Our Weekend Away

Life wasn't meant to be easy, and no one has the right to judge someone else's life until they walk in their shoes for just an hour.....

Do things in your life that you love, and loving what you do.

Gets me to what I love doing and that is getting out and taking photos, traveling the countryside.

The end of last month beloved and I had the pleasure of packing the car up and heading off for a few days, the adult children decided rather than buying me a worthless gift for Mothers Day, that they would send beloved and I away for a nice quiet weekend. It was the nicest gesture and we sure did appreciate it.

Life isn't just about yesterday. You can regret the things you have done for as long as you want to, or you can dwell upon all the wonderful memory for eternity. But life just moves on. 

Life isn't just about now. You can try very hard to stop time from moving away, or you can close your eyes as it slips through your finger tips. But time is never a thing we can have control over, we can not make it slow down or make it go faster.

This is why I love taking photos, makes yesterday seem like today and today lasts for ever. This is the only way you can make it feel like time has stood still for you.

So as I said, we packed the car and set off on our four days away. With the music blaring and smiles on our faces, we proceed down the highway to our destination.

Our first stop was to get fuel at our usual gas station not far from home we managed to get diesel for $1.12 which made us happy.

Our destination was beautiful, and I was so excited at the prospect of being able to get out and takes some spectacular photos of our beautiful country. I even managed a few time lapse videos, I was hoping to get some of the night skies as compared to being at home there were no street lights to hinder what I wanted to capture, but sadly it rained each night and it was so cold that I wasn't able to do what I wanted, but the days were beautiful as you will see in my photos.

My trusty lens was used once again 24mm - 105 mm, most places we visited, there were so many tourists from overseas and all I wanted to do was to get a few great shots without them in it. 

Here are just a few of my shots from the Nobbies to Cape Woolami.

Although the sun was out the breeze was very cold, but it didn't put a damper on anything, as I watched the waves crash against the rocks, as yet another tourist spoke in another language and took photos of family and friends in weird poses.
Have you ever used the program Maps on your mobile phone? We did and a trip which I thought would take just under 2 hours, took us down a winding dirt road for about 2 1/2 hours.  I must say where we ended up was the most beautiful spot I had ever seen and yes it was so perfect for a few photos.

This spot is known as Wilson Promontory.

It was a perfect weekend, but sadly all good things come to an end, we had to return home and back to normal life sadly.

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Reflecting

Well back here again sitting with all these thoughts in my head, wondering how to put them into context so they sound interesting and not a page full of dribble.

Getting up to find that the teenage kids have left a sink full of dishes in the sink, with tomato paste smeared on the bench, my day begins again. Picking up clothes, wiping bench tops putting things away, oh what a fabulous life a mother has.

These last few weeks have made me do some reflecting of my own life and I think if things had been different, where would we be now. We have had two deaths this month, so very, very sad for all concerned. Two very different funerals but both very nice in their own way, a time for reflecting and a time to support those dear friends who need us by their side at this sad time.

In between all the supporting of my dear friend, I have managed to get in some photography time, going from Frankston to Barwon Head and back to my favorite place Torquay/Jan Juc. The weather has been perfect, sun shining high in the sky to produce some of the most spectacular sunsets you will ever see.

As you all know the beach is my happy place, sitting on the sand gives me time to soak up the sea air and just to think of what has passed these last few weeks, whilst snapping away with my camera.

Life is beautiful and I have learned that with taking photographs, I see things in a different light, that boring leaf you see, I see beauty, that lone seashell laying in the sun on the sand has it's own beauty, even if you can not see it, my whole outlook on life has changed and what I see and so have I.

Do not take things for granted, enjoy each and every day to the max for you never know when it will be your last, and never ever forget to smile as you go along your journey of life and even if you don't think it is possible, there is at least one person who cares for you.

Today I sit in quiet reflection, confused and saddened at what has transpired. I struggle with the concept of 'grief' can I contribute something helpful or tangible, it almost seems meaningless. Words have so much power yet in this context they are superfluous and not enough.

So on that note, I will share with you, my photography adventures and hope this makes you smile.

Once again my go to lens is my 24-105mm lens, I don't seem to use my other lens much these days, well unless I am taking surfing photos then I put my huge lens on as people call it 150-500mm.

Both of these shots are taken at different beaches along the Nepean Highway here in Victoria. It is very nice here, but I don't feel the same inner peace as I do when I'm sitting on one of the beaches along the Great Ocean Road, the atmosphere is quite different from both places and photos very different as you will see.

Barwon Heads (Below)

Jan Juc (Below) with its beautiful crystal clear water as we walked over the slippery rocks to the other side to be greeted by beautiful little rock pools and caves in the sandstone rocks, you could see where the waves had lashed on the side of the rocks to create the most beautiful formations. The surf was awesome and the elusive surfer waited patiently to catch that wave and glide into the shore.

 Barwon Heads Sunset, This was the most spectacular sunset I had seen in a long time and the daughter said to her father my beloved, please stop the car, mum must get some photos of this awesome sunset. I had the camera set on landscape mode with the sunset setting on, which made the colours pop, it was so pretty as it reflected below on the water.

 What an awesome way to finish off such a spectacular day.

So as I sit here and reflect on things I've done and a hint of sadness come over me for those loved ones who are no longer here with us on earth, all I can do is offer my support and love for those who grieve my final words are

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My Journey...

We are once again nearly through the second month of 2017, this year is another year I have loved having my camera in my hand, it has taken me to so many wonderful places. With the purchase of our gorgeous new car a 4x4 in January. We can venture even further now. I can take photos of different things now we are able to go offroad.

 

I was recently asked by someone if I'd made a new years resolution. I am not a believer in New Years Resolutions….. my will power is never that strong. I like to take each day as it comes and only hope for the best. My motto will be, stay positive and have fun in whatever you do.
Sometimes life is so busy it is hard to take 15 minutes for yourself each day.  So when Saturday comes I put everything else aside and off we go with camera in hand. Never expect us to be home on a Saturday, where we go no one knows.

2016 taught me a few things about people, you give them your all and you get nothing in return, these people are those who do not deserve my time, so you move on without looking back to see where they are. Life goes on, it is about what makes you happy, spending time with my beloved and my camera, are the two things that make me happy, being positive and being happy with the things I do, being with those who appreciate your friendship and those that make you laugh till you cry are the most important things to me.

Earlier in the year, I had the pleasure of catching up with some primary school friends which I hadn't seen for over 40 years, sadly this night I didn't have my camera with me, it was a great night with great food and so many laughs. I have made some long time friends and we plan to catch up again soon.

This year thus far, we have been to a few different places and seen some beautiful things and even managed to get the car on an off road track and found a beautiful waterfall in our travels.

My go to lens always seems to be my 24-105mm. I use this 95% of the time these days. It has a zoom I like as well as a great distance focus. I'm hoping my website will be up and running soon, where you will be able to purchase my photographs. This is my goal for this year, although you can now purchase any of my images which you currently see.

 pictures in front of my lens……pictures around my lens......pictures thru my lens….. 

For more than a decade I have loved art and photography, but for a long time my art of designing has taken priority, but now I want to put my heart and soul into my photography, allowing me to travel to some uncharted places, to take my photography to places I have never seen.

This year I had the pleasure of stepping behind my camera to photograph a gorgeous little baby, not something I usually do, but would again if given the opportunity to do so. So in the meantime, I will continue with getting out behind the lens and photographing what I know best.

I look forward to sharing my journey with you, which I am going to take this year with my camera

So please, feel free to come and join in the journey with me, pull up your chair infront of your computer, ipad or phone and leave me a comment……..

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