I've been inspired to try my luck taking flower photos by all the wonderful pics here. I'm definitely an amateur (but keen to learn) so if anyone wants to pass on any tips, please do so, either here, or by PM. (I also hope I've got the sizing right now that photobucket has changed)

This is a Pink Lace Azalea - as winter is fast approaching, the number of flowers still about is rapidly declining.....

The moose is magnificent, Tori! What do you farm?

Here is a pretty pink sunrise this morning.

Love that sunset, and Tori the moose is great. How lovely to have that on your farm, even if he did damage the fences.

Mike, lovely flower photo, doesn't look like you need any advice. By the way, I love the Basilica photo as well.

Love that moose!!!

Yesterday I had the opportunity of taking a guided visit of the MCS Divina, a 333 metre long, brand spanking new cruise liner, due to go into service in two weeks. We trekked all over that ship, from the opulent atrium, to the unfinished lower decks, to the top floor panoramic discotheque, we peeped behind the doors of the morgue, and had a squint at the captain's cockpit, admired the automatic laundry machinery which can iron and fold thousands of sets of sheets a day (a major consideration for the cleaning staff). It was like Disneyworld for grownups, luxury to the last detail, and was totally amazing.

No photos allowed on board the liner, but here's a shot taken on the quays. Difficult to get the whole length of her in, and there are people in the foreground which will give you an idea of the scale of the beast, though you really need to "see it to believe it".

My, that is big. How many people will she carry, must be thousands.

Susie on our walk this morning

It carries up to 3 500 passengers and 1 500 crew!

Susie seems to have spotted something interesting!

That sunrise is breathtaking!

I can see they would need 1500 crew. 500 are probably to stop the other 1000 getting lost!

Susie had spotted some lads having a kick about on the field and wanted to go get the ball.

Seale church in Surrey

That's pretty satguru, I like that a lot.

The old quince tree in my garden in full flower. Hopefully we'll get plenty of fruit on it this year.

Thanks Christina, these scenes are everywhere but we just need to spot them. For those into nostalgia I found this today, it's changed less than nearly every other sign in 1964, and only recently learned the difference myself, which makes me wonder why they needed to change it at all. I had a couple already but were painted on, while this is a proper pressed metal one, which last for well over 100 years especially if painted from time to time.

Christina I just love Susie! I like the way she has her ears pointed and her paw up. On the lookout for her next adventure! What kind of fruit does a quince bush bare? I've never heard of it.

Satguru That is one of my favorite pictures that you have taken. Makes me feel like I've stepped back in time.

On our farm we use to raise beef cattle but both my husband and I work full time. On the acreage we have planted fast growing poplar, pines to sell at xmas, and soon some new maple trees. My husband is a Millwright at a local paper mill, runs a sawmill from the farm, and has just started making furniture, and right now in the middle of making a wood strip canoe. (I work at a Credit Union and I'm his "general labor" at home. ha

haha aren't we all the general labour?

Susie is beautiful ... german sheperds are just so majestic!

I have hurt my knee somehow so instead of my daily walk today I made some meringue with chocolate cream instead.

Looks like I'll have to walk twice as far tomorrow

Susie is gorgeous, and the meringues look yummy! Some quince jam would be nice too...

There were a couple of families of Canada geese by the river today. The other one was swimming, these were just out for a stroll.

Tori - a quince tree has quinces. They are a golden colour, usually with dark splotches on them, quite large, think large pear size, and roughly pear shaped. You can't eat them raw, they taste horrible, but cook them and you have something quite delicious. You can do quince jam, apple and quince jam, quince and apricot paste is nice with a good strong cheese, baked stuffed quince is a nice winter desert. As they ripen they smell lovely and if you just put one in a bowl on the table it will perfume a room for three or four weeks. They take a while to cook as they are very hard raw and need to cook right down, but worth the effort. They're a very old English fruit.

Susie is gorgeous, thank you all, and always on the look out for mischief.

Copago, those look lovely. I love meringue but somehow mine never turn out quite right

This little cricket appeared to adopt me on Sunday. We were eating lunch at an al fresco cafe when he jumped on my shoulder and he stayed there for an hour or so until I finally removed him. It was rather awkward trying to photograph my own left shoulder but this one came out okay.

Ewk, I would have been hysterical Carole!

Wow, what a great close-up!

So much detail, Carole!

A dead tree in some left over flood waters .. I'd say this will hang around for the winter now.

Insects, spiders, and other "creepy crawlies" don't generally bother me. I guess that's the biologist in me. The only type I can't stand are cockroaches. Grasshoppers or crickets are harmless. This little guy wasn't at all bothered about having the camera sitting right alongside or him nor was he bothered about the flash.

I like that Copago - the way the tree reflects in the water.

I managed to get this one of Susie in a rare calm moment during training this morning

I'm really enjoying all of these great photos. Copago, if it was less than about a 10 hour drive, I'd invite myself up to try some of those meringues! Assuming there's still some left of course :-)

Here's 'Twiggy' out for her morning check of the front garden, reassuring herself that none of those nasty neighborhood cats have invaded, or worse still a possum!