Lately I have been very busy, mostly with photos. I have mentioned Austockphoto before, but in case you don't know, it is a stock photography site that is set to launch August the 1st, I am a contributor (photographer) to it. So I have been taking photos, editing them, and adding keywords to them. And I did such a good job of the keywording part that I now have a job with Austockphoto editing the keywords, categories, titles and such of the other photographers. It just happen quite out of the blue but it is just amazing to be part of that, everyone else on the team is so friendly and it is just pretty cool. 

I thought I'd give you a glimpse of some of the hundreds of photo I have been taking recently. Because they are all just so pretty, if I do say so myself. These are just a few of the beautiful plants and flowers I have come across recently. 

Do you have a favourite?

Have you had any nice surprises recently?

Yesterday my sister and I drove to the butchers to buy some sausages. We were delayed. As we got closer a huge cloud of billowing black smoke grew larger and larger and we seemed to be driving right towards it as we neared the butchers. I decided to park the car a way off and get out and walk. 

I take my camera everywhere, even shopping and my reason has always been, "What if a house burns down and I don't have my camera to photograph it." And so when this house burnt down I had my camera with me to photograph it. 

Apparently it was an old deserted shed that some of the homeless slept in, and it is rumored that the fire was lit deliberately. As terrible as it sounds I have always wanted to see and hear a house burning in real life. There was am almost oily smell to the smoke early on, and the crackling of the flames sounded like a piece of loose tarp or thick plastic flapping in a high wind. Like the sound of when a vehicle speeds past with something in plastic wrapping on the back that vibrates in the wind of its passing.

I arrived there at the same time as the fire trucks began arriving. The police took a while longer to arrive so cars continued to drive straight through the smoke that obscured the bridge. Even a mad motorcyclist went through it. 

It did not take the firefighters long to get it all under control though. The bridge made a good vantage point to watch and photograph all the action from. 

 The Argus photographer only got there as the police did. And after most of the flames had got put out, but there was still a lot of smoke for a while after and it looked as if the firefighters were going to let most of the grass on the hillside next to the road just burn itself out.

So our everyday mission of buying sausages turned out to be quite the adventure.

Have you ever seen a house burn down?

Or a bush or grass fire?

Here is a small fact to think on:

~ You are going to live forEVER ~

Or to put it another way

~ Your soul is IMMORTAL ~

After you leave your body

you will continue to live....

but where?

there are only two options

and this is not an either or fallacy

it is fact

now is the time to chose where you will spend eternity

This is a rather random post of some things that made me smile recently. Some are happenings, others are thoughts or whatnot.....

~ My birthday is Tomorrow!
~ All my five roosters are gone... to the auction
~ Comments on my blog
~ Being introduced to someone; "And this is Clare." "Oh the photographer Clare?" Me mentally OH YESS MEE THE PHOTOGRAPHER. To explain....well I guess I like being known for being a photographer.... I don't know but it was great.
~ BRIGHT Light's nights.... or more after they have gone well and are finished I generally grin then
~ Bible study 
~ Going to the movies with my mum and sisters to see Cinderella.... wow that was a beautiful movie in every way, I highly recommend it. 
~ Getting to be a Betta Reader, that was so fun (google it if you want to know what it is) and then having to correspond with the author a bit too.... they are real people...
~ lying on the grass listening to beautiful birdcalls
~ Taking that perfect photo
~ Things tied up with string and of course the contents of string tied stuff
~ Words.... especially written and written to me with a pen on paper or card... 
~ Chocolate... yes it had to be on here somewhere
~ Winning this book in a giveaway! The edition is just so beautiful and the cover is so soft. Most importantly though it contains a really good story. 

~ Receiving letters in the mail
~ Parcels for me at the post office
~ Touching a wallaby..... A wild one..or more not so wild
~ Being an influence reader for "Draven's light"
~ Racing around outside in a long voluminous, purple cape.
~ Anticipating my ladies afternoon tea....
~ My birthday cake.... it is a book with "in a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit" written on it. Oh and even better it is Dauntless cake. And if you don't know what that is you shall have to read the Divergent series to find out, and it tastes really good.
~ Looking back through old photos

And most other things I have blogged about recently.

I had a little adventure today with a kangaroo. Well really it is a wallaby.  I am not sure if she is old or just likes it here. With a little searching this wallaby can often be found near our place, around the yard, down the back paddock, in the really long grass over the road or in the neighbors (across the road) yard.  

Around tenish in the morning we found that Mrs wallaby still hadn't moved out of our yard and off across the road or anywhere. Naturally I decided to try get close and take a photo... 

