Friday 29 October 2010 - Bee on a Daisy

I just keep trying with the macros - but today the shadows are a problem. I will get it right one day. ...

Thursday 28 October 2010 - Falling Sky

I didn't get to take my photo until late today. It's been a tough day and I was unmotivated. I went outside just before dusk and the sky was looking rather heavy. I was sure it was going to fall on our heads so I decided to take a photo before it fell on our heads in the form of rain.... So here it is. The photo doesn't do the dark clouds justice.

Wednesday 27 October 2010 - Crumbling Decay

This photo is of a small section of our garden wall. The damp has crept in and loosened the plaster. I love this kind of texture photo.

Tuesday 26 October 2010 - Blooming Pink

The recent rains have brought a profusion of blooms on this rose. This one is a particularly lovely specimen and as a friend said, "It looks like marshmallow". Gardens give one such simple pleasure.

Monday 25 October 2010 - Popped Poppies

A few days ago I took a photo of two purple poppies "watching you". Today the pods are bare of petals and I have made them the subject of my photo. Interesting little things.....

Sunday 24 October 2010 - Coffee and Crumpets

Today was cold and rainy so there was no sitting in the garden. However I did find a gardening magazine and sat down to enjoy reading it with my coffee and crumpets. Ah! A great way to spend a chilly afternoon.

Saturday 24 October 2010 - Pelargonium

These pink pelargoniums just keep on making splashes of colour all over the garden. They're prolific and beautiful. Today I took this shot after the rain.

Friday 22 October 2010 - Cheers

Today I just ran out of time and ideas for a photo - and so I decided to play around with Photobooth on my Macbook. This is the result. Purely in fun of course.....

Thursday 21 October 2010 - Poppy Eyes

This is a photo of two poppies that opened in the garden this morning. These poppy-like flowers come up in our garden every year. They look like poppies but I'm not sure that's what they're called. I almost pulled the plant out because it looks a bit like a nettle. These two opened right next to each other. I couldn't resist the photo. They look like a pair of eyes.

Wednesday 20 October 2010 - Before computers

This is a typewriter I have "inherited" from an elderly friend who died recently. He was 92 and almost blind but he managed to keep touch typing letters for snail mail on this trusty machine. I'm going to put it in my computer lab as a museum piece. I'm sure the kids are going to love it.

Tuesday 19 October 2010 - Glorious Blue

This afternoon my friend and I went to the beachfront for a walk. The sea was an amazing turquoise colour and the sky was a complementary blue. Unfortunately the chilly wind was blowing but that didn't deter two swimmers who appear as white specks in the middle of this picture. They took a swim out to some rocks. Brrr.

Monday 18 October 2010 - White Blossom

These beautiful blooms are just opening on the creeper that covers our boundary wall. They are so pure and pretty and make a lovely contrast against the beautiful green leaves. This is the same creeper where the wagtails built their nest.

Sunday 17 October 2010 - Bug on a Jeep

Ever since we bought our camera - a Canon PowerShot SX 20 - I have struggled with the macro facility. I struggled again this morning with this ugly bug sitting on my husband's car but the definition is not great. However, what makes it interesting is the reflection of my car in the surface of the Jeep. So the macro practice will have to continue at a later stage....

Saturday 16 October 2010 - Bee in a rose

Believe it or not there is a bee in there somewhere. He was rolling in the pollen and generally having a great time. I took the photo mainly for the beautiful colour of the rose. It's a sort of muted, old-fashioned pink. It is in the garden at Heartfelt home where my Dad lives. It's always so refreshing to visit him and sit in the beautiful gardens, which are a source of refreshing for all. Thank you Helen and your staff for the blessing of such a beautiful facility for Alzheimer's patients.

Friday 15 October 2010 - Catching drops...

Today I was watching drops of water fall from the gutter into this open barrel. I took numerous photos trying to catch a drop splashing up from the surface. This was the best I could get. It's a bit grainy and the drop is too far to the left. However it's all a learning curve.... I also wanted to note that we have had 62mm of rain this week. Fantastic.

Thursday 14 October 2010 - Bad Hair Day

We've had 62mm of rain in the last 24 hours and the garden is looking a bit battered. I found this little dandelion lurking behind a rose bush. They're actually so beautiful when one looks up close.

Wednesday 13 October 2010 - Apple Muffins

These delicious apple streudel muffins were the coffee time snack at cell group tonight. They are packed with chopped apple and the top is sprinkled with brown sugar and cinnamon. They were served warm and fresh and were very yummy.

Tuesday 12 October 2010 - Lovely Lavender

This beautiful lavender bush in our garden is looking particular good at the moment. I managed to catch the late afternoon sun lighting it up.

Monday 11 October 2010 - Nasturtium

Today's photo is of a nasturtium. These flowers are growing in a sheltered corner of the garden, out of the wind. The famous PE wind is blowing so hard there's not much chance of taking a shot of anything else in the garden. These lovely flowers don't have the greatest scent but they're really pretty - and of course they have medicinal properties.

Sunday 10 October 2010 - Peer Coaches

Today's photo was actually taken yesterday at my last session of Peer Coaching for the year. This is the group of wonderful teachers who have given up eight Saturdays to do professional development. It's been great getting to know them and being a part of facilitating their learning. Well done Gang!

Saturday 9 October 2010 - Flying Lessons

Here is the man of the moment, Jaws the firstborn. This morning the parents were teaching the babies to fly. Jaws was first out of the nest. His parents fluttered around him for a while as he tried out his wings. He then took off and perched on the roof of the garage where he was able to survey the big wide world.

Friday 8 October 2010 - Hello Reuben

Reuben is a Kenyan missionary who visited with us last week. Mark visited him in Kenya two years ago and it was great for me to meet this lovely gentle man in person. Safe journey home Reuben.

Thursday 7 October 2010 - Fire in the Sky

Unfortunately this picture is spoilt by all the wires crossing it but the sky was so dramatically afire tonight. I love the pink and purple splashes.

Wednesday 6 October 2010 - Getting too big

The wagtail babies are growing and crowding the nest. We're sure it's time for flying lessons - and we're hoping they happen before the leaves on the creeper cover the nest completely. The parents of course are working really hard to keep the babies fed. Such hard work.

Tuesday 5 October - Strelizia Shrub

There wasn't much to photograph today. I left it very late and the weather is windy and chilly. I took this from the front porch late this afternoon. It's one of those days......

Monday 4 October - Enough of Cameras!

Nicholas had become fed up with all the photos his Gran was taking. He suddenly turned around and told me off. He's just so cute and so expressive. We enjoyed his visit and now that he's gone home the place is rather quiet. I couldn't resist this little face.

3 October 2010 - Beach Girl

This is the second time I've posted a photo of a specimen from this rose bush. It's called Beach Girl and it has the most gorgeous scent. This is one of the first blooms of the new season and it's really a beautiful one.

Saturday 2 October - Lioness

Today we went to Addo Elephant Park on our way home from visiting Dad. It was a heavily overcast day and we'd almost given up seeing something exciting when we came across a pride of lions sleeping soundly just near the road. Further down the road we came across another group of two lions and a lioness. This is the lioness. She was about 15m from our car. Note the spots.

Friday 1 October - Boy in a Bubble

Today we went for a walk on the beachfront and then went across to the Boardwalk to for coffee. Whilst we were there we watched this boy having great fun trying to stand up in and air bubble on the lake. The name of the restaurant behind him, 34 degrees South refers to the line of latitude for Port Elizabeth.