NANA & POP'S GARDEN

This is Spring at Nana and Pop's place. A tropical landscape of palm trees, elephant ears, shrubs, climbing vines, succulents and fruit trees. Randomly placed fruit trees. They are a result of birds and bats pooping out their seeds and then germinating into the ground if the conditions are just right. If you are careful enough to look around, you will spy little tomato vines growing up trees and pineapple tops growing out from underneath shrubs.

Home is always at Nana and Pop's place. A quaint little cottage sunken into a green foliage of bushy shrubs and plants which carpet the lower legs of the tall assortment of palm trees and eucalyptus trees who stand tall above their house. Green and pink are the colours that your eyes recognise as you walk closer down the drive. They are the decorative petals of the Azalea, a plant once known as the "thinking of home" bush and also once infamous for it's levels of toxicity. But I think that they are mostly known for their beauty. Well, that's how I know of them. It is very tempting to break off a branch and shake the petals off, just because they look so soft and delicate and somehow even more beautiful when the deep pink petals are scattered acrossed the stone pavement. I let them be and enjoyed their cheerful beauty everytime I walked through the front door.

What flowers do you most admire for their beauty? Camellia's and Marigolds would have to be some of my other favourites.

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Images taken using Canon 5D Markiii//50mm 1.4

Please do not use my images without permission.

OUR PLACE OVER THE WEEKEND

Nana and Pop live far away and recently they have been traveling with their caravan, last we had spoken they were exploring a place called Cameron's Corner, which is a place situated where the boardlines for NSW, SA and QLD all meet. This weekend they surprised us with a visit. I have always loved spending time with them, but since having children the time spent with them is even more beautiful as I watch them dote over their grandchildren with cuddles and kisses.

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Images taken using Canon 5D Markiii//50mm 1.4

Please do not use my images without permission.

LIFE BEFORE SIBLINGS

All photographs taken using an iphone5.

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Earlier this year I was heavily pregnant with my second child. It was a hot Australian summer and I was slowly losing my mobility in the thickness of the heat. Puffy fingers, swollen ankles, you know the spiel. Paddy and I were enjoying our last moments together before the arrival of his sister and we enjoyed picnics at the beach, yum cha dates and hours at our local game centre. It sounds silly now, but at the time I was feeling guilty and anxious that I was responsible for changing this equilibrium of peace and contentment by bringing in another child into the family. When Matty and I decided to start renovating our house in the final weeks of my pregnancy, I took the opportunity to take Paddy away from the building site that we called home, and on a little holiday up to Nan and Pop’s place. Just me and him. It was kind of like a coming of age I guess, because he was also starting school in February and his sisters due date was burgeoning in the weeks after that. So I took this time together to be like a full stop to toddler-hood and life as an only child, and as a peaceful welcome to the new chapter in both of our lives.

Off we chugged up the coast on a Country Link train to enjoy a couple of long summery weeks with Nan and Pop. We shared salty days at the beach, cool dips in the surrounding rivers, coffee dates at sleepy cafes and the excitement of new holiday friendships for Paddy. Most mornings we were greeted by all sorts of native animals, usually poor little outcast Kangaroos, lone Butcher birds and at night we were graced by a single mum Possum with her babe curled up inside of her pouch. They made frequent returns to Nan and Pops garden, which is always in abundance with available shelter, food and water. Our afternoons were enjoyed with games, reading, yoga and home cooked suppers at the table together. We enjoyed revitalising early nights tucked up into bed with the sounds of nature coming out to soothe us to sleep. When we arrived home we were both a few shades darker, our hair a little drier and our hearts a little closer.

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