Think Pink

Spring Symphony Comes In Many Colours

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

As a child, I always wondered about the expression "as fresh as a daisy". Surely, I thought, there were other flowers that were bigger, taller, brighter, more infused with wonderful perfume …..

You see, I grew up in Calcutta, India, where we had a sprawling garden that was big enough for a badminton court near the driveway, a full-length cricket pitch near the back door, as well as an enclosed sanctuary where such missiles as soccer balls and cricket balls could not do any damage – and several long, broad garden beds.

So in my childish mind, there were many varieties that looked fresher than daisies, which I thought were probably a bit mundane.

Then I grew up (ostensibly) and married Mrs Authorblog and I became the designated gardener, teaching each of the Authorbloglets in turn everything I knew about horticulture. So when we built our own home and I had the great pleasure of designing and planning the garden, I planted some daisies that act as a beacon of the seasons.

There are huge mounds of golden-yellow daisies in winter, white daisies in late winter and now the scarlet daisies as spring loosens winter’s grip. And yes, I have finally realised that "fresh as a daisy" is entirely accurate and legitimate.


Visit Luiz Santilli Jr for the home of Today's Flowers.

My Personal Learning Curve

In A Roundabout Sort Of Way

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

How do we know the world is round? For most of humanity, we’ll never get the chance to go up on a NASA mission to see Mother Earth from outer space. But if you have a wide enough vista of clear sky, just watch a commercial jet and you’ll actually see that while it maintains a straight, undeviating course, the earth’s curvature actually makes it look as if the jet is turning.

This shot was taken on the Easter weekend this year. The Authorbloglets and their friends were out and about near the sea – and a couple of camera buffs were shooting the coastline and other familiar scenes.

At one stage, I walked over to a nearby bench to change lenses. Unable to resist watching the condensation trail of an airliner high overhead, I happened to notice the contrail beginning to form an arc.

I instantly forgot all about changing my lens to the zoom I had in my camera bag. Instead, I stuck with my normal lens and shot this second image (below) while practically lying on my back.


For other participants in Dot’s concept, go to Sky Watch HQ.

Small Is Beautiful

Protect Them From Frost And They Will Thrive

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

The front of Casa Authorblog is always a riot of natural colour, whatever the season. Last summer we had cascades of petunias - and yes, we're talking real cascades, in every colour. This winter, as you can see, these terracotta pots under the front verandah are ablaze with violas.

I have to admit, I've never planted viola seedlings before, but there is a reason for this. From the time our children were little, they have always chosen the seedlings that get planted out the front and out the back of the house. Sometimes, ahem, their choices have been helped along by a little guidance from the publisher of this blog.


But now that the Authorbloglets have their own opinions, I find that we plant things in our pots that I'm not familiar with. Like the time a few weeks ago, when I told the youngest Authorbloglet that perhaps violas were too tiny to provide any real splash of colour.

No, my argument didn't make any headway at all. And yes, I was wrong. These blooms are no more than two and a half or maybe three centimetres across - and the colour is a welcome boon this winter. Yes, we've had frost and ice, but because the terracotta pots are under cover, they are ablaze with every hue.


Visit Luiz Santilli Jr for the home of Today's Flowers.

Roll Up, Roll Up

For All The Fun Of The Fair

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

No, there's no chance of making a grand entrance here - simply because, as the sign says, it's an exit! I shot these two images on Easter Saturday at Luna Park, during our holiday in Sydney this year. We've made several visits to Sydney over the years, but it's the first time we've actually been to Luna Park.

Let's just say a good time was had by all. Three Authorbloglets and three of their closest friends. Two fathers, both having a good time as well - ah, okay, so one of them had a camera around his neck and kept finding lots of quirky images to shoot.

Like this one. I remember thinking at the time, as soon as I saw this sign, that it would be perfect for my regular Thursday post. And just to bring you up to speed, yes, I've had a few queries over the past few weeks about whether I intend to turn "The Doors" into a fully-fledged meme. There is a simple answer. I just don't have enough time to launch and administer a meme.

