This week John @ photobyjohnbo has challenged us to look for billboards and signs. They can be obvious or just a sign of something to come.
The featured photo is a sign I have in my kitchen, not that I need a sign for a glass of wine.
I’ve once again looked through my archives (it’s also a great way of weeding out rubbish!) and found a few that might fit the bill – pun intended.
I know I’ve posted the above signs before, but they still make me smile.
“Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines” Robert H. Schuller
The two photos above are not both in France! The one on the left is in Vietnam, up in Ba’Na Hills, Da Nang. The one on the right is at Monet Gardens in Giverny. I always wonder if these distances are accurate.
“Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress” Mahatma Gandhi
Neon Sign in a Turkish restaurant. Cambodia
Once again the last one of my dear hubby, looking like he’s got he’s transport sorted for a night out on the town.
There’s nothing like a walk with friends to recharge your batteries and even better if it’s by water. As I live very near the Swan River in Perth I often meet friends here for a walk, or it could be along the beach or around a lake. We are spoilt for choice in Perth.
Matilda Bay, Perth
Unplug your mind,Recharge your soul
I don’t walk often enough as I feel I have to have someone with me, whereas my dear hubby can walk for two hours a day with our boys, Zac and Rufus.
My Dad, who passed away earlier this year also liked to walk along the river.
My Dad and Rufus
Swimming in the sea is also a great way to recharge, although better if it’s warm! The beaches in Perth are fantastic and we have miles and miles of coastline with many choices. It takes a while to get used to the coldness but once you’re in, so refreshing and you definitely come out recharged.
I’m looking forward to a long summer here in Perth, which is always guaranteed.
“You don’t always need a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go and see what happens.” Mandy Hale
Throughout my life, I’ve had the opportunity to live in several different environments, each place different from the other. From bustling cities to suburban towns, each place has made me the person who I am today.
England
I was born in London and raised in Essex and lived there for 31 years. There are certainly parts of England that I love, London, the South West, the coastal towns. The environment is great in summer and sometimes spring and autumn, but the winters are not for me.
After living away from England for so many years, I realise I could not live there again. I’ve got too used to the wide open spaces and the sunny skies of Perth.
I enjoy a visit though!
Oceans, Rivers, Estuaries and Suburban Rooftops
Hong Kong
In my early thirties, I upped and moved to Hong Kong and it was a significant culture shock. The frenzied pace of life and the sheer number of people everywhere was overwhelming at first, especially the heat and the weight of the air, like a wet blanket over your shoulders. Anyway I soon fell in love with this City and also a few weeks later, my husband.
Hong Kong is not just a concrete jungle as many people think. There are many country parks and huge green rolling hills for hiking. Beaches on faraway islands only accessible by boat or ferry. Popular at the weekends for people to enjoy a calmer environment.
I remember when I first started work on the 37th floor of a skyscraper and travelled to work by ferry, I felt like Melanie Griffith in Working Girl!
I enjoyed 14 wonderful years here and both my children had their primary education here.
We were lucky enough to live in the countryside with views in the distance of the sea. We had six dogs, rescued by Anthony and Elena from the bins or left abandoned by the road side.
Skyscrapers surrounded by rolling green hillsReliving my journey to work More skyscrapers with the green mountains behind and the ocean in frontSai Kung HarbourSacred tame cows on LantauLantau Island
Perth, Australia
Deciding to leave Hong Kong was an extremely hard decision, I think all ex-pats would agree. It was like stepping out of our comfort zone. From the moment I first visited Australia in 1988 I knew that I could live there though. We left because it was time for senior education for the children and Anthony had family in Perth. Also because Hong Kong is not a place to grow old unless you are Chinese!
Perth has to be one of the best environments in the world to live. Nearly always blue skies and warm weather. Endless coastlines and green parks and ovals only a short drive away or even on your doorstep. As much as I love to travel I always look forward to going home.
I’ve been extremely fortunate in all the places I’ve lived, but then again I always try to make the best of everything life has offered me.
A few photos below of what Perth has to offer, including a couple from my garden
This week for the Lens-Artist Challenge, Tina from Travels and Trifles has asked us to post any photos that have not been posted this year. Just two rules, they must be from this year and not have been posted before. The first rule is easy but the second.. I’m hoping I haven’t posted them, but who knows.
I have been photographing doors every time I see a good one, but have not got round to posting them for Dan on his weekly challenge Dan’s Doors. Sadly the door is closed now but you know what they say:
“When one door closes, another one opens”
~ Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open ~ John Barrymore
_autotoneA turtle from Bali and an English squirrel
Plant lined walls in Hong Kong
♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️
The iconic Langkawi Eagle, a symbol of the island.
