Whose stupid idea was it to go overseas with a baby?

No red eye, neutral expression, no shadows, mouth closed, no reflections on face, background plain and light but not white, with child straight on and looking at the camera.  Passport photos suck at the best of times.  Now, let's try that with a 4.5 month old baby:

The land of bird poo and feathers...

We went to Nga Manu on Sunday.  Technically for my birthday, also because Nev actually had the day afternoon off (he ended up working overnight/morning beforehand), but mostly because I thought Alex would have fun at the duck/pukeko/swan feeding areas.    It also provided the chance to play with my new zoooooomy lens.  

Alex did indeed have fun feeding the birds.  Though once she'd run out of pellets she started throwing gravel to them instead.  She must've been won over by all those hopeful little faces looking up at her.  She also insisted on doing a fair amount of walking, but you had to keep a very close eye on her so she didn't sit down in a pile of duck poo.  

Typically, the more interesting birds (Kea and Kaka) weren't posing nicely for the camera, but I still managed to take a few decent photos.  There's a whole set on Flickr and a few below.  You can click on them to make them bigger, or not, if you're lazy and really don't care that much.  Whatever.  

Rocking her new sunnies

Getting swarmed

Paradise Duck

Heron

Young Pukeko.  You can actually see its face on the bigger version of this photo.

Swan - liked to pluck ducks when being fed.  Dick.

BORED

Despite my newfound super awesome domestic goddessness, driving lessons (yes, finally) and multiple hospital appointments for either me or Alex (just routine/checkups) keeping me busy, I find myself wanting to do something crafty.  Or something.  

When we put the house on the market we cleared out the spare room and put what was worth keeping in storage, donated some bookcases to Nev's sister, then took a load of stuff to the dump.  The latter included my sewing desk.  It was about eight years old, and one of those super cheap mulched rainforest pieces from The House of Ware.  It wobbled terribly when the sewing machine was running so I decided it wasn't worth keeping.  Must say, Nev took GREAT delight in smashing it to pieces with a hammer - which wasn't hard.  Most of my fabric went to storage, as did all of my patterns, so it seems I'm not going to be sewing anything in the near future.  

Then there's photography, which observant readers of my blog will have noticed I've kind of... stopped.  I don't know why.  It could be that Nev showed Alex how the camera works so whenever she sees it she zooms over to demand that we show her the photos we've just taken.  It could be the lack of easy transport to new places put me off bothering.  It's probably mostly that I still haven't read my photography book properly and feel like I should before I try new things...

Anyway.  This week I am going to do something creative.  And then I shall blog about it.  And you shall be amazed.  Oh yes.

 

Staglands, or Duck! Duck! Duck!

I bought two 50% off vouchers off a daily deal website and they were about to expire so we thought we'd better go.  Alex had much fun with all the animals, though the Kea was a bit loud and scary and apparently invisible.  Where was that noise coming from?!?!

I took some semi-decent shots of some of the (very exotic) locals, which I am going to make you scroll past to get to the Alex photos.  HA.

Kunekune piglet!

Ringneck dove (I told you they were exotic animals..).

Peahen.  I felt bad for her as everyone was photographing the Peacock.

Wow, amazing shot of a Peacock with his tail fully spread.

The Clydesdale, whom I thought was pretty cool.  Alex found him to be a bit large for her liking.

Donkey:  Oh hai, baby!  You has food??

Alex:  Argh!  It touched me!

Duckduckduckduckduckduckduckduck

Much concentration is required.

Sprinkles!

Toe-nibbling sheep.

It generally helps if you open up your hand so the sheep can actually get to the pellets...

It was good fun, though I'm a bit torn - she'll like it more as she gets older, but having to carry her meant that she didn't have the chance to get covered in all the many kinds of animal poo like she could as a proper walking toddler..!  I suspect we'll go back one day, despite the horrible narrow road you have to drive along to get there.  

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 40: Technology

When I saw this week's theme I didn't quite know where to begin. Technology in our house?? Never!

Messy Tech, originally uploaded by rattyree.

