Mt Maunganui Day Trip Adventure.

 Do you ever feel you just want to get away from where you live and have an adventure?

 

 The advantage of living in Rotorua is that it is easy to escape somewhere else which is just as beautiful and exciting.

On Sunday morning my husband and I were heading out to the Lake Okareka boardwalk and it was raining slightly.

 I said "What would happen if we just kept going and went to the Mount for the day?
He said yes so off we went.



We stopped the car on the sea front at the Mount and walked along the road to the main shopping area and called into Zeytan which is my favourite Middle Eastern cafe and had a lovely cup of coffee and a muffin for fuel.



We then walked along the road and walked up a steep flight of steps to a little mountain called Mt Drury that is at the end of the shopping area.
I've passed it a hundred time and never walked up.



The view at the top is lovely and sitting on the picnic table at the top gave us a rest after the steep climb.





We then walked down the other side to the sea and walked along the boardwalk.
Then we  walked back to Zeytan and had bread and four dips and Graham had scallops plus we had freshly squeezed orange juice.
I love their dips and I have them every time I go there.

After this we walked back to the beach and went for another short walk out to Moturiki Island and down a flight of steps to some rocks where some fishermen were.




We watched some men surfing and some boys looking for crabs amongst the rocks.






We then walked back to our car



And saw this dramatic sky



We escaped the rain in Rotorua for the afternoon and had some exercise.



I then went to mass and caught up with a couple of friends.
I was happy after the sermon because the priest talked about peace.
My aim for the week is to have peace of mind every day, no matter what challenges I am faced with.


Creative Quotes of the day
It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it.

Eleanor Roosevelt

I'm concentrating on staying healthy, having peace, being happy, remembering what is important, taking in nature and animals, spending time reading, trying to understand the universe, where science and the spiritual meet.

Joan Jett

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.

Mother Teresa

 
 

Nik Software, using it to make your photographs pop.

I love every type of bird, apart from crows but even they are beautiful for the glossiness of their black and turquoise coats.

 Swans are much maligned for their aggressiveness and manure making propensities

But I love the elegance of their necks

and their bright red beaks

I think they can look regal and their voices are like the chimes of a squeaky set of park swings.

They can be aggressive I agree and when they put their heads down like this and swim towards you, it's advisable to move out of their way

Geese also have a reputation of being aggressive because of their ability to extend their wings and come running towards you while hissing.

 But these lovely babies at the lakefront just go about their ablutions not hurting anyone.
They are so fussy about their appearance and the cleanliness of their feathers.
I hang out with them quite regularly and they know me.

I went down to their bathing place and stayed for an hour photographing them. They don't seem to mind. The air coming off them is one of acceptance and gentleness.

I tried an experiment.
 I do this to cattle in paddocks and it always works.
I looked one in the eye and said I love you so much you are beautiful and I blew it a kiss.
It looked up at me and fluttered its eyes like cats do when you talk to them.
 This means that they return your sentiments.
They are very sensitive they can feel how you feel about them and they often respond returning the feelings
I believe we are connected energy wise to all living animals.
It's just a matter of taking time to sit down with them.
Most people are far too busy  or insensitive to notice.

The lake on this day was glassy and even though the skies were overcast it made for  an almost surreal scene, the Nik software helps this.

You can change the tones and the sharpness with it

These scaups are another favourite type of duck of mine.
 They have high pitched peeps and have a cute shape like those yellow floating  rubber duckies you had as a kid.

This is a scene out at lake Okareka which has been heavily manipulated with Nik software to the extent it looks un natural but I like it that way

I love cloud scapes

 and are perfect subjects to experiment with.  I can imagine flying amongst these clouds.

  

I go up  Mt Ngongotaha to take shots of the mist rolling in during early winter mornings  and take shots of Mt Tarawera, because it's just up the road from me.

 

Mt Tarawera always manages to look menacing to me as though it's holding in an explosion that can fill our atmosphere with choking ash at any time.

 

 

Early mornings are some of the best for the light.