I do this weekly post because it's fun. But if there's anyone out there who wants to adopt the idea and launch the meme, just let me know.


For earlier posts in this series, check out The Doors Archive.

In Lockdown Mode

Forgive Him, He's A Bit Rusty

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Sometimes you see the most ordinary of sights and you reach immediately for your camera. This was one of those days. I was with Mrs Authorblog and the Authorbloglets at world-renowned Bondi Beach in Sydney over the Easter weekend this year. I was surrounded by endless sand, a beautiful crescent beach, and a great sky.

But what did I photograph first? A rusty bolt and lock. Yep, that's a fact.

I'm guessing this was once used as a storage area on the way from the car park to the beach. But, judging by the state of the rotten timber, the big hole and the orange coating of rust on the metal, whatever's in there behind the lock hasn't been used in a while.

But I'm glad it's locked. Why am I glad about something so utterly incongruous? Because if it was worth protecting years ago, it probably is worth protecting still. And doesn't that apply to all areas of life?


Visit TNChick's Photo Hunt. Today's theme: "Lock''.

Rooster Booster

It’s Beginning To Dawn On Us All

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

If you can remember the last time you saw a weather vane, please let me know. No, seriously, just leave me a comment and tell me – I’d love to know, because symbols like these just aren’t as common as they used to be.

This shot was taken a year and a half ago and I recently came across it while I was looking for a different image. I was at the Royal Melbourne Show with Mrs Authorblog and the Authorbloglets when I spotted this beautiful weather vane with a cockerel atop the four points of the compass.

Unfortunately, it was not in the best position for a meaningful photograph, so I squeezed myself into a tight corner (the things we do for our art, hey?) to try and compose the best possible frame of the rooster alongside another familiar sight from the Show – the giant ferris wheel.

In retrospect, it’s interesting to reflect on this shot and the fact that it depicts not one but two symbols of international culture, irrespective of race, nationality, geography or religion.

And of course, you all remember the famous Carly Simon hit that honoured the age-old weather vane, don’t you? It was called "You’re So Vane"!

Check out the rules at Camera Critters or go to Misty Dawn.

Ram Beau

No Reason To Feel Sheepish

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

You reckon I've been rolling around in the slush, photographing livestock, right? Er, not quite. Yes, this is a merino, the famous drought-resistant breed of Australian sheep that is synonymous with top-grade wool. But there's more to it than meets the eye .....

I’m pretty observant, for a bloke. But don’t let that mislead you. It’s a well established fact among members of my clan that I cannot find things in a drawer, on a desk, on a table, in a cupboard, on a shelf, in a shopping bag, in a suitcase or in a supermarket aisle. But let me loose with a camera and I’ll see things that no one else can see.

Ya get my drift, right?


So when we recently went to Sydney for Easter, I had a bit of explaining to do. We pulled into a service station at Goulburn, a picturesque New South Wales town. Apart from the fact that the service station has plenty of bowsers, there is also a bakery across the street and plenty of other restaurants and outlets in a tight radius.

But as I drove towards the service station, we all noticed (some of us, ahem, more quickly than others) the huge merino that dominated the horizon. Yes, it’s the well-known Big Merino, a famous Australian tourist attraction. But here’s the problem. How come none of us had noticed it on previous trips, when we pulled in for a quick refuelling stop at the same place?

I went for the obvious option and said I must have been concentrating on a) traffic, b) pedestrians and c) speed limit signs. Spotting big merinos, I stuttered, was surely the responsibility of Mrs Authorblog and the Authorbloglets. Especially a merino that stands more than 15 metres tall.


Then, as I sat down to write this post, I did a bit of research and discovered that there’s nothing wrong with my eyesight. The mammoth figure of the Big Merino was actually constructed elsewhere in Goulburn. Then, when a highway bypass was built and the tourist traffic to the merino took a huge dip, the giant figure was moved, lock, stock and barrel to its present location.

