Here's a new month in a new year , Welcome all.

On Sunday, we went to the skydiving jump area not far from where we live and watched hundreds of jumpers. Planes are going up continuously dropping 10-20 people at a time. Most of these guys are experts and when they come in for landing, they come in fast to a sliding halt. It's an awesome way to spend an afternoon.

Keeping with parachutes, here are some parasailors in the sound near Cape Hatteras, NC
(I was much farther away from them than you were, ClaraSue)

This is Loughborough Junction, the name of the railway crossing including the two bridges here

Cool start to the year
Hope it's a good year for everyone! x

Here is a view of the lake from the water. This is where we put in New Year's Eve and Day. that white dot in the middle was the camp for 6 adults and 4 kids. We did reflect on how the 1.6 million people on the Sydney Harbour foreshore were doing and decided that the four kids running around with sparklers was enough of a fireworks show for us if we didn't have to share it with anyone else.

A lovely clear blue winter's day sky, and after what seems like weeks and weeks of rain I can't tell you how welcome a sight that is.

We have also started the year with sunshine and blue skies - and lots of snow on the ground!

Very pretty Liz. Is that about the normal snow amount for the time of year?

Pretty normal, though last year there was less (a lot less) and I remember an awful lot more when I was a kid, though possibly just because I was shorter then

oh wow!

A family day out at Otipua Creek.

Great picture Chavs.

Howie, looks like mom and aunt taking the kids out.

Very nice photo, Chavs.

Here's a persons first time jump in tandem with an instructor. I wish it had not been so cloudy that day, it would have been nice to have blue sky behind them. My two young cousins jumped that way this day, as well.

Howie, you can almost hear the two adults saying things like "stay together now kids", "look out for any nasty things", just generally nagging them to behave.

Especially when there is a big scary person taking photographs.....lol

moon rise

You caught that reflection beautifully.

Thanks for the nice comments on my red berry photo - we haven't had any snow here yet but the white wall against which the berry bush was growing gives much the same effect. Less trouble though.

Those birdlets are sweet.

I call this "The Day of the Living Vampires". It may not look much to you but every Monday morning I put everything into this, blood, sweat, tears... well, blood anyway. They may call themselves the NHS Anti-Coagulation Service, but I know what they are, vampires! Mwahahahaha!



PS I do hope no one is squeamish.
PPS The technician asked about my new camera so I took it in to show her and while I was demonstrating the bells and whistles, I took this by mistake, lol. Blame Jakeroo, she said she wanted to see more of my pics.

That looks familiar Flopsy, I don't go every week but often enough. Yes, we call them the vampires too. In truth they are a lovely bunch of ladies and are on my Christmas card list.

I assumed it was snow - what kind of berry is it?

Bulbs starting to pop up in one of my tubs - New Year, spring is just round the corner (says she very optimistically)

It looks rather like my nanking cherry bushes (they are small and sour but make excellent jelly/jam), but of course, there is no fruit on mine at this time of year that is that red looking lol. I always make sure not to pick them all in any case, as the birds are extremely fond of the dried ones in our harsh winters.

Copago: your shots in the last 5 months continue to amaze me (I LOVED the one of the dog and your boots - you need to get that one blown up and framed). And sorry Sue, but polishing them would have ruined the whole effect - boots need to look LIVED in lol. I also think that your version of New Year's with your family was a zillion times more meaningful than some glitzy "do" in any city.

David: do you have a fish eye function on your new camera?

Flopsy: LOL! I did say that and I meant it, so thanks for posting one! And no I'm not the slightest bit "squeamish". You have a NEW camera?? Oh my, please do post to our (also new) "review" thread called "My Camera". I think you could probably take great photos with a toothbrush lol, but it would interesting to find out what things you like/dislike in comparison to your previous "baby"

Howie: Ducklings are probably my favourite baby animal photos. Not sure why, must have had a warped childhood lol. Nice capture

ClaraSue: cool sky-jumping pics. Okay, maybe I AM "squeamish" about something after all lol.

If I missed anyone, it wasn't on purpose, all the photos are really wonderful.

Between my laptop hard drive dying an extremely early death during Christmas (the thing was less than 1.5 years old), I've lost an astonishing amount of photos (yes yes I know, put them on a cd/flash drive immediately, sadly I didn't take my own advice, sigh). Anyway, I promise to post more once I take more : )

Well, it's not ultra-new, I bought it for the Olympics - small, portable, nice zoom. And yes, I'll add something to the thread in a day or so. Brand of toothbrush, quality of bristles, etc.

Love your family of birds, Howie! How sweet! Great moon photo, stunning! I'm also loving all the parachutists - I've often thought I'd like to try that.

We used to have a "What Is This?" thread, and this photo would have fit there very well. I could pretend I took it on purpose, but that would be fibbing. I imagine most of you can guess not only what it is, but how it happened, eh?




[edited because I put the photo in last year's folder on Photobucket, then moved it to the right place...]

It's.....Precious'whiskers! I would know them anywhere.

Of course you are correct!

I talked myself into it, one more bird photo from Timaru...I am sure these pukekos will not mind being in the spotlight,

Thanks for the lovely comments, Jakeroo!

Love the whiskers shot, Liz!

Some birds from me, too. Mr Percival and his mates.

I like those Howie. The heads remind me of geese - are they a water bird?

One of my close neighbours keeps chickens, and here is one