My Blog Just Turned 1!!

Happy Birthday to my blog, AMIAM (A Month in a Minute)!

It made it - I made it - to the one year mark!!

One of the things I was really keen to do when I finally started AMIAM, was to make sure I committed, and that I didn't let it lag behind in the big bin of 'fallen good ideas'. It was part of the reason I hesitated for several weeks before finally taking the plunge.

And let's see - I haven't set the world on fire - so thank goodness, that wasn't my sole raison d'etre and ambition when I started. And yes, I did lag a little bit across particular months, so that, rather than being a daily photo on a monthly theme, it can be more pedantically (accurately) described as including 'a photo for everyday of the month, around that month's theme'.

It didn't always happen within the confines of the month it should have, but hey, some credit! I've always caught up, and managed to keep going!

It's been a great, creative challenge to find an interesting and flexible theme each month, and then to have to find images/compositions around that theme. 30+ images every month! It's actually harder than it sounds. I've had to consciously make time to search for images or to notice good compositions and do something about them (ie, take a photo!), and it's been the perfect 'needle' to maintain fresh, creative eyes to the world around me - which is one of the main things I had wanted to do with AMIAM.

And I'm very pleased to say I've succeeded! For a whole year!! :-)

One of the entries I've been most chuffed about has been my little piece on my Boule et Bill comics which I tweeted and mentioned the publisher, Dargaud, AND THEY RETWEETED IT!!!!!

(Obviously still excited about this - months later!! It's as close to the BD ('Bande Dessines' - comics in French) world as I've ever been! And I continued to receive hits on this blog entry for weeks after... The retweet that keeps on giving! :-)

And here's to the next year - and a whole bunch of monthly themes that I haven't even dreamed of yet...

ReeDaBee

And the Moral of the Month is...

On the last day of my theme of "Scenes from a Car", I've learnt that, if you come upon an amazing scene while driving, it's worth pulling over to capture it!

It's too easy to vaguely admire and then forget.

I've had the opportunity this month to go over several such scenes which otherwise wouldn't even remain in my memory!

And with the portability of the smartphones these days, there's every reason to get quick records of ephemeral moments of beauty that exist all around us...

The Sun Sinks to Sleep

Gold sunset light seeps out between the horizon and the sombre grey clouds above.

You may have also noticed the decorative figures highlighted in the bridge railings, as they engage in all sorts of strenuous sporting activities. These date back (I think) to the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

IMHO, a nice effect against the sun.

Lighting up the Way

Hmmm, a prosaic night scene rendered quite ... eerie.

Or perhaps 'atmospheric' is more accurate...

Somewhere Between Haunted and Tranquil

Keeping a watchful eye on the noisy car driving through, the countryside blankets itself down for sleep...

Glimpses of Gold

It is always much easier to romanticise autumn when it's spring time, and I know we're at the start of several months of gloriously warm weather!

Roadworks at Night

These roadwork-related hold-ups happen once in a while, and they're usually a mild inconvenience for a few minutes or so..

But to look at this photo and scene with fresh eyes, well, cue the sinister music and get the creepy movie happening!!! (All hail the gods of central locking!)

The World Settles to Sleep

Serene silhouettes of dusk. 

*Breathe in, breathe out*

And, I'm rather chuffed to say, not at all photoshopped!! 

River of Lights

A winding river of headlights, temporarily dammed by the traffic lights. 

Taken from a hill overlooking the highway, whilst awkwardly pulled over on a (thankfully) quiet lane. 

Magnolias in the Sun

Magnolia-pinks and sky-blue under the sun are gloriously spring-like!!

No photoshopping for this pic, other than a teeny bit of cropping. 

In Spring

I took a photo from this same (approximate) position in autumn. 

This is now in spring, and the spring blossoms are just coming into being. 

As you may be able to tell by the sky, the pic has been photoshopped, mainly to try and get the blossoms to "pop". 

But it's still a very pretty little view of the side of the Great Western Highway in the upper Blue Mountains, Sydney, Oz. 

Dusky Thoughts

The last few breaths of dusk...

There is still a tiny glow of fiery-orange light on the horizon. 

Wind-Combed Clouds

I remembered to look up to the sky before starting the ignition, and I saw this beautiful skyscape, which had me scrambling for the phone/camera...

