Looks Can Be Deceiving

Looks idyllic, right?
You'd never guess there was a stinky, rotten, fly-blown, dead animal part just out of shot.


Photo: One Tree Hill, Ararat - November, 2008.

Night Time is the Right Time

Langi Morgala Museum.
Full of all kinds of wondrous things.
Check it out....
I have it on reliable authority that these creatures come alive at night!!!



Photo: Ararat - November, 2008

Blue Flowers

Wildflowers on Mt Langi Ghiran.


Photo: November, 2008

Giant YoYos

City Daily Photo theme day - Circles - at least that's what I think the subject is - I'll look a bit stupid if it turns out to be wood or air or something.
Note to self - in future, double check theme before posting.

Giant yo-yos at the Ararat library.
I don't believe they serve any real purpose except to look pretty.
Maybe they are lights.
I like 'em.


Photo - okay, okay - it's a re-post from February 2008.

Not Strictly Ararat

But within a quickish drive down the road.
I shoulda bought it.
Felted wool and silk.
It's beautiful.


Photo: Dunkeld (down the road and round the corner from Ararat) - October, 2008

First Choice

I think when it comes time to shuffle off this mortal coil, this will be my first choice of resting place.
It's up on the hill with views of the countryside all around.
Though, I'll probably have to rig up some type of periscope arrangement.


Photo: Spring Lead Cemetery, Spring Lead (over the back of the hill at Ararat) - Nov 2008

Yeah - What the Sign Says!

Don't go bringing your stinky old horses around these parts.


Photo: Norval Dam, Rhymney Rd, Ararat - October, 2008

Aw Hawhaw Hawhaw!! (you know, that french sound)

Our very own little piece of France.
The Parisjour cafe in Beaufort (down the road from Ararat).
They have AWESOME scrambled eggs.


Photo: October, 2008

So Immature!

You bet!
And loving it!
This may or may not have been me having a bit of a scream on the Cha Cha.
It may or may not have been my 41st birthday.


Photo: Ararat Show - October, 2008

Awww - Ain't That Purdy?

I'm so glad I live around here.
It's just sooooo purdy
(and a little bit skewiff by the look of things).


Photo: Can't remember the name of the road, just outside Ararat - Oct, 2008

What is it??

"It's a what?
Hmmm..........
A book, you say?
Where do I plug in the internet cable?"



CityDailyPhoto November Theme Day - BOOKS.
Check out how bloggers from all over the world have chosen to illustrate this topic.


Photo:
My sister, Antique Shop, Beaufort (down the road from Ararat) - 25 Oct, 2008

Stop!!! I Wanna Get Orf!!!

I might have made myself a little unwell on this ride.
It might look unassuming,
but it goes REALLY high and fast
and round and round and round and round
errrr.........


Photo:
Ararat Show - 26th Oct, 2008

Yield

I'm not too proud to admit I'm not man enough to live up to the Daily Photo Challenge.
It's really, really hard!!!
Especially when you're not "feelin' it", and I don't want to upload any old thing.
Anyway, I'm calling a "time out" while I get my groove back.
And don't YOU slacken off, coz I'll be watching you!!!!!

Photo:
Young family in Alexandra Gardens, Ararat - August, 2008.

I CAN'T STOP!!!!

I can't stop taking photos of flowers!!
And it's not even spring yet!!

Photo:
Wattle, Ararat - 23 August, 2008

More Flowers.

Spring is in the air!
I'm excited!



Photo:
My neighbour's magnolia tree, Ararat - 18 August, 2008

Fleeting

Where did the touch of spring go??
Freezing today and hailing (with deceiving sunny breaks).
Anyway...it's camellia season in Ararat.
I love camellias - they brighten up the grey days of winter.


Photo:
Fallen camellia blooms in our front garden (with weeds) - 10 August, 2008.

Touch of Spring in the Air

Old dude in his gumboots whippersnippering his edges.



Photo:
Banfield St, Ararat - 5th August, 2008.

Tin Town

Country Australia would never have been built without corrugated iron!
Water tanks, fences, shearing sheds - even houses.

Photo - MY corrugated iron shed.
I wonder what those numbers mean??
The 70th of March, 1986??

Today is The Daily Photo group's theme day.
Check out how other bloggers all over the world have chosen to depict METAL

Not Sepia - That's Its Real Colour!

