Island adventure

I had a wonderful unexpected trip yesterday, to Dangar Island
on the Hawkesbury.

A sweet little historic ferry boat called 'The River Boat Postman'
was waiting at the jetty, so with a relaxed day and no real plans
I made the spontaneous decision to jump aboard and get away.

My main mission that day, was photography of water birds and
boats as reference for my printmaking art.

Brunch first at the water's edge cafe, right off the jetty, then lots
of rambling walking, a lovely sunny Spring day, not too hot.

 First discovery, the watchtower, and a house next to this structure with the flautist.

 Helpful bird species sign at the beach.

 A view across to the railway bridge.

 The little rustic details, like this boat anchor.

One view right at the jetty.

So many lovely homes nestled in amongst the greenery, lots of
natural vegetation, friendly locals too.

Saw an amazing old relic, a sandstone watchtower, possibly from
colonial days, and nearby a flautist trilling away from their high
perched terrace, just too perfect.

Found a little beach, also glimpses of water and distance as I rose to
the heights of the island. Cast an eye over so many quaint homes,
and very interesting flower filled gardens decorated with all manner
of objects and decor.

I felt quite at home there, my kind of place, could visualise myself
living there. Not pretentious at all, simple but quite peaceful and
idyllic.

 On the trip across this was the view, wonderful clouds. 

 I quite like this little boat.

Charming twin gabled boat shed and character dinghy.

Eventually, I returned to the jetty for the return trip when I got weary
of walking. With more than an hour to kill before the next one, I had
another rest stop at the cafe.

A pot of tea and cake, under the trees, and looking out across the bay,
whilst penning some prose and letting my mind drift. I hadn't had a
healing, relaxing time like this for years probably.

 Down at the jetty. Seating outside, and below inside the waiting room boat shed.

 Cute garden gate, 'The Bowery' is the name of this house.

Love the arched windows on this vintage ferry.

I will be happy to visit there again, and see the other half of the
island next time.

Back at Brooklyn, I found my birds and boats to photograph and
then went home.

 The perfect red canoe, think I might be able to do something with this.

 Lots of pelicans, greeting the pleasure boats coming in, 

maybe waiting for fish scraps.

 Pelican feet reference. This bird below was very cute. 

Canberra in a day

Long day, off to Canberra very early. Mixing business with pleasure,
as my daughter Sam had to do legal signing of various contracts to
secure her first investment property.

Walked in the grounds of The National Art Gallery, seeing for the
first time James Turrell's fabulous installation there.

Just love it, so powerful and so many symbolic ideas in one structure.
Alluding to ancient cultures, and spirituality, yet connected to Earth
and nature. Wow.

Wandered through the main gallery. A good place to be as the weather
outside was quite wintery, wind blown showers.

Girls have got to eat, so we had lunch at The National Portrait Gallery.
Great exhibition there, photos and art of celebrities and more. Fiona
Hall's work was great.

A quick drive through the suburb where her apartment would be constructed.
All modern and new buildings there, colourful and low rise. A good area
when the light rail goes in.

On the way back dropped into COFA (College Of Fine Arts) for Sam
to organise Uni Ambassador work, met her tutor. Good time to have
coffee and meet up with her fiance Gordon who had come by bike.

Pretty tiring, but fun.

I'm the blob in the distance. The stonework is very precise, around the 

cylindrical form. All fairly neutral, the walls reminiscent of plastered 

ancient architecture. A lovely soft dusty pink blush.

The scale overall is mighty and awe-inspiring. Lit by a circular opening 

in the ceiling, and as you enter the stone clad tower inside on the floor 

is a beautiful stone circle reminiscent of our planet Earth.

A stunning bright aqua blue horizon pool constantly runs down and recirculates. 

Needing work or a business.

Well finding work isn't easy. I have currently 2 private art students, and look
daily on Airtasker, an online job site.

From this I have had 4 jobs, housecleaning and ironing, gardening work twice
and also a bit more creative - making 2 papier mache models.

I've competed for the artwork ones, murals, portraits etc. but no luck so far.

Sent my resume and portfolio samples to a community college, and cold called
a couple of art supply retailers who run classes and workshops.

Got an interview with one, no luck with other.

Put my art tutor flyer on community noticeboards and in some high schools.

Bought a cheap workshop shed, thinking teaching sculpture, or letting out to
other creatives.

Am starting an online store with Etsy, for offloading retro, collectibles, vintage
and antique.

Could also sell some creative stuff from that too.

