52 x 2 photo project - February 2023

 Hi everyone, I hope you and yours are doing well. This week I am continuing sharing my 52 x 2 photo project with you. 2 photos per week for 52 weeks - one colur and one mono per week. Below are my February images. 

Week 1 - 1 February 2023 - colour - Outside some housing units I saw this little patch of gorgeous sunflowers. So I went back with my camera to photograph them.

Week 1 - 3 February 2023 - mono - a walk bridge over the water between the Leschenault Inlet and Koombana Bay in Bunbury. 

Week 2 - 6 February 2023 - Mono - Giant red tingle tree in the Valley of the Giants at Walpole in our Great Southern Region of Western Australia, taken during a little getaway. 

Week 2 - 7 February 2023 - Colour - Driving through the karri forest along the Karri Explorer drive in the Pemberton region during our little getaway. More about this later. 

Week 3 - 12 February 2023 - Colour - Banksia Baxteri - Baxter's Banksia. I bought a bunch of these gorgeous banksias in Balingup on the way home from our little getaway. You can see more if you click on the link. 

Week 3 - 15 February 2023 - Mono - playing with a little still life photography for a photogrpahy group topic. 

I ended up entering this one, and received a Gold award for it - a collection of my grandmother's mother's, and mother-in-laws old spoons etc, plus a few of my own. 

Week 4 - 20 February 2023 - Mono - the Safety Bay jetty near Rockingham

Week 4 - 21 February 2023 - Colour - On an overnight trip to Rockingham a couple of hours north of home, we took a ferry ride to Penguin Island and then a dolphin-sealion boat tour and penguin discovery talk. We hadn't been to Penguin Island since we were teenagers - it's changed a lot! More on this later! 

The Penguins are so cute! 

BONUS shot - We went to the South West Multicultural Festival in Bunbury on the 18 February. Always a fabulous afternoon of free multicultural entertainment. And a great opportunity to experience cultural dance. Unfortunately I couldn't stay for the evening show. This is a vibrant Colombian dancer.  

And the beautiful Nicole from Sol y Sombra Spanish Dance Company in Bunbury. I've blogged about them many times before. Sadly I haven't danced this past year due to a foot problem. 

A few more pics from the Multicultural festival 

Thank you so much 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. 

My thoughts go to the people of the Ukraine at this time of the one year anniversary. 

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday @ Soul & Mind & So On

Travel Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday 

ThroughMy Lens 
Image-in-ing
My corner of the world through my camera 
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity. 
       and Little bird - Pienilintu
Thankful Thursday 
Welcome to Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

Already 2 months into the year???

 Hi everyone, I haven't been around much this year, I have been a little bit of a blogging break, but I am still here. Everything is ok, other than a couple of family issues. All of which will be resolved in time. 

In regional Western Australia, my family on the south coast, and in the wheatbelt were both impacted by massive bushfires. Thankfully neither of them lost any of their property or stock, although the fires werre very close, and thousands of hectares of agriculture and bushland were burnt and stock lost. 

How are you all doing? I hope you have been staying safe from Covid. Western Australia has been kept relatively safe for the last two years, but with our internal and international borders opening at the end of this week, case numbers are already rising. Even though I am fully vaxed I am fearful and hesitant to be out and about much. 

Did you watch the Winter Olympics? We don't have much snow in Australia so we really enjoyed watching the fast sports of the Winter Olympics. What they do is amazing. Australia won 4 medals, their highest number in a winter Olympics. I am looking forward to watching some of the Para Winter Olympics. 

Anyway a little run down of my year so far.  

In January we went down to Albany on our south coast so that I could attend a three day summer school - advanced botanical eco-printing with Penny Jewell. There was a lovely group of ladies, and I learnt lots and came home with a few upcycled cotton tops I printed during the class. 

We enjoyed our few days in Albany (though my dear husband had to amuse himself for 3 days - he took his bike and fishing gear), we went walking along a coastal path every morning or evening, saw some beautiful sunsets, had dinner down at the Albany waterfront, bought some art materials in a super art warehouse, and also went over to Denmark to visit my dear elderly aunt and had lunch at the Tea House Books cafe in Denmark, saw a couple of art exhibitions, and the opportunity to walk brielfy in the tall karri forest. 

