Little India

Continued (still) from Singapore...

Clare and I enjoyed the comfort provided by the "Executive Lounge" - tea, coffee, cakes and fresh juice anytime of the day or night.  A fabulous remedy for our long shopping sessions.  We would walk and explore in the heat for hours, then grab a taxi back to the hotel and relax here, in air-conditioned heaven...

One of the perks of being an executive's wife...

After we regulated our core body temperatures and the boys had finished work, we headed down to Little India.  This was something I was looking so so forward to!  I am such a fan of all things Indian.  Especially Saris and woven shawls...  My eye is always taken by an Indian woman walking by in traditional dress - the colours so warm and vibrant, as an artist in these surroundings, I was inspired!

I couldn't resist photographing these three beautiful women in front of me.  They looked like three generations of Indian womanhood, so feminine and fine.

Anyone who has ever been to Singapore will tell you there is a tailor on every corner, and in Little India they didn't even need a roof over head!

We wandered through countless shops and stalls, connecting with perfect strangers by a universal nod and a smile.  It felt so adventurous and free.  So much fun.

Shell xx

Food, Fruit and Flowers...

Singapore Continued...

The food halls on Orchard were amazing.  A choice of anything and everything.   Stall holders eager for your custom, tempting you with smiles, waves and taste tests of their marvellous cuisines.  The smell of the place was so different, I really felt like I was far from home in a wonderful way...  Having said that, I knew I had once seen a food court like this in Sydney, and suddenly I could really understand where it had come from.  I finally had a geographical context, which I think is what traveling is all about.  My mind was generally, and most happily boggling!

I bought a couple of spring rolls (which were so delicious) and then asked if I could photograph the lady's shopfront, she scoffed at me embarrassingly, before accepting.  I think she had money to make and couldn't imagine why I found this beautiful.

How could I not?

On Thursday we went to the Botanical Gardens, where I found a place for my feet (and my dress) to camouflage with the surroundings...

I confess I took more than a hundred photos in the 90 minutes or so that we were there!  These are a select few.  I was in heaven among such beautiful flora and fauna, where colour is king, where God really got painting!  Not only the hot pinks and yellows which are easy to see, but with the subtle touches of colour underneath the leaves of plants you may pass by unknowingly.

Still to be Continued...

Shell xx

Crossing the equator...

Gazing out the window of a Mercedes Benz which had been sent to collect us from Changi Airport, I had my camera ready, my wits about me, and an adventure to have! 

I love traveling, but I had never before been the one in charge of finding the Row to check in, and go to the right Gate in order to get on the right plane!  If I could pull this off, the elation would be sure to enhance the experience..!

Clare and I had met once before, and now we were traveling buddies.  It had been a long flight, we had giggled, talked and begun to know each other all afternoon and into the night.  Now here we were, like old friends.  We were a champion team!

Sights of the city were different from anything we'd seen.  The trees were first to strike me with their abundance and perfection, each one the same, lining the streets and leading us into town.  Workmen in the back of utes on way to work, and wonderfully eggy-Asian signage!

Clothing shops with funky gear, and focussed messages!

And plazas upon plazas on Orchard Road made us feel like we really had crossed the equator into another world.  How wonderfully we loved it!

Lunch.  I won't lie, I was nervous about food poisoning.  I had never been to Asia before, but  I can only apologise now that I was ever concerned.  For this was my first meal in Singapore and it was delicious!  You could say Clare and I went forth from here, and ate our way around Singapore!  

To be continued...

Shell xx

All in an afternoon...

I away to Singapore tomorrow, to see my friend...

• I packed my bags, (made sure I only had 100ml or less of anything liquid)!
  
• I felt sufficiently guilty for being about to leave my 4 children for 4 whole days!
• I talked to my new friend and traveling companion, Clare, (whom you shall soon hear more about)...
• I thought about the heat, the humidity, the solitude, the flight, my passport, my life and my hold on God's dear Earth...
• And what pair of shoes to take!

All in one afternoon...

Shell xx

Ten O'clock Toast...

Of a Sunday morning,

Sitting still and reflecting on the week that has been,

Considering plans for the week to come-

Feeling very much 'in between' one time, and another;

Taking it all in, over tea and toast.

Shell xx

A lesson in time...

It had been 24 years since last I saw Belinda at Para Hills Primary School, until today.

Being a reader of this here little blog I insisted that she join Emma and I in one of our 'feet' photographs!

There was much to catch up on, and we laughed all afternoon while our daughters played together as once we did.  

It is strange, but wonderful to witness the passage of time, by looking at the face of  somebody you knew so well as a child.

To really understand that the spirit is just the same, only the body changes with years.

So let it remind us to take care of the spirit, not just the body; the character of our hearts, not just the outer presentation of our flesh, which is left behind here on the Earth...

I wanted to tell you this story through the pictures of our daughters today, since my realisation that there is little difference between us all in the physical sense; it is only the shape of our hearts, and spirits which glow unique.

