Sunday 28 November 2010 - Solitary Beacon

Today was our monthly hike - a group of us from church do a hike on the last Sunday of the month. Our hike was in the Cape Recife area - the southernmost tip of the greater Port Elizabeth area. It's a marine reserve and there's so much to see. We had a great walk even though it was windy and raining at times.

We passed this beacon on the beach. I don't usually like putting the subject of my photos in the centre but with the fanned out cloud formation there was no other way with this one. The beacon stands as a lonely sentinel.....

Saturday 27 November 2010 - Mom and Baby

This mom and baby were stepping out in the Harpoor Dam area of Addo Elephant Park today. He is still quite young because he doesn't yet have control of his trunk - it just sort of flops about. He was really cute and really serious about walking off with Mum.

Friday 26 November 2010 - Night_shot

Another day when I got to the end of it and still didn't have a photo. Time to try out my night setting on my camera. This was taken at 7:38pm - just before the the last light of the day disappeared. Drama and shadows.

Thursday 25 November 2010 - Stick Thin

My latest macro attempt. I enjoyed shooting this little guy. I have to go and sit down the side of the house on my little green stool and wait for something to come along. Today this chap posed beautifully for me. I really need to get this macro thing taped.

Wednesday 24 November 2010 - Busy Bee with Big Eyes

I continue to try to improve my macro shots. Today I stood near a tree with these fluffy flowers which is attracting bees. This little bee buzzed by and I managed to get this shot. Still now the perfect shot but I'll keep practicing......

Tuesday 23 November 2010 - Caterpillar Crunch

Today whilst enjoying my usual walk around the garden I saw that something had been eating the nasturtiums. I started looking for the culprit and spied not one but a whole cluster of caterpillars munching away at the nasturtiums. Well I only hope they'll turn into beautiful butterflies.

Monday 22 November 2010 - In a Jam

I put a pot of apricots and sugar on to simmer while I was watching an episode of "My Family" on TV. Inevitably I forgot to check on it and this was the result. Oh no!!! one big sticky mess. The jam turned out just fine but there is lots of it missing.....

Sunday 21 November 2010 - Offspring

Here is the best looking bunch of children and grandchildren any parents could wish for and each of them is a really special person in our lives. Thank you Sam for giving us an opportunity to get together. Happy 35th birthday.

Saturday 20 November 2010 - Big surprise

Our daughter, Sam is having a birthday lunch tomorrow. One of her greatest wishes was to have her whole family with her but unfortunately her Dad was going to be at a staff function. Well the function was canceled so he flew up to Durban to join us - as a big surprise to Sam. Here she is finding him at our gathering for the first time. Surprise!!!

Friday 19 November 2010 - Fruit Bowl

I flew to Durban today and went to stay with brother Gav and his wife Jill. I suddenly realised I hadn't taken a photo all day. Jill placed this beautiful bowl of fruit in front of us at the end of supper and it became my photo topic of the day. Really delicious and healthy.

Thursday 18 November 2010 - Feather

We have a lot of doves that visit our garden - sometimes after the wild bird seed and sometimes after the dog food. This feather was lying on the lawn. I wonder who lost it....

Wednesday 17 November 2010 - Creepy Creeper

I was wandering around the garden looking for a suitable picture when I saw this section of the wall creeper. I'm always fascinated by the little suckers that stick the plant to the wall. They remind me of those little tree frogs and their little feet stuck to a wall or tree. Interesting plant.

Tuesday 16 November 2010 - Fiscal Shrike

This shrike has been hanging around our back garden lately. He must be finding lots of insects around our parts to attract him. It will be interesting to watch his habits in the coming days.

Monday 15 November 2010 - Community Washing

Our daughter, Sam and her two Kiwi friends Jo and Chris took the opportunity today to catch up on some laundry. I was amused at them all helping hang the washing on the windy drier. Great team work guys.

