Sunday Selections #590

 

 

 

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image. 

The meme was then continued by River at Drifting through life.  Sadly she has now stepped aside (though she will join us some weeks), and I have accepted the mantle. 

 

The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to me. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

 

I usually run with a theme.  This week I am taking you on a mini-outing with me.  Regular readers know that I love our arboretum.  Each year in winter they hold a 'Warm Trees' exhibition to entice visitors into the arboretum.  And each year we go.

This year Warm Trees is in partnership with the Ngunnawal people (the First People from this area) and the Indigenous Marathon Foundation.  Lots of the knits featured the Aboriginal Flag or its colours.  The knits are made by volunteers.  At the end of the exhibition they are washed, unravelled and turned into wraps for needy people. 

Less talk, more photos.

The top knit represents the Aboriginal flag (though the flag has only one gold circle on it).

It is school holidays here at the moment and I have no doubt that this tee pee is popular.

Many of the paths throughout the arboretum are wheelchair accessible and present no problems for pram pushing parents.  The views from this lookout (the photo above) are lovely.

I do love this gravity defying statue (which first appeared at Floriade a few years ago).  I was infuriated to note that neither the name of the statue nor the artist are given.  I will ring them later to complain.  It is called A Backwards Attitude and is by Louis Pratt.

The walkway to the visitors centre featured depictions of the Bogong moth. Bogong moths once invaded Australian cities in their billions. Now they're so scarce that endangered mountain pygmy-possums reliant on them for food have been found starving.  Birds, animals and our first people ate them in the past and now they have been classified as endangered.  Which is awful.

Some of the bonsai trees were rugged up too.

We had a cool walk but a delightful one.  Whatever your current temperatures (and I know it is very hot in some places) I hope your week is lovely.

 

Sunday Selections #429

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
 
The meme was then continued by River at Drifting through life.  Sadly she has now stepped aside (though she will join us some weeks), and I have accepted the mantle.  

  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to me. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen. 
 
I usually run with a theme.  As I mentioned last week we have had himself's sister with us.  Despite the sad reason for the visit we found some beauty (much needed beauty).  Her part of Australia really doesn't get autumn, so we chased around town looking for autumnal colour.  Our very dry summer meant that the autumnal colour was muted and rarer than usual - but it was still there.

Starting at the Arboretum.

 

Even the bonsai were wearing autumnal robes

I adore Richard Moffat's Nest, and we visit it each time we go to the Arboretum.

The detail on the railing around the nearby lookout is special too.

After the Arboretum we headed down to the lake for some more colour (and a kangaroo fix).

That is one very muscular roo.

And that is one very tired (and cute) joey.

There is colour at home too.  Despite a couple of light frosts the tree dahlias are hanging in.  The tuberous begonias are on their last legs, but still lovely.

The trip to the funeral and back again was, as expected, draining.  Perhaps appropriately there was heavy fog for well over the first two hours of the drive in the morning. 

The celebrant said something which I have been thinking about.  He said that grief is an expression of love we can no longer demonstrate.  What do you think?  I see his point, but have reservations.

Sunday Selections #388

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
 
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen. 
 
Like River I usually run with a theme. This week we are going back to the National Arboretum.  It is a piece of art in its own right, but is also home to other art.  And glorious scenery

 

This is a Californian Fan Palm.  Aren't those spikes on the fronds vicious?

 

 

That large building with the green roof on the shores of the lake is our Governor General's residence.

The wide brown land sculpture is a tribute to Dorothea Mackellar's poem 'My Country'  This link will take you to the poem.

Our big country very often is brown too.  The sculpture's form and style was apparently inspired by Mackellar's own handwriting and was created by Marcus Tatton, Futago Design Studios and Chris Viney.

The dragon trees have been caged again.  I hope they will be released in summer.

 

The Pod is a children's play area.  And is very popular.

I adore Richard Moffatt's 'Nest'.

Detail from the railing at the lookout near Nest.

It is a steep hill, and I am impressed at the cyclists I often see tackling it.

I

Finishing with two shots of Louis Pratt's 'A Backwards Attitude'.  I first saw this sculpture at Floriade a few years ago and apparently the artist donated it to the Arboretum.

I thoroughly enjoy our visits here.  It is a less than twenty minute drive from home and we should go more often.