Bits and pieces...

There's something about sand that kids just love. Here's Beth at Mooloolaba Beach a couple of weekends ago. (Incidentally, I just washed that little skirt she's wearing in the photo, only to find the pockets full of sand even AFTER it came out of the wash!)

Broncos vs. Rabbitohs game @ Suncorp Stadium. This was Liam's first live football match, which he went to with Andy and Grandad for a boys afternoon.

Playing with my camera... I have long wanted to learn how to use the manual settings on my DSLR, after having had it for nearly two years on the basic pre-set automatic settings. I have been reading an excellent book that I borrowed from the library that explains what to do with the aperture, shutter speeds, etc. So it has inspired me to experiment and play again, and Beth was most gracious in helping me with subject matter.

I love the one above on the trampoline... LOTS of photos were taken to get this one good one, but this one came out just right with her face in focus, arms and legs splayed in the air.

Beth just loves this little chook. It's called Stripe because when still a chick it had quite prominent brown stripes down its yellow back. It seems to be Beth's favourite, so it receives a great deal of cuddles, although I'm sure it would prefer to be left alone to scratch around the yard with the others most of the time.

Walking in the bush...

Take one cool winter Sunday afternoon, one backpack filled with snacks, water bottles, warm clothes, two cameras, the local bushland reserve, plus two gals - Beth and me - and what do you get? A fun afternoon together in the quiet of nature. Beth was particularly excited about bushwalking together (if you can call it that - the tracks were bitumen and the reserve is surrounded by houses in the suburbs), and I let her borrow our second camera to take a few shots of her own while I played with my camera. I think she must have suggested stopping for a bite to eat almost every five minutes on our way around the track, so it meant an easy dinner later as neither one of us was very hungry.

Chooks photo shoot...

The time has almost arrived when our chicken coop will be occupied full-time by these three girls. Till now, they have taken over our laundry, but we have started introducing them to the coop during daylight hours this week. It is amazing how quickly and how much they have grown over three and a half weeks since we brought them home. Almost fully feathered, they have just a few nights left sleeping in the laundry, and as of the weekend, they will live and sleep in the coop altogether.

Funny, I never realised chickens could have blue eyes.

A different perspective...

I have discovered how much they seem to like sunbaking! When the sun is out hot and strong, down they flop, spread out their wings and soak it up!

First day in the coop yesterday... just how a proper coop and proper chickens ought to look!