Lichen it, lichen it a lot

In addition to falling in love with wild mushrooms this winter, I have become fascinated by other fungi and also lichen. This was a particularly beautiful, very 3-dimensional specimen. I think it has an underwater quality about it, as well as appearing rather squiggly, don’t you think? Must be a hundred shades of olive in here…

Snow!!!

We’ve been coming down at the start of winter every year since 2008 – and finally, finally – we have snow!!! Gorgeous, beautiful, wonderful snow! Snow makes me happy!

 

Out Standing… in their field

Yeah, yeah… but is what they do and what they were doing. I am especially fond of the bull in the hole. I’m sure there’s a twisted cliche in there – but one is probably enough for tonight…

Baboons live in Paradise

If I was a baboon, this is where I would want to live. Hmmm… I’m pretty sure I’m not a baboon (though there are those who might disagree, I’m sure) but I think I would still like to live here.

Autumn Lingers

Those in the northern hemisphere seem to forget that those of us in the southern hemisphere are deep in the midst of Autumn. And a most beautiful Autumn this year… I can’t remember the colours ever being this vivid…

Sorry for being absent – still convalescing a bit – and, I suppose, taking advantage of the situation – as one does…

Li River Homestead

I’ve been using Lightroom to process my Raw files these days. Put off taking that on for a good long while – and like all things one should be doing, but isn’t, for watever reason – when you finally do it, you can’t quite remember why you resisted. I am very happy with how my images have been turning out lately. But… what about those old  images – the ones I saved the raw files from in the hope that ‘one day’ I would be able to make them look the way they should – if only I had known what I was doing behind the camera. This was washed out and dirty looking – the sort of holiday photos that make your eyes glaze over should someone pull them out and force you to look at them. I rather like it now.

And I would sure love to revisit China… This was taken on a day cruise on the Li River, ending up in Yangshuo. It was near the end of the month-long trip and we were very tired… it was nice to sit and watch the world go by… and what a world…

 

 

Oakley Creek Reflection 2 & 3

The more I look at these photos, the more I think Oakley Creek might be one of Auckland’s secret wonders… it manages to ramble through a lot of suburbia, yet I spotted only a couple of houses through the bush. It’s the perfect foil for a cerulean sky – the sort we get as a reward for having suffered through the endless dreary winter. I guess it’s worth it. What do you think? Here’s another take…