Whimsical Wednesday #280

Welcome back to Whimsical Wednesday!

The day for your googled giggle that gets you over the hump that is Wednesday and sliding down into the weekend.

How many of us feel like this when we first crawl out of bed?
 

Musical Monday # 153

I was introduced to Musical Monday by Delores who copied the meme from another site.

I think it’s a fun way to show off some of the music we like and brighten up our Mondays at the same time. 

I’ll be finding my clips on you tube, so will simply credit that site since there are often so many versions of everything and I wouldn’t want to accidentally credit the wrong artist.

Today’s clip is: Phil Collins

You'll Be In My Heart
from the Tarzan soundtrack

Sunday Selections # 328

Welcome back to Sunday Selections.

Begun way back in the mist of time by Kim of Frog Ponds Rock and now continued by me, with a drastic relaxation of rules.

Originally meant for showcasing old photos lost on your files, never seeing the light of day, the meme has morphed into photos of your choice, new or old, good or not-so-good, anything you please, but nothing rude please.

If you are participating, please leave me a comment so I can buzz along and have a look.
Elephant's Child always participates, and her pictures are always worth seeing.

today we are back in Stirling:

where I noticed this sweet little hand written sign outside a Sleepwear shop. I hope the owner doesn't mind that I borrowed it. 
"Buy her some sleepwear and say something nice. 
And remember, it's your fault that she wees a little everytime she sneezes. 
Love and Sacrifice!"

fiery roses! one of many bunches for sale for Mother's Day.

aren't they gorgeous?

these bunches are all in the front of the Stirling Organic Market, which is quite famous for its fresh fruits and vegetables.

bright little bunches of sunshine

and some in bright white

this is just a small selection of the bouquets on offer

there was even a free  wrapping service.

many of the trees were wearing their autumn colours, which is why I came to Stirling

some less colourful than others

many sections were multi-hued

as was this tree with many shades of yellow and orange

I saw a fat camellia bush covered in fat buds, Stirling is well known for its many camellias, some of which are a couple of hundred years old. The soil and climate are perfect for them.

here's a lovely outlook, grey bark, bright leaves, nicely set off by dark pencil pines.

the street trees have all been pruned short to keep branches away from overhead wires, at least they still look like trees. I've seen some closer to home that are quite badly butchered each year.

this is the far end of town where I walked to, then turned back and started taking photos, it's a small town along the main road, but larger in its sideways spreads.

I loved this huge old gum tree (eucalyptus) with rough grey bark below and white branches above

green, orange, yellow, and a blue sky; almost a rainbow

there is still plenty of green around, with cypress and pines everywhere and of course the gum trees

this liquidambar (?) is a mass of green and yellow stars

with just one branch of deep red stars off to one side.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday's Words on a Friday

 The original Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and eventually taken over by a moveable feast of participants when Delores had computer troubles.

The aim of the words is to encourage us to write, a story, a poem, whatever comes to mind.
If you are posting an entry on your own blog, please let us know so we can come along and read it.

This month the words are supplied by Elephant's Child and can be found here.

This week's words are:

1. agile
2. blast
3. cacophany
4. desire
5. eager
6. flirt

and/or: 

1. ground
2. hidden
3. injury
4. jealous
5. kindliness
6. lament

Here is my story:



When she first arrived on campus, Julia had been so eager for friendship; her innocence and pretty face made her a target for Will Lawson, the campus flirt well known for his "love 'em and dump 'em" ways. Her desire to fit in made Julia blind to the whispers and hidden laughter of the girls who knew Will well. 
Within three months, a heartbroken Julia had learned her lesson.

She turned away from the crowd, seeking the company of minority groups, the underground sect who admired her agile mind, accepted her just as she was. Their kindliness helped her overcome the heartbreak, helped her become less jealous of the rich and popular elite.

Little did they know the lament that grew barbs in Julia's heart and mind. She learned, she planned and she waited, for just the right moment.

Tonight, that moment had arrived.

