Unknown Cat in Petra, Jordan

I'm using this cute guy as my avatar at the moment (better than a shot of my scary mug:). So, I thought I would do him some justice by giving him a bigger picture here on my blog. He was on our hotel balcony wall when we came back from seeing the sites of Petra.

He was lovely and so photogenic that I couldn't resist some camera action.

Kinver Edge, UK

I'm not a fan of walking ......or any exercise for that matter. I think of myself as subscribing to the anti-exercise movement. I don't like sports either, which in turn makes me feel a little un-australian. As a society we are suppose to love exercise and sports. We excel at growing tall in the sunshine and beating other countries at 'their' sports. I can't understand either of the rugby's, cricket bores me, swimming and athletics -excuse me while I supress a yawn. Tennis is all right in small doses, say once a year - except for all that unnecessary grunting, the mute button is my friend when Wimbledon is on. But I feel more than a little un-australian and I'll tell you why:

1. Hatred of almost all sports and exercise (see above paragraph for pre-ramble)


2. I'm not that tall


3. I hate the beach...and the sun. Going to the beach is torture. You get sand places it shouldn't be, you are suppose to lie there cooking your skin in the HEAT risking cancer and the sea is like hot salty water. Why I ask you, Why?


4. I hate beer


5. I have to admit that when I first go home to visit the accent grates on me a bit. I know, I'm ashamed of me too


6. Going back to number one and I'll say this quietly I like watching soccer. Though Australia did make it to the last World Cup, something I was very proud of. By the way, we were robbed by the cheats that are the Italian team.....that's all I'm going to say on the subject because I have been known to 'get nasty' when riled up about this

So what has this got to do with Kinver Edge I hear you ask - well we went for a walk there yesterday and it wasn't that bad. Thinking about posting about it made me think of the above and well whatever happens to be at the front of the cue in the mess that is my brain needs to be expressed first.

The edge allowed great views of the Staffordshire countryside. Great rolling hills and lots of green. The UK might have 60 million people in it and be seen to be bursting at the seams, but I for one thank whoever there is to thank that most of the inhabitants of these isles are concentrated in congested cities. It's great to go out and see space.

Even though I enjoyed some of my outing it was still exercise so I was concentrating so hard on putting one foot in front of another without becoming angry* that the camera rarely made an appearance. However I did get a couple of shots and here they are:

On the site are the Holy Austin rock houses where people lived until the 1950'sA thistle.......and it's purple :)

* I get angry when I have to do anything remotely exercise like - it's stupid I know but I feel like a little kid who's being punished for something. He Who Shall Not Be Named loves climbing mountains and hills and spends hours badgering me into it. By the time I get to the top I'm ready to explode - I just don't see the point. Sure occasionally the view will be nice, but this is England so most of the time the weather is shitty and you can't see a thing. I'm meant to feel a sense of 'achievement' or something, but I always feel somehow cheated.

Things in my Backyard, UK

Out of the English drizzling rain of the last few weeks came a day of glorious sunshine

so out came the camera

(then the lawnmower)

I love mushrooms, their shape is so pleasing to the eye

I saved it when I mowed by leaving a little patch of uncut grass around, like a little mushroom shrine

then my cat Oberon hunted it down and killed it

I love daisies and feel like such a murderer when I have to mow the lawn :(

I don't know what this flower is but I love the way the light works in this picture and it's purple - who doesn't love purple!

Pisa, Italy

one of my 'arty' shots of the Cathedral

Darwin, Australia

I took this while visiting the clan in 2004 at the recently open but looooong awaited train station in Palmerston.

I did have to photoshop out a whistling street lamp that just happened to be passing, I think it was trying for photo action

Jebal Aktar, Oman

Along with trees I love to take pictures of textures

these are some wire cables we found while picnicking on the mountain side

Petra, Jordan - to celebrate being named one of the New 7 Wonders

Our 'Indian Jones Moment' (albeit after our day at Petra as I was too overawed to take a good shot when we came through so took this one as we were leaving!)

My first ever attempt at Photoshop - there were lots of annoying tourists on the sand in the bottom right hand corner - how dare they ;)

View the other New 7 Wonders of the world here

Omani Fort, Bousher, Muscat

If you like shopping Dubai or Abu Dhabi are the places to go, but if you want friendly locals, amazing landscapes and a vibrant culture - go to Oman.

Purple Flower, Bodelwyddan Castle

Monument Valley, USA