Through the eyes of sisters, week 7 Topic: WORK

WORK .... this has the potential to be such a powerful topic. Every week I come on moaning time in not on my side, I have made peace with that. Unfortunately rain and strong winds kept me from chasing the picture I really wanted for this week, once again I found myself scrambling at the end to get something to submit (my bad). Next week the kids are back at school and I am going to use at least one of those days to get the pic I want for whatever topic my sister chooses (and now that I have put that in the open watch the weather forecast I am going to be plagued with floods and snow storms and gales ... just because Murphy lives on my doorstep).

On the bright side of the lack of time it does at least force me to think harder and out of my usual train of thought, look for idea's I wouldn't have thought of first hand, so I guess that is a good thing.

My sister's picture is simply beautiful! It symbolises work at it's hardest ... and mother and her offspring ... lets be honest there is no job tougher than kiddies of any kind. I am not going to rewrite my sisters story because she always has such a way with words. She said it like this: a couple of weeks back I wrote about the swan sitting on her nest - well, she is still at it, earning her jewellry while she hatches her cygnets.  I chose her because she has not budged since she laid the eggs, you can go past her any time night or day and she is ALWAYS there.  That's WORK if you ask me, but then, ask any mother and she will tell you that children are hard work - there is no down time, no 'off duty' sign you can put up like a cab driver (although, that's not a bad idea!).  Regardless of how tired you are, you will still get up to answer the whimpers of a sick child, or wake up early to finish a science project . . . and here is this beautiful lady, sitting on hard round eggs for WEEKS for her progeny.  Is this mother nature or a nurturing mother?  I think raising young can only be a labor of love, so the answer is nurture.

For me mine is obviously a mad scramble, having to have my pic submitted last night at 7pm I was going "ummm ..... ummmm ... ummmm" then I decided to do something symbolising my new "work" my new job that I am so excited about. Now most photographers always show themselves with a camera in front of their face and one eye peeking out, you know the sort of pic I am referring to. Well that is all good and well but then if I do that I am not taking the pic and it is kinda the point to be a photo I have taken ... not? so I did the next best thing. It is a bit cliche is you ask me, I am not happy with this weeks submission but I am doing it regardless because I have committed and if you know me you know if I commit then I do it no matter what ;-)

Before I sign off thank you for all the positive comments, it is great to hear positive words coming from others, especially others with the same passion. xxxx

Through the eyes of sisters week 6, Topic: Old

Of course Old, seems like the sensible thing to follow new :-) I am so proud of myself (my sister too for that matter) we had our pics done not only on time but early. It was so easy to get lost in this topic, a world of yesteryear, both told and untold stories.

My sister took her pic from her car while still driving and having a rather interesting conversation with her kids, one I would love for her to elborate on one day, maybe I should make it next weeks topic then she can can not only explain but she can give me an illistrated explanation ... LoL. Her pic reminds me of a movie scene, one of those set in the 50's or so (my timing could be way off of course, I am not movie or period buff).

My pic of the week has a story behind it, of that I am sure (doesn't everything in life have a story?) the difference is I wish I could tell you the story. I can give explain the picture a little but that is about as much as I can do :( When my sister mailed me this weeks topic my mind did it's usual race thinking of what I can do, of course I had lots of idea's but then decided that being new to this region I know very little about the history, so I did some research, like any other place where humans are the Taranaki history is one of war and battles and violence, so I payed a visit to St Mary's Memorial and took a walk around, head stones and memorial plaques doned the place remembering a person or a family or people who parted us and were fought a brave fight, among all these granite and marble memorabilia or days gone bay was this weathered wooden cross, standing alone, no inscription, no description, nothing! It is clearly a grave of sorts, but who lay beneath? Was this person not worthy of even a mention? Very sad!! :'( I am making it a bit of a personal quest to find out who this is ... watch this space ...

I snapped a few more memorials, and could not let this one slip on by, it is in honour of Taranaki troopers who fell in the South African war.

This one is the newest of one in St Mary's garden, it is also on the opposite side to the others, once again I am not sure why, but am keen to find out.

