I love Californian Redwoods. So when I saw that there was a small plantation of them in Australia I was so excited. My previous Redwood experience was in Rotorua, New Zealand.
Redwoods are the world’s tallest trees. They were planted in the Great Otway National Park in 1936 as an experiment. They have totally thrived here.
I find it so peaceful standing under these majestic trees. They are so straight and just keep going into the sky. They are a tree I can’t resist the urge to give a hug. The forest floor under Redwoods is also very different to anywhere else. It is always only filled with fallen Redwood leaves as nothing else seems to grow there. I personally find this a beautiful sight. Unfortunately it was late in the afternoon when we visited so I couldn’t spend hours with them. I would have also loved to have camped next to them but this was prohibited.
This year I have just discovered a new and exciting weekly challenge, Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge. (CMMC) The theme of this week is words that contain the letter V. So in recognition of Australia Day yesterday, I decided to base my post around things important to Australia and Australians.
My first choice is the superfood of our nation, Vegemite. Full of vitamin B it is a unique taste. One fun thing we like to do is give taste tests to our international guests. Often the looks on their faces are priceless. Most Australians also don’t leave Australia without a jar packed in their suitcase. I love my larger size Vegemite from Costco.
Photo Credit: Google Images
Our country is an island so lifesavers are an essential part of our daily life. They do an amazing job saving many people from drowning and keeping our beaches, pools and rivers safe. While some are paid positions, many are volunteers supporting their communities.
The waves on our beaches are constantly changing. I love going to the beach during all seasons just to watch the waves. It is a peaceful exercise that helps to ground me. Unfortunately, it is not always safe to swim in the waves. Mother nature definitely rules. This summer every time I’ve had a day off the beaches have been closed so I haven’t had a swim yet.
Australians love their sport and one of our favourites is diving.
Rivers are another waterway Australia has a lot of. They can be coastal or inland and are reliant on the rainfall. This photo was taken at the end of last year when the rivers suddenly burst into major floods cut ting off towns and communities in a few hours. Drought is also a problem when the rivers dry up.
Sydney’s Vivid Festival is amazing. It is very creative and celebrates light, music and ideas. Every year it gets bigger and brighter with more displays over different parts of Sydney.
I love the Australian humour in this Lavatree outside a waste disposal centre in rural NSW.
On our travels we found amazing sculptures carved into the walls of an underground opal mine at Lightning Ridge.
Finally the last thing Australians love it traveling. For us this gaining a new momentum as we have just bought ourselves a new Iveco to carry our slide on camper. Vacationing in the Iveco a very fun way to visit.
Personally I love Christmas. But as we get nearer to the day itself, let’s consider why we put all the effort in to make our Christmas day special. I agree, it’s love. Let’s face it, if we didn’t love the people we spend Christmas day with, we wouldn’t be bothered putting in the time and effort to create our Christmas every year.
Take the third line of the last song you heard, make it your post title, and write for a maximum of 15 minutes. GO!
Bette Midler’s The Rose is my favouirte empowerment song. I love to lie on the floor, in the dark and listen to it played—loud and proud. This song motivates me and reminds me risks are worth taking and growth takes time and nurturing.
As one of the opening lines of The Rose, the third line “some say love, it is a razor” uses vivid powerful imagery. A razor like love can be a positive or a negative experience. It can
Tidy new hair growth
Trim a mustache or beard
Transform faces, legs and other body parts
Terminate a life
The secret is to trust the the person in control of the razor—yourself included.
If you are scared of ever bleeding from a razor cut—you will never know the freedom and beauty that comes from feeling your freshly shaven, clean subtle skin. “Feel my skin, it feels so soft” are words often used by many of us to share our experience with others. This invitation increases the intimacy between us and often leads to love.
We each have many types of love relationships — parents, children, spouses, friends. And they’re not always with people; you may love an animal, or a place. Is there a single idea or definition that runs through all the varieties of “love”?
Love is the feeling that connects us to others. It gives us reasons to do things. It supports us in difficult times and makes memories complete. Adding love and caring to any situation makes it shared. My other ideas on love can be found in this acrostic poem.
Love is letting other people or things into your life and caring about them—at times putting their needs above your own.
Obvious in your face—it makes you smile and warms you from the inside.
Valuable—without love and letting others get close—you are alone.
Every feeling the other person feels you share—if they are happy or sad—you feel their joy or sadness.
What’s the best present you’ve ever received that was handmade by the giver, not store-bought? Tell us what made it so special.
I love hand made gifts. They take time as well as thought and make me feel special. Over the years, I have received many and cannot judge any one as better than another. I love them all. Each had specific meaning to me and I struggle to be able to throw them out—even the paper crane a patient made for me with the words tough love and smiley faces remains at my desk—energising me when work is difficult.
These two vases are an example of my hand gifts. The pottery one was designed and thrown especially for me during a friends pottery class. The second was hand painted by my sister-in-law for my 40th birthday.
My father has made me many presents—recreating ideas he sees and crafting them in wood or metal. I was the only child I knew growing up who had a wooden skateboard with her name etched into it. I still own it but I no longer ride it.
Thanks to anyone and everyone who have ever given me a hand made gift—including food. It makes me feel special and is appreciated.
