Mr Hoot

Today saw Cheryl and I go for a drive. We hadn’t been on a Sunday drive together for ages. She was either overseas or not well enough due to her back problems. So today we decided to go for a drive up the to the ‘hills’.

First of all we went for a bit of a look at The Basin, a rather nice area that we both wouldn’t mind living in some time in the future. Then I took her to where I had taken some close-up photos of cockatoos – Grants Picnic Grounds. We bought some refreshments at the cafe and whilst Cheryl sat on the grass and chilled out, I went stalking birds.

Later we went to Olinda Falls and whilst Cheryl sat and read a book under the shady Mountain Ashes, I strolled down to the falls, took photos and then trudged back up the hill. It was a good job that Cheryl didn’t go for the walk – her back would have given out. Even I with my excellent level of fitness, was puffing like Puffing Billy on the way back up.

A few photos are on Flickr for your enjoyment.
(NB: the blog title is also a song title from a band called Maximum Load)

Sunday 14th October saw our traditional 2nd Sunday in the month photo walk (I’m sure that doing something more than once constitutes a tradition). It was Michael‘s turn to choose the location and he chose the suburban streets, lanes and alleys of Collingwood and Fitzroy. Michael, Richard and I all used our ‘nifty 50′ lenses and Chris used an 17-40mm L series lens that he stole borrowed from a friend. I am still impressed by the sharpness and quality of the ‘fantastic plastic’ lens – marvelous for the price!

Michael conducted a bit of a Scavenger Hunt – we pulled subjects from a plastic bag; I got ‘framing’, ‘black’ and ’4 in a row’. The suburban environment was a challenge for me and although I was forbidden to take any pictures of birds, I managed to sneak a few in.

After a gourmet lunch at a convenient Macca’s, we returned to Michael’s house. Richard had to leave for a BBQ so Michael, Chris and I took a stroll down to the local duckpond where I could slap on my 70-300mm zoom and take ornithological pics to my heart’s content.

We also had a try at ’10 photos’; this is where one of us would choose a subject and we’d have to take 10 shots of it. We did a dead tree, a park bench and a power pylon. It certainly makes you think when you have to do that kind of thing. Was a lovely day!

Wednesday saw Richard and me visiting the Royal Melbourne Zoo. We had a great time taking photos though I was a little worried about Richard – I had taken a hundred odd photographs whilst he had only taken fifteen. There was many a corny joke and pun told during our ramble. I’m not sure whose jokes were the worst – and I take some beating when it comes to corn! See my Flickr account for some of my pictures.

*Zoo Time was a BBC series featuring Dr Desmond Morris way back when I was a kid.

Saturday morning – 10:30am. Chris, Richard and I went for a bit of a photo walk to the St Kilda Botanic Gardens. Over the last few weeks, I had passed the sign pointing to St Kilda Botanic Gardens six times and wondered whether it would be a good place for photography. Well, it was. Very photogenic with ducks, a pond, a cool fountain/statue of a guy with an umbrella. Chris had my old Canon EOS 3000 35mm film camera and shot off a roll of film. He was having a retro experience to experience the archaic technology of a few years ago. Richard left to attend a Grand Final BBQ and Chris and I continued to shoot ducks, pigeons and the umbrella dude.

Eventually we drove off to visit St Kilda Community Gardens just near Luna Park. This is a small block of land rather like the old allotments back in England. Except these seem to be decorated with all sorts of nick-nacks. Good photographing. A short walk around Luna Park and we returned home so I could watch the Cats humiliate Port Power in the Grand Final. And Chris wanted to go and get that film developed…

Today saw myself, Richard, Chris and Mel make our way to Healesville Sanctuary. Had a great time walking around taking photos. Highlight for me was when Chris found an Eastern Yellow Robin nest in the Lyrebird aviary. The nest was right next to the path and the parent(s) really tame. They came and fed the nestlings right in front of us. Photos on Flickr here.
The other point of note (other than taking 540 photos) was that I clocked my camera. That means of course that I have taken more than 10,000 photos with the 30D.

After Healesville we went to Maroondah Dam which is not far from the sanctuary. A very photogenic place and a walk across the dam wall and up to the lookout had my legs aching and really puffed me out.

