The true delight is in the finding out rather than in the knowing. Isaac Asimov

This week I went to Julius Caeser by Bell Shakespeare. It's one of the few plays by Shakespeare that I haven't read, so while I know the story, at least up to a point, it was delightful to watch the action unfold after in interval. There's a different engagement, and it feels different. It sparks a lot of different responses if there's no anticipation.

There was further delight when interval coincided with sunset.

While I'm not a big classical music fan, this week also saw me at the Jewish Temple in Sydney, watching Sergej Krylov play a Stradivarius that was over 400 years old - almost three times as old as the building we were sitting in. He was accomponied by Kostantin Shamray. Rachmonanov and Raval - but sounding surprisingly fun and like Gershwin to me. It was beautiful and it felt doubly special seeing a venue I never see inside of.

“It doesn't matter how cynical I think I am. I'm always delighted to find out that things in this life still have the capacity to surprise me.” Norm Macdonald

Walking to the Belvoir theatre, I looked up and saw this. The sun, the wondering if Alex saw the message, the initial surprise all delighted me, Delight comes out of nowhere, and that in itself is surprising.

A Mirror was for me, a very joyful expereince. Feeling the shifts in the action, the ending revealing what I'd not seen right in front of me. I was grinning with joy as we discussed it on the way home.

Delight is great pleasure but what sparks the feeling is often the unexpected. Out of nowhere something suddenly give you great pleasure - you weren't seeking it out, it just envelopes you.

My friend gave me a tea infuser and seeing it matehed my Moomin mug made me smile.

A burst of summer vibes on a grey day.

A simple sign reminding you there is good in humanity.

A small, sweet decoration on a cafe window sill.

It's not big or costs money. What's delighted you lately?

Linking with #TforTuesday #NaturesNotes and #AwwMondays because the little car I at first thought was a small person's lost toy - but then I saw more around the cafe, and the sign made me go Aww too....

Tell us about....Festivals.

I'm a big festival goer - not just music ones, but also ones on ideas. I just saw Zadie Smith talk at the Opera House's All about Women festival for International Women's Day. Yesterday I got all my talks booked for the Sydney Writers festival. I got with different friends, them coming and going, while I'm the constant. I find it a great way to get inspired about reading. My friend has just lined up a stack of nights at the comedy festival.

“Festivals are the fireworks of the soul.” — Sanober Khan

My annual trip down for Ultra is booked. As my husband doesn't like to do anything for NYE, my celebrations start on New Years Day with freinds at Field Day, as those that follow me on Insta would know. Harbourlife herlds the start of the party season and in my head, summer, though it is a few months earlier...

VIVID is one of my favourite festivals - now not just dazzling lights but music, food and ideas. It brings the city alive and makes it a joy to be out and about in the winter months. 

The Festival of Dangerous Ideas really pushes my thinking and engages me on a level that the other festivals don't. I find that so invigorating, so it is by far my favourite of the intellectual festivals.

I love Bluesfest because it's a great way to see bands I would never think to see and it's one that my husband also enjoys so we can share it together. It's a great holiday, though rather costly. It's the longest one that we go to, and I love being in that routine of the festival, passing the free time until it's time to head to the grounds.

I've only been once to Wanderer festival and WOMAD but had a brilliant time at both - I would love to go again.

The Festival of Sydney brings the city alive in January, and there's Volume to get you to the Art Gallery and you could even say the Biennale has a mini festival. There are film festival screenings so you can throw yourself into a culture or language from the ease of a cinema seat.

So why do I love festivals? You get into a bubble of exprience, be it lights, music, food. You see things previously unknown, your senses are stimulated. For a brief time - a day or few days, it's all you think about, all you plan. It's a shift in your being, if only momentarily. If you go with other people, you get into a rhythm. If you go by yourself there is a whole crowd of people to share the experience with. One time at FODI, this woman sat at my dinner table, the only spare seat, and we discussed what we had just seen and what was next. It was as if we were long lost friends. When dancing, people will just join in. There's a shared joyousness. There's an energy that all the attendees have, a tangible bubbling on the surface that excudes in smiles, chatter or movement. Festivals are not just a break from reality, they offer a break from yourself. Your normal life, your day to day living, your obligations and routines are all cast aside and your focus is directed into this one moment.  Your thoughts and discussions change, your interactions with friends and strangers change as everyone else there has done the same. It's a voyage from your daily life into the world of the festival.

