May you have a light to guide you........

Do you sometimes feel like you are swirling into the void - that your life is not your own - that you are been pulled and pushed by an invisible thread - that the needs of others have taken over your life - that you are swirling into the void and you cannot see the light?

Take time out and embrace life. Be good to yourself. Life is too short and every moment is precious - both the good and the bad, both the happy moments and the sad, they all make up the wonderful mosaic of life. 

It is just difficult to see it sometimes when you are swirling into the void. 

For those in America, I wish you a happy "Thanksgiving" in the company of those you love.
For those of you that have the "faith" I wish you a peaceful and joyous Advent Sunday. 

And for all, where-ever you may be, may you have a light to brighten even the darkest hours and show you the way forward.

No I am not in Paris - I wish! - This image was taken in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in July 2005, only days after purchasing my first digital camera. So many images since then, but some still remain favourites. 

Hand held, cathedral candle lighting, slight sharpening only. 

I am joining up with Mary and the other amazing contributors at Mosaic Monday - click on the link -Mosaic Monday at Little Red House

Sorry, not strickly a mosaic, but my time is limited this week as I am caring for my aged mother while my father is in hospital, but the sentiments are really part of what I am feeling right now.

Have a wonderful week - I look forward to hearing from you

I wish you enough

Someone sent this to me today and I thought it was beautiful, so I wanted to share  it with you..........

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how grey the day may appear.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them; but then an entire life to forget them. 

And here are some beautiful yellow daisies full of sunshine which I capture in my front garden on Monday. 

Poppy Seed cake

Spring is coming to a close and summer is around the corner - and the aroma and taste of fresh poppyseed cake is delicious!
First the mixing and baking.......stir in the poppyseeds.........

And then the serving on a delicate tea set from my childhood.

When I walked into the garden this morning, all I could smell was the intoxicating scent of the honeysuckle vine on my patio..........what a simple pleasure it brings.....

Take care and have a wonderful week. I look forward to hearing from you.

I am joining up with Mosaic Monday. To see images and stories from across the world from Mary and other wonderful contributors - please click on the link here - Mosaic Monday at Little Red House

Remembrance Day

Today on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month, we have 2 minutes silence to remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

This is the State War Memorial in Kings Park, overlooking the city of Perth and the Swan River. It really has a beautiful outlook over the city. This is where they hold the Perth Dawn Service on Anzac Day - the sun comes up behind the memorial. I took this photo when we were there last Sunday. You can walk under the memorial, where are the names of Western Australian's who lost their lives in war.  My Great-Uncle who died at Gallipoli has his name on this wall.

In the front of this image you can see the eternal flame. 

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

I read the poem below in a poetry book "A Show of Colours - Poems of the Yilgarn" by Glen Phillips (CREATEC, Edith Cowan University, Mount Lawley, WA)
I thought it fitted the theme for today and recalls the time when young men full of adventure left their families behind..............

Station 6 - Perth                   by Glen Phillips

Troop trains drew out of arched precincts
where the mightly clock ruled over parallel
platforms, where men with lamps and whilstles
waved flags and kept everything on time.

Mother shepherded our little flock
fortified with penny ice-creams
as bands played stirring wartime tunes,
while girl friends and younger brothers
enviously ran beside moving compartments
where khaki-clad soldier boys whistled and grinned
and stowed their kit bags and rifles clumsily
as their last train drew slowly out.

With surprise we saw real tears run
down our mum's face into her ice-cream cone.
Outside the station, horse-drawn wagons waited
and the street photographer in thin and shabby suit
flashed and handed us his ticket. Later
when we viewed the family snap it was sad
the only one missing the action was our dad.

Flowering kangaroo paws

On Sunday we visited Kings Park in our capital city, Perth.

Kings Park is a beautiful park of natural bushland, cultivated gardens, walking paths, playgrounds, waterways, wildflower displays and war memorials. It overlooks Perth city and the Swan River.

We have missed the main wildflower display this year, but there were still a number of kangaroo paws flowering. And I would like to share a few with you.

In the image below, the orange one in the LH top corner is called "Kings Park Federation Flame".
Kangaroo paws are found only in the south west of Western Australia, and there are twelve species. Eleven of these are the Anigozanthos genus, but one of them is the genus Macropidia, the Black Kangaroo Paw - seen here in the top RH corner.

