Palm Tree Trunk

Rear Window

On the Tarmac at Sydney Airport

Con Trail

When I was growing up, I remember seeing the condensation trails from jets in the sky, especially in winter. I guess that they aren't as common any more.

While taking HRH to school yesterday morning, she noticed this one and was concerned that it was from a plane crashing. So we had an indepth scientific discussion about how con trails were formed and why it looked the way it did. And that it wasn't from a plane crashing.

By the time we got to her school it had already started to fade.

Sydney at Sunset

The rain cleared up when we were on our way home and the evening sunshine bathed the city in this remarkable orange light.

Norfolk Pines

Mexican Tall Ship

The Mexican tall ship Cuauhtemoc docked at Circular Quay.

Butterflies are Back!

Despite a bad drought, we've had some pretty good rain in Sydney lately. Not only is the garden starting to green up, but the butterflies are back. You don't realise they've been gone until they flitter by.

Little Church (Tasmania)

While driving south from Hobart along the Huon River, we came to a small town with this little church by the side of the road. I was struck by the grave stones standing guard out the front. As if the past was with us still.

Carved Faces #3 (NZ)

As part of a book challenge, I have to do a self portrait of myself with flowers. Now, I'm not exactly a flowers kind of girl so I decided to focus on the part I could manage: the face. Not just my face, but how faces are interpreted.

These faces were photographed while I was in the Bay of Islands on the North Island of New Zealand. Waitangi Treaty Grounds is where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 between Maori chiefs and the British Crown and the country of New Zealand was born. Carvings like these are around the grounds and in the Maori Meeting House where traditional flax weavings cover the walls.

In an interesting bit of trivia for those of you who aren't Rugby Tragics, Waitangi Treaty Grounds and House was gifted to the nation by Lord and Lady Bledisloe in 1932. And Lord Bledisloe's name can be found on the Bledisloe Cup, the prize of very hotly contested Trans-Tasman rivalry between Australia and New Zealand and almost more prestigious than the Rugby World Cup, also known as the William Webb Ellis Trophy or affectionately in Australia as "Bill".

BTW, my spell checker went nuts with this entry.

Carved Faces #2 (NZ)

This one is on the bow of a waka taua (Maori war canoe).

Carved Faces #1 (NZ)

Old Tiles in the Strand Arcade

Waters Edge (NZ)

Early Fog

Desk Still Life

Sometimes you just take out the camera, point and shoot ... and this is what you get. And it can be very tough to resist the urge to move this a little or that a little. No, no do-overs or re-shooting allowed. Resistance is futile ...

Dawn's Early Light

This is what the sky looked like over Sydney Harbour early this morning.

Double Vision

Ice Crystal Echidna

A little possum gift left on the veranda on our cabin last winter in Tasmania. It reminded me of a tiny ice crystal echidna.

Bathroom Window

Rock Face (Hawaii)

I have always loved the variety of textures in this really big rock just off the beach along the road to Diamond Head on Oahu in Hawaii.

Furry Bricks

Old Tiles at the QVB

In the centre of downtown Sydney is the Queen Victoria Building. While most of the building has been renovated and updated, there are still some of the original tiles tucked away in the stairwells.

Clouds over Sydney Harbour

Swans All in a Row (NZ)

Keeping with the calm and tranquil theme, another photo from my archives.

A Bit of Hawaii

Just to help chase away the early morning winter chill ...

Floriade (Canberra)

I've been going thorough a tough patch lately so decided to dig out some photos from my archives to help remind me of what good times look like.

clouds

Sovereign Hill, Victoria