Dear Florence - my second daughter

We have one thing in common - love for photography....

this album was taken on one of our photo walks where we took pictures of flowers, landscapes and each other.

winter morning - at st kilda beach

it's been a while since my husband and i have been for a morning walk, it's been chilly everyday, but when we saw the fog this morning something seemed to beckon us to explore what's out there....and loved it...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reaching out

"Light is good from whatever lamp it shines..."

When all the leaves have fallen

It's still winter in Melbourne...it seems to me that we've had it since autumn...

Just Smile

One of the rewards of being a photographer is being able to capture different types of 'smiles' from people who may be your friends, relatives and even strangers...then later, just by looking at their photos they make you keep on smiling, too....This album was from my recent trips to Philippines...hope this will put a smile on your face...

a smile of contentment and inner peace

time passes by quickly and joyfully with her favourite pastime

 such a joyful and ticklish smile

 'cuddle with mommy' smile

young and pretty, 'being with close friends' smiles 

camera shy

'i like my photo taken' smile

best friends, sweet smiles

'let's pose for the camera' smiles

 this is her usual smile for the camera

 and when i told her not to smile

enjoying the warm weather, loving each other's company

 just bought some flowers, 'being with cousins' smiles

jolly(bee) smile - after a meal of chicken and palabok at jolibee restaurant

after a feed

 trying my new camera lens, trying to smile just for me

'loving the music' smile

 'a job well done' smile - the tomb maker

thoughts of his girl make him smile

 ' being with her baby' smile

happy at work, always smile...

just a plain, sweet smile

just cannot smile

trying to...

'walking in the rain with a big wide umbrella' smile

'just being with her kids' smile

'mother and daughter' smile

'having just sold' smile

my dad had eyes that always seem to smile, this was taken just over a month before he passed away in June.

"Smile"
Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by...

If you smile

With your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow

You'll find that life is still worthwhile 

If you just...

Light up your face with gladness

Hide every trace of sadness

Although a tear may be ever so near

That's the time you must keep on trying

Smile, what's the use of crying

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just...

Smile, though your heart is aching

Smile, even though it's breaking

When there are clouds in the sky

You'll get by...

If you smile

Through your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile...

That's the time you must keep on trying

Smile, what's the use of crying

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile 

My eldest daughter, Valerie, turns 22

and sophie's her name...

Snippets of my trip to Manila Part 2- Sunset at Roxas Blvd

My last day in Manila was spent at the cemetery which was a two-hour drive from where we stayed in Las Pinas....then we had a meal of chicken barbecue and fried noodles at Aristocrat Restaurant hosted by my eldest sister who chose the place so I could have the chance to watch the sunset before my flight back to Melbourne. I have always been chasing either sunrise or sunset at Manila Bay during my stay but due to continuous downpour almost everyday my chance just became much slimmer, in fact it was again raining heavily in the afternoon on that last day, but for some mysterious reasons, the rain stopped as soon as we were about to leave for the airport to catch the nine o'clock flight in the evening...so here I was walking along roxas boulevard taking some final shots...while my sisters worried not being able to check-in on time...but then we were already quite near to the airport so everything went alright.

a favourite rendezvous?

 a typical afternoon scene at roxas boulevard's manila bay

a dried squid vendor

 ready to barbecue

tricycle vendors selling snacks 

 roxas boulevard

a little boy cleaning the horse in his 'karetela' (horse carriage)

 car toys vendor

malate church behind aristocrat restaurant, and a jeepney passing by

a sculpture at malate church