Debbie from Travel with Intent hosts One Word Sunday, and as you’ve probably guessed the theme is square this week.
A small gallery of squares, all squared away.
“Being a square keeps you from going around in circles.”
J. Vernon McGee
“I’m beat to the square, and square to the beat, and that’s my vocation.”
William Everson
Patti is the Lens Artist host this week and she has challenged us all to find the details in our subject. Post three photos from different angles.
I’m not quite sure I’m on the right track with mine! Maybe I’m biased but I think Rufus is extremely photogenic.
The last one is a tad blurry, but it was taken on the spur of the moment. Looks 3D or as if I have cut and pasted! You can probably guess that he’s excited for his dinner. Although you would think he hasn’t eaten in a week.
If you are a fan of doors then this challenge is for you! Dan @ No Facilities hosts this every Thursday.
These are from the Plataran Spa Hotel in Ubud from our last stay.
“Education is the Key to Unlock the Golden Doors of Freedom”
~ George Washington Carver ~
Love is like a glass
door…sometimes you don’t see it
until it smacks you right in the
face
We had a short transit in Jakarta Airport and at first I thought these were murals, until closer inspection I realised they were small doors.
There goes another year. I feel it has been a long one, maybe because we have travelled a fair bit. When I think this time in 2021 we were travelling back to the UK, it seems an age ago.
January: After receiving bad news about my Dad we decided to go back to the UK for a few months. In the end we stayed ten weeks. I’m happy to say my Dad is still thriving and is the original Iron Man after receiving many iron infusions and blood transfusions. I have to say a big thank you to the NHS for keeping him here.
Arriving in the UK at the height of the pandemic was stressful as was having to wear a mask. Perth was still barricaded against the rest of the world and we were living in our own little bubble.
February: Still in the UK and both of us caught Covid, even though we had just had our third vaccine. We had time to travel to Devon for a few days to a dear friend’s funeral before this. During this time we also had the pleasure of Storm Eunice.
February was also the start of the horrendous war in the Ukraine which everyone thought would never happen.
March: We headed back to Perth in the middle of this month only for Anthony to get Covid once again, this time with some serious health implications for him. The year hasn’t been wonderful for him health wise but he is definitely much better now. It was strange returning to Perth and having to wear masks after leaving UK who had dropped the masks!
April: We celebrated Easter during this month and a short visit from Laurence and Maddy, always a happy occasion.
May: We travelled to Melbourne to celebrate Laurence’s birthday, taking Elena and the children with us.
June: For our wedding anniversary we took a trip to Penang and Langkawi. Unfortunately Anthony fell very ill with salmonella poisoning and ended up in hospital for an afternoon! We still managed to enjoy most of the trip.
July: A mini break down to the South West of WA, Albany and Margaret River.
August: Back to Melbourne again to see Laurence and Maddy. Making the most of the borders being open and marvelling at travelling again. I don’t think I’ll ever travel again without having that doubt about flights being cancelled or luggage not turning up.
September was spent in Perth playing Bridge, seeing films and going to a concert. Many nights sitting in front of the fire as it was still so chilly here.
October: A mini break with dear friends in Dunsborough, WA
November: Another family vacation, this time back to Bali, our first time in three years. So happy to visit again.
December: Finally back to Hong Kong also after three long years. We had a wonderful week despite three days of room service in the hotel, due to a “quarantine measure”.
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Christmas was spent in Perth and it was an amazing fun filled day with all the family at ours for the day. There were so many gifts opened, bottles of champagne and wine drank and turkey and ham consumed. My garage now looks like a recycling centre which will take time to clear.
As I look back at my year, I give thanks for my fortunate life. We’ve had ups and downs with health issues and it’s a miracle that my dad is still here. I’m off to the UK again in January, to celebrate my mum’s 90th birthday and hopefully find them both in reasonable health.
I hope to continue to be part of the wonderful WordPress blogging community, I’ve enjoyed many of your posts and made numerous new friends.
Also posted as part of The Changing Season and Sunday Stills hosted by Terri
This is the last post for the WOYB challenge for the year, hosted by Debbie at Deb’s World, Sue, Donna and Jo.
I have a few to bring to the table, you’ve probably guessed that another Lisa Jewell will be there.
The story of two men and two women. A missing man and a man who’s missing his memory. Lily has only been married three weeks when her husband disappears. Alice looks out of her window one cold rainy morning and sees a man on the beach, he is still there at the end of the day. This is another wonderful story by Lisa Jewell, keeping me hooked until the very end. 4/5
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This book intrigued me because of all the wonderful reviews it had. It popped up as a recommendation on my Kindle notifications. It is such a simple story but so beautifully written. A great Christmas read if you are looking for something to get you over the holidays. It’s about a man called Bill Furlong who is married with four daughters. Set in a small Irish town in 1985 (although it seemed like it was 1965!). It also features the Magdalen Laundries once again, such an inhumane and cruel time in history. You will be humbled and eternally grateful for what you have in your life once you read this book. 5/5
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I read this on the recommendation of Debbie and thoroughly enjoyed it. I won’t review it as you can read Debbie’s review and many others. Easy fun read. 4/5
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Another fantastic read by Eve Chase. Set on the Cornish coast and having two time-lines. Half sisters Lauren, Flora, and Kat are summoned to the Cornish house where they spent their childhood summers by their father, two hiding a secret. A few twists along the way but had me gripped until the end. 4/5
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In Sarah’s Friendly Friday’s Challenge the topic is “Framing your photos naturally”. I am always on the lookout for unusually framed photos and often cross the road back and forth to see it at the right angle, well sometimes, not the one from the beach where I just sat and focused!
