Warburton

Being on school holidays couldn't be more fitting to play around with my new camera. We took a 1:15 hrs. drive to Warburton, a town located 72 km east of Melbourne in the Yarra Ranges, to explore with camera in hand. The picturesque town is framed amongst the surrounding hills and the Yarra river meandering through beautiful walking paths and picnic areas. We enjoyed an afternoon of bush walk and photographic scenery. Just after 4:30 we left the wilderness behind to come into town for some coffee and cake and found it, to our disappointment, almost dead. Everything closed  except for 2 cafes. The coffee tasted like it came our of an International Roast tin and it only came in take away cups. Thumbs down to your cafe culture Warburton, although your beauty almost makes up for it.

Estar de vacaciones no pudo venir mejor para jugar con mi camara nueva. El martes pasado nos subimos al auto y viajamos 1:15 hr hasta Warburton, un pueblo situado a 72 km de Melbourne en las Yarra Ranges, para explorar con camara en mano. El pintoresco pueblo esta enmarcado por las colinas que lo rodean y por el rio Yarra que en su sinuoso camino atraviesa senderos hermosos y areas para picnics. Disfrutamos una tarde de caminata  y escenas fotograficas. Solo despues de las 4:30 dejamos la naturaleza para ir al pueblo a tomar un cafecito con torta y, para nuestra desilucion, encontramos que el pueblo estaba casi dormido. Todo cerrado expecto por dos lugares. El cafe tenia a gusto a haber salido de una lata de International Roast y solo venia en vasitos para llevar. Pulgares hacia abajo para tu cultura de cafes Warburton, pero tu belleza casi compensa.

New Camera

25 years of love came with a great gift my way. My husband bought me the camera I always wanted. A Canon 5D Mark III, full frame, digital SRL. This is it. I can't possibly want or need another camera. So I am now out and about, experimenting with settings and learning to use all its features. Here are few shots from my latest excursions through the lens.

25 Years of Love

Last March 26th was my 25th wedding anniversary. I can't believe how fast these years have gone. It is pretty scary. It feels like it was yesterday I was getting ready to spend the rest of my life with the love of my life. Only slowing down to a crawl I can think about how many things we live through and then the years are there, but in the every day of our lives the years don't exist. Every day is new and I still feel the same, I still love my husband as that day when we decided to spend our lives together. I have to say that we lived through good and bad, but we always have loved each other and respected the individual within the couple. Together we made many choices, some good, some bad, some difficult ones, but the best thing we made together was our child, Anton, the best human on this planet. So, not bad for a couple of kids who left everything they knew behind 25 years ago to start a new life. Here we are, still happy, still in love. Happy Anniversary Ric, I love you!

El 26 de Marzo pasado fueron nuestras bodas de plata. 25 anos! No puedo creer que rapido que pasaron estos anos. Da miedo. Parece que fue ayer que me preparaba para vivir mi vida junto al amor de mi vida. Solo cuando bajo el ritmo y pienso en cuantas cosas vivimos juntos puedo darme cuenta que los anos estan ahi. Pero en el trajin diario de nuestras vidas, los anos no existen. Cada dia es nuevo y se siente de la misma manera. Aun amo a mi amor como aquel dia cuando decidimos pasar el resto de nuestra vida juntos, Hemos vivido por cosas buenas y malas, pero siempre amandonos y respetando al individuo dentro de la pareja. Juntos tomamos muchas deciciones, algunas buenas, otras no tanto, muchas dificiles, pero lo mejor que hicimos juntos fue nuestro hijo, Anton, el mejor ser humano que existe sobre esta tierra. Asique, no tan mal para un par de chicos que dejaron todo lo que conocian detras para emprender una vida nueva. Aqui estamos. Juntos. Felices. Aun enamorados. Feliz Aniversario Ricky. Te amo! 

Farewell summer holidays.

