An interesting display in a florist and a reflection of the city and the photographer.
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Great Barrier Reef
You have to get up early to get to the reef from Townsville.
It’s a long boat ride, but it’s worth it! The dark patches are the reef.
The environment is very peaceful. I saw 3 big, kind of flat (vertical) fish hanging motionless in the water near the reef. They were so still! And there’s not much sound, just your own breath. Gazing down at the life below from the surface was really peering into another world.
The captain suggested I shoot some pictures through his polarized sun glasses. They allow you to see more deeply into the water.
The Last Straw world-wide release and a free cookbook
Dinner last night was vegetarian Thai curry. Half the vegetables came from our garden, which still clings to life despite cold nights.
We make this all the time at home so I submitted it for the recipe gift book my publisher does during the holidays. You can get the recipe on page 55 of the FREE Holiday Garden Gourmet cookbook at The Wild Rose Press. You’ll also find lots of other recipes from Wild Rose Press authors, all organized by type of recipe in a free, downloadable PDF.
While you’re there, if you would like my novella, The Last Straw, in another format besides Kindle (mobi), you can now get a PDF or epub version. Here is the link: The Last Straw.
Note: Last night we added tofu to the mix, which isn’t in the recipe, for extra protein. You can see the little white cubes in the second photo. Just toss them in at the end and let the meal simmer for about 10 minutes to heat the tofu.
Enjoy!
Lighthouses of Victoria, Australia, 1, Split Point
Leanne (of Leanne Cole Photography fame) took us to this fabulous spot. I must admit that at the time I was dizzy from travel and not really able to absorb everything. I mean Melbourne and The Great Ocean Road are somewhat overwhelming. Thankfully, it doesn’t take much mental alertness to point a camera and click. Now I can go back and enjoy some of the nuances of the experiences.
Looking at these photos reminds me of the feeling I had at this light house. The feeling was cozy. Some lighthouses feel lonely to me.
I wonder if you will get that feeling from the photos.
Reading, Wheels Within, by John Holland
This poem had a profound impact upon me as a beautiful and mystical articulation of my own philosophical bent. My husband and I traveled to Australia recently to meet the poet, John Holland. Afterward, I was inspired to record this reading of Wheels Within, at dawn, at my husband’s and my apartment in Townsville.
“Are we all interconnected by a cord/twisted from the strands of pure/white fabric no man can truly name?”
The beauty of dead trees, Magnetic Island, Australia series, 4
Those little yellow things are flowers on some of the trees.
Street art of Charters Towers, Australia
Inland from Townsville is the historic gold mining town of Charters Towers. It takes about an hour and a half to drive there from Townsville. I was surprised to see how lush the town was with lots of trees and streets lined with historic buildings. The visitor’s center is open 7 days a week, staffed by volunteers.
Nicci Carrera 