• 18 things for 2018
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  • 2017 Challenge – 17 things
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  • This is Me – May 2015
  • This was Me – August 2014

RuthsArc

~ Looking forward, looking back & enjoying now.

RuthsArc

Category Archives: all about me

Changing Seasons – June 2020 – Lockdown eases

30 Tuesday Jun 2020

Posted by RuthsArc in all about me, photography

≈ 19 Comments

Tags

seasons

June has seen a roll back of lockdown measures, here in Tasmania. At the beginning of the month, shops reopened, children returned to school, people returned to work. Social distancing of 1.5 meters remained in place.

Covid-19 precautions at work include temperature check when signing in, also new batch of hand sanitiser.
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Last Friday more restrictions eased. 500 people can gather outdoors, 250 indoors, with 1 person per 2sqm rule, thus allowing museums, galleries, restaurants, cafes, pubs, clubs to resume business. 20 visitors allowed to visit per household. Markets, food courts, garage sales, casinos, spas, swimming pools reopened. Community sport resumed.

Life feels like we’re heading back to a level of normality. Tasmania is fortunate, we have been virus free since the middle of the month and had no new cases for over 46 days.

Tasmania has used its advantage of being an island. Our borders have been closed since mid March. Anyone arriving from mainland Australia must complete 14 days quarantine, visitors in a government sponsored hotel, residents can quarantine at home. The rules are strict. So we feel safe here while we watch the news from other countries, other parts of Australia, as cases increase in some communities. Although a little worried what will happen when our borders open. Tasmania relies on tourism so it is a fine balance between economy and health risk.

We – well husband – has made this hat rack, for my one and his many hats. The wood is local Huon Pine.
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We’ve picked olives from the trees in our garden and they’re now in jars. Our first attempt at curing olives. Fingers crossed.
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I joined as group of neighbours for a productive clean up of our local coast path and beaches, one Sunday morning. We collected plastics, rope, a cushion, large piece of rubber, bubble wrap, wood. A worthwhile couple of hours.
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We’ve had some sunny winter days so have tried to get out into nature, exploring the countryside. Walks on the beach with long winter afternoon shadows. We’ve also tried to support local businesses, where possible. A visit to the local animal sanctuary, lunches out, take away coffees.
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This is my contribution to Su’s Changing Seasons.

Changing Seasons – May 2020 Autumn in lockdown

31 Sunday May 2020

Posted by RuthsArc in all about me, photography

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

seasons

Here in Hobart, May has been a month of autumn colours, frosty mornings, mild sunny days.
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We have been given more freedoms as lockdown rules begin to roll back. We can go out more, travel further from our homes, more shops are open and cafes and restaurants can have up to ten people seated in addition to take away meals.
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I took these photos of Hobart Waterfront. There are not usually so many fishing boats in port.
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Therefore May has also been a mixed month, with a different feel today compared to the beginning of the month.

To occupy myself, I have knitted a couple of baby strawberry hats. Here is our granddaughter. When I posted this photo I had two orders so I’m still busy with red and green wool.
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I saw this experiment so tried it for myself. Hot water in the middle of a circle of M&M’s creates a pretty rainbow. Yes I still ate the chocolates 🙂
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And I have relaxed with this fascinating book.
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As today is the last day of autumn I will close with this image of “the last leaf on the tree”.
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This is my contribution to Su’s Changing Seasons challenge.

Changing Seasons – April 2020 in lockdown.

02 Saturday May 2020

Posted by RuthsArc in all about me, photography

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

seasons

April has been a full month of lockdown. Hobart’s Salamanca Place is usually a bustling market on Saturdays, surrounded by popular cafes and bars. Now it is empty except for the drive through test centre.
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I’m fortunate to still be working full time and work has been hectic, with some days in the office, others working from home. As well as formal Zoom meetings, our Deputy CEO organised a “Big Hello” meeting so colleagues from all three offices could meet online. Hats, backgrounds were optional as we waved at each other and said Hi. It was a fun ten minutes in a busy day.
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“Time is like water, if finds its own level.” Away from work, some weekends have dragged, despite walks along local coastal paths. I painted some pebbles to leave along the pathway and benches for kids to find.

