Day 87 - 27 March 2012 - Easter is coming!

Hello!

Day 87 and I am showing a tiny bit of "super-Mummy" powers.

First I will disclose that while I make cards, I am not a particularly crafty Mum, and my kids don't get to take cool gifts to school at Valentines or Christmas, etc. Usually I don't do anything at Easter either, because I'm a bit of a grouch and don't like my kids eating too much junk food and SO MANY kids give SO MUCH chocolate at Easter time! I can honestly say that each year we often still have Easter chocolate left over as Christmas approaches because we end up with so much given to us all. Crazy! Oh, I should also tell you, I'm not one of those women who swoon over chocolate. I can totally enjoy eating one box of chocolates over a period of months. Yes, I'm strange, LOL! Put a block of cheese in front of me with some crackers, and it is a very different story...

Back to Easter. Tomorrow is the last day of school before Easter break. I realised this tonight. And I remembered that I'd seen some cute Easter Egg Butterflies that I told my daughter I might make. She took this to mean that I would make them (and if she thinks I will, then I must). This is what I saw:

I don't have the right punches for this. Or the time and patience to make those cute antennae. So I took a short cut, and this is what I came up with:

They're little butterflies sitting on scallop circle flowers. :-)

They're colourful, aren't they?

I'm pretty sure I'll be my daughter's hero for at least five minutes tomorrow morning.

:-)
Michelle

Day 86 - 26 March 2012

Hello!

Day 86 saw me at the end of the day without a photo, again! But, lucky for me, I am onto a new book. :-)

I haven't read any Faye Kellerman before. I am really enjoying this one. It's a good police detective novel. I might go back to the beginning of the series and get to know it.

:-)
Michelle.

Day 85 - 25 March 2012

Hello!

Today (Day 85) I attended a baby shower. The baby was the third baby for my friend, and she was the first girl. The shower happened after the arrival of this gorgeous little girl, so I got to meet her today also! So beautiful! I love babies!

I'm not sharing a baby photo (sorry!). I am sharing a photo of the decorations. The friend holding the shower is the consummate hostess. I think she would make a fortune if she became an event planner. :-)

First photo is this one:

I couldn't believe these roses. You can't buy roses like this in the shop. The shop roses are all those horrible tea roses with no scent and they drop their heads within a couple of days.  Well, apparently these roses came from a flower shop. They look like they're from a garden. So beautiful!

Second photo is of the cute cupcakes. I couldn't resist capturing them also.

I loved the pink theme. The whole back patio and yard was decorated beautifully. A lovely day.

:-)
Michelle

Day 84 - 24 March 2012

Hello!

I captured the photo for Day 84 early. It was my daughter's breakfast she made herself.

Not really what I would call healthy - four slices of white bread with honey. At least it filled her tummy for the morning.

I realised later in the day that I should have carried my camera with me. It is the Queensland State Election today. All the polling places had all their banners and colours and people everywhere. It looks like the Labour Party (slightly left wing) is going to be replaced by the Liberal National Party (slightly right wing). For those of you who don't know, voting is compulsory in Australia for all elections. This means that voting day is a very busy day where EVERYONE over 18 goes out to cast their vote.

:-)
Michelle

Day 83 - 23 March 2012

Hello!

A quick one for Day 83. A psychedelic image of my littlest girl, who didn't want her photo taken (unusually).

We were waiting for my eldest daughter to play in her string ensemble concert and I was testing that my new memory card was working. It worked.

:-)
Michelle

Day 81 - 21 March 2012

Hello!

Day 81 sees us at the train station. I was heading into work late in the morning, so I had the chance to photograph the station without the crowds. I did still get some curious looks (more like "What is that crazy lady taking a photo of?" looks).

This station was upgraded a couple of years ago. They chose strange arched yellow edges under a blue tin roof to cover the platforms. There are about three different yellows, and the result was that as soon as it was painted, it looked like some had faded in the sun. It never looked "new". Strange, and ugly, design. 

The next photo is looking across the tracks at the artwork which is a collaboration of the local schools. This artwork has pretty much escaped graffiti (which was the whole point of putting art there in the first place). Much brighter than the old grey concrete wall that was there before.  

 Across the road from the train station (on Station Road, no less) is the Indooroopilly Hotel. It is quite ugly, but it appeals to me a lot. One day I will show you a picture of that, and find out some history for you.

:-)
Michelle

Day 79 - 19 March 2012 - books

Hello!

For Day 79 I have another book to share.

