Ok ... I admit it ... I had a "blonde moment" today ...

Ok ... I admit it ... I had a “blonde moment” today ..... they don’t happen that frequently and there were extenuating circumstances for this one ... but yeah ... it was still a “blonde moment”.

Facing one way down the road .. and the storm clouds are gathering.

I take so many photos on my rambles .... sometimes over 200 a day ... and I shoot them in RAW format which allows for more editing options .... particularly with the kind of weather we’re exposed to here.  RAW formatted photos are big though so they take up a lot of space. 

Facing the other way on the road ... and the sun's shining!

My camera’s subjected to a lot of harsh treatment ...  rain, waves, sand ... hound nose art .... etc. etc. and it’s been having a few issues.  Temper tantrum type issues .... where it just stops working .... focus ring won’t turn .... can’t open aperture .... shutter button won’t depress.  Sand in the grooves can apparently cause that.

Do you think she could have found a longer log?

It did that this morning towards the end of our ramble .... much to my frustration .... I hate it when there’s a great photo opportunity and the camera’s “having a moment”.  Arrive home and tell Gav the camera’s not working again ... switch in on to show him .... look through the view finder only to see this “FULL” message flashing at me on the screen ..... hmmmmm .... that’s why the shutter button wouldn’t depress .... I’d taken too many pics ..... NO MORE ROOM AT THE INN!!!

In my defence it’s difficult to see the writing on the screen when I’m outside .... much easier when you’re indoors .... but it still was one of those rare ... very rare .... “blonde moments”.


Whilst looking at the photos I’ve taken today, you’d be forgiven for thinking I was in two different countries ...

.... take a photo in one direction and the sun’s shining and the sky’s blue ... but turn around and point it in the other direction and there are black storm clouds and rain ... it’s so weird!  The sun WAS shining when I left on my ramble this morning .... but the wind’s been blowing ferociously and we had to seek shelter from the sudden downpour that threatened to engulf us when we were in the village!

We must have looked very odd ... Carol, Julia and I sitting on the steps of the new building with our hounds ...... and of course, our customary daily fix. There are benches behind the glass doors where we’re sitting ... but they’re exposed to the elements too!

The stormy seas and wicked weather takes its toll on the bird and fish population ... we’ve seen a couple of dead penguins on the beach the last few weeks ... and the odd gannet.  There are often fish washed ashore .... and rays ... and the occasional eel ... all dead and providing nourishment for the gulls.  

Pied Oyster Catchers in the bay

I’ve never seen chips before though ... I kind of expect to find fish ... it’s the sea, after all ... but chips, raw frozen ones ... that’s a first!  Indy found them whilst hoovering the waves at Ladies Bay .... not a packet of them .... but several loose ones washing up in the surf.  Raw potato isn't good for dogs so Julia and I did our good deed for the day ... using Indy’s nose we hoovered the beach for raw frozen chips and disposed of them all in the trash bin ... Indy wasn’t impressed!

A cruise liner heading to the harbour

I’m sitting at my desk right now watching the wind blowing furiously across the garden ... the grass has grown SO much this last week ... courtesy of all the rain.  The wind’s making it wave ... like those fields of wheat that look as if they’re in motion ... that’s what my patch of lawn looks like ..... as if it’s in perpetual motion.  

Taking shelter from the rain!

Wind isn’t calm ... it’s not serene ... and it’s certainly not peaceful ... but ..... it does have one positive spin to it that I love!  It brings out the kite surfers in my bay .... and I LOVE watching the kite surfers!