Mount Tomah Gardens - Mediterranean Heather

There is nothing quite like a bank of heather on a drizzly day to make the mind wander to Jane Austin and the Bronte sisters. This flower appears to be a style of Mediterranean heather, though the soft pinky-purple shade really does make me want to find a bonnet and sit in windows looking out across the Heath.

On this particular day, I was wandering around a beautiful botanical garden with my in-laws. We had just spent the weekend enjoying the Blue Mountains and were slowly working our way home to Sydney. Thankfully we had made sure to have our cameras prepared just before we happily lost ourselves amongst the flowers.

We also entertained ourselves by finding random upon finding the following - it seams that the staff had devised a special 'pirate' tour of the grounds that one could follow. I'm not precisely certain how pirates and flowers go together, but there you go. As we wandered from area to area we found little laminated sheets attached to short stakes in the ground, each marked with the classic skull and crossbones stamp and some kind of joke or riddle. These jokes were all completely groan worthy, but hilarious none the less.

Taken May 2010 - Mount Tomah Gardens, Blue Mountains, NSW

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