Mermaid Cave

Hurrah for mushrooms! I think this one was about as tall as a 50c coin (think twoonie people).

As for Mermaid Cave, it is a wonderful gully with a cascading waterfall about 30-50cm wide and 25m high. It is so very refreshing to be in such a cool moist place here in Oz. Even the ground feels soft in there.

This was one of our stops on Micah's pre-birthday scavenger hunt. The clue to send him here was a picture of Ariel and a mention of Sebastian's grotto. Once here, Micah found a clue which was actually 2 Sudoku which provided the coordinates of his next clue. I cannot tell you how much fun we had on this scavenger hunt!

Taken March 2010 - Mermaid Cave, Blue Mountains, NSW

Kangaroos in the Hunter

Yes, this is not my best quality photo. It is, however, the first picture I took of a kangaroo. No at zoo kangaroo, not a picture of one 800m away... no my first time outside in a rural area where the kangaroo was less than 60 metres away and the only really thing between me an it was distance.

Kangaroos serve the same function as deer. They eat grass and farmer's vegetables, and they also tend to be seen just before they are hit by a car. Other than that, they are just adorable and completely mundane. I do love them though.

taken May 2010 - paddock in Hunter Valley, NSW

Cool on the Feet

The sun outside is hot and bright on a late June afternoon. Walking around the streets of Milan we finally stumble upon the Duomo of this city. Upon arriving in the square in front of the west door, we are careful to avoid walking in front of other tourists snapping shots of the building. Feeding the pigeons here also seems like quite the touristy-thing-to-do, as we see several buskers selling seeds and offering to take Polaroids of you posing with the birds and the cathedral.

After spending quite some time admiring the sculptures and symbols carved into the facade of the building, we finally climb up the front steps. The cool air that greets us on the threshold and we enter the building.

I have always found churches to be absolutely wonderfully quieting. We slowly make our way forward and slide into one of the wooden pews a third of the way up the centre aisle. Though there are probably a couple hundred people in the building, the space absorbs and softens their rustling to a white noise which is easily dismissed.

After taking some time to simply be in the space, I finally get up to walk around and look at the stained glass, side chapels and decorations that fill the Duomo. I also allow myself one of my favorite church pleasures - I take off my shoes. Having my bare feet on the cool stone floor always connects me to the place more than any other single thing. Here, there is a softness to the floor, and the texture of the different stones that have been inlaid to create the patterns only adds to the movement I can feel through me feet.

I am very thankful to have found this personal way of connecting with the buildings of the church. I believe that every space for prayer and meditation should be comfortable and supportive. In the end, a building is only a building, and the value of a place of worship should be about the connection to something greater.

taken June 2010, Duomo di Milano, Milan

Blue Mountains - Wnetworth Falls Lookoff

This is a view that has several lovely memories attached. We first came to Wentworth Falls with J&M, who were keen to start showing Micah and I the beauty that was Australia. What a fine fine start to adventuring in Oz! Our most recent visit was with Micah's parents, which is the trip on which this photo was taken.

In truth, the Blue Mountains are actually not a mountain range and should be more accurately named the Blue Canyon. It is the second longest canyon after the Grand Canyon. Its depth is not quite as clear here, but man oh man it is beautiful and mighty deep!

Trust me, this is not the last time we will visit this stunning Australian natural treasure.

Taken May 2010 - Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains, NSW

Botanical Gardens Sydeny - Cactus Garden

This was such a beautiful day to be out in the sunshine. Micah and our roommates and I went out for a day in the city, to visit the botanical gardens and then to one of the galleries. We puttered around the gardens for a couple of hours, eventually arriving in the cactus garden. What a wonderful little area this is! The garden is wonderfully laid out and the style of this garden is quite different from the more Victorian style main garden(s).

As one of my roommates sat to enjoy the sun, I was really taken by the ochre red of the sculpture behind her. The combination of the almost harsh sun, the cacti and the lines in the sculpture/flower bed structure are really quite something. The addition of my roommate, I think, sets the whole thing up for the perfect picture.

Natalie in the Sun - Taken July 2010 - Cactus Garden in the Botanical Garden, Sydney, NSW