Good morning. It’s time for a few photos taken at the wonderful Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra.


These were the photos that I entered for a photography project run by my photography group, none of which were chosen. It was a learning exercise for me. An incredibly time consuming one. So I have decided that I probably won’t submit any entries for future projects until I have a bit more time. I might have to learn focus stacking first. I’m not sure I will ever have time for that …. We shall see. I hope to take some updated photos of my verge garden soon. I will give you a clue. Nothing much is happening.

By the way, the title of this post is an acknowledgement of how busy I’ve been and my complete inability to focus on 50 million things, including this blog. However, I am happy and I am learning heaps. Also, my True Love is retiring in a couple of weeks. How exciting is that? Sorry, for that digression, but how exciting is that?

Stay well, everyone, and talk to you soon.

Kind Regards.
Tracy.

44 thoughts on “Keeping Up Appearances”

  1. Hey Tracy, I know nothing about focus stacking but I love your photos, especially the third one of the white fluffy flowers. I love the detail in it and yet there’s an overall sense of mistiness and magic. So glad that you’re happy! And it is super exciting that your TL is retiring so soon!! Retirement still feels a distant dream for us and yet my husband is only a year or so younger than his Dad was when he retired. Things are so different from generation to generation.

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    1. Thank you, Jo. I’m really happy with the way the photos turned out. The photos chosen for the project were also beautiful – not necessarily more beautiful but they fit together in a particular colour palette. I am not complaining about that. 🙂

      My TL is young to retire. He actually has a lot of long service and holiday leave that he has accumulated that he has to take first. Still, he benefits from a system that is no longer available to ordinary workers. Interestingly, I went to a conference on the weekend where there were a lot of people my age and older. They were all volunteers contributing much energy, intellect and economic value freely for the common good. This is something we will miss out on if we make it too hard for people to retire.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. No way. I would never make a decision re/ what I appreciate in writing or in art based on whether I liked or disliked a person. I’d have to disagree with those claiming conflict of interest.

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  3. I had to Google focus stacking because I have no idea what that is. Tracy–these photos are lovely–especially your last photo. Those puffballs are beautiful!
    Yay for your TL and retiring! I highly recommend it!

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    1. Thank you, Lois. I knew you would like them. You are totally biased. 🙂
      Technology is a wonderful thing, Lois, but there are only so many hours in a day to play with it.
      He is kind of looking forward to it, Lois. Hopefully he will have fun. Our friends have retired recently. They took to it like ducks to water.

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  5. How exciting (that your TL is retiring soon). Nothing beats retirement and being able to go out and about every day of the week at leisure. As I discussed with my recently retired brother only yesterday – trouble is that there are only 365 days in the year. No designated weekends and annual leave etc to break up the year.

    (Next step is…..to never watch TV except for, maybe, the news. You’re too busy doing all the things you ever wanted to do but never had time for when working full time. Good time to also tick off that ‘bucket list’ where possible and financially able to do so).

    Love the photos and that lizard shot is wonderful. Did you have to get down on the ground to photograph it?

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    1. We are looking forward to it, Vicki. There’s so much to do. I had the benefit of being really unwell when I retired so life was very quiet for many years (love my new diabetes tech). Thankfully the weather is lovely so we should get some nice walks in before it heats up.
      The water dragon was on a rock and happened to be sitting opposite him when I spotted him. I had a small monopod/tripod so that also made it easier. I didn’t have to get down much further. I’m taking the monopod out more often because my tremor is annoying. The rock is a little over-exposed but I wanted to bring out the leaves at the back because it is meant to be a botanical shot. I like that effect.

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    1. I don’t mind the competition let down, Brian. I had to give it a go and it was good for me to try to improve my technique. Been there, done that, lol! 🙂
      As for the jobs list, my TL is a bit nervous about that. Needless to say, I have quite a few that don’t involve me. 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  7. I think all of these photos are excellent and competition-worthy. I’m so glad to hear that you’re happy and learning lots of new things! There is joy in learning that never goes away, no matter how hold we are. Congratulations to your husband on his upcoming retirement!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Liz. I am very happy with the photos and excited to show you them. Entering my photos did cause me to work on my technique so that was a good thing. 🙂 I love going to the Gardens and our native reserves with my new found knowledge of the plants and animals. I hope that we will get to do more of that over the coming months.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Dries. No feedback but that may have been because I missed the last meeting. The photos they chose were really lovely and they went so well together so I am not at all miffed. 🙂 It is just a bit of fun. I will continue to develop my own photo style and hope to get enough of the shot in focus. 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Readjusting to having a partner around a lot more, however welcome, can be challenging too, so good luck! And photo-stacking? I don’t even know what that is! You’re clearly in the degree-level class. Your photos are inviting, so win a gold star from me, anyway.

    Liked by 2 people

  11. Wow! Tell your TL congratulations and welcome to the brave new world of retirement. I love your photos — especially the lizard. They are all beautiful and show me a person who truly looks at her world. That’s the real prize.

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  12. I love your photos especially the lizard! Learning to accept rejection is part of getting involved in photography competitions etc (actually, it’s part of getting involved in life!) but it’s great experience and as judging is very subjective it doesn’t mean your photos aren’t good (they are!), just that on the day someone preferred someone else’s. A different someone on the same day might choose yours, as might the same someone on a different day – if you see what I mean?!
    As for retirement, it’s highly recommended 🙂 My husband retired early while I kept on working and enjoyed it, but when I felt it was the right time to join him three years ago, I did and we’ve never looked back!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Sarah, for your perspective on photography comps. Much appreciated. I am not at all disappointed. It was good for me. Also, helped me realise that I really don’t have time to put into that side of my life right now.
      Also good to know that couples can enjoy retirement together. I am optimistic. 🙂

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  13. I loved all these images Tracey. I especially liked the lizard. He’s so cute. I entered a large photo contest once and got two photos to show on the wall. One of them made it to the final table, but wasn’t chosen because they liked another better. The other wasn’t a true macro! That was my first and last contest because it cost to enter, cost to print, mat and frame, and cost to take it to the contest and bring them home.

    I do belong to a camera club and enter in their monthly competitions. I’ve only won one image of the night, but I’ve learned enough to make it worth while.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Loved your little critter peeking out of his hidden-hole Tracy, and the white flowers (sorry I’m a plant neophyte I have no idea what they are) are gorgeous. As for retirement – HURRAH!!! That is huge and exciting. Congrats to him.

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