Exploring

Last weekend decided to do something a little different and explore the mud flats and surrounds of the Port of Brisbane, Nudgee etc.  Left the hills at 12.30 am picked up a friend in Toowoomba and off we went to Brisvegas to take some photographs of an area I had never seen before and I guess a lot of people never will unless they are completely nuts like.

Arrived at a gloomy fog filled mangrove foreshore at low tide about 4am.  A mob of people were having a party and was not english they were speaking...immediately I think of conspiracy and only two of us seemingly in the middle of nowhere and in the dark would only be able to see I was blond, would not be able to see the "old" part.....soldiered on regardless with a contingency plan should the party get ugly.  The loud loud scitmar music seemed to be the go which I was getting a taste for out on the tidal flats, and we were ignored.   Arguably I may have been more worried if they spoke English sadly enough.  Needless to say I fell into a hole and was freezing and wet for a time but the climate is relatively warm compared to up on the hill where I live, so was not such a big problem.

Looking across the tidal flats to the mouth of the Brisbane River at the Port of Brisbane with the containers being unloaded on the container vessel.  While doing this a fellow came over in a boat to check that we were not crab pot bandits......crack pots maybe ........

Moving out a bit further the aerodrome, one jumbo touching down on the tarmac and one circling.  Because the shutter of the camera was open for some seconds the jumbo seems to be blurring on the left and in the middle of the photograph a line of lights which is another coming in for approach.

The sun was behind the cloud and a few rays penetrated for a few minutes turning the sky a strange lavender.  This image is saturated slightly to what came out of the camera.  I think the colours would be from the pollution in the air with the dense cloud cover not allowing the chemicals to disperse....the only thing going for pollution is the intense colours of the sky at times at sunrise and sunset.  We when coming from the hills notice the intensity of the colour comparatively.

It was hard to believe the tide came in so quickly and I was not paying particular attention and luckily my friend was waving me in....I had been out beyone the second line of breakers to the left and by the time I had made my way slowly back to the shoreline the water had come up  to the edge.  Mind you I was walking slowly and taking photographs as I walked.

Walked through the mangroves on a boardwalk which was covered in significant amounts of dog poop so had to tread warily.  A shame really that people do not clean up after the dogs on a boardwalk.  The haze was such that the horizons blended into the sky seamlessly.  Obviously from this little seat fish were caught as the white under the seat was fish scales and rather large scales at that...How good would that be to be able to sit here in peace and fish and catch.

This to me looked magical with the silvered water and the mangrove tree being surrounded by the rising water...did not seem earthly..of course I am somewhat fanciful.

The seagulls on the shore with good grace leaving the Saturday afternoon to the fisherfolk

Ah well there goes the missus.........more time for me to fish

Went further north up the coast to a little village may have been Donnybrook or the next one down and had a sign beware of kangaroos on streets...."Yeah right"  I thought and these must think they are beach bunnies...not him..casually as you please crosses the road and you have to wait as he may punch you out...

The intention had been to photograph the partial eclipse of the moon over the sea....so made our way back to Bribie...This was a lovely beach except it is a dog beach and you guessed it......so I chose to photograph the driftwood

Was quite tired so threw out the swag on the edge of quiet park at Bribie to have a snooze and that really upset some of the locals apparently....I was too busy getting in some zzzzz's.  A woman was pacing up and down looking daggers trying to decide whether or not to wake me up and tell me not to sleep in her park...My friend who knows a little of grumpiness when being judged was hovering about with the camera in the hope that she would wake me and tell me off as knew perhaps I would go off like Vesuvius......Makes me take a moment to pause and think about people who do not have much and give the person the benefit of the doubt and think perhaps she was going to extend a helpful hand to someone she thought worse off than herself...lets hope so...

The most glorious light show happened...so stunningly beautiful....the moon was behind cloud so decided to take off to Somerset for clearer skies for the eclipse......I really enjoyed exploring this area of Brisbane.  We are a fortunate mob of people living on this island down under.

The bridge connects the island with the mainland.

I would have liked more detail in the bright side of the moon but was so tired and sitting on the shores of Somerset in the dark was half asleep and did not concentrate on my settings enough......Looking at the moon with the black creeping across the surface I found quite eerie and spooky.

Australia's New Prime Minister

Australia's New Prime Minister, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.


Thanks guys have been away from this for a while...posted and ran...

The Young Horse Whisperer

My grandson, Joseph lives in the city and visits me on a couple of weekends a month.  He started school this year.  Last year he would live with me for four days each fortnight an occurrence not happening this year I am still coming to terms with.

A couple of weekends he came to stay and we have two new ponies to teach to lead and the little man did it himself with me talking him through the moves.  This child has a genuine love of animals and looks into their eyes and they seem to do as he asks with persistence, patience, give and take.  I had a lump in my throat after this session.

These Magic Moments

My dear friend Matthew and his delightful daughter Ellie and I drove up the mountains into the horse paddock to witness the sunset.  A great place to watch this beautiful backdrop with two of my best friends.

Why I live where I live on the beautiful Darling Downs of Queensland and to me the promise of tomorrow holds endless possibilities.

New England, NSW

Visited the Dorrigo Plateau and New England area of NSW a couple of weeks ago.  The temperature was quite low but still clear days were beautiful.

A little north east of Armidale is a Church built along this road when at the time all the deciduous trees were planted leading to the small old building...

The church appears to have been part of a sheep property in days gone by and is now favoured for weddings I believe.

I found it difficult to photograph because of the dark shade and bright sunlight.....on an overcast day or early early morning I believe would be a more favorable time to take an image of this quaint old church.

Leaving the plateau and heading along a road to Gosford the most beautiful Wilderness areas which due to time constraints did not get to explore fully....Did walk up this pristine creek after traversing a dirt road for some ks......

I had not had a break in years and unfortunately for me was sick and out of sorts with the flu and mentally run down so when feeling better will go and explore this wilderness area in more detail at a later date.

I was waiting in the impending gloom of the evening and unfortunately only had the wide angle lens with me and a lyre bird popped out of the rainforest.  I had never seen one in the wild previously so was thrilled.  Is not a good image but is a start.

lizzie

Sorting out the lighting in my studio with me as the guinea pig....the fitness regime have lost 8 kgs and have another 8 to 10 to go.....more hiking...Is getting hard and have such a sweet tooth so relapse.....I am a sweetaholic.......

Had a mole that was inflamed and growing taken from my face last week, a wake up call for me to not put things off...Pathology confirmed the growth was malignant but no lymphatic space infiltration and the excision margins appear clear.....

Have been climbing the walls this week, had to stay indoors so did not get infection from the horse yards...did venture out shopping but will wait until the stitches are out as frighten little children...