Okay… let’s start with a list the things I am NOT:

• Political. I’m an Aussie, typically apathetic and apolitical, and couldn’t give a rats about past American presidents – the link seriously just didn’t occur to me when I dreamt up this blog name.

• A babe /raunchy glamour-puss. I am not young (sadly) or particularly HAWT.  I just like alliteration. And irony.  My hearty apologies to those googling ‘Bush Babe’ with big expectations. (Bye-bye!)

• An expert.  On anything.  Oh, you’ll hear about a lot of stuff you may not have heard much about before – like artificial insemination, and f-stops and tube-feeding.  But never mistake me for an expert on anything.  Your disappointment will be crippling.  And I’d hate to be responsible for that.

So who IS Bush Babe?

Well, beside being someone who chose a pretty strange blog name, I am a mother of two, a wife and a mad-keen happy snapper.  Once upon a time I took photos for a couple of regional newspapers – jobs which turned me into an observer and photo-taking addict.  These days, despite the fact that I am not employed in this role any more, I shoot hundreds and hundreds of images.  I use these to document my life – the events and moments which tell the story of my family.  The main subjects have learned to endure this torture over the years.  And the cows, dogs and horses don’t seem to mind too much either.

I use my poor battered Nikon D100 to showcase my life in the Australian bush.  (Update – I shouted myself to a D7000 in 2011! Whoo-hoot! No excuses now…)

It’s certainly a life filled with colour and beauty and drama and challenges.  It’s also stark contrast to the lifestyle we enjoyed almost three six* years ago, back when we were city-ites.  I no longer have shops within 50 kms, no corner store, no high-speed broadband, no mobile phone signal, no town water or garbage pickup.  Since we moved back to the cattle property where I grew up, I have re-learned to be up-close and extremely personal with Mother Nature and her creatures – some of them gorgeous, some rather confronting.  You really never know what’s around the corner…

I was talked into being a blogger in late 2008 by my sister, and have been inspired by people like The Pioneer Woman , Bossy and Chronicles of a Country Girl. I have since made wonderful friends (besides these lovely ladies) who I have listed over here. I write here at my little black blog to document this life for my kids.  And to let them know who their crazy, snap-happy Mum is.  Even who she was before they erupted into her life.  I also love having visitors drop by too.  I get a kick from knowing people bothered to click my way – feel free to join the posse, leave a comment or drop me a line (bushbabeaustralia@gmail.com).

So please, settle your backside into that metaphorical blog saddle, pull your hat down low, and hang on for the ride…

Before we go… tell me, do my saddlebags look big in this?

*I have been blogging from three-and-a-half years. Good Lord. Time flies when you are typing a lot!