For a few days, this tree carpeted the street with its falling pink petals.
Carpet of petals
Carpet of Petals
A Little Garden
This spring, we decided to plant a little garden in the form of two window boxes that live on our kitchen bench.
Radish and lettuce seedlings
We had originally planned to put window boxes on the window sills outside our windows. However, finding a way to secure the pots to the window sill proved difficult, and we didn’t want to risk them falling and injuring someone.
In one pot we planted radishes and mixed lettuce, and in the other we planted mint and parsley. Our seedlings are almost two weeks old. The radishes were the first to emerge and now tower over the others, while the parsley has only appeared in the last day or so.
Parsley and mint seedlings
I haven’t grown anything since I was a child, and it is exciting to watch the seeds sprout and grow. The first thing I do each morning is look at the garden to see what has changed.
So Many Flowers
Each visit to our nearby Parc de la Tête d’Or brings a new wave of spring flowers to delight in. Our walks are filled with little detours as I wander across the grass to investigate a hint of purple here and a flash of yellow there.
A sea of daffodils
Crocuses
Violets
The shaded grass beneath the trees is riddled with delicate violets.
Pink flowers
Hyacinths
Hyacinths. These are one of the first flowers I remember growing as a child.
Red tulips
These red tulips stood out amongst the predominantly purple and yellow colour palette.
Choosing Our Boardgame
As Graham mentioned, we recently bought our first boardgame since childhood. When Graham first suggested we watch TableTop, I was sceptical. The idea of watching other people play boardgames didn’t seem that interesting.
Well, I was wrong. Not only was the show entertaining in itself, it left me wanting to play. It opened up a world of games I didn’t know existed. These were not the games I grew up playing with my sister where you roll the dice and move your counter around the board. These games were more complex; they involved strategy and decision-making.
Delicate foil sculpture
Deciding I wanted to buy one of these games was easy. Deciding which one to buy was difficult. I started with the list of games we had seen on TableTop. I ruled out the ones that needed more than two players, and anything involving zombies or sci-fi references I wasn’t likely to understand. I started reading through descriptions and reviews on Amazon, and came across other games to add to my list. I eventually managed to narrow it down to a handful that appealed most.
My final shortlist is below. The full list is also available.
Amazon links on this page help support running The Work Life.
A Hint of Spring
First spring flowers poke through the grass
The first spring bulbs are starting to appear in the Parc de la Tete d’Or.
Birdsong and Snow
There have been a couple of mornings recently when I have woken to birds singing. It is still dark out, with hours to go before the sun eventually comes up, but somewhere out there, the little birds are singing away.
I presume this is a sign that spring is on the way. It’s an odd thought, as it has coincided with weather that epitomises winter for me: snow. It hasn’t been heavy snow; it left barely a sprinkling on the ground. But, it fell frequently for consecutive days. Each time I looked out the window, there was a good chance I’d see the white flakes drifting down.
Snow-dusted rooftops
We had heavier snow falls earlier in the season, where the snow blanketed the ground, and took days to finally melt away. They were exciting, but seeing snow fall day after day reminds me that I now live somewhere where it snows in winter.
Sydney Beaches
A few photos of Sydney’s sandy beaches…
Beach culture, Manly
Swim between the flags, Manly
Lifeguard tower, Cronulla
Bundeena
Manly Beach
Sydney Views
During our trip to Sydney, we made the most of the warm weather to take in the harbour and beaches. When the sun shines, Sydney sparkles in vivid colour, and there’s just something about the warm, humid sea breeze.
Sydney Opera House
View of the Harbour Bridge from the Botanic Gardens
Entrance to the Botanic Gardens
Hyde Park
Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House
Aussie Barbeque
Living in the gastronomic capital of France ensures we are surrounded by amazing food, and a seemingly endless collection of new things to try. Still, there are things I miss that are hard to come by in France. So, our trip to Australia became something of a gastronomic event. This was not fine dining gastronomy, it was simple pleasures, mostly enjoyed outdoors.
Meat on the bbq
To start our visit, my parents organised a barbeque. Sausages, steak, chicken wings, and a collection of salads contributed by various family members were all enjoyed in the backyard. The beer, wine, and conversation flowed freely. And it was finished off with my Mum’s signature pavlova.
Homemade bread and butter
Mum’s pavlova
Flowering Jacarandas
Our visit to Sydney coincided perfectly with the flowering of the Jacaranda trees. For most of the year, these trees blend into the surrounding greenery, but for a few weeks each spring they are crowned in purple flowers.
Jacarandas at Darling Harbour
The streets of Sydney are full of Jacarandas. I’ve always loved the Jacaranda tree in my grandparents’ front garden and the one in my university courtyard, but I’ve never noticed just how prevalent they are. Every time I looked out the window, there seemed to be one in view.
Jacarandas line the streets at Milsons Point
The flowers will soon carpet the ground below, to be replaced by new leaves, and the Jacarandas will fade quietly into the background again.
Jacaranda outside Sydney Town Hall