Beach Season

While still Spring, we are taking every opportunity to pretend it's Summer. Any excuse to get to the beach, to get out on the harbour, even though for some of us (me) it's too cold to swim.

We spent the weekend down the coast and while the kids spent hours in the water, I could feel an icy chill coming off the water even just standing near it. Arctic currents!

It was relaxing taking in the fresh air, enjoying being outdoors and offline.

So bring on the real Summer!

Linking with #TravelTuesday #WaterThursday #FloralFridayFoto

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Quiet morning moment

The waves were crashing about ferociously as I walked along the beach early in the morning. As I rounded the point, I came across a moment of stillness, enjoyed by all. 

The pool was empty though a bather was considering jumping in.

The bird was airing her feathers and the ship silently waiting it's turn to move forward in the queue for the port.

The noise of the ocean, the wind and the birds all seemed to fall away, though maybe I just tuned them out?

“Silence is not the absence of noise, but the presence of something greater.”
― Dirk Hessel

Linking with #MySundaySnapshot #SundayBest #WildbirdWednesday #AwwMondays #MCoW

 

Coledale Street Art

 The little village of Coledale had a lot of pretty art adorning it's walls.  (And zero graffiti that I noticed). There were also lots of writers workshops and events, so it's obviously quite a creative community.

The potter had these adorning his studio wall.

Linking with #WeekendCoffeeShare #WordlessWednesday #MuralMondays #WWOT #WordlessWednesday

Waves

I spent a lot of this weekend watching the sea. Watching kids swim, watching ships on the horizon and watching massive waves appear out of nowhere.

This is life really; we watch, we try to manage the unmanageable and we either get great pleasure from it or frustration, boredom or devastation.

Like life, I'm trying to capture moments that show something - in this case the power and beauty, with life it's often love, laughter, good times or just the passing of time.

We can never really capture it though. We can't stop it, we can't hold it. As quickly as it appears, it changes again...

 "The tide comes in. The tide goes out. We're always on our way somewhere, even when standing still". Bill Willingham

Linking with #MondayMorningMovesMe

New York

We were stuck at Central for an hour (55 mins) waiting for a train in the chaos on Sunday (stay off the tracks, d!ckheads, it really messed things up).

The irony was as we left the theatre, a taxi offered us a lift, right at the door. 

Next time, we will take it!

This is what happens when I'm bored. 

Linking with #SundayBest  #WeekendinBlackandWhite

Spectre of good times long gone

I could almost hear the laughter and the clinking of glasses as I walked past the closed cocktail bar reflecting the closed pub in the city on a Sunday night.

Interestingly, no matter how many times I tried to straighten the photo, it wouldn't save corrected. So maybe real ghosts were at play in the machine?

Linking with #WordlessWednesday #WeekendReflection #WordlessWednesday

 

More September Reading

This is the first book of this year's Miles Franklin award winner. I loved it! It's funny and entertaining, but also insightful on the racism that Asian actors and moviemakers faced. If you listen to it, it's performed with a full cast, like Daisy Jones and the Six but with substance in the historic undercurrent. I borrowed it from the library on Indyreads. I'm in the queue for the prize winning Ghost Cities, so really looking forward to getting my hands on that!

This book is hard. He is a brilliant writer but the subject matter is awful and I found it a long time to be in that uncomfortable and sad story. So I don't know if I recommend it. He has some really beautiful lines in it. While it is long, I got though it very quickly so I guess that's a sign that I liked it even if I didn't "like' it. I guess I enjoyed the writing and his skill, and was engaged in the story even if I found it sad and hard to shake off the bad emotions. This was chosen for bookclub so I can't wait for the chat on that. There's a lot of meat on the bones to digest....EDIT Two days later, I think I did like this book. It was just hard going in the first half. I think he tackles human complexity in a serious way, and I think maybe that's a little confronting for me. 

