What were you Thankful for?

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. It was busy! Today is quiet: a day to avoid the kitchen and reflect. (I'm quite thankful for the leftovers. It's one of the bonuses for hosting a holiday.)

I'm very grateful for those who joined us yesterday for food and fun.  I'm thankful for a break in routine. Oh, and my camera! I really love my camera and the surprises I occasionally find there:

On Thanksgiving our dog Chloe got to go for a walk and bury her nose in the snow. She loves the snow!

Our dog Dillon has a different nature: he waited patiently thru Macy's parade and then came alive for the Dog Show. In case you missed it, he could probably tell you who got 'Best in Show'.

One more time:

Chloe, the outdoor girl-dog, happy in the snow:

And Dillon, our tv-watching, couch potato guy-dog:

On another day, I'll share a story about our coffee drinking cat, Joe.

It's a crazy bunch.

What did you give thanks for on Thanksgiving?

What does platinum mean to you?

Platinum could mean a whole variety of things, from credit cards to wedding rings. But for me in particular ... and a bunch of my dance-lovin' friends ... it means 'The Best!'.
'Top Award' 'Highest Honor', 'We LOVE you' ... get my drift?

In October we attended Hollywood Dance Experience-Take 3 in Seattle and The Dance Studio girls competed. They received a Platinum Award for the dances they performed!!!
Were they happy? Oh yeah!

It's just so wonderful to be recognized and honored. It's something we all like.

Who will you honor today? Who will you recognize for a job well done?

Can you hear the crashing surf?

Ever been on vacation, soaking up the sounds, smells and sights, just wishing you could take it all home with you? I have. Actually, I am. On a mini vacation. Right now. And I'm trying to figure it out:  how can I keep this with me?  This feeling of being in a good place.  

Take a photo for my mind's eye.

Listen. Imprint. Remember.

All the souvenirs in the world won't do what my mind's eye can do.

Surfline photo/Brian Jeffrey

What's your favorite vacation sound?

Are your feet happy?

Have you noticed more and more feet fotos out there ... in the world?

People seem to have a fascination with their feet, their constant and trusted companions.

                 ... and now that I think about it, feet are kinda fun!

Feet go places.

They help us relax.

They hang out in the sun.

And they are adventurous.

What's not to like?
about feet, that is!

What have your feet been up to lately?

Really? October already!

What's your story on fall? If you're like me, there's a good chance you haven't had enough beach and sunshine. Yet whether or not we like it, fall happens. Every year. Herbst. Autumn. And It's got its own thing going on.

Like the colors. In the perfect world (that I don't live in) I'd do dreamy things like take lots of walks, cook up big pots of soup and spend time every afternoon reading. Outside in crisp sunshine.

In my real world, I'm happy to find a moment to sit down with a cup of tea and flip through my summer vacation pics. Australia still has me in it's grips...

Really, do it. Getting run over on holiday sucks!

On vacation I like to take photos of signs. Don't really know why, just know that it's something I do.

... ever hear of the irukandji?

Perhaps because the signs help to tell a story ...

 and later help me relive the excitement ...

and the joy... (everything I need, right cheer).

... and remind me how much I love Ozzieland!

What's your favorite fall ritual?

Aussie Animal Friends

Some say, a zoo is a zoo is a zoo - nothing really unique to a particular country. I, however, beg to differ. We visited 3 zoos in Australia and our experiences at each were wonderful.

10 reasons why:

1. Unique back-drops. Lucky Ibex at Sydney's Taronga Zoo.

2. Different dress codes.  Here ankle bracelets were the trend.

3. Visiting with really cute, very adorable residents.

4. You gain a better understanding of local customs (ahem).

5.Folk-songs begin to make sense to you,  ... or not.  Kookaburra sat where?

6. You learn new facts, like: Cockatoos talk too!

7. You get to commute the way the locals do.

8. You discover new animals you want to take home.

9. You have interesting convos with locals
(why are you here, do you have any food for me?).

10. You're reminded that there are some things we all share.

Cup of Coffee #2

Random. Cup of Coffee. Made me happy.
Wolf Ridge Creek. Watching Fly Fisherman.

You say Cairns, I say Cannes

I learned pretty quickly that the 'r' in Cairns is not pronounced. Instead, think of the southern coast of France and say Cannes. But, do not think of the Mediterranean! Because, Cairns, its northern beaches and rain-forests are more serene and natural. Each with their own unique flavor.
Enjoy the view (the lifeguards are super friendly too!)!

Sydney's Broad Awnings

What makes Sydney unique? In many ways it's a city not entirely different from Seattle or Vancouver, B.C.. Yet, it had its own flavor.  One of the first things that caught my eye were the broad awnings above the sidewalks. They surely shielded busy city folk from the hot sun of Sydney summers, or as in our case, from the rain! They seemed lower and wider than our awnings and they carried a large assortment of signs. Take a look:

 

(p.s. the food at Burgerlicious was actually good!)

 What have you found unique in another city or country?

Home again, home again, diggity dog.

Back in B'burg. My jet-lag may be over, but Australia's not a distant memory yet! I had such a good time. Enjoyed my fellow travelers, meeting new friends and seeing new places. I could wax on & on, but think instead I'll just post some fotos of the fun stuff over the next couple of weeks, starting with food!

First things first: where would the day begin without breakfast? Here is a smidgen of what our hotel provided us with:

Vegemite Front & Center!

Breakfast with our host family was the kind I love: a smorgasbord of simple, fresh and healthy choices:

Then comes lunch: mmm. Pumpkin soup at the Kaleidoscope Cafe in Nelson Bay, Port Stephens:

Mid-afternoon pick-me-up: banana bread and a latte (Italian coffee - yes!)

What's for dinner? How about gargantuan fresh prawns, salad and scrumptious bread.

And last comes dessert: something to make you salivate, a Pavlova:

Are you full yet?