NOVEMBER 2018 : WEE JASPER

A day in Wee Jasper, a small country town, 1.5 hours west of Canberra.

Wee Jasper a rural country town centre of sheep and cattle properties

Dry conditions as we drive from Canberra 

Cattle properties

Roads lined with eucalypts

Typical shearing sheds

Sheep sheltering in the shade and finding feed by the Goodradigbee River

Limestone country - fascinating faults in the surrounding hills around Wee Jasper

Crossing the Goodradigbee River into Wee Jasper

 Billy Grace Reserve where Ash and the family were camping

Happy campers

Driving to Wee Jasper caves

Listening to the introductory spiel about the caves

400 million years old with very hard limestone rock which has meant the caves have remained intact

We visited two main chambers

Lots of details

Shawls

A touching table

Lots of interest to entertain the troops

Back at the camp and a basking lizard

Driving home. Sweeping views to Burrinjuck Dam.

M&M

NOVEMBER 2018 : SYDNEY : An exhibition

A day trip to Sydney to see the last days of an exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW.

We parked the car at the harbourside suburb of Balmain and caught the ferry into the city

A beautiful Spring day

The exhibition at the Gallery celebrated the life of John Russell.

He was an Australian artist born in then mid- 19th century but spent most of his life in France. 

He was an Impressionist painter and collaborated with Matisse and Van Gogh.

He married an Italian girl, Marianne, whom he used as his model for many of his works

She came from a village near Monte Cassino

A sketch of Marianne

Russell commissioned Rodin to create a bust of his wife

His children enjoying the beach on the island of Belle Île off the coast of Brittany

He painted many scenes of the Belle Île Coast

A still life

Rose Bay in Sydney - painted on a visit to Sydney in the 1890s.

Lunch at The Pavillion at the Domain

We finished the day in Balmain. Jacaranda trees aplenty.

Beautiful Lilly Pilly

Old pubs and modern cafes

M&M

NOVEMBER 2018 : CANBERRA : Spring walk and Commemoration of a Centenary of the Armistice in WW1

We have returned home to our wonderful city of Canberra. 400,000 population and a very liveable city with space, parks and two hours from the coast and the mountains for skiing. We have arrived back for very hot Spring weather - already 30+. We have already suffered a day of bushfires due to the dryness of the landscape and the early heat. This week is the centenary of the signing of the Armistice at the end of WW1 in 1918 and we have some special exhibitions.I enjoyed a Sunday afternoon walk taking in some of the special exhibits and delights of our city.

I walked up through Parliament House gardens.

Our centre of government, Parliament House, opened in 1988.

A carpet of handmade poppies at the entrance to commemorate 100 years of signing of the Armistice.

Looking towards Old Parliament House and the War Memorial at the base of Mount Ainslie.

Inside this week, as a special Remembrance Day commemoration, are panels of handmade poppies, created by knitters and crocheters from all over the country.

Walking down from Parliament House are the Rose Gardens, being enjoyed today by families celebrating and picnicking.

Constitution Place. A tribute to the Magna Carta (1215) and its implications for the freedoms we enjoy and the basis of our legal system.

Directly across the lake from Parliament House is the Australian War Memorial.

Here, another remarkable poppy display has been installed. 62,000 handmade poppies to represent the Australians who died in the WW1 conflict.

All individually created.

Animals recognised as well

Back to the lake and the National Library

With its stunning Leonard French windows

Outside the National Library a commemorative Aboriginal pathway, Reconciliation Place.

Continuing along the lake is our National Gallery and it’s accessible Sculpture Garden

Closer to home, an archway donated by our Hungarian community to celebrate Canberra’s centenary in 2013

We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful country capital.

M