The Old Treasury Buildings...

Definitely one of the most beautiful buildings in Perth can you believe the 19th century Old Treasury Buildings were left neglected and unloved for many years. Now known as the State Buildings, after an eight year restoration they are stunningly revitalized and part of an amazing space in the heart of the city Cathedral Square (fabulous old black and white shot of the Old Treasury on this link if you scroll down a bit). If you haven't already seen inside check out the short video here to see how it looks inside now. If you're interested you can read about the renovation details here. Happy Friday, take care and stay safe...

Bloomin' marvellous!

It's true.. all the girls love a musician and there's no denying that Perth busker Petar Cirovic is kinda cute :) Wherever he parks his mike/mic in the city there is almost certain to be an audience appreciating his husky vocals, possibly the majority being of the female form :) Happy Thursday, goodness is it Thursday already.. possibly not where some of you are reading this :) take care and stay safe...p.s. black and white or colour.. I couldn't decide!

  

Seriously sexy sandwich and other things on the terrace...

One of my favourite places to sit and and people-watch on St. Georges Terrace is the Shingle Inn. They make a seriously luscious avocado, chicken, oozing with Camembert cheese on brown multi-grain.. there's nothing quite like oozing Camembert.. unless it's oozing Brie :) and you can sit right out on the terrace and admire the view.. it's not just you men who appreciate a pert derriere, am I right ladies! Two of Perth's finest!

Kangaroos on the terrace.. the beautifully restored Old Treasury Building in the background below. I don't think I've ever seen 'The Kangaroos in the City', created in 1997 by husband and wife sculpture team Charles and Joan Smith' without people posing for photos either on or beside them..

 Council House window cleaning day, good luck chaps, there's an awful lot of 'em! Hope your week is progressing well, happy Wednesday, take care and stay safe...

Anzac Day Dawn Service...

Apologies straight up for the quality of these shots, except the last :) Not easy conditions! There was a 90% chance that it would rain while we stood in silence yesterday morning during the Anzac Day Dawn Service. Although the numbers were down a bit on previous years over 30,000 did brave the weather, which actually held off until after the service and we were on our way home. We didn't make it to our usual spot overlooking the city but the placement of big screens around the park allowed everyone to watch the ceremonial laying of wreaths.. no screen necessary to experience the spine tingling haunting sounds of The Last Post.

By comparison to today's fighting planes, the frailty of the Tiger Moth planes flying in formation in the turbulent sky above makes you even more aware of how little there was between those brave young pilots and their eventual fate. It never ceases to amaze and move me the number of young people who make the effort to come to the dawn service. Mothers, fathers, grandfathers/mothers and great grandfathers/mothers would be proud. Happy Tuesday, take care and stay safe...

SpongeBob SquarePants and a bit of magic!

If like me you had never heard of SpongeBob SquarePants who lives with his friends in the underwater city of 'Bikini Bottom' :) let me introduce you! I first became aware of SpongeBob ten months ago during weekly sleepovers with my dear great niece and nephew after they lost their mum in a road accident. It was an after diner before bedtime ritual that brought a smile at a very sad time. A multi award winning show the content had me chuckling when I least expected it. Here painted on a wall in North Perth by WA artist Idol Motions.

Did I mention a birthday party. There was a magician aka Al Kazam who held 15 young children and numerous adults :) under his spell for an hour. Too cool in his...

...magician's shoes! See how I made his middle disappear.. I'm a fast learner :) Up before the crack of dawn today for the Anzac Day Dawn Service, rain expected.. show you tomorrow. Happy Monday, take care and stay safe...
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Water in glass...

A reflection of the Swan River caught in one of the many glass high-rise buildings popping up around the CBD. It's the Anzac Day long weekend here in Australia with the Dawn Service in Kings Park on Monday morning. Forecast rain =  thousands of umbrellas! Whatever you're getting up to this weekend, enjoy! It's gardening..again, and birthday parties for moi. Bon weekend, take care and stay safe... 

Visit James to see more reflections from around the world here..

Searching for the perfect tree..

I have a spot in my back garden for a tree, not just any tree, the perfect tree! I've made mistakes before.. for example the two Fiddlewood trees that we planted when we first moved in, they can grow up to 40ft.. and they did! Even though we have a big block they were out of control! So they had to go. There was the wonderful really old tree that was already here that I loved but was uprooted in a bad storm, heartbreaking. So here I am again looking for the perfect tree! Loved the one above spotted on our travels, worried it might get too widespread and below seen in Queens Park, maybe a wee bit too tall :)

Gorgeous but waaay too messy, P would have a conniption!

 The Variegated Peppermint, more commonly known as the Western Australian Peppermint, a smallish native tree that flowers for five months of the year could work, although reading the 'cultivation' details it might not be suitable as a garden tree.. Help! Any suggestions for a pretty small tree under which I could place a bench, myself and a book :) Bon weekend, take care and stay safe..  

I'll have a fabulous view with my wine s'il vous plaît!

Yesterday after a walk in Kings Park, a coffee in Chapels on Whatley in Maylands we set off with visiting Melbourne blogger Andrew and partner to have lunch at Sittella, recommended by SIL, merci beaucoup Haze, one of the many wineries in the Swan Valley. P was hoping to spot one of the small Australasian birds that the winery is named after, but alas not a Sittella in sight. After a few days of rain everything is so green. I'm guessing the grapes have just been picked as I read harvesting is January to March in this region...  