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I’ve spent time in the garden, planting veggie seeds and seedlings, cabbage, radish, spring onions. We are harvesting carrots, rocket, spinach and I’m on my second jar of bean sprouts. Our olive trees have fruit.

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On Monday 20th April, I noticed comments on Facebook that the Aurora Australis was putting on a show. One side of our balcony faces south, so I went outside with camera in hand. I was pleased to get a few reasonable photos of the green glow in the night sky.
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I’ve drunk lots of tea and written more than usual in my diary. I have kept journals on and off for thirty years. I was happy to find new books in a local newsagent, that match earlier volumes.
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We keep in touch with family and friends and I’ve enjoyed video chats and receiving photos of our grandkids.
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I continue to feel inspired by “Action for Happiness” calendar and quotes. Here are just a couple from April.
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Stay safe. This is my contribution to Su’s Changing Seasons challenge.

Human Connections

13 Monday Apr 2020

Posted by RuthsArc in all about me, photography

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

family, me

How have you connected with family and friends during the current social distance restrictions?

I’ve had spontaneous calls with our toddler grandson, shared matching Easter Eggs, compared items in our fruit bowls.
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I’ve had regular “coffee meetings” with my Mum for five years. I arranged similar online Skype chats with UK girlfriends this weekend.
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Our London based daughter called on Face Time for a “breakfast chat”. She was so happy that she’d been able to buy a tin of Milo. Her dinner was cereal with Milo. I had my usual porridge with blueberries and we had a lovely catch up.
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I’ve had “afternoon tea” online chats and phone conversations with friends.
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I’ve shared emails and Facebook comments and messages.
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I’ve been able to share everyday moments with our two week old granddaughter, see her safe in her mother’s arms, see photos of her older brother interacting with her. My daughter even took her phone for a nappy change and continued chatting to us. It felt as though we were there in the room, just without the smell.
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And I’ve enjoyed creating photos to reflect all these different connections.

Daily Gratitude

12 Sunday Apr 2020

Posted by RuthsArc in 52 challenge, all about me, my place, Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

gratitude, Hobart

What are you grateful for in these unusual times? Here are some of my daily photos.

Finding balance in this new normal (17 stones, my personal best).
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This weekend I am especially grateful for where we live. We arrived in Hobart five years ago yesterday. (We knew Tasmania’s history but never thought we’d be “locked in” with no flights out! Lols)
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Daily exercise after working from home. Grateful for these tracks and views. We do not have to walk along city or suburban streets.
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Our new garden windmill, looking good with this week’s full moon in the morning sky.
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Early morning high tide at a local beach.
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Fresh local produce still available at our weekly farmers market.
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We are very fortunate and grateful.

Changing Seasons – March 2020 The month everything changed.

29 Sunday Mar 2020

Posted by RuthsArc in all about me, photography

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

seasons

I’ve been wondering what to write for this month when everything changed. The life we knew has been cancelled, our freedoms restricted, our everyday activities challenged.

There were so many ordinary yet pleasurable things that I had planned for March… evenings out at restaurants, theatre, cinema. Trips to our weekly farmers market and local craft markets, museums, the library.

There was a special trip planned, to be with our daughter as she gave birth to our granddaughter. But I’m in Hobart and she is in Sydney. We soon realised that I wouldn’t be able to make the trip so readjusted our plans. I walked up and down our lounge while on the phone with her in the birthing suite, sharing our breathing, positive words and vibes.

So, I have decided to concentrate on the positives, on gratitude and the simple joys.

