A Walk on Black Mountain

Well, it is Floriade, after all!

I took refuge in a close up amidst an overabundance of colour.

sunset storm clouds

Sometimes I just have to stop.
This was one of those times...

over the hills and far away...

This morning I set out to explore Lake George.
Just over the hill suspended in a different time and place...
Deep fog made things ambiguous!

HEading down to Coppin's Crossing

Dawn on the back road to Woden...
(Going to work again)
Bemused by pastel pink, blue and green.
Last year these slopes had black Angus yearlings grazing..
but I think this land is now going to become another housing development

bathed in scarlet and gold

More drama in the skies -
the only time I get outside these days is evening, it seems.
Another spectacular sunset over the Brindies.

Pink skies in June

This time on the way to work.
Dawn over Black Mountain...

It has been a while -
Sunset in winter, out of the car window.
Just had to stop while
chilled but serene.

CANBERRA INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL

Conductor



Orchestra




Choir

Canberra International Music Festival

a composer and his music

Canberra International Music Festival

REHEARSAL...
a discussion in time....

drums

rites of passage.....

Canberra International Music Festival

Peter Sculthorpe - 80 years old.....

another reality

home is calling...

wishing I was elsewhere...

windows are doorways to somewhere else!

Inside, looking out

I found a painting of old Brisbane town...

some more of the larrikins

.. and he said...

Warren Fahey

...in that last moment before the music starts

folkish fantasy

It's all there, waiting ...

Warren's World

... all the world's a stage?
Somewhere beyond the lighting sits the muse.

Sunshine in the cathedral

A moment for thought...

Bella in the bushes!

She thinks she is invisible, but I can see her!!

Monsters at home

Aimee having a rest

summer landscape

the hills of home...at the end of another dusty day

roses and tomatoes

The roses are from Michelle's garden, but the tomatoes are mine!
For some reason the tomatoes are doing well this year-
I think chutney might be happening soon.

Autumn begins

fuzzy leaves and fuzzy flowers!

Around the house .... in close-up

and in the cupboard - a porcelain plate from Parnell, wine glasses from Wilf,
a small deco jug from Roseville and a perfume bottle from my sister!!
See the tiger, frog and blue bird, too?

How amazing things are in closeup...small treasures out of time, too easily taken for granted.
The stones are from the Kimberley and given by a traditional owner, the clock was
passed to me by my grandmother before she died, and the fairies are from my mother....

Balloonfest

the sun is almost up! A cluster of impossible fruitiness
with reflections of Fragonard-pink clouds

over the other side, in Commonwealth Park some 30 mins later!
the rising sun hits the rising balloons. Atmosphere is still smoky...

We dashed everywhere last Saturday. Here is a compilation
from the new camera - its first day out.
Such fun!!!

Lowering skies at dusk

Coming home the back way - missed the turn but didn't care...
My thoughts, which were a millions miles away, suddenly
focussed on the sky unfolding.

A big ship came sailing in...

Last week I was in Sydney for work.
This was outside my 34th floor window at 6.45am...
A floating cash register. In fact all of Sydney felt a bit like that.
It was so good to get home.

The neatest little Hereford this side of the Murrimbidgee!
Water play, anyone?

Canberra Show highlights

A boy and his bull:
Burgundy is his name and his boy loves him...

Fiery skies

Friday, from my backyard, a clear sign of fire down south.
Drama in the skies, smoke in the air.

Requiescat in pace et in amore

Fiery Skies

Sunset on Friday 13th.
It is the smoke haze from down south I'm sure
that made this astonishing sunset.
Beautiful, but so poignant.

FUNNY CHOOKS

The baby guineas - 4 weeks on (Born 24 December)
They love their spinach and have proven to be excellent escape-artists.
They are already flying!!

Boating idyll

A perfect morning...
summer in Arcady.

Sunny moon grass

One day I daresay someone clever will invent a bifocal camera
so that the moon and the forground can both be in focus.
Or I will find out how to make it happen.
In the meantime, this will have to do.

Walking around the Lake: Friday

It is amazing what you see with a camera.
I didn't know that the dragonfly was looking at me
until I zoomed in on the shot afterwards.
I suppose the spider was eyeing me off too.
Hot and a bit shaky on my morning walk
under a hot early morning sun, it was hard to
keep the camera still.

Black Mountain Tower

Hi ho! Can't resist!
A recognisable Canberra icon at last!!
Not pretty, but somehow inescapable.
(and I'm experimenting with cropping...)

Kangaroo grass in sunlight

Just a moment in passing, easily missed,
but a golden start to my morning walk.

Morning Birds

and here is the moorhen...

A grass parrot and a moorhen....

Now for the wildlife!

A rather bedraggled crimson rosella, gnawing bark.
It is definitely moulting time.
They look so grumpy in close up.
(Taken 5 times optical zoom,
then 10 times digital zoom,
so a bit fuzzy, but not too bad!)

Distant landmarks!

Parliament House in the distance in a sombre mood.
I think the rocks in the forground are the spine of what was once a hill-
an igneous intrusion into what looks like mudstone -
now just a part of Yarramundi Reach.

Oh, I could have dived in!

Walking around the Lake!

A series of views from around Lake Burley Griffin, from the Black Mountain side.
7.15am and it is already sultry, leaving the mountains to recede.
Still there were a lot of birds out, as you can see!