More May

We're still enjoying this beautiful (but cold!) month of May in Canberra. Its been full on winter this week with a -4oC frost one morning to boot! But the early morning fog on the lake is mysterious and wonderful......

and the avenue of Manchurian Pear trees by the lake is at peak colour this week.

Yesterday we waited for the fog to lift before heading out to the old 1920s era Strathnairn Homestead (now the site of a not for profit Arts Association) on the outer west fringe of Belconnen to see if we could warm ourselves by walking the 7.2km (return) track to Shepherds Lookout with its promised stunning views of the Ginninderry Conservation Corridor, the Brindabellas in the distance and the beautiful winding Murrumbidgee River.......... (and quite a few cows!)

Gruner's Vista, a lookout post about halfway along the winding track, is impressive! Its very easy from here to imagine where the painter Elioth Gruner gained his inspiration for "Weetangera, Canberra" (painted in 1937). I hadn't realised one of Australia's most successful early 20th century landscape painters worked around the Canberra region back in the day. I have always loved his "Spring Frost" - that painting of the cows with long shadows in early morning frosty light. I could easily imagine him painting that scene around here too!

We made it to Shepherd's Lookout, The ACT's northern-most viewing point of the Murrumbidgee River.

A spectacular vantage point - but looking into the sun at this time of day!

Looking south is better for the light, but from here its hard to obscure the view of the huge Lower Molonglo Water Quality (sewage!!) Control Centre (the largest inland treatment facility in Australia - right where the Molonglo River flows into the Murrumbidgee).

This is a very painterly landscape - no wonder its been a source of inspiration for our Claire's work too..

 

Ella is sixteen

It's hard to believe this girl has been here sixteen years already - that all happened so fast! 

Ella has her Ls already and is driving her own car (the little black Jetta). She's stayed a lover of Gymnastics and is making her mark in the competitive world of legal studies, top level mathematics and very clever (and funny) one liners. She's renowned for her childhood disgust at kite flying, pedalling up steep hills and the black swans of Weston Park. She's also had some monumental (but very funny) fails that are part of family myth making - at jam making and (not) getting her Ls without doing the preliminary test! All of this awesomeness has been squeezed into her sixteen short years.

Ella greeted her 16th birthday cash splash yesterday with characteristic joy!

Are we allowed to say there might have even been a little champagne toast to mark the occasion?

Our family celebration last night included some candles and the obligatory chocolate...

Ella definitely has the best parents (and little sister) in the planet!

Happy birthday darling girl. We have been so lucky to share so much of your life in the last sixteen years and we'll love always being there for you and Abi no matter what the future brings.

The 80th anniversary of the sinking of the Centaur

Eighty years ago today, in 1943, the hospital ship "Centaur" was torpedoed and sunk off the Queensland coast by a Japanese submarine. Clearly marked as a hospital ship its sinking and the loss of over 200 lives made Australians fully realise the urgency of overcoming the advance of the Japanese army... 

Rob's dad Allan (age 22 years) was one of only 64 survivors of this disaster (wartime atrocity)......

For a few years before he died in 1999 Allan was the only remaining Queensland survivor of the disaster (atrocity) and was regularly featured in news stories each May.

It was ironic really because it was a topic never discussed with the family until Allan was well into his sixties - when he started to open up about the experience.  He escaped a flooded cabin, fires caused by the explosion, and a 20 metre drop into the ocean  before eventually making his way onto a makeshift raft with other survivors. They were rescued a day and a half later by the American destroyer USS Mugford. Allan suffered injuries during his escape, which he mostly ignored at the time, until they caught up with him later in life, resulting in spinal surgery and a great loss in mobility.

The 80th anniversary was commemorated at the Last Post ceremony at the Australian War memorial tonight - with a particular focus on the life of Private Clement Edward Lynne of the 2/12th Field Ambulance (like Allan).  We laid a floral tribute tonight in recognition of the 80th anniversary - 6 red roses just like Bobbie used to do each year while she was alive. We lined up with the aging members of the 2/3 AHS Centaur Association while noting that Mr Matt Anderson PSM (the Director of the AWM) was also in attendance and very attentive to the families involved.

As always the AWM service is very moving, well resourced and beautifully executed in the hallowed setting of the Pool of Remembrance.

It was lovely to be in the company of these distinguished gentlemen tonight at the service - Rod and our neighbour Cameron, both of whom were first time visitors to the Last Post ceremony. We really appreciated their interest and their presence.

And a footnote: Today was Mothers Day - and I just happened to come across a card Ella had made for me, maybe around 7 years ago??? showing me with a happy face being served breakfast by a robot while I'm seated in a comfy armchair - definitely one of the best Mothers Day cards I've ever received!

 

The month of May

May is our favourite month in Canberra... the light, the big blue skies, the stunning Autumn colour and the invigorating cooler weather. We do the lake walk most mornings and the view changes every day depending on the sun, the cloud cover, the fog (or not) and the wind. In Autumn its often just perfect like this .... 

We climbed Mt Ainslie last week after a day of sleet and rain and snowfalls on the surrounding hills. I took this pic on the mountain, facing east, over Canberra Airport with snow on the hills in the distance, a rare sight over this way (more common over the Brindabellas to the west).

Back at our apartment precinct the Autumn colour is just stunning. The Lipstick Maples are now 6-7 years old and are just Autumn show stoppers this year. They are their own light source for the precinct!

The stunning view from our apartment's winter garden on the fourth floor ......

The month of May coincides with a birthday celebration for Wayne too - as well as shearing season in the district and the arrival of a few quiet weeks in the vineyard after the annual grape picking. Wayne and Jennie brought along a sample of their fine merino wool clip to the birthday lunch yesterday - the very best in the district (and indeed even better than the Murdoch wool from Cavan Station near Yass I'm sure). 

This pair are a real lesson in vibrant high energy senior living!

Meanwhile May is just another one of many great months for Abi, as long as there are plenty of horse-riding opportunities. Today she was doing voluntary work at Redlands Stables, helping her coach Victoria take a riding class with 8 year old beginners. Harry was pressed into service with one of the new riders, and took everything in his stride (as usual), with Abi leading the way.

Abi was pretty pleased with being able to wear her new Redlands Stables jacket - almost like one of the staff!!!

Back at Forest Park this afternoon she rode Gus the pony for her lesson. For some reason he was a bit antsy in the lesson and gave a decent buck in the middle of a right rein circle canter. Abi kept her seat luckily and didn't have a fall - no thanks to Gus! But she didn't hold a grudge against him for the disrespect shown!