35/365 - Deluge

 

35/365/2011

(Canon 50D, Canon 85mm f/1.8 Lens)

 

 

 

 

Decided to go for a drive around dinner time and thought I would head to Elwood Beach which is probably about 10 mins away in the hope of catching a sunset or something. I caught something and got caught in massive, torrential rain. The rain was soooo hard and visibility was almost zero. I, along with many other drivers, had to pull over to the side of the road and tried to wait it out. It lessened so I drove off the main Beach Road and onto Point Ormond Drive where I too the two purple-toned images through my car window. Long story short - I left home at around 6pm and did not arrive home until after 10.30pm! The flooding was horrendous. Traffic congestion was amazing. But I did manage to take loads and loads of photos! (always an upside!)

34/365 - Waiting for the bus....

 

 

34/365/2011

(Apple iPhone, Hipstamatic Application)

 

  

 

 A whole new world, not only High School but Public Transport travel! Here she is waiting for the bus and I think that as I saw her driving away on the bus - I felt more sad than I did seeing my baby off to High School on her first day. It was such a poignant scene. She was nervous and a tad anxious but now she is an old hand! Doesn't take long!

33/365 - First Day of High School

33/365/2011

(Canon 50D, Canon 85mm f/1.8 Lens)

First day of High School and nerves were around. 

The photo on the left was as relaxed as I could get her - in fact, I felt very lucky to get a photo at all!

The photo on the right tells you how she felt when she got home! The school is big compared to her primary school, in fact, there are almost as many kids just in Year 7 that were at her old school! And it is all girls - such a big change and gosh she has coped well with the changes. (touch wood!)

32/365 - Fish & Chips at Port Melbourne

32/365/2011

(Canon 50D, Canon 85mm f/1.8 Lens)

 

An outing to Port Melbourne with just the oldest and the youngest. We spent a pleasant time walking around the docks and had fish & chips by the water. Managed to take this image - you wouldn't think that we were in the middle of the city would you? 

31/365 Floral Textures....

 

 

31/365/2011

(Canon 50D, Canon 85mm f/1.8 Lens)

 

 

 

 

 

A beautiful flower treated to a lovely textural overlay. I was experimenting with textures and am really happy with the outcome.

30/365 Cupcakes, Vintage Scales and old Straw

30/365/2011

(Canon 50D, Canon 85mm 1.8 Lens)

I love colour and I love vintage. Here you can see my favourite vintage kitchen scales that I picked up at a Trash and Treasure market for oh, about a dollar! I adore them to tell you the truth and collect kitchen scales (sort of!).

These cupcakes I made myself bought from my local supermarket and I also bought the old red/white wax paper straws from eBay. Love them. My kids were surprised that you could actually drink liquid through paper!

28/365 Elwood Beach, Victoria

28/365/2011

(Canon 50D, Tamron 28-75mm Lens)

27/365 - Dinner....

27/365/2011

(Canon 50D, 50mm 1.8 Lens)

I am also doing another photography challenge this year.

52 Weeks of Lifestyle Photography. 

I am struggling a little with this style of photography as it is a genre that I am not used to. I took this one tonight of Samuel and Bronte preparing the vegetables both as part of the 365 and the 52.

I may, or may not, submit it as part of the Lifestyle Challenge! I will see how I go. (if I can get anything better more suitable.)

26/365 - Happy Australia Day!

26/365/2011

 

These two storyboards make up my one photo of the day. 

January 26, 2011 was Australia Day.

Australia Day means many different things to many people. It can also mean nothing to some and yet others - well it is a Public Holiday.

I am kind of on the fence and whatever your politics - it can mean Family Day. That is how I like to think of it.

Our two eldest sons had invitations out to other celebrations, so Stan and I took Bronte into the city to Kings Domain Gardens where there was lots of activity. She enjoyed the Dog Flyball competition (so did we!). Stan and I really enjoyed the Vintage Car rally - there were hundreds of cars and it was a fabulous photo haven! Bronte did not enjoy this so much.

We all loved the fabulous flyover by the RAAF Roulettes. Just incredible! We liked the many varied and different people we saw in the crowd and particularly enjoyed the Shrine of Remembrance raising of the flag. It was a great day for us and we finished it off with a BBQ at home with our boys.

What did you do?

25/365 - Here's lookin' at ya!

25/365/2011

(iPhone 3GS using Hipstamatic App)

While out walking the other day, I found these discarded 3-D Glasses with the lenses popped out. I so love the shape of these and it made me think back to when I was younger and the cardboard 3-D glasses that we used. These are so much cooler looking to wear don't you think?

It also got me thinking of all the strange places that you could find such glasses. So I did a series of 7 images showing these in different places....just for fun. This is the first in that series....

24/365 - The Enchanted Maze at Arthur's Seat, Victoria

24/365/2011

(Canon 50D, 50mm 1.8 Lens)

Yes, I know! Two more images in this post. I don't know why but I just have to! These are my two favourites from the day.

This first one, well I was in the big, beautiful hedge maze and was quickly abandoned by my 15 year old and my 12 year old. I wasn't taking much notice of the twists and turns as I was taking photos all over the place. I remember asking someone if they had found the 'middle' yet and I hear Bronte's voice saying "haven't you found the middle yet mum?" It came from next to me but not. I looked through the hedge and this is what I saw....I laughed and said 'hold it there while I take a photo!' and this is the result. I love it! It took me a while longer to find her as she ran off giggling in search of her brother!

and this image is another favourite.....of many!

