Ballooning in Hamilton

Day one of the Learning@School conference in Hamilton. As I was walking to the conference this morning there were two balloons floating lazily over the convention centre. It seemed very fitting for the start of the conference. 1500 teachers all ready for two days of keynotes and workshops and I get to film nearly 30 of them. What a cool job.

Ready and waiting

Today we set up for the Learning at School conference in Hamilton. We are in the brand new Claudelands Events Centre and the keynote room looks amazing. These chairs are waiting to be filled by the 1500 teachers arriving tomorrow.

Web

I found a beautifully formed web in my garden today, they truly are a work of art and magic.

A Distant City at the Crown Hotel

A Distant City played their first pub gig tonight at the Crown Hotel in Dunedin. Not bad considering two members of the band were jet lagged.

Marie's Christmas candle

Fremantle

We had a lovely time wandering around Fremantle today. I chose this image because I love the way the old couple seem to be watching the young man as he walks away from them, the whole scene seemed to have a 3D quality (which is a little lost when the image is small).

Under the bridge

Underneath the Canning Bridge

Back in Perth

I'm back in Perth for the holidays. This is a view of the city from the Mount Henry Bridge. I went for a lovely long ride on my mum's bike this morning before the onslaught of last minute shopping for Christmas day. 

A Distant Drum

The boys decided to play down in the garden again. This time instead of just taking the acoustic guitar and snare drum down, out came the extension lead, amplifier, electric guitar and full drum kit. All carried right down to the bottom of the garden on a beautiful sunny day. They loved it. The neighbours on the other hand ...

A bunny Christmas

Not long to go now ...

A Distant City

Gunslinger have had a name change. On Sunday they played their first gig under the name of A Distant City. "We hope you enjoy the new direction of the band" (Spinal tap reference)

Self portrait

Garden

I have a thesis due soon. When I get overwhelmed I find other things to do like chop down trees and tidy up the garden. A friend said to me, "You would live in a jungle if you didn't have deadlines". Funny.

Berries

The beautiful weather continues and I have been getting into the garden. I quite like how the shape of the berries are reflected in bokeh.

Glorious

It was a glorious day in Dunedin. I was wandering around my neighbourhood with my camera and couldn't resist laying down in the grass amongst the flowers looking out to the harbour.

Jamming

The day was too nice to be inside for band practice, so today's practice was held at the bottom of the garden.

A Distant City was featured in the Otago Daily Times >>

Cat

This is my next door neighbour's cat. You just have to wonder what cats are thinking ...

Clear

It was an incredibly clear morning, it all looked so calm. This is the view from the back deck of my house looking out to St Clair Beach.

Boys will be boys

The boys were out on the trampoline yesterday. Of course, the trampoline was just the springboard for launching yourself into trees.

Standing out

Sometimes you just feel like you are the only brown house in a grey world. (Either I am being very philosophical, or I was playing with Photoshop and have nothing of interest to say about this image - you choose.)

Harbour cone

The harbour cone on the Otago Harbour, Dunedin's volcano. I prefer cookies and cream myself.

Another perfect morning

Every morning is a perfect morning in its own way. I am very lucky to be blessed with this view each day in all of its various moods.

St Clair

I love this mural at St Clair beach. It was painted by Lyndsay Crooks who sadly passed away a few years ago. I love the sense of fun and summer in his work.

Daisy

The sun was glorious. This photo is for my mum - the original Daisy.

Jessica

Time for another Jessica photo. She is enjoying being out in the garden again now the sun is shining.

When will people learn?

I was dismayed to see this child, who looked about three, crawling around in the hatch area of this car completely unrestrained. How is this still happening?

A nice place to walk

I take myself off for a walk each day to escape the computer screen, you couldn't ask for a nicer path to follow than this one.

Looking up

I decided to look up today.

One Arm Point

Another photo from my past. This is an Aboriginal community up the top of Western Australia a few hours drive through the bush in a four wheel drive from Broome. Very remote. Was a fantastic trip to stay with my friend Fiona who was teaching there at the time.

Blast from the past

I spent today scanning old photos and I came across this one which I think is fabulous. (I am the one in the pool on the left)

Keeping warm

Woke up Saturday morning and the back deck was covered in snow! Strange spring we are having.