On the way back from Albany we stopped in to see the giant 8.5 metre tall aluminium cricket bat and the cricket bat fence at the cricket ground of the small town of Narrikup (just off the Albany Highway), which we had heard about on the radio on our trip down. The new giant cricket bat has just been unvieled, replacing the old one, and they are looking for donations of old cricket bats to complete their fence. Please click on the link to find out how! Narrikup Cricket Club

26 January was Australia Day. We traditionally go into town to see the fireworks but this year, wanting to avoid the crowds, we decided to view them from across the other side of Koombana Bay. We were a little bit far away, but still enjoyed them and I managed to get some pics. 

Early in February we were on-water boat control at the Forza Dragon Boat regatta in Bunbury, and also witnessed the naming of two new boats. Our family has been involved in dragon boating in Bunbury since 1990.

Over the summer we have witnessed some amazing sunsets as we walk along the Leschencult Inlet in the evening. We have also enjoyed catching up with family and friends over the summer. And my husband took me out to breakfast on Valentine's Day. 

This sunset taken on 17 February was evidently the result of voltanic ash from Tonga circling the globe. It was certainly a strange erie glow. 

I also made grape tomato chutney and grape jam in February from the grapes on our one backyard vine. What! no photos!!

And took photos of our principals Nicole and Susanna from Sol y Sombra Spanish Dance Company at the South West Multicultural Festival.  They truly are beautiful dancers.

I had a mini indigo workshop with my friend Amy. It really is a complicated method to get the vat ready - though perhaps could be because I have never done it before. I tied these hemp/cotton squares with string to create these patterns. 

I am now getting botanical contact-print pieces ready for the Tree Street Art Safari in the park in March which has been moved to Forrest Park in Bunbury for this year. Though I think I will decide closer to the date, depending on Covid numbers. 

How has your year started? I hope you and your families are safe and healthy. Our friend is currently having chemotherapy and my brother-in-law's wife passed away in January. I thoughts are constantly with them. 

On our Eastern seaboard, floods are rushing through Queensland and New South Wales. Homes and lives have been lost as the rain continues to fall. 

I cry for what is happening to Ukraine families at the moment with the advance of Russian troupes into their towns and villages. I saw a young girl, maybe in her 20s, on the TV tonight learning to use a gun, and families fleeing on foot across the border, mothers carrying babies, children crying because their fathers are staying behind to fight. Surely there should be a diplomatic solution. Even though we are far away I worry about what it means for the rest of us. 

I realise I have much to be thankful for in my little corner of Western Australia. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Please stay safe and whatever you are doing, enjoy your week. 
I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
   
MosaicMonday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf

Flooded gum blossom

Sharon's Sovenirs 
Our World Tuesday
Pictorial Tuesday 
ThroughMy Lens 
Image-in-ing
My corner of the world through my camera 
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity. 
       and Little bird - Pienilintu
Thankful Thursday 
Welcome to Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

February 2021 wrap up - Covid photo a day project

 Hi everyone! Here we are already in March! It is the first day of autumn here in Australia, so I guess those in the northern hemisphere are looking forward to spring. I hope you and yours are staying well and safe. 

There is always something flowering here in my corner of the world. The bees are loving the Eucalypt Marri - Corymbia calophylla - flowers right now. 

I know I have said it before.....but I didn't expect when I started my Covid photo a day project in March 2020 to still be taking photos a year later. But here we are. The Covid vaccine is starting to roll out around the world, and I hope this will make us all breath easier, that there will be a dramatic drop in hospitalisations and deaths, restrictions will ease, and we will slowly get back to life as it was before Covid. Though I think we should hang on to some of the things we have learnt during this time....like what is important, and having a quiet space. 

We in Australia have been very fortunate with relatively very low case and death statistics. I don't know when the vaccine will be available to my family, but we will certainly be ready for it. 

I am not sure when my photo a day project will end. Perhaps I will round it up on the day I started last year, or the day I receive my vaccination. I don't know yet. But here for your enjoyment, I hope, is a glimpse into my life in Australia during February 2021.

1 February 2021 - Monday - we came into a  unexpected snap 5 day lockdown due to a community spread case of Covid 19 in our capital city Perth. I spent the day making 2 masks each for everyone in my immediate family. 

2 February 2021 - Tuesday - early morning walk along the Collie River in Eaton. Yes we wore our masks.. Something new to us. 