Finally this is not a fancy granite stone, it is a tree!St Mary's Oak tree was planted in August 1899 from an acorn sent from Halifax, Yorshire, England. Of course this tree has more history than this but you are going to have to come visit me and read it yourself ;-)

Well now I have taken you on a walk down the path of Taranaki's yesteryear, a time in history that is immortalised in a garden. My turn to pic a topic ... ummmm ..... ummm ... 

Through the eyes of sisters week 5 Topic: New

So another week gone by and I feel like I am still living in a week 2 weeks ago ... LoL, my training is nearly over and I hope that means life will bare some normality for me, probably not since then I will be out on my own!

I chose the topic for this week, with a clear vision of what I wants, as always, it didn't happen, life happened instead. I figured that "new" is an easy topic, there are new things everywhere all we need to do is point and shoot, ah but there in lies the trick .... point and shoot ... hmmm that requires firstly a camera charged and ready, a moment of time and focus. Out of those 3 boxes I have can successfully tick NONE, and I call myself a budding photographer ... LoL, maybe one day when I am big.

I will start with my sister's pic, it brings a big smile to my face, it is just oozes her all over it. She took a pic of "Sunshine" not the firely ball of light in our sky, Sunshine is her birthday present. Yes my sister gives names to all her possessions, our whole family does, we name our cars, our pot plants, and even our bicycles apparently. I like my sisters birthday present, it just so sums up her in one glance, different, quirky, definitely a little odd, and seriously eccentric! May you ride many happy miles with sunshine all around, I love and miss you madly!!!

Now my turn, I openly admit my pic was a mad scramble, but then even going to the loo has been a mad scramble for me this week ;-)

There is something very few know about me, I am a sunrise and sunset kinda girl, I don't need romantic walks to appreciate them, I gaze dreamily at them from the windows of my house. I am obviously always awake to see sunsets and I am mostly awake before sunrise, I seldom miss one. There is just something about a sunrise that really brings promise and excitement to me. I watch the sunrising while making beds or tidying up or opening curtains or making school lunches, no matter what I am up to at that moment I peep through the window and watch the pallet of colours on display for the world to see, sadly most of the world doesn't see it. I do! I appreciate it. I watch and make mental notes of what the day will have in store, my to do list!! Consisting of yesterdays to do list, which also consisted of the day before's to do list which is not on today's to do list, sunrise holds a promise that I get to ignore my to do list for another day ;-) My pic for "new" is "A New Day" ... a new day is a promise of what is yet to come!

To all you sleepy heads out there who spend you life sleeping it away while the world keeps turning I have photographed the sunrise beginning to end, show you the beauty of life you are missing out on ... show you the true magical pallet on display. These moments are far to beautiful to be spent with your eyes closed!

Through the eyes of sisters : Topic Play

Hey all, first up I am so so so so sorry this is late, I have been away on training this week and have had no internet connection to do my blog, the training was awesome though!!! I had done my pic but just could not get it up or send it to my sister so I have held up everyone. On training we learnt "apologise apologise apologise" ... and I really am sincerely sorry, lucky I know you are an understanding bunch ... LoL

So without further delay ...
This weeks topic was so great ... "Play" ... once again my sister and I show how different we can thinkof things. I like her pic, I like her story that goes with her pic. I think she had a nice interpretation of it. I am not going to thinkof how to re-write her description I am going to post it as she sent it:

Pam: I work with a farmer in Western Mass who is committed to bringing healthy food to less affluent neighborhoods and he runs a delivery service in a town east of Boston.  I meet him there to pick up some of the produce I order from him each week and it is an arrangement that works well.  I took this photo in that neighborhood and it just reminded me how lucky our children are to have a safe place to play, and green grass to run on, and how diverse an upbringing so many children around the world have . . . we are lucky.

We are lucky!! Our kids have room to move, grass under their feet and are safe.

My pic this week was different idea of play. I played with my kiddies chalk ;-) and made a "Play" not much into or description needed here ... LoL

It's a play button ...LoL :-)

Now I better get cracking to think of next weeks topic, my sister is already whipping my butt about being late this week ... LoL