Beautiful clouds, shaped and brushed by the wind. 

Secret Pathways in the Mountains

The joys of secret, locals-only roads!

Flowering Sunshine

Native Australian plants (I don't know what kind, sorry. I'm a terrible pleb when it comes to all things botanical) are lining the road as though spectators cheering on a race. 

The bright yellow colour makes me think of sunshine trapped inside the flowers. 

Driving by at Dusk

Waiting at the traffic lights as dusk smudges the world to night, and cars and their people hurry to get home. 

As spring comes into its own, spring magic is in the air, blossoms are everywhere and the days begin to lengthen - like arms being stretched out luxuriously in the increasing warmth. A little bit of light, for a little longer each day... 

The Magnolia Tree on the Corner

Magnolias are just magnificent spring flowers, aren't they?

There are Magnolia trees dotted all along this street, but this pic was one of the few which came out as sweetly as the real thing. 

Heading East

In the Blue Mountains, where the paths of the causeway and the railway run side by side, heading east. Towards Sydney. 

Sheep!!

Sheep, dots of creamy-white, happily grazing against a backdrop of shades of green. Very Aussie colours. 

(This photo is completely un-photoshopped, btw). 

Wrapped in the Sunset

I was a couple of minutes too late to get the pics of this sunset at its most golden orange. I still think it's striking as is, but I'm resisting the temptation to over-photoshop this pic to make it approximate the earlier fieriness. 

Framed!

Pull over, hazards and handbrake on, lean inelegantly out of the window, knock elbow against steering wheel, smack said  steering wheel, then pause, deep breaths. 

And click. 

Gold against blue. Just beautiful!

Pretty Country II

Home of cows, emus and kangaroos.

In the impossibly bright early morning sun, the air is cold, crisp and very clean. 

Ghostly Moon in the Gum Trees

This was a pull over, hazard lights on, seatbelt off, lean awkwardly out of the driver's side window to snap into the rapidly encroaching dusk. 

Well worth the effort and the cricked neck, even if I so say so meself!!

Starting the Commute Home

There could definitely be worse ways to start the commute home. 

See you tomorrow, Sunshine!

On the Ground with the Flying Kangaroo

A view from the plane window. 

Yes, after we'd landed. Yes, after we'd been allowed to turn our mobile devices back on. 

When you think about it, planes are pretty cool things!

Pretty Country

Australia has some really pretty country, it really does. Even when the sun isn't anywhere to be seen!

Trees All In A Row

Trees all in a row on the highway, during a brief lull in the rainy weather. 

As seen from the passenger seat of a rather sporty, unbelievably-low-to-the-ground car (not mine). 

Whizzing By

Taken from the train at dusk. Rather heavily photoshopped, but I kinda like the effect. 

Sunshine After a Storm

Sunshine on the Good Side of the Tracks

A Morning in Winter

Peaceful, misty, pensive...

(And cold!!)

Happy Spring! And September Blog Theme

September means spring here in the Blue Mountains, and I am one of those who is more than happy to welcome spring back!

I'm delighting in seeing the days grow longer, minute by imperceptible minute, and I'm just waiting impatiently for the evenings to start warming. It's always a red-letter day when the overnight temperature stays in double digits (speaking in Celsius). 

But I'm going to take a risk and not use 'Spring' as my theme just yet. In part because next month is my first blogiversary. Seeing as I used 'Spring' for my first ever blog theme last year, I may wish to repeat it for AMIAM's birthday month. 

So, instead, another challenging one for this month. In honour of me spending chunks of my day commuting, my theme for this month is "Scenes From a Car". 

(With thanks to HD for this idea). 

Qualifiers: obviously I'm not taking photos while driving. 

Oh, and I'm also widening the 'car' in the theme to include any form of transport...

 

Stormy Winter Weather

Winter Lava in the Sky

Eating the Light

Storm clouds roll in from the west, eating up the sun and sky...

Super Bright Dandelion

Ok , yes, just a spoonful or 2 of Photoshopping going here - to really bring out the sunshine in the dandelion. 

Sun Shower

If you look carefully, you can see the raindrops mid-fall. 

Beginning the Spring Serenade