Trees and coffee

I had lunch out and about one day during the week and I noticed this mural on the wall of the café, which I assume has something to do with the parts of a coffee machine.  

In the evening I went out to see a play and then to a bar to debrief with Design Diva and The Luminosity.

Interspersing arts and culture with exercise, I went for a run around The Pinnacle Nature Reserve, with its brand new shiny sign, and tree stumps blown over in the wind and rain. 

Friday night drinks and then a trip out to Gold Creek on Saturday for the wedding of a colleague - requested no photos as they had their own friend and professional photographer doing official images. Although it was raining, it was still a beautiful ceremony, and the bride and groom looked radiant as they exchanged their vows. We went home and toasted them with a Manhattan. 

Outside Aarwun Gallery in Gold Creek looms a litany of tinpot politicians - a rogues gallery of metal sculptures by Cowra artist Paul Woods, who has created larger-than-life facial impressions of Australia's Prime Ministers, beginning with Sire Robert Menzies and continuing right up to the current Anthony Albanese. 

Aarwun Gallery

It was with a mixture of emotions that I said a fond farewell to these two characters, Andy Ladd and Melissa Gardner, as performed for the last time by Michael Sparks and Andrea Close. Goodbye to the Canberra Rep production of Love Letters - may you be wrapped in ribbon and laid in a drawer.

Show Boats!

On Monday we had a bonus public holiday - Canberra Day - so Him Outdoors and I made good use of it by bagging a couple of trigs. The battery on my phone ran out before I reached the tops, but I got some good pictures on the way up. The beginning of the walk was very steep, but then we came to a sort of ridge which undulated along through the woods. 

When my phone charged again, I checked the map to see where we had been - probably the wrong way round to do things really...

Love Letters opened mid week, and we have got a great review already. 

Michael Sparks as Andy Ladd in Love Letters

Andrea Close as Melissa Gardner in Love Letters

The next day I went out for a walk, admiring the autumn colours as the leaves start to turn.

It was very hot at the weekend (mid-thirties), so I went for walks early and in relatively cool places, near water. On Saturday I explored the Molonglo River Reserve with its quiet banks and rocky outcrops. The name Molonglo derives from the Ngunnawal clan known as the Moolongoolah, and the word Molonglo itself is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning 'like the sound of thunder'. There was no hint of thunder today. 

At one of the ponds in Commbs, a group of geezers and their dogs played with remote-control war boats. 

Back home I let the kittens out and they joined me on the grass in the shade of the trees. 

And on Sunday I walked around Lake Burley Griggin with the Walking Crew and we encountered the sea plane and two beautiful rowing launches.

In the afternoon, we had traditional Champagne Sunday (this week chez Emma Cake). I may or may not have mentioned before that at these events, there is always also cheese.