I am smiling…

“What makes you a man is not the ability to make a child, it’s the courage to raise one.” — President Barack Obama I am smiling because I have you beside me as the father of my beautiful kids… Happy Father’s Day Jack ❤️ It is FD here in Australia, I don’t know why we…

Closeups in my Garden

“Never underestimate the healing power of a quiet moment in the garden.” – unknown CMMC – Closeups in my Garden FOTD

Tomorrow

“To plant a flower is to believe in tomorrow.” – Audrey Hepburn As the world changes so does the life of a flower. I started documenting this orchid’s daily development from a bud to full bloom. CFFC – Tomorrow FOTD – Orchids

Walking Up Petrin Hill

“The best view comes after the hardest climb.” – unknown This was in November of 2018. I read that Petrin Hill is a must see and it is very easy to reach it by getting on a funicular. So on one of our “not too hectic” days in Prague, we decided to go. But when…

Chasing Light

“Hope is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.” – unknown Update: I was watching the news morning and seeing that cases of Delta in Melbourne is continually rising and Sydney as well… it doesn’t seem like this will come to an end soon. At first we were casually saying…

A single red rose

“A red rose is not selfish because it wants to be a red rose.” – Oscar Wilde FOTD Life in Colour

Pipe Bridge

“The darkest night is often the bridge to the brightest tomorrow.” – Jonathan Lockwood Huie I can think of so many iconic bridges to feature for today’s challenge but this particular one stuck to my mind because of fun memories with family. (I have featured this bridge previously but not in Black and white.) This…

Flowers in a Bucket

”Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.” – Luther Burbank Entry for FOTD and CMMC

There goes the setting sun…

“Don’t forget: Beautiful sunsets need cloudy skies.” – Paulo Coelho I love the setting sun because it gives me a feeling of hope… grateful for the day that just ended but wishing for a better tomorrow. Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge CFFC – There goes the setting sun…

Spring Blossoms

“The first blooms of spring always make my heart sing.” – S. Brown It is that time again… these pretty pink Cherry Blossoms are in bloom now. For Cee’s Flower of the Day – FOTD

Large …. Or is it?

“Our dreams make us large.” – Jack Kirby Went for a stroll in the Fitzroy Gardens in the heart of the Melbourne city. Here are some B&W “fun” images for Cee’s Black and White Challenge- CBWC – Large The size of objects can be subjective.This giraffe swing is large… Or maybe not… These owls may…

Into the field I go…

“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” – John Muir A few months ago, before the Delta virus invaded Melbourne, I was lucky enough to stay in a working farm in Castlemaine in country Victoria. It gave me a time to find peace and quiet and a time…

Postcards

“The postcard is sacred to me. It makes me sad that no one sends them very much anymore because of email and texting. I still like to buy them, but they’ve lost their original function and now just seem like reminders or mementos of what they used to be.” – Elaine Equi I don’t receive…

Through Tim’s Lens

“Sometimes you just got to find an old dirt road and go where it takes you.” – unknown London has now reopened post pandemic (jealous!) Tim and Leigh (my son and daughter in law) decided to go for a few days away to the country roads of Dungeness. These photos are from Tim’s lens and…

Eucalyptus Trees

“The trees encountered on a country stroll Reveal a lot about that country’s soul… A culture is no better than its woods.” ― W.H.Auden These are Eucalyptus trees and they are a very common species near where I live. They grow very tall and it is wonderful to walk under its shade and when you…

Trees in the mist

”Life is foggy, always try to see what lies behind the fog.” Mehmet Murat ildan For BeckyB’s #TreeSquare

Melbourne in Pink

“The colour pink makes everything look pretty.” – unknown Pinks in and around Melbourne… pink in murals, in buildings, in public art, in sunset and in nature. What more can you ask for? For Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – CFFC – Melbourne in Pink “You can never wrong with a little pink, a lot works…

Getting Away!

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the one who’ll decide where to go.” -Dr. Seuss Ah “Getting away” – What a beautiful thought, especially now that lockdown is…

Black & White

“What the human eye sees is an illusion of what is real. The black and white image transforms illusions into another reality.” – Ruth Bernhard I am not a master of black and white photography so my take on this topic is something that I experience and not from a technical point of view. I…

Do you see the birds?

“A bird sitting in a tree is not afraid of the branch breaking because her trust is not in the branch, but in her own wings.” – unknown For BeckyB’s #TreeSquare Has a wonderful walk this morning and saw the birds. Do you see them? Of course you don’t… But there they are…the Black-head white…

From Orange Trees to Orange Beanies

“There is no blue without yellow and without orange.” – Vincent Van Gogh This is my entry for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – CFFC – Orange, which incorporates a few other Challenges. These are some orange trees during the past autumn season at the Rhododendron Botanical Garden. For BeckyB’s #TreeSquare Orange variety of flowers for…

Lichens on Tree Barks

“Alone with myself the trees bend to caress me the shade hugs my heart” – Candy Polgar Had my daily walk this morning and I saw this beautiful tree that sits just on the bank of the lake. It is beautiful, mainly because of the bright yellow lichens on its trunk and branches. This is for…

Yellow Flower

“Today is going to be a great day.” The sky may be grey today where I am, but that is not a reason not to be happy. Happy Monday everyone. This is for Cee’s FOTD challenge #macroMonday

Autumn Leaves

“I think of the trees and how simply they let go.” – May Sarton For BeckyB’s #TreeSquare

Leaves and Tree Trunks

“Life without love is like a tree without leaves.” – unknown For Cee’s Black and White Challenge – CBWC and For Becky B’s Square Challenge

Near where I live…

“Water is the mirror of nature.” – Francis of Assisi I am constantly being grateful for having such peaceful places around me. I am able to combine my daily walk with the joy and serenity of my surroundings. ***photos taken this week from the Casey Wetlands and the Wilson Botanical Gardens For Cee’s Fun Foto…

Reflections of Bare Trees

“We cannot see our reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.” – Zen Proverb These photos were taken at the Wilson’s Botanical Gardens as I was walking with my husband. It is now winter here in Melbourne , Australia so things are looking quite gloomy. for Jez’s Water Water…

What a Wonderful World

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” – Jawaharlal Nehru Thanks Amy for the challenge for this week – It’s a Wonderful World… what a beautiful reminder. When…

Animals Downunder

“It takes nothing from a human to be kind to animals.” – unknown Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Animals Downunder Let me introduce you to some animals which are commonly or uncommonly seen in our own backyard here in Australia. These cuddly creatures may look like bears but they are not. Koalas are Marsupials, meaning…

Light & Shadow

”Both light and shadow are the dance of love.” – Rumi It is always the combination of light and shadow that makes the subject come alive. Sometimes it is the angle of the light that gives the mood of the the shot. Like this below…same tree… but photos were taken from opposite sides giving one…