She did not seem much frightened, I took these photos from around a meter and a half away. A floppy old wire fence was all that separated me from the wallaby. Suddenly she turned towards me and I clicked the shutter another time. She watched me with huge soft eyes. Placing her pawn on the ground the wallaby moved closer sniffing at me. I reached out my hand. I could no longer focus the camera, as one meter is the closest focal range it can do with my nice lens. She sniffed more and came cautiously through the fence. 

Her whiskers brushed my fingers and tickled into my hand. I touched her nose lightly. Samuel my six year old brother had come up beside me, he moved to fast. Yet she did not turn away from us instead the wallaby turned and hopped past us. As she went past Samuel reached out an hand and touched her. He then shrieked a little in excitement and scared her, so she quickened her pace. Samuel wanted to go after her, but I said we should leave her and he could go and tell mummy how he had touched a wild kangaroo, who really was not so wild at all.

Well this post is happening for a number of reasons one of them being I can't access some documents I would like because of computer problems and also I can't do anything with photos today because they must not be touched while said problems are fixing. So here is a slightly photoless post on my life right now...

Quoting.. Or more exactly remembering and finding quotes . I start with this because that is what I have been doing in the time closest to now apart form deciding what we are going to have for tea..

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” 

― J.R.R. Tolkien

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” 

― C.S. Lewis

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” 

― C.S. Lewis

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” 

― C.S. Lewis

“The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only - and that is to support the ultimate career. ” 

― C.S. Lewis

The wonder of living is held within the beauty of silence, the glory of sunlight, the sweetness of the air we breathe, the quiet strength of earth and the love that lies at the very root of all things.

― Unknown 

A gentle word, like summer rain, may soothe some heart and banish pain. What joy or sadness often springs, from just the simple little things!

― Willa Hoey

And that is only a few quotes.....

Smelling... This sense startled me this morning by informing me of great quantities of smoke outside.... from nearby bushfires there are six burning within 50km of here though none really close.


Seeing... The smoke on the western horizon, discouraging the blue sky.

Realizing... That one of the fires is quite close to some friends of mine, but luckily the fires are all said to be fairly safe and mostly under control.

Hearing... A magpies song

Moving... all these words around to the order I want them in today... which is what ones I can think to write something for.. and 

Deleting... some that I don't want to do today.

Googling... "What do camels smell like" For a story I am writing I couldn't really find anything very useful though so I went with "The pungent camel smell hit me as I went through the gate"

Watching on You Tube.... Videos of camels running... also for my story. 

Trying... To think of seven things to be thankful for, which is quite easy so 

Succeeding.... goes next, I am doing the 2014 KBR Thankful challenge this month like I did last year, which means I have to think of seven things each day to be thankful for and write them down, it is quite enjoyable.

Writing.... Well that should be obvious... this... this word here... well I was but now I have finished that word and am writing these words instead, because they were the words that came next...

Reading...  Lots of books like; Worship Matters by Bob Kauflin and books by another author I have just found Robin Hobb  and I am currently reading her "Farseer Trilogy" 

Wearing... Holes in my socks... I don't know how I do it but almost every pair of my socks had at least one sock that has at least one hole in it...

Getting.... rid of the rest of the "ING" things that I could have answered/written something for. So now I am

Reaching... the end of this post well I have reached it I suppose... and sadly it is photo less.... For reasons stated at the start.

What have you been up to today?

Seeing... my chooks outside the lounge room window..not good if you know they are meant to be in the chook yard.
Hearing...  Ann crying
Smelling... What I am not smelling! Well if I am it must be nice anyway I did have a shower yesterday! how dare you suggest...
Tasting... corn chips...little bits that refuse to remove themselves from my teeth.
Wanting... to fly
Feeling... like I must have been really stupid to leave the second gate into the chook yard open last night.... hence the chooks walked right out.
Wishing... that I had though to close it.
Thinking... that at least I remembered to fill up the bin of chook food before I went to lock them up tonight, and needed food to lure them in.
Laughing... I'm not.... I'm really very serious....extremely so why would I laugh, execpt that I am smiling now but no matter.

Anticipating... hmm what is happening soon.. singing at church on Sunday, the local show.... yes I know but it is only 77 days 12 hours 25 minutes to go till the show! And there is the book fair too, I just can't find if there is a date set for it yet.
Hoping... that I will get another photo shoot to do soon. 
Dreaming... actually I am quite awake, but then one can dream while awake, one can dream of amazing completely impossible things, and make them seem real. One can dream of things that are to be, and there is always that slight chance that they may come true.

A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.

~Colin Powell

All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.

~T. E. Lawrence

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.

