Things I saw today – sunrise, sunset and shooting stars
Things I saw today – sunrise, sunset and shooting stars

Things I saw today – sunrise, sunset and shooting stars

Sunset panoramaFinally, I got up to watch the sunrise. Unfortunately I picked the day where it was too cloudy to see a good one.

I did see a spectacular sunset last night though.

Living on the east coast I don’t often get to see sunsets over the ocean, so those trips where I can are valued. Darwin, Cape York, Broome. I have loved every one of them and have enjoyed and photographed some fabulous sunsets.

Swallowing-the-sun-thumbnailBut there is something about sunset over the outback that just does it for me. Some of my favourite sunset shots were taken in the outback, or at the farm (not quite outback, but rural), and no water was involved.

Whenever you’re watching a sunset, remember – turn around and look behind you. The setting sun lights up the sky with brilliant pinks and purples.

Not only are the sunsets amazing, but when it gets dark the night skies light up with a million stars. Even the Milky Way is a long, clear streak in the sky. I think I need a new lens so I can photograph it properly – or just learn better techniques! I’ve got my secret stash of photographers’ porn (photography magazines) to read while I’m here so I might pick up something I can use.

Sunset at the farmAnd lately it’s been perfect weather for lying on my back and watching the stars. There’s one section of sky out here which seems to have more than its fair share of shooting stars, and last night I saw 6.

And don’t tell Doc, but I also saw a wombat not too far from the house.  Far enough away so that I couldn’t get a decent photo, but close enough that it could be the one tunneling in the yard.

So time is passing. I’m getting used to all the creaks and groans of the house and am now enjoying being on my own and challenging myself to do new things.

I’ve ridden the quad bike around the farm and started making connections about how the various paddocks fit together. Usually Doc drives around, so unless it’s somewhere I need to go I can’t always work out where exactly everything is. It’s a big farm, and some of the paddocks have very strange shapes indeed!

The cows and sheep come in to check on me every evening, but I haven’t seen another person for days.

It’s fabulous!

Lie back and look at the stars