Month: April 2019

Some things are free

I find it ironic at a time when I have the means to enjoy the finer things in life, the simple things in nature give me the most pleasure.  Gone are the high heels!  I’m stepping into life in boots or barefeet!DSCN9098.JPG
I love walking along Geographe Bay in Busselton, in the South West of Western Australia.  The clouds are always a treat to observe early morning.  The jetty curves into the Bay for nearly two kilometers and is a great walk at sunset.DSCN6663.jpgI enjoy my lunch break in the Arboretum in Kalgoorlie where boughs of gum flowers hang above my car.  I’m usually alone here with the only sounds being the buzz of bees and birdsong.  I love the solitude of an hour in a crowded day.DSCN6231.jpgI love the Wheatbelt in winter.  The fog across the paddocks in Merredin makes everything glow.DSCN7632.jpgAnd the primary colours in Broome, north of Perth, where the sea is bluer than the sky.DSCN8430.jpg
I visited this place two years ago.  It is a boab grove in open landscape at a cattle station called Diggers Rest not far from Wyndham.  We enjoyed a champagne sunset here.  It was magical!DSCN7594.jpg
I also love finding boab trees embossed on the silver sands of Cable Beach, Broome.DSCN7059.jpg
And the isolation found on Cable Beach, a beach that is 22 kms long. DSCN9939
Following the flower like pattern of seagull footprints.DSCN8343
And, of course, there is nothing money could buy that would replicate the feeling of looking into the eyes of a joey.

Yes it takes money to get to these places but once there, everything else is free.  Seeking these moments has become an insatiable passion and one that satisfies me on a spiritual level, too.

Until next time

As always

a dawn bird

 

 

In response to Word of the Day Challenge:  Money

 

 

 

Not quite identical

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I was going to post a pic for the prompt Identical but then saw bushboy’s nimble fingers posted his pic of Sooty Oyster Catchers first!  These are Pied Oyster Catchers.

The one behind has a tag from the Broome Bird Observatory where migratory birds are monitored.  It’s a beautiful place to visit, some 25 km out of Broome.

Until next time

As always

a dawn bird

In response to RDP Monday:  Nimble

Cee’s Flower of the day challenge – 27 April, 2019 – Wild Orchid

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Western Australia is renowned for its wild flowers, with many species not found elsewhere.  Among the thousands of species of wildflowers there are several hundred species of orchids.  Often found growing among leaf debris in the bush, the wild orchid is a thing of beauty.

a dawn bird

In response to Cee’s Flower of the Day – FOTD – Challenge

A reflection … on making a home

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We had a busy day yesterday.  With the major indoor renovations completed and the dust somewhat settled, it was time for a thorough clean up.  Who thought a wrought iron balustrade was a good look?  Dust catchers, extraordinaire!  I regret not replacing it.

The home I bought 4-5 years ago had a strong Tuscan feel to it.  Heavy patterned tiles, dark bathroom, wooden cabinets etc. but I saw potential in the home that I knew I could transform and make it my own.  As we cleared rooms and tidied up yesterday, my home, yes, my home started to emerge.  It made me feel emotional.

My home feels light and spacious.  My garden area is smaller than my previous home and in segments.  The lounge room overlooks the courtyard where roses and geraniums grow.  Around the corner, where the minor bedrooms overlook, I hope to plant some native shrubs to attract birds and keep them away from the bully Rainbow Lorikeets that visit the back garden.  The dining room (do people still have this!), overlooks the outdoor spa which I would love to get rid off.  The sight of palm trees in this area is a source of irritation and still jars my sensibilities!  The kitchen and informal dining area overlooks the patio and back garden where the jasmine, mulberry and pink crepe myrtle grows.  My work study faces East, because my day starts at dawn.  My front study is now a library and my quiet space, it overlooks the roses at one end and the spa area, the other.  Upstairs, overlooks everything.  My home is emerging.  What I envisioned is coming to fruition.  I have worked so incredibly hard to achieve this.  And, I’m still standing and without a misstep.

I did not achieve this on my own.  I have to give credit to my wonderful builder.  He has had my house keys for the past few years and we have worked towards completion on a schedule that suited my circumstances.  He has never entered my home without my permission even though he has it.  I never have to question his quote as I know he is absolutely trustworthy.  My builder has been my rock during, what should have been, an incredibly stressful time.  I now have a functional home, thanks to him.  It has taken all these years for my two children to accept the new home as our family home.  They resented me selling the house they grew up in.  It has taken time and effort to regroup and worth every minute of what was put in.

I’m reflecting on this because I have twenty young people coming to my home next week to dress for the wedding.  I’m reminding myself, I have project managed and survived two homes being renovated.  So, I got this!

Yesterday my son’s stress about his wedding seemed palpable.  The contagion could have been easy.  But I know from experience if I keep calm, he does too.  Knowing this is key in being a parent and role modelling, matters in being a parent.  I also know if he keeps busy, he can think more clearly, and oddly, enough, so can I.  I have to squeeze in one more trip to the Wheatbelt before the wedding.  A long drive and a heavy caseload awaits.  Although it cuts into my time, I also know when I work, I am totally focused and in the moment.  So it may be just what I need at this time.

Last night I lay in bed and visualised walking and driving through Boranup forest in the Margaret River region.  I have plans for this trip.  It calmed my spirit.  Yes, I got this!

Until next time

As always

a dawn bird

 

In the presence of trees, one is never alone

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I love this boab tree at Town Beach in Broome, Western Australia.  I’ve photographed it many times and captured many moods here.

I love boab tress.  Each graceful, unique and beautiful.  I believe in the presence of trees, we are never alone.

Happy to share my part of the world, with the wider blogging community.

a dawn bird

Every 2nd and 4th Thursday Parul at Happiness and Food, asks that we share pictures of Trees.

#ThursdayTreeLove-62

When fathers read …

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I saw this building as we walked back to the car after a meal in Kalgoorlie.  I just had to take a picture because it brought back a special memory for me.  This building is off the main street where the beautiful old architecture of Kalgoorlie is protected.  This building, too, makes a statement.  And, so it should.  Individuality.

The memory it brought back is a precious one.

Dr T loved reading to our daughter, and she, a captive audience, hung around his neck like a pendant.  He read to her in infancy and it continued for the next few years.  With nearly a five year gap between our two children, she had our undivided attention.  When he went on sabbatical to Sweden for several months, he recorded stories for her.  Each night for three months she would sit in a small plastic chair, faced the cassette player and listened to her father’s voice.  Oh! how he loved speaking in all the different character voices and she delighted in the variations.  The favourite books for both were Peter Rabbit, The Wind in the Willows and the all time favourite book, The Big Orange Splot by Daniel Marcus Pinkwater.  My daughter credits her strong need for individuality and creativity to The Big Orange Splot.  She still makes references to it and to the time her father read to her.  The bond between them is still as strong as ever.

The Big Orange Splot is a wonderful story about individuality, diversity, acceptance and community.  The message is timeless.  I wish political leaders and parents would read the book!  We would live in different times, if they did.

If you haven’t heard of the book, it’s a wonderful way to spend five minutes on You Tube. The suggestion is my gift to you today.

Until next time

As always

a dawn bird

In response to RDP Wednesday – BOOK