I’m so clever I should take my bar exam. Or my baaaaa exam.


Check out the rules at Camera Critters or go to Misty Dawn.

Bending Over Backwards For Me

Taking Time Out At The Branch Office

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

There is a theory among my family members that I can spot a mosquito at thirty paces when I have a camera in my hand. But if I'm looking for something at Casa Authorblog, I am pretty much useless.

Like I said, it's only a theory. I ain't buying into the debate.

But here's one sight I definitely did not spot. We were at a park in Sydney during the Easter break when one of the Authorbloglets noticed this caterpillar camouflaged on a branch. As I studied the best angle to capture the view, the caterpillar also decided it would be best to bend over backwards to check me out.

Or maybe he was just completing his early-morning fitness regimen. Bendin'. Stretchin'. Surveyin' the scene.


Check out the rules at Camera Critters or go to Misty Dawn.

The Luck Of The Iris

This Might Be The Latest Rainbow Warrior

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

One of the pleasures of having a large garden that produces blooms in almost every season is the old-fashioned joy of walking out in the front or back yard with a pair of secateurs and choosing a variety of tall and short flowers for different-sized vases.

It’s something I’ve always done with the Authorbloglets, so there has been the added appreciation of time spent together, which is always so precious.

We had a very special occasion in our family recently, so of course every vase at Casa Authorblog was crammed with flowers of many descriptions. These shots were taken indoors, in soft light in a room that was lit by afternoon sun but not completely bathed in an overpowering glow.

Yes, I deliberately waited for this time of day for two reasons. Firstly, I wanted to be able to capture every nuance of the blues that grace this iris. Secondly, the tall rosebuds in the same vase were the most delicate shade of link pink. Because they were almost white, I knew they would photograph best in indirect light.


In the four hours that I waited patiently to take these shots, one of the irises in the broad vase was probably at its most interesting stage, because the partially-open flower showed strong variation in colour, while still retaining the delicate folds of more beauty to come.

In Greek mythology, Iris is the personification of the rainbow as well as the messenger of the gods. The rainbow manifestation is fairly clear, with the vivid tongue of yellow amid the mix of blues. The first image that appears with this post is actually one of the last I shot in the series but I guess the reason I like it is that the angle makes the iris look like a frill-neck lizard or some psychedelic monster emerging from the deep.

Any angle that endows an object with an added dimension is a good angle.


Visit Luiz Santilli Jr for the home of Today's Flowers.

Highly Decorated

That’s The Collection Of A Lifetime

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Every family has a Christmas tree story. This is ours. I can’t reach the top of our tree. Even if I stand on tiptoe I cannot reach the highest half-dozen branches. I’m well over six foot, so that gives you an idea of how tall our tree is.

I need a chair to stand on when the time comes to put the angel on the top. The tree is so wide that I can barely get my arms around a third of it. So you can imagine just how many decorations we’d need for a tree that size.

Trust me, we have plenty. P L E N T Y. And every adornment has a story behind it. When our eldest child was an infant, we bought a special decoration to mark her first year. The next year, she was old enough to choose one for herself. So in addition to the "normal" decorations we bought for our tree, we have always bought a special one for each of our three children, every single year.

Sometimes one of the Authorbloglets will choose more than one decoration, so the precious collection has grown by leaps and bounds. Three years ago, I was a long way from home, in Muskoka, Canada, when I spotted a Christmas shop. Of course, I had to duck in there and choose a special decoration for each of my children, reflecting each of their respective interests.

When I went to the counter to pay for them, the woman told me she could even engrave each child’s name in gold paint. That gold paint still looks as fresh as ever. And the story of where they came from has been told many times.

