mc traveller

Kindness

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:55:00 +0000

Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.

Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to mail letters and
purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
it is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.

Naomi Shihab Nye Words Under Words

Zeus, dragons & other devils

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Zeus (attack wombat):

the cutest devil:

Simmo & the dragon:

Having a bath:

Keep eating those greens:

Super-ranga!

and mum:

April zoo

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 01:00:00 +0000

"It wasn't me!"

It's all just too hard...

Bugger tortoise

My blankie

Who am I?

One of the locals

"You lookin' at me??!"

2 days in Cervantes

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 00:04:00 +0000

Light show

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 04:58:00 +0000

Practice required - but this was fun - kinda cool for $6 worth of glow sticks...

Running Simon

Thinking Gary

Sleeping Meg

Bike wheels (Donna & Nita)

Sculpture by the sea

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 01:35:00 +0000

I love going every year - beach, sunshine & some fabulously accessible art. This year Nita & I went to practice our photography skills while there was still light :-)

My fav shot of the day

The silver gull isn't strictly part of the piece - best part of art in public spaces :-) We loved the dogs below - piece was called "Rubbish" I think:

This was my favourite piece - have heaps of great shots - but couldn't go past the one with the Cottesloe landmark "The Indiana Teahouse" in the background.

exhausted focus

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:48:00 +0000

Perth Zoo in January - the night after Jill's party. Amazed I could focus on anything :-)

Simo chillin'

"I want THAT one"

The toughened up princesses!!

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:27:00 +0000

Somewhere near 25km, up something called 'cardiac hill', in 41degree heat + major allergic reaction!! These are the toughest princesses ever!

A promising start - the beautiful Blackwood River

The cause of much "irritation" - blackberries

The longest, hottest road...

The happiest place on earth...

So weren't coming down to talk to the stupid humans!

It may not all have been hard work - the day after :-) Chestnut & walnut trees from our deck

New friends from Gnomesville - seriously odd experience:

To visit list:

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:57:00 +0000

I thought I'd start a "visit before I die assuming I don't get hit by a bus tomorrow" list. Feel free to add ideas :-)

Mount Augustus - biggest monolith in the world
Ganges River
Whale sharks - Ningaloo
Himalayas
Sahara desert

Da rat...

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:21:00 +0000

Oscar usually insists on sitting on my lap at my desk making typing impossible - I needed to work so he found his own space on my foot rest under the desk:

Leo & us

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:39:00 +0000

Uploading photos while doing online training - yup I can multi-task!! Anything to stay awake right now - loving the training but it's heading towards 1am :-)

This might be Ferret - or some other hyena - but either way was really sweet.

Why are they eating pond scum???

Sometimes they just look like puppies

Trisha - the prettiest old girl!

Still haven't got the photos through glass thing happening - but isn't he gorgeous?

This is what a tiger swiping near your face looks like - he did get a few of us to jump

I love ghost bats - & in this light you can see where Dracula came from perhaps...

Hsing Hsing - he even turned for photos!

Don't you love the fascinated look??

Roadtrip north

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 06:39:00 +0000

Amazing what a difference just two days away can make - feel like I've had a real holiday with hikes, zoo visit & roadtrip - must plan more...

Afternoon light isn't really the best - but the sky was sooooo amazingly blue

The pink & grays nest in the rocks & keep watch a bit like meerkats

Got up at 5am (yes me) to go back - we piked on sunset for food so will have to go back again soon

1 dolphin, several emus, two kangaroos, two bobtails, many galahs - amazing what such arid surrounds supports

Stromalites - oldest living creature on earth

Don't call it the Turqoise Coast for nothing

Sekara vs humans

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:09:00 +0000

Sometimes you just gotta laugh - really laugh. Picture orangutan enclosure with Sekara & Semuru showing off on the ropes.

Suddenly Sekara stops & stares at the people around the outside - then she throws the stick she's been holding straight at a group of people.

When they don't move away, she poos rather delicately into her own hand - & throws it at them. They move around to a window in her enclosure. She gets down & bashes on the glass - 3 times louder each time - the message very clear - piss off! She stops when they leave. Too funny - Sekara is usually very friendly & is extremely smart - guess she's worried about influences on her boy??

Walyunga National Park

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 08:43:00 +0000

So...

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:46:00 +0000

I couldn't put them all on the photography blog so cose there'd be no room for anyone else's photos...I think my favourites may be on the other blog perhaps...

Enjoy while it lasts

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 01:29:00 +0000

I'm s'posed to be taking totally different shots for my assignment this week - but looking out the window this morning the light was reflecting on the water droplets.

