Look after one another.

I was thinking... What if we all looked after one another? How would that make the world different? Thinking of others…

What goes around, comes around - yes?

Whitefeather Red, thanks to Chook's Little Winery Tours

'What a blast! This place is the best ever...'

I'm sure it wasn't just the wine speaking? Or maybe just a little. But, looking at my pics, this place is still seriously different and cool. A little slice of ecclectic paradise in McLaren Vale. This place is Whitefeather Red.

On Chooks Little Winery Tours, we venture somewhere for about 10 minutes, from Stevens Cellar Door (somewhere near McLaren Flat). A mix of chat, wine and not needing to know = I'm not sure exactly where we go. www.winecompanion.com.au tells me Whitefeather Red is at 253 Binney Road, McLaren Vale, SA 5171. An invite that John, aka Moondog, gives us, confirms. When you go (and you should), be sure to make an appointment, you will be alone otherwise. 'Wine tasting and sales by appointment only'. The signs on arrival can be confusing too. 'No entry' and 'Entry' sit side by side at the entrance gate. Moondogs humour.

A surfbaord lies in the garden beside the fence, a brick path winds it's way around tall palm trees, and a deck for watching the sun set over the vines while geese waddle up and down the rows is at the other end of the garden. There's also a big bin for fires, surrounded by ramshackle chairs. A ukelele on the wall, begs to be played, and has the sign saying so. This is created by an artistic soul, with great ideas, zest for life and freedom of mind.

November 1st 2014 is the Whitefeather Fizz Launch. Why? Apparently 'Cos our Dancing Dove bubbles rock', the brochure says. And I'd tend to agree. And for the musos, you also get to bring your instrument… and join in with making some sounds. Moondog said he'll be leaving instruments around for those that can't bring any - so no excuse. Except for mine - I can't play. And believe me, nobody wants to hear me attempt.

We sit with Moondog for an hour or so at the freestyle wood table in the middle of his garden. A cheese platter is devoured, and more fizz bottles are brought out. I could easily sit and listen to his tales of travel for the rest of the afternoon. Being hungover from Champagne in Paris, he thought a hair salon patron was a moving scultpture and had to go up and poke the poor lady. Damn, he makes me laugh. And let's not even go to what conversations he has with his butcher. Let the fingers do the talking.

'There's no need to care and worry about it.' Moondog's final words on life.

Whitefeather Red - John Saunders 0424 355 011

Chooks Little Winery Tours - www.chookslittlewinerytours.com.au

Life. 'This too shall pass'.

Just a little food for thought after a fantastic weekend with family and friends...

Don't ever take anything for granted. Appreciate each moment. Say 'I love you' more often. Life isn't a destination, it's a journey. Enjoy it.

Playing with water and cameras...

So I really admire www.aquabumps.com.au (Eugene Tan) and now realise the skill that goes into his awesome photos. While staying at Port Elliot recently, I took my back up camera out for a play, in an Outex housing. It's a bit clunky, but seeing as I don't do a load of water stuff, I didn't want to fork out lotsa $$$ for a proper housing. It does mean though, that zooming, changing settings, or even seeing what I'm taking (the way I set it up) is hard.

Anyway. I never jump in the water without a wetsuit now, but taking these shots, I was having so much fun, I went in with just bikini and rashie and couldn't feel a thing. That's fun. That's excitement. That's me happy.

I'm going to have a play with these and see what I can make of them… then get back to you with a before and after. (I'm still excited…)

Bonython Park, SA. A bit of fun...

These kinds of parks are awesome. Bike safety parks. Get into learning in a safe environment while having fun.  

SAPPA and APPA photo awards 2014

The results are in. Over the last couple of months many photographers have put their hearts on photographic paper and entered the AIPP (Aust. Institute of Professional Photography) APPA (Aust. Professional Photography Awards) and SAPPA (SA Pro Photog. Awards) awards. I was one of them. And although I may not be completely happy with my results, I know I should be. These awards are hard. Getting an award is something to be celebrated.

