A forest of sunflowers

Today I have some creative writing for you - a writing group exercise this week.
My grandmother did have a huge vegetable garden, and there was a man that lived over the lane we used to visit, but I don't remember his name, and I don't remember any sunflowers, so this story is partly true and partly fictional.

A Forest of Sunflowers

There is a forest of sunflowers at the bottom of my grandmother’s garden, up against the back picket fence between the chook pen and the outhouse under the weeping trees.

The sunflowers are so tall that when we stand amongst them we can only just see over the top. We crouch down on the dusty dry red dirt amongst their stiff scratchy stalks. The sunflower heads are so big they form a canopy shading us from the hot sun and casting a yellow glow over us. Sometimes we take a book with us and read it sitting amongst the sunflowers. It’s our secret world where anything is possible.  As we doze in the sun the world of the Faraway Tree comes to life under the sunflowers.

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Playing around with food and light

It's been a little while since I posted about food photography, so today is the day!                                                          If you are a newbie food photographer with only basic equipment you might struggle with light. I know I did. I                                                            You should study the light around your home as you will probably find that the light changes around your house throughout the day. My patio is great in the mornings, and my kitchen window is great around midday or later on if I am looking for backlighting.

 

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Busselton Jetty swim 2015

What does one do on a beautiful summer's Sunday morning in Busselton? Swim 3.6 kilometres around the Busselton Jetty with 2000 other people? Of course! but did I? No not me! I stood on the jetty and watched - I wouldn't want to get my camera wet would I?

But seriously this is what 2000 competitors, male and female, ranging from their teens to their eighties did on Sunday morning 8 February. It was the twentieth time the Around the Busselton Jetty swimming race had been held. Each year the race grows in numbers of competitors.

The event is unique in that the swimmers swim straight out into the ocean along the jetty, turn around the end of the jetty and then race back to the shore. The race can be viewed by spectators for the entire length of the course. 

In the image below you can see the competitors waiting on the beach for the start of the race.  I can imagine their nerves would have been playing havoc with them at this point. Or perhaps they just wanted to get in the water and start swimming.

 The inaugural swim in 1996, attracted 82 participants (18 solo females, 30 solo males, 8 four-person teams and one duo team), mostly local. Competitors travel from the Perth metropolitan and surrounding areas. Good support is provided from the districts of Bunbury and Margaret River. There have also been several interstate and even overseas competitors in recent years.

Numbers of competitors were capped this year for teams and individuals at: 120 x 2 person relay teams, 60 x 4 person relay teams, 1520 solo swimmers = Total swimmers 2000.

The swimmers are sent off from the beach in "waves" according to what time they estimated they will do the swim in. Each level wore a different colour swimming cap. In the pic below you can see the first of the "yellow cap" (fastest) swimmers leaving the beach. 

The Waves started at 08:00am and continued at 2-minute intervals, 2 and 4 person relay teams start at 08:15am.

After that it seemed to be a flurry of heads, arms, legs and froth. 

  That's the end of the jetty you can see in this pic below. There is an underwater observatory at the end of the jetty, and a small train which you can take out to the end. Might be an easier way to get to the end than swimming.

  There were plenty of people on hand on boards, dingies, jet-ski's and boats to help anyone in need of assistance during the race, and there are ladders along the jetty if people decide they have swum their limit.

 I was at the event with my family, sister and brother-in-law. We had gone to the swim to watch my nephew, my sister's son, and his girlfriend, compete in their first Round the Jetty swim. 
Below is a lucky shot I managed to get of my nephew swimming alongside the jetty back to the beach. This was the only time we saw him during the race, and we weren't even sure it was him. Should have checked his number!
He was pleased with his first attempt time 1:04:51

 There was a close tussle in the final homeward straight. These guys you see in the top image below where the first ones to finish.

 Overall male winner was Tim Hewett in 42 minutes 55 seconds, and female was Jamie Bowler in 44 minutes 45 seconds. Tessa Chapman was the first under-15 years female across the line in 50 minutes 18 seconds and Ross Rann was the first under-15 male across the line in 49 minutes 51 seconds. 
The first relay team in was "Double Trouble" - Hannah Greenfield and Maddison Johnston-Walker - in 1 hour, 1 minute, 11 seconds. 

You can see the full results by clicking here - Busselton Jetty swim results 2015

 Congratulations to everyone who competed. Just to complete the swim is a huge effort.
Here you can see some of the competitors coming into the beach, and the buzz on the shore afterwards.

For more information on the jetty swim please click here - Busselton Jetty Swim

This year's race also marked the 150th anniversary of the Busselton Jetty and there were lots of other events held over the weekend around Busselton. 
The heritage listed Busselton jetty extends 1.8 kilometres across Geographe Bay, and is the longest timber-piled jetty in the Southern Hemisphere.

Originally cargo ships tied up at the jetty. Since those days the jetty has been a popular spot for locals and visitors - as a place to fish or to just walk. When my husband's family used to go to Busselton for their summer holidays, my husband and his brothers spent hours out on this jetty fishing. There are not too many places where you can walk out 2 kilometres into the ocean to fish.

For more information about the jetty please click here - Busselton Jetty

I am pleased to be able to tell you that the terrible bushfires we have had at Northcliffe and Boddington where my son has been working in the logistics centre are now finally under control and he returned home today. 

Thank you for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.

I am linking up to Mosaic Monday, Travel Photos Monday, Our World Tuesday, Wednesday Around the World, Travel Photo Thursday, and What's It Wednesday.  Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday
Travel Photo Mondays
Our World Tuesday
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
What's It Wednesday
Travel Photo Thursday

You might also like - 
Australia Day on the beach at Busselton & Meelup
Busselton Jetty & the Equinox Cafe

A new photo project for 2015

So we are already a month into 2015! How are you all going with your New Year Resolutions? I must admit I don't make any. But I do start to make a few plans, and there are a few big plans waiting in the wings for me for 2015, but resolutions? no.

I can hardly believe I am saying this, but I have embarked on a new photographic project for 2015.  Those that follow me on my blog probably know about my 365 Project in 2014 - one photo a day every day for a year. It was a challenge - a huge challenge at times. When I reached the end of the 2014 and the successful completion of the 365 project I said thank goodness for that, it is over.  But do you know what? I couldn't stop taking photos every day just in case I decided to do a fool thing and do another 365 project! And then fate stepped in. A week or so ago I woke up about 12.15 midnight, and realised that I hadn't taken a photo the previous day.  The first I had missed in over 380 days. Now I could have gotten up out of bed and taken a photo, but no, the day was past. It was a relief really. 

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