Sunday Selections #545

 

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.  Last week I took you to our National Arboretum to see the Warm Trees Exhibition. The night before that post went live we went back to the Arboretum for a very different event.  Most of you know that I volunteer with Lifeline Canberra, which was celebrating its 50th birthday in my city.  I have been volunteering with them for almost half of that time so was pressured into going to the celebration - held in the visitor's centre at the arboretum.

I think the visitor's centre is a beautiful building and I really appreciate its elegance.

It looked very different by night.

There was music (LOUD), there were speeches (fortunately mostly brief), there was plenty of expensive alcohol and rather a lot of people dressed up to the nines.  I am glad I went (I think) but it was well out of my comfort zone.

I am going to finish this Sunday Selections with much more usual fare.  Early morning skyscapes taken from the comfort of our own yard.

Yes, that is a dusting of snow on the hills.  It was cool - but lovely.

Finishing with some different dawns.

I hope that your week is filled with comfort - and beauty.

Words For Wednesday 4/8/2021

 

 

 

This meme was started by Delores a long time ago.  Computer issues led her to bow out for a while.  The meme was too much fun to let go, and now Words for Wednesday is provided by a number of people and has become a movable feast. 

Essentially the aim is to encourage us to write.  Each week we are given a choice of prompts: which can be words, phrases, music or an image.   What we do with those prompts is up to us:  a short story, prose, a song, a poem, or treating them with ignore...  We can use some or all of the prompts, and mixing and matching is encouraged.

Some of us put our creation in comments on the post, and others post on their own blog.  I would really like it if as many people as possible joined into this fun meme, which includes cheering on the other participants.  If you are posting on your own blog - let me know so that I, and other participants, can come along and applaud.

Last month Lissa gave us some stunning prompts.  This month they will be here, but are being provided by David M Gascoigne.

This week's prompts are:

1. Plumage
2. Sleek
3. Peripatetic
4. Agony
5. Permissive
6. Pray

 

And/or

 

1. Duty
2. Colourful
3. Absent
4. Mastery
5. Prey
6. Orchid

Have fun.  Sadly my reading list is still conspicuous by its absence.  I can follow you home if you leave comments but other than that getting to your blogs to read them is time consuming and frustrating.

 

 

 

Sunday Selections #544

 

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.  Today is National Tree Day in Australia - and coincidentally I had already planned to post about trees.  Warm Trees to be precise.  Our National Arboretum runs this exhibition each year, and each year we visit.  And smile.  This year the exhibition is partnered with
the High Commission of the Republic of Singapore and the  theme is based on the national orchid of Singapore, the merlion, and butterflies.

I love our arboretum, and it is yet another place we don't visit often enough.  Please, settle down with a beverage of your choice.  As is usual LOTS of photos follow.  I should add that the tree's woollies will get two lives.  When the exhibition finishes they will be washed, unravelled and turned into warm rugs for people in need in my city.  Our winter is definitely not yet over and I am sure they will be appreciated.

 

 

 

Some of the trees in the bonsai exhibition were also rugged up.  Bonsai worries me.  I am aware of the work which goes into creating/maintaining them but it always makes me think of foot binding.

This Desert Ash has been styled/trained since 1961.

This Trident Maple has been styled/trained since 1999.

Even in winter, when many of the deciduous trees are bare branches filigreed against the sky there is a lot to enjoy at the arboretum - and the views are spectacular.

Last night I went back to the arboretum for an evening which was well out of my comfort zone (and past my bedtime) of glitz and glamour.  Photos may follow in the fullness of time.

In other news, my reading list is still conspicuous by its absence.  I miss you, and feel guilty putting up posts while I am not reading yours.  Hopefully the blogger boffins will fix it.  Soon.

I hope your weeks are packed with colour and fun.