365 Grateful - 3

Day 3 - January 3 2014

Pandora

This is my Pandora bracelet. I know that everyone has one, but the thing I really love about them is the fact that everyone's is different. I had a lovely charm bracelet when I was young, and this brings back nice memories of it, but I also love the fact that every charm tells a story, funnily enough of all the things I'm grateful for! This is the story of my Pandora (from bottom left):

• Jarrah bead - Anthony made this for me. He had made one earlier last year that was lovely but too big. So this one was made in honour of the original Jarrah bead. 

• Butterfly - this is one of those 'BFF' charms. I have half and the other half is with my best friend of 25 years, Sally. 

• Stars - My mum and dad gave me this one. Maybe 'cause I'm a star (or have my head in the stars)

• Pink birthstone - This is the birthstone for October; the month that both Anthony and Oliver were born.

• 'Oliver' spacer - This is a spacer that has 'Oliver' engraved on it.

• Green bead - Anthony bought me this to remind me of him (like I need prompts!). Green is his favourite colour.

• 'Tree of Life' - This is a lovely gold and silver charm that my parents gave me for my 40th birthday. It speaks to me in so many ways: joy of life, love of nature, renewal, growth... Lovely...

• Silky Oak bead - this is another one that Anthony made for me. He knows that Silky Oaks are my favourite trees, and my favourite timber!

• Turquoise birthstone - this is the birthstone for December. The month I was born.

• Purple charm - Anthony bought this for me. Purple is (one of) my favourite colours.

• M - fairly self-explanatory!

• 'Samuel' spacer - This is a spacer that has 'Samuel' engraved on it.

• Tiger stripe charm - Orange was Samuel's (and is Oliver's) favourite colour. Samuel also loved tigers.

• Black birthstone - This is the birthstone for March, the month that Samuel was born.

• Blackwood bead - This is another one made by Anthony. He loves blackwood.

• Dragon - Anthony bought this for me. I love dragons, and used to collect figurines.

• Lego brick - I put this one on. It tells the story of my new adventures in Lego, and the wonderful new friends I have made because of it!

365 Grateful - 1 & 2

I've been wanting to start up the blog again for a long time, but couldn't think of a sustainable way to do it. A while back I mentioned that I'd like to change the blog to a celebration of the good things in life, but I still couldn't figure out a way to do that so that I could have something regular to post. Luckily, I came across this post on Upworthy and I thought that a 365 Grateful project would be a great place to start.

I've toyed with the idea of a Gratitude Journal, but 365 Grateful is a quick, easy and visual way of celebrating the good things in life. The idea is to take a photo of something I'm grateful every day and post it here. Kinda like an online photo album of all the things that make me happy in 2014. I'm almost positive I won't post every day, but I will take a photo every day, and put it up here when I can. If you like this idea, why not have a go yourself?

Day 1 - January 1 2014

Sparklers!

Who doesn't love sparklers? They cost hardly anything and they're one of the last 'mildy dangerous' things that kids can play with (you've seen me rant about the Government sucking the fun out of everything!). And they look so pretty when the kids are waving them around!

I love anything that sparkles. While I'm not a huge Christmas fan, I do love Christmas lights, and make an effort to put some up each year. Perhaps I should take a picture of them!

Day 2 - January 2 2014

Fingernails!

I've never had nice nails. They are thin and weak and bend backwards instead of curving nicely. For my 40th birthday in December (I'll post about that soon), I was given a voucher for one of those nail salons. I'd thought about doing it, but had been told that it would wreck my nails so I was a bit cautious. Well, when I got the voucher I figured that they couldn't get much worse, so I trotted off on my birthday and got (my very first) pedicure and a set of acrylic nails.

Well they're great! They look so much nicer, and I haven't been able to pick at them or bite them (or the skin around them), so they stay nice. Yesterday, I went and got them 'filled' (this could be the part that's not so great - and perhaps expensive!), and they are even better! The fellow (yes, fellow - Oliver was gobsmacked when I said a man did them!) spent ages on them; he did a great job and they look much more real and natural now. 

It's my little bit of feminine, and I like them very much!

