'Will you walk into my parlour said the spider to the fly'..

So I say to the kids coming out onto the lookout below: 'Hey kids, check this out'..

The young girl shudders .. 'Ewwww'

Her younger brother leaning forward eagerly for a closer look.. 'Coooool'

Not a really super clear photo because even though using my long lens the arachnophobia kicked in causing a slight hand tremour :) Yup along with the claustrophobia, the acrophobia, not to mention aquaphobia, only if the water is deep :) and the fear of bike helmets (so rare they don't have a name for it yet) spiders freak the heck out of me! The Golden Orb spider here looks like her pantry is well stocked for winter! You can read all about her here on a list of WA spiders.. thought you should know.. are you still coming :) Happy Thursday, take care and stay safe.. P.s. do you have any phobias?

Pod of prodigious pelicans!

Had a hobble stroll around Lake Monger just 5km from the city on Monday and was surprised to see how deep the water was especially as Lake Joondalup is almost dry after summer. The bird-life was thriving.. the pod of Australian pelicans plunge diving Olympic style :) Recorded as having the longest bill of any living bird the Australian pelican is less piscivore and more 'smorgasbord' :) than other pelicans.. anything from insects, other birds, snakes and even the occasional small dog can fit in that huge gullet! Was fascinated to see quite clearly in the shot below the flexible, almost delicate framework structure of the throat pouch and in the shot below the enormous amount of water that can be scooped up as they cruise along the surface. Definitely deserving of the 'there's nothing as odd as a pelican' title! Happy Wednesday, take care and stay safe... p.s. last two shots our national emblem the black swan and a view of the city from the north side of Lake Monger..

City of Perth Library.. the mural.

While standing outside on the terrace of the new City of Perth Library one of the library attendants asked what I thought of the mural on the ceiling. Aware that the library is designed in a series of seven levels around a circular middle section I confess I failed to look up! Sacre bleu, look what I would have missed! The first shot I took right there through the glass window. I was pleased to see when downloaded that you can see part of the mural through the reflected blue sky and clouds, pretty cool huh! On the ground floor looking up I had to almost lie flat to get the shots below :) The mural by artist, writer and curator Andrew Nicholls who drew his inspiration from Shakespeare's 'closing scene of The Tempest, translated into a Western Australian setting.. in which Prospero hands his magical book to Caliban rather than throwing the book into the ocean as he sails away from the island'.. Definitely worth embiggening to see the fine details. Happy Easter Monday, take care and stay safe... 

See more Monday Murals from around the world here..

City of Perth Library.. terrace views.

Still in the City of Perth Library.. from the terrace on the third level of the library views of St. George's Cathedral and to the left below glimpses through to the Swan River. Btw the new library has in no way replaced the State Library of WA in the Perth Cultural Centre..

Below looking straight ahead the Cathedral to the left and to the right the Old Treasury buildings now home to some of Perth's newest 'foodie hotspots'. Looking through to St. George's Terrace, the sculpture Ascalon and the Supreme Gardens and way back there you can just see the tip of the Bell Tower..

Looking to the right over the rooftops of the Old Treasury buildings a clearer view of the Swan river with a glimpse of the new bridge (check out the super fab photo on link) at Elizabeth Quay and the older Narrows Bridge in the background. Hope that you're enjoying this series, it's certainly giving my knee a break :) one more post to go but it's a beauty, show you tomorrow. Happy Easter Sunday, take care and stay safe.. p.s. eleven links, that might be a record :)

City of Perth Library.. reflections.

The curved glass entrance foyer of the City of Perth Library is the perfect foil for reflections of the surrounding heritage buildings in Cathedral Square.  The square, bound by St. George's Terrace, Barrack Street, Hay Street and Pier St. see map has been beautifully restored..

Below, on the library terrace looking down into the heart of the library and last shot Council House and St. George's Cathedral reflected in the terrace windows.. Hope you are having a really good Easter weekend, I'm hoping for a much safer on the roads long weekend than our last, drive safe and take care.. p.s. big catch up today!

Visit James to see more Weekend Reflections

City of Perth Library...

Went in to the city for the first time in a few weeks yesterday, unusual for me.. damn knee :) I was really keen to see the new City of Perth Library.. the last time I passed it was in the finishing off stages. Officially opened on the 1st of March the state of the art building is a photographers dream! Sitting on Hay Street and Cathedral Square three down from the Town Hall below..

From the front and below to the side one of the lushest green walls I think I've ever seen.. 

There are seven levels to the library and here below looking down to level four the children's story telling space.. judging by the number of parked prams the story telling is tres popular.. so many things these days to attract young families into the city. There is a central shaft that goes all the way up through to the seventh level and the terrace...

Looking from the back you can see that for all it's seven levels the actual footprint of the library is not all that large, brilliant use of space.. I'll be showing you a bit more over the next few days.. reflections, views from the terrace, murals.. it's fabulous! Happy Easter weekend, please take care and stay safe

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Mocking birds!

