Western horizons!

 

We are officially 8 days into summer in Australia and the weather here in the west is a lot like the ad.. 'beautiful one day, perfect the next'! I know by mid January I'll be wittering on about the heat but right now, no complaints! I took these shots yesterday afternoon around 5.30 in the afternoon on Mullaloo Beach, a small clue to the left below as to my fellow beach-walker, to the left guys :)

It amazes me how the colours of both the sky and the ocean change depending on which direction you are looking... 

Many footprints in the sand.. lots of people on the beach earlier, and even though it was still 29C when I took these shots, the wind was up and all but a few had gone home for dinner!

Couldn't resist.. shadows are the only time a five foot two and a half three inch person can appear tall without the assistance of high heels :) Hope you had/are having a fab weekend, take care and stay safe..

Ecclesiastical chess..

Just as Forrest Place is the hub of the city in Perth, Kings Square is likewise in Fremantle. I didn't realize that chess was so big in Fremantle.. literally, giant size in fact :) Apart from the huge chess board in the square there is also the 'divinely' designed chess table and chairs above sculpted by conceptual and public artist Coral Lowry, I did like the way the chairs mirror the stained glass windows of St. John's Anglican Church. Do you play chess? I used to with my Dad, but haven't since he passed, I miss those challenges! Happy Sunday, take care and stay safe..

An enduring 'affair'..

In a location like Sorrento Quay Boardwalk where success depends heavily on the weather, small businesses come and go. While in the warmer spring, autumn and hot summer months it's one of the top fav destinations for tourists and locals alike, small enterprises must be able to survive the quieter winter months, my own personal favourite time :) I've been popping into Art Affair to check out their mix of fine and eclectic art ever since the marina opened..I'd say that was a success story if ever there was one! Happy weekend.. I'm hoping for a little bit of quiet and a big catch up, see you later :) p.s. how cool is the 'metal art esky' below, I can just see a couple of bottles of Margaret River chardonnay resting in there!

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Snorkeling? Don't mind if I don't!

On a walk around the marina a while back I spied this ruggedly handsome gent 'of a certain age' preparing to do a bit of snorkeling in the shallow water beach side of the boardwalk at Hillarys Boat Harbour. You often see fish leaping out above the water here so I can only imagine what's going on below :)

We arrived at the boardwalk at the same time, he below, looking up smiling.. 'what took you so long?' I've only experienced snorkeling a few times.. guess what! Too many strange looking things lurking under there haha! Sorry I haven't been around the last couple of days, a touch of sun-stroke on Wednesday ..result, un gros mal de tête, you'd think I would know better right! Hope you've been having a good week, take care and stay safe..

Dracaena draco.. dragon tree.

In the wee small hours on the 18th November this year before the city was awake, a 70 year old dragon tree was relocated to it's new home in Kings Park Botanical Gardens. It was donated to the gardens when the land it was growing on was cleared for building. I haven't seen it yet but should imagine at 10mtrs tall and 7mtrs wide it will be an impressive sight.. will check it out next visit! This beautiful specimen here is in my sister's back garden. It's about 10 years old and has just finished flowering, if you pull the top shot in you can see where the branches are beginning to form. The dragon tree is in good company next to a mature cactus, a frangipani, canna lilies and the extremely rare 'flag plant' :) (next door!) Of course I was taking these shots at midday, the worst time! Hope you're having a good week, take care and stay safe..

100 Hampton Road..

The murals adorning the exterior and interior walls of 100 Hampton Road, a 190 bed housing development for people who for one reason or another find themselves in crisis is a project collaboration between Foundation Housing Ltd. and formPUBLIC, who with the support of BHP Billiton are working together to provide a positive and creative environment.. both tres informative links..  Amok Island's reason for choosing the seahorse as his subject "they are beautiful creatures but they are hidden, they do not stand out and are easily overlooked. You have to do some effort to find them and see their beauty".. ask any diver and they will tell you this is true :) Do you have any similar housing projects in your city? Happy Tuesday, take care and stay safe..

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The train driver.. people in their workplace!

I'm trying to think of one guy I know that wouldn't like to mess about with trains when they retire.. well ok there may be a few who would like to mess about with trains minus the three hundred kids involved :)

I was beginning to wonder what I might post for this month's theme day when fortuitously my gorgeous great niece had her three year old birthday party at Stirling Miniature Railway an event run by the Northern Districts Model Engineering Soc., held on the last Sunday of every month.. yesterday! So much fun.. recognize the redhead enjoying a ride below :)

Our train driver may well be retired but believe me with this many kids and adults 'young at hearts' along for the ride, he is still a worker, albeit in his fantasy workplace :) Hope you had/are still having a wonderful weekend, happy Monday, take care and stay safe.. p.s. this post made me think about you Andrew!

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