Welcome to Life Images by Jill

Welcome to Life Images by Jill.........Stepping into the light and bringing together the images and stories of our world. I am a photographer, writer and multi-media artist.
Focussing mainly on Western Australia and Australia, I am seeking to preserve images and memories of the beautiful world in which we live and the people in it.

Welcome!

Welcome!
PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO GO TO MY RED BUBBLE STORE.

Sunday 26 April 2020

A very different Anzac Day Dawn Service 25 April 2020

"At the going down of the sun
and in the morning
We will remember them."

25 April is Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand, when we gather at war memorials all over the world, and at Gallipoli itself, to remember our fallen from all wars. 

This year, due to the Covid 19 restrictions on gatherings, Anzac services and marches across the world were cancelled. Instead we were encouraged at dawn (6am) to stand with a candle at the end of our driveways, farm gates and balconies, in an act of personal tribute, remembrance and thankfulness. People did this all across Australia - the response was amazing. Covid 19 may have robbed us of our mass gatherings on Anzac Day but could not rob our united Aussie national heart. A very different Anzac Day, but no less poignant. Although for me I look forward to the traditional Dawn Service at the town war memorial next year. 

The first Anzac Day services were held in 1916. The only other time Anzac Day services and marches were cancelled was in 1942 during World War 2. 

My niece told me about their neighbour who suffers from PTSD and really struggles on Anzac Day  They invited him to stand at the end of the drive way with them, and told them later how much it meant to him and how it changed in a positive way his feelings about Anzac Day. I wonder if there were many more like him.

I have written about Anzac Day before and my great uncle Norman Clayden who was killed in the early days of the Gallipoli campaign in 1915 and my husband's uncle Richard Ramsden who died in a Prisoner of War camp in Burma in 1943. 

You can read more about them, and other Anzac Day traditions on my old posts -


 Last year we visited the amazing "Field of Lights" in Albany - Anzac Day 2019 - and the field of lights

Installed along the Avenue of Honour on Mt Clarence in Albany on Western Australia's south coast. This art installation, created with 16,000 lights by Bruce Munro pays homage to the 41,000 troops who departed from Albany on their way to World War 1. For some Albany would be their last view of Australia.  It was a very moving experience to walk along this avenue to see the lights.


 What else has been happening this week? Here is my latest update of my Photo a Day Project.  We are still under social distancing rules, and I am still in my moon boot, but we did go out for a couple of coffee morning drives. 

Clockwise from top left - crafting with an egg carton, it's raining - the view from my kitchen window, playing with light sparkles on water, eco-print doodling, our Covid total last Monday (lacking inspiration), coffee morning at the beach, Anzac morning, and in the centre my Anzac Day wreath.


 In the centre there you can see the Anzac Day wreath I made from an egg carton, inspired by a friend and her girls. Easy-peezy. 


We sat near overlooking the beach while we drank our take away coffee. I am looking forward to going to walking on the beach again, this is as close as I could get. We are having the last burst of beautiful autumn weather.


And I have been playing with doodling with ink and marri bark paint over some of my botanical eco-print eucalypt leaf prints.


 And my music selection for this week - so beautiful - You've Got a Friend In Me - by Claire and Dad



Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. If you are from Australia or New Zealand, how did you remember Anzac Day this year? Perhaps you would like to share in your comments. 

I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

Tuesday 21 April 2020

Moving forward and being grateful


This is my photo but words from a quote by Leanne at "Cresting the Hill" blog.

Hi everyone, I hope you and your family are well in your part of the world. Here in Western Australia numbers have slowed. Yesterday we had zero new cases. I feel so grateful for this and I feel a lot less anxious than I did a few weeks ago. Our National and State governments have put in some really tough rules and people for the most part have been complying and this has helped keep our numbers down. 

I saw this little exercise the other day, and thought I would share with you. Perhaps you would like to make your own list. There is much we can be grateful for.

15 things you are grateful for. 
1 - 3 people that have impacted or influenced your life in a positive way and how
2 - 3 positive memories or experiences
3 - 3 favourite songs that lift your spirits and bring you joy
4 - 3 favourite books
5 - 3 things you appreciate about you and who you are as a person

Here is the next edition of my photo a day project. Mostly photos around home due to not being able to get out with my moon boot and social distancing.... looks like I have lacked a bit of inspiration this week .....
 Monday - 13 April 2020 - playing with camera blur in my garden


 14 April 2020 - Tuesday - finally sorting my son's photos from our Europe trip in 2018 and putting them into a photo book. Thank goodness for all the notes I wrote!
I am happy to report I finished 2 books yesterday and sent them off to be printed. Now while I am on a roll I need to do mine! :) 


 15 April 2020 - Wednesday - lunch - smashed avocado - avocados and cheese on toast with dukkah sprinkled on top. Not as fancy as a cafe meal but delicious easy lunch.