My gallery of naturally framed photos.
“That’s rule number one for a photographer, isn’t it? Fill your frame?”
David Cronenberg
“Art consists of limitation. The most beautiful part of every picture is the frame.”
G.K. Chesterton
“Frame in terms of what you want to have in the picture, not about making a nice picture, that anybody can do.“
Garry Winogrand
The Grotto, Victoria, Australia and Biarritz, France
“For it is only framed in space that beauty blooms.”
Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Thanks Sarah for a thought inspiring challenge
Another for Becky’s Square Up
We climbed up these stairs to get to Phousi Hill Lookout in Luang Prabang from our riverboat trip along the Mekong River.
This is a challenge hosted by Amy over at The World is a Book.
Now
Looking back over the last year, I can probably say that it’s been the same for many, travel plans cancelled, not being able to see loved ones and being in lockdown for months on end. It’s been a year of doing everything completely different. All new for everyone.
We didn’t have any big travel plans like we normally do, due to my daughter and her partner having a baby girl in September. Our second grandchild, a sister for their two year old son. We’ve very fortunate to be able to spend so much time with them all. They have been a such a joy. On the negative side I haven’t seen my son since March and my husband hasn’t seen him since last Christmas.
The last trip I had this year was to Melbourne to see Laurence and his girlfriend, Maddy. But now we are happily awaiting their visit over Christmas.
So this year has been spent trying out different kinds of activities and exploring Western Australia more.
I had my parents, who are in their late 80’s, staying here for five months. Their flights were cancelled and we thought it best that they stay put with us. At least they could still get out and about a bit more here. My nephew was also visiting from the UK for a few months. There was a partial lockdown in WA, but only for a month. I’ve been trying to be more active in the garden, although that is hit and miss, hubby does so much more.
I am playing more bridge, although I don’t seem to be improving! I absolutely love this game and took lessons for the first time two years ago. I’ve gone from once a week to twice a week now and on Friday I will be playing with a 93 year Italian man as my partner. I’ve seen Mario play and I am woefully under experienced to be his partner, it should be fun!
My friends and I have started a games night once a month. There are 8 ladies in all, and I haven’t laughed so much in ages. I found I have a very competitive streak.
Also I have started dancing again once a week to something called “Dance Lines” not to be confused with line dancing. I love the fact that I can do a dance and not just stand and do the “two foot shuffle”. Once a month there is a dance with a band and disco, it’s mostly over 50’s and such fun and very tiring.
My blog has also kept me very busy with all the challenges I have been trying to do. It has been really inspirational and this year I’ve made so many new online friends.
Here are some of the blogs I’ve enjoyed and participated in
Travel with Intent, Cee’s photo challenges, Becky with her Squares, Xingfu Mama and her seats to name but a few!
Then
Last year was certainly very different travelling wise. I can’t believe we visited so many countries.
In January we travelled from Western Australia to Queensland crossing five states.
March saw me in Melbourne.
April back to the UK to see my family over there, plus a side trip to Fuerteventura.
May, hubby and I went to Da Nang, Vietnam
October, Scotland, the UK, Sweden and Denmark.
December was spent in Hong Kong and Bali. The only thing we were worried about then were the riots in Hong Kong! We did actually see one but kept well away.
Next year I think will be spent travelling around Australia. Our international borders are going to remain closed until well into next year. Hopefully I will get back to the UK by October to celebrate my dad’s 90th.
Yufu and Yoshinocho are both located in the Kyushu Islands of Japan. Situated in the Southwest of Japan.
These are some of the photos I took on our trip to Japan a few years back. We visited Yufuin Onsen Village one afternoon, famous not only for its hot springs and holy shrine, but also art galleries and museums.
We had a fabulous afternoon here, a bit touristy, but a glimpse into village life.
On the same trip we spent a morning at Sengan-En Gardens, located in the Yoshinocho district, Kagoshima. Sengan-en is a traditional garden and stately home built by the 19th head of the Shimadzu family, Mitsuhisa, in 1658. We couldn’t visit the house as it was being used for filming. There are some lovely gift shops here selling local artwork and sweets. This is also where the famous Satsuma Kiriko glassware is sold, unique to Sengan-en and made at the glassworks next door.
The traditional red door, only affordable to the very rich
Water images from around the gardens
We had a wonderful morning here in these beautifully maintained gardens. It would be fun to watch scenes being filmed.
Thanks for reading, until next time!
My attempts at creating postcards from the past from old photographs! Hosted as past of Friendly Friday by SandyL.
It took me much longer than anticipated, but has kept me occupied on a rainy day!
A trip from many years ago! I had a few spare days between jobs and went on an organised tour from Hong Kong. What a fabulous time I had.
For this I used a website called Crello