A big thanks to everyone who hosts challenges, it’s a wonderful way to post photos and words. Best of all though is the interaction between the fantastic bloggers on WordPress. I have made many friendships over the last few years and love chatting with you all.
Enjoying an early champagne with my son’s lovely girlfriend while out shopping yesterday. There was a free pop up Tattinger Champagne bar! Just a donation to the food bank. We weren’t going to pass up a free champagne.
Here’s hoping you all have a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.
Today I took a trip to the zoo with my daughter and the munchkins, I haven’t been to Perth Zoo for about 15 years.
I thought it would be a good chance to join Jude with the Lens Artists challenge – textures. Sure enough there were plenty of opportunities. All kinds of wood, fur, shells, sand and leaves. Also as it involved walking, something for Becky’s Walking Squares.
On arrival Elena hired a small wagon for Lachie and Rose, once they are in it’s hard to get them out to walk, especially Lachie!
We had chosen a fantastic day weather wise, not too hot and a cool breeze blowing through the trees. Also not busy at all with a few families with small children and some school trips.
Textures of all kindsRosie only has to see my phone and she says cheese! A beautiful poser
More textures of smooth and rough
Textures is not something I’ve ever considered before, but since reading Jude’s post I’m now seeing them everywhere and appreciating them more.
This was a compromise after being told they couldn’t buy yet another toy or animal in the gift shop. Christmas will soon be here with many more presents on the way.
We did see most of the animals out and about in their enclosures, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, zebras and many more but I have so many of these photos and everyone knows what they look like!
Off we go walking together to see what is up ahead.
This week Donna from Windkisses is hosting Lens-Artists Challenge with the theme “Over the Hill”. This phrase is most used for people getting on in life but it can also mean what is over the hill. Is the climb worth it you think standing at the bottom, and so you start to climb and often when you reach the top there is another hill, tantalising you to keep on climbing.
I searched my archives for hills climbed and for hills driven up, the views are incredible and worth every step from my aching legs.
As the challenge from Sofia at the Lens Artists Team is urban, I thought I would take you on a tour of my home town. It’s not a large town by any means but is filled with cafes, restaurants and shops. I tend to go two or three times a week for food, a bit of retail shopping, lunch and dinner. It has a large shopping mall where two grocery stores are located but it also has small laneways off the high street filled with quirky shops.
Claremont Quarter
Looking through Maude Jackson Walk
A street off the main high road
I took these photos today as I was doing a shop and I was amazed to find some wonderful murals, sculptures and new coffee shops. I tend normally to drive straight to Claremont Quarter and back again. I did have to dodge a few rain showers though as we are having some storms at the moment.
On the side of the bottle shopThe above two murals are painted by Fintan Magee and titled Road to Nowhere, depicting displaced people during the Brisbane Floods of 2015
I had to take two shots of this brilliant mural above by Dipesh ‘Peche’ Prasad to capture it all. It was only after I looked at the photos I realised there was a man painted there. I could not see it from the street. It features Walt D. Drabble, the lane is named after him too. He was a painter, signwriter and ironmonger and established his business in 1865.
Highs and Lows by Kyle Hughes-OdgersColourful sculpture in the High StreetMetal elephant sculpture outside jewellers
Claremont Post Office, built in 1896 and is now a heritage listed building
Claremont Railway Station established in 1881. This is still a working railway station and trains go to Perth City
Bellissimo’s Restaurant has been here longer than we have and still has the same owner/manager. We visit here at least once a month. The menu doesn’t change that much but you can always be guaranteed a fantastic dinner and service. There is no booking, you just have to wait in line, but in all the times we have visited we’ve never been turned away.
Corvo is a relatively new restaurant and we have been once. Great vibe and service but the menu wasn’t to our taste. There have been many restaurants in the 18 years we have been here.
This sushi place is extremely popular and has only been open a short while, but there are always queues outsideA new coffee shop I found! Will have to try this soon.
Claremont is home to many high end boutiques, very expensive and also a bit too fancy for my taste and probably don’t do my size anyway!
This lane leads to another coffee shop and a cute little book shop. Around the corner there is a huge gardening and hardware store where we go and buy all our garden paraphernalia.
I fell in love with Claremont when we first came for a visit 20 years ago and I still enjoy going there. I hope you’ve enjoyed visiting my home town with me.
I took these photos yesterday walking the Yarra Trail in Melbourne. We are here for a short break visiting Laurence and Maddy. I thought of Patti’s Challenge of pictures in motion.
Dwight’s Falls, Fairfield, Victoria
“When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.” – Rumi