Vote Mel!

I forgot to tell you, I've entered a photography competition.

On Friday, I drove up to Cooma to drop off three photos at this lovely little gallery.
I know there's not the hugest chance of winning, but it's about getting your pictures out there, getting exposure, isn't it?

These are the photos I entered:
I left it until the last minute (surprise surprise!) so I didn't frame them until Friday morning. It turned out to be a bit of a bodgy job, but they looked OK. I'm not 100% sure if any of them were selected (they were only going to choose 30 or so finalists), but I'm hoping at least one of them was.

So here's where you come in. If you are one of my local (ish) readers, and you happen to be in Cooma any time in the next month, perhaps you could pop in and vote for me? There is a voter's prize apparently - a bottle of Penfold's Grange Hermitage.

Thanks!

Yay!

Well guess what? I found out late last night that I won last week's photo challenge, for my photo of the owl.

There's no prize or anything, I just get to choose the next topic. But it's very nice to have my photo selected over a lot of other really awesome ones! I was starting to feel a little uncertain about my photographic skills, so it's a nice boost to the ego.

I've chosen 'Chaos' as my topic, as that pretty much sums up my life (and especially my house) a lot of the time. It's going to be tricky for some people I guess, but we'll see how they go...

It's also hopefully a sign of some good luck coming my way. My application (for the job I mentioned last week) is due in today, so fingers crossed for me!

I'll be back later tonight with a Sam post (that's if I don't crash out at a crazily early hour again, I didn't sleep much last night!)

Saturday's Sensational Six

It's late, I'm tired. Here's my 6...

A photo of Sam

Another 'undiscovered' photo. This one was taken some time late last year by my mother in law.

A photo of Oliver

Laura took this one with her phone (I think!). She took Oliver to the Raiders/Cronulla game last weekend (his first). I don't think he was that excited about the football, but loved going out with Laura (and apparently quite liked the cheerleaders....that's my boy!)

An old photo
Me in probably 1989 (or thereabouts). Have no idea where...

An Interesting Photo
This was going to be my entry into the EB challenge. I love cockies!

My weekly entry into the EB photo of the week challenge:
This week's theme is 'flora and fauna'. This fella was roosting in Anthony's shed for most of today. Lovely looking young man...

Morguefile Lesson Photos

I haven't got a morguefile picture for this week, so I thought I'd show you this. It was an alternative for the challenge (the fauna obviously!)
I was playing around with exposure a bit. This one was about the best.

Saturday's Sensational Six

Hi all!
The weekend's come around again. How quickly the years move by as we get older!

I had a pretty nice first week back at school. The kids tend to lull you into a false sense of security until the second week or so, then...

My first Friday off was good. I got to walk Ollie up to school, and even got to go to his assembly.
I did some gardening, had a nice relaxing lunch in the sunshine, and then went out to take some photos. What a great day! So glad I made the move that I did!

But I've gotta say, life's weird sometimes. Y'see, there's this job I've been wanting for about two years now, working with teachers to help them use technology well in their classrooms etc. I've done heaps of professional development in this area, and have even presented a couple of workshops.
I'd been hoping the job would come up all year, as a few of the staff I know there are off on maternity leave.
Well, wouldn't you know it, just as I get myself organised with work etc, the job finally comes up for application! What timing!
Of course, I'll apply for it. I'd regret it forever if I didn't. Wish me luck!

Oh, and I performed my good deed for the week (year?) this year. When I was on my way out to take photos on Friday, I ended up behind a poor soul stuck broken down in the middle of a three-lane road. Everyone else just drove around him, but I thought I'd help him.
So I helped him push his car all the way over to the side of the road. Just me, with him steering.
We'd just got it off the road when I noticed a police car (lights flashing) coming up behind my car, which was still parked in the middle lane. I thought I was done for, but he just thanked me for helping the other driver and sent me on my way.
So I felt a bit better knowing that I'd helped someone. Just a warm, mushy feeling for a while, nothing more (I no longer believe in karma, for reasons I think I've made clear).

Anyway, I'm sure I'll have more news soon. In the meantime, here's my photos for this week:

A photo of Sam

Another 'undiscovered' photo. It was taken in October last year. Lovely.

