The joy of spring , love and life - Mosaic Monday

The joy of spring has come to my garden and the promise of summer days.

As I wander about my garden today, taking photos of the beauty I find there, I think of the preciousness of life, the joy of living, the importance of accepting every precious moment as a gift and doing the very best we can with our lives and treasuring those we love.

I am sending special thoughts to my several of my dear friends who have recently lost a loved one. I hope they will treasure and hold close to their hearts the special memories they have, and know that their loved one is till with them.

Yesterday is history,

tomorrow is a mystery, 
and today is a gift; 
that’s why they call it the present.

Eleanor Roosevelt

This selection has been presented for your enjoyment as part of Mosaic Monday. Please click on the link to visit Mosaic Monday at Little Red House and see the work of other wonderful contributors. Mosaic Monday at Little Red House

Walking the Capes - Cape Naturaliste, Western Australia - Mosaic Monday

Yellow Tailflower

The bushfire that raged around Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse in February 2009 devastated the natural coastal heathland, so we took pleasure in experiencing the amazing regeneration that follows fire in the Australian bush when we explored the walk trails around Cape Naturaliste in early spring 2010. We could still see the burnt sticks which were grim reminders of the fire, but the thick growth that had sprung up around them was ablaze with a kaleidoscope of colourful wildflowers.  Many plants, like the Yellow Tailflower (also known as fireweed), have taken advantage of the clearing of the undergrowth.  An opportunist species, the Tailflower grows in abundance after fire, and is just one of the wildflowers that ensure walking around Cape Naturaliste is a delight in spring.

Located not far from Dunsborough, Cape Naturaliste is part of one of Western Australia’s great walks, the 135 kilometre Cape to Cape Track, which traverses windswept rugged cliff tops with spectacular coastal vistas, across sandy beaches, through diverse coastal heath and along shady woodland tracks through the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park between the Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin lighthouses in Western Australia’s far south west corner.

Some of the sections are rugged and challenging, but if you are not up to the full five to eight day trek you can still explore the track by splitting it into shorter walks of varying distances and difficulty.

A good introduction is the Cape Naturaliste trails network which gives the opportunity to enjoy the Cape’s vegetation, wildlife and panoramic views on easy 30-40 minute loop trails or half day walks. The trails are well signposted at each junction and the layout of the circular walks starting from the Naturaliste Lighthouse, make it easy to extend your walk and still be able to loop back to the Lighthouse.  There are numerous lookouts where you can enjoy the views.

Temperatures at the Cape can be blistering in summer, so I suggest either walking in the early morning or late afternoon in summer, or a spring walk when the Cape comes alive with wildflowers

Much of the trails are along sand tracks through low heathlands, so it is interesting to see the resilience of coastal Marri trees growing high on the ridges, their shapes stunted and sculptured by the wind.   The walks also give an opportunity to spot birds and animals living on the Cape, such as the Southern Heath monitor - Varanus rosenbergi. Seats provide places to rest and enjoy the fauna and coastal scenery.

One of the most popular walks is the Whale Lookout track (2.4km) leading to a lookout which provides a perfect vantage point for whale viewing during the annual migrations. Here you have the opportunity to observe seals on the rocks at the base of the cliffs, humpback whales during October to December, and occasionally Southern Right Whales during June to September.

Native Violet

I hope you have enjoyed today's post which is part of Mosaic Monday - to see Mary's beautiful work and the work of other contributors, please click here to go to Little Red House Mosaic Monday

Winged Clementis

To read this complete article, please see the December 2010 issue of Go Camping Australia magazine.

Mosaic Monday - Native Orchids

Crimson Spider Orchid

Now it is spring we go searching for native orchids in the bush. Our native orchids are quite small, not like cultivated varieties, so they are always a joy to find and photograph. Here are some of my favourites - I hope you enjoy them..

My post is part of Mosaic Monday - an initiative of Mary from Little Red House. To see her beautiful work and other contributors  please go to  Little Red House Mosaic Monday  

To see some more of my native wildflower photos please go to my Picasa web album - Life Images by Jill - Picasa web Album

Blue Lady Orchid

Donkey Orchid

Queen of Sheba

Leopard Orchid

Rattle Beaks

Mosaic Monday - Fun with layers

It is cold and wet outside today so I have been playing with layers in Photoshop Elements. You can find free layers and tutorials on the web for adding layers. This is my first try. Just a little experiment. Not all photos would lend themselves to layers - in many cases perhaps the original is better. Anyway, this is another of my everlastings shots I decided to experiment with. The first photo is the original, and second as 2 layers, and the other 2 just one layer with saturation adjusted.

Mosaic Monday is an initiative of Mary from Little Red House - please go to her site to see her beautiful work and the work of others contributing to Mosaic Monday.   Mosaic Monday at Dear Little Red House

Mosaic Monday - Love in a light box

My love affair with my light box continues as I experiment....These are roses from my garden and beautiful wildflower everlastings. I hope you enjoy them.  Click on the title to see more photos from my light box.

