There has been many a twist and turn, and a few curve balls thrown at us over the last few weeks.
My mother and step-father visited from up north, skirting the floods that have left thousands homeless on the east coast of Australia. It has been over two years since I had my hair cut. My mother plaited it for me. The plait was a bit wonky, so perfect for me.
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For the Lens-Artists Photo Challenges – A Special Place and Odds and Ends.
I have been rather quiet over the last few months living my ordinary life in extraordinary times. Ordinary does not mean dull or insignificant. Such is life in these days of extremes. I have spent an inordinate amount of time at my special place, ie. home. It might not be perfect, posh or pristine, but it has everything we need. Every window has a view of the garden and its inhabitants.
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The theme for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge is Low Light. I thought I would join in. I enjoy low light photography. The words moody and dramatic spring to mind. It’s the realm of the arty farty, don’t you think? I like that word. Realm. I like arty farty too. Anyway, today I have four photos. The first three were snapped by my True Love (TL) and I took, and mucked around with, the fourth one. Please note that we don’t do mornings.
Kangaroo mob in the late afternoon.
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In the good old days when I had a career, it mattered what people thought of me. Making a good impression was essential to getting more interesting (rewarding) work. Two of my biggest weaknesses were that I had a habit of not finishing my sentences and forgetting words and the second “weakness” was that I was (am) fat. So naturally, often people thought I was fat and dumb. Being fat and being dumb are seen as significant moral character flaws. One of these flaws on its own is not an insurmountable problem, but combined, the difficulty level for climbing the career ladder increases.
Let me tell you a story. You shall see.
I don’t write. I paint.
A little pat here, a little daub there.
Need more colour, need more tones,
need to tone it down.
Start from the centre and build,
a puzzle to be solved.
Is a painting, like a story, ever finished?
I don’t think so.
Don’t ask me to start with a structure,
summary or plan.
I write by feel. I write by doing,
and see what unfolds.
Part 2 of my contribution to the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, Own Choice and One Image/One Story theme. In this case, it is one photo, three different ways. Check it out.
My True Love and my eldest son recently went on a spotlighting expedition. I stayed home because my night vision is poor and the terrain they were covering is very steep. They went into Greater Glider territory. Greater Gliders are nocturnal. They live in the trees, nesting in tree hollows, and can glide up to 100 metres at a time. I expect the Greater Glider will soon be listed as endangered given the impact of the deadly 2019/2020 Australian bushfires and ongoing land clearing across their range. It was a successful night. The lads came home with a photo of eye shine.
I’ve been learning some nifty PS edits. I added the arrow to the photo! Night photography is not our forté. But hey, this is not a David Attenborough documentary, so we make do. Next, I lightened the image. Ta da!
Let’s get closer.
Here’s what they really look like.
I hope you enjoyed this night out.
Kind Regards.
Tracy.
Further information:
https://theconversation.com/australia-has-failed-greater-gliders-since-they-were-listed-as-vulnerable-weve-destroyed-more-of-their-habitat-164872
Where has the year gone, ladies and gentlemen? Has it left a taste in your mouth? If so, I hope it fizzes on your tongue – the umami of friendships, happy reunions, sad farewells, betrayal, disappointment, joy, creativity, fellowship. community – the colour of life in all its hues.
The Colour Of The Senses
Can you smell purple?
Can you feel blue?
Can you see gold in the rainbow?
Can you hear a ringing pearlescent edged with pink,
taste a summer morning, luscious red on tender lips?
Colours complementary or clashing, multi-sensory mix and match –
can you smell, feel, see, hear, taste the colours coursing,
massing, grooving, singing in the fellowship of man?
I took the first photo and wrote the little poem. The next two photos were taken by my True Love. I think that is a reasonable division of labour, even if I do say so myself.
This is my response to Jude’s Life In Colour kaleidoscope photography challenge and also the first of two responses (pressure!) to Tina’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge with the theme of Your Choice. Thanks to all the wonderful hosts of these challenges for keeping us occupied this year.
We are nearly there, ladies and gentlemen. 2022. Soon. But let’s not rush it. Be kind, be patient, be your most compassionate selves.
Love to you all.
Kind Regards.
Tracy.
Canberra (Australia) – A veil of green pools on valley floor. Grey-filled sky billows adding to uncertainty. Will I or won’t I go for a walk? We put on our gardening gear and gumboots to dig in the loam once labelled the garden bed of death. Intermittent sunlight sounds of engines thrumming, dogs barking, bees humming and tiles cracking. Beyond Canberra, on the vast flood plains of eastern Australia, rivers rise, fall and rise again.
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Each month, Jude hosts a colour challenge, Life in Colour. The colour for November is black and/or grey. This is definitely my last contribution to this month’s colour challenge.
What Next?
On the lookout for smoke tendrils in the sky,
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike surveys the scene.
Each year lurching from one extreme to another,
What are we to make of the constant vacillation?
Grey expectations –
Hoping for a break in the weather.
There has been yet more flooding in parts of Australia. The rain would have been welcome had it come after harvest. British Columbia (Canada) has also been experiencing serious flooding this week. Please take care if you live in a flood affected area.
Kind Regards.
Tracy.
Each month, Jude hosts a colour challenge, Life in Colour. The colour for November is black and/or grey.
This may be my last contribution to this month’s colour challenge. Or possibly not if the sky keeps crying. Today, I have four photos to share. Three were taken by my True Love. I managed only one which is a damn sight more than was achieved at Cop26.
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Reflections of An Untidy Mind 
