Crag Cove

Ryde College CLM Cert. III

This is my Conservation and Land Management Cert. III class from Ryde College in the field together. Doing this course has been one of the best things in my life. At the end of June we are finishing up and moving on into our work places and bush regeneration sites. We have had the benefit of learning about natural area restoration at one of the world's leading campuses in this emerging environmental field. Where we take this knowledge into the future of this work will be very interesting. When I look at these photos of us, calm, reflective, and immersed in the bush I can also hear our laughter and cameraderie, the questions we asked our teachers and the differences of opinion that naturally arose. There are three weeks to go and I am going to enjoy every last moment.

Nick, Tom and Alex

Autumn

at Bondi Beach

creating the Sand Mandala of Buddha Amitayus by a Gyuto Monk at the Bondi Pavillion

Tweed Valley

Portrait of Tom Bass the sculptor (in white) with the artist

Tropical garden

Bangalow Markets

The Tweed River at Wollumbin before the flood waters

Elephant

Musician at Bangalow Markets

Nick enjoying a frozen mango pop

Nick tired but happy

Bangalow Markets plant stall

This video is from the DJ bus that was in Hyde Park for opening night of the Sydney Festival


Going north in January is always different each year. Some years it's hotter and more humid other years the big wet is coming and usually for some reason I don't get caught in it. This year that too was the case and it came in on our heels as we drove home. It was a quick trip and we got to swim at Clark Beach near The Pass in Byron which is one of our favourite beaches. Nick and I spent Saturday morning at the community hall in Uki catching up with two of Mum's friends over chai lattes from the Hari Krishna kitchen. Out on the verandah it was sunny and a great Saturday morning atmosphere, so much more relaxed than a Sydney cafe at the same time of day, I checked out the Curious Artists show at Chinderrah to see what works Anastasia Davis was showing this year. Her style is growing in lots of different directions now - photography, painting and still the quirky hand drawn pieces. Her art will have been packed up and stored out of the flood waters by now. I'll have to ring them in a few weeks time when they reopen to see that they're okay.

Jasper

Here is an indie song by Jasper

New Years Eve 2011

Waiting on the harbour forshore during the day - helicopter shot
Midnight fireworks Sydney - Time to Dream

Finally this year Nick and I camped out at Blues Point Reserve to wait for the fireworks. They were fantastic the best I've seen for years. We waited from 1.30pm and Nick makes a great companion to do this. We read books, played with the iphone and ipod and ate food. Around us the atmosphere was happy and friendly. There are dress circle views of the Bridge and the harbour from this point so there was always something to look at during the day. Once night falls it was cooler. The skies were perfectly clear. We held our breath and the sky exploded above us.