A photo of Oliver

Last Saturday, Ollie and I and my friend Deb walked up Mount Taylor, a rather steep and challenging mountain. Ollie, of course, was at least 100m ahead of us the whole time, and stood at the top (and the bottom) saying 'it's about time' as we puffed our way up.

An old photo
Me in about 1974. Quite the stylish one, even then...

An Interesting Photo
I took this on Mount Stromlo the other night. The building in the foreground was one of the telescopes that were burned during the bushfires of 2003. I love this photo, except that I managed to overexpose the sky in the background, and I'm not sure how to fix it.

My weekly entry into the EB photo of the week challenge:

This week's theme is 'buildings'. This is one of the the buildings that used to house the telescopes before the bushfires. It's pretty much empty now. Sad.
Morguefile Lesson Photos

Lesson 4 - White Balance
This storyboard has shows all the different white balance settings in the camera. Each photo is of a white piece of paper. Isn't it amazing that hardly any of them are actually white?!

Saturday's Sensational Six

Hi all,

You thought I'd miss another Saturday, didn't you??
Well, I nearly did. I had a very busy day today. Starting with a difficult (because I'm so unfit) but satisfying (because we made it to the top!) walk up Mount Taylor with Deb and Ollie, some digging out the back, and then dinner with some friends at their place (K's family). A lovely, but tiring day.

But because I am going to try and write a post tomorrow, I thought I'd better put my photos up today. Thanks to those of you who have left comments and sent emails; I now have a few ideas to write about.

So here are today's six:

A photo of Sam

I love that nearly 7 months after he died, I can still get the occasional photo of Sam that I haven't seen before. This one was on my mother-in-law's camera. Lovely smile...

A photo of Oliver

I love this photo. It looks like one bird just told Ollie a secret and he's passing it on.

An old photo
This was taken around 1992, when I was 18. It's on my godmother's farm down near Moruya (I would move there in a heartbeat, I love her property!)

An Interesting Photo
I took this on Monday when Ollie and I went for our huge ride. The lake was like glass. (The next two days were wet and cold and horrible, but Monday was great!)

My weekly entry into the EB photo of the week challenge:

This week's theme is 'sculpture'. I read recently in a photography magazine that you shouldn't just reproduce someone else's artwork, that if you're going to photograph a sculpture, you should try and do something different with it. So I came up with this. This is a photo of a kinetic (moving) sculpture down by Lake Tuggeranong. It's called 'Angel Wings' and it's by an artist named Phil Price. I'm pretty happy with it. It was taken about half an hour after sunset, at a shutter speed of 5 seconds, and has been processed a little in 'Lightroom' (mainly cropping and colour enhancing.
This is what it looks like in the day time (and from the other side):

Morguefile Lesson Photos

Lesson 3 - ISO

This storyboard has two identical photos taken with the lowest and highest ISO settings. You can really see the 'noise' in the second one.

Saturday's Sensational Six

Short and sweet today...

A photo of Sam

This photo shows what a great big brother Sam was, and how good he was with animals. He caught the duck so that Ollie could pat it.

A photo of Oliver

Taken yesterday at Mount Franklin. A totally un-set-up photo!

An old photo
From back when we used to keep our kids in cages. 'Nuff said!

An Interesting Photo
This was taken yesterday as well. I like the composition.

My weekly entry into the EB photo of the week challenge:

This week's theme is 'love'. I chased these swans around for a good hours, trying to capture the 'love heart' shape they make with their heads together. This is close enough I thought!

Morguefile Lesson Photos

Lesson 3 - Lenses.
This was taken from the top of Mount Franklin. I love the view and the clouds and the foreground. I tried with a couple of lenses, but this one (the long one) was the best one.

(Sunday's) Sensational Six

Oops I did it again!

I've been so carried away doing....absolutely nothing! And boy, has it been nice!
Well, actually that's not technically true!
Yesterday, I did a lot of housework (I know, so unlike me, but the house was pretty atrocious!). Then I played around with Photoshop a bit. Still so much learning to do!

