« October 2012 | Main | December 2012 »
Summer is finally arriving here in Australia. The ocean invites us to take daily dips. We prefer stillness in the heated afternoons in place of chores (some might say we are lazy bones). We discuss options for the future and dream about what comes next.
Travel reminds me that every step along the way is a chosen step.
Usually I am pretty late when it comes to movie and documentary discoveries so maybe this is old news. Last night Rich and I enjoyed the documentary Happy. I recommend it, now available on Netflix watch instant.
Happy takes a close look at communities that enjoy long life expectancies as well as contrasting communities with lower life expectancies and high suicide rates. The film is in line with a book I have probably mentioned before called The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest
The documentary is very apropo because the topic of happiness has been an ongoing discussion around our table for a few months now. We made an exit from our (happy) life in Southern California and left it all behind to live abroad. In doing so, a lot of questions have surfaced. What did we love about Southern California? What was missing from our daily life? What stresses do we feel oppressed us without even realizing it? Did we really spend our time in a manner that nourished us as individuals and as a family? Is home a place and a feeling?
And many more questions. Our feathers have become ruffled, the conversation continues.
This darling girl agrees with me when I say that buying produce from a road side stand is a delightful way to shop.
It is very common in this area of Australia to see people selling their farm fresh goods from stands at the start of their driveway. There is always a metal box to put your money in and one must be honest. You must carry the exact amount!
There is nothing like starting one's day with a solar eclipse. I find the shifts in light during an eclipse awe inspiring.
This was Australia's first visible solar eclipse in decades; parts of Australia went completely dark.
Rich and Robert made the viewer below. There are many viewer styles but if you find yourself needing a viewer in five minutes, this is the go-to.
You Need: Tape, foil, white paper, and something to make a pin hole in the foil. I think the pictures below explain the 'How To'.
Pixel was very grumpy and not impressed with the viewer.
Close up.
The eclipse.
Some touristy outings nail it, as did the Macadamia Castle in the Byron Shire. The Macadamia Castle is a working macadamia nut farm that has added "attractions" such as playgrounds, farm animals, emus and kangaroos, a tractor train, minature golf, cafe, and a zip line.
We had a delighful time strolling the farm. There were chickens and turkeys of various breeds pecking about, we fed baby farm animals, we learned about snakes and salt water crocs, and ate a super lunch at the cafe of macadamia pancakes topped with hazelnut ice cream.
Listening.
Rooster.
A couple weeks ago I made that strawberry and bluberry crumble...remember? When I saw the peach farmer at the market was selling big bags of "second peaches" I knew what needed to be done.
I like Martha Stewart's pie crust and I used the left over crumble I still had in the freezer. I prepared the peaches as I did in the crumble recipe and baked the dish as I did the crumble.
Delicious.
We are fresh in from a weekend spent in Brisbane. Brisbane is the third most populous city in all of Australia with two million people. The capital of Queensland offers a laid back feeling amongst high rises, a busy river, and lush tropical landscaping. I appreciate a city that offers ample outdoor space with parks, playgrounds, gardens, beaches, community pools, and walking paths. Outdoor cafes, museums, galleries, markets, bakeries, and bars are plenty.
If those elements alone did not capture my heart, Brisbane loves bicycles. There are bike paths everywhere one seems to turn as well as bikes for grab and go parked throughout the city. If two wheels or your feet cannot take you from where you are to where you need to go, jump on one of the trains available. The public transport system in Brisbane is off the hook.
Traveling as a group of five with ages ranging from two to forty two does not always mean we have smiles on our faces. This weekend, with Brisbane as our backdrop, we faced crabby attitudes, whiney voices, broken shoes, arguments about whose turn it was to push the elevator button and so on.
I just reminded myself that even when travel is frustrating, there are always take-away moments that make it worthwhile.
By the way, the Aussie bookies have released the recent odds for the US Presidential election: Obama is favored and pays 20 cents for a dollar bet and Mittens has odds of five-to-one.
I am pleased to rest my feet where I (temporarily) call home.