#fromwhereisit life is merely a collection of moments caught in time and remembered, or processed and forgotten…
My family often chides me for taking so many photos. They roll their eyes and rebel at having their paparazzi family member immortalising their image to the digital library. But I don’t care. I love capturing moments. I constantly see so much beauty around me that I don’t want to ‘process and forget’. I want to acknowledge the form, light, shape and the wonders of a completely normal life, just because I like it. Here is a random collection of moments #fromwhereisit today:
6.37am Thirroul
Driving through the early hour mist and darkness from 4am and then this little gem pops into the mirror. I greet it’s sparkle with a grin and, while it’s behind us, I look forward to it’s warmth on my skin throughout the day.
7.34am Killelea State Park, Shell Cove
I love bearing witness to my children’s independence. Ok, well it may be more escaping the embarrassment of her accompanying parents. However, my daughter doesn’t know any other competitors or even the team members she’s surfing with today, yet she’s happy to wander off and get among it. I’m not sure I was that socially courageous at 14 years old.
8.11am The Farm
A simple moment, snapped for no particular reason. In hindsight, I’m in awe of the sky being split in two. In front of us the powerful sunshine with not a cloud in the sky. Behind us, the ominous clouds appear from nowhere threatening a downpour that never eventuates.
8.33am The Farm Beach
A lovely bunch of kids talking tactics, jesting, encouraging and supporting each other. All bonded by a passion for surfing and drive to win. Watching friendships form is magical.
8.39am The Farm Beach
Father and son. Judge and spotter. Both contributing to a successful day.
10.33am The Farm Beach
A mollusc graveyard. I have never seen so many large mollusc shells in one space. Why have they come here to complete their lives? The quarry is just behind this headland, I wonder if they are mining limestone, maybe this the Bermuda triangle for molluscs? …oh so many questions!
10.46am The Farm Beach
Just a pretty rock pool
10.55am The Farm Beach
As I walk alone into this cavern I feel like a child fleeing reality. But I do so with adult cognizance. I’m not completely alone, I can hear rustling in the grass, squawking circling above me and thunderous crashing of water hiding any other existence. I feel apprehension at what or who I may find but my curiosity is too strong. I wander, I gaze, I find myself excited. And relieved, if not slightly disappointed, that I encounter nothing untoward.
2.50pm – The Farm Beach
The beach itself hasn’t changed since I first came here as a 14 year old girl, but the surrounds, like everything have moved with the times. I had my first experience at driving a car – a boy called Shorty’s orange Datsun 180B – through the farmers gate and along the dirt track to this view. There was a well worn, single dirt track that traversed down the mountainside and nothing but the expanse of the ocean tamed by the headland to form perfect waves.
3.05pm The Farm Beach
While the kids reluctantly posed for this family photo, they were gracious enough to smile and allow me to ask one of the other surfer kids to take the happy snap. I’m glad they did, it captures the great day we had. It’s posed but not fake. We love each others company, mostly, lol.
3.15pm Shell Cove
Picture perfect. It seemed to me the clouds had a story to tell. It’s no particularly notable location, just a random spot at a beautiful moment while we were passing by.
4.07pm Wollongong
My family in a box. This reminded me of wrapping presents, I always end up buying that odd shaped gift that needs extra sticky tape and ends up looking like it was wrapped, opened and re-wrapped by a two year old. I guess, that’s my family – an odd gift that will never be contained in the norm!
6.06pm Wollongong
Our all time favourite place to eat… Food World Gourmet Cafe. We were devastated when we rocked up to the ‘hole-in-the-wall’ type joint that we have been frequenting since Uni days (the last 20+ years) to find it had moved across the road – complete with new electronic signage. This place is an institution in Wollongong. It made me feel old that it has moved on after all these years. How dare they! The staple of satay chicken noodle soup was still the bomb!!!
I guess the point is that life is a continual flow of growth and change. That won’t stop me from continuing to collect as many random moments as I please!
What do you collect?
xk