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 37: Triangle

Stole Alex's blocks for this while she napped otherwise I would've been in trouble.

Blocks, originally uploaded by rattyree.

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 35: Yellow

I did three photos for the challenge this week. Only eight to go. What? Did I say something about not falling behind again?

Mmm spring!  Boo hayfever!

Daffodils, originally uploaded by rattyree.

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 31: Small

Oddly, I thought of the tiny chickens in my old Playmobil sets when I saw this topic.

I was also verrry tempted to take a photo of the tiny cutlery and plates from my hospital set, but they weren't as colourful. I'm quite proud that I managed to keep all the pieces though!

Tiny Chickens, originally uploaded by rattyree.

This photo is only a few days late!  *shock horror*  I still have several weeks to catch up on - photos that I want to take outside the house - but I haven't had a chance to go wandering with the camera lately. I hope to keep on top of things again now though, even if madam is keeping me extra busy with her newfound mobility!

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 30: Texture

I love this hat that Mum crocheted for Alex.  It's so soft and snuggly it deserved a photo - especially as Alex refuses to wear hats now.  Bad baby.

Also: If anyone is stuck for things to buy me (any occasion will do - birthday, christmas, I'm just so awesome you can't resist, easter...), I'd LOVE a macro lens!

Crocheted Merino, originally uploaded by rattyree.

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 29: Orange

The orange visor on Nev's Halo 3 Legendary Edition Master Chief Helmet.

Sadly the helmet isn't big enough to wear. ;)

Master Chief, originally uploaded by rattyree.

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 27: Nighttime

Can't beat Wellington on a good day (night)!

This is by far my favourite photo from the weeks I've had to catch up on. Taken looking out over the city from Wadestown.

Wellington at Night, originally uploaded by rattyree.

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 26: Distortion

Looking at some stripy fabric through a glass vase. Distortion achieved.

Through the looking vase, originally uploaded by rattyree.

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 24: Shadow

Took a while for me to figure out what to photograph for this topic, but quite like the results.

3D Shadow, originally uploaded by rattyree.

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 23: Open

I made Mum open her present realllly slowly tonight so I could take photos.

Birthday Time, originally uploaded by rattyree.

Happy Birthday Mummeh! <3

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 22: Brown

Basil is large, and brown.  I took a photo of him for the week we did "Large" so it is only fair I took a photo of him for "Brown" as well.  

Brown Mouse is Doomed, originally uploaded by rattyree.

Of course, he didn't just sit there and stare at mousey...

Zari was feeling a bit left out, so I went over to her and jiggled mousey around for her to chase.  

Unfortunately Basil of Doom in the background there ran her over in an effort to get to the mouse first.  Zari went and sulked under my desk.    

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 21: Anger

I wouldn't put it past Basil to think slug and snail bait was tiny kitty bikkies, so the bait we bought is safe for children and pets - and evidently slugs and snails.

Grrrrr Snails!, originally uploaded by rattyree.

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 20: Tracks

The council dug up someone's lawn just down the road from us, and parked diggers and portaloos all over it for a week.  They very kindly flattened out all the tracks and sprinkled lawn seed over the mud when they were done though.

Caterpillar Tracks, originally uploaded by rattyree.

And here's what Alex thought of going out in the cold to take photos of tracks:

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 19: Artificial

Set focal point, put glasses in shot, hope for best.

Artificial Lenses, originally uploaded by rattyree.

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 18: Red

Yet another meh week. Alex has been snuffly/feverish/not sleeping so I didn't get out and about as planned. I'll get my mojo back next week, right??!

This is a little heart that a friend made. It used to sit under my monitor at work, and now it sits under my monitor at home - next to a Totoro, a rock with googly eyes and a mini kewpie coke bottle.  Yep.

Happy Heart, originally uploaded by rattyree.

Weekly Photography Challenge - Week 17: Rural

The weather was poo and we couldn't be bothered going on an adventure so we drove to Makara. So what if it's just around the corner?

Makara, originally uploaded by rattyree.