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2013-06-14 10:45:35 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 25 +1s)

The Wheel

Taken at Southbank  in Brisbane, Qld last weekend. 
Posting tonight for +Night Photography Friday  curated by +Mark Hammon and +Steve Passlow 

2013-06-14 10:22:43 (12 comments, 1 reshares, 31 +1s)

ZYGO

Winter is upon us and all of the beautiful cactii are exploding into bloom.   My post tonight for #floralfriday +FloralFriday curated by +Tamara Pruessner +Beth Akerman +Eustace James and +Kiki Nelson
Also sharing for +HQSP Flowers 

2013-05-30 13:29:05 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

Prosperity and Good Fortune

I wanted to share this amazing, centuries old, chinese carving that I came across while visiting the Golden Dragen Chinese Heritage Museum in Bendigo Victoria. http://www.goldendragonmuseum.org/

For those G+ers in Australia, it is certainly worth a visit if you have the opportunity.

This carving is made from White Jade and represents prosperity and good fortune across the four seasons (symbolized by  the different flowers from each season)

Posting tonight for #historythursday curated by +Matt Shalvatis 

2013-05-29 12:05:35 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 28 +1s)

Chrysanthemums

For #vibrantwednesday #vividwednesday curated by +Ajay Hatti
#gardeningwednesday +GardeningWednesday curated by +Juliane Clausen
#hqspflowers +HQSP Flowers 

2013-05-29 11:39:54 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 33 +1s)

Posting for  #BirdPoker Isolated curated by +Phil Armishaw +Bird Poker
Also sharing for #birds4all +Birds4All curated by +Walter Soestbergen 

2013-05-28 13:27:46 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 25 +1s)

Dressed for Autumn

I spotted this beautiful Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweetgum) on my recent travels and couldn't resist a shot. I think these trees are the perfect harbinger of Autumn.....unfortunately Autumn is almost gone and Winter will be here at the end of the week :-(
Tonight's share for #treetuesday +Tree Tuesday curated by +Christina Lawrie +Shannon S. Myers +Allan Cabrera +Ralph Mendoza and +Kim Troutman 

2013-05-28 13:16:16 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

Traditional roof style on the Buddhist Temple in Bendigo, Victoria  - posted for #texturelibrarytuesday curated by +Joerg Jung 

2013-05-28 12:44:57 (3 comments, 2 reshares, 20 +1s)

Strong Wind Warning

Another shot of the usually calm Palm Beach north of Sydney.  Posting for #seatuesday +Sea Tuesday curated by +Julia Anna Gospodarou 

2013-05-23 13:36:04 (10 comments, 3 reshares, 37 +1s)

Patterns

I dont know what the name of this lovely little cactus is....I just loved it's form and shape.  posting tonight for #cactusthursday +Cactus Thursday curated by +Evelin Inauen and +Natascha Schröder 

2013-05-23 13:21:54 (7 comments, 2 reshares, 14 +1s)

1920's Rural Victoria, Australia

This was a tiny photo from my maternal grandmother's album that I scanned . It depicts men (presumably the local farmers) with their horse teams bringing the wheat crops into the small town of Birchip (in the Mallee) where it was stacked and then freighted off for processing.  Photos like these are an important record of our history and I'm very lucky to have several like this one.

Sharing tonight for #blastfromthepast +Blast From The Past curated by +Cheryl Cooper +Mark Rodriguez and +Isabelle Fortin 

2013-05-22 13:38:04 (6 comments, 1 reshares, 27 +1s)

Three little birdies sitting on a wire...

These lovely and colourful Rainbow Bee Eaters have been sitting on the powerlines outside my house each morning for the last few weeks.  Posting for #threethings +Three Things curated by +Isabelle Fortin and #birds4all +Birds4All curated by +Walter Soestbergen 

2013-05-22 13:13:42 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 25 +1s)

Captured Sunshine

This stunning rose, and many others were on display in the Botanical Gardens in the centre of Bendigo, Victoria when I visited earlier this month.  Sharing tonight for #gardeningwednesday   +GardeningWednesday curated by +Juliane Clausen +Jan Aynes & +Grant Meyer

I'll also add it as a really early post for #floralfriday +FloralFriday curated by +Tamara Pruessner 

2013-05-21 12:02:12 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 13 +1s)

Bright

Spotted on a recent trip...
I really liked the design & vibrant colours of the new NAB  building in Melbourne, Victoria.  Sharing tonight for #architexturetuesday curated by +Ranjan Saraswati 

2013-05-21 11:45:20 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 17 +1s)

My Ex Agapanthus

Posting this evening for #bokehtuesday curated by +Bob Baxley and also for #elementhunttuesday curated by +Roy Ross 

2013-05-18 12:51:43 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 24 +1s)

Acorns Acorns everywhere!

