Spring break

With 2017 being such a strain on my head space for a number of reasons, it was a joy to recently have a week off and indulge in some extended me-time. The objective being to organise my pastels into new storage boxes, spend at least two days drawing, and last but not least I wanted visit Tamborine Mountain Botanic Gardens and photograph the Spring blossoms.

The weather was mixed during my break, much needed rain fell and sunshine was intermittent. At one point I didn’t think I would get to the Botanic Gardens but luck was on my side and as I was wandering through the rainforest garden the clouds disappeared and the rest of my time in the garden was perfect. Spring is such a beautiful time of year, lots of birds, bees and after a shower of rain everything looks and smells so fresh. As you can see, it was time well spent and I felt so relaxed and happy afterwards that I almost forgot about having to go back to work.

Orchids in bloom

Laughing Kookaburra

A leftover from the Spring Festival

The Japanese Garden

Loving the contrast of these bright colours

A little ‘cottage’ in the gardens

Peaceful

Hard at work

A friendly duck

Dragonflies were abuzz

Not quite what I was expecting when photographing the little green frogs

Tiny green frogs were everywhere once you knew to look for them

The beautiful pond in Tamborine Mountain Gardens

 

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Travel theme: Paths

Today’s collection of images is motivated by the latest travel theme from Ailsa of Where’s My Backpack. Paths can take many shapes and forms: straight and narrow, long and winding, smooth or bumpy and it is the variety that makes life interesting although I notice most of my images of paths feature gardens and trees, wonder what that says about me 🙂

Eely Point Walk, a path that takes you around part of the scenic Lake Wanaka on the South Island of New Zealand

Autumn colour brightens the footpath in Wanaka, New Zealand

A few years before the earthquake that wreaked havoc in Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island, I walked through the lovely rose garden in the Botanic Gardens, Christchurch.

Sandy path over the dunes at Ruakaka Beach on New Zealand’s North Island

Rainforest walk at O’Reilly’s, Queensland

Take a relaxing stroll through the Botanic Gardens at Mt Tamborine in the hinterland of Queensland’s Gold Coast.

One of many paths between the beautiful gardens of Versaille and the elaborate palace.

View from above, Villa Monastero garden path, Varenna Lake Como

The path through the gardens of Villa Monastero on the edge of Lake Como, Varenna.

The Via dell’Amore as it winds its way between Riomaggiore and Manarola on the Cinque Terre

A walk through the park in San Gimignano, you can see two of the medieval towers in the background.

Umbrella Pines, Palatine Hill, Rome

Albert Park, Auckland