140 Reflections and Windows 10..

 140William in the city centre offers as many delicious reflection opportunities as it does food choices! The colourful structural ceiling installation here looks fab even on a dull cloudy day. Tomorrow is my last day to change over to Windows 10 for free. I'm a little nervous as I kind of like 'technical' things to stay familiar. So I was wondering before I actually do the deed :) have you changed over and if so were there any difficulties and are you glad you made the change? Very interested to hear what you have to say. Happy Sunday, take care and stay safe... 

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Lionfish.. spreading the poison.

If I told you that I'd taken these shots of the venomous Lionfish whilst diving in the Indian Ocean would you believe me? You wouldn't! Really! Surely that can't be the most unbelievable thing you've heard lately :) You would be right, this spiky showoff giving me the 'oh sure you're brave when I'm stuck in here' look is best observed behind glass, seen here at AQWA. The Lionfish native to the Indo-Pacific, popular in home aquariums but dumped wherever by irresponsible owners is now invading and upsetting the native fish and environment in waters around the world, what can I say.. unbelievable! Have a fab weekend, take care and stay safe...  

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'Chinese Bible 2009' .. Art Gallery WA.

It's no secret that I like art in all it's creative diversity, it's a bit like music, if you only listen to one genre you are missing out on many exciting sounds, a closed mind is a wasted mind right! I am never disappointed when we call in at the Art Gallery WA, sure there are some works that I think what the heck :) but even that in itself is an experience. The installation here does not fall into that category, one of three in the exhibition Sacred and Profane, this installation by Chinese artist Yang Zhichao, 'Chinese Bible 2009' is a magnificent historical undertaking by the artist..  

Made up of 3,000 diaries collected in Beijing markets over a span of three years, 'the diaries written between the period 1949-1999, a span of time that coincides with the first fifty years of communist rule in China'. Incroyable oui! If you have a spare seven minutes :) watch the vimeo here, so worth the watch. I have one of my mum's diaries, it will never end up in a market, I treasure it! Is it seriously Friday already.. where did the week go? Take care and stay safe...  

When does an outer-city suburb become an inner-city suburb!.

It's been at least ten years since we last visited Mindarie Keys, I was astounded at the intensity of development that's sprung up since then and is still in progress, with freeways and train services struggling to keep up with the pace. It's when you see outer-city suburbs like this spreading so fast that you realize just how much land there is available, and it's clear that the further away from the city the more you get for your dollar! So many huge homes around the marina itself. A complete change of environment for the high percentage of English homeowners here..   

How about your own private beach below! Got me to thinking that if these outer suburbs keep spreading as fast as they are, at some point will my suburb which is 20km (15 minutes) from the city become an inner-city suburb :) Doesn't look too bad for a winters day! Happy Thursday, take care and stay safe...

Evicted without notice!

After reading this story (bird-lovers will be enraged) in the local community paper, we zipped up to Mindarie Keys, 36km north of Perth CBD, to check it out. I was totally unprepared for the changes as it's been many years since we last came up this way, tell you more about that tomorrow. The short story is that due to major residential development in this area six years ago due to necessity a pair of Osprey built their nest atop this sculpture and successfully reared several chicks..   

Not taking away from the sculpture 'Egyptian Rowboat' by WA artist Jon Denaro, his work featured in 'Sculpture by the Sea', the artist drawing inspiration from 'boats as an integral feature within the harbour', but this looks like an unlikely spot for a nest, which I have just read can be up to 2mt wide and 135kg heavy, blimey!  

Much to the ire of birders and photographers alike the shire removed the nest so that repairs could be carried out on the sculpture which allegedly :) was showing signs of rust that could 'compromise the stability of the sculpture, therefore becoming a danger to the public and the nest'! All are hoping that the Ospreys will reclaim their spot and just as we were leaving look who arrived and was calling for their mate, P swung his camera up and got this quick shot before the Osprey soared magnificently up into the blue sky. I think nesting season is getting close so I will return to see if they have reclaimed their sculptural abode. Happy Wednesday, take care and stay safe.. p.s. what a fabulous view of the nest the people next door would have had, and hopefully will have again!