“A festival is a celebration of community, culture, and connection.” — Amit Ray

I am off to Parookaville this year (flights permitting) and it refers to itself as it's own country, and you get a 'visa' to go. I feel this is exactly what festivals are. Another country not my own (at least not my normal). You travel into another world, but alas the visit is brief. Then it's back to mundane thoughts, words and deeds...

“Festivals are an opportunity to pause and savor the sweetness of life.” — Anonymous

Linking with #TellUsAbout #SeniorSalonPitstop #WeekendCoffeeShare #SundayBest

"Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear." Corrie Ten Boom

Worry is when we see what isn't there (yet). It may be coming, though it may not.

There is a lot to worry about these days.

But this is not a post on that. This is a post to remind you to look directly in front of you. Live in the moment and no further. If only for some respite.

"Do not worry about the past or the future. This moment needs your attention, for this is where your life exists".Leon Brown

Which is not to say bury your head in the sand, take action on the things you can control to make a difference. Make sure you see the full picture and understand what can or should be done.  Sometimes what you see is actually the result of something else, it is the shadow of other actions.

The door to the bar

But don't let worry take over. Don't miss what is right in front of you. Remind yourself that not everything is as it seems.

"There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will". Epictetus 

Linking with #ThruMyLens #WWOT #WeeklyWonder #TrafficJamReboot  #WordlessWednesday

A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short. Andre Maurois

We had our wedding anniversary this week, and it's hard to believe we've been together for 34 years all up. Where did that go?

It doesn't feel that long but I really don't remember 'before'.

There are now adult kids.

An emptying house.

Talks of plans needed to be made that only aging people make.

So we know its been a long time. It just doesn't feel a long time. At all.

"But let there be spaces in your togetherness and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls".Khalil Gibran
Linking with #TalkaboutitTuesday #HappyTuesday #FloralFridayFoto #HappyNow

#Allseasons linky runs from Thursday to Wednesday each week. 

Link one post that shows something seasonal. Traditional weather wise, a seasonal nature marker or a seasonal celebration or event.  Please link relevant posts only.

Make sure you link back to this #AllSeasons post. 

Please comment on the post before yours and the host. Don't dump and run.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse

I was not happy when I walked out at 7.30 pm to see nothing but clouds. I knew it was at it's peak at 10.30 so I had time, but I was not hopeful. When the whole world got the aurora, Sydney was covered in cloud so did not. THe Universe does like to mess with me on such things....

However, come bedtime, there it was.

"It is a beautiful and delightful sight to behold the body of the moon." —Galileo Galilei

I messed around with my camera but it would not focus the darker the moon got. And so, I was stuck using my phone. It also couldn't pick up the colour.

I do quite like this one - as if it's falling...or bouncing...Ha!

There was a bright star nearby - I'm guessing a planet? Mars maybe? Too small for the phone to pick up.

Aren't we lucky that something so beautiful and fascinating is free to us every single night?

“When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands".  Mahatma Gandhi

Linking with  #AwwMondays because it filled me with Awe (& made me go Aww!) #NaturesNotes #GardenAffair (nature) #Skywatch and #GaleriiaHimmelsblick

“Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne

I don't know what has happened with this year - I seem to have already got behind in the commenting on the link ups. I'm barely able to keep up with the blogging. No writing at all is being done and in February, no reading was done!

I missed the Lunar New Year in Chinatown - though I was lucky enough to see the Thai Town decorations a little, only becuase I went to a show at the Capital theatre.

I completely missed Mardi Gras - I drove past Fair Day but that was it. I took these pictures on the way to the Belvoir, but other than the shop windows, they are normally there in our area, as a show of support rather than for Mardi Gras.

I am busy and happy but just not organised or on top of things. I just don't have enough time.

Time isn’t the main thing. It’s the only thing.” – Miles Davis

I am going to work harder this month to be focused. Less distraction and more purpose. 

Wish me luck!

 

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” – J.R.R. Tolkien

To all it is relevant to, Happy New Year and Happy Mardi Gras!

Linking with #WeekendReflections for the street reflected in the window shot #WordlessWednesday & and another #WordleeWednesday