Monday, March 22, 2010

A Triple Barrelled Post.

First and most important, it is the love of my life’s birthday.
Deb isn’t quite my childhood sweetheart, but to be honest we weren’t much more than children when we met.

For more than twenty five years we have shared everything, from deepest joy to personal tragedy. Together we have grown into the people we are today, walking side by side and holding each other’s hand as we went.

It never ceases to amaze me how much you have sustained me, with inspiration, with far more patience than I deserve, and most of all with love.
Happy Birthday Deb! Happy Birthday my Love!


Second, by pure chance this happens to be my hundredth blog post.
Yay I’m 100!


Third, just this Friday past I commented on Jaks’ blog Lassy in Lancashire “…Mind you the only times I have had really good looks at koalas in the bush I didn't have a camera at all.”

Just yesterday I was in the bush down on Cape Otway and I was able to rectify the situation.

Koalas live in trees, usually in the tops of tall trees. So they are hard to see.
Add to this the main thing they do is sleep. Hence, most Aussies have never seen a koala in the bush. If they have it is usually a view like this. This sleeping ball, high in a Eucalyptus tree, is a koala.I have been lucky to get some really close views of the little beasties, but alas never with a camera in tow.

Yesterday I took the above photo of a ball impersonating koala and was reasonably content.

Then I got this guy, as a ball impersonator he/she is not great.
I could see a cute leathery nose and one furry ear. This was easily the best piccie of a koala I had ever taken. Contentment level increases.

Then on a branch so low I could almost reach.
My all time record best koala piccie is blown away already! Contentment level threatens the integrity of my contentment meter!

Excitement plus! This patch of bush almost had more koalas than leaves!

Less than a minute later I spot this fellow and he (I know he is a he because of the brown stain from a scent marking gland on his chest) is not only awake but moving! A rare treat in koala observation!He climbed out along this fairly spindly branch before deciding better of it and reversing back down.Finally he settled in this elbow and began munching on some fresh green leaves.
Anyone know where I can get a new contentment meter?

16 comments:

Natasha said...

When you find a contentment metre, send it to be, because I am sighing with contentment just looking at those photographs. I know how difficult and thrilling it could be to catch elusive creatures (koalas or kids), and those last few pictures are incredible.
The last one, especially, is a classic. I haven't seen a picture better than that ever- not even in the millions of animal encyclopaedias I possess.
Someday, when I am doing up my house, I may jsut ask you for the original, which I can frame and put up on the wall. Would you then share?

And congratulations!

Kathleen Jones said...

Congratulations Al - the National Geographic couldn't do any better!!
And many good wishes to Deb - may you both have many more years of delight in each other's company.

Sarah Ahiers said...

awww! Look at that cutie! The koala's not bad either ;-)

Ann said...

What beautiful photos. And happy birthday to Deb.

Kristen M. said...

Happy birthday to Deb! Happy one-hundredth post! Happy, Happy koala pics! Those are so amazing. I love the second to last one. His colors in the sunlight are amazing and I love seeing his hand!

Anonymous said...

Happy B-Day Deb! Tell her she doesn't look a day over 25. We love hearing that. Great Koala pictures. We don't have anything nearly as exciting in our backyard. I think I saw a ladybug in the front yard two days ago. Whoo.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to your lovely lady. The koala pics are just beautiful :o)

Jenners said...

What a lovely and amazing gift for your lovely and amazing lady!!

Mary said...

Many happy returns of the day to your wife, Al. Twenty-five years (plus) together is no small feat, either.

Congrats on the 100th post and the fab photos of the koalas. They are adorable. (The pics and the koalas, both!)

Elspeth Futcher said...

Happy birthday to the love of your life - and what a lovely tribute you gave her!

I'm in love with those koala pictures. They always look like such cuddly creatures, but I gather they really aren't.

Are you getting any of this dreadful weather I'm reading about?

monix said...

Congratulations all round!

Lisa said...

Happy belated birthday to Deb! What fantastic piccies!

Heidenkind said...

Aw, the koala is so cute!

Al said...

Hi Rayna,
No luck with a replacement contentment meter just yet!
Thank you for your wonderful complements regarding my piccies.
I am sure I would share is it ever came down to it.

Hi Kathleen,
Thank you both for providing such complements and for your wishes.
How is little Isabella going?

Hi Sarah,
How on earth do I respond, except to say thanks!

Hi Ann,
Thanks, and I’ll pass on your wishes!

Hi Kristen,
Thank you! Thank you! And thank you!
I was so happy with the shots, He couldn’t have done a better job of posing if I had directed him!

Hi Christy,
I’ve passed on your wishes! I am sure California has some other compensations! Plus, don’t knock ladybugs, they are very cute in their own way!

Hi Niki,
Welcome to my blog!
I have passed on your wishes. Thank you for the complement

Hi Jenners,
Maybe, but she deserves it and a whole lot more!

Hi Mary,
Thank you.
Thanks also for the praise.
I am pleased you liked the piccies!

Hi Elspeth
As I said above she more than deserves all the words I can say.
They do look adorable, but of course they are wild animals and would react like that if you tried to cuddle them. There was a Government minister who was famously piddled on by one when he held it in a zoo.
Melbourne had hail and localised flooding a couple of weeks ago. There was some serious damage in some areas but we weren’t affected.
Most recently it has been Perth on the west coast that has been really hammered.

Hi Monix,
Thank you!

Hi Lisa,
Thank you, only too happy to share!

Hi Tasha,
He is damn cute isn’t he?

DJ Kirkby said...

Happy belated birthday to Debs! That's a sweet looking Koala but I'm sure he probably isn't.

Al said...

Hi DJ,
Thanks I'll pass it on.

They are gorgeous to look at. But they are wild animals and they have a mean set of claws! I certainly wouldn't try to pick one up.