All my life's a circle!

Not quite a circle nor a perfect sphere, but an entirely unnecessary reminder that the Christmas Season is almost upon us.

This photo wasn't taken on the Sunshine Coast, but at Joan's place in the Blue Mountains, where two years ago we spent our first Christmas away from our (adult) children.

While in reality it's just a fancy glass light globe, it's special because of where it was and where we were when I took the photo, for us it's a very personal reminder of the true value of a long and lasting friendship, to say nothing of a fantastic couple of weeks!

Over the coming three weeks, I will attempt to convey some of the flavour of the Christmas Season in Australia. I'm not sure that will be an easy task, but time will tell.

In the meantime for the curious, here's the official Australian Government information page! (I didn't believe it needed an explanation either!)

This is one of 187 photoblogs participating in today's theme Circles/Spheres. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Christmas at Joan's
Blue Mountains Australia

Sheraton Noosa

I don't think the Sheraton Noosa ever quite fitted with the rest of the urban context (sorry Brian). It's a little bit of Florida sticking up on its own really, but it makes a nifty photo.

Sheraton Noosa
Noosa

Ewen Maddock Dam

It's rare for us to find a landscape that could honestly be called "pretty". Rugged, handsome, awe inspiring, vast are all words that are more usually associated with images of the Australian Landscape, but I think there are bits of Ewen Maddock dam that are pretty!

Mooloolah

Glass Houses

Two of the Glasshouse Mountains looming small over a pineapple farm.

The Glass House Mountains were named by James Cook as he sailed north up the coast in 1770. They were so called as the shape of the mountains reminded him of the huge glass furnaces (glasshouses) back in his native Yorkshire.

When one lives in a country as flat as ours, one takes liberties with naming terrain, Mt Coonowrin or Crookneck (the one on the right) is a towering 377 metres above sea level.

Glass House

Pineapple

Last month I posted a picture of a "pineapple tree" in jest, with a promise to post one of a real pineapple some time. It took a while to find one in a similar stage of unripedness (if that's a word) to the Pandanus fruit.

The pineapple is a member of the Bromeliad family, and the fruit grows from the centre of the plant.

If I remain diligent, I'll find one that's ripened to the familiar golden yellow for a future day.

Beerwah

Sirocco by night

There are all sorts of impacts on global warming I know, but Sirocco is a beautifully lit by night. By day the building is a crisp white, by night a blue to reflect the daytime sky. I rather like it by night as well.


Here is a daytime picture!

Mooloolaba

Beach Gallery

I've just realised I've posted a week of water photographs! It's well and truly time to come ashore again for a time.

Scott Munchenburg's gallery in Mooloolaba is not only full of fabulous photographs, it has without a doubt the best floor covering of any beach side gallery in the world.

If you look carefully, you'll make it out. Beach Sand!

The darker quadrant in the right hand corner is a coire door mat, thoughtfully positioned so one can wipe one's feet as one leaves!

Mooloolaba

Gerry's

At Alexandra Headland there's a surf break known as Gerry's, because that's where the geriatrics hang out.

Alexandra Headland

Montezumas

Montezumas Mexican Restaurant in Mooloolaba, has its entire ceiling decorated in vintage surfboards of all shapes, it's a museum in itself.

Mooloolaba

Getting In

This photo was taken in the dead of winter, which explains the wetsuit top, but I didn't get around to posting it earlier, and there's something comfortable about the stance, surfer and wave, like old friends about to embrace.

Alexandra Headland

Microwave

Well it's not really "micro" but it's just a lovely little wave on the bluff at Alex. It's days like this that lead to the description "like glass".

Alexandra Headland

Calm before the storm.

Less than thirty seconds before the blackness of yesterday's picture, the river looked like this, the last visible rays of the sun are glistening on the river, although I've burnt out the sky to better show the menacing form of the cloud.

The calm before the storm.

Mooloolah River
Mountain Creek

Storm Front

A giant black curtain is drawn across the land.

Last Sunday evening we had a storm front pass through just on dusk. We didn't suffer the full brunt of it, unlike some parts of Brisbane which have been declared a disaster area, but this is what it looks like a few minutes before the wind and rain hits!

The last of the blue sky is still visible under the cloud for now, but in less than thirty seconds all sunlight is obliterated.


Mooloolah River
Mountain Creek

The Bluff

Alex is a great place to watch others after you've got back from a surf. On days when the surf is big, there's standing room only along the top of the bluff.

Alexandra Headland

Two Way Two

Another reflection in Two Way Creek, this time a more abstract picture, reflecting some safety mesh while there is work happening on a footbridge over it.

Caloundra

Two Way Creek

Two Way Creek is named presumably because it flows in two directions with the ebb and flow of the tide, although its mouth is often completely barred from the ocean with a build up of sand, so at times it more like "no way pond"!

I thought this picture was a nice reflective pun on the name.

Two Way Creek
Caloundra

Late in the afternoon, the UV rays are at their lowest and it's a great time for kids to paddle around relatively unprotected.

Kings Beach
Caloundra

Tinny

By far the largest type of small fishing boat is the aluminium runabout or dinghy, known as the "tinny" with allusions to the metal of that name!

Tinnies are robust, lightweight and need almost no maintenance, which suits pretty much every owner to a tee.

Caloundra

Port

Keep port to port going into port.

I think that's it, certainly the red buoy can't be missed near the mouth of the Pumicestone Passage.

Caloundra

Mossy Rocks

There's a spring of fresh water here near the mouth of the Pumicestone Passage, and the mosses obviously like the slightly less salty taste!

Pumicestone Passage
Caloundra