The other night we were all outside, doing outside things. The Spouse was watering the veggie garden and I was picking what was left of the plums whilst loudly bemoaning the fact that the bloody possums were destroying my plum trees. I gave Harry the dog a stern talking to about keeping up with his end of the bargain. I reminded Harry that it was HIS job to bark at the possums, not mine and that he had better lift his bloody game. Harry gave me a shamefaced woof and promised to do better, ten minutes later he made amends by showed me where a a blue tongue lizard was lurking in the wood pile.
This is only a small blue tongue, compared to the resident lizard that lives under the water tank and often scares the shit out of me by impersonating a tiger snake.
Normally blue tongues are quite shy and it isn’t often we see them out in the open like this one. He didn’t seem to be frightened of us at all and posed for a number of photos. Harry decided that the middle of the photo shoot was the time to make amends for his lacksadaisical possum scaring performance and was keen to protect me from this vicious, vicious lizard, sigh. I am sure that in Harry’s doggy mind the blue tongue was about to leap for my throat with all the ferocity of a pythonesque rabbit. So The Spouse caught the blue tongue for me and after we had checked him over for tics, we released him into the garden near the frog ponds and he disappeared under a large rock.
The next day the blue tongue was out in the middle of the yard again and I spent some time filming him as well as taking some more photos. I don’t know how long this lizard will survive here, as he is very nonchalant about his personal safety. He spent ages out in the middle of the yard in full view of any passing predators and at one stage he decided that it would be nice to rest against my foot for a bit.
It is quite difficult taking a photo of a lizard leaning against your shoe, as I had my foot tucked under the chair and I was on an awkward angle but I think this photo is quite sweet, in a this is what my life is really like kind of way.
Here are a couple of the macros I took yesterday and from these photos you can see why it is that when the large resident lizard does his tiger snake impersonation I nearly have a little heart attack. Those few seconds between the thought, “Eek a snake” and “Oh its only you” make my heart beat rather quickly.
So there you go my lovelies I hope you enjoyed these photos of one of my favourite wild creatures that share my backyard.
When I bought my Nikon D90 last year, I also invested in two good lenses. My standard go with me everywhere lens is an 18-200mm lens and I use this lens 90% of the time. I also bought an 105mm macro lens which I use in fits and bursts.
I am not one of those technical minded photographers that can tell you what settings I use. I didn’t do much more than glance at the instruction booklet that came with the camera before I was off outside taking crappy photos and wondering if a DSLR really had been the best choice of camera for me. Once I saw the clarity of image that the D90 produced I was hooked and I kept on taking zillions of crappy photos mixed in with the occasional gem.
When I am outside taking photos I get distracted by the play of light and shade, shadows beguile me and textures and surfaces of everyday things send me off into ceramic daydreams.
I am a Ceramist not a photographer. I really honestly do not have a clue what I am doing and I don’t pretend otherwise. I just photograph the things I like and when I can’t get the shot I want, rather than go to my handy dandy copy of “Nikon d90 For Dummies” I ring my daughter Veronica.
The other day I was explaining to Von that my insect photos were always blurry in the wrong spots. Veronica very patiently explained about depth of field for the zillionth time but this time my lovelies it actually sunk in.
So for the past few days I have been having heaps of fun with my macro lens. Yay!
We have been doing this for fifty weeks. Wow! That amazes me. Thankyou.
This week I am ignoring my own rules and posting photos that I took yesterday. You can either follow the rules, or not. I don’t mind at all. I just simply enjoy the fact that each Sunday we are here together sharing photos.
The Blurb
I take a lot of photos and most of them are just sitting around in folders on my desktop not doing anything. I thought that a dedicated post once a week would be a good way to share some of these photos that otherwise wouldn’t be seen by anyone other than me.
I am also remarkably absent minded and I put photos into folders and think that I will publish them later on and then then I never do.
So I have started a photo meme that anyone can join in and play as well. The rules are so simple as to be virtually non existent.
Just add your name and URL to the Mr Linky.
Publish your photos on your blog using the “Sunday Selections” title.
Link back here to me.
The Photos
The Blurb
I take a lot of photos and most of them are just sitting around in folders on my desktop not doing anything. I thought that a dedicated post once a week would be a good way to share some of these photos that otherwise wouldn’t be seen by anyone other than me.
I am also remarkably absent minded and I put photos into folders and think that I will publish them later on and then then I never do.
So I have started a photo meme that anyone can join in and play as well. The rules are so simple as to be virtually non existent.
Just add your name and URL to the Mr Linky.
Publish your photos on your blog using the “Sunday Selections” title.
Link back here to me.
Easy Peasy.
The Photos
I adore ladybirds, I remember being fascinated by these little insects as a small child and the fascination has not waned. I have hundreds of ladybird photos saved in various folders in my computer and I still go out to the honeysuckle and snap away for ages.
These photos all have something about them that appeal to me. They are not technically correct photos, my images never are, but I think these photos all have soul.
This week I am linking up with Shae from Yay for Home for her “Things I Know” weekly meme.
Which is so simple it is beautiful, all I need to do is share the things I know and link back to Shae and check out the other bloggers that are joining in.
I know that I have been meaning to join in with this meme for months now but I keep on forgetting that it is on a Friday. Time just slips through my fingers as the days race by merging into one another, and I always think I will join in next week. Next week is finally here and I dreamed about writing this post last night.
I know that the internet is full of lovely people that come out of the ether at the perfect time and give me heart. Tim is one of these people, he sent me an email in response to my, “Cardboard has no soul” post. Tim’s simple words and beautiful photo of his cardboard sculpture cheered me up no end, after a particularly cutting comment had floored me. Tim’s email put a lid on the looming pit of depression that had been in front of me, threatening to swallow me up and I am seriously pleased that Tim spent those few minutes writing to me.
you must cram the soul back in2 the cardboard….from the lost souls of the trees,.., like a forgotten secret hidden in a shoebox deep under your bed………..
I know that an angry post blasting a bullying troll, full of swear words and written in haste will get more comments and page views than the much more important post written about dolphins being slaughtered but I don’t really know why.
I know that since my mum died I have struggled with depression but I don’t like to talk about it for fear that if Iacknowledge it, the depression will win and suck me into a pit of doom.
I know that small things make me incredibly happy and the sight of two pardalotes digging a nest into the bank, close to my front door made my chest swell with delight and I skipped around the house having little *squee* moments.
I know that depending on my mood I call myself a potter, ceramic artist or ceramist but it all means the same thing. I turn mud into art and get exceedingly messy while I am doing just that.
Thanks Shae for this opportunity to share some of the things I know
