273: Find a feather pick it up

...that's what I did. On my way out of the house this morning, off to catch the bus I noticed this colourful feather on the ground. So I popped it in the gate hinge where it sat safely until I got home and got my camera out. Great angle, lovely late afternoon light. The feather makes a sharp but pretty feature. One of my favourites I think.

272: Trigger

This is a beautiful ornamental gun that the boys have decorating their mantelpiece. Love the detail, it was good to get up close and personal with the lens again. Nice and sharp in the middle, soft around the edges, just the way we like it!

271: Moonlight

I think my next camera purchase is going to be a tripod! I find myself trying to experiment with low light photographs or movement and do successfully capture things like this a tripod is a must. The moon shot has come out quite nicely though, in an old fashioned looking photo kind of way. Soft and slightly blurry.

270: Blowing in the breeze

I just pottered around my backyard this afternoon looking for today's daily snapshot. While these little buds are probably weeds, I still think they can be photographed to look arty and pretty in light breeze and setting afternoon light.

269: Glassware

Glassware makes a great prop or feature in photography. The way light filters through it. Reflections shine off it. Views are kinked and distorted. Lots of fun and lots of experimentation. The multiples of glasses here in the late afternoon light looks pretty. However I'm going to wreck it now by taking one and pouring myself a delicious glass of bubbly. 

268: On a back veranda

In the suburb of Paddington I found myself enjoying being well and truely home. You don't get much more Aussie than this. Friday evening drinks on a back veranda, the weather is balmy and the company is good. The only sad part of the evening (for us) is that this is Tegan's leaving party. It's extremely exciting for her though, about to depart on a 3 month long world trip, Teags I wish you a massively fun but safe adventure.

267: New doors lead to new places

... I wonder where this one will take me?

266: Early hours

Hmmm, jet lag is leaving me awake in the early hours. Thought to myself "may as well be productive and get a photo out of this". Perhaps now I should turn the light off and close my eyes some more.

265: The well travelled traveller returns

No time for words tonight, just letters. Zzzzz

264: Somewhere above the ocean in the clouds

Hurrah, we're now in third leg. Not long to go now. Well still like 6 hours but in the scheme of the whole flight that's not that long. Pretty clouds, so white and fluffy.

263: Homeward bound

A small photo opportunity while changing planes in Dubai. Long distance travel isn't so exciting for taking photos and the airports are so strict about camera use. Leg one of the homeward bound journey down, two to go then it's hello Brisbane.

262: Weary

Weary eyes. Going up stairs for one last sleep before my journey home begins. Goodnight everyone. Will have a few 'in-transit' pics for you when I get home. Fingers crossed I don't get too much jet lag!

261: The famous red pillar box

Haha I couldn't resist snapping some photos of the typical red postbox, found all around the streets of England. Very iconic!

260: Jewellery quarter

As the name suggests, Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter holds an overwhelming number of jewellery shops. Needing a break from looking at earrings, necklaces and rings I stole a few shots around the older streets of town. I especially liked this old signwriting high up on a large brick building. 

259: A walk in the woods

Doesn't this look like it came straight from an enchanted forest? In reality I was just up early enough to head out for a walk with my aunty and her big, black lab Dexter. I love the way the floor is still dark enough to blend into the silhouettes of the trees in the foreground and they meet overhead to create a real tunnel effect out into the more inviting looking daylight.

258: Hangin around

Just home from visiting a little town called Woodstock (in the Cotswolds). Their main attraction is the large and very impressive Blenheim Palace, birthplace of Winston Churchill. To undecided about which photo to choose from the palace I went for this bright hanging basket outside a black front door in th village. I love the angle and the vibrant colours look great against each other. Everyone here seems to have little flower boxes, baskets or pots by their front doors. Makes the streets look lovely.

257: Betty boo

Ahh my gorgeous little (2nd) cousin Betty making a dash past the camera. We've just had a super family reunion in London as we haven't seen cousins, Bethan and Marvin, for over 10 years! A lovely day meeting husbands, wives and new cousins. We also got a little bit of garden time in which was perfect for some family photos. Betty's quick on her little legs but I was pleased with this grinning motion pic!

256: Airborne

Tschüss Switzerland! After a super week (thanks girls) I found myself on my way back to England land. I was stoked with my window seat on the plane as I was keen to get some photos from up in the air. The sky is always such a wonderful blue high up above all those fluffy clouds.

255: Mountain top

I was treated to a truely wonderful Swiss adventure this morning, climbing Mt Rothorn. Now I must admit, we didn't actually climb from the bottom, only the very adventurous (and fit) do that! No we caught 2 cable cars and then walked the last 100 meters or so. Amazing views! There was a little snow to see, which made my day, crazy mountain bikers (they hurtle down these tracks!) people running off and parachuting down, not to mention being higher than some of the clouds. I snap, snap, snapped away with my camera and although I found it hard to capture the sheer height (2863m) we were at this one I think gives you a pretty good idea!

