PossumCorner

Snook I'm way more than 4 wks behind. Don't cancel out, even if you lay low for winter and don't do much shooting til spring. It's only April still. And I'd always hope to see Justice updates here, photos or no photos, to know you are still looking in. Poor boy, poor you, it's a very rough patch, not easy, hope for good recovery news for him soon.

Years ago (mid-late '70s) I worked in Kenya for a few years, spent lotsa time on the game parks, hence my almost paranoid hatred of most zoos, zoo photography etc. Upper level conservation work fine, the rest bleeeergh. Anyways, a farm I spent a lot of time at on Mt Kenya bred polo ponies for the British market. One of their sideline incomes was pony trekking on Mt Kenya and camel trekking down on the plains. Their pack mules for the treks were wild caught Grevy's Zebra stallion over polo pony mares. The mules were light gold brown and black stripes, same pattern as zebra but softer colours. Their temperament was horrendous, they were always ready to have a go, and could only be managed by their regular handlers, if a stranger approached they would try to take your face off. One attacked my car and took off the side-mirror in one bite. They were magnificent, larger than either parents, striking lookers. Possibly acceptable as suited for purpose in that setting. Often enough done in other countries as a novelty, just to look at as a curiosity "because they can" it's a scummy thing to do, doesn't make a happy animal.

Yes, marvellous isn't it - just like puppy farmers who then insult both parent lines by making up stupid insulting oodle names and that's supposed to legitimise both of their nasty industries. Yes, prejudiced much.

Ha, it's not easy, sleep deprivation is a pain. Frodo is now an old doggie, but he would be mortified to need to toilet in the house. He lets us know with barking when he has to go: generally midnight or 3.00am or both. Then gets a bit lost and barks again if needing a search party and a torch. He can't manage stairs now, and with failing sight the big worry was him bumbling into the heater. So the heater has a new all-sides safety barrier from Bunnings. Sounds like your JRT still has all his marbles Mumsie. But when they get "really old" and become a bit senile they can become much more clingey and even more stressed at being alone - you might have to revert to sleeping downstairs again at some stage (roster system?).

Opportunity - or rather lack of opportunity to breed with same species. Something like those creepy zoo people who interbreed lions with tigers (may they rot in hell).

And the catching up theory does not compute. Plodding on: 5/52 - Crested dove on an old gate, waiting for the ducks to be fed, hopeing to snick something before the magpies move in. 6/52 - Last of a round-bale. Demolished in a week. Be a shock to them next time when it comes served under slow-feed netting. 7/52 - Ready for take-off 8/52 - Three-two-one : launch

I think I joined and forget what name. Never got around to using it, don't use the mobile phone often enough to always remember to charge it. Generally stick with Smugmug for photos, I dabble with others for storage/share but always go back to Smugmug - it keeps up with the times.

Lovely record of their work Huga, seriously disappointing hatch-rate though eh?.

There was a promo for a new small book about Penguin a rescued magpie on ABC this week. Some stunning photos of the magpie and of the children intereacting with it. Worth a look at the vid link, picks up some of the animal/human emotion connection we all like to have in our shots, seldom achieved.

If you buy your peanut butter at a farmers' market they grind and bottle it in front of you: no additives or preservatives or sugars, just peanuts.

About ten weeks ago I received a fairly severe dog bite, wide scrape and slight puncture. Dr said as it's a few years now since I had a tetanus shot, preferred I get a booster. Interestingly there is a shortage of it in Vic at present and many Dr's surgeries including mine were out of stock and couldn't get supply. Dr referred me for a shot to the nearest hospital, as apparently hospitals have supply whereas not all medical centres/Dr's surgeries do. I haven't got around to it yet and the bite has healed up well thanks to paw-paw ointment, will do it soon, this thread is a good reminder, better safe than sorry and all that.

Perseph do you still use Sagelight? Was once free Rozzie, then became a still very cheap lifetime useage. Has a 90 day free trial offer, google sagelight.