Our granddaughter arrived safely four days ago, Mum and bub are doing well. I am so grateful for Facetime to keep in touch with family and friends. We can see her cuddled up, hear her unique little snuffles and snores. See her big brother being so gentle and amazed.
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I am grateful that I live in Tasmania. We are an island and our government has taken strong, decisive actions to help keep us safe. This was front page on our Tassie newspaper.
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Nature continues to share it’s wonders. Rain after such a dry summer, nurturing our trees, plants and crops.
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I have paper daisy flowers from seeds I planted last year. Rocket and spinach continue to thrive in our balcony pots.
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A rainbow appeared as I left for work one morning.
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Dolphins played in our river Derwent as I got off the bus on way home. Such a joy to watch.
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There are hints that autumn is here, as our days get shorter.
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I am grateful to be part of this blog community. Stay safe friends.

Happy New Year from New Zealand

01 Wednesday Jan 2020

Posted by RuthsArc in all about me, photography

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

me, New Zealand

Wishing everyone a safe and happy 2020. May we all “live our best lives”.
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My daily commute

28 Wednesday Aug 2019

Posted by RuthsArc in all about me, making changes, remembering / musing

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

me, work

On this day 5 years ago, I said goodbye to my London Banking career.

My daily commute then was a packed train through city suburbs into London Bridge Station and London Cannon Street Station.
transport

Today my commute starts at a bus stop overlooking the river and mountain, with a journey on an uncrowded bus passing the beach.

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There are several stops and depending on the weather, I try to walk a while rather than waiting at the nearest stop. I enjoy watching the seabirds, whilst walking and waiting – cormorants, oyster catchers, plovers, herons, dab chicks as well as gulls.

There is a bus stop with a shelter, up the hill which is convenient on cold or rainy days.
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Buses before 8.30am are an express route, picking up passengers this end but then non-stop into the city. I have to remember to get off at the local shopping centre and change to another slow bus to work. I’m sure one day I will be so engrossed in a book that I‘ll miss the interchange and end up across the bridge in the city centre.

Plastic Free July

01 Monday Jul 2019

Posted by RuthsArc in 52 challenge, all about me, making changes

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

me

PFJ-Badge-2019

I’ve signed up to be a part of “Plastic Free July”.

The campaign started in Western Australia in 2011. Last year, 120 million people across the globe took part in the challenge, across 177 countries.

I won’t be able to be totally plastic free but I can begin by simply saying no to the top four most prolific single-use plastics:
~ plastic bags
~ water bottles
~ take away coffee cups
~ plastic straws

I hope the month will make me take notice of the plastics I do buy, what habits I can change or products I can switch to reduce our overall household waste, to reduce our recycle bin and make a contribution to tackling the worlds plastic pollution problem.

Here is a link to their website for more information, suggestions or to sign up for the challenge.

Back to blogging from a new house

28 Tuesday May 2019

Posted by RuthsArc in all about me, making changes

≈ 22 Comments

Tags

home

It’s been a few months since I wrote on this blog. I subconsciously withdrew from social media, I took fewer photos whilst our life became busy with the process of house hunting.

After four years living in Tasmania, we have bought a home here. It was a big decision, more so for me, with my connections to the UK, easier for my Aussie husband. We love it here, the island, the landscape, the Hobart lifestyle, the climate, the place, the people. So it feels right to commit to life here.

House hunting became a full time hobby, checking online for new listings, visiting “open house” inspections every weekend. There are so many designs and styles of house here, so many choices and options. We gradually narrowed down our wish list. When we had purchased previous homes, we had strict limitations – transport links for commuting to London when we were “twenty somethings” – location to our daughters school when we moved for the “parents of teenagers” stage.

Now, it’s just us, what did we want? What suburbs appealed to us? Could we afford a water view?

Our new home is across the River Derwent so we now have views of the river and Mount Wellington. We have an “upside down” house, with bedrooms and bathrooms downstairs, living rooms upstairs with balcony.

We have a garden to look after, so that might become the new focus of my blog as I see what surprises the garden has in store over the coming months.

Today seems a good day to post a few photos. There was snow on the mountain for the first time this season.

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