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Holidays 2015

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Visit to Warrnambool

Today after a morning of rain and wind and faced with the impossibility of a relaxing beach day we left to Warrnambool. We travelled along the road driving through patches of heavy rain and looking at ochre fields scattered with pasturing cows. As I watched them getting wet, munching of the grass, flickering their tails or resting their huge udders on the wet and soggy soil I pondered about their existence. Is it one of unawareness, of simple full stomach contentment or is it one of trapped anguish and exhaustion, of used and tired routines, of pain and desire to escape. I don't know but I like to think that if it is a sad life they are living the simple act of rain falling on their leather coats will bring at least some relief from the overcrowded and smelly barns they must inhabit at night. So I smiled for them as I saw them pass by and hoped that at least they were only used for milking.

Warrnambool is a pretty place but the town is boring. We had coffee and cake and drove around, walked around for a few hours before heading home

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Holidays at Peterborough

Today we finally jumped in the car to do what we love best...road tripping! A last minute decision turned in our favour and we got a cabin for 5 days at Seahorse Coastal Villages in Peterborough, an almost non-existent town just about 10 km of Port Campbell.
Getting here was easy and quick driving by Colac. The road tripping reduced to only 3 hours and a bit. The trip left a cruel impression of summer on the poor land. The harsh sunshine leaves yellow grass as far as the eye can see, cows dressed in multicoloured leather struggle to find a bit of shade.

Even though the weather forecast said it was going to rain. It didn't. We have had a spectacular day of sunshine and almost empty beaches. It was a bit windy, but we spent a very nice and relaxed afternoon at Peterborough main beach. 

City Stroll and Night Walk

First time catching the bus after Ric's surgery. A bit of a trial to see how much of the walk from Fitzroy Gardens to the city he could manage. It turned out to be a beautiful evening with lots of walking and relaxing in the gardens. Later, trying to find a restaurant that would serve food after 8 pm. How can it be conceivable for a restaurant in Federation Square overlooking the Yarra in the middle of summer not to be open or not to serve food after 8 pm? Seriously deficient, I believe, to occupy such a central location in the city and not provide basic gastronomic needs for people who are not in a rush to get home. After all it is still holidays for many people and even if it wasn't there are tourists coming all the time who would love to dine by the Yarra in the city square. Anyway we walked further along Southbank and found a place to dine. Great views and atmosphere.

Welcome 2015- Demystifying New Year Resolutions

As a new year starts I found myself thinking about the goals I should set for myself. I thought about it last night as I watched the fireworks from Studley Road Boathouse. I thought about it before the new year arrived during the inevitable summing up before the end of every year, and I came to the conclusion that I will not set another weight loss goal, I will not set another "be healthy" goal, because I haven't still reached the previous ones and if I did set these as new year's resolutions (NYR) I would clearly be setting myself up to fail. Let's be clear here. I do want to reach this goal, I do want to be healthy, I do want to be skinny, but I do not seem to stick to my new year's resolutions. So if I do go down the path of a healthy self I will do it out of a strength that I may find along the way during this year or whenever that will power will find me.
One thing I do want to state is this: I will give up having a diary that I cannot maintain. Year after year I have bought myself a fancy looking diary with the intention of becoming more organised. Another NYR that I fail year after year. I start off well, write all my family and friend's birthdays, write a few things I already know will happen and then I force myself to fill it up for about the first two months. After that the entries start to lessen until the diary doesn't even come out of the bag. Every year I spend money buying one that I think will entice me to use it, but to no avail. So this year I declare it a diary free year. Only electronic reminders will be allowed. There.
I worried for a while there about not having NYR this year, but I shouldn't really worry about something that ends up weighing me down. Instead I think I will look at 2014 and the paths I walked, the lessons I learnt and try to improve upon them. I will try to be strong, to work hard doing what I like, I will enjoy my family more, and above all be true to myself, allow myself to be who I am ALL OF THE TIME. I wish you the same, a happy 2015!