23/365 - Good Vibrations!

23/365/2011

(iPhone 3gs using Hipstamatic App)

I just love a Kombi and this one, well it is the kind that Dreams are made of! 

My favourite colours of red and white - I couldn't believe my luck when I saw it in the local car park. I had seen it earlier in the day driving down the road but to see it parked - yippee! I had my iPhone with me so snapped these photos - and it was a double yippee when I saw that they carried two original Malvern Star Dragsters on the back! How totally cool! 

I wish I could have hung around to see who the owners were! I wonder what they looked like? Are they relics from the 70's themselves or young hippy-types who love the style and mode of travel? 

When I came back passed an hour later, the Kombi was gone...I will never know!

22/365 - "Gullwing" a sweet, hardworking boat...

22/365/2011

(iPhone 3GS , using Hipstamatic App)

and because yesterday's image was so lame, I get to offer up two today!

Went for an early morning walk along the beach and came across some moored boats. Loved the serenity of the morning and I hope that it is portrayed here.

In the first image, was a sweet and I imagine, hard working little boat called Gullwing and I would say proudly owned by one G. Moylan.

The second image shows two seagulls and a cormorant sharing the same space.

21/365 - Camping Time.....

21/365/2011

(iPhone 3gs using the Hipstamatic App)

Uninspiring image I know but we went away again on the 21st to a gorgeous seaside town called Rosebud. In fact, we have been holidaying on and off there since Boxing Day as we left our caravan there. It is an easy just under 1 hr drive from home.

The kids and I would stay a few days extra while Stan would come home on the Sunday night. Not an exciting holiday by any means but it was relaxing. The middle and youngest child and I packed up the van today and bought it home. Was a little sad really as it means that the school rush is nearly here! Waaaah! 

So, this image was taken late at night with my iPhone. It is of our messy camping table. Sorry - only took two images on this day and this was the best one! lol

19/365 - Walt Disney's Old Yeller - A Little Golden Book

19/365/2011

(Canon 50D, 50mm Lens)

"Nobody knew where Old Yeller came from. He just turned up one day at the Coates's cabin, sniffing and snuffing and wagging his tail. The Coates boys, Arliss and Travis, looked him over. Not that he was much to look at. He was big and clumsy and yellow in colour."

One of my very favourite books as a child was Old Yeller - the Walt Disney version. Bronte found this Little Golden Book a month or so ago at an Op Shop for me and even paid for it herself. I love such finds. What is your favourite book as a child?

18/365 - A Rite of Passage

18/365/2011

(Canon 50D, 50mm 1.8 Lens)

Where have the years gone? The man/child you see in the above photo is my first born. He turned 16 years old back in August 2010. 

Here in Victoria, Australia when you turn 16 you are eligible to get your Learner Driver's Licence. Now, some kids, go there on their 16th birthday and sit the test but other, like my Samuel, well they think about it a bit. He likes public transport. 

For his 16th birthday, Bronte gave him the Road Rules Book and the Learner Plates. So here he is with his "L" plate. He passed the WRITTEN test with flying colours! Yay!

I said did he want to drive home - he looked at me as if I had two heads and said no thanks.

Congratulations Samuel - I am very proud of you!

17/365 - Live, Laugh, Love

17/365/2011

(Canon 50D, 50mm Lens)

My Bronte gave me these sweet wooden signs as part of my Christmas present and I just love them! They go wonderfully with my kitchen which has a lot of red and is retro themed. I want 2011 to be more about the three words you see here. Fingers crossed. xx

16/365 - West Beach Bathers Pavilion St Kilda

16/365/2011

(Canon 50D, 50mm Lens)

Yesterday, Bronte and I took Saffy on an outing to a different beach than we normally frequent called St. Kilda West Beach. There were loads of dogs there - inadvertently, we had chosen a doggy beach! Yay!

She enjoyed herself as did we - as, after our walk, we lunched at a lovely on-the-beach restaurant called West Beach Bathers Pavilion - highly recommend it! Food was delish and staff were so friendly. A nice surprise!

This photo shows the Saff-ster jumping back up to where we were eating.

15/365 - Dog-sitting is F.U.N.

15/365/2011

(Canon 50D, 50mm 1.8 Lens)

Meet Saffy the Staffy Miniature Schnauzer. She is our new, albeit temporary, Family Member. She has been here since Tuesday evening and it is now Friday evening.

She is really cute. And brave (if our cat Mikki is not around!) She does what she is told by Mikki - she comes from a household of two cats as well. She knows who is boss. and it. is. not. her.

It has taken us a little while to get used to the barking though. She is very protective of our home and the property. Bark Bark Bark. Bark Bark Bark. Bit tired of that bit really!

I am just putting it out there - she probably loves us MORE than her own family! Just sayin' - and who can blame her!?

14/365 I love these paws.....

14/365/2011

(Canon 50D, 50mm f1.8 Lens)

These paws belong to our lovely cat Mikki. We all adore him. He adores....himself!