My Bright Field

It's a slow food thing.  This is the stove in our back-in-time house at Kandos.  For quite a while I was thinking I would remove it but lately I have taken to lighting the fire and enjoying its gentle warmth and the pots bubbling away on the cooktop.  I think it will stay.

And this reminds me why I don't walk as much as I used to.  However, as mountain walks go the steps here have a very gentle grade and are well maintained so relatively easy.

View from Fletchers Lookout It was a lovely sunny crisp day so I went for a walk to remind myself why I love living in the Blue Mountains. A book I have read recently iGen - why todays super connected kids are growing up less rebellious, more tolerant, less happy - and completely unprepared for adulthood by Jean M Twenge.  It is about kids born after 1995 and the impact of technology and today's obsession with safety. Having spent my working life in IT and love my iPhone, though not so keen on social media (except blogs of course) I found this an engrosing read.

It is cold and grey outside and there is still little sign of the garden waking from its winter sleep.  So here is a photo of the pines on the street front of Burnbrae garden.

Through the hospital window We were visiting my brother-in-law in hospital when we were down in Sydney the other day when I noticed the sun setting over the city through the hospital window. A poem for today Poems about hospitals always brings to mind  Tulips by Sylvia Plath so that is my poem for today. And for good measure here are some of the red tulips at Rose Orchard Haus.

Sunset over Kandos One of the joys of Rose Orchard Haus is that is has an unobstructed view to the west across the valley where the town is nestled.  I love the always varied painting in the evening sky.  I don't know the name of this mountain that is in the distance, I wish I did. Reflection Psalm 65:8 New International Version "The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy."

King Parrot Just when I was beginning to dispair of getting a good bird photo for this week the King Parrot obliged by feasting on the camillia flowers outside the kitchen window at Burnbrae

Minis in Rylstone's Main Street Minis invaded Rylstone last weekend for the Rylstone Classic.  I got there rather late so only caught the last few.

We have been at Whistlers Rest painting the interior of the shed which has been recently lined in preparation for moving our library there in coming months.  It is very satifying that it is now nearly done. As I was leaving yesterday I noticed a new flock of sheep has moved into the next door paddock. Our mountain was looking pretty special in the afternoon light too.

Golden Wattle It's wattle time in the forests and Whistlers Rest. I really like the bright splashes of yellow among the trees. A book I have read I am on a mission to fill in gaps in my reading of classics so this week tackled Wuthering Height s by Emily Bronte. I enjoyed it and its masterful writing but it got me thinking.  I have previously mentioned the censorship of school texts in 1970s Queensland.  I am fairly sure this was included in the school curriculum unabridged (no sex).  But reading it today I figured today's sensibilities would censor it for the domestic violence.  I googled and sure enough some schools the USA have banned it

I planted 25 tulip bulbs in the hope they would all come out together along with the daffodils -- creating my own mini floriade at Rose Orchard Haus.  Hasn't happened. The tulips are coming up one by one and there is no sign of daffodils, hyacinths, iris or any other spring flowers -- not that I would expect them for another few weeks.

Between Kandos and Rylstone We are experiencing the usual August blast of cold wind and on Sunday just a little bit of icy rain as well to sprinkle our dry land. A poem for today Said Hanrahan by John O'Brien.

Bees in Almond Blossom In our Kandos garden the first blossom for the season has turned on its display - Almond. The passage below from Ecclesiaties always comes to mind when I see almond blossom (grey hair). Now I have reached a "certain age" this passage has more meaning than mirth. Reflection: Ecclesiastes 12 New International Version Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, ‘I find no pleasure in them’– before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain; when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim; when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when people rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint; when people are afraid of heights and of dangers in the

New Holland Honeyeater The almond tree at Rose Orchard House is in full blossom so a magnet for birds and bees.  I saw these little New Holland Honeyeaters, Bower Birds and Rosellas in the tree today.

Sofala, NSW We went for a drive to Bathurst today.  The road passes through the old gold town of Sofala, which provided me with the perfect "old stuff" image for the week. I love this town, everything is so deliciously wonky.  It also has a good second hand bookshop.

Yesterday we were excited to find the dining room floor is now lovely polished timber.  It used to be 1960s vinyl tiles.

