Jolly Green GIant

This morning I checked the airline arrivals listing for the airport and found that the Qantas A380 was scheduled to arrive just after 9am. I mentioned it to mum who was up out of the chair faster than I could finish speaking...


Out to the airport we went, like a couple of deranged plane spotters. We started out at the Sunbury Road end but I had a feeling that we would have better luck down the other end... I just had to remember how to get there.

We found our way, parked and waited. Within minutes, a huge flying beast appeared in the sky and the people around us started to point, to lift their binoculars to their eyes, to stare as though viewing the appearance of a God. Well, maybe not quite like a God, but... you know. :-)

And here she is!! Touchdown!
In just a few weeks I will be on a big bird like this. Not the A380, but one of her smaller cousins. The more I think about the flights I'll be taking, the more freaked out I become. It's not natural to be up *that* high in a metal winged bird with nothing but engineering, technology and physics to keep you there. But, the anxiety will be worth it to see Em again, and to experience a northern winter. I can't wait!!

Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne

Railway Station, Melbourne

While waiting for my train to pull in, I noticed some new graffiti on the tracks. Though it's official graffiti, I like the contrast against the illicit tags behind.

See how bored I get while waiting for trains?

Carlton Gardens, Melbourne

My ultra small camera doesn't have many shooting options, but I tried this one which was for scenes under fluorescent lighting. I quite like the softening and yellowing that gives the shot an old worlde charm.



Drinking fountain with the water fountain beyond. I had to take this and the next shot quickly, as two small school children were walking up to take a drink. They gave me odd looks.
This is a bark etching that I've never noticed before... there are many things I've never noticed before until I started going out for walks and taking my camera with me. I have Em to thank for opening my eyes to a whole new world beyond my feet and eye level.
I photographed it as it appears, vertically, but when I spun it around it looks exactly like a gun trigger. I googled the park and tree carvings, because this looks like more than just someone's knife graffiti, but couldn't find anything about it.

Apparently I have a thing for refuse, especially beer related refuse. Hmmm....

'Watch your back'

Wall art on Lygon Street, Fitzroy.

Santa won't miss these houses.

Three homes all lit up in Massey Avenue, Reservoir. I wouldn't want to be paying those power bills....

Adam Lindsay Gordon

"Two things stand like stone,

kindness in another's troubles

Courage in your own."

Adam Lindsay Gordon was a writer and poet, born in 1833 and educated in England. As a youth he was apparently reckless and wayward. His parents sent him to South Australia in an attempt to reform him. While there, he did stints as a police officer and a member of Parliament. He later moved to Ballarat and then Melbourne, suffering misfortune along the way. After a series of personal and financial failings, he saw his book Bush Ballads and Galloping Rhymes into print -- a book that would later become one of Australia's most important pieces of literature. The day after the book was published, Adam took a rifle and shot himself.

This memorial stands on the corner of Spring and Macarthur Streets, Melbourne.

Storm clouds

Thunderstorm over Melbourne.

Opportunities like this are why I have a pocket digital camera that I carry with me everywhere.

Treasury Gardens on a different morning.

Remnants of a private celebration.

Quiet path

An ant's eye view.

Treasury Gardens, Melbourne

This morning I walked through Treasury Gardens before going to work. This is the second time I have done this and it won't be the last. For 45 minutes I walked and took photos, enjoyed the morning sunshine, the cool air, the brightness and freshness of a new day.

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Sunlight through leaves

I took several macro shots of the leaves before noticing the tiny red buds. Once I saw those buds, I snapped off several more shots before capturing this one which proved to be my favourite.

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Touch of heaven

Sunlight filtering through trees and onto a path in the Treasury Gardens. As corny as this sounds, the sight caught my breath and lifted my spirit. I chose to over-expose the sky so as to enhance the path of light. The scene was more beautiful and mistical than this photo, but it's close.

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Fly on flower

This was a grab shot amongst several photos of these trumpet-like flowers. The fly landed and I snapped. I quite like the result.

Great Ocean Road, Victoria

Em, myself and a spanish tourist took a day trip down to the 12 Apostles and the Great Ocean Road. Here are some photos of our day.

The photos are in no particular order and include a stop-off at the tree top walk, which is beautiful but far too high. ;-)

We had dinner in Warnambool then returned to Melbourne, tired but content to have seen the coast.