I've often wondered why there are always roses planted at the head of each row of vines.. I now know it's because roses are susceptible to many of the same fungal diseases as the vines and therefore an early warning of problems that could occur during the growing period.. very pretty alarm system :)

Those of you who are regular readers know that for moi the best part of any meal is the dessert :) My main meal of grilled Schnapper was good but the warm apple crumble with cream and caramel sauce topped with a jaunty little biscotti was bliss! Weather perfect, excellent company, a few bottles of Sittella wines brought home for future enjoyment.. it was all good! Happy Friday, take care and stay safe...

Traveling musicians...

Bit of a treat in the city yesterday.. well two actually! Firstly we had a catch up with fellow blogger and his partner from Melbourne Andrew, here for a week.. thankfully Perth is putting on her best weather for le occasion! On the way back to the car the evocative, earthy sounds of the didgeridoo vibrated along Murray St. Traveling musicians Whales Ave, here entertaining Perthites and visitors for a while made it look too easy.. have you ever tried? It so isn't easy, I can't even produce a pitiful peep :) You can see them in action here.. four minutes of incroyable breathing control.. and yes I do love the bagpipes also :) Happy Thursday, take care and stay safe... p.s. still catching up!

The importance of being.. bees!

To be successful one has to be one of three bees,

the queen bee, the hardest working bee,

or the bee that does not fit in... Suzy Kassem.

I read somewhere that if the bee disappeared off the face of the earth man would only have four years left to live.. true or not it's a very good reason to protect these perfect, powerful, petit pollinators! The beauties here were created by mega talented Perth based artist Jerome Davenport and spotted in Mount Lawley. Happy Wednesday, take care and stay safe...
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I guess it must be true...

... flying IS safer than driving on the roads! Home safe and sound and with the help of a little white pill I didn't feel a thing :) I confess I've been home for a few days but there was the jungle garden to tend, the complete Season 5 of Game of Thrones to watch and a book to finish! Traditionally my first post back from Sydney is a shot of my very favourite bridge from a different angle.. here looming out across the river from The Rocks. Below my son holding on to my granddaughter's shirt incase she's tempted to lean too far.. I remember doing the same thing :)

 Pax's second birthday party was a big success and as official 'face painter' it wasn't long before Aimee had an eager queue of clientele.. supervised by the birthday girl :)

Flower power! I've got a whole lot of catching up to do, looking forward to seeing what you've been up to while I've been away, hope you'll bear with me. Back to Perth goings-on tomorrow, happy Tuesday, take care and stay safe...

Even angels take selfies.. à bientôt!

 Bit of a hefty post today as it's my last for ten days... gives you time to read it :) Was up early on Sunday morning to take some shots of the Freeway Bike Hike for Asthma which, depending on your level of fitness and enthusiasm, could be 1, 10, 30 or the full course 60km, would love to be that fit! Couldn't bring myself to use the longs lens, I mean... all those bike helmets coming straight at me :) At the same time as I was taking shots of the bike riders raising money a steady stream of walkers were crossing the bridge calling out encouragement to the riders, they themselves, including the Angels above were part of an amazing group of walkers taking part in a two day Weekend to End Women's Cancers walk, have a look at video here.. seriously Perthites you are fabulous!

The long distance riders set off at 6am from Elizabeth Quay in the city and rode north up the freeway turning at Warwick Rd and South as far as Roe Highway.. the fittest riders below on their way back from the northern side, my side of the river.

  Back towards the city... so many long shadows at that time of the morning!

Was strange to see the normally busy freeway below minus vehicles on one side, you can just imagine how busy the alternative to the freeway roads were during that seven hour period... all in a good cause :) Only one more sleep until I face my biggest fear, flying! I'm off on my annual trip to see my Sydney famille, can you believe my gorgeous granddaughter will be two this week... I know right, where does the time go! Even more exciting she will have a baby brother in two months time, double celebrations! No social media for me while I'm away, too much quality family time to catch up on... so until I, hopefully :) return, take care and please stay safe.. p.s. maybe next time I should go by train :) 

Slightly Moroccan with a Middle Eastern twist...

While in Subiaco a few days ago I came across, for the first time, the work of Perth artist known as  wellshaken. I wasn't unhappy when the gentleman above strode into the shot just as I clicked, adds to the image don't you think? If you check out the website you will see that both of the walls, here and below, were in shocking condition before the artist, repairing the walls to a paintable state, adorned them in a myriad of colours. The mural above getting plenty of love in a high traffic area on Park St. whereas...

... the piece above on the wall behind Meeka Restaurant below, is hard to find, especially when hobbling :) The artist describes these pieces as Moroccan lantern style.. the cuisine in Meeka Restaurant is described as 'modern Australian with a Middle Eastern twist', however slight the connection I feel a similar, smaller adornment in sympathetic colours would greatly enhance the entrance to Meeka, what do you think? Happy Monday, take care and stay safe..

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Gothic details...

St. Mary's Cathedral was built in three stages, the first from when it was blessed and opened in 1865 to 1930.  The 'Gothic' details here were added in the second stage 1930 - 1999.
Thought it looked pretty nice with the glow from the sun behind..

During the third stage, 1999 to present day.. on the new addition to the cathedral a second spire was added, a spire 'not identical to the original spire because of a Heritage Council stipulation that the new spire not "shamelessly mimic" the existing one' .. no chance of that :) Happy Sunday, take care and stay safe.. p.s. big day yesterday, catch up today..