Weekly Photography Challenge: Ambience

This week has whizzed past so fast, it’s already Friday, and almost time for the next photography challenge. But for now, the challenge is still to portray Ambience, an environment that encourages a particular mood or feeling – almost invariably it means a good feeling.

Ararat’s Alexandra Gardens have a long history in the town. The green lawns, European shade trees and small lake have made it a popular spot for picnics for generations, and the public pool at the Western end was a magnet in summer. In recent years the community fought to keep and upgrade the aging pool. As part of the renewal, there is now a cafe attached to the pool complex, with tables and chairs spilling out across the grass in the shade of the big old oak trees. The ambience is perfect for a leisurely cup of coffee on a sunny afternoon. Or morning. Or evening –  it’s open early until late!

For some extra ambience…I love this song – enjoy.

Weekly Photography Challenge: Names

What’s in a name? Well it helps if everyone agrees what it is, and this week it’s the subject for the Weekly Photography Challenge. Today we are on our way to Canberra to pick up our daughter and granddaughter for a little holiday and family time. We’ve had a few stops on the way for cups of tea, coffee and Hibiscus and Lime (it’s hot today). I’ve had my eye out for photogenic names –

We’ve been stopping at the little park in Tarnagulla for years , but it’s the first time I’ve seen a name for it- the sign looks new. The monument there is engraved with the names of the men who went from the area to fight in World Wars I and II – hence the name for the park. Elmore’s miniature train runs alongside our next picnic spot. We’ve taken Juniper there, but it’s hard to get away again! Another stop in Maroopna for a cold drink, and I snapped this picnic table – I’ve no idea what the name means. Another stop (It’s a long drive!) for coffee in Wangaratta, and another sign – not a name, but a fair warning to park visitors to watch their steps! The lady sitting reading didn’t seem very fussed by it.

Weekly Photography Challenge: Resilient

The first weekly photography challenge for the new year is “Resilient”. Anything in my garden would fit the description, since whatever is still thriving after many dry years is clearly tough, but these onion orchids are special.

The flowers are tiny – only 2 or 3 mm – and the seeds are like dust. They are an endemic plant that “just grow’d”, originally in a hanging basket, appearing one year in amongst exotic Sempervivums. I presume that they blew in on the wind. I now have them in several pots, and they have flowered discretely for months now. They evidently enjoy regular watering, and in their native habitat there will be hundreds growing together in damp places like streamsides, reappearing in winter so long as the autumn rains arrive.

I have seen them growing in roadside gardens, their slender green stems popping up among the official planting, thriving on neglect, resilient and adaptable.May we humans be as resilient and adaptable in the face of the challenges and adventures of the new year!