What's happening.....

Metlifecare, the corporation that owns Waitakere Gardens Retirement Village, and 32 other facilities across New Zealand, is sponsoring a photo contest among its residents.  I am entering two of the four categories with three photos each, submitted in 'Gardens and Nature', and in 'Lifestyles'.  

Because of the many thousands of entries, I think my chances of wining are extremely slim, but I like the pictures I have selected and thought I'd show them to you here, just for the fun of it.  

In Gardens and Nature.

And, in Lifestyles

Notice the operator about to enter his booth. 

This one is not entered for its beauty.  I included it because it is so unusual. (in my opinion) 

That is Jupiter and it's four Galilean moons, arranged in the straight line.  They are, starting at the top, Callisto, Ganymede, Europa and Io.  The extraordinary part of the picture is the bit of light to the right of the moons.  I didn't know what it could be when I saw it.  It wasn't in any other picture so it had moved through my field of photographic vision very quickly.  I Googled 'satellites above Auckland,' and found a website that listed when the International Space Station had been above Auckland that night. Turns out it was visible above us at exactly the time that is date stamped for my picture.  How lucky can a guy get?  

 So, that's it. My field of entries. Short but sweet. 

Here is one last photo.  I considered sending it in, but did not because I don't have enough of our Atrium building in the picture.  It shows though, starting closest to the building, Venus, the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter. What a perfect line up. 

Again, like the Jupiter picture, I was lucky.  I had walked outside because the weather was so beautiful and looked up.  I quickly returned to our apartment for my camera. I set up just outside our café.  Having them arranged so perfectly is a very unusual occurrence.   -djf