Sunday stroll

Spring is most definitely here with its profusion of colourful blooms... and dreaded hay fever.  However it was just such an impossibly beautiful morning that even the watery eyes and itchy nose couldn't keep me indoors.

The walkway arbour weighed down with jasmine

I turned my feet towards Crawley and Nedlands and passed the picture perfect boat shed along Mounts Bay Road.

The blue boat shed 

It was peaceful and quiet strolling through the UWA campus.  There was barely a soul about and it seemed relatively deserted... until the sound of bagpipes started getting distinctly louder towards the Guild buildings.  The place was abuzz with market stalls, coffee stands, music and lots of shoppers.  Who knew. 

Under the boughs of the giant fig

Winthrop Hall

I stuck to the quieter path.  It is UWA's centenary year and I spotted the centum peeking out from under a tree.  It was a fitting spot for it right next to the old Irwin Street building which was the university's original premises and now houses its archives.  

The centum hiding under a tree on the right

At the far end of campus I rejoined the riverside path through the Matilda Bay Reserve.  How amazing, there really can't be many cities in the world where you can literally walk right along the river's edge.

"Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING...absolutely nothing...half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."

 (Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows)

Looking towards the City from Matilda Bay

The river's edge

Then it was back up to Kings Park with weary legs.  The sun was getting stronger, the day was heating up although not unpleasantly so but it did bring the first flies of the season out in force.  Not sure why they insist on going for the ears but there's only so much insistent buzzing you can hear in the left - then right - then left ear again before it starts getting just a little...bit...annoying.  Oh and having to wave your arms about your head like a mad woman. Not a good look either.

Happily the wildflowers offered some distraction.

Kangaroo Paw display

Colourful wildflower display

And one more stretch of lush green grass before finishing my walk on this most magnificent of Sundays.

Kings Park grassy avenue

Girls' Night In 2013

Tonight we feasted!  Spinach and ricotta cannelloni, chinese fried rice, turkey meatloaf, quinoa tabbouleh, moroccan spiced loaf and green salad... 

The feast to top all feasts

And don't forget dessert!  A rather magnificent trifle...

Jenny's trifle (yes those are all very eager spoons waiting to dig in)

And what was the purpose of this grand event... birthday? Family reunion?  Nope - it was all in aid of Girls' Night In 2013.  Our gathering, while small, still made an important contribution to the Cancer Council.  

  

While we girls sat, talked and ate our way through our dishes of toil, we had a splendid time and made sure we also made a donation towards important research work into women's cancers.

Good work Ladies!

Girls' Night In champions 2013

Grand old tree

It was a glorious spring day today where the breeze still has a cool sting to it but the sun is deliciously warm and the sky is so blue it hurts your eyes to look at it.  Perfect then for a Sunday afternoon drive to Cottesloe to check out the dazzling Indian Ocean with Rottnest Island clear on the horizon.

Cottesloe

Then it was a slow cruise through the western suburbs to see 'how the other half live'.  Sigh.  Mega mansions galore interspersed with a-m-a-z-i-n-g views over the River.  Ross and I found a little hidden gem at Bishop Road Reserve.  

Bishop Road Reserve

A very pretty pocket park with views across the River to Mosman Park and Bicton.  But for me what made it was this very majestic gum tree with its filigree branches.  Beautiful.

Grand old tree

Duck weather

Thanks to sneezes, sniffs and snores from someone who shall remain anonymous, it was a very early start to the day zzzZZZZZZ.  It did however mean a 6am stroll through the park and the privilege of bearing witness to the flowers that had only just been laid at the Bali Memorial.  Today marks the 11th anniversary of the terrorist attack and families and friends dutifully made the sad pilgrimage to the memorial to watch the rising sun illuminate the plaque with the names of their loved ones.  And to remember them.

It was a suitably brooding and overcast morning but the sun did eventually break through the clouds.

A rather atmospheric cityscape

Not before some heavy showers though.  Definitely 'duck weather' today I thought as I happened upon this feathered family.  

Duck weather

Nine years...

It was an ordinary day at work today and an ordinary walk home so I was just geared up for more ordinariness on opening the front door but instead there was this.... 

Look what I got!

Hooray for wedding anniversaries!  And hooray that Ross thought to buy flowers a whole day early - ain't he sweet.

Happy:)