Walking with Bailey

 Today was the last day of my staycation. So to make the most of it, Bailey and I went for a walk in our local wetlands. Bailey just loves swimming in the creeks down here. 

 Bailey is happiest most when she is able to run free and swim in creeks and ponds. But she's never very far from me. She joined our lives 12 months ago and is now 2 years. She's such a joy. She takes me places I wouldn't have taken myself. 

 But I just wont follow her into this creek. We cant even see the creek! But she dives into these reeds with such delight, and then I hear the splashing and the pouncing. Once she's in those reeds, she is chasing things... I imagine she's chasing dragon flies. 

Here she's looking down at another creek.

The forest around the wetlands is just divine. Paperbark Eucalyptus. 

The smell of these trees and the forest in the morning is so special.

Thank you Bailey, for taking me for walks and allowing me to rediscover the beautiful places within my 5km radius. I've been blessed to spend time with you and with the wilderness during my staycation. 

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2019! New Years Eve wasn't a big event for us, as we decided not to leave the 2 year old pup on her own for NYE and instead took her for a sunset stroll along the lake, where surprisingly few people were for such a lovely evening. Then Miss Bailey and my partner and I spent New Years Eve on the back veranda enjoying the fireworks in the distance, and the lightening storm

For the most part, many Australian's will typically have the 2 weeks off work around Christmas and New Years Eve, and traditionally it's a time Aussies head to the Beach!  My sister drove some 12000km to join us at our place for a lakeside Christmas day, while my parents and other sister, congregated at another beach side location further north. After my sister and her family left on boxing I was awakened to the fact that I had no other holiday plans. 14 days off work - and my sister was only here for 3 of them. My partner works in retail so he's generally working over this season.

So, how to spend my vacation? a Staycation of course. I live near some beautiful beaches, an awesome lake and many beautiful national parks. In an endeavour to not become the live in servant, constantly tidying and cleaning around the house, I set myself some goals to get out of the house.

 I've riding more than 300kms in the time between Christmas and new years eve - some of that with friends, some just on my own. And most of those bike rides took me to the waters edge somewhere. I feel so blessed to have such a beautiful surrounds.

I have also enjoyed my gardening, and some good summer reading time.

I have some reflections brewing, but I'll share these later, for now - HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Thank you for sharing the past 12 months with me again, and may the next 12 months come with some of the same - events like Paris in July, and Japanese Literature Challenge - and maybe something new for this blog... wait... I'll share more soon.