Bright lights and beautiful babies!

Home from a wonderful week in Sydney for the arrival of our second grandchild.. mother and baby both well! Very much enjoyed spending quality time with my delightful two year old granddaughter who below, getting used to the idea that her eagerly awaited baby brother is now actually here, is going to be the best ever big sister! 

A much less spectacular event :) was also occurring while I was there, the annual light show 'Vivid'..

this year celebrating the spirituality and culture of Australian Indigenous art. Unlike the man on the steps above left in the first shot I wasn't, as usual, prepared with a tripod.. I did the best I could, hope you enjoy..

Personally the Opera House has always been second best to the Sydney Harbour Bridge but even I have to admit for this event the Opera House was the star.. nevertheless, I did take a few shots of my very favourite bridge, show you tomorrow as I think I may have already exceeded my limit of shots :) Looking forward to catching up today and seeing what you've been up to while I've been away, happy Wednesday, take care and stay safe...

CDP Theme.. Shadow & Light!

It's officially the first day of winter in Australia and it's getting a wee bit nippy early morning and as the sun goes down, I like it a lot! June 1st theme for CDP bloggers is 'Shadow & Light'.  Couldn't decide and as I'm heading over to Sydney for the next week I'll leave you with four to check out. Above the early morning sun rising up behind the pinnacles of St. Mary's Cathedral. Aimee is the perfect 'muse', she's extremely patient but throws me shade, below right, when she's had enough :)

Below 'garden-nymph' Aimee! It's so much fun playing around with double exposures. I enjoyed the contrast between 'happy to help Mum' to 'enough already Mum' in both shots :)

I took the shot below back in April before the sun came up as we arrived in Kings Park for the Anzac Day Dawn Service. Although this is my last post for ten days I'm definitely stopping by at CDP headquarters tomorrow to check out your take on the theme. When I return I will be 'Gigi' to a second grandchild, how exciting is that right! Happy next ten days, take care and most of all stay safe.. à bientôt! p.s. did you notice I didn't mention how terrified I am about flying... oops just did :)
See 'light & shade images from around the world here..

Anya Brock.. birds under the bridge.

Weather wise it was shaping up to be a dull day and then as we rounded the corner to go under the Barnfield Street underpass into Claremont, there it was.. Anya Brock's birds under the bridge, painted during Public2016 back in April. How about the red tailed black cockatoo, fabulous oui! Excellent way to colour-up an otherwise dreary location. Happy Tuesday, take care and stay safe...

See more murals from around the world here...

The Station.. Claremont.

Yesterday I showed the old signal cabin at the Claremont Railway Station opened in 1881, the oldest railway station buildings in Perth. Here the station itself.. below looking down from the signal cabin. The station closed in September 1979, reopening in July 1983 with buildings restored. The line was electrified in 1991 and the station cut back to a one island platform.. red roof below..

The gorgeous old restored buildings to the right are now open for lease.. perhaps a restaurant, that would be kinda cool.. any guesses as to what it would be called :)

Waiting for the Freo train to pull in and deliver you to the equally splendid heritage listed Fremantle Railway Station.. here it comes now!

... and on the other side of the platform the train going the other way to Perth is just pulling in.. the gent fussing with the ticket machine better get a move on :) Hope you had a good weekend, happy new week, take care and stay safe.. p.s. only three more sleeps till I head off to Sydney for the arrival of my second grandchild, sooo excited and so terrified (flying) at the same time :)

The Signal Cabin.. Claremont Railway Station..

While in Claremont on Thursday we called in at the Claremont Railway Station. Opened in 1881 it's the only station on the Freo line to retain it's original buildings, making them the oldest railway station buildings in Perth. I wish I had had the time to take 'public travel aficionado' Melbourne blogger Andrew to see these gorgeous old buildings, so much to see, so little time :) The old signal cabin is open for a look-see at certain times, not unfortunately when I was there. These shots were all taken within ten minutes, how the sky is so different in every one is le mystère :) Back tomorrow with the lovely old station buildings, happy Sunday, take care and stay safe...p.s. I was in no danger taking the last shot :)

Five hundred and fifty dollar reflections!

I was looking for an old mirror, I do a lot of looking.. at five hundred and fifty dollars this wasn't the one! Seen in South Perth Antiques and Collectibles. The tall conical spotty things, antiquarian description :) in the reflection were French, I should have taken more notice! I love browsing antique shops but rarely buy in case it entices me back to my wicked ways of collecting.. does not fit in with my new minimal approach :) How about you.. are you a collector, and if so what can't you resist? Bon weekend, take care and stay safe...

Visit James to see Weekend Reflections from around the world...

Oi Oi! What have we here!

Yesterday while walking around Claremont a gentleman with a tiny burst of sunshine on his shoulder stepped out ahead of us! We stalked followed him as he crossed the road and entered a shop. He gave me the slip there for a while, think he knew I was after him :) so when I re-spotted him I braved up and asked if I could take a photo, to which he happily agreed, although I think he was a little shy. So overcome by my courage :) I forgot to ask names, but the two had been friends together for over six years. This little beauty is a South American Sun parakeet, you can see how very different its colours are to my grumpy garden breakfast guests!

Don't think I would have made a super sleuth, I suspect he knew he was being followed :) Happy Friday, take care and stay safe... p.s. I know right! A red suit and we'd have a perfect Santa!