Hyde Park Sydney

Dude! That's a man-bull you're wrestling! And you'll all covered in water! Dude!

It would be so very easy to publish a book of photos of this one fountain in Hyde Park in the Sydney CBD. There are just so many bits to the sculpture, so many ways the fountain streams water.

I think I like this photo so much because it reminds me of snow. I really do miss the snow, though being able to wear shorts outside basically all year around is kinda cool.

Taken February 2010 - Hyde Park, Sydney, NSW

Green

More than the smell of cow manure or the sight of mud, this shade of green makes me think of home.

Yes, I do understand that cow manure does not evoke most to reminisce about times gone by. I also understand that most people do not find the smell of skunk to be floral. There are some things in life that can be seen in very different lights.

The green in the picture above makes me think of summer days and soft clover and grass. There is something in the quality of light, the warmth of the foliage and the colour of the (stagnant) water that brings a smile to my mouth and a warmth to my heart. This particular picture takes these feelings of home and adds a air of romance - I can see Jane Austin and costume drama writ large here.

I am so happy that this picture comes from a public park. Moments like this deserve to be savoured and shared.

Come and sit on the grass with me. Bring your favorite novel and some iced tea or lemonade. The sunshine is waiting for you too.

taken June 2010 - Parco Sempione, Milan

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