Sunday Selections #319

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 were very, very busy while himself's sister was with us.  I took well over 1000 photos, so for a little while Sunday Selections are all going to come from the Tommy Tourist trail.  While she was here we went back to Enlighten (which will get a post of its own), saw the balloons rise (which was very, very lucky because the weather has grounded them on all but two days), went to the lake several times, went to the Botanic Gardens and Telstra Tower, went to the markets and the glass works and saw an exhibition at the National Gallery (probably another post on its own).  She has gone home, and I am in recovery mode.

After watching the balloons take to the air (and they will also get a post of their own) we wandered into the Parliamentary Rose Gardens which are attached to our old Parliament House.  Old Parliament House is now officially called The Museum of Democracy but I haven't heard the term used by the general public.  Whatever the name, its gardens are a lovely spot.  Wasted on the pollies (then and now)
.

As I commented last time we visited these gardens, the manure spread by our politicians is obviously very, very good for roses.  The gardens used to be restricted to the politicians and staffers, but are now open to the public.  And many a wedding is held here.

Today is the last day of the Balloon Spectacular so my brother and I will be heading off before dawn in the hopes that they will fly.  I hope so.  I really hope so.

PS:  I am home again.  Yet again the balloons didn't take to the air.  Which is sad.  For everyone.

Sunday Selections #318

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? The smaller portion's sister is here.  We have been busy.  We are busy.  We will be busy.  So this week I am giving you the kangaroo fix she said she needed - and thoroughly enjoyed.  As we did.  With a few other things.

 You will probably need to embiggen this.  It explains why some of the females have ugly collars and ear tags.  If it works it is much better than the culls we too regularly have.

And as this poor long suffering mother shows, the 'babies' stay dependent for a loooong time.  Pouch potatoes.

  
There were lots of kangaroos about - and some of them were big.  And all of them were relaxed.

  
There were other things to delight us too.

 

A bearded raven.

The fountain has been turned off (for repairs) for nearly a year.  It was nice to see it back.

It really is a lovely spot, and we are so grateful that it is less than half an hour away from home.

This morning we are hoping to see balloons inflate and launch, and will be going to the markets after that.  I will visit you  later, but will be late and unreliable until the end of this week.

   

Sunday Selections #317

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?  A sneak preview of Enlighten 2017.  This festival has become a must see event since we first went a few years ago.  The program changes so we usually try and go twice.  Himself's sister will arrive next week and we will take her, but we also went to the opening night on Friday.

As always lots of photos (too many?) follow and will embiggen if clicked on. We arrived early (to get a convenient park) and wandered to the far end of the Parliamentary Triangle.   I will save the illuminated buildings for the final Enlighten post, but there was lots more to see.

This drummer was having an amazing workout.  He had an admirable back and butt to show for it too.

I smiled at the lucky accident which put this young woman 'in' a schooner of beer.

I wasn't entirely comfortable with this pseudo-religious exhibit.  The tallest cleric was dangling a basket (containing paper and pens) on a rod and wire to the assembled crowd.  We were exorted to 'gather wishes in it' or alternatively to write it down and let it go.  The religious link was unnecessary I thought - but that is from my perspective.  I didn't hear any murmurs of dissent from the crowd.

The next one, and the last I will show for today, I loved.  Coloured butterflies.  A sea of them.

  
Do you wonder it has become a 'must see' event?  There are other paid events around town, but the free ones give us more than enough to marvel at... 

I am back.

Thank you all so much for your supportive comments on my last post.  I really appreciated them all.

My break whizzed past.  It was busy and full of grief, laughter, confusion, beauty and ugliness.  A bit like life really.  I am still wobbly physically and emotionally but have pulled up my big girl panties.

Two bloggers I knew, followed and cherished died last month.  Jacqueline from Cranky Bar, and Arija from garden delights.  I will miss them both, and am so grateful that our paths crossed in cyber space.  They enriched my world.  Closer to home my eldest brother's mother-in-law also died.  She, Jacqueline and Arija are now free of pain.  All those they touched and those they loved are glad that their pain is over, but we feel the pain of their loss.  Pain shared across the world.

While I was away from the blogosphere I continued to volunteer on the crisis line and donate to the Early Morning Centre which provides support for the homeless.  Negative impacts from world-wide confusion, anxt and ugliness have been and continue to be felt.

I have been reading (of course), gardening (of course) and doing a little long over-due decluttering.  And some cleaning.  Himself's sister is coming to stay with us later this month.  She is coming to see Enlighten 2017 and the Balloon Spectacular.   I understand she also wants to see the National Botanic Gardens, the Arboretum, an exhibition at the National Gallery, visit some friends (she went to University here), have a kangaroo fix and go on a lake cruise.  Which sounds like a busy five or six days to me, but I am told her itinerary is sketchy and will fill up later... Photos from at least some of these excursions will follow.

Sadly it seems that my smaller portion is going to sign up (if he can) for yet more abdominal surgery.  The hernia repair has broken down, and there are more too.  One huge one, and several smaller ones.  Not life threatening, but unpleasant and uncomfortable.  I suspect I would have called it a day by now, but he has not, and it is his body.  So he is agitating for a return to the specialist.  Sigh.

The weather has been challenging.  Hot, and sometimes very hot.  Not unexpected for summer even if neither my body nor I like it.  We have had some record breaking heat and last week one morning there was snow less than sixty miles away.  We didn't get the snow, but had a cool night (with single digit temperatures) before racketing up to another 35C/95F day.  At the moment there are  BIG temperature swings.  And some rain would be more than welcome.

You will be shocked and surprised to learn I have turned to nature for solace, healing and delight.

There are no fairies in the bottom of my garden, but there are naked ladies...

The birds continue to give us joy.  I can't tell you how much time we 'waste' each day watching them.

It was nice to know that sometimes light as a feather isn't light enough.  This corella came in to land on a very slender branch...

And overbalanced.

We laughed.  Just the same, corellas are beautiful birds.  And rock blue eyeshadow.

The King Parrots are back too.  They are very low in the avian pecking order and most birds can bully them off the feeders.  They have found a way round that problem though.

Nothing challenges them when they are standing on our hands or our arms.  They make it very clear when they want feeding too.

In other news I am off to the dentist shortly.  Wish me luck.