The cacophany coming from the dining room meant the popular crowd were partying, the victorious football season was over for another year and not only had there been no lost games, there had also been no players lost to injury that year. 

Julia knew her entrance would not be heard and if anyone did register her appearance, that would soon be forgotten. Julia had become one of the invisible people.  She walked into the middle of the room, and unseen, planted the plastic explosive and timer under the edge of the table. Julia set the timer and walked away, still unnoticed. 
An hour later, sitting in a cafe, sipping coffee with her friends, Julia appeared as shocked as everyone else when the blast rocked the building and was heard all over campus.

Whimsical Wednesday # 279

Welcome back to Whimsical Wednesday!

The day for your googled giggle that gets you over the hump that is Wednesday and sliding down into the weekend.

 

Musical Monday # 152

I was introduced to Musical Monday by Delores who copied the meme from another site.

I think it’s a fun way to show off some of the music we like and brighten up our Mondays at the same time. 

I’ll be finding my clips on you tube, so will simply credit that site since there are often so many versions of everything and I wouldn’t want to accidentally credit the wrong artist.

Today’s clip is: Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons

Walk Like A Man

Sunday Selections # 327

Welcome back to Sunday Selections.

Begun way back in the mist of time by Kim of Frog Ponds Rock and now continued by me, with a drastic relaxation of rules.

Originally meant for showcasing old photos lost on your files, never seeing the light of day, the meme has morphed into photos of your choice, new or old, good or not-so-good, anything you please, but nothing rude please.

If you are participating, please leave me a comment so I can buzz along and have a look.
Elephant's Child always participates, and her pictures are always worth seeing.

Yesterday I took myself into the hills, by bus of course, it's too far to walk, to a favourite town of mine, Stirling. It's gorgeous up there at this time of year and I took a few hundred photos of trees wearing their autumn colours, but I'll show some of those another day. 
Today we'll see a few of the sights in Stirling, but to begin, I have two photos of interesting clouds sent to me via phone by 'no-one'. You all remember who she is? 

Last Wednesday's clouds. Can you all see people dancing in these clouds? I'm not sure the picture will enlarge.

this was the sunset last Thursday. No-one takes better phone photos than I do.

here's my shadow, leaning against the post while waiting for the bus to Stirling.

Once in Stirling I walked right through to the other end, then walked my way back taking photos. 

hand painted sign just leaning against a bush.

and the chestnut man himself. Notice the wire basket right beside the $6 sign? it sits over an open fire and he turns the basket by hand while the chestnuts within get roasted. I spoke to him a while and learned he has been doing this here for thirty years. I didn't think to ask his name :(

a couple of dead trees down a side road leading to somewhere else.

a little further down that side road, this cypress looks pretty close to dead also.

a pretty decorated stobie pole

which turns out to be mosaic not painted.

this pretty gazebo is in the small park adjacent to the "new" library building

much closer to the library building is this sculpture. I have no idea what it represents, or even if it does represent anything.

closer to the other end of town is this sculpture, by a New Zealand artist, the particulars are on the post there, but I didn't photograph all the sides of that. This is just one of many sculptures along the 'Hills Sculpture Trail'.

the other park at the bus stop end of town with another pretty gazebo. in the background is a playground where my grandchildren used to play, it is much bigger now and fully fenced so kids can't run onto the road. I took a closer shot, but it has recognisable faces of dads and kids so I won't show it.

across the road from the playground is "The Old Manse"

here is a side/back view

and the front. it is used as the physiotherapy centre now.

the carpark area for the Manse is right next to this old footpath which leads onto a walking trail along the hilltop; the trail connects Stirling with the foot bridge over the freeway to a smaller town, Crafers. I've walked this trail before, many years ago with the grandchildren, coming from Crafers into Stirling. I thought about walking it again, this time from Stirling to Crafers, but decided against it. I'll do it one day when I have a friend with me, in case I fall or trip or something. Sections of it are steep, there are leaves and rocks, 90% of the trail isn't paved.

So I walked back into the town and found my favourite bakery:

where I bought a couple of pastries, apple danish and apricot danish, to bring home.