Below are my prints that I entered in the APPA's. (These all received Silvers at SAPPA). At APPA all received Professional Standard, with one gaining Silver. One other image was one point off Silver too. They were judged by the best of the best of my peers, so to impress them is something.

BE DETERMINED TO MOVE ON AND UP… ALWAYS BE READY TO LEARN. EVEN FOR THE MASTERS.

Bali - but different.

[gallery] So, Bali is boganville. Right? Well, if you go to Kuta area, yes. But go just thirty minutes north to Canggu, and it's completely different. Sitting at Echo Beach, watching the sun set, we see one hawker, a handful of locals, a few handfuls of surfers, a bunch of expats and some more tourists. All calm, all chilled, all getting on with the relaxed life. No smutty stickers, no drunk obnoxious grots. I find myself saying many times that I can see why people fall in love with the place, and live here. Expats sit at beachside cafes, tapping away at their laptop while swigging a beer. Everyone(well, nearly) rides a motorbike down, except for me and hubby, on our bicycles. Everyone knows them though too, branded with The Chillhouse, an accommodation in the area. It's like one big, happy family. Even further north is The Menjangan. It's the quietest part of Bali I've set foot on. Well, that is, until , we, and particularly, my kids, get there. The squeals of excitement that echo through the forest as we bump along the dirt rocky tracks in a double decker open minivan surely scare the monkeys back a step or two. The deer grazing at the beach don't seem to mind the curious kids sneaking up on them either. And the calm bay, bordered with white sand beach, framed by mangroves, is perfect to burn energy. After coming back from a canoe exploration, we wander the boardwalks through the mangrove, chancing upon a Monitor Lizard. The huge lizard watches us as we scuttle past, then slowly moves on.

So, for somewhere different, but still easy and cheap - Bali can deliver. Think outside the square - or from the stretch of  hectic tourism that is Kuta, Legian and Seminyak - and head up. Canggu, Medewi, and Menjangan. Treat yourself. We met a few travellers from Australia, travelling up around the North West of Bali, and all of them were very impressed, and so glad they made the effort. Even the girl that wobbled around like a walking bandage after coming of her motorbike on the way up.

www.themenjangan.com

www.thechillhouse.com

A weekend away at Seawall Apartments Glenelg

After hanging out with the good folk at Seawall so much over the last year, updating their gallery of pics, I finally manage to stay. Purely my fault for taking so long.

A weekend of working ON the business, coffees and a wine or two. What an awesome place to hang and create. The beachfront room, with private balcony just adds to the awe factor. With The Glenelg precinct just minutes away (by foot) it would be easy to spend all day out, but I am so comfy watching the world go by, rugged up with glass of wine in hand on the balcony or comfy sofas inside. Oh, it's a hard life. Thanks to my cousin Shaya from The Family Law Project for laying the hard q's on me, and getting a different train of thought started.

Www.thefamilylawproject.com.au And of course, www.seawallapartments.com.au

Travel destination choice can mean confusion.

I'm always looking at holidays. Even when I'm on holiday. Even when I've had enough of the kids, driving us crazy while away, I'm thinking 'where can we go next?'And now I'm planning two holidays, one for hubby's 40th in December, and then one for our 10th anniversary in February. I'm pretty much settled on going to the Gold Coast for the 40th, as we have both never been there and know the kids will be entertained. But. And it's a big but. We want to go somewhere, no kids, in February.

My first plan was a surf holiday, but anywhere close to Australia is off season in February (or not good for advanced beginners). Then I thought Hawaii, but didn't know if it's worth it for five or six days.

Then there's...

Maldives South Pacific (anywhere but Fiji) Philippines Vietnam Byron Bay (hmm, why don't I have more Oz places?) Lombok

All places we haven't seen yet.

I'm confused! I've not been this confused before. This is what happens when I get freedom from kids... The world truly is my oyster of ease.

I'll let you know how I go. Feel free to comment if you have ideas or suggestions. Fun, freedom and adventure is the go.

Who else gets confused?

Job: Due South Launch

I photo'd the launch of HWR's Due South last week. It was fun. So many people to see, and say hello to again. I like the people here. Along with doing the normal event pics, I had some fun with photographing some randomness...