I really feel I’m at my happiest and healthiest when I’m out and about enjoying all that Mother Nature has to offer.
This doesn’t mean to say that I’ll happily pitch a tent in the middle of nowhere and go without creature comforts. On reflection, it’s been a long time since I’ve slept under the stars in the great outdoors, in fact, I was young and precious when I last did it and detested the experience and I shouldn’t completely rule out roughing it again now that I am older and less precious.
The onset and the confines of Covid ignited a desire in me to lace up and, like Grasshopper, walk the Earth. I’ve enjoyed some fairly decent explorations, right on my own doorstep, encountering up close and personal the most amazing flora and fauna.
I’d love to share some of the nature pictures I’ve captured over the past 15 months, but rather than plonking them in a photo storing app and linking to an album, I would like to share them, a few at a time, here. Don’t expect quality photos as I’m really not much of a photographer - it’s just me and my Samsung and it’s the subject matter that’s important here.
I’d also love to see the BBAD crew’s photos out and about in Mother Nature - even the back garden - so please feel free to share.
Here’s the start:
This lovely old man of the sea took up residence at our local harbour - I assume to live out the rest of his days in retirement, not having to struggle and fight for his next meal. He would patiently wait for the local fishermen to clean their catch and deliver the scraps to him via the slide. He had very few teeth, lots of battle scars and died not too long (a month or two) after these photos were taken.
Today we went hiking in Kondalilla National Park nestled in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. It was a gorgeous day, we were blessed with endless sunshine. Unfortunately we didn’t see any wildlife, we were hoping to see perhaps a python, goanna and ample bird life, however they were obviously hiding from us. We did have a bit of excitement with a large tree falling and blocking the trail. It was necessary to climb under the trunk and then over its numerous branches which was a little unnerving. Approximately 5km roundtrip including 300 steps down to the bottom of a waterfall and back up again. Will sleep well tonight.
Is that you and your husband in the photos? You’re looking great. And what a beautiful place you’ve landed in. Your family contributes to the beauty of the area.
5 km is perfect, too. More is a chore.
You should make that photo your avatar.
I’ve wondered why you left Mollymook. I would certainly prefer Brisbane being a city boy but you chose somewhere still quite rural. It seems like an unusual move but I’m sure you have your reasons.
I would say I enjoyed the photos but I admit, I was happy to see a face more than anything. Nice photos, Kim. Thank you for sharing and I agree with Reg about your avatar. You take a really nice photo.
Thanks Reg. Getting older and like photos of myself less these days but oh well happens to us all.
I adore Mollymook and really struggled with moving on. We really made the move to give our youngest more opportunity, as Mollymook and surrounds is greatly lacking in public amenities and job opportunities.
We have grown to love the rural towns as opposed to big city living. We’re really lucky though that the Sunshine Coast is experiencing rapid growth which will improve the already excellent facilities (medical, shopping, employment).
I would not even contemplate living in Brisvegas. There are some very questionable characters residing there which make the area quite unappealing.
Our eldest son, on the other hand, lives in the heart of Sydney city and wouldn’t have it any other way. He is currently doing a PhD and loves living close to the major universities. He is definitely a city boy for life!!
I get that. Small town life is great for retirement. For raising kids in 2021, it must be difficult. This new place must be perfect for both. If the young man wants to go live or work in or near Brisbane, he can, and you and your husband can live in the country.
The future may change things. Remote work is becoming more common. I haven’t had employees since I sold my data center but I just hired a remote worker. The less I see of them, the better, and I have no doubt he feels the same way. I pay for results and I don’t care when I get them. He can fit my work into his other tasks. It approaches perfection for both sides. This is a good time to be alive.
PS: I have promised Isa that I will consider buying a house when I’m 70. I have 15 years to enjoy life until this prison sentence arrives and I intend to. Unless I die before then and escape that fate.
You two are such non-city-dwellers. lol. You don’t experience the traffic if you live downtown. You walk or ride your bicycles or take the train/subway or ride a scooter. Only country people visiting the city experience traffic.
Haha good luck with that. We’re contemplating buying an apartment nearby, as an investment initially, with view to retirement living when we’re 70ish. I think the house we’re in now will be our last house. The maintenance is too much. And this one doesn’t even have a proper yard to speak of. The yard consists of a plunge pool and outdoor kitchen.
That’s “leisure” traffic, which isn’t leisurely at all. You don’t ride the seawall to get anywhere. You ride it to enjoy the views and the vibe, and to discover that a zillion other people had the same idea.
Riding around town in our bike lanes to get places is pretty easy, and most buildings have bike racks to lock your bike to.
I get that I am unusual this way, and I get that nobody else feels like I do, but I just hate houses. lol. Lots of work, generally ugly views, wood construction (at least here), and a drive-everywhere lifestyle. Horrible. When I’m 70, I doubt I will want to travel as much as I do (or did before Covid) so maybe fiddling with all that stuff will be fun to me then. Or maybe I’ll tell Isa my back hurts too much to deal with stairs and stay downtown. lol.
Haha so true. Mollymook (or the neighbouring suburb) has one set of traffic lights on the highway out of town. I grew impatient when stopping at the red. Lol.
I rarely drive here (QLD). OMG the locals are maniacs on the road and the roads are bigger and wider and busier. I need a stiff drink to calm the nerves after a drive out of town.
