Throwback Thursday! Moments in Time 28 April 2013 - Waterperry Gardens, England

28 April 2013

Waterperry Gardens

When we lived in England, on the border of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, 

we drove by the sign for Waterperry Gardens all the time. 

Spring was Springing, we had a visitor over from Australia and 

despite an overcast and chilly day, I grabbed my chance to 

take my little family on a garden adventure with our visitor.

Waterperry Gardens is 8 acres of beautiful gardens. 

A riverside walk lined with daffodils A meadow filled with

Snakeshead fritillaries, my absolute favourite native English wild flower. 

Formal gardens, rose gardens and a herbaceous border.

Magnificent Magnolia's in bloom, Fruit trees budding

Springtime filling the air with perfume.

A lovely way to soak up the countryside in Spring, 

or any time of the year, England has a flower for every season season. 

 Aren't these the most amazing flower, the chequerboard petals, 

the bell shaped flowers nodding in the breeze. 

Also known as the chequered daffodil!

They are sure to be home to the trendiest of fairies!!!

ANZAC Day 2016, Fremantle Dawn Service and Parade

We are fortunate to have had the freedom as Australians,  

to live and work in China, England and Germany for the past eight years. 

A freedom and way of life due to the service and sacrifice our 

servicemen and sailors made for us all. 

We have attended dawn services alongside fellow Australians 

and New Zealanders in Shanghai. 

We have laid wreaths at our village war memorial in England, held our own service 

at the Neiderzwehren Commonwealth Cemetery in Germany 

and in a corner of a tiny cemetery in France.

Today we commemorated our ANZACS on our home soil. 

Stood amongst hundreds of other Australians and New Zealanders 

in the misty grey light of dawn. All silent as the beat of the drum 

filled the air, joined occasionally with the dawn chorus of native bird life.

An ANZAC Dawn Service is moving. 

We listened as the stories of local men, who left our shores, put the lives of their comrades 

and country before their own and died as heroes were read. 

Descendants of those men blessed to return home, myself included, 

stood together and honoured these men and women who served 

and paid the ultimate sacrifice.

We went into Fremantle and clapped and cheered as the parade of  veterans passed us by

We watched with pride as a new generation of our service men and women passed by, 

prepared to protect our country and way of life.

We were joined by thousands of others at the closing ceremony. 

The ANZAC spirit doesn't diminish but grows stronger with each passing year. 

Older generations passing the baton and pride to the next generations.

We will remember our fallen.

Heavy rain did not dampen the spirit, our soldiers and sailors stood tall and proud.

Thank you for your Service. 

After eight years of ANZAC Day abroad for me, 

it has been an honour to pay tribute on home soil today.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; 

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, 

We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

This time last year..I was walking in my forest in Germany, soaking up Spring!

We have been home in Australia for three months today. 

The girls are settled at school, we have whittled the pile of boxes to a more manageable level 

and are planning a few necessary renovations on our "renovators delight" home. 

The Perth lifestyle is great, a warm autumn has arrived...not to be confused with fall 

as no leaves really fall in Perth, let alone change colour. 

It is wonderful to be around family and friends again, to be able to go to 21st birthday

celebrations, see new babies and just hang out. 

Though we still feel we are on a trip home, that we will be heading back to our 

house in the German forest soon. 

We have to remind ourselves "We live here now" we don't have to do everything 

all at once, catch up with everyone in a rush. 

Though we still feel a little like a square peg in a round hole, we don't quite fit. 

Friends waiting for us to settle before catching up and

we are not sure if we will ever feel settled here again. 

I am a little, well, more than a little, homesick for the European Spring.

After a long cold winter, our forest literally explodes with colour and life. 

Gardens show a wave of spring blooms, snowdrops, daffodils, tulips and bluebells.

Exactly a year ago today, I went for a walk in my forest....

The branches, silhouetted against the sky show a green tinge as the forest wakes after Winter.

The forest is immersed in a cast of near fluorescent green.

With the warm sun casting a glow though the trees, the leaves awaken and

seemingly open right before your eyes.

Our neighbours cherry tree was a riot of colour, wish I could see it now.

Stand under it taking photos of the blooms, after our walk in the forest, 

 much to my neighbours' amusement.

I am sure they miss the quirky Aussies next door and hope that nice people are in our old home.

My own garden full of colour and contrast.

A trip to do some shopping in the village revealed cherry blossoms galore.

The car park awash with pink petals, I spent a few minutes soaking it up, 

letting the fragrance engulf me as petals rained down. 

I was joined by an elderly German lady and we stood together, laughing, delighting in the moment.

Bright tulips, caught the petals in a friendly embrace.

365 days on, I am sure my little village in the forest is again a riot of colour and new life. 

I hope the little old lady is there to let the petals rain down on her, 

that my old neighbours look at the cherry blossoms and remember the crazy Aussie taking

photos in their garden, getting the angle just right 

and that my forest is once again exploding with spring colour and life. 

Wonderful memories of our life in Germany!

Fragrant Flashbacks, scent makes travel more vivid.

Travel escalates all of our senses to another level. We see things that astound us, 

sounds create the ambience of the setting. Unfamiliar textures and tastes stimulate our minds. 

Smells intensify the experience and years later, the same scent can take you back in time.

This month's travel link up is Scent, thanks for the trip down memory lane 

Emma, Angie, Jessie and Sus!

I remember stumbling across this field of bluebells in England. 

A vibrant feast for the senses, the colour and dappled light, a magical sight.

The sounds of the leaves rustling, the cool breeze on my skin...but oh the smell!

Sweet, fresh and woody. You could smell the sunshine!

I have this photo on a wall...I swear every time I walk by, 

I am back in that forest and can smell the bluebells once more!

Whenever I return home to Perth from my travels, I cannot wait to walk out those airport 

doors and into the loving embrace of the smell of Eucalyptus. 

Forget the diesel fumes from the tour buses, smokers having a last puff at the door, 

all I smell is the smell of home.

The delicate sweet smell of Cherry blossoms will forever take me back to the 

cherry groves in Germany.

The heady smell of Autumn in my German forest is in my memory bank, 

ready to be reignited, though it could be a while, Perth not known for autumn colour.

I will miss the changing of the seasons and the scents they invoke...until next time!

One of my favourite smells is the briny smell of the sea. 

Takes me home to Perth, back to Greece and Croatia, Turkey and Sanya. 

Comforting and invigorating, happy times spent in the oceans of the world. 

I was walking on this beach, sea air in my lungs, sand between my toes, by a group of kids 

on the sand, learning about beach safety...the smell hit me...sent me back to my own childhood

and swimming lessons at the beach...the smell of the same sunscreen took me back in time.

Whether my next adventure is is tiptoeing through tulips and enjoying the smell of 

Springtime in Keukenhof, The Netherlands. Walking the streets of Shanghai, breathing in the smells of wet markets and street foods or discovering new destinations, the smells will be 

imprinted in my memory, ready to be reignited sometime in the future.