So the collection grows. Each piece holds special significance, special memories, special connotations of a period of life and growth and family values. And when each Authorbloglet leaves home, they will take with them their own collection for their own tree in their own home with their own family.

And so the special tradition, like all good Christmas traditions, will continue.

(For a very special post that honours the spirit of Christmas, perhaps you’d care to check out my Sky Watch Friday post from earlier today. I’d be delighted if you could simply scroll down or click here to go to Christmas Angels In The Sky.)

Visit MamaGeek and Cecily, creators of Photo Story Friday.

Bring Home The Baking

I Ain't Got Nuffin', Muffin

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I was just about to put away this empty muffin tray a couple of mornings ago when I realised that the gentle light and soft shade across its coated non-stick surface was jut perfect.

Luckily I always have my camera close by, so I fired off a couple of frames. Next time you're in town, let me know and I'll bake some of my special chocolate-chip muffins. Be warned: once you've feasted on them, you'll have to come back for more.

And yes, the Authorbloglets endorse that claim. And their friends. And most important of all, so does Mrs Authorblog.

(The Odd Shots concept came from Katney. Say "G'day" to her.)

Mumbo Jumbo

Shall We Use This To Make Chili Gumbo?

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Okay, some blokes are a bit slow. We all know that, right? Is this blog a debate forum? Did I hear some of you say that ALL blokes (and not just some of us) are a bit slow? Well, I've been known to be a bit backward in my time, and today was a perfect illustration of the theory.

Let me put all my cards on the table. I can cook, I can sew, I can iron, I can garden. But sometimes I get stuck in ordinary domestic situations. Picture this: I'm standing in the kitchen, in the process of making one of the Authorbloglets a Dad's Special Cheese Omelette.

The oil is heated, the eggs have been beaten to within an inch of their life, and I've judged the heat to perfection before pouring the eggs into the frying pan. The smell is so delicious that I might just have to employ an army of trusty serfs to keep the neighbours away.

Fast forward a couple of minutes. The cheese is now placed carefully in the sizzling mixture. Aroma? SEN-sational. And it'll soon be time to fold the omelette. I have the skillet with me when a little light goes on in my head. I remember that Mrs Authorblog recently bought a great turner. I take it out of the big kitchen drawer, but there's a big sticker on it.

No worries. Any human being can remove a sticker in one swift movement. But this sticker ain't comin' away. It becomes a battle of wills. I am sort of pulling it with all my strength and it's doing what stickers do best. It's sticking.

So I call for reinforcements. Mrs Authorblog materialises and peels off the sticker in one swift motion as I stand there dumbfounded at how easy and efficiently she has made a mockery of my efforts.

Things like that happen regularly in our household.

Then another little light comes on in my head. (Aside: Yes, I know that's it's impossible for men to have more than one brainwave at the same time!) The brainwave nudges me in the direction of the word "Jumbo''. Great association of ideas. I can photograph the sticker and use it for today's Camera Critters post.

I could even test the "Jumbo Turner". If I wave this sticker at a herd of elephants, will they simply turn away? Ain't that what the sticker says? Or if I take it to the airport, will it turn a Boeing 747 Jumbo around on the tarmac?

While these brilliant thoughts run through my head, I am just about to remove the Stunning Omelette Of Absolute Perfection and I call out to Mrs Authorblog to ask if she still has the sticker.

Yes, she still has the sticker.

But has Mrs Authorblog torn the sticker to shreds? Or is it intact?

God bless Mrs Authorblog. Not only is she beautiful and wise, she is also accustomed to silly questions from me.

Yes, the sticker is intact, she tells me, with a grin.

So I deliver the omelette to the waiting Authorbloglet. Then I get the camera out. And very carefully I place the sticker back on the skillet and photograph it.

This time I find I am blessed with superpowers. For after I have finished photographing it for this post, I am magically able to remove the sticker and consign it to the bin.

You know what they say. One good turner deserves another.

Check out the rules at Camera Critters or go to Misty Dawn.