Challenges and country roads

You may or may not know some of the challenges that I face at present with health and university. Some of these challenges I have brought upon myself and others I have had thrust upon me. Some more have come from isolation, mental illness and co-vid 19.

Oh God, I hear you say, enough of the hard time stories, the challenges that are common to all, or some at least. I agree. Since I have given myself the task of 5 units, or 50 hours per week at University this semester, and since my illnesses don’t allow me to do some of the things I used to enjoy, I said ENOUGH.

So on the weekends for the last month, I have decided to walk out of my apartment, leaving the computer behind, taking my phone only for a navigation aid, and getting into my car, just drive. I live in the most beautiful part of the world. I am surrounded by the Australian bush, and where it breaks, a vineyard. A little drive takes me to hamlets, small country towns that are both rural and rustic. I may not be able to walk far but within a 100km or so of my place, there are most beautiful things and people to discover.

I take photographs of course, as the digital images are reminders of what my brain forgets sometimes. Bringing an image to the screen makes my heart smile all over again. I shall try to caption most of the pics. enjoy

Dave

A house in Patterson NSW

Timber supplier Patterson NSW

 

Office of a timber supplier, Patterson NSW

Dungog NSW

Patterson NSW

Church in Patterson

Hunter River, Patterson NSW

Old Railway Bridge in Patterson NSW

Lead lighting windows, Crimson Cafe, Stroud NSW

I wanted to show the old house across the street through the window

somewhere along the road?

Inspired by Cee’s Challenge “Benches” WP site

This general store is in a village called Stratford, which happens to be on the Avon River. No sign of the Bard though.

Golden Wattle, coming into bloom on the last weekend of winter. Laguna NSW

country mailboxes. one for parcels, one for letters

Art Gallery. Bit different to the Louvre. Laguna NSW

World’s Oldest Tennis Umpire chair. Somewhere NSW.

Maitland Courthouse

Near Morpeth NSW

near Lorn NSW

Weston NSW, my home town

Also in Weston NSW. Sorry about the modern infrastructure.

Catherine Hill Bay

Well yesterday was not the best day to take photos, but I went out just the same as I wanted to try out a new tripod I bought during the week. There is still a lot of smoke in the sky and the sea mist made things not so sharp as I would like. Catherine Hill Bay was formerly the main port that was used to transport coal to all parts of the world. It has been closed for many years now. The town is an old town with workers cottages. Unfortunately developers are encroaching on the area and it is no longer as secluded as it was. Here are some of the photos I took.

Sculptures by the Sea 2019

Each year in Bondi Australia, there is an exhibition of sculptures, which because of their proximity to the ocean, is called Sculptures By the Sea. Here is a selection of photos that I took of some of the bizarre sculptures presented.

 

Sunrise on Brighton Beach

I took these photos a while ago. I was making use of my insomnia. At 4 am one morning I walked down to the beach and took these sunrise photos. The colours have not been altered. I may have experimented a little with the aperture and shutter-speed, but as the sun rose above the colours and then was hidden again from view, the colours changed. A man stood on the beach singing worship songs and welcomed the new day. Joggers worshiped their own bodies as they ran past, oblivious to the beauty that was emerging beyond. A plane takes off, with the start of the new day, new adventures await those on board the plane. The rowing crew pauses for a breather and watch as God paints the sky. I included a few photos from the other side of the bay, which I took at Sunset a few nights later. I have presented these photos as a slideshow. Enjoy and feel free to share it.

Dave

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Inside Out, seeing through someone else’s eyes

I was asked to submit to a social justice awareness competition at my Uni. I could not stop at one cause. I submitted these 3 photos with the commentary to appeal to people to look through another’s eyes before judging and to feel some compassion. Maybe these will touch the heart of someone with the ability to make a difference, whether that be a person with the financial ability to help, or someone with the right contacts to make a change in the way governments and leaders see things.

Is it right to ask you, as I normally do, to enjoy this post?

Dave

I saw this site and took the photo during the Syrian Crisis, when people were dying and buildings being blown up. This site reminded me of Syria. Sometimes people who don’t understand, tell immigrants to go home. With this photo, I hope to open their eyes. Sometimes immigrants have no home to go back to. The war rages still in Syria. Many millions displaced. Will we show compassion and offer a home to the homeless?

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Freedom, so close

I took this photo to represent the plight of asylum seekers who are in detention, not only in Manus Island or Nauru, but also community detention centres right here in Sydney. Having endured the bombs, death and terror of war in their destructed homelands, they risk everything to come to a new land, where they hope they can find freedom and enjoy the dignity that should be afforded to every human being. Instead they are treated like animals, kept in detention for an indefinite period. They are so close to freedom, but so far.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25

Feed me

I sat down on the pavement next to a young homeless person. He said to me: “I watch people with bags from expensive brand name stores. They walk past and turn their noses up at me. Even though they wear their fancy clothes, they are poor. Sometimes I think I am richer than they are”.

I was with some people in a group a week later. A man was complaining about homeless people looking at him eating in a restaurant and that they shouldn’t be allowed on the street like that. I asked him if he thought the street person looked bad, how do you think you look from his point of view, when he is sitting on the ground.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25

Winter Moon and streets of Kogarah

I took a nice photo of the moon the other night from my place in the south of Sydney. Then I went to Kogarah in Sydney to take some street photos with a photography group.

                  

Some more winter sunsets

The previous ones were taken from my Samsung phone. These taken from my Canon camera.