I still have a long way to go before I master all the intricacies of this photo manipulating software, but the important thing is I'm having fun discovering how to make my photos pop.
There are a lot of masters out in cyber space who make online videos to help.

Give it a go and see what happens.

Creative Quote of the week

I've developed into quite a swan. I'm one of those people that will probably look better and better as I get older until I drop dead of beauty.

Rufus Wainwright

Tarawera Mountain and Mokoia Island

 

Impressions of the Rotorua Lakefront.

This family of geese are always lurking around at the lakefront eating grass and acorns at the moment because they are in season.
 

I love them because although they have a reputation for being aggressive

These ones aren't. They are really friendly

I have followed them so often on their little jaunts with my camera I think they are almost used to me

I think they recognise me because the feeling I  got off them the last time I saw them was gentleness.

It might sound strange but I find I have a really deep connection to most animals.

I have had encounters with them too numerous to name where they seem to sense something on me that makes them feel very calm.  Perhaps they know I respect them and they just relax around me.

I've manipulated all of these images in Photoshop using NIC software so they are not natural looking but that is the whole concept.

 


The walk to Sulphur point  along the lakefront is shrouded in these Kanuka's which give off a lovely reviving aroma.
 I particularly enjoy the shadows.

This is a section of rust off some old machinery at Sulphur point that always intrigues me for its Australian like landscape colours.

Rust never sleeps is evident in this shot.

I have chosen the lakefront as my project for the year to revisit in all seasons in all weathers.

It's an exercise in digging deeper.

Creative Quote of the Day

The goose that lays the golden eggs likes to lay where there are eggs already.

Charles Spurgeon

 

 

Turn your photographs into water colour paintings with my lessons on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at my studio at 374 Clayton Road, Rotorua. 

Ring to book your space at 346-3435 or email jkeen@clear.net.nz

 

 

Rotorua Lakefront portraits of a young woman and her best friend.

I like photographing  people with their cute dogs.
Normally the Rotorua lakefront isn't a place to find such subjects because it is supposed to be a dog free zone.
But I was fortunate to see this little guy Jack and his mother Jamie Lee  from afar sitting on a bench down from mine.

I just had to ask Jing to go and ask her to come closer for a photo shoot. 

I knew I had to capture this couple because they were so perfect.  

Their love for each other was so evident.
 The little guy was so calm, relaxed and trusting.
I felt like he would want to be with her wherever she went.

This is  the type of dog that I could have.
He is a Highland Terrier and his name is Jack

He wasn't really interested in me, but that was fine because it was lovely to see him so contented and self contained in his bubble of devotion. 

He was beautifully groomed and clean

They were from Auckland visiting for the long weekend.

We talked a lot about him

He was around seven so they had been together in a long relationship

I asked he how hard he was to look after and she said, no trouble, you just take him wherever you want to go

Your life revolves around where you can take him

If I had a dog like that I'd want everywhere to be a dog friendly zone so I could still go to any place I liked

Why not? They are just like people and they get sleepy  too.

It  was a pleasure to meet Jamie Lee and I hope I meet her and Jack again some day.

I took my husband Graham out to Palmers Garden Cafe for lunch and guess who sat next to us? 
Two other adorable dogs called Jeannie and Lulu and their mother Joanne.

The dogs licked me, it felt so soft and lovely.
Aren't they adorable as well? 

Dogs are flying freely to me these days. 
Perhaps the universe is trying to tell me something.

I think if you had a dog by your side you would make a lot of friends quite quickly and easily. 
Dogs break down barriers easily, especially if they are cute and fluffy. 

Creative Quote of the day
The only creatures that are evolved enough to convey pure love are dogs and infants.”
― Johnny Depp

Painting and mosaic classes. 
Come to my studio for some classes and learn how to paint or mosaic your type of dog. 
Adults classes Monday to Wednesday and Friday mornings.
After schools kids and teenage classes every week day except Thursday
Weekend workshops by arrangement. 

Ring 07 3463435
Email jkeen@clear.net.nz 
Mosaic and Art Studio set in a dog friendly, organic, garden at 374 Clayton Road. Rotorua, New Zealand.