 16 April 2020 - Thursday - morning coffee social distancing outing to the back beach


 17 April 2020 - Friday - finally hulled those lilly pillies. Now into the freezer till I have enough to make jam


 18 April 2020 - Saturday - since being restricted by my moon boot and social distancing rules the last few weeks I've been collecting shadows and patterns around my home


  
19 April 2020 - Sunday - I had been working on the photo book all day - so at the end of the day I was lacking inspiration to take a photo - so here is dried lavender - smells delicious!


 Going back to my quote at the top - what have you been doing to make this "pause" in your life worthwhile? Perhaps you would like to tell us about it in your comments. 
But if you have just been sitting and reading a book, don't beat yourself up about it, it's still worthwhile down time.  

And my music clip for this week - Nothing Else Matters by Metallica - Danish Guitar Performance - Soren Madsen - played in a church - beautiful.

 

 Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

Monday 13 April 2020

Staying positive - celebrate - connect - grow

HI everyone. How are you all going? I hope you and your families are well and you are managing to stay positive in these uncertain worrying times. 

I think we all recognise the importance of mental health, especially now when we are not able to go about our daily lives and feel isolated. For me, particularly whilst I am locked down by a moon boot, my on-line social connections are really keeping me going. 

I was feeling down in the couple of days leading up to Easter and it was difficult to pull myself out of the doldrums. But it was amazing how a short drive in the country improved how I felt. We also had a morning-tea social distancing meet up with our immediate family at their semi rural bush block - it was so lovely to sit under the trees and chat even though we made sure we stayed apart. Things could be a lot worse, and I have so much to be grateful for.

In the beautiful Ferguson Valley only about 15 minutes drive from our home the vintage has finished and the grape vines are starting to pull on their autumn coats. 


We also had a "zoom" meet up with our extended family on Easter Sunday for the occasion of our great niece's third birthday.  (wow "Zoom" is an amazing facility).  It was wonderful to connect with our family in other parts of our state, where we can't travel to due to the Western Australian Government's internal border controls.

As well as Western Australia being cut off from the rest of Australia we now have internal border closures preventing us travelling out of our home region except for essential services or compassionate reasons. 
Police have set up check points along major roads and they will turn you back if they deem your travel is not essential. 
Whilst tough, this is really keeping down our cases of Covid. We live in the little dark green corner in the south west corner of Western Australia. Whilst we can travel within our own zone they are encouraging us not to do so. 

It is so important to stay active and keep connected.  Here is a slide from the Mental Health Commission, Gov of WA



Interestingly, my bookmark I am using at the moment from The WA Association for Mental Health last year. It says:
Celebrate - the positive things in your life, as well as the strengths and values that have helped you through more challenging times.
Connect - with others by paying attention to your close relationships or by reaching out and making new friends
Grow - by expanding your horizons and trying something new that creates meaning and purpose for you. 

Reach out and help others
See the funny side of life
Learn something new
Be a friend
Have an early night
Organise your day
Go for a walk
Eat healthy
Take time out
Ask for some help 

 Even in times of social distancing we can still learn new skills and make new connections. I am learning more about eco-printing and photography. 

Here is the continuation of my 2020 a photo a day project

Monday - 6 April 2020 - front door to the world



 Tuesday - 7 April 2020 - zebra stipes on my patio - in black and white


 Wednesday - 8 April 2020 - the super-moon through the trees - in black and white


 Thursday - 9 April 2020 - we took our morning tea and drove out along the estuary - in black and white


Friday - 10 April 2020 - sitting on my patio reading, trying to pick myself up out of my doldrums. Things could be a lot worse, and I have much to be grateful for.


Saturday -  11 April 2020 - fresh picked lilly-pillys from our front garden (a native plant, the early settlers used them to make jam and preserves - I've made the jam several times - delicious! You can read more here on my blog - Lilly Pilly Jam 


Sunday - 12 April 2020 - looking up at the trees at my son's block



I wanted to upload a beautiful version of Bolero - performed by University of Western Australian students. But it only seems to appear on Facebook - go here to see it - Bolero - University of WA  Inspired by the beautiful music being performed from balconies across Italy their Conservatorium of Music students and staff took to the balconies New Fortune Theatre to perform Bolero.

 And if you like music and singing a few bitter-sweet sad but uplifting movies I recommend:
Military wives - 2020
As it is in Heaven - 2004 - Swedish with English subtitles
Paradise Road - World War 2 - 1997

For those of you who celebrate Easter, I hope it has been a joyful one of being thankful. 
Here is a pic from a few years ago of the little cousins divvying up the Easter eggs after an Easter Egg hunt when we went camping.


Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you are well. What have you being doing to occupy yourself in these times of social distancing. Perhaps you would like to share in your comments. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 
 
I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.