Arriving home to Ararat during a sunshower.



Photo:
Barkly St, Ararat - 27 July, 2008

My Next Door Neighbours

Photo:
Ararat - 25 July, 2008

They Call Him Norval, Norval - The Dam

They don't care that it's the middle of winter,
they just wanna go for a swim and a roll in the mud.
Exploring Norval Dam, the local swimming hole.



Photo:
Norval Dam, off the Ararat-Moyston Rd - 19 July, 2008.

Pope Fever

The Pope is here!
Well, not here HERE, but 1000km away in Sydney.
And if I have to hear one more word about him in the media,
I think my ears will bleed!
He's attending World Youth Day (primarily a catholic thing),
and some local kiddies have gone along.



Photo:
March, 2008

Sunday Afternoon Drive

Another one of those RMBs (Roadside Mail Boxes).
This one's a big'un!
They must get some sort of tractor part in the mail.
(I notice there is an empty beer bottle in there).



Photo:
Wallaloo, upish and leftish of Ararat on the map - 6 July, 2008

Good Morning Sunshine

Arriving for work on a beautiful (if not cold) winter's morning.



Photo:
Laneway, Ararat - 5 July, 2008.

The Only "NO" Sign in Town, I Care About Today!!

YEEEHAWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!
Results in last night!
Those weird spots on his scans WEREN'T cancer!!
Some of you probably know, the husband has done a few rounds of the kitchen table with the big C over the last few years - but it ain't got him this time!!!
Cop that, ya *%$*##*!


Photo:
Ararat - 1 July, 2008.

All Lit Up

Our former town hall - now the Performing Arts Centre and Art Gallery.
Across the road from The Golden Dragon Chinese restaurant.



Photo:
Barkly St, Ararat - June, 2008

I Like Chinese

Every country town of a certain size has one, right?
They are as ubiquitous as the country pub and CWA.
They hold a special place in the psyche of rural Australia.
I like to let some of that love come my way, coz I reckon in some small way I contributed to that affection.
OH SHUT UP! I know - I'm totally ridiculous.
But I am 1/16th Chinese, you know?!
And my great, great grandfather WAS a Chinese pioneer of our country.
It may be tenuous, but it's all I got!


Photo:
The Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant, Barkly St, Ararat - June, 2008

Daggy Ladies

Daggy ladies - and I mean that with the most sincerest of affection, in the Cancer Council caravan at the Relay for Life.


Photo:
Alexander Oval, Ararat - April, 2008

The Cocky Tree

Photo:
North-west of Ararat - 12 June, 2008

Expulsion!!

I'm going to get expelled from the Daily Photo group if I don't get my act together!!
Feeling the need for some wide open spaces.
I think a drive in the bush is called for tomorrow.


Photo:
Just outside Ararat - March, 2008.

Zoom Zoom

Zooming across the main intersection of town.
Intersection - Barkly & Vincent Sts, Ararat - March, 2008

Theme Day - My Local Corner Shop

I haven't got one!!
The corner local shop seems to have gone the way of the dinosaur, round these parts.
Which is strange, right?
We're a country town!
They've been squeezed out by the convenience of big supermarkets.
The baker, butcher and fruit shops are all still going, it's just the little corner shop that has died out.
But I'm "posamistic" that they will have their day again!


Bloggers from around the world have participated in today's theme day.
Check them out here



Photo:
Safeway, Ararat - March, 2008

Mr Blizzard

Mr Blizzard kindly displays the local art society's latest works in his shop window.
Mr Blizzard is the local optometrist - he's pretty old (80 something) but still practising. He seems like a very nice man.
Beautiful autumn weather lately (but FREEZING mornings!).


Photo:
Barkly St, Ararat - 28 March, 2008.

Stick With Me, Baby...

....and we'll hit the dizzying heights!
From kangaroo poo to bin night!
It doesn't get much more exhilarating than this!
You wish you were me, dontcha?




Photo:
Ararat - 27 May, 2008

Australia: Up-close and Personal

Poo.
More specifically - kangaroo poo.
A big kangaroo.
A special treat for my Mother for Mother's Day.
(that's her foot, presenting said poo).
We've got lots of kangaroos around here - one day, I might get around to posting a photo of an ACTUAL kangaroo.


