Personal Challenge...

           I promised myself that I would try to take a photograph a day, turns out to be more difficult than I thought. Life tends to get in the way. I will have to get better organise, pick a subject for the week and keep at it. Wish me luck.

This month's camera club competition revolves around the letter "F" - the focal subject must begin with the letter "F". I have done two photo studies, my first effort is of some ferns growing in my garden. I hope you enjoy the result.

Some of Kangaroo Island's Wildlife

Kingscote Pelican

Pardana Wildlife Sanctuary

KI Kangaroo

Pardana Wildlife Sanctuary

Koala

Seal  Bay - Sea Lion

Sea Lions playing on the beach

         A few more photos from this beautiful island. On Kingscote foreshores, these wonderful looking pelicans wait for the fishermen to come back with their catch, in the hope of grabbing some small morsel of fish. We spent some time at the Pardana Wildlife Sanctuary, looking at birds and other fauna. The kangaroo were quite friendly as you were able to take small bags of pellets, in their enclosure, to feed them. I think this one had his fill and was resting happily in the sun. Seal bay is a beautiful beach where the sea lions come to rest and play. This beach offers these grand creature wonderful protection from the weather and preditors. Our tour guide tooks us up close to this group, but we had to be careful not to disturb them as they can move quite quickly if annoyed.

A "Kodak" Moment...

Chantal & Moony

            When Chantal was 9yrs old, we bought her this lovely 12.2hh pony. Over the next few years, they developped into quite a team. Most of our weekends were spent at horseshows or down at the "Salisbury Riding Club". This shot was taken at the Mt Pleasant Show; they both had a very active morning and were taking a little rest. Eventually Chantal outgrew her pony, but we had the pleasure of his company for 15 great years before we had to sell him on. It was a very sad day for me when I took him to his new family.

On The Trail...

          When I purchased my horse "Jazz", I was only able to ride on the weekend. Back in 1973, there were a lot of dirt tracks at the back of Clarendon where you could go for long ride outs. On this day, I was carrying my Minolta SLR around my neck, when these two lovely ponies came up to the fence to check us out. I could not resist these shots. Unfortunately with the spread of suburbia, those trails are now long gone.



More from Kangaroo Island...

Cape de Couedic's Lighthouse

Admiral's Arch

      Kangaroo Island (KI to the locals) is a pristine wilderness, a place of beauty and escape. Very diverse with soaring cliffs, dense forest, towering sand dunes, wetlands and great white beaches. Rich in history, KI has a thriving art community and welcoming locals. Our second day on the island was spent exploring the Flinders Chase National park, on the southern coast part of KI. First a look at the Cape de Couedic Lighthouse, offering amazing view over the ocean. Then down to the boardwalk which takes us to the landbridge known as Admiral's Arch. The constant weathering eventually will result in the arch's collapse. Many a New Zealand Fur Seal can be seen frolicking in the sea or sunning themselves on the rocks.

Kangaroo Island...

Cape Willoughby Lighthouse on Dudley Peninsula

Sunrise on Emu Bay's Jetty

       Back in May 2010, we took a short break on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. We boarded the Sealink for a smooth crossing which lasted about 45 minutes. Our time spend on the island was full of wonderful discoveries and sceneries. Blue skies greeted us every day. We stayed at this great place overlooking this peacefull bay. I will be posting more photos of this great place in the following few days. Hope you enjoy.

For the Love of Horses...

    Jazz

       A person is very lucky if they find something they can be very passionate about. Horses have been that for me. I think they are such magnificent creatures with amazing grace and forgiving heart. For the last forty odd years, I have had the honour to work with and own horses, they have been my greatest teachers. Jazz was the first of the horses I owned. A 15hh part-thoroughbred gelding, he was a quiet soul who was difficult to catch until I stopped playing his game. We tried our hand at everything , including novelties which he relished. I think we made a great team and were quite successful in the show ring. In the later part of his life, he taught my young daughter how to ride.

Buster...

         This is Buster. He was laying on his mat and was quite happy to stay there till I finished waving my camera in his face to get this shot. I think he is so photogenic.

My daughter, Chantal, bought him home as a kitten back in 95, claiming she'd found him abandoned in the street. Found out later she got him from a pet shop and carried him around her school bag all day. This goes a long way in explaining his fondness for hiding in empty boxes and bags. He also loves to investigate the inside of cupboards.

When Chantal moved out, some years latter, Buster stayed.

The Start of Something New...

Pretty In Pink

Quite new to this blogging thing, so not quite sure where to go next. I intend to post some of my favorite photos from days gone by, as well as some of my more recent efforts. I do hope you enjoy this journey with me. 

"Pretty in Pink" was taken in my garden a few years ago, while trying out my new Tamron 70-300mm macro lens. I entered this shot at my first camera club competition in July 2010. To my surprise it was well received and earned me an honour certificate. I was totally rapped..