Monet's garden, mint, here to help

After we finished doing all the boring stuff we had to do yesterday, Luke and I walked up to the National Gallery of Victoria to see the Monet's Garden exhibition. The air was brisk, but the sun was warm. The path was lined with autumn leaves. The trees have been really holding onto their leaves, but it's finally looking more like autumn now. 

There was a quite mesmerising art installation in the foyer of the NGV consisting of a pool of gently moving water and a flotilla of shallow ceramic bowls of all sizes. The bowls tinkled and chimed as they drifted into each other. So simple, but quite captivating. I made a short video of it so you can hear it.  

I enjoyed the Monet exhibition. Like many people, I was most familiar with his water lily paintings, but didn't know much of his other works, or of his life. We were amused by his description of his labours in a letter to his first wife Alice in 1894:

Think of me getting up before 6; I’m at work by 7 and I continue until 6.30 in the evening standing up all the time, nine canvases. It’s murderous and to think I drop everything, you, my garden, all for this …

I suspect there would have been many late 19th century workers who would have been delighted to swap places. 

Apart from the water lily paintings, Vetheuil in the Fog, was my favourite, which is probably not surprising since I'm very partial to a foggy landscape photo.

My Impressionist-style photo of a deer made of 

glass orbs (taken through the NGV's water wall) 

On our way home we ventured into the Queen Victoria Gardens and King's Domain.

Raindrops

Unexpected duck discovery (ducks on right)

This pond is near the Sidney Myer music bowl

The city, also from near the music bowl

The Tan track in the foreground

It was very chilly by this stage. I was very happy to get home to our warm flat (the heat is back on).

Baby mint

A few weeks ago I cut a long shoot off our mint plant and put it in a glass of water on the kitchen window sill. It's grown roots. I'd better plant it. 

Here to help

When I was buying my lunch today I overhead a man ask the sandwich shop people if they had gluten-free bread. They didn't, but before I could tell him that the shop next door did, he was off. While I was waiting for my toastie to toast, he walked past again, still sans lunch, so I walked over and told him where to get the gluten-free bread. I threw in a bonus tip on where to get a gluten-free muffin nearby.

Warrandyte adventure

We went on an adventure to the outer suburb of Warrandyte today.  It's more like a small town in the bush than a 'normal' suburb. It's the place where gold was first found in Victoria (in 1851), setting off the  gold rush. I didn't know that, but I did know that it was a nice spot to visit - I'd been twice before, but ages ago.

An old house-cum-shop on the main street

The Yarra, the river I walk along on my way to work, also runs through Warrandyte, but it looks a lot different. It's bushy, there's no paved paths and you can easily get to the water's edge. It was a warm day and a few kids were having a paddle. There's also gentle rapids in places.

Quack

We had lunch and meandered about a few shops and a gallery before taking a stroll along the river. We saw a lone duck zoom past, riding the rapids. I imagine it was thinking, "Wheeeeee!" as it went down river. It was very funny, but too fast to catch on camera. 

After leaving Warrandyte we headed towards Kangaroo Ground - we didn't really have a plan, we just got in the car and drove. We stopped to take in the view from the memorial tower. 

The city in the hazy distance

17 miles away

Then we visited Sugarloaf Reservoir, which is one of the dams that supplies water to Melbourne. 

I was surprised we could actually walk down to the water's edge in some places. Uh, sorry, Melbourne water drinkers, but I dipped my toe in it. The banks are quite rocky. 

I found a stone shaped like a stone-age dagger. I bought it home as a souvenir.

There's some nice little golden elms at the reserve. I love the way it looks when the sun shines through elm leaves.

On the way back we stopped again in Kangaroo Ground to take some photos of a rural vista of rolling hills, dams, a few sheep and cows and rusty old buildings. 

It would be really pretty when the grass is green. (Related: it's officially autumn! Yay!)

Old buildings

Lucky I didn't take this shot a few seconds later 

(cow pat alert)

Not actually gleeful

To be honest with you, I'm struggling to find any glee in today. I'm really tired, I'm bored at work and now I'm grumpy.

 

So, here's a video with ducklings in it. It's amusing, but it does also make you a bit fearful for their safely.  Fear not. No ducks were harmed.

Present, parrots, golden hour

The parcel from a friend that I have been eagerly awaiting finally arrived today. Hurrah! It's a copy of the new Nick Earls book called Word Hunters: The Curious Dictionary. Not only is it the latest work of one of my favourite authors, it's also signed by Nick and the illustrator, Terry Whidborne. As the title suggests, it's a novel about words. Two of my favourite things rolled into one.

It was sent by my friend Gillian, who's a real librarian. Nick and Terry came to her library and she very kindly got them to sign a copy of their new book for me. I'm very spoilt.

I'll have to take a break from the book I'm reading to devour Word Hunters. I'm reading the biography of Samuel Johnson I bought a little while back. I haven't read very much because it's kind of tedious and I'm disappointed to discover Johnson was, in today's parlance, a bit of a wanker.  I want to finish it though, but a break is welcome. 

I wore my new(ish) red shoes to work for the first time today. I got lots of compliments. 

I've been seeing a small flock of grass parrots on the way to work in the mornings. I saw them tonight on the way home and stopped to take a photo. 

I also saw a duck standing on water. 

