning I left bright and early to go looking for my Red-backed Fairy Wren.  I was successful in my mission, but I didn't capture a good shot because while I was sitting in wait, I was attacked by march flies!

I had covered myself in 'Off' to ward off midges and other insects, but apparently, march flies are not deterred by these chemicals!  So I spent the time 'shoo-ing' or 'slapping' march flies, which kept the little Wrens at a distance.  This was the best I could do ...




... it's very noisy, taken from a long distance, and then cropped very tightly but my goal is to get the perfect Wren shot eventually!

A disappointing piece of information that I received today was about the Pacific Baza that I have been observing in and around the caravan park.

I can't believe that I didn't know this, but there are two of them nesting in the caravan park in a tall Melaleuca Tree!  They have two babies in the nest.  Two babies who are already flying out of the nest!  How did I not know this???

Here is one of the babies ...



I will be observing more closely now and I hope to get some good shots over the coming weeks.  This baby is about 10 days out of the nest and is still being fed by the parents.

One of the men who live in a house near the caravan park, showed me some photos that he took of one of the babies, which landed on his front verandah while learning to fly!  How amazing is that?  I am so envious.

Apparently the adults bring frogs, lizards and grasshoppers to the chicks (or are they juveniles now?) and feed them, which has provided good entertainment to the park visitors.

I am disappointed that it took so long for this information to filter through to me because I would have loved photos of the chicks when they first hatched.  It was the busiest time of the year in the caravan park, so I imagine it would have caused quite a bit of excitement at the time.

Bugger!

Ah well.  Everything happens for a reason!

It was hot today.  Very hot.  It will be just as hot, or hotter tomorrow.  Ugh!  So it will be an early start for me, so that I can get some photos before it gets too hot.

So I was first off the mark with my challenge photo and I'll be first off the mark tomorrow morning.  I think I'll be first into bed tonight too!

Nite all.

The Next Challenge is ....

Adoring Husband and I went to the movies today and thankfully,  we remembered our movie passes this time :D

We saw 'Sherlock Holmes:  A Game of Shadows'.  I enjoyed the movie, only because Robert Downey Jnr was in it.  Some of the effects were pretty impressive, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you are a fan.  It was long - 2 hours and 25 mins - and dark.

The best part of today was was having a visit with Chicklet and having coffee with Vegan Chickie before the movie.

I received a Christmas parcel from BGWLBH today.  It was full of blingy jewellery and we all know how I lurve blingy jewellery!!  Lots of fabulous dress rings and a beautiful turquoise cross pendant, bigger than an egg, with silver wrapped around it.  A photo shows it better than I can describe it...


She also sent me the Masterchef recipe book, which I can't wait to try, although, some of the recipes are a bit complicated and time consuming and I think Adoring Husband is better with those types of recipes, so I might mark a couple of them and have him take up the Masterchef position in the kitchen :D

BGWLBH also had a BRILLIANT idea for her birthday this year, which I am very excited about!  Just let me say that it involves photography **insert smiley face here** and my brain is working overtime making plans.

 The new photography group challenge has been set for January.  The theme is 'Black & White'.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet for that one.

A couple of random people shots from the beach yesterday afternoon ...




I plan on heading out bright and early tomorrow morning to try to find that little Red-backed Fairy Wren again, so I'd best get to bed .. it's after midnight already!

Nite all.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Rituals

I have many rituals in my life.

Every morning, I have a ritual.

I get out of bed, make myself presentable to the world, let the dogs out to pee, kiss Adoring Husband goodbye and then I pedal off to get my coffee and meet my boys at the Seat of Knowledge.

Every night, I follow a ritual.

The last thing I do is update this blog.  Then I close the windows and doors, pull the blinds closed, let the dogs out for one last pee, fill the water bottles and put them in the fridge, turn off the TV, put the dogs to bed and then turn out the lights before changing into my pyjamas and climbing into bed.

Psychotic dogs know this ritual very well, and when I turn off the TV, they come to the door ready to be ushered into their beds.

When I turn off the TV, after about 5 seconds, it makes this very soft clicking sound.

Tonight, I changed the order of my ritual and I turned off the TV before I started doing everything else.

Immediately after that very soft clicking sound that the 'off' TV makes, I heard the shuffling sound of claws upon tiled floor and looked up to see all three dogs standing at the doorway, wagging their tails, waiting for me to usher them into bed.

So now, they are waiting very impatiently for me to finish my blog post and THEN I will confuse them further by filling the water bottles and THEN taking them outside to pee before bed.

I do have a touch of evil in me :D

When I lived in Griffith, my last partner had two Ridgeback X Bull Mastiff hunting dogs, which I inappropriately named Fatty and Splodge.

Butch (my partner) would always park his ute nose first in the driveway, and for ten years, when he opened the gate to the back yard, Fatty and Splodge would hurtle through the gates, run around to the back of the car, where he had opened the tail gate and they would jump enthusiastically into the back of the ute ready to go hunting.

One morning, Butch, uncharacteristically, backed his ute into the driveway so that it was tail end first.

When he opened the gates to the back yard, Fatty and Splodge came hurtling through them, ran around the car and dived enthusiastically onto the bonnet of the ute!

In their state of panic and confusion, their feet couldn't get a grip on the paintwork of the bonnet and they slid onto the windscreen, their legs flailing about madly until they slid or fell off the ute onto the ground.

It was the funniest thing I'd seen in a long time and I laughed until I had tears!

They jumped up onto their feet and shook their heads looking at the front of the ute with dumbfounded expressions on their faces, when Butch called to them from the back of the ute and they bounded back to where they SHOULD have jumped in the first place.

This is a very good lesson on dog training ... it's how dogs learn ... by doing something over and over and over again until it becomes second nature to them.

In this case, it wasn't necessarily a good training strategy, but the method can be put to use for other training situations.

That was such a funny day!

Anyway, I'm glad that I thought of that story, because I couldn't think of anything to write tonight and now I am done!!

Time for the nightly ritual.

Nite all.