3 February 2021 - Wednesday - early morning light on paperbarks along Millers Creek walk in Eaton.

4 February 2021 - Thursday - bonus shot - street art under the bridge along the Millers Creek walk.

4 February 2021 - Thursday - the bush is tinder dry. Our hearts go out to people north east of Perth where there has been a bushfire raging all week. Over 80 homes lost.

5 February 2021 - Friday - beautiful Frangipanis in my garden

6 February 2021 - Saturday - bonus shot - raindrops on my hydrangeas in my garden.

6 February 2021 - Saturday - the bees are buzzing in the marri flowers

7 February 2021 - Sunday - we have had rain all night from a tropical low. We went down to the beach this afternoon. It started to rain again. I wanted to capture some dramatic shots. It wasn't as rough as I expected due to the offshore wind. I've enhanced in Lightroom.

Monday 8 February, 2021 - kite-surfers and wind-surfers having fun on the Leschenault Estuary. Should have had my bigger camera!

Tuesday 9 February 2021 - again, should have had my bigger lens with me. Egret along the Collie River walk

Wednesday 10 February 2021 - eucalypt leaves along Millers Creek walk

Thursday 11 February 2021 - getting some new botanical eco-print cards ready for Tree Street Art Safari in March

Friday 12 February 2021 - back to our normal Friday morning volunteering routine in the Eaton Primary School library

Saturday 13 February 2021 - fabulous Chinese lantern display in the Stirling Gardens friendship gardens for Chinese New Year. These lanterns were decorated by school children. So effective. More pics here - Chinese New Year

Saturday 13 February 2021 - bonus shot autumn leaf eco-print

Sunday 14 February 2021 - surprise Valentines Day lunch at Green Door Winery in the Ferguson Valley. This is the 100 mile share platter.

Sunday 14 February 2021 - bonus shot - after lunch we went up to the Collie Dam to check on progress of the dam wall mural. It is looking amazing. More about this project here - Painting the Wellington Dam Wall

Monday 15 February 2021 - paperbarks along the Miller's Creek walk

Tuesday 16 February 2021 - baking day - apricot slice - yum

Wednesday 17 February 2021 - collecting shadows

Thursday 18 February 2021 - getting ready to sew

Friday 19 February 2021 - making tote bags from eco-printed fabric

Saturday 20 February 2021 - flags at the Bunbury Multicultural Festival

Saturday 20 February 2021 - bonus shot - taken by my husband - me with my Sol y Sombra Spanish Dance Company family at the Multicultural Festival.  That's me standing next to our only male dancer, 4th from left. 

Sunday 21 February 2021 - Scarborough Beach waterfront, Perth - we travelled to Perth to attend our nephew's 40th birthday party which was cancelled last year due to Covid. 

Monday - 22 February, 2021 - sheep truck on the highway on the way home from Perth

Tuesday - 23 February 2021 - collecting shadows along the Miller's Creek walk

Wednesday - 24 February 2021 - making eco-printed tote bags in prep for the Tree Street Art Safari

Thursday - 25 February 2021 - our quinces are looking fabulous

Friday - 26 February 2021 - red capped gum - Eucalyptus erythrocorys - illyarrie - are bursting into flower in our area.

Saturday - 27 February 2021 - Corymbia calophylla "rosea" - the rarer variety of Pink Marri - flowering at the end of the Miller's Creek walk. You can see the common creamy coloured Marri at the beginning of this post. 

Saturday - 27 February 2021 - bonus shot - beautiful moonflowers in my garden. They only flower at night for one night. Epiphyllum oxypetalum, or the Night Blooming Cereus. You have to keep checking the buds to work out when they are going to open and then remember to go out in the dark with a torch. They have a very strong scent to attract insects. 

Saturday - 27 February 2021 - bonus shot - making greeting cards from hand-made paper made with eco-printed paper scraps and leaves.

Sunday - 28 February 2021 - grinding sand pigments during a fascinating workshop making artists paints from natural materials with Helen Coleman in Mandurah.

I hope you and yours are safe and well. 

Thank you so much 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 the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
   
All Seasons
MosaicMonday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf
Sharon's Sovenirs 
Our World Tuesday
Pictorial Tuesday 
ThroughMy Lens 
Image-in-ing
My corner of the world through my camera 
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity. 
       and Little bird - Pienilintu
Thankful Thursday 
Der-Natur-Thursday 
The Lovin' Life Team over at: Deep Fried Fruit
 Month end link up @ Live love craft me

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.