Before I show you, I'll talk about another book. I skipped one of my books by accident. I read it so fast that it was back in the library before I took a photo of it, LOL! That one was one of the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris, Dead Reckoning, that's book number 11 in the series, and unfortunately I now have to wait for the next one to be published. Argh! I am very impatient when I'm in the middle of a series and the author hasn't brought out their superpowers to finish the entire series as fast as I can read it, LOL! In case you don't know, the Sookie Stackhouse series is the basis for the True Blood tv series (which I have only watched the first series of, and can't watch it easily because it is totally R-rated and my kids need to be deeply asleep or out of the house for me to turn it on). The books are a great fun, easy read (if you don't mind vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, and faeries, among other things). Since I've caught up with Charlaine on her Sookie Stackhouse books, I'm going to start on her Harper Connelly series while I wait for the next one. :-)

Before I talk more about books (I really could go on forever when books are the subject), I'll show you my photo.

This is the third book in the Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson. The main character is a female homicide detective (now lieutenant). I really enjoy James Patterson (I loved his Alex Cross novels), but I have a bit of a bugbear about the fact that once he's written one or two of a series, he then brings in other writers. It changes the feel of the books slightly and detracts a bit from my enjoyment. I'm still reading them, because they are good entertainment, but I don't get "hooked" on the series' as a result.

Now onto my current top reading wishlist item. The Hunger Games trilogy. I want to read the books before I see the movie (if I even see the movie). I went to the library and put the first book on hold. I'm number 348 on the hold list. At this rate, it might be available to me in 2016, LOL! I heard on the radio this morning that Big W is putting the books on sale today for about $10 each. It might be worth buying them to avoid the waiting... and if I'm buying them I might just pop off to Book Depository and save myself the trip to the shops... decisions, decisions...

Thanks for popping by to visit.

:-)
Michelle

Day 78 - 18 March 2012

Hello!

I can't decide on my photo of the day. My daughter made pancakes for breakfast today. When I started taking pancakes to eat, I found a beaver. Tell me, do you think it looks like a beaver?

Later in the day I was taking the rubbish out. I walked past another giant Golden Orb spider in its web. Lucky for me, the web is not in the pathway. I was struck by how you can actually see that the web is golden. So I took a photo.

It had just started raining, so there were raindrops on the web as well.

I have been fighting a migraine strength headache for four days. I might have to make a trip to the chiropractor or doctor tomorrow. The drugs only work so long - I have been taking rounds of paracetamol, ibuprofen, codeine, antihistamine...sigh! I hope to be back to normal sometime soon.

:-)
Michelle

Day 77 - 17 March 2012 - play

Hello!

This week's theme over at Carly Robertson's Photo Friday Challenge is play. Day 77 gave me heaps of opportunities to capture play photos, as we attended my niece's 1st birthday party.

This photo is my little girl counting for hide-and-seek.

We had a fun day.

:-)
Michelle

Day 75 - 15 March 2012

Hello!

Day 75 saw me tidying my house. By tidying, I mean that I started a massive "Spring clean" (now that it is autumn). The problem is, the job is massive, and I hadn't finished my bedroom when it came time for bed. This is what I came to when all I wanted to do was collapse into sleep.

Different piles of washing, clothes for charity, bits and bobs that need putting away somewhere. So I did what any self-respecting, house-proud person would do, I finished the job put everything in that laundry basket, placed it on the (newly clean) floor, and ignored it, LOL!

The finishing of the spring clean can wait for another day...

:-)
Michelle

Day 74 - 14 March 2012 - Everyday

Hello!

Day 74 saw me capture my photo for the Photo Friday Challenge, which has a theme this week of Everyday. I left work early and because I was early, the train was almost empty. Usually it is jam-packed full and there is no chance of a photo. This is the train, I take it to and from work.

I'll tell you a story about the behaviour of people who are catching this train. They updated the timetables a few months ago and now there is an all-stations train followed by an express train a few minutes later leaving from Central Station.  I can take either, because they both stop at my station. The strange behaviour I have noticed is that when the all-stations train comes, everyone crowds around the door to get in (normal), but if you are at the back of the pack (which I often am because I'm usually just catching it with a second to spare), you'll suddenly find yourself stuck behind immobile people who are gathered around the doors. You can't get in because these people are blocking the doorway. It took me a while to figure out what was happening. And this is CRAZY. People are crowding around the door of the first train so that when the express train arrives they'll be the first on the train, so the people who NEED to get the all-stations train have to PUSH people out of the way to get on. The funny thing is, when I have missed that all stations train and had to wait for the express, I don't encounter problems getting on the train or getting a seat usually (and I don't crowd the door), so I don't know why people do this. Strange.