Photo:
Glenpatrick Recreation Oval, Glenpatrick (15 minutes northish of Ararat) - 11 May, 2008.

Sold For Seven Dollars!

I went to an auctiony thing today at the local Uniting Church.
I saw this pot plant stand I really liked and I won the hot, hot bidding.
But I got all this other stuff as well - a grease gun, a grinding wheel, a christmas tree stand, some bbq tools, a tv cabinet, a table frame with wheels, some old anodized cups, a drawer(!?!) and one of those whirlpool brush wash the car things - I think that's everything - all for $7.
I got lots of fabulous treasures inside the church hall at the stalls, too!



Photo:
Ararat Uniting Church, Barkly St, Ararat - 3 May, 2008.

Theme Day - Numbers

Do people do this in other countries?
Rather than traveling down miles and miles of country roads, the post office delivers to groups of mailboxes at allocated points.
They have an mailbox number beginning with RMB... (Roadside Mailbox).


See all 181 City Daily Photo bloggers, Theme Day photos.



Photo:
Denicull Creek Rd - 6km from Ararat GPO - April, 2008.

Remembering the ANZACS

Lest we forget.



Photo:
Mt Cole cemetery,east of Ararat - April, 2008.

On The Road - EARLY!!

Leaving Ararat early to travel just over 2 hours to another Victorian country town - Bendigo.
Bit scary - the first 60km is through "roo country".
They come out as the sun comes up.
You don't want to hit one of the big buggers!
It doesn't end well for anyone.

We made it there and back in one piece!




Photo:
Ararat's busiest intersection - Cnr Vincent St and Western Highway - 22nd March, 2008.

Everyday Stuff

Walking home from work on an Autumn's afternoon.



Photo:
The old post office building, Barkly St, Ararat - 21 Mar, 2008

A Dandelion, A Broken Window, My Dog and His Ball and Graffiti

Resting in the shade of the disused club rooms on the sports oval at Kokoda Park, McLellan St, Ararat - 19 March, 2008

Wandering Around

Wandering around.
Daydreaming.
Imagining.



Photo:
Rocks in a paddock - west of Ararat - 17 March, 2008

A Day in the Park

Photo:
Farmers' Market, Alexandra Gardens, Ararat - Mar, 2008

Lone Piper

Friday night was a miserable night.
Cold and drizzly.
Residents of Ararat - young and old, big and small, infirm and bursting with life, showed up to participate in the Relay for Life to raise funds for cancer research.
Seems every person you speak to has been touched by cancer.
Cancer sucks - taint no other word for it.
(V. and I have copped a few hidings from it in our lives).
The lone piper did a half lap in the rain - those mournful bagpipes calling up memories of those who lost their battle against the insidious beast.


I don't often swear but cancer deserves it!
Let's kick this fecker to the curb!
Donations gratefully accepted


Photo:
Alexandra Oval, Ararat - 11 March, 2008
Also the anniversary of the passing of both my grandmothers - 2000 and 2004.
Hey Nan, hey Grandma - do you get the internet there?

Poley Trees

It's not all dry paddocks around here.
This is Mount Cole.
We got bogged up here last weekend.
What fun!

UPDATE: Please excuse poor syntax.

We got bogged, -- up here (ie: on the mountain) -- last weekend.
NOT - we got bogged up.



Photo:
Mount Cole - about 20 mins out of Ararat - April, 2008

Late Season Peaches

Photo:
Our backyard, Ararat - March/April, 2008

What's the Collective Noun for These Flying Things?

A hover of trout,
a knot of toads,
a pod of walruses (walrii?),
who's responsible for these descriptions?!!!



Photo:
A swat of flying things, Warrak Recreation Oval (approx. 15mins south-eastish of Ararat) - April 6, 2008

Yes - That Does Say Cocksfoot

I suppose every paddock needs a name(?!)



Photo:
East of Ararat - March, 2008

That's No Way to Treat a Lady!

Photo:
Barkly St, Ararat - 2008

FO - EEEEE!!

It's footy season!
YAY!
The AFL (Australian Football League) has begun!
Now, this isn't soccer or rugby league or rugby union or gridiron - it's Australian Rules.
I'm not a mad rabid fan like others but I love all the phoof and carry on that goes with it and I love how others love it so passionately.



Photo:
Alexandra Oval - a Saturday afternoon - March, 2008