a good good day - Natural Arch

We realised on Saturday that we had never taken the children to see the wonderful natural rock formation and waterfall of Natural Arch. Actually we did go when Ari was a small tiny baby - he tells us he thinks maybe he could remember being there then, but then he wasn't quite sure! So, on Sunday morning we decided to go for a lovely family outing. And boy was it good.

It's only about 1/2 away from our house - over the border into Queensland. Lovely drive up the mountain range, to the view at the top, then down again and the spectacular countryside down the otherside.

The kids had such a good good time. Ari gave the biggest hug and said 'thank you for bringing us'. He really did love it.

You stand inside the cave, listening to the water fall and fall and fall. It's a roar in there. Can't talk, or hear. You can call and yell and make funny noises.

In Summer time there are glow worms and mushrooms to be seen. We'll take the kids back then. 

A reminded to do things. Not need to plan and rush about. Simply to do it. To breathe together, walk together, laugh together. Simple things - walking in the forest looking at moss and fairy houses and mushrooms.

the tree :: watching this season evolve :: Winter

 {From top. 1- Taken September last year. 2- Taken mid-May this year. 3- Taken late-May this year}

 {taken early June}

 {taken late March, when we collected the fruits. blogged here}

 {taken early February this year, when we first moved down here - look at all that over grown grass and bracken fern that Sam has steadily mowed and cut to give an almost lawn}

This tree has been a constant in our day. Watching, enjoying, being inspired by.
I've taken lots of photos of it at some times, and then none at other times. Perhaps I will document it with a weekly photo - at some stage. Maybe when the Spring new growth bursts forth; a good time to begin a new project, no?

We collected sweet persimmons from the tree earlier this year. Took some lovely shimmery images of the fruit, and the collecting people (Mishi + Sam).
We've spent the past few months sitting on our little verandah and watching the leaves first turn golden and yellow and some orange or red. Then watching them flutter off - sometimes one by one, sometimes in a big big gust of Autumn breeze that showers handfuls to the ground below. Slowly slowly. And then there were only a handful left on the branches. Like the little yellow leaf, some clung on longer than others. And slower still, until there were none left.

And then the kookaburras came to visit. Two and three at a time. Sitting in the bare branches and spying the ground, watching for worms to swoop down on.

It's been good to watch the Autumn then Winter slip into our little part of the world here, by way of the visual reference of nature around us. 

Don't be surprised if these trees feature in some new designs of ours, at some stage or other. {When we move past this phase of 'not working' - which I'm optimistically calling 'gathering, collecting inspiration' stage. Or alternatively the time of rest that every tree, plant, flower, animal, human does need at some time in their life}.

{collecting} fuyu

this beautiful tree sits quietly in our garden. 

going through it's seasonal changes moment by moment.

providing cooling shade during the hot summer months.

loosing it's leaves to allow sunlight for winter.

it's autumn now.

the leaves are turning.

the colours changing.

the fruit.

oh the fruit. 

we sit at our kitchen table 

and spot bright orange balls of colour 

amongst the leaves.

some too high to reach. 

left to the birds.

 {Sam's going to hate me putting this photo up, but I do think it's fuzzy enough to be ok? Plus, I just wanted you to know the fruit picking help I have around here!! The fuzzy in the centre of the photo is my camera being cold in the humid/cool/wetish mornings around here; she takes a while to warm herself up. Some of the fuzzy photos are turning out with a beautiful moodiness.}

We got out our ladder and climbed up to pluck the firm round fruits from the branch. Persimmons. This is the variety known as fuyu. Can be eaten firm, or soften more. None of us here in this house actually like persimmons; but I must admit that I have been thinking of the other variety (known as hachiya), which is squidgy and stringy, and not at all what I like to put in my mouth. So - perhaps I really do need to retry this fruit. Not now, though. These few we collected we taken this weekend past to Grandma's house (Sam's mum), as she does really like them a whole lot. I hope she gobbled them up with a smile on her face!

If you happen to have a glut of persimmons, you could make them into a jam, I believe. But we had only a few fruits on the whole tree, and even less that we could reach with our ladder. 

This tree will turn from green to yellow to orange over the next few days and weeks. Even now as I look, I can see more yellow leaves on the bigger tree, and the little tree has less leaves than last week. For some strange reason, the little/younger tree has shown it's colour earlier; Sam told me he saw the other day a big gust of wind come along and shake a big handful of leaves from the little tree. Isn't that a lovely little image to this about. {Have you read this book? We love it, a good one to add to your Autumn reading list.}