Below is the Green Kangaroo Paw. It flowers in my front garden. Every 5 years or so we burn it (as would happen in the bush) and it regenerates afresh. 

Below is the Red Kangaroo Paw. These photos were taken on our recent south coast trip to Hopetoun and the Fitzgerald River National Park. In the lower LF corner you can see the mass flowering.

and another view of the beautiful "King Park Federation Flame" - anigozanthous rufus -
a variety I had never seen before.

and Western Australia's floral emblem - the red and green Mangles Kangaroo Paw - anigozanthos manglesli - it grows in profusion in the bush in spring in my area

You may have seen this one before in my previous post.  Where-wild-orchids-grow

To see more images of Kings Park - please go to my Tour Western Australia blog - click on the link here - Kings Park

I hope you have enjoyed viewing these kangaroo paws - thank you for stopping by. I look forward to hearing from you if you would like to leave a message.

sharing a special post - Every Time I Fall Back

I just wanted to share with you this very beautiful post from Markus - one of my on-line blog contacts - Tea Cup In the Garden - click on the link to go to "Every Time I Fall Back" -   Teacup in the Garden

You will probably need to click on the translate button to read Markus' beautiful poem. Then take a little time to scroll through his posts about the beautiful country home they are restoring.

Every Time I Fall Back by Markus

Laughing, I walk through rustling leaves and know that this too will pass away someday laugh. But not now.

I sit on a bench and know that someday I'll sit there anymore. But not now.

I breathe the scent of lavender and verblühtem know that I will someday no longer smell. But not now.

Amazed, I look at the colors of the world and know that someday everything will be black and white. But not now.

With an open heart, I love a friend and know that our path will separate at some point. But not now.

With all the strength I cling to life and know that I will release it sometime. But not now.


So I go the routes that are before me and stay in the places of my heart a little longer. Eventually everything will be remembered. But not now. Now it is reality. Take Care, Mark

Rain rain go away

It is pouring with rain here at the moment  - it is November! - the sun is supposed to be shining!  Unfortunately the farmers in our "wheat belt" have lost many thousands of dollars of crops through the unseasonal rain (including my brother-in-law and nephews in Bruce Rock). The rain is ruining their drying crops. I send my thoughts to them.

This crop below - which we saw in early October held so much promise for a bumper harvest.  Since then they have many millimetres of rain which should have come in September. All it will do now is ruin the harvest.

On the Road in the Kimberley

I am very excited to tell you that I have just had three articles published in the Australian travel magazine - On The Road  -  November 2011 edition - Kimberley Essentials.
You can read these in full in the magazine, but below is the beginning paragraphs. 

"Naturally Outstanding" - my article about Purnululu National Park.

Below is my original image - with the opening spread of my article below it - read on below the image -

Cathedral Gorge is well named. Entering its immense towering cavern is like entering a magnificent natural cathedral, a place steeped in time and history. The red and orange sandstone walls tower above you, and the white sand crunches softly underfoot.  Tiny animal tracks can be seen going across the sand to the central pool which sits still and undisturbed like a mirror. It is a place for hushed voices and to sit quietly with your own thoughts. If you come early in the morning, as we did, you can enjoy the peace undisturbed.  It has the atmosphere of a holy place, a sanctuary.

the cavern of Cathedral Gorge - arriving early morning you can fully experience the atmosphere of this sacred place

Cathedral Gorge is just one of the magnificent gorges within the Purnululu National Park (also known as the Bungle Bungles) in the Kimberley region of Western Australia’s far north west.  Given World Heritage listing in 2003, Purnululu is one of Western Australia’s newest and most spectacular National Parks.  

In the Kija Aboriginal language purnululu means sandstone. The Aboriginal people inhabited the region for thousands of years, however Purnululu was known only to a few Europeans until the mid 1980s.  How it received the name Bungle Bungles remains an intriguing mystery with several explanations including the name of a common Kimberley grass, bundle bundle grass, or the ranges proximity to the old Bungle Bungle cattle station.