We have a local-ish bad outbreak here in central Vic. Swimming in the Loddon River is common, but it's been declared dangerous I think from around Newstead up to Bridgewater and community notices about the algae popping up on all the phone apps alongside CFA bushfire warnings and incidents. Is the birdlife on Lilydale Lake being affected - I thought they were the main reason dogs aren't ever supposed to swim in the lake, disturbing nesting waterbirds etc. If algae is killing the fish it will be hard on the birds too.

So sad Kirislin, tears for her passing.

I don't think this is really the case. Show people rely on non-showies to purchase most of their puppies. They need a real interest and knowledge of their buying public rather than the usual criticism and slinging off here at those who for example do not know the name of every breed. Also thought Blinkblink's first post was just a little over the top and out of line. But calming down, the second post does make some sound telling points. There's no purpose in dolers constantly putting blame back onto 'the gardener' after so many years, which is often enough done. Is there a way of reversing the trend of cross-breddies completely taking over the dog buying public? If there is, it won't be found by infighting with one another or trading insults. Blinkblink is listening to the ordinary run of the mill dog owning public, and has focussed on some valid reasons for their choices.

Condolences to your Mum and Dad - and to you Stari. Rest in peace Bill.

Oh Canetoad, I've looked at your recent dog-shots and just thought oh hell, sooner or later this doesn't go well. Glad no bark off this time, as if you're not going though enough of the hard yards without coping with the no-idea dog owners. Perseph do you ever take the dogs for their walk and think thank you lord for all this space around us and no dog-walking trauma like the daily suburban gauntlet brings on. I do, or at least I did, now Frodo and Rheneas are too old to go walks, but they and Piper had three or four magical years here of joyous freedom with no risk, it was bliss. Part reason we moved to semi remote, with all its drawbacks, was our fed-up-ness, I think that's a word, with the whole "other dogs thing" in outer suburbs. Other reasons to move added up to the decision, but the dogs were the centre of it and the best decision ever. LittleGifts, love your "peinics" description.

That's a good job Snook. For me, I prefer your first post with the cars left in - they do their job giving some depth perception and scale without intruding or distracting.

Perseph they are just gorgeous shots, and I love their new shmick collars, well chosen.

Okay, thought it was terrific, (still think the concept is great) but now trying to see it from other viewpoints. It's just not going to go away, not if it has public support. Can the taxi industry come up with some kind of "united front" doing anything similar? I know some drive war veterans on Anzac Day - but it needs to be something focussed on bringing joy (not just doing good) to grab public approval and interest. I was a secretary: there were tens of thousands of us women (because with very few exceptions, a 'man' would never be caught dead using a typrewriter). Then computers came along and the keyboard became very acceptably blokey. The social change the sudden unemployment of these women caused was barely noted, neither was the disappearance of their livelihood, their chosen career plan. Change and progress are difficult to hold back, whether good or bad.

Preston Photography does nice cat work (USA) - coloured backgrounds but mostly plain. Studio lighting and I'd guess a helper or two, stunning results. http://www.prestonsm...o.com/main.html

You can't go wrong with a black background if the aim is to have the focus on the subject - then the first thing they look at is the kitten's eyes, no distraction. I love the bling beads background, but it takes equal billing with the subject. Anything with a pattern is 'busy' so keeps the looker from locking onto the eyes first up, window to the soul and all that. On the other hand your kittens are so cute they'd look good if they were climbing paisley curtains, great work PL.

Didn't know that either, how sad - this is not the thread for it, but just momentarily off-topic, I love the Penny Black series of hedgehog stamps, often use them for cards (see 'colouring in book' thread for endless options of colouring media) and use this one lots for pony people: http://www.pennyblackinc.com/display_item.php?PID=1108&CAT=RScritters okay, back to photography, coming to terms with new camera.

Superb, why was I expecting an echidna? I hope "(live)" doesn't mean you see not-alive ones. We're always rescuing echidnas from the middle of the road here before the next farm truck comes along. Gapvic your shot so reminds me of the scene in Babe, with the trio of mice singing "Blue Moon".

4/52 Framework and BamBam relax after their ordeal with the Dentists. These boys are so sensible, bit different to the bouncy ponies. And the new camera - loving it - ended up with the Pana Lumix FZ300, has limitations and good things, not a DSLR but a good lens and does the job.