~Anatole France

And I might add it has to be Gods will.

Praying... in  the quiet of early morning, in the coldness, praying in bed at the end of the day before I sleep and drift away, praying in the cool wind below the clouds and peaking sun, praising The lord for of all days for this one. 
Reading... well I have just finished some books again "Escape From Shangri-La" and "Why The Whales Came" by Michael Morpurgo. And before that "The Youngest Templar" series by Michael P. Spradlin. Which I enjoyed but found some part really annoying, the characters got out of trouble by the magic of the grail... I would have preferred a bit more fighting to make it more believable and maybe some of the stuff just happening my chance and not being saved by a small dog....
Recovering... some photos I accidentally deleted, luckily I still have the originals on my camera.
Listening... to the sound track from "The Hobbit an Unexpected Journey". 

Wearing... away the keyboard... oh on me? Well.. black socks, light brown loose trousers, a green shirt under a light green cardigan and a headband thing of a similar green to the cardigan.... actually it is a strip of material that I have wound and tied as a headband round my head..... because last night I needed a headband and didn't have any to go with my green so I made one. out of an old sheet..... actually "making" only involved cutting one ed of the blanket and folding it.
Preparing... for battle I am about to have to fight for my life, the enemy is closing in, well the music I'm listing to sounds right for it..... nothing
Remembering... waving goodbye to my grandparents, the last thing I saw was an arm waved out of the car window just after the car turned then it went away out of sight behind a bush. 
Believing... that even if I don't see Grandpa on this earth again, which I may, I will see him again after I have seen my Lord Jesus.

Regretting... putting this music on.... I should have gone for something more peaceful and calming
Trying... to find the right music track....for something more peaceful
Questioning... Why didn't I just do a search for the CD's name to begin with....I knew it was something like "In The Morning" ? but no I have to look for it for ages first..
Fearing... that a dragon might eat me...... well no but anyway we watched "How to Train Your Dragon" last night, we decided since the second on has just come out we better watch the first one.
Loving... Jumpers and jackets and cardigans and nice warm things that look nice too. 
Googling... How to make headbands, AFTER I had made mine.....
Watching on You Tube... Everyone Is Entitled to My Opinion | Messy Mondays  and in particular the silliness of the creation evolution debate under it..... especially after watching the video..... do people really think arguing and insulting each other is going to convert people? 
Choosing... Not to join it, it is hard when reading that sort of thing not to get offended and have to say something to back my POV but really I do see it is pointless especially since God and everything about him seem foolishness to those who are not chosen. But it is sad to see people being deceived by the lies of evolution!
Calling... A NEW SENIOR PASTOR TO OUR CHURCH! it is so exciting.... well I'm excited and can't wait to meet the rest of his family. Well I'm not calling him the whole church is! 
Working... well I did work on my photography course and now I have completed it. 
Emailing.... Open2Study.... they keep sending me emails even though I tried to delete my account and I can no longer log on to it.... and apparently I haven't deleted it.... except I have and I keep getting emails...
Gluing... my shoes together... NO not like that I mean gluing the sole of my shoe to the other part of the sole of my shoe...wouldn't want any lost souls floating around now would we! 
Cracking... sticks for our fire
Thanking... God for my natural photographic eye! There are so many things I see and then know they would make a beautiful photo subject. (when I go walking I often say I am going looking for a photo)
Turning... nothing, well so I thought then I realized I was turning my finger around in circles, well drawing circles in the air with it. It also happens that I turned around on my chair to try find inspiration for what I was turning... found it!
Realizing... That people have put in an application to mine gravel from an old quarry further down our road! As if the mines aren't noisy and dusty enough already! If that goes ahead we will have huge trucks hauling rocks up the road! Back and forwards past our house!
Checking... where the place actually is
Organizing... nothing... what can we do about it...
Moving... ..not likely, we like it here. Though we were told the mine would be happy to buy us out if we continued to complain about the noise...... thanks.... you wouldn't do anything to make it less noisy would you?
Reckoning... I should do something about it, but what?
Smiling... I'm not, right now anyway.

I am going to do another 'Life Right Now' post or more correctly I am doing one right now well it is now as I am writing it but it wont be the now now when you are reading it but a later now. The more I look at that word now the stranger it looks....

Right now I am.... (well not all of them right now, but fairly recently anyway)

Seeing... The computer screen...the kewboard  keyboard and my strange spelling.
Hearing... Ann 'talking' to Mummy and one of my brothers as they play mastermind.
Smelling... Air.....Just thinking about the smell of the chocolate that I know is sitting on the bench in the other room.
Tasting... Did I just mention that there was chocolate in the other room and as it happens a lolly snake too... they taste nice together.