Oh, all right; it was standing on a rock just below the surface. Thanks to me, the ducks that hang around beside the Yarra near Birrarung Marr must be among the most photographed ducks in Melbourne. I'm the duck paparazzi. The quackerazzi. 

The clouds were pretty as I was walking home in the golden hour. 

Around the bay in a day

The weather didn't look promising on our 

way to Sorrento...

That's our ferry on its way back from Queenscliff. 

Still looking rather grey, but it wasn't cold

On the ferry...a cargo ship passing by and rain in the distance.

  I felt a bit seasick inside the ferry, despite the calm water, 

but was OK on the deck at the front

On the other side... An old sign in Queenscliff: Refreshment

The Point Lonsdale Pier

Tiny blue shells in the crevices of rocks on the beach at Point Lonsdale. 

They were smaller than the nail on my little finger.

Point Nepean on the Mornington Peninsula on other side 

of Port Phillip Bay, near where we boarded the ferry

 (click here to see map)  

Flowers and stone

At Point Lonsdale 

Unstable blogger 

The lighthouse at Point Lonsdale

Seabird

The beach at Point Lonsdale

C'mon on in guys. The water's fine 

Ducks and other birdlife on the road to Indented Head

An old thing in the sea at Indented Head

Eastern  Beach in Geelong, on our way back to Melbourne

Eastern Beach marina

Old signs in Geelong 

Fake Friday, birds and buttercups

It's (fake) Fridayeeeee for meeeeeee! Got my annual leave day tomorrow. As I mentioned, Luke and I going on a Round-the-Bay in a day jaunt (only we'll be jaunting by car and ferry, not by bike and ferry). I'm really looking forward to it.

There's a new duck couple in town. Or maybe I just forgot they were in town already.

 Acting natural by the boatsheds

"Whaddya lookin' at?"

I also saw a duck family of mum, dad and two ducklings swimming on the river on my way home.  Again, hopefully not the same duck family I saw a few weeks ago. 

And Mr and Mrs Swan have built another nest.   I think it's the same pair that built a nest right on the river bank last year  - the male has an identifying tag around his neck. It seems swans are not very smart or have short memories because they've built their nest in another spot at risk of being washed away if the river rises after heavy rain. I won't get my hopes up about seeing cygnets. 

The floral displays in front of the Melbourne Town Hall at the moment are gorgeous. So colourful and cheery. 

I especially love these flowers (below). I knew them only as ranunculus, but, thanks to Google, I've learnt that ranunculus is a genus of more than 600 varieties. This particular variety is a Persian Buttercup. That's a much nicer name for such a pretty flower.  

Henry, dedication, growing up

Luke and I are off to the refurbished Hamer Hall for the first time tomorrow to see Henry Wagons in the first installment of a series called Performance Enhancers. He'll be chatting about his influences and performing. 

Henry also has a new "mini-album" coming out in a few weeks, which is sort of his first solo album (it mostly features duets). And look at the cover! It's Kanes Bridge, the footbridge over the river at Yarra Bend Park, seen here on my other blog. 

I went to the gym tonight. On a Friday. I've only done that once or twice in all the years I've been a gym-goer. It just seems wrong...even if I have nothing planned besides staying home on the couch. I didn't manage to fit in my second workout on Wednesday or Thursday, and I don't want to go on the weekend, or go a full week between gym visits. I did that last week, and was sore for three days afterwards. 

I saw the duck family this morning on the river's edge. The ducklings have doubled in size in the space of a week! *sigh* They grown up so fast. 

There's a story in The Age today on the Little Library at Melbourne Central, which I discovered last weekend. 

Triple treat, new tunes, giantess

Tis the eve of spring...and Gleeful's fourth birthday...and Luke's homecoming! I'm triply excited! 

Continuing the trio theme, I saw a pair of ducks with their three ducklings foraging for insects on the bank of the Yarra this morning. I hope it's not the same pair of ducks I saw a few weeks ago because that would mean their brood is rather depleted. 

I've bought two new albums this week. One is the new Gabby Young and The Other Animals CD, The Band Called Out For More, which is theatrical and almost operatic. The other is Underneath this Big Striped Tent, the debut album of the quirky American duo Channing & Quinn. A big thank you to my friend Margaret for sending me a link to their album because she thought it would be to my liking. Yes, indeedy. I'd never heard of them, but after a few bars of the first song, I had goosebumps. Channing Lee and Gabby Young both have fantastic voices. 

I wore a pair of my new boots at work today. They have pretty high (but solid) heels and a hidden platform, so I felt like a giantess (I'm usually 163cm). They're pretty comfy too, as high heels go anyway. 

I had drinks with the girls from my old work last night. One friend who left the firm a few months before me was also there. We haven't seen her for ages so there were hugs and smiles all round. There's was no tasty lamb dish this time, but the $10 cocktails made that easy to overlook. Delicious fruity cocktails. Yum.  

More Mali!

Here's a few more Mali sculptures. I think this weekend is their last weekend at large in the city before being auctioned off, so I probably won't get to see them all. 

Bourke Street Mall 

 Southbank, the Clarendon Street end

 I think I posted a pic of this one before, but I only 

realised last night this is the Mali self-portrait

I wonder if those blue circular marks 

are from elephant kisses?

The sunset tonight from near Seafarers Bridge