Today has been fairly relaxed though. A bit more Photoshop, some outside stuff (it was a beautiful day today!), Anthony and I went into town briefly (and he bought me a second battery for the camera - very nice!). and then Sunday afternoon drinks. And what a lovely session it has been. Great company, and a really great time.

Of course, this all means I haven't posted my photos. And I know you're all desperate to see them!

So here goes:

A photo of Sam
This is in 2007. He had broken his arm not long after his birthday, at a local park. His dad was swinging him around on this big whirly thingy and he fell off, landing on his arm. Luckily he didn't need surgery, just a cast for 6 weeks. And boy did it stink when we took it off!

A photo of Oliver

Taken when he was 20 minutes old. He was so alert even then!

An old photo
This is one taken quite early on with our lumix camera. Not a bad photo for people who knew exactly nothing about photography! Like I have said, sometimes I think I took better photos before I started learning about photography!

An Interesting Photo
This was taken yesterday morning. It was foggy until well past 10am. I love a gum tree at the best of times, but shrouded in fog, they're just magnificent!

My weekly entry into the EB photo of the week challenge:

This week's theme is 'animals'. We certainly have plenty of them around here! As you can see, our cat is very patient (the one at the back is actually sitting on him)! It could use some editing, but I submitted it anyway, as I was running out of time.

Morguefile Lesson Photos

Lesson 3 - Lenses.
The final assignment in lesson 3 was about using the aperture and shutter speed to achieve an interesting effect. This wasn't quite the right thing, but I do love the perspective (the lego banana looks like it's the same size as the real one).

Saturday's Sensational Six

OK, enough of this melancholy, feeling-sorry-for-myself stuff. Time for some photos.

I've been experimenting with Dad's (my?) camera, and must say that I still have a lot to learn. Some of it is the camera and some of it is me. Sometimes I think I took better photos when I didn't know anything about photography! I'm not entirely happy with many of the photos I've been taking lately. Hopefully it's a passing phase, and once I'm past the learning/experimental phase, they'll get better.
I've also bought Photoshop, which I should be able to start using tomorrow. Another learning curve, I know, but it should hopefully be a good editing/processing tool to make my photos even better.

So, here are today's:

A photo of Sam
A typical Sam pose. Bare feet, relaxed stance, cool expression. He's on our 'famous' front deck.

A photo of Oliver

Look at those long eyelashes!

An old photo
Me and Deb waaaaaaay back in primary school (hope you don't mind Deb - I'll take it down if you do!)

An Interesting Photo
I think it was Wednesday morning, I noticed that the hill not far from our house was almost glowing! I wish I'd gone closer, but it didn't last long anyway.

My weekly entry into the EB photo of the week challenge:

This week's theme is 'portrait'. Portraits are definitely not my strength. I was trying to get a good one of mum and dad, but none worked out quite the way I wanted. I took this one of Ollie the other day (he saw me teaching myself how to knit and decided he'd learn too), it's quite nice, although I think I could make it better with Photoshop or something.

Morguefile Lesson Photos

Lesson 3 - Lenses.
I've been doing a bit more fiddling with the lenses; just trying them out and getting to know them. This one is with the longer lens (150mm). The big building in the background was about 4km as the crow flies) from where I was standing.

Saturday's Sensational Six

Wow, I'm cutting it fine tonight! But here it is...

A photo of Sam
How cute was he??

A photo of Oliver

We went to Sydney for the day last Sunday for my nephew's naming day. It was one of the first days I got a real chance to play with my dad's camera. I like the focus in this one.

An old photo
This is one of my dear old dad when he was a little younger. Up the right way now!

An Interesting Photo
Another one with the different camera. They're very clear photos!
This is Connie, my mother-in-law's dog.

My weekly entry into the EB photo of the week challenge:

This week's challenge was 'Old Age'. This is Merlin, our 15 year old dog, on our 15+ year old couch. (Actually, it's his couch!)

Morguefile Lesson Photos

Lesson 3 - Lenses.

I haven't done the assignments yet, but I thought I'd put these in. These were taken at Parramatta Lake last Sunday, with the same lens (from the same place).