This is my happy photo for today's FFF+ Snap Happy theme of "Flower". Thank you to Margaret for the theme.
It has been four years since we dug up my mother's rose after learning our childhood home was going to be demolished (full story in link).

It has thrived since we planted it and continues to provide us with beautiful, perfumed blooms even though it would be over 50 years old. It is my favourite plant and makes me very happy that it is part of our garden.

Just a smell of the perfume brings back beautiful memories of my mother in the garden.


www.flickr.com/photos/137349496@N06/30228427220/in/photol...

Tags:   flower my backyard rose red rose macro Nikon D750 Nikon 105 plant garden happy FFF happy snaps

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Ode to Nashville Skyline-FOFT Music from 1969
The FFF+ Group has a monthly challenge called "Freestyle On The Fifth" a different theme posted on the 5th of the month. This month it was Phunny Photos turn to choose the theme, and she chose -Music from 1969.

I looked at the top 100 songs from 1969 and saw Dylan’s Lay Lady Lay. I had already paid tribute to this song for my Dylan Series and then I thought of the iconic album cover of Nashville Skyline, the album which Lay Lady Lay was from.

I wondered if I could replicate it using my No. 1 son as the model.

I tried.

I thought it would be easier than it was but it turned out to be really difficult to get that bloody angle right. We tried 3 different photo shoots. Dark cloudy skies in one shoot, so windy the hat kept blowing off in another and then the sun was in the wrong position. I had the added pressure of my son decided to bleach his hair last week so needed to get it done before then! (no blonde allowed peeking out from the hat for Bob Dylan).

Nashville Skyline was incredibly important for the country music industry. The album didn’t rate in the country charts but was No. 3 on the Billboard top 200 and introduced mainstream fans to a sound many had never heard before. This crossover of country and pop helped pave the way for the Eagles and other country-rock superstars of the early ’70s “The country scene was so conservative until he arrived. He brought in a whole new audience (said Kris Kristofferson). The album took 4 days to record.

My favourite song is Girl From North Country. Even those that don’t love Dylan’s voice might find this one surprisingly beautiful. This album marked a change in Dylan’s vocals: “He had developed a baritone country croon that he claimed was a result of his decision to quit smoking cigarettes. “
(Interview in Rolling Stone).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je4Eg77YSSA (Bobby and Johnny Cash-original)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJCmgKRszYM (recording of baby faced Dylan singing in a cabin)

Sorry-I just can’t help myself rattling about Dylan but I do know a few of my followers are fans too.

I nearly drove myself mad trying to get the image right so this is not identical but it is my Ode to my favourite musician with my favourite son once again putting up with my direction to model for me (Added to Flickr x 100 2020 -5/10 portraits of son).

Tags:   Bob Dylan FOFT Nashville Skyline Album Cover record Cover guitar country Country Music fan

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The FFF plus traveled down to Black Rock last night to photograph the Cerberus and rock faces along Half Moon Beach. When we arrived we saw a large gathering of young people sprawled over the cliff faces, swimming, partying and listening to music. We had stumbled on a Rave Party!

Not only was the timing not so good for us but also for a bride and groom who obviously wanted the red cliffs and the ocean as a back drop to their wedding photos. They arrived amongst the crowd to very loud cheers and made the most of the situation, as we did.

Although I worried about their safety being on the cliffs and near the water, they really were a friendly mob, happy to enter into conversation and ask what I was up to and to offer me a beer, Just having some fun.

Tags:   Black rock Cerberus FFF beach sunset Half Moon Beach party Rave rave Party Long Exposure fun Melbourne

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4it9vK6G7o CJ Frank 1965

So many of our beaches are now closed. Will have to live through my archives.

Tags:   Blairgowrie FFF beach seascape blue Long Exposure water coast Australian Seascape Victoria Victorian Seascape rocks CloudsStormsSunsetsSunrises Clouds

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I thought I had made up the word surreality but apparently not. It does exist.

Spent a restorative day with a small group of the Famous Flickr Five (FFF) yesterday down along the Mornington Peninsular at Blairgowrie.

We missed those that couldn't join us.

As we sipped our coffees and indulged in breakfast we pondered about how surreal everything feels at the moment and wondered how many more gatherings like this we might be able to do in the near future.

If I get hit by another rogue wave as I did here (along with the lovely Jette), I might not make too many many more anyway ;-). Thank goodness I saw if coming and stood my ground with the use of a tripod for stability- Note-Sherpa who was on lookout ran away).

Of course the sea breeze, the wild ocean and the wide open spaces of our beaches will always be a place of refuge in these strange and surreal times.

Bridgewater Bay, Blairgowrie.

Tags:   Blairgowrie FFF beach seascape storm StormsCloudsSunsetSunrise weather Long Exposure seaside seasweed Mornington Peninsular waves ocean Bridgewater Bay rocks Jumping Rock Nikon D750

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