It's ANZAC weekend and so we have Monday off work. I am so relieved, it's been a long week. We have some fun things planned - yum cha at the fish market, dawn services and the parade tomorrow, and a road trip to Kangaroo Valley and Berry on Monday. Hoping to get some good photos at the parade and in the Southern Highlands on Monday. The autumn colours in the foothills should be just about perfect. I am so excited!
Hope you all have a good weekend - we'll be back next week with photos!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
sicko
I am feeling under the weather this week. Not sleeping well, achy and tired. Generally icky. The Husband has been wonderful, as always, and is taking good care of me. So glad it's finally almost the weekend. All I want to do is sleep!
It was cold in the mornings here this week - in the 50's! The leaves are starting to turn and I am hoping for a road trip to the Kangaroo Valley next weekend to photograph some of the autumn colours, just like we did last year. Seems hard to believe that was an entire year ago already. Time sure has flown by.
Not much else to report this week. Work has been busy for both of us and I have been working a little too much, which is probably why I feel so icky. Hopefully nothing some rest won't cure. Here's hoping for a rainy weekend!
It was cold in the mornings here this week - in the 50's! The leaves are starting to turn and I am hoping for a road trip to the Kangaroo Valley next weekend to photograph some of the autumn colours, just like we did last year. Seems hard to believe that was an entire year ago already. Time sure has flown by.
Not much else to report this week. Work has been busy for both of us and I have been working a little too much, which is probably why I feel so icky. Hopefully nothing some rest won't cure. Here's hoping for a rainy weekend!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
seasons
I know it was sunny and hot here today. And it doesn't feel like winter is coming... but it is. And while we won't see flocks of geese flying south or snowflakes dancing in the air... the seasons do change here. One of my fears in moving here was that I would miss out on the changing of the seasons. Thankfully, I was wrong.
The time changed last week and there is a distinct chill in the morning air. It's dark earlier, and shop windows display sweaters and winter coats. Apples and pumpkins are in season, and I start to have thoughts of soup and quilts and flannel pajamas. (Ok, admittedly, I wear those year round.)
Saw this poem today and felt a little excited for winter. Surely that is a sign that this North American girl has been here awhile.
Winter is coming! The wind that blows
Hard from the north, from the land of snows,
Nips the fingers and reddens the nose,
Whips the branches and tugs the clothes
And strips the tree,
Till nothing is left of her yellow attire;
And hoar frost streaks the choclatey mire,
And crows string like crochets along the wire,
And wanderers think of home and fire,
And so do we.
-Shirley Hughes
Sunday, April 4, 2010
road trip through the blue
A few weeks ago, on a foggy Saturday morning, we spontaneously decided to jump in the car and take a road trip through the Blue Mountains. We have been to the mountains before, but we'd never done the whole loop, and since the seasons are changing here and there is a hint of autumn in the air, we figured it would be a perfect day to take a drive in the Blue.
Some may think a spontaneous 8 hour road trip is not a fun idea, but it's one of our favourite ways to spend a day. And we were rewarded with some gorgeous views as the sun burned away the fog. It seemed like we had the whole place to ourselves. it had been raining for weeks, but the sun finally came out and everywhere was the smell of eucalyptus and pine and roses.
We stopped and bought a fresh baked apple pie at a roadside stand - which later turned out to be horrible tasting, but it sure smelled good! And we spent a good hour photographing an old frontier town, overrun with time and home to some of the biggest lizards I have ever seen. We wound our way through sleepy little towns like Kurrajong, Bilpin, Mt Tomah and Lithgow - where we stopped for some homemade burgers and hot chips in a little holeinthewall diner. We then looped back around to Leura, one of my favourite little tourist towns, where we stopped for ice cream before heading home. Great way to spend a day.
Some may think a spontaneous 8 hour road trip is not a fun idea, but it's one of our favourite ways to spend a day. And we were rewarded with some gorgeous views as the sun burned away the fog. It seemed like we had the whole place to ourselves. it had been raining for weeks, but the sun finally came out and everywhere was the smell of eucalyptus and pine and roses.
We stopped and bought a fresh baked apple pie at a roadside stand - which later turned out to be horrible tasting, but it sure smelled good! And we spent a good hour photographing an old frontier town, overrun with time and home to some of the biggest lizards I have ever seen. We wound our way through sleepy little towns like Kurrajong, Bilpin, Mt Tomah and Lithgow - where we stopped for some homemade burgers and hot chips in a little holeinthewall diner. We then looped back around to Leura, one of my favourite little tourist towns, where we stopped for ice cream before heading home. Great way to spend a day.
tidal caves
The day after the terrible earthquake in Chile, we were issued a tsunami warning for low lying areas on the coast. As it happens, that is the day we planned to go tidal caving with a group from The Husband's photography club. Maybe not the smartest thing going, but in the end, there were no tsunami's and we had a chance to learn a lot about this amazing country we are living in.
Accompanied by a local guide, we were afforded an up close and personal look at the vegetation and geology of the coastline, about 2 hours north of Sydney. Did you know that after a bushfire, the burnt trunks of palms can remain and continue growing for over 40 YEARS after the fire? Pretty inspiring. Also, apparently palms aren't trees at all. They are a grass, since they grow from the top up. Neat.