A happy day indeed.  A lesson in time.

Shell xx

Piano post...

I do a lot of sitting in front of my piano and looking at it...

I do a lot of glamour photography sessions with it...

I have finally started recording demos of the new album tracks, I am learning how to record myself using Garage Band, a Fire pod and my Rode microphone.

When I was a kid I used to record my songs using a tape player, I would hit record, then play and sing directly into the internal microphone on my stereo.

Hours and hours I would spend writing and recording in my room.  I suppose I was learning my craft.  I was home schooling myself.

And now I am at home learning the newfangled way of recording demos.  What fun it is!

Shell xx

(Post Script) ~ And a Happy Earthly Birthday to my dear sister Sarah Jane.  Wishing you all my love, and every good thing!

Change of Scenery, of Colour, of Content?

• Random note -

I am obviously ready for the cold weather.  Every day I put the heaters on, wear a scarf,  but half an hour later I have stripped down to a t-shirt and flip flops, because it's just not very cold here, at all!  And yet, I persist...

In other news, I am feeling like a change...  Of scenery, of colour, of content?  

• Change of Colour?

I very nearly went so wild as to change my blog template today (shock!) however I didn't like any of the others so it became a - cut one's nose off to spite one's face - situation which I quickly thought better of.

*phew*

• Change of Content

I realise I am not sharing enough poetry and music with you!  Can I please be forgiven!

(It's not that I just found the font size button - only that I finally found a reasonable use for it!)

I am completely loving The Swell Season at this moment in my musical experience...  Visit their link, listen to the free songs, then go buy it on iTunes.  If you love that singer/song writer/folky/acoustic/type/thing then won't regret it...

They are primarily, the musicians from the film Once, who recorded an album together after the film, called The Swell Season, and it randomly, beautifully, seems to have inadvertently, become the name of their collaboration. 

• ...of Scenery?

I am very soon to be jetting off for a short chance of scenery, to beautiful Singapore.  My Jamie is going to be there for work and I am flying out early next week to meet him.

So I hope you're well, dear reader *and hoping there is more than one of you* I am feeling a little changeable today, and so is the Canberran weather...  it is blowing a gail outside, an hour ago it was sunny and warm, this morning - crisp and cold.

I am definitely sunny; quite warm; with a possible wild storm of creativity coming on!

• 
  

And the relevance of a photo of a tea towel, with a quote from Edgar Degas at the top of this post, to the content below it?  Very little.

Shell xx

He is Risen!

Give thanks...

Shell xx

Easter Sunday...

Started with fresh, hot croissants for breakfast with whipped cream and raspberry chilli jam;

All the usual confections;

Sitting outside in the afternoon sun while Tara amused me with a pair of her big sister's goggles;

Sunning my feet, and smiling at the quiet, loving, free - fantastically free life...  Praise the Lord!

Happy Easter.

Shell xx

A walk in the rain...

We were threatened with rain when setting out on our Good Friday picnic down the paddock yesterday, but had high hopes for returning sun.

We had chicken soup under a tree, as the sun promptly arrived;

I put my Nikon to the test by zooming up on mountains;

And stopped to hug trees - how impressively big is this one?!

Walked home with Tara holding my hand, and thanked the Lord for giving us such inspiration, and guidance in Jesus; and remembering, to remember this, at Easter.

Shell xx

for Sean...

Children's birthday parties in my opinion, can get way out of hand.  I think parents can fall into the trap of over saturating the whole affair, when to me, all a child needs is love, family, a couple of 'beaut things', and of course, cake...

My sister in law did go all out however, sporting a devotional T-shirt in the birthday boy's honour!

And other than that it was a sunny afternoon, home, laughing with family, having cupcakes, whipped cream, strawberries, pots (note the plural!) of tea...  

Making time to thank the good Lord, for Sean.

Shell xx

Seany Boy

My chubby, bubbly, funny baby Sean, turned four today.  I can remember the midwife weighing him in a baby shaped basket when he was three days old (only because she forgot to bring it the day he was born)!

Tahiti baby;

New York baby;

Always with wild hair, 

And cheeky faces;

This day has had me running around, baking and entertaining to industrial levels!  So I must go now and relax with a cup of tea.  Tomorrow I shall post you my creations, and the fun which was shared by all!

Shell xx 

Album emerging...

From a random collection of thoughts and inspirations, 

experiences and ideas, over the last couple of years; 

I can see an album finally emerging!

From numerous exercise books scribbled in with creative-frantic handwriting,

Chords, notes, phrases and progressions, woven slowly, but surely, into songs.

From messy exercise books, into slightly neater Moleskin excersice books,

Lyrics (now legible) typed into the computer and printed on A5 paper, 

added to a brand new folder,

Chords, notes and phrases carefully written out;

I can see my album, finally emerging!

Shell xx