You really did get an EVERYDAY photo and story with this one, LOL!

:-)
Michelle

Day 72 - 12 March 2012 - Brisbane

Hello!

Day 72 saw me taking a walk around Brisbane City during my lunchtime to go photograph my subject of choice for today - St Stephen's Cathedral.

I'll go and get some closer shots another day. Today was just a quick walk. I also just realised that I didn't get a decent photo of the smaller original cathedral that sits to the right of the newer bigger version. The little one opened in 1850. The bigger one sometime around 1870.

While taking the photo across the road, I noticed another topic that I hope to capture more of during this year of photo taking - a signal box. In Brisbane, just about every signal box (for the traffic lights) has been painted. Artists have to put their proposal to council, get approved, and then they can paint the box.  I'll have to do some research on what this one is about (they're usually relevant to the area in some way).

Then I was almost back to work and I clicked off one more photo. This one is the intersection of Creek and Queen Streets. The building is the National Australia Bank. For some history you can read up on it HERE.

Brisbane has lots of lovely buildings from the 1800s through to early 1900s, in amongst all the high-rise buildings. Some of them have beautiful detail. On the bank building here, the columns are Corinthian (my favourite column style). I'll get some close up detail shots one day.

:-)
Michelle

Day 71 - 11 March 2012

Hello!

Today we were visiting family. While my eldest daughter (9 1/2) and her little cousin (almost 2) were playing loudly all over the living room, my littlest daughter (4 1/2) found herself a quiet corner to read a book. She doesn't like noise, and she really likes time to herself. Lucky for her, she is self-reliant and can find a quiet place away from the hustle and bustle, wherever she is.

This is so typical of my little girl, this photo makes me smile.

:-)
Michelle

Day 70 - 10 March 2012

Hello!

On Day 70 we attended our nephew's engagement party. The party started at sunset. The view from their backyard was so beautiful for a couple of hours with the changing colours of the sky.

I had a terrible discovery after taking all the photos at the engagement. I had reduced the quality of my photos in my camera down to lowest quality to take some card photos, and had forgotten to put the quality up again. I had more than 24 hours (and about 150 photos) of low quality photos! So disappointed! I should have realised when I couldn't take a decent photo of the AMAZING moon and stars, argh! Oh well, lesson learned.

:-)
Michelle

Day 68 - 8 March 2012 - Blurry/OOF

Hello!

Day 68's journey was to attempt to capture this week's photo for Carly's Photo Friday Challenge where the theme is Blurry/OOF (out of focus). I raced around my yard, looking for subjects, clicking away. I collected all sorts of images, too many to share!  Then while I was editing away, trying to find one or two worth sharing, my daughter started her violin practice next to me and I remembered that one of my 2012 in Photos buddies had taken a photo of her son on his violin that I wanted to try out. So out came the camera again, and I got my photo.

I'm going to try this again, because I'd like to stage it a bit and get the chance to focus on a few different focal points along the violin, and get more of the bow in. This time it was just me clicking away while she played. Lucky for me she was in a mood to LET me click away at her.

Thank-you, Carly, for setting this challenge. It really did challenge me to use my manual focus and practise working with depth of field. I could do with more practice, obviously, but this was a great start. Thank-you.

Now I will share some of the plethora of other photos I took.

Bird of Paradise. We have a beautiful huge plant, but it hides in the middle of some shrubs, so we rarely see it. I pulled the branches back to capture this photo.

 I'm not sure what this is. It is a weedy vine that wanders along our retaining wall.

The retaining wall. I like this photo. Pattern and texture.

 Dead Agapanthus flower head with a couple of old seeds hanging on. I quite like the colours in this photo.

 Jade Fern (I think that is its name). These are new shoots. Gorgeous colours. The mature leaves are green.

 Still the Jade Fern.

 Murraya (Mock Orange). Oh, these smell divine...heavenly!

I hope you enjoyed your wander through my garden with me! Thanks for visiting!

:-)
Michelle

Day 67 - 7 March 2012

Hello!

On Day 67 I was sitting in my car waiting for my daughter to be dropped off to me. Since I had my camera with me, I snapped a couple of shots.

No editing, this is just how it was. I actually love the house that hides behind the hedge and the palm trees. They've used beautiful aquas and yellows to paint the house. It's lovely. It probably wouldn't be right for me to sneak through the hedge to get a closer shot of the house, LOL!

Here is a wider view. Again, no editing.

I think this might have been our only blue sky day for the week.

:-)
Michelle

Day 66 - 6 March 2012

Hello!