Needing... To think of something to write here...to write an essay on the way the concept of evil intents actually aids providential timing is taught in scripture..did that make any sense? If it didn't I wouldn't be surprised.
Wanting... To have finished the essay
Feeling... Like I have a sore head
Wishing... O why did I start this...
Thinking... About what to write.... for this and the essay
Laughing... While reading The Two Towers

"Speak, or I will make a dint in your hat that even a wizard will find it hard to deal with!" (Gimli says before he realizes Gandalf is not Saruman)

“In one thing you have not changed, dear friend," said Aragorn: "you still speak in riddles."

"What? In riddles?" said Gandalf. "No! For I was talking aloud to myself. A habit of the old: they choose the wisest person present to speak to; the long explanations needed by the young are wearying.” 

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

Anticipating... I have been anticipating my birthday but that is all done and dusted now... so umm.... reading another chapter of Slaves of Socorro, the fourth Brotherband book by John Flanagan that has just been released and my dad is reading to us, as a read aloud.
Dreaming...Well actually I'm quite awake and not sleepy at all...
Praying... For my friends, family, future, church.... and the driving test I have to book...
Reading... I'm going to start "The Mystic Rose" by Stephen R. Lawhead. Which is the third in the Celtic Crusades trilogy (AND I THINK IT ACTUALLY HAS A FEMALE MC) after I finish reading "Knights Fee" By Rosemarry Suttcliff.
Recovering... soon I shall be trying to recover from writing this... as I said before and also from a nasty cold...well I'm trying to recover...
Believing... in the Lord Jesus that I am/shall be saved
Singing... Let It go.....Let it go....do you want to build a snowman.......as I have been for the last few days...oh it wont go away!
Wearing... clothes...jolly good thing too...in particular purple...and a turquoise..aqua-blue scarf that I got for my birthday and a silver bracelet that has a thread of similar coloured stuff twined through the links.
Preparing... for the inevitable, whatever that might be. I think I am about to die, oh no it is the end of the world ahhh.....ok that was random..
Remembering... The rocks that I saw on my birthday when we wandered along next to the river

Regretting... “Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.” nothing at the moment.
Trying... well Just a second or so ago I was trying to think of something I regretted, though now that I have got this far through the sentence it is more than a second ago.... and It will be many more seconds ago when you read this...I say you because you must be a you and it is for your amusement and interest I write this..so you better find it at least a little interesting......though if you don't I don't know what I am going to do about it.... nothing probably....or just not ever do one of these posts again..
Questioning...my sanity....no actually there is not much point in doing that I a am well aware that I have none... though I am according to Jane much more sophisticated than I used to be.... at least when I am around some people...some of the time..
Fearing... That "Let it go" will never get out of my head

"It’s funny how some distance

Makes everything seem small

And the fears that once controlled me

Can’t get to me at all"

Loving... The song...well at least how it sounds and NOT how it just wont go away no matter how much I want to let it go...oh no

"Let it go, let it go

Can’t hold it back anymore

Let it go, let it go

Turn away and slam the door"

and stop singing the song

Googling... "is John Flanagan Dead" just because I wondered what results I would get....
Watching on You Tube.... it probably isn't that hard to guess.... what the most recent thing had to do with.
Hurting.... well I'm not hurting anything unless a keyboard gets hurt by me typing with it...

Choosing... to keep writing this....Well it appears that I am anyway..
Calling... I have been trying to call a friend but as usual they didn't answer...
Working... on writing blog posts other than this I have two of sitting in drafts....and they have been for a while
Emailing... The daughter of some missionaries we support.
Gluing... a completed test into a work book (for school) the same as last time...but there isn't much else I glue
Cracking... my brain, not a pretty sight! why? do you really think a cracked brain would be a pretty sight... I guess my sisters would get to practice their first aid..... luckily I am being sarcastic...
Thanking... The Lord for he is good his steadfast love endures forever
Turning... my eyes around....trying to see if there is anything worth writing about somewhere in the back of my head...
Realizing...that there is not.... and something else. That I actually did an extra lesson of LOTR today and I don't have to finish....start... the essay today!
Checking...that my eyes have not actually fallen out of my head...that would be awkward
Organizing... presents...well where to put them which was quite easy this year as they were nice and small or clothes...except for one of my presents.
Moving... my fingers as I type... and a lot of the time pressing the backspace key....
Reckoning... that I'm just about done!

Smiling... Because I just read the word smiling and anyway smiling is good for you and quite often contagious. There is also the lovely fact that I have finished too!