Old school street art.. 'country style'.

We passed through several small towns last week on our 'jaunt' to the country. You may remember that the art on the wheat silos is not even six months old.. while driving through Northam, (quite a history) my beady bloggers eye :) was caught by the mural above and below painted almost twenty years ago. The rural scene starring real life Whiley the dog, defines exactly what the area is all about, the growing and harvesting of wheat! After twenty years there's a little restoration required here.. that could apply to the photographer also :) 

Below, 45km north-north-east of Northam the mural found around the corner from the local cafe in the town of Goomalling, population 499 (2006 census) again depicting local events. There was no trying to figure out what a mural might possibly mean back then, what you see is what it is :) Talking to the locals it seems they love the new silo art and are looking forward to more local and international artists heading their way.. old school meets new, I'll be back to see that! Happy Tuesday, take care and stay safe...

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Husky love...

Another crisp clear winter day in the city. Yesterday morning people watching while enjoying a coffee in Bocelli's Espresso in Forrest Place how could I resist a shot of gorgeous six year old Husky Ashka  Beautifully behaved Ashka was loving the attention and had her picture taken a few times while I sat watching. It always amazes me the things I find out while researching a post and while Googling Huskies in Perth I came across the Husky Rescue WA site. Run by volunteers and relying on donations this amazing group whose philosophy 'every dog deserves a chance for a quality life' work relentlessly to find the right placement for Huskies who for one reason or another no longer have a home, excellent! Hope you had a fab weekend, happy Monday, take care and stay safe... 

Weekend reflections.. 'The Dresses'.

In the foyer of Tower 1 Brookfield Place until the 7th August.. just one of the many de'lights' :) of Winter Lights 2016. 'The Dresses', an ethereal art installation by Korean/French artist Tae Gon Kim. Two tres glamorous dresses that have been exhibited around the world, created using 'hundreds of illuminated fibreoptic strands that shimmer from the realms of fantasy and symbolize the garment's history and transformation over time'. I wish I had taken more time over these shots.. rain showers and a small hand tugging me along made that impossible :) Bon weekend, take care and most of all stay safe...
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On the corner of Hay and King... That look!

You know that look.. when you snap your shot and look up to see someone staring right back at you, I don't know how many times I've downloaded and thought 'oh! hello there' :) It's been a cold, wet and windy day once more in Perth, pfffft anyone would think it was winter.. excellent, I've had a chance to wear that new coat at least three times :) While most are dressed in winter blacks and browns we can always rely on Aimee to brighten up our day. I hope the sun is shining down on you today, happy Friday, take care and stay safe...

 

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War, bloody war...

  We've been coming to the camera market held in the Leederville Town Hall for several years now, not sure what made me, on this particular occasion, stop and take a few shots of the Leederville Fallen Soldiers Memorial, erected in 1924 by the people of Leederville to commemorate the soldiers from this area killed in WW1. Reading here about the Anzac's roll in France and Belgium during this war I could weep at what those brave young men had to endure.. the sad thing is that all these years later the threat of another world war is a constant fear. Albert Einstein's quote "I know not with what WW111 will be fought but WW1V will be fought with sticks and stones" is a bit chilling.. I know right, pretty gloomy today.. more cheerful tomorrow I promise! Happy Thursday, take care and stay safe..

Colours of support..

It's been a few weeks since we were last in the city in the evening.. walking through Elizabeth Quay on Sunday evening I took the shot below of the Bell Tower through the 29mt tall sculpture 'Spanda' and above Council House peeking through the trees in the Supreme Gardens lights up in tribute to the victims and families of the tragedy in Nice.. the colours changing periodically to include all those affected by horrific acts of violence around the world. Happy Wednesday, take care and most of all stay safe.. 