Perhaps I should stop playing

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 09:18:00 +0000

- my baby loves the beach though:

Paruna hike

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 10:01:00 +0000

Mist over the valleys, the sound of running water with lunch, birds talking above our heads, kangaroos & wallabies keeping an eye on us, Dad's nemisis the ant, frog music & lots & lots of hills - up & down - fantastic day's hike! Loved it so much couldn't cut down on the photos...

This guy had quite a conversation with us - bit of a rockstar

Across the Avon valley - reminded us of NZ & UK

Proof Dad actually took photos too

Our morning tea spot reminded Dad of the Matopas - & a chongalola came to add to the feel (okay I know it's not, but close)

Dad on the move after morning tea - we're still packing up...

Lunch bench (gotta love a track that provides tables & chairs!)

"I'm watching you watching me"

Last bench!

My assignment stopper

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 07:20:00 +0000

Was s'posed to be taking photos but got sidetracked to play with my little visitor - friendly, touchy-feeling & very playful - almost a dog! My excuse for crap assignment photos...

++ I was SOOOOO sick after this, even washing my hands & face straight away didn't help! In 10 minutes my eyes were swollen shut & icky & I was rashy & itchy & snotty. Maybe I can't keep her...

The longest week...

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:27:00 +0000

This week has dragged by, between returning to work & being sick it really has had limited high points. I did really enjoy the looks on the faces of some of our "bad" kids when we shared our views of their strengths & achievements with them - that would be worth a photo. For most of them adults' praise would be a totally new experience. I love watching the baby steps they make each week towards realising the potential they each have. They had some lovely feedback in return which was all the more special because these are not the kinda kids that bs for browny points. Soooo this is why reflection is good - turns out it was a great week :-)

Thought i'd finally post some of the zoo photos from last week too.

This look could almost make you forget you're at a zoo!

Okay so not the most attractive - but kinda doggy cute...

The light at the giraffe/zebra enclosure wasn't great - but perfect for this shot

Check out the tongue! Serious equipment along with drool for eating thorns

These guys win the award for most photogenic - always a good photo op

Semeru & Nyaru (the babies)

It's hard through the glass - but how gorgeous are these guys! Didn't take long to get the treats out of the ball either...

A sleepy girl who just wanted to be left alone in the sun

Might have to learn the trick of taking photos through glass - but shot one "the babies" & the 2nd is Mum Setia - one of the babies when I was at the zoo

This is what happens when you won't turn around for a photo...

Looking for the girl lion he heard roaring (Nita)

Nita's shrek ears!

Isn't he gorgeous!

Something to do on a cold day...

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:15:00 +0000

Nita climbing up Sullivan Rock at the beginning of the coldest day in WA in many years

Yup I'm wearing dorky Peruvian hat - but I think it's suitably hidden here

The track to nowhere - south to Mt Cooke (a hill not to be confused with NZ's Mt Cook)

Nita dutifully cleaning her boots - attempting to prevent the spread of dieback

The view from almost the top - reasonably easy climb & very pretty

Was s'posed to be doing something with apertures for our class - that didn't work, but this is near our lunch spot

The opposite direction to most of the other photos

So what does this look like?

The boardwork thingie put up by Karnet prisoners to protect the delicate flora - balancing act for me to walk on...

A huge fire raged through the Mt Cooke area in 2003 - while the undergrowth is recovering & the trees are working on it, the damage is still very visible & some trees have officially gone to god.

Wild thing (I think I love you)

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 11:25:00 +0000

I love a day at the zoo - thanks for the picnic Nita!

Get focused

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 08:30:00 +0000

It's been a frustrating time - I'm rather in need of a mountaintop to scream from. I also often feel in need of perspective recently. Got some of that yesterday visiting someone in hospital. The brain tumour is out, hopefully, & the cancer in her lungs hasn't grown. If the universe was fair this would be the last time she has to go through this. When I get focused the daily irritations don't seem that momentous. So let's wave a finger at the negative crap & focus on the people, the good health, the warm home, the fab food & everything amazing.

Bridges of Derbyl Yerrigan

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 10:27:00 +0000

Two of them anyhow. I'm really enjoying what are turning into weekly walks around different parts of the city - y'all know how much I love to travel - but sometimes it's good to spend time appreciating the beauty (very) close to home.

Yellagonga

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 09:27:00 +0000

Great word isn't it? The park was named after the leader of the Mooro clan of the Nyoongar people whose land is north of the Swan River.

Lucy, Donna, Dad & Oscar go off-road... Donna, Simon, Nita & Lucy

Trying to be good!