Why it's so nice to be home

For some reason jet lag is particularly debilitating this time. I find myself hand-washing a cardigan and repotting a plant at 2:30am in the morning, something I've never done before. And although Ross manages to sleep (for Australia this time), even he finds himself watching Star Trek reruns in the middle of the night to begin with. 

But it's so nice to be home. Despite the numbness of jet lag, post-travel digestive upsets, minutiae of household chores and, all too soon, the soul-destroying ennui of weekdays, this is what it's all about... the Sunday sunrises and beauty of my park. The park with all its gorgeous spring colours, golden light, moody river views framed by foliage, peace, calm and the cure for the nature-shaped ache that I've unknowingly carried around these last few weeks.

Some of the amazing colours of Kings Park (Sept 2018)

And the image which, for me, just sums up why it's so nice to be home is this....

Enough said.

Summer in Perth

Just some of Perth's glorious summer colours...

Sunday morning

How long has it been since I've been walking on a Sunday morning... so many months and a slow evaporation of the fitness I used to take for granted.  Anyway, back on the wagon again with a new goal: must be fit enough to walk 12km at the end of May for the HBF Run for a Reason.  So, it was out before 7am this morning with Ross for a walk through Kings Park.  First though, a last glimpse at this grand old house - the last standalone residence on Bellevue Terrace - shortly to be demolished and replaced with six luxury apartments.

Going...going...soon to be gone

Of course walking through the park is made easier by glorious vistas like this:

Melville Water 

War Memorial - decked out for the ANZAC Day Centenary

Poignant to see the red flowers planted around the Flame of Remembrance, in readiness for the ANZAC Day centenary service in a few weeks from now.  Poignant too to see the wonderful memorial to fire fighters which opened last year.  So much captured without the need for a single word.

Firefighters Memorial Kings Park

And just to make this first walk a bit easier - a stop along the way for a hot chocolate.  A glorious Sunday, an early morning walk with my best friend, and a table overlooking the park as the morning rays break through the trees ... is this heaven?

Zamia cafe

Midweek at the beach

What nicer way to break up the week than to detour to Cottesloe Beach after work one afternoon to check out the annual Sculptures by the Sea.

Cottesloe Beach - Sculptures by the Sea

Lots of happy, carefree people enjoying the afternoon sunshine, and taking in the weird and wacky sculptures on the sand. 

Metal spheres...with legs?!

I really liked this one - wild abandon silhouetted against an Indian Ocean sunset

And my favourite piece?  The very whimsical giant pink rabbit... a bit ridiculous to be sure but good fun nonetheless, and very popular.  

What rabbit?

Brand sparkly new year... it's 2015!

The new year seems like a good time to reflect on the passage of time and there's no better way than by sampling the glorious natural canvas that is Kings Park.

A year ago I was in pain and despair, living with post-accident uncertainty in a dental purgatory defined by specialists, painkillers, fatigue and a mash diet.  Things have moved on a bit and while I still have a very very long road before I can get my smile back, at least I'm on the right track.  Mash is still front and centre in my diet but at least it's slightly more sophisticated mash these days!

A year ago I also started my 'Saturday Sequence' - a series of photos taken of Kings Park from the same spot every Saturday morning at around the same time.  Not very high tech but in just under 5 minutes it's possible to watch the seasons change from spring (Sept 2013)  through a complete cycle to summer (Dec 2014).  A reminder perhaps that the world keeps turning, the seasons keep changing, and life carries on.

Enjoy!

Yallingup to Smiths Beach

Another glorious morning in the south west.  There was only a faint red glow on the horizon when we left the house.

Sunrise

We started the day with a short walk (approximately 5km?) along the Cape to Cape track from Yallingup Beach to Smiths Beach.  There's nothing quite like the crunch of yellow sand underfoot, crisp sea air and the slender rays and faint warmth of the rising sun breaking through the cloud.

Smiths Beach at sunrise

Perfect.

Forest therapy

There is something inherently restorative about nature. 

It was therefore our good fortune to escape to the south west of the state for a few days.  How perfectly wonderful to visit the tall karri trees in the Boranup Forest and for just a few moments, feed the soul. 

Food for the soul

Sculptures and sunshine

Another milestone this morning - my first breakfast out since the end of last year.  Even so it was a pretty laborious process gingerly chewing my way through teaspoon-sized portions of bircher muesli.  Very nice but perhaps the copious shredded coconut and sultanas were a bit ambitious for a first go.  Anyhow I munched my way through it.  Meanwhile Ross had already hoovered up his cooked breakfast and patiently sipped his way through two coffees.  Oh well.

Then it was time for another Perth institution.  After breakfast we made our annual pilgrimage to Cottesloe Beach for Sculpture by the Sea. 

Cottesloe Beach Sculptures - yes that's a giant wine cask in the background

Autumn put on a show to rival the sculptures with an impossibly blue sky, morning air with a touch of chill and a deliciously warm sun.  The beach was buzzing with swimmers and other visitors like us slowly wending our way past the artworks.

Cottesloe colours

Colours and lines

One of my favourites this year as it looks like pure joie de vivre on a podium:

Cottesloe Sculpture by the Sea 2014

Breakfast on the Terrace

Public holiday Monday called for a short stroll down the hill to St Georges Terrace.  The glass towers stood empty today and the pavements were free from the grey march of human misery that so typifies the usual weekday morning at 9am.

Unfortunately not a lot of places open for breakfast either as Ross soon discovered when we reached Brookfield Place.

Ross searches fruitlessly for an open cafe

Saved by The Terrace Hotel!  We found a shady spot under one of the big umbrellas and watched the (rather quiet) world pass by along the Terrace.

Watching the world pass by (or not) along St Georges Terrace

Sadly still no breakfast for me as my diet is still pretty limited but it didn't stop me from vicariously enjoying Ross' Spanish breakfast.  Mmmm, harissa toast with poached eggs, chorizo and beans.  Mmmm.

Spanish breakfast

From 6 to 6

Sunday morning started pretty much the same as last weekend.  At 6am Ross and I walked to Fourth Pagoda - the Marlee Pavilion near Roe Gardens.  The river's surface was like glass again.  Everything was still and anticipating the hot day ahead.

Marlee Pavilion as the sun rises over the Swan River

The retic had just been on so unfortunately the benches were still wet but we stopped nonetheless at one of the little alcoves within the aptly named Place of Reflection and just spent some time savouring the morning.

Alcoves within the Place of Reflection

******

At the other end of the day, we cruised along to South Cottesloe Beach and got there just before 6pm in time to see the sun sinking into the Indian Ocean.

Sunset over the Indian Ocean

South Cottesloe Beach

Not a bad way to spend a Sunday really.

Marlee in the morning

"An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day"

(Henry David Thoreau) 

How true.  There is nothing quite so beautiful as Kings Park in the morning just as the sun is rising, the river's surface is like glass and the birds are having a jolly old time.

Another Sunday morning and another (mini) milestone.  I got as far as Roe Garden this morning.  The retic had just been on so there were delicious fresh earthy smells coming from the dense shrubs around the Marlee Pavilion.

I passed a spot which gave up the perfect view of the City and ended up retracing my steps to capture it.  Perth definitely put on its best face this morning.

Looking down from Roe Garden

Dusk

Kings Park bookended my day perfectly today.  We savoured the morning rays on our walk and at dusk we took in the lilac sky with a slow drive along the avenue lined with lemon-scented gums.

Kings Park at dusk

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