Mosaic Monday is an initiative of Mary from "Little Red House". Go to the link below, or to my website links, to see more of Mary's beautiful beautiful work, and photos from other contributors to "Mosaic Monday".  Moasic Monday at Dear Little Red House

Autumn Garden - Little Red House Mosaic Monday 24 May 2010

It is a dull chilly autumn day here today - The grape vine leaves are turning to autumn colours, and the oranges are starting to ripen.  Here are some images from my garden - I hope you enjoy them. 

Mosaic Monday was created by Mary at "Dear Little Red House" - see the link in My Website Links - please stop by to see beautiful photography, settings and gardens.  Mosaic Monday at Dear Little Red House

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

Photography on the Bibbulmun Track, Western Australia

Here are some hints for combining photography and bushwalking. The article is based around the Bibbulmun Track, but are still relevent for any bushwalking.

The Bibbulmun Track is Western Australia's longest walking track. It extends 964 kilometres from Kalamunda in the Darling Ranges near Perth, to Albany on the south coast.
There are many opportunites for photography on the Bibbulmun Track, but you must decide what your prime aim is - is it for bush walking where you might take a few photos, or a serious photography expedition.

The Track is easily accessible as it passes through nine towns. Vehicle assess points make it suitable for a short stroll, day walk, or overnight hike. The timber overnight huts are conveniently placed about 16 to 20 kilometres apart, a comfortable day’s walk.

Have an estimate of how much time you need to walk the distance you intend to walk, whether on a day walk, an overnighter or a weeks walk. We estimate about 15 minutes per kilometre, but this would be more if over difficult terrain. It is better to start walking early in the morning to get the most out of your day. This will allow you plenty of time to get to the next hut, and still have time for photos along the way, or after you reach the hut. Stopping for breaks every one or two hours and for lunch, will also give you an opportunity to take photos.

You need to learn to take photos quickly if you are walking with a group of people. If they don’t share your passion for photography they might not want to wait while you photograph yet another wildflower.

A small digital camera is best. Remember every camera lens you take is extra weight you have to carry. The longer you walk the heavier your backpack will feel. My Canon Power Shot Pro 1 is ideal for both landscapes and super macro photography for wildflowers, as the lens is integrated into the camera. I have a small camera bag that the camera just fits into and still has room for spare batteries, memory cards and basic cleaning equipment. The strap can adjust to go around my waist so my camera is easy to access without stopping walking.

An inbuilt flash alleviates the need to carry a flash and extra batteries. Carrying a tripod is extra weight. I usually prefer to take photos hand held, but I do have a tiny fold up tripod, or you can use the side of a tree to brace your camera. Use available light.

If you are walking for an extended period of time, carry extra batteries and memory cards, photograph carefully and only take as many photos as you need to record your trip. Work out how many photos fit onto a card. You might have to go through your photos and delete unwanted photos to make room for others. If you are staying overnight in accommodation or towns along the way, this would be a good opportunity to recharge batteries and have photos downloaded to cds. And make sure your camera is turned off when you return it to its bag. Batteries have gone flat before!

Make sure your camera bag is waterproof and has a rain cover, and carry a plastic bag to put your camera into if it rains – you can still take photos with a plastic bag around your camera. I also sprayed my camera bag with water repellent and it has a cover similar to rain covers on back packs.

My camera is an essential part of my equipment when I am out bush walking and the Bibbulmun Track offers an excellent opportunity to get away for an afternoon or a few days.

For this full story, see Australian Photography Magazine, August 2009 and an edited version in Bibbulmun News August-November 2010 edition.

The Ancient Land of Purnululu, Western Australia

Cathedral Gorge is well named. Entering its immense towering cavern is like entering a magnificent natural cathedral, a place steeped in time and history. The red and orange sandstone walls tower above you, and the white sand crunches softly underfoot. Tiny tracks from night time animals can be seen going across the sand to the central pool which sits still and undisturbed like a mirror. It is a place for hushed voices and to sit quietly with your own thoughts. If you come early in the morning, as we did, you can enjoy the peace undisturbed. It has the atmosphere of a holy place, a sanctuary 

Cathedral Gorge is just one of the magnificent gorges within the Purnululu National Park (also known as the Bungle Bungles) in the Kimberley region in Western Australia’s far north west. Given World Heritage listing in 2003, Purnululu is one of Western Australia’s newest and most spectacular National Parks.

In the Kija Aboriginal language purnululu means sandstone. The Aboriginal people inhabited the region for thousands of years, however Purnululu was known only to a few Europeans until the mid 1980s.

How it received the name Bungle Bungles remains an intriguing mystery with several explanations including the corruption of the Aboriginal name Purnululu, or derived from the name of a common Kimberley grass, bundle bundle grass, or the ranges proximity to the old Bungle Bungle cattle station. 

Purnululu is located off the Great Northern Highway, 250km south of Kununurra, west of the WA/Northern Territory border. There is a 53 kilometre unsealed road only accessible by 4WD and offroad campers from the Highway, through Mabel Downs Station to the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) Rangers / Visitor Centre and roads are unsealed throughout the Park. You should allow approximately 2-3 hours for the 53 km drive in (approximately 5 hours total travel time from Kununurra).

You can also read more about Purnululu on my blog post here -  

 Sunset over Spinifex in World Heritage Purnululu 

and Catching the light in the chasms of Purnululu

and On the Road in the Kimberley

  
and my articles in  November 2011 edition of On The Road Magazine.