Day 66 sees another photo taken from the car window on the way home from work. The car wasn't moving. I was stuck in traffic...again!  This time I focused inside the car, caught the view looking forwards, sideways, and in the rear-vision mirror.

:-)
Michelle

Day 65 - 5 March 2012 - Tooth Fairy

Hello!

Day 65 found my daughter with a spare tooth. Her tooth fell out and the new one was sitting there underneath already half grown. :-)  This called for a visit from the Tooth Fairy.

She set up her tooth in the Tooth Fairy box, put her fairies all around, and wrote a note.

She was a bit upset with me because I had to move the arrangement to fit everything in the photo. I moved it back when I was finished. :-)

The Tooth Fairy (Tabitha) visited and left a $2 coin behind, along with a return note.

:-)
Michelle

Day 64 - 4 March 2012 - ANZAC biscuits

Hello!

Day 64 was a baking day. Trying to get enough food made to keep my insatiable 9 year old going all day at school. She swims five days a week, and she's growing, so her appetite is massive.

Today I was a bit nice and made some sweet things. Today's photo is of the ANZAC biscuits I made.

They taste good.

I'll give you the recipe while I'm here. Those of you who are Australian or New Zealander will already know this recipe, I'm sure!

ANZAC Biscuits

Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup dessicated coconut
1 cup raw sugar (I usually only use 3/4 cup)
125g butter
1 tablespoon golden syrup
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 tablespoons of boiling water

Method
Mix all dry ingredients together (except bicarb soda)
Melt butter together with syrup
Pour boiling water over bicarb soda, mix, then add to butter mixture.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well.
Roll 1 tablespoon of mixture and flatten slightly on baking tray.
Bake in slow oven (about 150c) until golden brown. About 20 minutes.

I made a double batch today. I'm a popular Mummy/wife tonight.

:-)
Michelle

Day 63 - 3 March 2012

Hello!

Day 63 - playing with Coco. That is a demolished soft drink bottle sitting beside her. She loves them as toys.

:-)
Michelle

Day 62 - 2 March 2012

Hello!

You know what? I'm amazed at how well I am going with this daily photo challenge. I had my doubts if I would even make it this far. Taking a photo everyday is quite a challenge! I am having so much fun with it. I have missed a couple of days here and there, but not many, and I'm okay with that.

Day 62 I came back into my garden. The daily photo is of a spider. I don't know for certain what type of spider it is, but I believe it is a Golden Orb. We have them everywhere around here. They are quite large. They don't worry me, other than their huge webs being all over the yard. I'm always walking into the webs, ugh! (I don't like that sticky web feeling all over my face and  head).

This spider was attached to this pretty plant.

Today's added bonus is some night time shots. These are the shots I wanted to take for Carly Robertson's Photo Friday challenge two weeks ago. Two weeks ago the sky was cloudy all week. Last night I was bringing the washing in when I noticed a clear sky. By the time I ran in to get my camera and tripod and got back out, the clouds had started coming over, but I still got a few photos.

Washing line on the left, house on the right, my frangipani and the neighbour's palms along the bottom of the shot. The Southern Cross is under that cloud in the middle of the frame.

Patience won out, and I caught the Southern Cross as the clouds moved around the sky:

:-)
Michelle

Day 61 - 1 March 2012 - a morning in the park

Hello!

I missed Day 60, the 29th of February. Unfortunately it was not a good day for me, and my heart wasn't in photography.  Day 61 was a much better day, and to make up for the missed day, I took LOTS of photos. :-)

I took my little girl and the dog for a walk to the park. They both had a ball.

I let Coco off the leash and she ran all over the park like a crazy-dog. By a miracle, she seems to be getting better at obeying commands, and she didn't chase anyone, didn't chase birds, didn't run across any roads, and she returned when called. Definitely an improvement.

What I didn't notice right away was that under the long grass at the side of the playground was a big pool of water. See the happy tail?

More exploring...

And more... Ooh, I think this is the deepest part of the puddle...

Aahhh, what a relief after that HOT run in the park...

And what she looked like as she happily trotted out of the water:

Yes, it was muddy water.
And as you can see by her face, she really immerses herself into water. I actually think I could train her to be a diving dog, she likes putting her face under water so much.

Definitely a cocker spaniel x poodle, a water dog through and through.

Meanwhile, the little girl had a blast playing on the swings, the slide, and the rocking animals.

I also took many photos of trees. I'll just share two of the close-ups (since this post is already photo heavy for a "photo" a day record, LOL).

I hope you enjoyed our trip to the park as much as we did.

:-)
Michelle