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I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged by my friend, Lisa. It was her parting gift as she boarded a plane to Tokyo. And I was so glad that I dug though my winter clothes for her on a 30+ degree day so she wouldn't freeze to death. Interesting way to say 'thanks', don't you think? Good thing she's one of my friends, eh?

Having been tagged, I have to tell you six weird things about myself and introduce you to six new blogs. So, as if I don't already feel weird enough every day, let's put it into writing and share it with my fellow bloggers, just to make it even more real. Buckled up? Here we go ...

1. I am an absolute cricket and rugby tragic but have never played either game in my life. OK, the tragic part wouldn't be weird if I were an Aussie bloke, but the 'never playing' part would be. But it gets better. Did I mention that I'm a woman who only came to Australia from America 15 years ago? Don't worry, the guys at work can't believe it either.
2. I am disappointed and offended at Americans' continuing inability to see how their government's foreign policy and unbridled corporate greed over the last 50 years was a major contributing factor to the current terrorist crisis around the world.
   
3. I am physiologically unable to follow the directions. I try, I really do, but it is a constant struggle and, in the end, it's just a lost cause.
   
4. I never, not even once, did canteen duty while my daughter was in primary school. While I did tonnes of other stuff at her school, I think I am the only mum to happily dodge that particular bullet for seven whole years.
5. I am much happier divorced than I ever was married.
   
6. Even though I've lived in Sydney for years and can't imagine living anywhere else, there are times when I miss Connecticut so much that it causes me physical distress. During those times, if I were to chance upon a baseball game amid fallen leaves on a crisp autumn afternoon, I'd be on the next QANTAS flight to LAX and on to Bradley Field in a heartbeat.

Now that is out of the way, here are six blogs that inspire me. The tough part was not picking some of the same ones on Lisa's list.

1. Rhonda is a relatively new blogger but she's off to a great start
2. Dijanne, who's work never fails to get my imagination going
3. Dale, even though she supports the All Blacks
   
4. Beate is a textile artist from Germany
5. Ros is up in Queensland
6. Wolf is a Canadian photographer

The irony of my list is that most of these bloggers have probably never seen my blog.

Thanks for tagging me Lisa. This was sort of fun.

Lean on Me

Making Tracks

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Twisted

Purple Wall

Looking Up

Another Gum Leaf Sky Light

Gum Leaf Sky Light

High Chair of the Future

Every so often, I simply run out of creative vision. Nothing around me is interesting. Nothing I look at says 'Take my picture". I look around, I scroll through my archive of photos and realise: I got nothin'.

When I was in Canberra this weekend, I went to the National Museum of Australia on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin with some friends. As soon as we pulled into the carpark, the images of potential photos just jumped out at me. They were everywhere. Even in the ladies toilet. But I'll save that one for later.

I was so relieved that my muse hadn't left me. She was just waiting for me in Canberra.

White Birches

Candles

More Clouds

Cloud

Someplace I'd Rather Be

It's easy to forget how lucky I am to take a ferry across the harbour to work and back instead of normal commuting. But then I'll see something that makes me feel so unfortunate and disadvantaged.

So, while I'm on my way to work, someone, lots of someones, are on a cruise ship that arrived in Sydney very early this morning and, later on this evening, will be off to Vanuatu or Fiji or New Caledonia or someplace really cool.

Whoever they are, I never liked them.

Shading

This is a river, stained with tannin, outside Queenstown, Tasmania

Stacked

Piet Modrian Was (Almost) Here

While walking up Martin Place on my way to work yesterday, I happened to look down and saw these tiles over a utility access cover. None of the other ones nearby look like it. Someone put a lot of extra work into this one.

I've walked over these tiles for heaven knows how long, two years at least, and never noticed it before.

I wonder ... did Piet Mondrian decide to take up stonework?

Sworls

Reflections #2

Reflections #1

Sydney Markets -- Reds & Blues

Sydney Markets -- Greens

What a Difference a Day Makes!

This is what the city looked like yesterday while I waited for the ferry. But, looking just to the left, you could almost hear the theme music from Jaws ...

Sydney Markets -- Naturals

This Morning's Commute

We interrupt your regularly scheduled photos from the Sydney Markets to bring you photos of my commute to work this morning by ferry.

Even though southeastern Australia still in the grip of a severe drought, this is what the rain looked like this morning. Standing on the wharf, here is what I could see of the city.

The Opera House is there somewhere ...
... and this is Fort Jackson ...
... and the Bridge.
The rain didn't last and, more importantly, didn't cause the fifth and final cricket test between Australia and England, the Ashes series, in Sydney to be cancelled. The test got underway with minimal rain-caused delay. Phew!