It was an unbearable hot day, and we had a pretty steep climb ahead of us to reach the caves, but along the way we saw sinkholes, rare and endangered plants, iron ore deposits from ancient underground rivers, and some of the most gorgeous coastline you could imagine.
Once we reached the beach, we had to roll up our pants, tie our shoes around our necks, hold our cameras way over our heads, and wade through the surf to get to the tidal caves. I wasn't expecting caverns the size of a stadium to be buried under the cliffs. Years of pounding waves had created this whole underground world, filled with crazy cool rock formations. It was well worth the 2 hour hike in 100 degree heat.
It's pretty awesome to think that these kind of places exist... all you have to do is go looking for them.
Accompanied by a local guide, we were afforded an up close and personal look at the vegetation and geology of the coastline, about 2 hours north of Sydney. Did you know that after a bushfire, the burnt trunks of palms can remain and continue growing for over 40 YEARS after the fire? Pretty inspiring. Also, apparently palms aren't trees at all. They are a grass, since they grow from the top up. Neat.
It was an unbearable hot day, and we had a pretty steep climb ahead of us to reach the caves, but along the way we saw sinkholes, rare and endangered plants, iron ore deposits from ancient underground rivers, and some of the most gorgeous coastline you could imagine.
Once we reached the beach, we had to roll up our pants, tie our shoes around our necks, hold our cameras way over our heads, and wade through the surf to get to the tidal caves. I wasn't expecting caverns the size of a stadium to be buried under the cliffs. Years of pounding waves had created this whole underground world, filled with crazy cool rock formations. It was well worth the 2 hour hike in 100 degree heat.
It's pretty awesome to think that these kind of places exist... all you have to do is go looking for them.
eveleigh
I think I have mentioned before that the Eveleigh Markets are one of my favourite places in Sydney. We got another chance go hang out there a couple Saturday's ago, and every time we go, I love them more. They make me want to scrap the office career and plant veggies. Someday I would love to run a farmers market like Eveleigh. The smells, the colours, the people... it's my favourite setting in the world.
We happened to be there on the day they were celebrating Chinese New Year, and so the place was alive with drums and dragon dancing. It's also the place you'll find THE best bacon-egg-roll in all of Sydney. And I am not making that up. There is just something about bacon and eggs cooked in the open air, then piled on a soft roll and doused with tomato sauce (ketchup.) Yum.
We went to take pictures of the summer produce at it's peak, and we left with bags of cheese and veggies, and hot pink homegrown roses that smelled like raspberries. Looking forward to going back this month for autumn apples, pumpkins and some amazing kangaroo paw to decorate our apartment for Fall.
We happened to be there on the day they were celebrating Chinese New Year, and so the place was alive with drums and dragon dancing. It's also the place you'll find THE best bacon-egg-roll in all of Sydney. And I am not making that up. There is just something about bacon and eggs cooked in the open air, then piled on a soft roll and doused with tomato sauce (ketchup.) Yum.
We went to take pictures of the summer produce at it's peak, and we left with bags of cheese and veggies, and hot pink homegrown roses that smelled like raspberries. Looking forward to going back this month for autumn apples, pumpkins and some amazing kangaroo paw to decorate our apartment for Fall.
ride em, cowboy
One hot weekend back in February, The Husband and I drove down to a small country town called Taralga, for their annual Rodeo. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I didn't expect to have such a great time. And I didn't expect it to make me feel so homesick. These people were the kind of people that I grew up with. Simple, country folk, enjoying the day and the sun, and cheering on their neighbours. It was an awesome day and I can't wait for next year.
The Husband and I both brought our cameras, and between us we took over 700 photos. There were so many interesting characters and gorgeous horses and hilarious kids. The people interested me the most, and I mainly focused on them. Loving the zoom lens, so I can get photos while no one even notices.
The entire day, all I could think was how much my sisters would have loved being there. I wished they could have come along and shared the day with us. It was hotter than you can imagine, and dustier than all get out. At the end of the day, I could write my name in the layer of dust that clung to the sunblock on my arm. But it was worth it. We had a great day.
The Husband and I both brought our cameras, and between us we took over 700 photos. There were so many interesting characters and gorgeous horses and hilarious kids. The people interested me the most, and I mainly focused on them. Loving the zoom lens, so I can get photos while no one even notices.
The entire day, all I could think was how much my sisters would have loved being there. I wished they could have come along and shared the day with us. It was hotter than you can imagine, and dustier than all get out. At the end of the day, I could write my name in the layer of dust that clung to the sunblock on my arm. But it was worth it. We had a great day.
Friday, April 2, 2010
miss me?
Sorry... life has sort of, well, taken on a life of it's own lately, and I just needed a break. However, I promise to update you on all, or at least some, of our recent adventures very soon. I have a long weekend ahead of me and I have resolved to make the most of it.
But first, I am going to try and enjoy the day with The Husband. It's 6 years today since he said "I do, I will, Whatever" - so a celebration is in order. Be back soon!
But first, I am going to try and enjoy the day with The Husband. It's 6 years today since he said "I do, I will, Whatever" - so a celebration is in order. Be back soon!
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