NZ

Week 12: Macro

Posted by robeanne

Oh, so many to choose from after a weekend away! I forgot to take my SLR in the rush and ‘busyness’ of packing up, so resorted to the ‘pro’ setting on my Samsung camera app which allows me to manual focus and change ISO etc. It is a bit tricky focusing as you basically need to move physically closer or further away from the subject. And steadying a light camera is not easy either. Nevertheless, I am quite pleased with the results.

We spent Easter weekend exploring some of the Whirinaki landscape. A new area for us made easier now that we have a campervan to pull over in and sleep anywhere! The podocarp forest (ngahere) is a stunning place and especially rich with berries and mushrooms now that Autumn is on its way. We were lucky too, with the weather. It is still warm and the sun provided excellent light through the trees.

Here are a few of my shots. Which do you like best?

woolly inkcap mushroom looking into the centre from an angle
Woolly Inkcap; Lake Okaro
Shaggy Inkcap Mushroom taken from above
Woolly Inkcap
earthstars
Earth Stars; Whirinake Waterfall Track
clover
Clover; Lake Okaro
puffball mushroom, white with detail of skin
Puffball Mushroom
bright green fern growing on the side of a tree. Spores are around the outside.
Kidney Fern; Whirinaki Waterfall Track
bright green kidney fern, seen side on growing on the side of a tree. Light shining through it.
Kidney Fern: Whirinaki Waterfall Track
dandelion clock
Dandelion Clock; Lake Okaro
deep red berry with a drip of water hanging underneath
Berry with drop of water: Lake Okaro

Rā 357 Rāhina 25 o Hakihea

Posted by robeanne

Christmas Day 2017.

It was strange not to have any children in the house on Christmas morning. The start of times to come, I suppose.

The boys arrived late morning for brunch. Waffles and fresh fruit with fresh coffee outside in the sunshine.

Board games followed which meant a late dinner. Managed to get the boys together for a family photo. They don’t change!

Rā 285 Rāhoroi 14 o Whiringa-ā-nuku

Posted by robeanne

My big day has arrived! Not as prepared as I wanted to be after 4 weeks of being crook with a cough and cold then a heavy week at conference. No training for the last 2 weeks and fairly minimal before that but it is what it is! Dig deep, do your best. I’m here. Took a huge tumble about 10km from home, slammed my ribs and winded myself pretty badly. What do you do? Pick yourself up, brush yourself off and carry on! So I did. Glad it was only 33km and not the 36km advertised! Done! Made sure I stopped often enough to enjoy the scenery. Pick of the day….has to be the weka that walked in front of me!

Rā 262, Rātapu 18 o Mahuru

Posted by robeanne

Went out on the trails at Tarawera today. A bit of a step up for me to 22km with quite a bit of climbing. I felt really good out to the half way point but struggled in the last 5km coming back. Sustained upwardness on very tired legs. The weather was kind to us though. Four hours of run /walking and my legs know they did something today! Good tired though!  

Rā 235,  Rāhina, 22 o Here-turi-kōkā

Posted by robeanne

Beautiful light down at the lake this morning. Forced to walk after my calf muscle pinged, I took the time to look around me more closely and take more photos than usual. Hard to decide which to choose but went for the moment when the sun rose. I love the way the light changes when the sun rises..that transition from dawn to day, from softness of light to brightness.