Last night I went to see the magnificent storyteller talk - they performed 5 or 6 stories from a show they put together that will be turned into a book. It was wonderful. They looked at the stories that certain songs were enmeshed into their memories. It was really funny, sad, heartwarming and you couldn't help think about your own playlist of memories. So when it publishes, look for Ivan Coyote: Playlist (unless the title changes)

Short and sweet this time. I have to reread The Great Gatsby for the podcast book club and I've a short Ken Follett to read (Paper Money) lined up next...

Linking with #WWWhimsy #MonthlyBookworms #SundayPost #StackingtheShelves #SundaySalon #SundayBookends #Bookdate #MonthlyWrapUp #TalkaboutitTuesday

Little Loves - September

READ Longtime bloggers in the Australian bloggosphere will remember her, and her #SunsetsforKate, but Kate Morrell wrote this beautiful Insta post that I want to share with you. I think she raises a lot of important things to think about but I also just loved the line "Who is this girl? What a joy to feel so free". I too have been remembering some early 20's solo trips and I can't believe the stuff I did. The faith I had in humanity (and probably very lucky on personal safety). I just radiated happiness and delight in the European beauty that complete strangers would talk to me and show me hidden treasure as I walked the streets, they'd give me addresses of Mask makers in Venice who would welcome me into their homes and workshops to see their art (even I had pause when I found myself in the lounge room of an old artisan, struggling with Italian and explaining that some shop owner had sent me...but it was all fine and he was flattered by his reputation as the best mask maker in the city). Experience and age wears us down. We become more cautious (or less stupid). There is something strange about the naive youth we once were.

Not a great photo but love the ghost bird

WATCHED  I went to Garry Starr:Classic Penguins at Grand Electric. It is EXCELLENT! I laughed so hard and it is so clever and entertaining as he works through 100 Penguin classics (the Communist Manifesto was my favourite). I am also in awe of the person who joined in for the Jungle book. I am envious of such confidence and self assurance. Anyway, without giving anything away, you must get to Grand Electric by October 12 if you can. It's so good. I went with 10 people and we all loved it. Tickets are here. People in London, he'll be hitting the West End in Nov/Dec so keep an eye out!  

At the cinema, I watched Inter Alia. While I don't normally watch filmed theatre productions, this is well worth it. Meaty play, incredibly difficult and clever, and stunning performance by Rosamund Pike. She's extraordinary. It's the new Suzy Miller play (of Prima Facie fame). Again I can't really talk about it without spoiling so just check it out if you can.

Two Seagulls in light

Delectable crab tart at Midden

HEARD I stumbled across this song by accident but I just love it! It's about finding hope and joy and it really lifts my spirits.

  

WORE My new clogs turned up. I've been wearing them around the house with socks to wear them in, as the leather is a little scratchy until it's been worn a bit. These match my gold ones I got a few years ago. These are my new heels now that it appears I can't wear heels anymore for any length of time.

AND LASTLY The first two weeks of the month were hindered by medical issues and recovery but then I've hit the ground running. The highlights? Definitely the Underground film festival, with a smellorama film and Movie Bingo - both films, UHF and Living in Oblivion are still very funny and worth watching. 

Who knew watching movies could be so fun!?!

 Pigeon Fool was an extraordinary highlight but deserves a separate post when I get a chance. 

I've mentioned some of the plays and gigs I've been to, so I'll go with Genesis Owusu at the Opera House, just so I can share the pictures, and state yet again I have no idea how this song didn't make the Hottest Australian 100. Off to Cyril tonight and a talk by Ivan Coyote, a brilliant author and performer and a beach weekend away so my Insta will be flooded shortly. Also got more fringe comedy (already saw Brodi Snook) on the weekend...so all in all, a great month! 

Linking with #LittleLoves #Stylewithasmile #MondayMusicMovesMe #ThruMyLens #You'retheStar #TravelTuesday #HappyNow #TuesdayTwirl #WednesdayAroundtheWorld #WWWhimsy #TforTuesday #TravelTuesday