254: Spin out

I find myself on a small road trip this afternoon to Chur. Now staying with my next group of friends, sisters, Tanja and Vera are kindly taking me to their hometown in the mountains for the weekend! It's just a spin out when you get in the car, because you get in on our driving side to be the passenger while the driver sits on the left and we drive up the other side of the road!

253: A trip to the zoo

I found myself on the tram this morning, climbing a long ascent (glad I wasn't on the bike today) to Zurich zoo. What a wonderful day out, I felt like a kid again passing from enclosure to enclosure, dying to find out what I would discover next. They have a wonderful array of creatures, one favourite of mine being this little guy. I'm kind of fascinated with seahorses and was thrilled to check this one out up close and even more thrilled when the piccies turned out. Photographing through glass and underwater can be challenging!

252: Old world charm

Zurich's streets are lined with amazing buildings like these ones, it was the great colours here caught my eye. It's been wonderful exploring this beautiful city by foot and by bicycle and as you can see the weather is perfect for it! I love the shutters found on almost everyone's windows, a final touch, attention to detail! Zurich city has bucket lots of old world charm.

251: Dandelions on summer breezes

After a day of much walking, sightseeing, shopping and chatting, Melanie and I headed up one of Zurich's bigger hills overlooking the city to share a small aperitif - champagne! What delicious views, weather and company. I was delighted to find bunches of dandelions on the hillside and couldn't resist asking Melanie to blow one of these tufty globes into the breeze. With the evening light and the seeds dancing out of the picture I was very pleased with this result!

250: Couch surfing in Switzerland

Hurrah, today I arrived in Switzerland for the Zurich leg of my holiday. I'm very excited as the first stop is with friends Melanie and Lukas and their cute little kitty - Louline, who I'm sharing the couch with. Couch surfing is an official holiday accommodation option these days thanks to this site. But I already knew Melanie as she came and stayed with my family about 6 years ago while studying English in Australia. It's so great to finally see her again. We have lots of catching up to do and I can't wait to see some of the local spots around her hometown.

249: Tea time

A couple of other trinkets I love at my Granny's flat - these colourful, vintage coffee, tea and sugar canisters.

248: Little blue chair

This little blue chair used to seat me when I would go to visit my Granny a long, long time ago. In fact I would have only been about 4, 5 and 6 years old. It was also used by my little brother and my 2 younger cousins. What a sturdy little thing. I'm so glad my Granny still has it. Even though these days all it holds is the crossword puzzle books. What I love about this photograph is the way the photo looks like it was taken on film. Really grainy, with that beautiful soft light processed the way the old camera always do. So appropriate for the subject.

247: Nutty the squirrel

It's all about the critters at the moment! Soon hopefully I'll capture a fox and come rabbits (photographically, not physically) for you too. The squirrels here are super cute, they are quite common (like our possums, but smaller) but not everyone that lives here loves them. I went out for a walk this afternoon hoping to cross paths with a few and found this little one playing on the front lawn of our next door neighbours house. They are very flighty and don't stay still for long, so you have to be quick. But I managed to get him when he paused at the top of this tree for a breather. Made a great composition. Thanks little squirrel. 

I'm heading off on a jaunt to Switzerland next week so from tomorrow I'll be offline until I get back. Things will be a bit quiet around here but don't worry I'll be photographing my little heart out over there and will be ready to post my adventures the Monday after next. I can't wait! Aurevoir chaps :)

246: Mouse hunt

Paid a visit to a little village called Ilmington this morning, where my Mum used to live. The local church, St Mary's holds many memories, Mum and Dad were married there, both my brother and I were christened there and now some of our family members rest there. It's also special because it has 11 little mice carved into the wooden pews and as a little girl I remember having a wonderful time crawling all around, up, down to find those 11 mice. I must have been a better hunter then than I am now, because this time I only found 5 of the little wooden critters.

245: Don't let the beddie bugs bite

Oh I was so caught up in the excitement of holidays today I almost forgot to take a photo!! That hasn't happened for a while. Luckily I was able to sneak in this crafty angle of my bed just before hopping in. Night night, don't let the beddie bugs bite!

244: White dove

Dad found this little white bird posing for me in a tunnel in Warwick today. A great find! There was a few of them nesting in the gaps between the stones, but this one looks poised and ready for departure. He was happy to sit a little bit longer while I fired off a few photos of him. Love the contrast between the dim stones and pristine white feathers. I hazard a guess that it's a dove, but am no bird expert (like I'm no flower expert) and it may in fact be a white pigeon, if they exist?