Will try and sell from our next printmaking exhibition. When the time is right,
will join an organisation and get a professional membership, to get insurance so
I can teach at public facilities.

Fawlty Towers and eating in a garage.

Well I think the best thing about holidays is the anticipation of time off
in new places. Thinking you are getting away, relaxing, seeing new and
wonderful views.

Sometimes it is all you wish for, other times not. We just had one of the
latter. Our accommodation in the Blue Mountains at Leura, was what I
will entitle 'A Fawlty Towers' experience.

The charming vision online of a garden cottage, was no more regrettably
than a rude gardener's shed. Paper thin walled and shabby, no chic evident
there.

 First impressions were good, lovely Rosellas.

 Our accommodation seemed quaint, rustic even. However inside was another story sadly.

 Looking towards the old mansion, why didn't we get in there?

At least nearby views were magnificent.

As we saw only 2 other couples as visitors in the breakfast session, main
house, and only one couple per day, we have no idea why we were not
installed in the historic mansion itself.

Luckily it was just a base for nights, and we got a simple breakfast to start
our day. Not the stated cooked breakfast.

Yet showers were out of the question for those 3 days, we would have got
hypothermia, and anyway, you couldn't turn on more than 3 appliances at
any one time. We did only to find repeated resetting of the power.

So a basin wash for me to do a shampoo. Blow dried by a small fan heater,
but not with the kettle on at the same time or a light because that would
trip the power.

We found one excellent Restaurant one evening, a converted garage, called
The Garage, quirky decor, and fantastic food and service.

Then found my daughter's favourite and recommended cafe The Yellow Deli,
best soup ever for me, potato, cheese and corn.

The main purpose for our mini stay was to start the process of hunting for real
estate, a place to retire to. Sydney pricing itself completely out of the market
for the young starting out, and those older like us.

We saw several homes with agents, and drove by many I had researched, just
to get a feel for the areas up there.

Went to some amazing lookouts. it was cold but clear. Needed more beanies,
so off to the Op Shop.

Fun shopping, many eclectic stores, a village feel about Leura,  Many other
little towns dotted along the rail line.

More research needed, much to do on our own, and landscaping too. No idea
when this may happen, but at least a plan of sorts.

Off we go!

To the mountains today, a mini break. 2 nights, 3 days. Short, but
much needed.

A week since Chris finished work. Hope we can relax and enjoy this.
We'll worry about the big stuff when we get back.

Staying at historic Leura House. An old hotel, but I believe we are
staying in a garden cottage.

Sightseeing, and looking at Real Estate. Some time off retirement,
but it's a good plan to start working this out early.

Not just business though, also nice cafes, good dining etc.

Pics to come.

Mountain dreaming, new valleys and vales.

I never thought I could leave here easily. With all it's frustrations, damage
and never being finished, good doses of bad luck, termites, floods, leaks
and more, still our home.

The house was improved and enlarged, with a better layout, and helped us
raise 3 children, gave us all stability.

Really it was never so much about the house as the space, the view, the
connection with nature.

Room to look into and beyond the valley, rescue and care for wildlife, sight
so many brilliant examples of fauna. Wallaby sightings, echidnas, parrots of
brilliant colouring. Our children to have this experience.

Room for an old fashioned childhood, like sandpits, water play, cubby houses,
ponds, making gardens and growing things. Seeing birds, bugs and butterflies,
hearing frogs, owls, and flying foxes at night.

Suddenly retirement looms, we must plan ahead, though our grown children
have not fully formed their plans. Two still live at home and are studying.

If we do not want to live in a 2 bedroom box we must go further afield to have
some semblance of a life we are used to. A little space, room to view, trees,
and space to grow things.

Not as big, not as spacious, scaling down, but I need a creative outlet and a
shed or studio preferably. Less of a hill to climb, less stairs.

So the Blue Mountains beckon, an adventure of new experiences, still some
way off but forays there will let us see the possibilities.

Meanwhile, the house will be spruced up, emptied where we can, and the plans
of our children and our own will come to some fruition.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was nice this year, morning tea first, then afternoon tea later.

No cooking that day - could get used to that idea!

 A very yummy cake, mascarpone, and a mug of cappucino, 

baby cacti in an abalone shell.

 Rebecca and Chester at Redfish Cafe Gallery, in the back courtyard.

 A short stroll from there, along the waterfront, sparkles on the water. 

 Looking across the bay.

 Driftwood and stones.

 Little boats, and a great climbing rock.

Nice honeycomb rock and shingle.