Nothofagus

I wanted to share some pictures from our trip up the mountain last friday, it really was quite spectacular. Nothofagus is our only native deciduous tree that grows only in a few areas and it has become our annual trip to walk up and see it changing colour against the green/grey mountains.
Fortunately we were up there very early in the morning and on the way down encountered at least 70 other walkers, and where there were small patches of trees further down the mountain an army of photographers trying to get the perfect shot. Lovely to see so many people excited about a tree!

Tales from Sydney

Hi there,

Well I am returned from an amazing week away, we did so much and yet still had plenty of time to relax and take in our surroundings. It really is a great city to explore with so many different places to visit. The weather was gorgeous and warm, and we were lucky enough to have a hotel with a pool and spa on the roof over-looking Hyde Park which we made the most of (of course!)



We wandered around Double Bay, Potts Point, Surrey Hills, and Coogee (where our friends live, so lucky!) had some great food and a few drinks, the Klaxons were really great but a little short and sweet unfortunately (I suppose it's hard when they only have one album out). The Arias were crazy, our seats were a fair way back but the bands were great, especially Operator Please and John Butler with Keith Urban (not something I thought I would ever say!). We kept our eyes peeled for Nicole but only saw her on the screen. It was strange though because it was obviously made for tv, we even had ad breaks and everything and halfway though they stopped filming so all the important guests could eat dinner, we just had to sit and watch. It was a surreal experience.


Art Sydney was great (more on that to come) and I did quite a bit of shopping, mainly little bits and pieces. Really the holiday was more about spending time together and away from work and the stresses of everyday life. It was great catching up with friends and having a laugh about silly things, playing a very bad game of pool and getting the giggles about not being able to open the hotel door with those card thingys.




Now I am back home and back at work with a terrible sore throat which I really hope comes to nothing, but really it's not so bad, home is always nice to come back to.

Catherine xx

Been South

Hi there,
Well I am returned from a wonderful weekend break away with a group of friends, one I realised I really did need. We went to a little town called Southport which is the southern most town in Australia. The scenery down there was stunning, I hadn't been to that area before and was quite taken aback with how beautiful it was. Particularly with the warm sun and thinking about the history of that part of the world, when French explorers camped there for quite some time in the 1790's and studied the flora and meet our native Aborigines. The area is so pristine and untouched, it was possible to imagine these events and feel a part of them.

Rd and I went on a long walk together yesterday for most of the day and enjoyed being out in the air away from everything, watching a little echidna for quite some time snuffling out some ants for his dinner, then returning and having a fantastic dinner of fish freshly caught that day by the others, enjoying a drink around the fire. I feel nicely rested and peaceful now, ready to take on a new week.

Bloomsday

Yesterday was Bloomsday, a day that commemorates James Joyce's Ulysses. The book is based on a stream of consciousness as the main character Leopold Bloom wanders Dublin on the 16th June 1904, so for the past three years my boyfriend rd and I have celebrated this day and the spirit of wandering in various ways.
This year involved a morning so cold and foggy which cleared into a beautiful winter blue sky, we strolled through the suburbs of Hobart to breakfast, browsing new music, a brief interlude at a slightly dodgy pub, the famous and very good Salamanca markets some lunch at a hidden little cafe and some galleries.
We saw Hobart's Affordable Art exhibition, which is largely amatuer artists and included some tempting works!
There is something special about taking the time to explore the place you live in through new eyes and in a way that is out of the ordinary.