Sleep time / story time

Father and son walking sleeping daughter, Tarralla Creek, Croydon, Victoria.
Baby sister is deep asleep
It is time for father and son
"Tell me a new story dad,"
"make it a really good one!"

Photography days #23.

The environmentalist

Tree planting, Bacchus Marsh, Victoria.
At the close of day
He looks around and says
Today was a very good day
Because on another day to come
This bare hill will be a forest of trees

Photography days #22.

A springtime view from Boundary Hill

View from Boundary Hill, Strathbogie Tableland, Victoria.
Bucolic scenes
the stuff of dreams
where farmland meets
bushland seats

Photography days #21.

Friendship

Central Park, Malvern, Victoria.

Friendship in black and white.

Photography days #19.

Bessie

Bessie the knitted bear.
bessie is a bear
loved by our son
tucked under his chin
when he was young
now bessie is a bear
loved by his daughter
the love in bessie bear
has well and truly caught her

Photography days #17.

Barber

Barber of Seville, South Melbourne, Victoria.
The Barber of Seville
has loops of hair
fit to kill
a mo to rival any other
and an affinity for
his longhaired brothers.

Photography days #20.

The Balconies

The Balconies in The Grampians, Victoria.
This ancient place
of an ancient race
is nature's gallery
viewed from a balcony

Photography days #16

Air Show #03

Photography days #15.

Prahran pool from the outside

Prahran public swimming pool.
They're swimming in the water
they're sunning on the bleachers
they're traditional old school
public pool
loving creatures

Photography days #14.

A shocking story

A shocking story, Central Park, Malvern.
Oh my God!
I never knew!
who would have thought,
they could do that to you?

Photography days #13.

Wombolano

Wombolano walking track
A dreamy filter diffuses the sun
path, walking and sun all become one
the foliage the light the green and the gold
wombolano morning a sight to behold

Photography days #12.

Mt Stirling, Victoria

Photography days #11.

Snowline

Above the snowlike looking toward the Paps, Timbertop, Victoria.
for the clearest view
here's what to do
climb the highest mountain
to just above the snowline
where the trees fade away
on a clear blue day

Photography days #10.

Autumn at Alfred Nick

There is a garden in the Dandenong Ranges
I call it Alfred Nick
after its long departed owner
who bequeathed it to our state

There are many gardens in the Ranges
but this one is the pick
of autumnal Ranges' splendour
vivid colour above
below lying thick

I drive the winding roads most every autumn
with camera in my hand
at the gates I pause
deeply breathe crisp mountain air
in anticipation of trees so grand

there is a lake in the Ranges
in the garden I call Alfred Nick
in autumn leaves make artful arrangements
on the surface
ephemeral so be quick

in this magical place full of growth and life
the photography is opportunistic
where human design and nature's creations
blend native, exotic and mystic
where ethereal mists linger and clear
for ambient blur and clarity rarely seen
in one place at one time
without ever repeating

every visit is unique
every visit is a joy
every vista a delight
reigniting the spark in
every nature loving
man, woman, girl and boy

For this week’s dVerse prompt Punam has asked we poets to write of autumn. My favourite season. The prompt speaks of love, so I present one of my autumn loves – Alfred Nicholas Gardens in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges.

Green shed Wood shed

The green shed / wood shed
evening light
green shed machine shed
for grass and pruning nicely cropped
wood shed drying shed
wood split and chopped

Photography days #09

Buildings of Melbourne #03

A gallery of 10 images. To see each full image click on any photo, then click the arrows to scroll.

Photography days #08.

Air Show #02

A gallery of 8 images. Click on a photo to view the full image, then click the arrows to scroll.

Merimbula

In Merimbula the birds
don't need too many words
to describe their grace and beauty
let's just say they are all mighty

Photography days #06. For the walking map and description I have published on Victoria Walks see: https://walkingmaps.com.au/walk/5767

All work is my own and subject to copyright. I do not use AI. I do not want AI to use my work.

Goodenia Rainforest, New South Wales

Everything is food and food is everything.

Photography days #05. You can find the Goodenia walking map and description online at Victoria Walks: https://walkingmaps.com.au/walk/5756

All work is my own and copyright applies. I do not use AI. I do not wish for AI to use my work.

Mirror mirror

White-faced heron, Edwardes Lake
Just confirming I'm the right bird in the right place
Lakeside - check
Reed beds - check
Tasty aquatic life - check
Big grey bird, yellow legs, long neck, spear like beak, white face.

This photo was taken while creating a lakeside accessible walking map for people who use mobility aids. You can view it here: Edwardes Lake Accessible Walk.

Photography days #03. All work is my own. I do not use AI.

Art off Lonsdale

Secreted behind Lonsdale St in the City of Melbourne, another amazing work of CBD public art.

A photo a day #02.

The Muttaburrasaurus at McNish

A photo a day revisited #01: The Muttaburrasaurus at McNish playground in Yarraville loves to have children in his belly.

There is also a great walking path along Stoney Creek here. You can view the Victoria Walks’ walking map I have published here: https://walkingmaps.com.au/walk/5731

River #03

Where the river meets the sea
I’ll wait patiently
until your ship comes in
carrying you to my smiles
we’ll walk the miles and miles
to a place to begin again

upriver to where small streams
become the water of river dreams
where meadows grow green under
skies of sun and thunder
there we’ll settle on high ground
ever fertile and sound

we’ll labour to work the earth
and give a family birth
a family that will grow
to work together and sow
under that mantle of blue and grey
after years and many a day
we will turn to each other and say

the life we chose has been a good one
as good as the river is long
to its banks we will continue to go
hand in hand
watching the river flow

Thoughts

Like paper to the wind
my thoughts I scatter here
unable to rescind
I let them travel where
I know not what they’ll achieve
succeed with or accomplish
I fear they’ll find readers
with care only to admonish
then there is the question
why bother anyway?

so many smarter and stupider minds
have so much more to say
and louder voices
because they so often agree
to speak their thoughts
only to celebrity

a different purpose is theirs
to be heard no matter what
without the necessity
of thinking intelligently
of sharing something
of value they have got

I speak simply
of observations
of thoughts I mull over
instead
I speak of imagery
of the wonders of earth
that crowd
inside my head

Fragile

Fragile like a bubble floating gentle on a breeze
uncertain airy eddies dropping it and raising it with ease
a dip toward a branch and a child waits for it to pop
breath held eyes wide standing still mid hop
then it spirals up just before the moment
a random push to nowhere special
rescued by chance
bound only by circumstance
the brittle coloured shiny shell wafer thin and precious
we await another chance buffeting the waiting is delicious
to influence things the child waves hands and blows with her small mouth
she hopes to help it survive the ground disaster beckons from the south
her little puffs send fragile bubble in unintended directions
she watches amazed the effect she has on the subject of her affection
her will her thought her decision to act on the outcome she desires
embolden her to further acts beyond bubbles she aspires
eventually the bubble pops its streaky rainbow skin
we both sigh in satisfaction at its inevitable oily end
as it bursts in prism lit spray asunder
the fragile bubble also releases wonder
the child and I are compelled to create more of these globular gems
to see what control we can exercise what we can contrive with them

such is human life