Another great photo-walk!

This email in today…

Hi there

Arrived in Zurich yesterday.

When catching plane from Rome the check in clerk stated – flight boards ABOUT 1.20. You have to realise that the Italians do not work very well to time. It’s like who cares.
Any way the plane was a hour late leaving (they couldn’t find a bus to take us to the plane therefore I missed my connecting flight to Zurich. Went to the check in at Vienna (by the way I hate Vienna airport.) they said oh. They rebooked my flight for 3 hours later and gave me a ten euro voucher for some food. That bought a cup of coffee and a muffin. It was absolutely rain cats and dogs in Vienna and you have to get off on the tarmac. By the time I got to Zurich I was a rung out dishrag.
This morning I took the train to Zurich city. Such a contrast to Rome. Begin my tour this evening.

My Italy tour was amazing so Switzerland has a lot to live up to. Everything is very expensive everywhere due to the euro do I will come back with very, very, little money. Oh well.

I am so glad that I came

Cheryl

Hi there

Have just come back from a Sorrento farm where we saw mozzarella being made. We also Made our own pizza and ate it. Yum. We had lots of wine and lemonchello.
Have seen Pompeii today – wow.
The tour Has been wonderful. I am tired and have only dirty clothes left but it is the most wonderful time.
We were in Venice for the annual Regatta – unbelievable – and I rode in a gondola with singing and piano accordian – so great.
I Have a tan and have been burnt to blister and had to go to the Farmecia for cortisone cream.
My back is Great. I Have only taken about a thousand photos so I am on the first card still.
Thats all for now.

Lots of love to everyone
Cheryl (mum)

Sunday (2nd September 2007) saw David’s Airport Shuttle service working for the third time in three weeks. This time it was Tim who was off on holiday. He went to the Gold Coast for a few days, his first plane trip on his own. Have a great time Tim!
With Chris and Mel, we then headed towards home. We stopped off at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne and had a photo walk. Lots of pictures later we met up with Richard and Matthew and took more photos, had lunch and more of a walk around.
It was a beaut sunny day and there were many families celebrating Father’s Day with picnics. It was nice to spend time with family and I came home with a swag of photos both from the airport and the gardens.

Email from Cheryl. Her email address is avalon52@gmail.com if any of you would like to say hi to your Mum!

Hi David

Sorry we got cut off. I have run out of credit already.
I will try to keep in contact via email.
Well, I am totally overwhelmed with the beauty of Italy. My time so far has been absolutely fantastic. As I said there are 35 Americans and me, but they are fantastic people.
Seeing the Sistine Chapel bought a tear to my eye. By the way, the Pope was out!
Because we are in a group we go right by the hundreds and hundreds of other people waiting in line to see the sights. It makes one feel really good.
The Coliseum – oh boy – standing in there you can feel the history and everywhere you turn in Rome there are remnants of the roman wall.
Pisa and Florence are beautiful. There is so much to photograph I don’t know where to start.
There are absolutely no road rules in Italy and cars, scooters and people all fight for the roads.
My back is holding up really well and lets me know when to stop.
The food!!! Yes I have had pizza and it is nothing like in Australia, but oh so delicious. The Italians do not use garlic at all in cooking. Along with pizza our meals have been divine. Five courses most of the time, so if I thought I would lose weight, yeah right.

I am so glad that I have come. I am laughing a lot and can feel all the stress leaving in the face of this wonderful country. By the way the pace is so slow – no one is in a hurry. The highest temperature so far has been 41 degrees and I have a red nose.

I miss you all but am having the time of my life

Take care of yourself

I just had a phone call from Florence. Well actually it wasn’t Florence calling – it was Cheryl calling from Florence… In Italy…
She said she is having a BALL! Today she saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa – it’s still leaning. And she also saw David – NAKED! (Author’s note: It was a different David she saw not me). ‘Tis good to know that she is having fun. Her back is a bit sore but that’s because she was doing the Can-Can in the hotel lobby last night. I didn’t ask too many questions about that!
And then we got disconnected – probably ran out of credit on her mobile.