Shades of grey

Was cleaning up some photos off the camera, and found these. Not spectacular but a whole lot of nature in shades of grey.

I like the two of the moon, above and below because passing clouds have textured and coloured the shots.

The rays are highlighted by the cloud.

A tiny drop of blue hiding in the grey.

For #WeekendReflection

The grey sky makes the orange more valuable - like a glimpse of gold that might be whisked away...

I like the tiny hint of pink clouds and the small spotlight on the building above, a focus in the grey.

I like the next three simply because the sun coming up changes the picture. All taken within minutes of each other.

Have a great week and stay safe. 

Linking with #DND #KeithsRamblings

#SkyWatch

Rainbow season

 In Sydney there's been an influx of tourists, which is lovely to see. I was curious as to where they all came from, and according to my husband, the country.  I guess I don't know for sure but I smile to myself every time I see couples here for Mardi Gras. It's like a little bit of  'normal' creeping back to our lives.

I am loving seeing the city burst into colour with the rainbow decorations.

Enmore is open!

A group of friends and I went to the Mardi Gras Bingo (which as you know, I'm a huge fan of the bingo) and while it had a whole essay of COVID safe rules, I said to my friend at the end "If anyone here had it, we all have it now". It felt so good to be DANCING!! Please people, can we keep the masks and sanitising up. I do not want to go back to lockdown and restrictions. 

I had a party (with Gladys fortunately timing the announcement to 50) and the Thai food came in Mardi Gras colours by coincidence to match the Archie Rose Mardi Gras cocktails...though it wasn't a party for Mardi Gras, it was a party in the window before the next lockdown. A Unnecessoiree! 

I'm not off to the parade but I do enjoy the three weeks of celebration. I know I share this every year but it's a good reminder (and funny song) of how to react should someone choose this time to come out to you.

Also sharing this definition, which I saw on Women of Colour Collective but applies here too. 

ALLY DEFINITION

A - always centre the impacted

L - listen and learn from those who live in oppression

L - leverage your privilege

Y - yield the floor

*Mnemonic credit: Kayla Reed Executive Director ACTION St. Louis Follow Kayla Reed on Twitter @iKaylaReed

Lastly, the fabulous Grace Petrie. (Swears so NSFW)

This is from the Bonds poster.

Hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!

Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud. Maya Angelou

Linking with #Lifethisweek  And #KCACOLS 

'Grey skies are just clouds passing over'. Duke Ellington

We were invited on a friend's boat the other night, and while the weather looked dismal, we went anyway. There was a pause in the rain and even with grey skies, it was a wonderful evening. Relaxing, beautiful and luxurious. 

Sometimes you just have to say yes, when all of your brain is saying no.

I don't know if it's age or COVID that has increased an inflexibility, but I'm noticing it's creeping into my thought processes. And I don't like it.

However, if I push through my initial reluctance, I am rewarded with beauty and pleasure. Here's to saying yes more often!

Linking with #EverydayImages (Weather)

Taking Stock - March

Making : Much Merriment as restrictions ease and we have zero cases. Very much a case of making hay while the sun shines and I'm presuming we'll see another lockdown sooner, rather than later...

Admiring: Pretty much no one in Australian Politics. Somehow the people who got elected to high office, and the people who work there are not the calibre of people that should be there. We need to get rid of these people (and I'm not saying switch party, I'm saying replace them for different people).

Becoming: Very disappointed in the Nation's "leaders". We need to demand a lot more of them.

Curious: Why we aren't talking of the booster needed to cover the SA strain (and possibly Brazillian). Other countries that went with Astra Zeneca already have booster plans in motion for later this year.

Delighted: I got to see Jenny Lee at the MCA - I really enjoyed the exhibition. Especially the room where you were fully immersed. To me, because of what I've been reading, I felt like I was walking through the human body, surrounded by cells (this was not the artist's intent, but it is what worked for me!)

Excited: At being allowed to dance. Elated, in fact! 

Going: To the Bingo on Saturday night and can not wait! Fingers crossed under the new restrictions we can dance! Not sure what numbers were booked....

Reading: Just finished The Immortal Life of Henrietta Laks (which is about the Hela cells) which is really interesting and entertaining on audio. In print, The Divers Clothes Lie Empty, which I'm really enjoying. Have The Midnight Library lined up next.

Viewing: Dark - which I really like. Once you get past the first episode, which misleadingly has a serial killer vibe, it's awesome. But I need a chart to keep it straight in my mind. Also loved Alice in Borderlands.

Eating: My favourite cake!

Looking: forward to Max Frost's streamed gig on the weekend! 

 

 

Linking with #BlueMonday & #RubyTuesdayToo

Wishing: This was over but grateful we have been so lucky!

Enjoying: Strolling galleries while catching up with friends.  

Loving: Being back at shows - had fun at Drummer Queens and Fangirls. Got quite a few more lined up for next month! Would be much happier if the spacing & masks were mandatory though.

Sharing: This fab series of  free streamed gigs out of the UK. First off is a lovely set from Grace Petrie. Worth checking out.

Smelling: To check I don't have COVID. I know, it's nuts. I had a total moment of panic when I couldn't smell the beautiful roses I'd been given. Then I realised it was because I could only smell the fish curry that had taken over the whole house after one of the kids microwaved it for lunch....

Grateful: Gladys came to the party for my party and I got to invite 20 more guests last minute. Even more grateful that those that got the last minute invite said yes and weren't offended...

Listening: To Rag'n'Bone Man

Have a great month, everybody! Remember if you get your vaccination in Oz, you are not covered until the second shot in a few months so everyone needs to mask up and distance for a while longer yet!

Stay safe, have fun and spend, spend, spend locally if you can! 

Linking with #Lifethisweek  #FriendshipFriday  #WonderfulWednesday #TheRandom #FriendshipFriday and #KCACOLS 

“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” – Mahatma Gandhi

I will try to keep this space politics free as I've found the landscape this week perplexing and to be honest, quite disturbing. Not just the behaviour in parliament house but the way the nation and media discusses it. 

The new sign at the Marly Bar restored some of my faith in humanity. The inclusion of all is touching and I love the expressed minimum standards that as a country we evidently fail at.

I was also touched when the shop owner at Baxter & Black offered a safe refuge to the community should they feel they need it (offering for them to come in and he would lock the door and call the police) after witnessing a woman be attacked in the street.  His simple offer to the community page made all the difference to me.

As a nation, we need to demand more of our leaders. Or at least demand what I would consider the bare minimum.

As Mardi Gras begins in both Sydney and New Orleans, I thought I'd sign off with these picture taken at the Broadway shops.

It appears some good data is beginning to emerge in the vaccine roll outs, so fingers crossed and stay safe everyone!

Linking with #KCACOLS