Have just returned from a wonderful 3 hour walk in the Winter sunshine. I nosed around the park, looking for a spot of colour to photograph. At this time of year, native flora are fairly dormant. The banksias are finishing, gum flowers have gone but there are still one or two species that put on a show, particularly the wattle.

These are especially for britalone  and pele_incognita , who have both been through the wars lately. I am thinking of you both and hoping you feel better soon. (Click on these twice to see them full size).



Golden wattle with a little visitor.
( Best Wishes from Oz )

Also at backyard_birds Apologies for any cross postings.

We have had some Winter rain at last in Western Australia, and a storm knocked down the last of the fruit from my fruit trees. It has provided a feast of insects for this little willy wagtail - another one of our great  bird "characters".

( Bugger off woman! )

To me, the worst job in the world would be to be a woman in countries where you can be:

• bought and/or sold;
• forced to marry a stranger;
• raped and then punished for it, sometimes with your life, instead of the perpetrator(s);
• disallowed most of your human rights (education especially) and the right to own property, vote or have the right to contraception;
• forced to the margins of society because your husband has died; and...

The very worst? To be forced to try and raise children in the middle of a war - one that has destroyed your country's sense of decency, logic and values. Where madmen are intent on unceasing, violent destruction until nothing remains. Where food crops are burned and humanitarian aid is stolen.

Nothing compares to this. Nothing at all.

Just thought I'd share this rather wonderful story about one of Australia's most ancient residents who, at 750 years old, had to up roots (literally) and move 3,200 kilometres to his new home.

( Old Fella Dreaming )

The rains are late this year, which probably means we're in for more drought and water restrictions in the coming twelve months. If it doesn't start raining by Easter, it is usually an indication that we're in trouble. I am actually happy that I am old enough to remember the seasons as they used to be before climate change, the way water used to fall from the sky for days on end and the dams would overflow. :0)

The weather has been a steady 28 deg C for weeks, so I thought I might take a little walk to Kings Park and post some pics for buddies in the UK and US. (The last time I did a Neighbourhood Walk post was October 12th last year, with photos of Cottesloe Beach). If you were ever to come and visit, this park would be our first port of call. It is about ten minutes from where I live and is a much loved, 1000 acre natural beauty spot right in the centre of Perth, on a hill overlooking the Swan River. We are so fortunate that the government had the foresight to set this bushland aside roughly 100 years ago for the public's enjoyment. The Board has done wonders over the years with the Botanic Garden and supporting research into native flora. If you would like to read more about it you can go to the website. When Spring comes (September/October), I will post some more pics of the wildflowers which are sensational!
http://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/o/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/

So here we go:




The avenues of trees that you can see are all dedicated to soldiers lost in WWI. Each man has his own tree. A beautiful memorial to them, isn't it?

The Orlando/Richard Armitage/Colin Firth face of Jean-Baptiste Isabey in my previous post looked like this in later years.

( Still beautiful... )

I recently ordered the catalogue of an exhibition I saw at the Royal Academy a couple of years ago, and it arrived in the post the day before my birthday. There was huge excitement, especially since I had had a ghastly day and very much needed to be reminded of the beauty in life. Citizens and Kings: Portraits in the Age of Revolution 1760-1830 was a stunning collection of portraiture, predominantly French and English painters including Reynolds, Vigee-Lebrun, David, Raeburn and Ingres *falls to floor in grovelling obeisance*. I had wandered around the Academy feeling like I had entered the presence of God, especially when I came across the Ingres - words just fail me.

I had already shed tears in the National Gallery in front of the Goyas and didn't want to embarrass myself any further but this undid me completely. I stood in front of him for an good half an hour and kept coming back. I have scanned him for you to enjoy. Keep clicking until you have a close up of his face.

( Mon ange )

Here's wishing you a wonderful day with J+B and a year filled with much happiness!



Lots of love,

megwolff

PS Posting this early as won't have a chance tomorrow!

Gradually emerging from the undertow and feeling a bit cheerier. The older you get, the slower you are at adapting to change and it has taken me some time to orient myself in the ever-shifting work environment with its non-stop demands.  The vision of life is balancing up again, thank goodness.

I get very encouraged when women take a stand on an issue. I am surprised that we are still (30 years later) having to state the obvious, but am glad people in the press are willing to keep it up.  Thanks to Liz Jones of the Sunday Times.
( Go Liz!!! )

The trip to UK, Paris and the Basque Country has had to be postponed and I am sulking. Big, mopey, bottom lip-quivering sulking. Reasons I am not going are: the shoulder is playing up, I don't have enough leave left to go away in March and the car finally packed it in so I had to use my travel budget on a new one. Instead of being grateful that I had enough cash, I am grieving the loss of Paris and this heap...

( Headed for the scrap yard... )

Over two hundred people gone including children and little babies; countless thousands of head of cattle, sheep and horses; thousands of pets; an estimated one million native animals; hundreds of thousands of acres of bush and pasture; hundreds of homes - you just can't wrap your head around the horror of what has happened.

In this miserable time you think about people's and animal's last moments and pray that they fainted before the fire hit them.   

But there is this:




Firefighter Dave Tree giving a little mate a drink. "How much can a koala bear?"



Animal rescue at work.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIGI DARLING!!!!!!! (It is the 11th in Oz so I get in first!)

 (Keep clicking on this photo until full Orli Hug Benefit is reached)

All my love and have a fabulous day!!!!

megwolff
xxxxxxxxxxx

( A little something to keep you warm... )

Merry Christmas to all!!!!!!

A happy message to all from a sticky, fat and very joyous megwolff who has been jumped on, puked on, stroked, cuddled and smiled at all day by four adorable babies. I even volunteered to change a pooey nappy but got stuck when I didn't know if the Winnie the Pooh picture went at the front or the back. Who cares! The baby didn't. We emerged beaming and very pleased with ourselves. My nephews wives have given me a swag of material for my Granny-in-waiting Handbook and have been extremely tolerant (probably thankful)of the constant baby snatching and goosey behaviour on the part of a certain senior family member.

My sister and I had so much fun preparing the food for Christmas lunch. Won't go into it (because I think I will puke this time) but we went right over the top. Last night we wrapped presents whilst listening to George Harrison's All Things Must Pass album. When the wrapping paper ran out we were left with two cardboard cylinders. Sister (57) looked at me (50) and light dawned simultaneously. The next ten minutes were spent sword fighting up and down the loungeroom until the cardboard cylinders were smashed to ribbons. I baggsed being Basil Rathbone and she was Errol Flynn. (Our hand/eye coordination has not improved with time I can tell you. We missed each other more than we connected). Anyway is amazing how your shared childhood can come flooding back in a heartbeat. She laughed and laughed - which was great to see. She really needed it.

Also spotted a possum in the tree in the backyard last night. By the time I got back with the camera he was gone. I will try again tonight to see if I can get a picture. This little fellow felt like a good omen for our Christmas and the coming year.

Must dash - but here's hoping you have had (or are having) an equally joyous time with your families. Bright blessings to all!

love

megwolff