Sunday 14 November 2010 - Caged King

I love seeing wild animals in the wild. We saw this poor beast in a lion park today. He looks in good condition and his surroundings aren't too bad but he's closed - he's not in the wild. He can't hunt for his own food. Tragic. I felt very sad to see him here. But he is a magnificent beast. Very regal...

Saturday 13 November 2010 - Love is in the air

We visited Addo Elephant Park and took the usual photos of elephants, warthog and even a jackal. However I chose these loving tortoises as my shot of the day today. Love is definitely in the air....

Friday 12 November 2010 - Hello Sammi

Our eldest daughter is visiting from the UK for a few days. We enjoyed sundowners at the beachfront this evening.

Thursday 11 November 2010 - White Agapanthus

I call these plants Aggie's Panties. This white one has just opened in our garden. Pity the photo is a bit whited out but we get the idea.

Wednesday 10 November 2010 - Branching Out

I love textures and contrasts. This picture took my fancy today. It's an oak tree in our garden and I love the fresh green shoot against the textures of the bark.

Tuesday 9 November 2010 - Plant Eater

I spent a good half hour in the most overgrown corner of the garden searching for a subject for a macro shot. I found this little termite on a leaf with evidence of his activities in the background. Macros are getting better but still not perfect.

Monday 8 November 2010 - Gerbera

This afternoon I took a tumble in the kitchen and fell rather hard. I spent the evening with my foot elevated and ice packs on the sore ankle. These beautiful potted gerberas cheered me up immensely. These are one of my favourite flowers.

Sunday 7 November 2010 - Begonias

It's been a very busy day today. Gav and I went out to Heartfelt to visit Dad. I was struck by these beautiful begonias in a pot.

Saturday 6 November 2010 - Grasshopper

This chap is saying, "I'm a grasshopper and hopping is what I do best. So take a shot quickly or I'll be gone in one giant leap!"
I went looking for the little spider again. He wasn't there but this guy was hanging out in the undergrowth. Thankfully he hung around long enough for me to get a few shots. I think I must visit that side of the house more often....

Friday 5 November 2010 - White Flower

Today I went round the side of the house looking for my photo. I spied a tiny spider and really wanted to practice macros shots on him. Unfortunately his web was quite high and I had to point the camera up at him. This meant I couldn't get a good shot because he was silhouetted against the grey sky and the glare was too much.

Close by I spied this pretty white flower and so this became my subject for today. I love white blossoms.

Thursday 4 November 2010 - Our Piece of the Planet.

Today I didn't have a photo. There just wasn't anything to inspire me. Late in the afternoon I sat at the garden table and just enjoyed the small garden at the back of our house. The grass is looking so green after the rain last week. Although we still have water restrictions in PE because of the drought we have had coastal showers, which fill our rain tanks but of course our dams aren't filling up in the catchment area.

Wednesday 3 November 2010 - White Spray

I have this big bulbous plant in the garden. It's one that sometimes disappears and then comes up again every year. When I posted a photo of the plant earlier in the year Maggie said she thinks it will get a lovely white flower. Well this week the flower bloomed and Maggie's guess was correct. It's such a delicate and pretty flower. So unusual.

Tuesday 2 November 2010 - Mushroom Macro

Monday 1 November 2010 - Bee Sting

This bee seems to be saying, "Watch it, I have a sting and I know how to use it!" These two were amongst about a dozen early morning visitors to this flower.

Sunday 31 October 2010 - Prehistoric Camouflage

Yesterday we went on a walk in a local nature reserve, a very beautiful place with lots of lovely indigenous flowers and lovely scenery. We passed this little chap sitting very still watching us walk past him. I love the colours on the rocks below him.

Saturday 30 October 2010 - Hairy buds

Today I focused on taking macro shots. It's a challenge for me. I think I get camera shake as I touch the button. This one was about the most decent today. It's a cluster of buds on my pelargonium shrub - you can just see one of the pink flowers in the background. I love the hairy look.