We are back in Kandos so time to show you a little more of our town.  The housing here is a bit eclectic. Here is a great example. A book I have been reading A Month of Sundays by Liz Byrski Unlike the classic tomes I have been reading this one didn't take a month of Sundays to finish because it is light and pleasant read.  What made me pick it up is because it was about 4 retired women and the books they read at a retreat in the Blue Mountains so hit a lot of my buttons.  However it is more about their relationships than those things.

Pear blossom The first blossom is beginning to appear in the mountains garden. However, it will be at least a month and quite a lot more cold wind and weather before the full spring display.

My idea of a great way to spend a winter evening ... getting cosy by a warm log fire. A poem for today Ballad by the Fire by Edwin Arlington Robinson

Fish @ Leura Fine Woodwork Gallery We have spent a wonderful weekend entertaining friends from a church we attended 30 or more years ago. A visit to the Blue Mountains is incomplete without a stroll through the village of Leura where there are many lovely speciality shops, the woodwork gallery is one of my favourites. Reflection Matthew 15:34-38 New International Version (NIV) “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.” He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children.

Australian White Ibis I have spent so much time in Sydney lately I decided that my bird post this week should be the ubiquitious bird of the city -- the Australia White Ibis aka Bin Chicken.

Burnbrae, Lawson I spent a nice morning doing a bit of tidying in the garden - not long now before those bare trees will be sprouting blossoms and leaves. I am loving the look of the house right now because the paintwork has been recently refreshed. Burnbrae is more antique than vintage having been built in 1895 but this back section is actually modern, done 17 years ago, but carefully designed and built in the character of the old home.

Back in Sydney again!  Sitting in the car servicing reception area watching the TV report on commuter chaos.  Tell me about it, we crawled for over an hour on our way to Parramatta.

Home made potato and leek soup with sourdough bagettes from the Black Cockatoo Bakery  which we are very fortunate to have in Lawson. It's perfect reading weather at the moment. A book I have been reading Barracuda by Christos Tsiokas.  I wanted to read a book by this author after watching The Slap on TV.  I found him to be a wonderful writer and this is a very good read if you can get over the crude language. (This one would never have made it past the censors in 1970s Queensland).

Mandarins On Tuesdays I like to show what's happening in one of the gardens.  The mandarins in our Kandos garden are now sweet enough to eat - yum I've been busy pruning the fruit trees and shrubs too.   Spring is just around the corner, I see buds beginning to appear on the tulips. But right now it’s very wintery, we are back in the mountains from our short soujourn in the city where it was much warmer.  

Sydney CBD Still in Sydney today.  I like the mix of old and new in the city. With the trees still winter bare we can see this better.  The city has grown tall since the days of old. A poem for today When You Are Old by William Butler Yeats

Pipe organ, St Andrews Cathedral, Sydney We have been spending rather more time in Sydney than we would wish at the moment for medical appointments in preparation for my husband having an eye operation tomorrow. This also means we are staying the city for a couple of nights so could attend the Cathedral again this week. It was a special musical treat today - The Choir of St Andrew's Cathedral and The Orchestra of the Ancient Academy of St Andrew's presented Cantata 172: JS Bach - wonderful. I think this is last of my Music in the City series for now but I have enjoyed doing it so you never know. Reflection: Psalm 150 New International Version "Praise the Lord Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe

Male Satin Bower Bird Back in garden at home the Bower Bird has been busy arranging his bower. It also looks like he is considering a move.  There is now a second bower just a little further down the path but he has not decorated it with any of his wonderful blue collection yet.

NSW Railway Band, Sydney Central Station Continuing with my musical discoveries in the city, I was delighted to hear this brass band playing for evening commuters.   It's Friday so it's my day for a vintage post.  Both the railway station and brass bands have a yesteryear appeal.

Martin Place, Sydney We had to go to the city again the next day so here is some more music found there.  Her voice is beautiful.  She was singing a hymn.

Martin Place, Sydney I was in the city so looked for some music to participate in this month's City Daily Photo Theme Day  which is Music. A book I have been reading On Wednesday's I like to write about a book I have been reading.  This week is was The Floral Mother and other Essays by Kate Llewellyn.  I like Kate's writing, ever since reading her Blue Mountains Journal. This book has essays on things like friends, knitting, aging, and eggs but nothing on music.