Blogging break this week

Hi everyone, 
decided to take a little blogging break this week. Back next week. 
Yes, still doing my Covid photo a day project. Here is a recent one in my garden.

Life here is getting back on track with restrictions easing, as in Western Australia where I live, numbers of virus cases are very low, though increasing in a couple of the eastern states of Australia due to a recent "spike".  
I enjoyed the life "slow down" and I am not sure I want to be back doing all my usual groups, and expectations that are coming back. And I am worried about the "second wave" which I know will come. Trying to stay positive, but not always easy.

 I hope you and yours are doing well. Stay safe everyone. And enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

Hello 2017!

As so here we are 2017 already! amazing. I wonder what 2017 will bring.  

Before I start this post I want to share a little pic of what many Australians do on New Years Day - go to the beach of course! Yesterday we spent the day with our extended family at my sister's summer beach house.  How did you spend your New Years Day?

 
Do you make New Year resolutions? I'm not going to make any outlandish New Year resolutions. But I do hope to travel more, photograph more, write more, exercise more, eat more healthy, listen, be still, spend more time with family and friends, and be brave to put "myself out there". This last one probably means being brave to take new opportunities that come along which may test me and take me out of my comfort zone. It might also mean taking a risk and exposing myself to critique by entering a few photography competitions.

But for today I send a prayer for PEACE throughout our troubled world, and a prayer that people will be kinder and more tolerant of others despite their race, creed, abilities, looks, financial status.... whatever. We all have a story, and we don't know all of the story of those around us. As they say, we can't walk in the shoes of others. So please don't judge, don't try to push your beliefs onto others. Just try to be a good person, listen, be open, and try to understand. 

The last couple of days I've been playing around with what I hesitantly call "fine art photography". I know it isn't for everyone, and I know I have a long way to go. But I hope to experiment more with fine art photography in 2017. 

Please click here to see my slant on fine art...
 

give, love, inspire............

Give - love - inspire

With loving thanks to my dear friends for their love, and support. 

Where would we be without our friends.  They support us, give to us freely of their love and time, and inspire and encourage us to greater things. 

I have just started learning about textures - One of Kim's textures which I have used on this image is called "empty page" - fitting I think because doesn't every day of our life start as an "empty page"?

I have been doing a couple of texture classes with Kim Klassen - click on the link to check them out - there are several e-classes if you want to learn about textures -
www.kimklassencafe.com/photoshopecourses/

I have booked into Kim's 52 week - Beyond Layers - but pressing aging parent matters have sapped my energy and inspiration....hence.....  give - love - inspire.

I have just learnt this neat little trick where you can pick the colour of your text from somewhere on your image - ie as in this case purple from the lavender. 

 Lavender is one of my favourite garden flowers.  Below, I thought I would show you the textured version - on the left - and the unedited original -straight out of camera - on the right.
I wonder which one you prefer?

Dreaming of France - Little Red House Mosaic Monday

 This is my first time sending a post to Little Red House Mosaic Monday - see the link to Little Red House in my Web Links List.

Here is the story - enjoying an English afternoon tea in the Mediterranean part of my Australian garden on an autumn afternoon dreaming of returning to Provence in the summer.

Mosaic Monday was created by Mary at "Dear Little Red House"-  please click on the link to see beautiful photography, settings and gardens and the work of other contributors Mosaic Monday at Dear Little Red House

Images from France, July 2005

In 2005 we were invited to France by a good friend, who showed us some of her favourite places. Here are a few images I would like to share with you.

Butterfly on Lavender at the Nortre Dame de Senanque Abbey, where lavender oil is distilled from the fields of lavender. The smell of the lavender all around you as you walk through the fields is intoxicating and heaven for someone like me who loves lavender.

In Provence we visited the delightful town of La Baux de Provence which clings to the mountain side. We spent several hours here exploring the tiny streets and buying gifts to take home.

 



















 

Catherine de Medici's garden, Chenonceaux Chateau, Loire Valley. We spent a few hours here exploring this beautiful Chateau and garden. The Chateau spans the water and was a safe zone and military hospital during World War 1.
After exploring we tried some local wines in the "cave" and then enjoyed coffee and cake and visited the farm garden.


   

Having seen Monet's fantastic water lily paintings, Monet's Garden at Giverney was on my "must see" list. The garden and the water lilies were stunning.










The amazing and historic walled city of Carcassonne.

and my favourite fountain at Versailles - Bassin d'Apollon