Are you linked to this blog?

I encourage you to update your links to the new address of http://kathiesphotos.com please.

New look blog

I've shifted this blog to a new home and continued it there. The posts here will remain but for new posts please come visit me at my new home and new look blog and let me know what you think of it!

Canberra Botanical Gardens

On Saturday 7th March we visited the Botanical Gardens and had lunch there. It was a really beautiful day, quite perfect in fact, and Graham and Meredith wandered off into the distance catching up while I dawdled behind snapping to my heart's delight. Hope you like this selection!

The Sturt Pea (above) is the floral emblem for South Australia and it was nice to see it at the Canberra gardens.

A banksia flower (above)

Eastern Rosella

This lizard moved to hide in the shade but not before I managed to get a few shots.

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Canberra

Below are just a small number of the photos I took last Sunday at the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Canberra. Had to talk Graham into getting up early so we could get there - it was kicking off around 6.30am and we arrived 6.45 so that wasn't too bad. Heaps of balloons, lots of people, a band playing, food and drink available, dogs on leashes, kids running around. Fun morning.

P.S. Welcome to all my visitors from http://www.bbac.org/ - I saw the visits in my stats and encourage you to leave comment and let me know how you discovered this site?

Braeside Park, Victoria

I went to Braeside Park which is about 10 mins drive from my home this afternoon and wandered around. It's been years since I visited this park and I had hoped there would be birdlife in the wetlands area but much of it has dried up and I saw very little near the water area. But I did see birds around the picnic grounds and just enjoyed the peace and quiet there. On the weekends it is usually filled with people picknicking and having barbeques.

Noisy Minor

This gum tree is shedding its bark.

A crested pigeon in a tree - I couldn't see the beautiful colours until
I viewed this close up on my computer.

Rainbow Lorikeet enjoying the flowering gum tree

The clouds looked spectacular and I love that I now have a decent camera to appreciate their images.

Horse Sales

I went down to Oaklands Junction today to watch the horses being paraded in front of potential buyers before the Premier Yearling sales open Sunday 1st March.

My daughter Christine invited me as she knows how much her mum loves using her camera! So I thought I'd share some of the photos here with you. Only some because I took well over 200 and I don't want to bore you with them all, so this is just a sampling. Obviously the horse weren't all that thrilled about the day - some seemed to take exception!

Scotch Thistle Edited

I've been experimenting with new software, PS Elements 7. I'm told at the photography forum that many photographers use it. Never having used software like this before (I've never done a graphics course) it's a totally new ball game to me but I hope you agree that I am making some progress in my learning. See the original shot and then the edited one and let me know what you think!

More from Lysterfield

I did get back to Lysterfield on Sunday - feeling much better and got some more great pics. Had one of my daughters with me who had never been there before so it was great showing her around - and having her eyes seeing things I didn't!

By the way - do you like the new look of my blog? Playing with themes at the moment.

Don't know what this crested bird is but Christine noticed it in the brush and I managed to zoom in for a closer look.

This blue wren and its mate were fluttering from branch to branch. The female is the brown one.

A blue dragonfly on a piece of wood in the lake - they are pretty and fragile looking creatures.

Don't know what was going on but just as we were on the last path back to the kiosk a police helicopter flew overhead and not long after the park was swarming with police cars driving up and down the roads and checking out the carparks. We thought at first it was a fire and was wondering when they were going to announce it to everyone at the park but no warning was forthcoming. We eventually came to the decision they were hunting for something or someone and we decided it was time to go home, with the car doors locked so we didn't get any unwelcome visitors trying to get into the car as we left the park. A bit unnerving.

In my own backyard

Well, front yard as well. I wasn't well this morning so couldn't go out with hubby up to the country so spent time practicing manual focus on closeups with my zoom. These are just some of the shots.

The two images above are the same moth from different angles and on different leaves. It was extremely small and I was excited I could see it clearly through my zoom lense.

Daisy in the front garden

This is a Bougainvillea which doesn't actually have a flower but it's more like coloured leaves. It is a creeper and is on our side fence in brilliant bloom at the moment. This link will give you an idea of what a whole bush can look like in full bloom.

Toki, enjoying the beautiful day - perfect it was actually, a shame I wasn't well enough to go out. Oh well, I enjoyed a relaxing day at home playing with my camera and computer.

Birdsland Reserve Belgrave & Lysterfield Lake Park

Today my husband and I went for a trip to Birdsland Reserve in Belgrave, Victoria. He's having a rest day because he has a 6 hour mountain bike race tomorrow and as it's Valentine's Day we thought we'd spend it together. He was happy following me around while I took lots of pics then we went to Trailmix at Lysterfield and had lunch. Some of his riding mates were there so I left him with them to catch up and I took more pics. This is just a small selection from the best of!

Kookaburra in a tree - love my zoom lense!

I thought at first I could see a lizard looking at me in a tree but closer inspection proved it was a fish. I wonder how it got there - near the lake in Birdsland Reserve, Belgrave

This Malamute did as its master told it - sit, pose and smile!

Catamarans and small yachts on the lake at Lysterfield.


Small bird near the birdhide in Lysterfield Park

Dawn photoshoot at Lysterfield Lake Park

I went for a dawn photoshoot this morning. Graham and I were out of the house by around 6am and at Lysterfield Lake Park just before 6.30am. There we met up with Dave and the two guys went off for an MTB ride whilst I walked the paths and took photos.

It was a bit eery at first - no-one else around and I felt totally alone but after about 20 mins I saw a guy walking and eventually saw other riders and walkers.

Below are some of the 100+ photos I took this morning.

The first shows the dawn just breaking.

The guys getting their gear on, ready to go riding.

I was only just out of the carpark when I saw my first kangaroo. The guys had told me they are easily found at dawn.

The sun is coming up over the hills now and starting to peak through the trees.

This kangaroo didn't seem shy at all and was quite happy to pose for me.

If you'd like to see more shots I have another 40 at my Facebook site. Click here to see them. If you live outside of Australia I'm sure you will really enjoy them.

If you choose to use any of my photos please do me the courtesy of crediting me as the photographer and you may link back to my site. My name is Kathie M. Thomas and I live in Melbourne, Australia.

A guest at dinner time

We decided to have dinner on the back verandah tonight. The first time in a long time. It's been so hot for days and the evening air was starting to cool - more pleasant outside than in.

A couple of our cats came out to join us and immediately their attention was drawn to the bottom of a tree by the side. I looked but only could see a large rock and bushes so went back to my dinner. That is, until Graham noticed a possum scurrying up the tree. I quickly grabbed the cats and put them inside again and then grabbed my camera to get a shot.

This is a ringtailed possum who look scared. He probably came for a drink of water out of the bowl I keep filled up for him - the weather has been scorching and he probably couldn't wait till dark.

Does this qualify for failblog?

If you're familiar with failblog you'll know there are photos posted there that don't quite have something right in the picture.

Well, I think this photo qualifies too - although I had to put a circle around the bit that tells you why.

What bit didn't they understand? Or don't they read pictures?

Echidna in Lysterfield Park

I was nearly ready to give up my walk after having trodden a path and back again and not seen anything that grabbed my interest... until I saw something waddling up ahead. I moved quickly to get closer and look what I found!

I had to stand still for awhile so he would not hide from me but continue about his business.

I thought he was running away from me but no.....

He was just going for dinner. Yum, yum, lots of ants!

Now he's had his fill there he's off to look around elsewhere. He hid from me not long after that.