My post for #seedurday curated by +Kathryn Brown 

2013-05-18 11:21:24 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 21 +1s)

A Lithographic effect for a beautiful old bench I spotted in Bendigo, Victoria #benchsaturday  

2013-05-13 13:46:35 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 22 +1s)

Looking for warmth

I captured this very tiny cactus basking in the late Autumn sun whilst I was visiting family in Bendigo, Victoria (Aust). last week
For #macromonday Light curated by +Jennifer Eden +Kerry Murphy and +Kelli Seeger Kim 

2013-05-10 11:21:11 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 23 +1s)

Maidenhair

Sharing tonight for #fernfriday +Fern Friday curated by +Dusty Gedge and +Shawn McClure 

2013-05-10 11:13:23 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 17 +1s)

Mother & babies

I think this is an appropriate shot with Mothers Day coming up this Sunday.

I spotted this mum and her babies on a rose leaf the other day.  I'm not sure what type of insect this one is but thought she would be good to share for #buggyfriday curated by +Ray Bilcliff +Sherry McBriar and +Dorothy Pugh 

2013-05-06 04:56:37 (17 comments, 1 reshares, 39 +1s)

My post today for +Macro Monday #macromonday curated by +Jennifer Eden +Kerry Murphy & +Kelli Seeger Kim. It's is one of the lovely daisies growing in mum & dad's cottage garden & I was fascinated by the blackberry-like centre.

2013-05-03 07:30:31 (11 comments, 0 reshares, 20 +1s)

Autumn Colours

It's a real novelty visiting a cooler climate. The trees are all dressed for Autumn and look spectacular! Sharing for #coloursonfriday +ColorsOnFriday curated by +Gailen Mapes & +Karsten Meyer

2013-05-03 06:50:52 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 14 +1s)

For #floralfriday +FloralFriday curated by +Tamara Pruessner. I took this shot today whilst visiting the Conservatory in the Bendigo Botanical Gardens. They currently have a beautiful display of Chrysanthemums!

2013-04-28 13:45:08 (13 comments, 2 reshares, 24 +1s)

The colours of the Tropics

This is a shot of the evening sky a couple of months back - taken from my back landing.  Posting for #skysunday +Sky Sunday - Photography Theme  curated by +Randy Scherkenbach  and +Patrick Scherkenbach 

2013-04-28 13:35:37 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 12 +1s)

The Raid

This cheeky Rainbow Lorikeet was conducting a stealthy raid on all of my new  Swamp Bloodwood buds!  They can make a terrible mess of your blossoms but seem to have fun chasing each other for the sweetest nectar & blossoms.

My post tonight of #sundaybuds   curaed by +Steve Gill 

2013-04-28 07:53:33 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 20 +1s)

So Pretty

I took this shot from a fairly long distance away to see if I could capture the beautiful blue wings and wing markings on the Eastern Rosella.  This was another of the shots I took in the Blue Mountains last month.  Sharing for #birdpoker +Bird Poker (Blue) curated by +Phil Armishaw  and for #birds4all   +Birds4All curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-04-25 04:46:28 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 39 +1s)

In Remembrance

It is ANZAC Day here in Australia & in New Zealand.   This is a special day of commemoration and reflection where we remember the sacrifices of all our men & women who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations and , more broadly, the contribution and suffering of all those who have served.  The date itself marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War and many of us have attended Dawn services across the country that mark the time that the original battle at Gallipoli commenced.

_"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them."_

LEST WE FORGET.
#anzacday #anzac +Anzac Day 

2013-04-23 09:44:27 (10 comments, 0 reshares, 29 +1s)

Stamens

This is a 'macro experiment' of the stamens of a lily that I took with the new extension tubes & the 50mm Macro lens earlier this month - its handheld so is a little 'off' but all in all, it didn't turn out too badly!