The overlap of land..

We went into the city on Sunday evening especially to see Nine Streams of Derbarl Yerrigan (excellent link) a collaboration between Perth media artist Sohan Ariel Hayes and Whadjuk local Barry McGuire. The projection on the west wall of Foundation Place, between the Town Hall and the David Malcolm Justice Centre and less than a stones throw from where a tree was felled to mark European settlement presents 'an engaging experience for visitors seeking a deeper understanding of Perth's complex history'. Despite the wind and rain showers I was a little disappointed I couldn't catch all three flags unfurled at the same time.. the Australian, the Western Australia and the Australian Aboriginal flags.. two out of three isn't bad I guess :) Happy Tuesday, take care and stay safe.. 

On the trail..

On our trip into the country last week we passed through Northam, another small country town in the Avon Valley as I was really keen to take some shots of the work by large-scale artists Phlegm and Hense. A CBH grain receival point, these 36mt tall silos would have been a challenge with both artists having an extended stay in the country :) The bold, bright colours used by USA artist Hense above depicting the agricultural area around the wheat-belt, seen a few posts back, and the astoundingly detailed work (so worth looking closer) of English artist Phlegm inspired by hot-air ballooning that the area is famous for. A CBH partnered with FORM project. FORM's long-term goal is 'to create an 'art trail', where people from the city could take a day's drive to various towns in the Wheatbelt and see some internationally-renowned artists' works'.. I'm on the trail already :) Happy Monday, take care and stay safe.. 

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Too quick on the click!

 We've had mucho rain this weekend, yesterday it rained bucket loads, torrents.. even a deluge or two :) not proper weather for harmonious picture taking! Still it gives me an excuse to use the reflections here taken last week from the pier looking in from the water side to the skating rink at Hillarys Boat Harbour as opposed to the shots I posted here. I noticed the rower below coming into the marina, but he almost slipped past me above on his way back out, but I was too quick on the click :) Happy Sunday, take care and stay safe..

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Land of contrasts...

What a difference three months can make to a landscape. Driving to Toodyay (pronounced Toodjay) this week was a little like driving through the English countryside.. if you can imagine field maples instead of scattered groves of eucalyptus trees :) After decent rainfall over the last few months the Avon wheat-belt is lush and green interspersed with large smatterings of yellow canola.The same area below taken in April, parched and dry after a  long hot summer is probably a little more like the perceived idea of Australia as a 'sun-burnt country'. Bon weekend, take care and stay safe..

'People always make war when they say they love peace' D.H. Lawrence..

Country towns.. Toodyay.

A drive into the country is sometimes 'just what the doctor ordered'! Wednesday morning dawned crisp and clear.. the perfect day for such a jaunt :) On the banks of the Avon River, Toodyay, 85km north east of Perth.. established in this spot in the 1860's after flooding of the Avon in the 1850's, is one of WA's prettiest country towns. The splendid heritage buildings seen here along Stirling Terrace, the main street, make Toodyay a popular tourist destination. 

This spot towards the end of the main street before heading out of Toodyay conjures up the clearest picture for me of how the town would have worked back then. Above and in the background below, Connor's Mill, built in 1870, the third build to go up in the region and just a stones throw from the river, produced high quality flour, before being turned into the town power station in 1917. St. Stephen's Anglican Church below, first service held in 1862, is one of the earliest buildings constructed in the town.

The Avon River Bridge below.. the river, a tributary of the Swan River was flowing strongly after the heavy rains lately.  I'm guessing the stumps to the side, the remnants of an earlier river crossing. Then, as now, the rivers and coastal areas were the hub of life in what must have been the hardest terrain colonials would have ever encountered! Happy Friday, take care and stay safe..p.s. happy Bastille Day to all who celebrated it yesterday, I just couldn't say it yesterday!