I could tell by the sky this morning that it was going to be another wet day so I went outside before it started to capture some images of trees.
First my favourite tree, the apple tree. which is starting to get some leaves. It had a prune over the winter and always looks interesting when it is bare.
The apple tree is just starting to get new leaves
Here you can see a variety of trees, my “spare” Photinia tree which is now taller than I am, behind it three of my back neighbours trees. Finally in the background the tall gums where the kookaburras live. These are on farm land and crown land behind the power sub station.
My tree, neighbour trees, gum trees.
Big and Small
Small tree in my back garden.A gum tree in the grounds of the nearby church.
My photos this week have a holiday theme as they were taken on Ovation of the Seas, while visiting the Puffing Billy railway near Melbourne or at an airport.
We did a tour of the ship including the galley and laundry areas.
Working in the Galley, Ovation of the SeasWorking in the laundry, Ovation of the Seas.
Volunteer driver and guard at Puffing Billy, Belgrave, Victoria.
Working on the railway, Puffing Billy, Melbourne
On long layovers you take photos to pass the time. I was lucky enough to spot the pilots doing their pre flight checks while the ground crew prepared the plane and loaded the luggage.
I thought that it would be fun to do some portraits of Barbie over her nearly six decades of dolly life. Non doll people please be aware that there are many styles of Barbie and Barbie friends, different hair and eye colours, different body shapes and sizes, different ethnicity. This is not an attempt to show that. Naomi and I have a doll blog where you are very welcome to visit if you’d like to see more dolls.
1950’s
Barbie is first released in 1959
A reproduction of the No. 1. 1959 Barbie,
1960s
Barbie changes her hairstyle several times. During this decade Barbie also got a boyfriend, best friend and little sisters as well as a whole wardrobe of fashions and accessories, a car and a house.
My titian Swirl Pony tail Barbie.
Naomi’s Swirl Ponytail Barbie
A reproduction Barbie with “Bubblecut” hairstyle.
1970’s
The Mod Era began in the late 1960s and carried on for nearly a decade. Barbie gets a new body with a twist and turn waist.
My mod era Living Barbie . circa 1970.
1980’s
The Superstar Era begins. The first Barbie with the “Superstar” face actually appeared in 1977 but this face predominated the Barbie line in the 80s and 90’s.
Vintage Barbie with Superstar face donated to the Op Shop.
1990’s
Most Barbie’s had the Superstar or new “Mackie” face with closed mouth smile.
Lynne has the Mackie face
One of my Barbies from the late 1990s.
2000’s
Fashion Fever. Barbie gets a new body with a belly button. The Fashion Fever line of dolls appear from 2004 onwards.
One of my collection of Fashion Fever dolls
2010’s
Barbie Basics. Starting in 2009 Mattel release a line of higher quality but affordable dolls with a different body sculpt. These were aimed more at collectors than children.
Red Basics Barbie circa 2011
Now
Fashionista era. The current Barbie playline has a diverse range of dolls and Barbie appears much younger than in previous eras.
I’m not sure what this sculpture on board Ovation of the Seas is made of but it looked as if it might be some type of acrylic material. I’ll try to feature it in colour one day.
The famous Merlion on Sentosa Island Singapore.
Singapore’s famous Merlion statue on Sentosa Island. This statue is so large you can go inside and stand in its mouth.
Closer to home, a bronze statue of comedian Roy Rene, known as Mo in Hindley Street, Adelaide.
Australian Comedian Roy Rene (Mo), Hindley St, Adelaide
Here are three Australian cricketers.
Sir Donald Bradman, this is one of a group of four busts in Sunbury, Victoria
Shane Warne, this statue is located near the entrance of the National Sports Museum at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Neil Harvey, a batsman from Victoria who was part of Bradman’s team of “Invincibles” in 1948.
Statue of cricketer Neil Harvey near the MCG
Statue of Shane Warne outside the entrance to the MCG Museum
Bust of Donald Bradman in Sunbury, Victoria
Even closer to home here is the statue of Sir John Franklin former Governor of Tasmania, then known as Van Dieman’s Land and polar explorer. This statue is on top of the fountain in Franklin Square.
The seals and penguins are on the waterfront part of a group of sculptures relating to Antarctic exploration.
Sir John Franklin , polar explorer and governor of Van Dieman’s Land.These sculptures are on the Hobart waterfront .
Finally, very close to home another of our Geeveston wood carvings. Mrs Jessica Hannabury.
I love taking pictures of reflections, we do get some beautiful ones on the Huon River but first something a bit more mundane. A wall of my house reflected in a puddle, finally found a use for all that rain we’ve been having.
Reflection in a puddle
Reflections at Sea
The sea reflected in the glass panels . Ovation of the Seas April 2018Reflection of the photographer.
Reflections on the Huon
Moored yachts at FranklinClouds reflected in the water. Port Huon.wooden boats Franklin
We bought this bench from a local hardware store to replace the previous one which was getting a little rickety. It used to sit under the kitchen window and David liked to sit there and read when it was sunny. In the first photo it is up on bricks to make it a little easier for him to get out of. We didn’t have much of a garden at the time but if he had a book he was quite happy.
I moved the bench to the bottom of the garden after the path to the shed was built and like to sit there sometimes with a book. It is cool and shady there so I don’t use it as much as the seats under the pergola but it is a good place to watch and listen to the birds in the apple tree.
This bench was where David liked to sit.
The bench relocated to the bottom of the garden.
Country Benches
A bench with a view.
This bench is beside the Huon River at Franklin. A lovely place to sit.
A bench with an unusual occupant.
The occupant of this bench was an entry in the Scarecrow Competition run in conjunction with the Middleton Fair in 2012.
City Benches
A bench in the city.
A bench in a little lane that runs off Collins Street, Hobart.
One of the benches at the bus stop on Murray Street Hobart where I often have to wait.
This is where I wait to catch the bus home from Hobart.
Benches in the Elizabeth Street Mall, Hobart, at dusk.
It looks much later but it was only about 5:40 pm on an autumn evening in 2015 when I took this photo after visiting David in hospital.
