Meet the Takahē—a rare, flightless bird found only in New Zealand. Once thought to be extinct, it was rediscovered in 1948 in the remote Murchison Mountains. With its bright blue and green feathers and chunky red beak, this native is a conservation success story and a true Kiwi treasure! And a Public Art in Te…
Tag: photography
Day Trip to Aoraki/Mount Cook
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 5 AORAKI/ MOUNT COOK Started the day with coffee and some store-bought bread I’d picked up beforehand—simple, but it did the job. It’s one of those days—drive a bit, hop out to take some photos, walk around, then back in the car. We just followed Google Maps to see what lies ahead….
First or Second thing I thought of…
This week in Lens Artist Photo Challenge, Tina leads us with the topic of – First thing I thought of… “All my moods in one screen.” Or on second thought it can also be “Group Therapy Session?” How about you what was your first thought when you saw this vintage TV set? I saw this…
Blue seats in Cloudehill
CLOUDEHILL GARDENS & NURSERY These photos were taken on April 23 while showing my brother-in-law around some local sights. We visited Cloudehill in Olinda, nestled in the heart of the Dandenong Ranges. The weather was just right—cool, fresh, and sunny enough to enjoy a relaxed walk through the gardens. I am linking this to Xingfumama’s…
Lamp Posts in Monochrome
Lamp posts make great subjects in photography. At times you can often tell which country you’re in just by looking at them — their design, shape, and placement can be surprisingly distinctive. But beyond their appearance, it’s the story behind them that truly matters. It’s the memories we associate with them — a quiet street…
Wordless Wednesday – 33 Cardoon Flower
CLOUDEHILL, GARDENS
Roadtrip from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 4 On the Road from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo Ever heard that New Zealand has more sheep than people? I used to think that was just a running joke—but it turns out, it’s absolutely true! In 2023, there were about 24.4 million sheep roaming the country, compared to just 5 million humans….
Tuesday Streetart: Trades People – 86
CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND Murals with the central themes of construction and labour. The artwork is filled with diverse figures, each doing different types of work, capturing the energy and variety of the building trades.
Night time in Christchurch
TRAVEL DIARY: Day 3: CHRISTCHURCH at Night Nestled in the heart of Christchurch, New Regent Street is a charming pedestrian lane where only the trams can pass. By day, it’s a delight with its beautifully restored buildings in soft pastel hues. But come nightfall, the street transforms—bathed in colourful lights, it becomes even more magical….
Serenity found Outdoors
Being outdoors brings a kind of peace you don’t find anywhere else. There’s something really calming about a misty day. Sometimes it’s in the rustle of trees as the wind moves through them. Other times, it’s the stillness of a lake, or the soft ripple of water as ducks glide by. Even clouds drifting slowly…
Advanced Happy Mother’s Day to Me
Nothing extravagant or over-the-top—just a quiet, early Mother’s Day celebration with Jack and Pat. Simple, but special. Got some gifts too from the kids. Though I haven’t heard from Tim yet, but that’s not unusual with the time difference in London. Heading to bed now with a full heart. It was a lovely day. Did…
A Day in Akaroa
TRAVEL DIARY: Day 2 AKAROA I don’t know how it always happens—no matter how much I plan for a relaxing trip, I end up packing in so much! This was especially true on our second day in Christchurch, when we found ourselves heading out to explore even more places, including the beautiful town of Akaroa….
Wordless Wednesday 32: Do you know what these are?
LAKE TEKAPO, NEW ZEALAND
Some Blooms…
I’ve been missing flowers in my posts lately, so I thought I’d jump in with what Cee started with FOTD — time to bring some blooms back!
Tuesday Streetart: Ice Cream & Beeees – 85
This cute and quirky artwork by Queenstown artist Sharon Duncan is part of Chorus’ cabinet beautification project. Titled “Bee in the Moment,” it shows an older woman enjoying an ice cream as bees buzz nearby — a gentle reminder to slow down and savour the moment. It can be found in Queenstown CBD’s Beach Street.
