Wordless Wednesday: a few slices of cheddar short of a ploughman’s

Marathon onion-pickling session done. Now I just have to wait until they’re ready! Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

I’m getting the hang of this domestic goddess lark. Have spent the last few days making pickled onions and more sourdough bread. Now we just have to dust off the Big T’s cheese-making kit and we’ll be on the way to a decent home-made ploughman’s lunch.

The sour-dough is coming along. First attempt at a white loaf. Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

But I guess we might have to start a micro-brewery too.

Six word Saturday: thousands marched in protest today #TPPAWalkAway

#TPPAWalkAway. Thousands of Aucklanders gather in Aotea Square to protest the secrecy surrounding the government negotiating the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement. Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

Getting ready to march. Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

Stretching down Queen Street; anti TPPA protest in Auckland. Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

#TPPAWalkAway. Thousands of protesters around New Zealand urged the government to reconsider the highly secret TPPA negotiations. Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

What is TPPA (The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement)?

Travel theme: grey

Memorial to the Women of World War II. Sculpted by John W. Mills. Whitehall, London. Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

As a colour, grey gets pretty bad press; associated with bad weather and gloomy days. But it is also the colour of many sculptures — like the bronze above which commemorates the enormous contribution made by women during war — and Rebecca Rose’s “Inflight Entertainment” below, which is made of stainless steel.

Rebecca Rose, “Inflight Entertainment”, 2014. Exhibited at NZ Sculpture OnShore, 2014. Photo: Su Leslie, 2014

The works below, by Trish Clarke and Merle Bishop are also in steel and bronze respectively, although the grey that predominates in the image is that of a stormy evening sky.

Trish Clarke’s “Round Up aka Triffid Garden”, and Merle Bishop’s “Spot the Blind Dog”, exhibited at NZ Sculpture OnShore, 2014. Photo: Su Leslie, 2014.

London skyline on a stormy day. Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

In the two shots above, leaden skies hang over already grey structures. In countries were rain is abundant (like the UK and New Zealand) grey clouds are often spoken of negatively — something I’ve noticed increasingly in our TV weather forecasts. For me, they speak of drama and change — things I view positively.

Grey is this week’s Travel Theme at Where’s My Backpack. You can see Ailsa’s wonderful shots here. And here are some other bloggers’ take on the theme that I liked:

Grey

https://drieskewrites.wordpress.com/2015/08/07/travel-theme-gray/

Travel Theme: Rouen’s Cathedral is a Study in Grey

Grey Days

https://sonyavdg.wordpress.com/2015/08/07/travel-theme-grey/

Travel Theme: Grey

https://decocraftsdigicrafts.wordpress.com/2015/08/09/travel-theme-grey-travels-around-new-zealand/

https://beautyalongtheroad.wordpress.com/2015/08/08/shades-of-gray/

 

 

Photo Rehab Weekly Photo Challenge: Cover Makeover #6

Image and design: Su Leslie, 2015

This week’s #PhotoRehabCoverMakeover challenge from Lucile (bridging lacunas) and Desley (Musings of a Frequent Flying Scientist) is the novel,  The House We Grew Up In, by Lisa Jewell.

I haven’t read the book, and I deliberately didn’t find out too much about it. I love the title and wanted to create a cover that worked for the story that I imagined.

 

 

Wordless Wednesday: sourdough loaf #1

My first attempt at sourdough bread. The starter has been lovingly cultivated by the Big T. Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

So far, so good. Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

And it passes the taste test! Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

Photo Rehab Weekly Photo Challenge: Cover Makeover #5

Alternative cover for Simply Red album, Simplified? Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

This week’s #PhotoRehabCoverMakeover challenge from Lucile (bridging lacunas) and Desley (Musings of a Frequent Flying Scientist) is the Simply Red album, Simplified.

I live in a house full of musical instruments and other gear, and my first thought was to try and capture an arty shot of a microphone — a nod to the distinctiveness of Mick Hucknall’s voice. But none of the resulting images really worked, and the idea was in danger of being too much like the real cover.

So I’ve gone back to basics. Let me know what you think.

 

 

“Ready for my close-up”

I’m no ornithologist, but I think this is a pied shag.  Seen at Whangarei Town Basin, Northland, NZ. Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

The Big T and I escaped the city last weekend for a (too) short trip “up north.” Part holiday, part real estate search, we stopped at Whangarei’s Town Basin for coffee, a visit to Burning Issues gallery and to enjoy a late-afternoon walk around the marina.

Wings outstretched to catch the afternoon sun? Pied shag, Whangarei Town Basin, Northland, NZ. Photo: Su Leslie, 2015

This bird was perched contentedly, wings outstretched and oblivious to our interest.

Pied shag, Whangarei Town Basin, Northland, NZ. Photo: Su Leslie, 2015.

This post was written for Sally D’s Mobile Photography Challenge at Lens and Pens by Sally. This week’s theme is nature. The post title comes, of course, from Gloria Swanson’s wonderful line in Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard:

“All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close–up.”