52 Things in 52 Weeks

22 Saturday Jan 2022

Posted by in 52 challenge, all about me

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I need to send this out into the universe. I’m committing to “52 things in 52 weeks” challenge. Some are daily, some weekly, some are one-off challenges. I want 2022 to be a memorable year for positive reasons, not just another year living with covid. Some things I’ve done before but there are several brand new ideas too. In no particular oder ….

1 ~ Visit the Northeast corner of Tasmania  

2 ~ Visit Ben Lomond and drive up “Jacob’s Ladder”
3 ~ Spend more time out in nature
4 ~ Create new health habits and make them stick
5 ~ Exercise before breakfast on week days
6 ~ Pay it Forward
7 ~ Reduce our environmental impact
8 ~ Review and reduce our rubbish and recycling every three months
9 ~ Do something special on public holidays
10 ~ See a show at The Playhouse, Hobart
11 ~ Swim in the ocean on Christmas Day
12 ~ Keep my diary up to date, include sketch noting
13 ~ Complete another year of Photo a Day 
14 ~ Change my job within current organisation
15 ~ Update our driftwood Christmas tree throughout the year
16 ~ Complete another year of Sentence a Day journal 
17 ~ Learn more about indigenous culture and history
18 ~ Read a meaningful book every month
19 ~ Visit a new restaurant every 3 months
20 ~ Attend two workshop to learn new skills
21 ~ Try a new craft activity
22 ~ Ride an e-scooter
23 ~ Go to a drive in movie
24 ~ Fly in a sea plane 
25 ~ Go to a basketball match
26 ~ Visit all exhibitions at TMAG Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery
27 ~ Take part in a painting workshop
28 ~ Revisit MONA regularly 
29 ~ Get to a healthy weight and maintain it
30 ~ Add a new recipe to our diet every two months

31 ~ Try a new ingredient every month
32 ~ Go to a Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra concert
33 ~ Review and use photography techniques 
34 ~ Join a reading challenge
35 ~ Ride a Jet Ski 
36 ~ Take a moonlit walk on a beach 
37 ~ Review and reduce my photo catalogue 
38 ~ Visit the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens every season
39 ~ Grow more veggies and herbs
40 ~ Make use of local library and street libraries
41 ~ Visit Phillip Island
42 ~ Visit Brighton Beach, Melbourne, to see the beach huts
43 ~ Reduce my alcohol intake, have alcohol free weekdays unless special occasion 
44 ~ Go to a live comedy show
45 ~ Regularly go to the local farmers market 
46 ~ Visit Canberra
47 ~ Go Blueberry picking
48 ~ Visit Evandale for their Penny Farthing Fair
49 ~ Decide on blog direction, expand my blog network 
50 ~ Try six new tea flavours
51 ~ Sort out my wardrobe and be realistic 
52 ~ Take a selfie every week for a year 

Fruit fresh from the Farmers Market

16 Sunday Jan 2022

Posted by in one with nature, photography

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It’s set to be a short season for some of our summer fruit. Partly due to weather, hail storms which has damaged some crops. Also the lack of pickers due to Australia’s border closure, lack of back packers and casual workers.

So I was delighted to buy these delicious fruits from the local farmers markets. Hopefully I can get to some Pick Your Own farms next weekend.

2022 – A year to drift or to achieve?

09 Sunday Jan 2022

Posted by in all about me

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January is usually my time to review, reflect and think about what I want for my future. This new year I feel rather flat, lacking in energy, enthusiasm and motivation.

So …. Today I have drawn a mind map, thinking about ideas to nurture my body, mind and soul. I don’t want to spend 2022 just drifting, which is how the past two years feel. 

I had such big plans for 2020, a zero birthday, a new decade. It started brilliantly with New Year and my birthday in New Zealand. But then the pandemic hit and everything else fell by the wayside. 

 I achieve a lot more if I have a list, or a challenge, so this mind map is a starting point. How do you take stock of a year, of your achievements, your wishes for the future?

Changing Seasons – December 2021

31 Friday Dec 2021

Posted by in remembering / musing

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Christmas Carols by the Beach was a highlight of my December.

It’s been two years since I’ve experienced a summer season.

My seasons in the past 18 months have been … winter – spring – autumn – winter – spring – autumn – winter – spring – finally summer … as I was in the UK in November last year until March.

So I’ve been making the most of blue skies, warm sunny days, visits to the beach, reading on our deck, a swim on Christmas Day.

I decorated our driftwood tree and created some other tree like ornaments.

Our office elves were back, bringing lots of fun and daily hide and seek.

Face masks are now mandatory here in Tassie so we are getting used to wearing them all day in the office. Our borders opened to all of Australia on 15th December when we had zero covid cases. Today we have 520 active cases, 137 new cases in the past 24 hours. Covid is here to stay and we’ll all have to get used to living with the virus in our community.

Saying “happy new year” doesn’t really feel right today. Instead, I’ll say best wishes for 2022. Let’s hope this is the beginning of the end of this pandemic.

This is my contribution to “Changing Seasons” hosted by Ju-Lyn and Brian.

Changing Seasons – November “Open House”

30 Tuesday Nov 2021

Posted by in days out, my place, photography

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A highlight of November was Hobart’s “Open House” Weekend, when a number of private buildings are open to the public. We chose to visit this roof top terrace.

The building dates back to 1906 and is currently office space and a private apartment. Back in the 1930’s the roof terrace was a café. The entrance hall has a lovely ceiling and wood panelling.

We also visited the Royal Tennis Court, or Real Tennis Club. I have no idea of the rules except that the game is a cross between tennis and squash with the ball in play when it bounces off the walls or the roof of the viewing gallery.

We’ve had some hot sunny days, ideal for beach walks. We’ve had many wet days when we’ve headed out in between showers for local walks. We also had the coldest November day in 70 years with snow on the mountain again.

This is my contribution to Changing Seasons challenge, hosted by Ju-Lyn and Bushboys World.

Looking at people, looking at art.

20 Saturday Nov 2021

Posted by in creativity, photography

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This Sidney Nolan exhibition “The Ned Kelly Series” is currently at TMAG – Tasmanian Museum & Gallery – in Hobart.

The paintings are absorbing, depicting the story of the 19th century bush ranger and capturing varying Australian landscapes. I also found the visitors to the exhibition interesting.

I’m linking this to Deb’s “Six Word Saturday”.

I’m a couple of weeks behind but here is my silhouette contribution to Jude’s “Life in Colour”.