Tonight's post for #ministractmonday +Ministract Monday  curated by +Tom McLaughlan , for #lilymonday +Lily Monday  curated by +Ray Bilcliff and +Bob Rutan   and for #macromonday   +Macro Monday  (It looks vaguely 'featherish'.......maybe)   curated by +Jennifer Eden +Kerry Murphy  & +Kelli Seeger Kim 

2013-04-22 13:18:56 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 13 +1s)

This has to be one of my favourite photographs from the Hayes Prison Farm photo shoot project.  When I arrived I intended to shoot the prison buildings, but the sheer vastness of the farm complex was amazing; so much land and other outbuildings.  I wanted to capture the feeling of the prison within a working landscape, and it was with this shot I nailed that feeling. The sunlight just happened to come out at the right moment; in waves it danced across the landscape, only about two times it fleetingly moved from the background to the foreground, just in time for me to make this image of the burnt summer landscape and outbuildings.  Check out the rest of the project at http://www.tryanphotos.com/Projects/Hayes-Prison-Farm

2013-04-21 05:20:24 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 26 +1s)

Palm Beach NSW

Sharing for #beachsunday +Beach Sunday  curated by +Ross Campbell 

2013-04-21 05:03:37 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

The Old and the New

I took this shot a few months back in Brisbane Australia.  I was fascinated by the beautiful architecture of the Uniting Church in Albert St (behind King George Square for those who know Brisbane) and how it still shines, even though it is now dwarfed by all of the modern skyscrapers.  Wishing everyone a wonderful Sunday

2013-04-19 11:43:24 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 29 +1s)

Unidentified

I'm having a little trouble identifying this fellow - He was hanging on to a Cabbage Palm as if his life depended on it!
Sharing tonight for #buggyfriday curated by +Ray Bilcliff +Sherry McBriar and +Dorothy Pugh 

2013-04-19 08:37:50 (14 comments, 0 reshares, 21 +1s)

Go Away

Cockatoos may look cute when tamed to the hand but they can be a very aggressive and bad tempered bird.  A nip from that wicked beak can take the top of an unwary finger very quickly.  This one had his/her crest fully raised and was trying to look as threatening as possible.  He was pretty vocal too.
My hand tonight for #birdpoker   Aggressive Birds curated by +Phil Armishaw
Also sharing for #birdsinfocusfriday curated by +Risto Talman and #birds4all curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones 

2013-04-18 13:13:59 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 14 +1s)

Casual Saturday Sailing

Posting for #coastalthursday curated by +David Polzine and +Jon Kahn 

2013-04-18 12:53:59 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 20 +1s)

Bee-ing Pink

One for #beethursday +Bee Thursday curated by +Dorothy Pugh

Also sharing for #allthingspink +All Things Pink curated by +Barbara Sheeskin 

2013-04-16 13:28:53 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 30 +1s)

Stalking Lunch

For #birdpoker    +Bird Poker  Black & White curated by +Phil Armishaw

This Pied Currawong ( Strepera graculina)  had his eye firmly fixed on a prospective meal somewhere below his branch.

Also sharing for #birds4all +Birds4All   curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones and for #birdsinfocus +Birds in Focus curated by +Risto Talman 

2013-04-13 10:55:19 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 49 +1s)

Up Close

Another shot of my curious little Brown Honeyeater for #birdpoker +Bird Poker Feather Detail curated by +Phil Armishaw
 Also sharing for #birds4all curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones  and for #birdsinfocus curated by +Risto Talman 

2013-04-12 13:42:39 (12 comments, 2 reshares, 30 +1s)

Pantala flavescens - Wandering Glider

This dragonfly species can be found on several Continents.  He sat very patiently while I happily snapped away!

My share tonight for #buggyfriday    +Buggy Friday  curated by +Ray Bilcliff  +Sherry McBriar +Victoria Etna   and +Dorothy Pugh 

2013-04-12 13:22:54 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

Rough Landing

Tonights hand for #birdpoker +Bird Poker Splash curated by +Phil Armishaw 

2013-04-11 10:41:09 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 36 +1s)

Busy Doves

My hand for #birdpoker Preening curated by +Phil Armishaw

Also sharing for #birds4all curated by +Walter Soestbergen & +Ricky L Jones 

2013-04-10 12:51:37 (14 comments, 0 reshares, 21 +1s)

A Splash of Crimson

Another shot of the beautiful Crimson Rosella I spotted on my latest travels to the Blue Mountains near Sydney, Australia.
This one is my hand for #birdpoker Backlit curated by +Phil Armishaw

Also sharing for #birds4all curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones
and for #birdsinfocus curated by +Risto Talman 

2013-04-09 13:57:22 (7 comments, 1 reshares, 14 +1s)

Zygo

I don't know how much artistic merit this shot has but I thought I'd post it & seek some feedback. 

