Expect The Unexpected

I took this from our speeding car with my point-and-shoot camera as Mr HP and I drove home last night.  We'd had lunch with our family to celebrate the November birthdays.

I wasn't expecting much from the camera, even though the scene before me was one to behold.

I did ask him to stop so I could take a quick shot from the side of the road; but he chose not to hear. It seems there was no need ...

This is in the vicinity of Badgerys Creek, the site for what is being tagged as Sydney's next international airport, and looking west.

The blue finger along the horizon is The Blue Mountains...where we live.

Linking to:

Oh Happy Day

The perfect end to a perfect day.

Break Time

Last night's sunset,  near Mum's house.
What once was a dairy farm, will now accommodate 400 new houses.
The Blue Mountains can be seen in the background.  I still remember the first time I saw the Blue Mountains, I was only eight years old and the mountains have  been the family's backdrop for 54 years.
In 1988 Mr H.P. and I moved to the mountains to live with our four children.

Just a quick post to let you know I'm taking a short break from blogging.

I have had the flu twice this winter and  I am slowly recovering from that.  On top of chronic health issues which prolong recovery, I've been helping my Mum move out from what has been our family home for the past 54 years. 

This task has taken up almost every day over the past two weeks - and is a mammoth task.  Hopefully,  we will have achieved completion mid-week, and then comes the adventure of helping her find a new home to live in. 

To remain positive and build my health and strength I walk and attend yoga classes twice a week, and meditate daily.

The experience of helping Mum move has forced me to deal with the realisation that my mother is a hoarder, and I am fearful of the effect the compulsory acquisition and resulting move will have on her once the sale is finalised. 

I guess only time will tell.

In the meantime, we do what needs to be done on a daily basis and the entire family is coping beautifully, and more importantly, Mum is still smiling.

Skylands Artscape Schofields Railway Station - Eagle - 350 kilograms and 6 metres wide.
While the developers try to put a positive spin on the land release, for those who have been long time residents of the area can only feel a deep sense of loss - mostly because this has be a wholesale desecration of a way of life upheld for at least a century...which will disappear in a matter of months.

Sunset Spectacular

I just wanted to share with you the most spectacular night sky I think I've ever seen.

Right here, in our back yard.

Skies such as these have been spotted all along the south east coast of Australia tonight.

I hope you enjoy the photographs.

Perth II - Amazing Skies

As we left our home town by train, to travel to the airport we caught this fabulous sunrise.

Perth is on opposite sides to the country from Sydney, so whereas the sun sets over the mountains in Sydney, it sets over the ocean in Perth.

Here is Cotteloe Beach, drenched in golden light at sunset.

Kings Park, Perth.

Perth skyline from Kings Park.

Red At Night

Day 350/366

Tonight's Amazing Sunset.

Day 344/366

Sunset,

Norman Lindsay style,

Last night,

Christmas Carols Night.

I wonder if Norman would have approved?

Day 295/366

I think summer's truly on its way.

Day 227/366

Byron Bay Sunset.

Heaven.

Day 220/360

Coral with fish, Great Barrier Reef, Capricornia Cays off Lady Musgrave Island.

Coral Sea.

Sunset, Round Hill Creek, Seventeen Seventy, Queensland.

Day 218/366

Sunset at Seventeen Seventy, Queensland.

Day 173/366

I didn't manage to take any photos today.

The weather was dreary, work is crazy, and I'm feeling down.

So here a photo of last night's sunset to cheer everybody up.

I took this out of our upstairs loft studio window as our little house sits on the side of a hill.  The sunsets have moved a bit to the north-west and there's no good vantage point from our verandah. 

This is an unedited photograph taken on a point and shoot camera.

Day 108/366

Tonight, we had a pink sunset.

The unusual tinge reflected off the trees gave everything a surreal effect.

Rain is predicted for the rest of the week.

In fact, news reports tell me it's already a downpour in Sydney.

Day11/366

Green

Blue

Yellow. 

Three views taken from the family lounge-room.

Untouched photographs except for cropping.

Playing around with settings on the camera.

Link to last night's sunset: My photograph on facebook

Sunsets Over The Beaches.

Milestone at Watson's Bay.

To celebrate our August birthdays, the extended family meet at Watson's Bay for a lunch of fish and chips from Doyles On The Wharf.

Even though the weather was almost perfect, we had a little trouble lighting the birthday candles on the cake.

Fancy Picnic Tables at the park.

Lots of  sand play took place.

Second Son is trying to do his bit for the planet and rode his bike from Sydney's inner west, about a fifty minute ride to Watson's Bay.

At the end of the day we were treated to a spectacular sunset over the bay.

Sydney sky scape at sunset from Watson's Bay.

The Birthday Build-up:

Grand Daughter bought her mum a garden rake!
Breville came from Youngest Son.

Our birthdays ALWAYS entail more than one birthday cake for each birthday!

This is Grand Daughter's handmade card for her Uncle.  She is three years old.
Can you see the crocodile head she made as well?  It's attached to the top of the card.
Her own creation.

This is the first year that our Grand Daughter has truly understood the concept of birthdays.

She was so excited on her Mum's birthday that we had to decorate the dining room with balloons and streamers.

It was quite impromptu!  

Everyone had to don birthday hats too.

Her birthday is in October and she is so looking forward to it.

That's it for August...Next round of birthdays is of course in September.

We're planning to have a big celebration for our Niece who turns a grand five years of age at you guessed it...Watson's Bay.

It's a themed birthday  so I'll be posting some fun photographs to share.

Here's hoping that you all had a wonderful weekend.

How does your family celebrate special occasions, especially birthdays?  

Gift wrapped garden rake.