Purnululu is located off the Great Northern Highway, 250km south of Kununurra, west of the WA/Northern Territory border. The 53 kilometre unsealed road from the Highway is only accessible by 4WD and offroad campers. It travels through Mabel Downs Station to the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) Rangers / Visitor Centre within the park. You should allow approximately 2-3 hours for the 53 km drive in (approximately 5 hours total travel time from Kununurra).

sunset at Purnulu

At the end of the day visitors congregate at the Kungkalahayi Lookout, three kilometres from the Visitor Centre, to enjoy the 360 panoramic views and to watch the last rays of sun spread over the Spinifex ridges to light up the ranges changing them to brilliant orange and reds.  

The image below of of Echidna Chasm made it onto the Environmental Graffitti website in an article by Michele Collet about slot canyons - amazing-slot-canyons

"Kimberley Touring" -  my article about touring around the Kimberley......

In this image you can see my original image, and the opening spread of my article "Kimberley Touring".

I thought I did pretty well with this photo considering it was taken through the front windscreen of our vehicle while driving (my husband driving) along the dusty gravel Gibb River Road. The rock you can see in the middle of the image is called Queen Victoria's Head. 

When a choir of Australian children sang “I Still Call Australia Home” in an ancient creek bed in Purnululu National Park for Qantas, and Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman drove a herd of cattle across the outback in the movie “Australia”, they brought the Kimberley into the consciousness of thousands of people around the world.

The Kimberley is raw, hot, dusty, remote and sometimes dangerous. It is also incredibly beautiful and steeped in history and ancient dreamtime stories.  Despite, and perhaps because of its remoteness and rugged untouched corners, it is a magnet to visitors wanting to experience one of the world’s last wilderness areas.

 With good research and planning, many parts of the Kimberley and its magnificent National Parks are easily accessible and there is a wealth of resources both on-line and in book stores to help you.

This magnificent boab tree marks the entrance to the Kimberley

 When we planned our five week Kimberley trip from our home in WA’s south west, we had to include travel to reach the Kimberley – a distance of nearly 2700 kilometres – a three day drive. However visitors can choose to fly to either of the major jumping off points – Broome on the Kimberley’s west coast, or Kununurra near the Northern Territory border – and then hire a vehicle. 

On our way north we bush camped for two nights before arriving in Broome where we stayed for three nights before continuing on a circular route, first along the bitumen Great Northern Highway through Fitzroy Crossing and Purnululu to Kununurra. We rented a caravan park cabin in Kununurra for one week, before returning to Broome via the gravel Gibb River Road.  For a first time Kimberley traveller, I recommend this route as the relatively easy drive along the bitumen first gives you a good introduction to the Kimberley. 

Pentacost River crossing

The image above is classic Kimberley - crossing the Pentacost River on the Gibb River Road. Don't get out half way across - the river is tidal and salt water crocodiles live here!

 And my campsite report - "An Inland Beach - Manning Gorge camp ground, Mt Barnett Station, GIbb River Road"

You wouldn’t expect to find a beach along the Gibb River Road. It’s hot and dusty and crisscrossed with corrugations and creek crossings. But find a beach we did; with white sand, beach chairs, umbrellas and tyre tubes to go floating up the river in. 

310 kilometers from Derby on the Gibb River Road is Mt Barnett Roadhouse, one of only two roadhouses on The Gibb, and the only one selling unleaded fuel. It is also the access point to Manning Gorge, so we stopped and bought fuel and paid our camping fees before enjoying an ice-cream beneath the shady trees at the front of the Roadhouse.

The large campground which is seven kilometers in from the Roadhouse has plenty of shaded sites and facilities include untreated water, toilets and solar showers. You can pitch your tent wherever you like, so we picked a site and soon had our tent up as we were ready to cool off and wash off the dust.  

What we had seen next to the campground on the way in was a beach. At the Lower Manning Gorge at any time of day you will see campers sun-baking, floating down the gorge in rubber tyre tubes, or making their way across the narrow stretch of water so they can walk to Manning Gorge.

beautiful Manning Gorge - worth the walk!

walking in the Kimberley - remember your hat, sunscreen and water!

You can read these articles in full in the November 2011 edition of On The Road Magazine.  
Or you can check out a preview by clicking on the link here - On The Road November 2011

Then click on where it says "more" under "Naturally Outstanding"





The Kimberley is a magnificent part of raw Australia - I hope you will visit one day.