Cloud, Sun and Trees

The clouds were there this evening, the sun was setting and I followed some different tracks over the hill which at least gave me some slightly different views. The eucalypts are an integral part of any photo in this area.

Bark!!!

This evening I went for a walk around the hill - the first time in several weeks that I've felt up to doing so. Alas, there were few clouds and the sunset wasn't anything special.

But I couldn't walk around with a camera hanging idly from my wrist, now could I? So I took photos of tree trunks instead. These are mostly eucalypts of one variety or another.































It was nearly dark when I arrived home. This is the cherry tree in the front garden.

And this is just because I haven't taken it for a long time.


I've just realised that looking at bark and tree shapes could become almost as addictive as cloud watching. Let's hope I don't look at the trees TOO closely whilst I'm driving.

The Bush Capital

Canberra, which is Australia's Capital City, is often referred to as the Bush Capital. Only a hundred years ago this area was all sheep farms, but is now a thriving city of 330,000 people. This is where the Federal Government meets, and diplomatic embassies from most overseas countries are also located here. However, because groups of suburbs are separated by open tracts of land or natural bushland, plus the many thousands of trees planted in the parks, gardens and streets, the city retains its appellation of 'The Bush Capital', and is surrounded by thousands of acres of open countryside. (Remember to click on photo for a larger view.)

And for anyone who thought that Sydney was the capital, you now know differently.

The clouds today got the better of me and I had to stop and take a couple on William Hovell Drive.


You can just see Black Mountain Tower in the centre of photo.


Views from Red Hill ----- to Mt Ainslie,


--- back to the Brindabellas,

---- another city view,


---- over the Woden Valley Town Centre,


---- back towards the Cotter and Mt Stromlo areas,


----- over Fyshwich and the airport,


---- over Manuka, Kingston and Queanbeyan (NSW) in the distance.

The Sun DID Rise.

A somewhat different sunrise this morning, but nonetheless interesting. Thick fog 'changes' the landscape so dramatically and lets you concentrate on those things close by.

I assure you the sun is shining.


All in a world of our own.


Our new GREEN grass through the red branches of a Dogwood tree (Cornus alba 'Aurea')

A Craft Show with a Difference

This afternoon I went to the Craft and Quilt Show, which is on for four days. The range and quality of crafts on display is amazing, and the quilt exhibition is probably the best I have seen in Canberra. Stunningly beautiful quilts, including a display of 50 quilts from Japan. The designs, colours, fabrics and the workmanship is breathtaking. Below is just one of those quilts.

However, it is an exhibition of quilts in another building that I will remember long after I've forgotten what I saw at the main show. These quilts were all made by The Partners of Veterans Association of Australia Inc.

Each quilt told a story - and each story was provided in written form beside the quilt. Many of them told a Life Story, in photographs, letters and other keepsakes, all worked into a precious quilt. They told stories of meetings, courtship and romance, the loneliness of being a serviceman's wife and the happiness of their return from war, of marriages and children, the struggle to establish homes, build careers and raise families.

As most of these quilts were made by partners of Vietnam Veterans, they also told of the mental, physical and emotional trauma suffered by these brave men, which became their lifetime legacy, and also that of their partners and children. Many of these men didn't choose or want to go to Vietnam; they were conscripted and sent anyway. Sent to one of the most 'unpopular' wars in history, and on their return home were neglected and ignored by politicians and defence forces - the very people who sent them off to fight this dirty war, and abused, blamed and vilified by the general public. Not until 15 years after the war ended were these men recognised as being War Veterans and granted the same entitlements as those who served in the two World Wars, and some of the pain, hurt and humiliation at their treatment began to lift.

I stood in silence and read those stories of courage, determination, shame, heartbreak, a measure of peace and finally some happiness.

I have never left a craft show in tears before - but I did today!

Different Views

There is nothing like a glimpse of red sky to get me out of bed in a hurry in the morning.


Sunrises change so quickly.

ShellyC lives only a few minutes drive from our place but her cloud views are quite different to mine. The clouds hover over the hills and seem to change shape and colour by the minute. View from her back door....


..... and this was the view from the front door this evening.


The moon rising over ShellyC's place.

Catch Them When You Can.

I've missed two or three spectacular sunsets lately because I've been driving home and by the time I got here it was too late. These photos were taken last evening, and although they're not as colourful as many others I've taken, I thought there was an interesting display of light and cloud patterns.

Who Needs a Motor Mechanic???

I told Richard that I saved sooooo much money today, to which he asked "So, what did you buy?" No, I didn't buy anything apart from a few groceries. For months I have been concerned about some frequent, but irregular noises made by the car. Nearly every time I drove over a slight bump in the road I would hear a sort of 'hollow thump' (I seem to spend my life describing strange noises to motor mechanics who obviously have a different hearing range to me).

I had almost reached the stage of booking the car in so that the shock absorbers and anything else I could think of could be checked. I steadfastly refused to dwell on how much this exploration/replacement might cost. But, this morning I solved the problem and it didn't cost one cent.

I took the rolled up umbrella off the shelf near the back window. No more rattles or 'hollow thumps'.

Oh, sometimes I am so clever I almost frighten myself!!!!.....LOL

Another Glorious Dawning

Life Stories

Anyone who has been reading my blog over a reasonable period of time, or anyone with whom I've been communicating by email, will be aware that I get excited when I hear about other people wanting to write their life stories.

Many people, usually as they reach middle or retirement age, begin looking back over their lives and realise that unless they commit these memories to paper, a lot of valuable social and personal history may be lost forever.

Everyone has a story to tell - just as you are unique, so too is your story. What's more, your story is of interest to more people than you realise. You don't need to have lived an extraordinary life for it to be interesting. When choosing books from the library, I usually bypass the biographies of famous people because I'm more interested in the 'ordinary' people.

We all know that the months and years seem to be flying by faster and faster. Of course, time is passing at the same speed that it always has but we just seem to want to fit more into each day, or there may be many like me who don't organise their time very well. Whatever the reason, if you are thinking of writing your story 'one of these days', then please think about doing it SOONER, rather than later.

Most people decide to write their story to benefit, interest and inform their children and grandchildren, who generally are not very interested at this stage. If you are of this generation, may I suggest that you start to get interested - NOW!

Don't wait until your parents are too old to remember events with clarity, or worse still, until they are no longer here. Once you begin reading these stories you will have so many questions you want answered, and it will be difficult to get answers if the writer has passed away. I know, I have hundreds of questions I would like to ask my parents, but alas, it is many years too late.

Your parents' stories are not just about them and events long gone, they are part of YOUR life story, too. So many characteristics and events experienced by past generations have combined to make you the person you are.

Seize the opportunities that arise in day to day activities to discuss how things may have been different in the past - not necessarily better or worse - but different. For instance, my grandaughters were here last week when I decided to play a recording of a story that my children had loved, called "Badjelly the Witch" by Spike Milligan. As I took the vinyl record out of its cover, Zoe exclaimed "WHAT is that?" At seven years of age, of course she had never seen a vinyl disc and she and Shay were very interested to learn what it was, how it played and where the sound came from. Things like food, clothing, entertainment, transport, housing, jobs, holidays, and schooling are all subjects that can be discussed easily and differences explored. You don't need to be a rocket scientist or a brain surgeon for your life to be interesting to your family. YOU are interesting because of who you are in the eyes of your children and grandchildren.

PLEASE - don't let your story die with you. Pass it on to those who need to know.