I have been playing with my new extension tubes & my 50mm macro lens.

This shot is of the tiny spines on the end of a Zygocactus spike.
Sharing tonight with #elementhunttuesday curated by +Roy Ross and also with #bokehtuesday curated by +Bob Baxley 

2013-04-09 07:56:01 (10 comments, 1 reshares, 32 +1s)

Who?......Me?

The Pied Currawong is often mistaken for the common Crow and is afforded no Respect  This fellow seems to be 'looking down his beak' at the world.

Today's hand for #birdpoker curated by +Phil Armishaw
Sharing too, for #birds4all +Birds4All curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones   and for #birdsinfocus +Birds in Focus  curated by +Risto Talman 

2013-04-09 06:02:56 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 11 +1s)

Hotel Lobby in Sydney

I just loved the angles!

2013-04-08 13:37:52 (11 comments, 2 reshares, 24 +1s)

Lunch

This very hungry Grasshopper has a SECRET place to find the best food.  I found him happily munching his way through a (once) lovely Strelitzia bloom.

Tonight's post for #macromonday curated by +Jennifer Eden +Kerry Murphy +Kelli Seeger Kim and +Jake Easley 

2013-04-08 13:28:47 (10 comments, 1 reshares, 23 +1s)

Hanging Out

My hand for #birdpoker _ 'Pairs'_  tonight is a Nesting pair of Peaceful Doves that live in the Gum tree outside my front window.  Thanks to curator +Phil Armishaw for another fun sub-theme.

Also sharing for +Backyard Birding Monday #BackyardbirdingMonday   curated by +Celeste Odono and +Ricky L Jones   and also for #birds4all   +Birds4All  curated by +Walter Soestbergen (and the aforementioned Ricky of course)

2013-04-07 13:06:42 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 18 +1s)

Pondering

This Silver Gull seemed to be deep in thought ( but was probably looking for dinner).  He stood like this for ages in the shallows, before flying off in search of easier pickings.  Tonights post for #birdpoker +Bird Poker  curated by +Phil Armishaw

Also sharing for #birds4all curated by +Walter Soestbergen and +Ricky L Jones and for #birdsinfocus +Birds in Focus curated by +Risto Talman 

2013-04-05 13:44:36 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 40 +1s)

Passion Flower

I was fascinated by the lovely pink of this Passionfruit flower in my sister-in-law's garden.  They look so fragile but are really incredibly hardy! Tonights post for #floralfriday curated by +Tamara Pruessner andalso for #allthingspink +All Things Pink curated by +Barbara Sheeskin 

2013-04-05 13:31:45 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 22 +1s)

Cascade

I came upon this little hidden cascade whilst exploring in the Blue Mountains near Sydney NSW recently.  Posting tonight for #flowingwaterfriday curated by +Kate Church and +Rolf Hicker 

2013-04-04 22:09:51 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

It seems the news for rhinos just keeps getting worse as they are targeted by poachers in ever increasing numbers. A good friend of mine Sam is trying hard to do something about this however. He is raising money for Save The Rhinos by running the London marathon. The catch? He'll be wearing a full-body rhino suit for the entire race! Madness I say...

If you want to see what the suit is like, Sam made this little promotional video which I think is absolutely brilliant. Please do check it out, I think you'll enjoy it too: Run Rhino Run

Of course if you do feel willing to sponsor Sam he would very much appreciate anything you can give, however small. You can do so here: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SamuelBond

If you aren't able to sponsor then sharing this post or the video would help too (yes, Facebook or Twitter also count! On Twitter he's... more »

2013-04-03 14:05:28 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 19 +1s)

Little Black Duck

I'm playing one Pacific Black Duck for my #birdpoker hand In Water (theme selected by +David Petryk ) +Bird Poker  curated by +Phil Armishaw

Also sharing with #birds4all curated by +Walter Soestbergen & +Ricky L Jones +Birds4All  and #birdsinfocus +Birds in Focus curated by +Risto Talman