Allowing time to sit in my winter garden

One of my favourite poems as a teenager in high school was this one by TS Eliot. The words easily conjure up the pictures in my mind. See if you can see the pictures too.

Prelude

The winter evening settles down
With smells of steaks in passageways.
Six o'clock.
The burnt-out ends of smoky days.
And now a gusty shower wraps
The grimy scraps
Of withered leaves about your feet
And newspapers from vacant lots;

The showers beat
On broken blinds and chimney-pots;
And at the corner of the street
A lonely cab-horse steams and stamps.
And then the lighting of the lamps.

I can't bring you images of gusty showers, chimney-pots, and lonely cab-horses, but I can bring you withered leaves and a few images from my winter garden. 

Murchison River camping at Wooleen Station, Western Australia

We have just returned in the last few days from our latest camping trip through Western Australia's midwest. 

We stayed for a few days at a river front bush campsite at Wooleen Station just south of the Murchison Settlement, 690kms north east of our capital city Perth.

We had heard about Wooleen when we travelled through Murchison last year, and were keen to experience their station stay. Covering over a quarter of a million acres of picturesque outback, Wooleen Station is a cattle station that is playing a leading role in preserving and sustaining the unique ecology of the region.

Located in mulga shrub land, Wooleen Station was founded in 1886 when James Sharpe bought the lease of about 90,000 acres.  The Pollock family bought the lease of the property in 1989 and is today managed by David Pollock and his partner Frances Jones. 

As well as cattle grazing, David and Frances run an eco-tourism business on their property. 

We loved the private river frontage bush camping on the Murchison River at Wooleen Station with absolute quiet and a million stars overhead at night.

There are 4 riverside campsites - Bagaa (white-faced heron), Birdiny (water chooky). Gurulhu (Black swan) and Warrbi (fish).  Below are two pics of our camp with views over the Murchison River. Gurulhu means "Black Swan" in the local indigenous dialect.   

The Wildflower Hunter

I have just finished reading "The Flower Hunter - the remarkable life of Ellis Rowan" by Christine & Michael Morton-Evans published by the National Library of Australia. 

It is indeed a fascinating read about the life and times of Ellis Rowan - an intrepid woman adventurer and wildflower painter 1848-1922.  During her lifetime she painted over 3000 works, not only wildflowers across Australia but also New Zealand, New Guinea and America, and included 45 of the 52 known species of New Guinea's birds of paradise. 

Today Ellis's work is largely forgotten. The Australian National Library in Canberra has the largest collection of her works - 970 paintings, mainly watercolours. 

The book, The Flower Hunter, was recommended to me by my friend who is a "florist" extraordinaire. Actually to say "florist" is not enough to describe the beautiful floral art she does, exhibits and teaches. Flowers are her life! 

Let the sun shine in - Macadamias

Let the sun shine into your life.

I took these images at my friend's Macadamia nut farm yesterday at Roelands near Bunbury, for her new Facebook page. 
Nuts are available to purchase at the Boyanup markets the fourth Sunday of every month. 

Is life running too fast?

Do you find sometimes that life seems to be running a little too fast? This is what seems to be happening to me at the moment. It has only been two months since I took redundancy (early retirement) from my day job (wow that went by quick!), and I wonder how I ever had time to work. I distinctly remember that first day of my "retirement", as I watched all the workday people in their cars going to work while I was taking a lovely morning walk along the river. I couldn't help smiling to myself - the feeling of freedom from work was so sweet. But then at times the days seemed to loom empty before me. I even said to my lunch-girl-friends that not going to work was a little isolating... But now it seems other things have come into my life to fill the space. I have so many thoughts of things I want to do, new things to try, and lists of things to do, sometimes I feel pulled in many directions at once. And I still haven't decluttered my house! How easily that has moved down the list! 

 So I have decided to give myself a little blogging break this week, and just bring to you a short post, a snapshot of my world this past month. 

Enjoying the Australian bush

This time of year with crisp cold mornings, it is a delight to go walking in the bush, particularity on days like last Sunday when we had a clear sunny day. Just to wander with my camera trying to catch the light filtering through the trees and taking time to be quiet and at peace away from the usual work-day world.

All these photos were taken with my 100mm macro lens.  I achieved this look below by moving the camera quickly upwards as I took the photo. Do you like it? You can see before and after here.

A walk on the Bibbulmun Track with track volunteers

On Saturday we had a fabulous day bushwalking and assisting Bibbulmun Track volunteers on their section of the Bibbulmun Track at Grimwade.

The Bibbulmun Track is one of the world’s great long distance walk trails, stretching nearly 1000km from Kalamunda in the Perth hills, to Albany on the south coast, winding through the heart of the scenic South West of Western Australia
Please click on the link here to read more - Bibbulmun Track

 It has been some time since we had been out on the track, and it was great to revisit it with like minded people who enjoy bushwalking. This time however we were not there to just bushwalk, we went along to find out what my friend Wendy does as a volunteer for the Bibbulmun Track. As you would expect for a track which is nearly 1000km long, volunteers are essential to help maintain the track and campsites to a high standard for those walking the track. 

Aussie loos with views

Today 1 June is Western Australia Day when we celebrate, with a public holiday, the establishment of a colony by the British in Western Australia in 1829.

 On June 1, 1829, Western Australia's coast was first sighted from the merchant ship Barque Parmelia. This led to the establishment of the Swan River Colony, the first permanent British colony in Western Australia. Western Australia Day (formerly Foundation Day) is officially celebrated on June 1, but the public holiday is observed on the first Monday in June.

You can learn more about Western Australia Day here - Western Australia Day

We love getting away to go camping, but sadly this long weekend it wasn't to be. 
So for something different today I thought I would follow the lead of my blogging friend - Redz Australia with some camp site reminiscing with my own -  Aussie Loos with Views (Please click on the link to read about Redz book, Aussie Loos with Views, and Redz adventures and Australian travels).  Thanks Red for the inspiration. I am tracking down loos for you Red.  I am sure people wonder what the heck I am doing. 

Remembering Africa

The homework for my writing group this month was to retell a memorable meal.  In the process I was taken back to Africa, October 2002, Jackalberry Lodge in the Thornybush Private Nature Reserve, adjacent to Kruger National Park, South Africa. 

So my blog for this week is a tiny part of my memories of our incredible "soft option" African experience. I feel so lucky to have had this experience and would recommend it to anyone who has the dollars. 

I only had a film camera those days, but oh my goodness I soon learnt to quickly change films rolls. I would love to go back now with my digital camera! 


 Please click on "read more" to keep reading and seeing more pics.

Pumpkin soup - autumn warmer

Inspired by the colour of the autumn leaves at the Balingup Golden Valley Tree Park last weekend.... (if you missed it you can click here - Autumn in the Golden Valley Tree Park)



 and a burst of sunny cooler days but cold nights, I decided it was time for pumpkin soup. I love making and eating soup, and pumpkin soup is one of my easy favourite recipes if I am in a hurry. 

 Please click on "read more" to keep reading and seeing more pics