If you caught sight of the post that went up earlier, you will realise I wasn't being paranoid at all, this group of cackling corellas sitting on the fence yesterday were mocking me :) For some reason known only to myself I had projected ahead into April, so I guess it's official.. I am going barmy :) If you didn't see the post and wonder what I'm raving about, don't worry it's all good! Happy Thursday, take care and stay safe... p.s. they really are looking at me oddly right! Ok now maybe I am being paranoid :)

Downsizing..

When I get old and this big old garden of mine gets too much for me to handle..any day now :) I wouldn't mind downsizing into one of these beautifully restored old cottages, or something similar, check out those gorgeous details. Downsizing in 'size' to certain areas in Perth, or anywhere I guess, doesn't equate to downsizing in price, at well over the million dollar mark, it would have to be my house and a lotto win :) Happy Wednesday, take care and stay safe...

'Ruff' House...

I was delighted to spot this friendly fella hiding behind a mural lamppost in Maylands. Pet Lovers Cafe (informative link) here on Guildford Avenue since 2014 encompasses just about every pet requirement possible from yummy treats to the latest fashion :) plus an extensive area to accommodate your pampered pet's birthday celebration. The human-animal connection is alive and flourishing in Perth :) Happy Tuesday, take care and stay safe...P.s. 'Coffee is a hug in a mug' .. I like it!

Click here to view more Monday Murals

Weekend cyclists...

I'm sure it's a common sight in cities and suburbs around the world.. groups of cyclists stopping for a caffeine infusion before heading off on their travels. This group were just leaving as we arrived at Rifos Cafe in Maylands on Saturday morning, can't vouch for the food because we didn't eat, but the coffee was excellent! I went looking and found a church but not happy with the results, too overcast.. on the plus side I found a delightful mural, show you tomorrow. Also if you pull the shots in, how about those street lights.. pretty fabulous right! Hope you had/are having a good weekend, happy Monday, take care and stay safe... 

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Power from on high..

Solar panels in the form of a cross seen on the roof of the Infant Jesus Columbarium and Memorial Gardens in Morley.. I have to confess until I researched the above I hadn't heard the term 'columbarium' before.. 'derived from the Latin word 'columba' (dove) and originally referring to compartmentalized housing for doves called a 'dovecote'. I should imagine this word is very well known in Europe and now I know it also :) Happy Sunday, take care and stay safe...

Exuberant reflections...

I would find it hard to believe that anyone couldn't simply enjoy the exuberance in this work by Chinese artist Gao Xiaowu. Created in stainless steel it is the perfect foil for reflections.. in the top shot it looks like he's wearing a waistcoat of 'cloudettes' don't you think :) Titled 'City Dreams' the artist states 'dreams or reality, paradoxical yet ambiguous. Humanity has sought the answer to this eluding question for eternity'.. My interpretation, if I may :) is of someone who has found the answer to this question and, head thrown back, legs and arms flung open wide, has found his wings! Hope you have a wonderful weekend, take care and stay safe.. p.s. check me out in my knee guard and sensible walking shoes, stylish huh :)

Visit James to see more Weekend Reflections  

One little bird sitting in a tree...

... called out to his mates and then there were.. way more than three :) At this time of the year it's quite common to see this feeding and flocking behaviour in all types of cockatoos. From late summer to early winter roaming flocks focus their attention on prime feeding areas, in this case they swooped raucously down into the Sheoak trees growing at Hillarys Boat Harbour. I snapped these shots as I was walking back to my car on Wednesday. Arriving home I disturbed a flock of black cockatoos, Carnaby's I think, settled in my bottlebrush tree.. wasn't quick enough to snap them as they flew off screeching a protest :) Hoping to get into the city this weekend to see what's going on, my knee has been a bit problematic this week but definitely on the mend! Happy Friday, take care and stay safe... 

Art and real life..

I really enjoy Sculpture by the Sea each year, the outdoor gallery on Cottesloe beach couldn't be more perfect for these fun, at times thought-provoking and often mocked creations. The Sunday morning 7am shot above shows the scene before the crowds arrived and even though I was there primarily to see the art, real life usually finds a way of gate-crashing the event :) my lens found the two young girls, twins I'm guessing, skipping along behind dad on their early morning beach walk delightfully irresistible! 

We always have breakfast at Beaches Cafe, directly opposite the beach. On Sunday we were there as it opened at 6.30am, by the time we walked by an hour and a half later it was brimming out onto the side lawn. Eating out in Perth has a reputation as being expensive and I'm sure, as is the same anywhere, certain places can be.. we had three substantial breakfasts, two coffees and a juice for the grand total of $61.. personally I think $20 per person for a scrumpsh brekkie in a fantastic location is not over-the-top expensive, what do you think? Happy Thursday, take care and stay safe...p.s. I fibbed about the sculptures, there's one more to come :)