Yellow Window
A yellow window that I found in Cloudehill Garden & Nursery. Love the bright, vibrant hue contributing to its aesthetic appeal.
Pirianda Garden
Jack and I figured autumn was almost over, so we wanted to catch the last of the leaves before they all dropped. I found Pirianda Garden in the Dandenong Mountains on Google—we hadn’t been before, so we thought we’d check it out. But when we got there, I hesitated. The walk looked seriously steep. And…
Tall Sculptures in the Queenstown Airport
Queenstown international airport is located at the foot of the Remarkables in New Zealand. You can find the Sculpture of three Maori chiefs by Mark Hill. They were completed in November 2007 and stand in front of the main airport building. I am linking this to Debbie’s Six Word Saturday
Roadtrip in Christchurch
TRAVEL DIARY: Day 1 CHRISTCHURCH STREETART To be honest, Christchurch wasn’t part of my original plan for our South Island trip. I was more excited to see nature and all the beautiful landscapes. But when my husband said Christchurch is known for its street art, I got curious. After a bit of research, I was…
Mirrored Reflections
This week’s themed topic is from Margaret of “From Pyrenees to Pennines” – Mirror. My take for this week’s topic is mirrored reflections. Some of the photos i’ve used previously but in colour. They show the world in reverse, familiar, yet subtly altered. It may even make us pause for a moment to see things…
Wordless Wednesday – 31
SORRENTO, VICTORIA I am also linking this to Johnbo’s Cellpic Sunday and to Xingfumama’s Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge
Tuesday Streetart: Cat from Pat – 84
Artwork of Tayla Art on the Corner of Taplin and Park Street in Fitzroy North, near Melbourne. This was sent to me by Pat. Love it! The cat seems contented.
A Cinematic South Island
Cinematic photography is the art of creating still images that feel as though they belong in a movie. It’s not just about capturing a subject, it’s about telling a story, setting a mood, and building a visual atmosphere. The South Island of New Zealand is a dream for cinematic photography. With its dramatic mountains, crystal-clear…
My Go-to Place: Phillip Island
Phillip Island has always been my go-to place. No matter how many times I’ve been, it never gets old. There’s something about the mix of wild coastline, chilled vibes, and the sound of waves that just resets everything. Whether it’s grabbing fish and chips by the beach, watching the pelicans having their daily feed or…
Wordless Wednesday – 30
RHINE RIVER CRUISE
Tuesday Streetart: Food Truck – 83
We had just arrived in Christchurch, hadn’t even made it to the hotel yet, when I saw this food truck on the side of the road. I got so excited, I had to hop out of the car and snap a photo. But what I remember most wasn’t the truck—it was the amazing smell of…
Bench by the Lake
I saw this Bench challenge from Jude through Margarets’s post. So here is my first entry to this challenge… of a bench I saw while I was walking on the lakefront in Te Anau, New Zealand. I am also linking it to Johnbo’s Cellpic Sunday. A peaceful place…
Octopuses sitting on a Yellow Stool
Isn’t this the cutest? Two octopuses stacked on top of each other, perched on a little stool. I found this in Arrowtown, a town located 19.5 kilometres to the east of Queenstown, New Zealand I am linking this to Xingfumama’s Pull Up a Seat Challenge and for Debbie’s Six Word Saturday
The Lilliput Libraries
Lilliput Libraries are small, friendly book-sharing boxes found all over New Zealand. They work on a simple idea: take a book, leave a book. These little libraries help bring communities together and make it easy for people to enjoy reading and share stories with others. Here are two that I saw in Te Anau while…
Spring Time last year
Dawn from The Day After has chosen the theme SPRING TIME for this week’s Monochrome Madness Challenge. Spring in Melbourne was a long time ago… September to November to be exact, so I had to look at my gallery to view my photos from those months. Spring is full of colour and fresh air with flowers blooming everywhere….