Category: Mount Warning

Australia · gratitude · Mount Warning · summer · Tweed Valley

Summer’s Stunning Sunset

Joanne2 Comments
Brilliant Summer Sunset

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.” ~ Rabindranath Tagore.

Summer has made a very late appearance in my part of the world this season. It is only over the last few days the temperatures have risen to the expected thirty degree mark. Not that I’m complaining, mind you. Just noting.

This is the summer in which I have declared that I will appreciate the summer season for what it is and summer has cooperated brilliantly. Firstly with lower temperatures than the usual. Secondly, with this magnificent sunset over Mount Warning last night.

How can I possibly not appreciate such a glorious sky-show?

 

 

Australia · autumn · gratitude · Mount Warning · Tweed Valley

Autumn Sunset

Joanne6 Comments
An autumn sunset over Mount Warning

“How fine has the day been, how bright was the sun,

How lovely and joyful the course that he run!

Though he rose in a mist when his race he begun,

And there followed some droppings of rain:

But now the fair traveller’s come to the west,

His rays are all gold, and his beauties are best;

He paints the skies gay as he sinks to his rest,

And foretells a bright rising again.” ~ Isaac Watts.

With summer now behind us, Mother Nature has taken it upon herself to have her last hoorah of hot summer’s days and nights, which we know to expect during the months of the summer season.

During this afternoon, I noticed the temperature had reached 31 degrees Celsius, a hot day for this time of year.

But when you see the brilliant red formations of clouds in the western sky late in the day, it is so worth the unseasonal heat!

Following my previous photos of Mount Warning, The Mesmerising Mountain, I just had to add yet another magical photo to the series. How could I resist?

“Come watch with me the shaft of fire that glows In yonder West : the fair, frail palaces, The fading Alps and archipelagoes, And great cloud-continents of sunset-seas.” ~ Thomas Bailey Aldrich

Looking to the west of Mount Warning
Australia · friends · Mount Warning · spiritual · Tweed Valley

Mesmerising Mount Warning

Joanne8 Comments

View of Mount Warning across the Tweed River

QuinnCreative and I have engaged in a comment chat recently, discussing the spiritual nature of the area around Tucson, Arizona.

Time stands still for me when reading Quinn’s stories. My son nearly missed the school bus a couple of mornings ago, as I had become so enthralled in reading Quinn’s blog posts!

When Quinn made mention of the Australian Aborigines in her post “Dreaming Your Life Awake”, I simply had to mention my Magical Mountain, which I admire daily from the back of my home.

The Aboriginal name for my Magical Mountain is “Wollumbin”. The European name, given to the mountain by Captain James Cook in 1770 is “Mount Warning”.

Looking across sugar cane fields

Regular visitors will no doubt remember my waxing lyrical over the mountain on many occasions. I find myself staring at the mountain regularly, in an almost hypnotic state.

The closer I drive towards the mountain, the stronger I feel the “pull” towards it, as the folds within the rocky face of the mountain and the gigantic trees become clearer and clearer.

The “feel” of Mount Warning is both hypnotic and tranquil. I’m sure that the spirits of the local Aboriginals smile upon those who admire their “Wollumbin”.

Mount Warning from Lyon's Lookout, Murwillumbah

Quinn asked for a list of posts I have written on Mount Warning. I discovered five posts in total, although two of those posts are mostly about landmarks in my area, named by Captain James Cook.

Here’s a list of links to the five posts ~

Thank you, Quinn, for giving me the opportunity to show off the beautiful area where I live yet again. I constantly complain about the humidity during the summer months ( sorry, patient readers!) but apart from the heat, we really do have the most magical scenery.

There are quite a few links here to explore, so grab a cuppa, sit back, relax, and explore a part of my world!

 

 

Australia · birthdays · Mount Warning · Tweed Valley

Youthful History

Joanne4 Comments
Captain James Cook

With Australia being such a young country and myself such an avid fan of any subject which remotely comes under the heading of “history”, it can be rather disappointing at times that my home country is rather lacking in the history department.

It is comforting to know that we do have a limited written history, however young, much of which has been carried out on my very own doorstep.

As I cannot relate to you the history of Australia’s Medieval Days, (they didn’t exist!) the seventeen hundred’s will have to suffice.

Let me take you back in time to the month of May, in 1770.

Captain James Cook and the crew of his ship, the “Endeavour”, sailed north along the eastern coast of Australia.

After reaching the most easterly point of Australia’s landmass, which Cook named “Cape Byron”, the ship continued north to a point where they struck dangerous reefs, some three nautical miles off the coast.

The prominent mountain sighted by Cook, just a few miles inland from the sea, he named “Mount Warning” as it seemed to be a distinguishing landmark to warn sailors of the hazards in the ocean nearby.

Cook named the land along the coastline near these reefs “Point Danger”, which is said to be the site where the Captain Cook Memorial Lighthouse is situated, on the border of New South Wales and Queensland.


In his writings in the ships log, on May 16, 1770, Cook noted a small island just off the coast, which was later named “Cook Island”, in his honour.

In this photo, you can see the mouth of the Tweed River, right next to Duranbah Beach (D-bar to the locals).

In the distance is the small island sighted by Cook and named for him.

As you can see, this zoomed in photo of Cook Island is rather poor quality, although it does show the rocky and deserted land of the island.

Cook Island

It would be almost another eighteen years before Captain Arthur Phillip arrived in the colony of New South Wales, on January 26, 1788, with eleven ships containing convicts, the so called criminals who were expected to forge out a new life in this barren land.

Yesterday, as Australians celebrated the birthday of our country, we could only lay claim to being 223 years old!

We may be a baby country in comparison to most of the world, but I do believe our history is well worth preserving.

Australia · challenges · Changes · gratitude · happiness · Mount Warning · spring

Embracing Change

Joanne2 Comments

Sitting at the table on my veranda I notice the first early morning rays of sunlight touching the summit of Mount Warning.

Oh, but I look up again after writing just one paragraph and the light on the mountain has already changed, while the folds in the surrounding hills have been further emphasised by the changing morning light.

Inside the house all is still, but that too will change within the next half hour, as my family begins rushing from room to room, preparing themselves for the last work and school day of the week.

Yesterday I became aware of other changes, positive changes in our nearest town, fifteen minutes drive away from our village.

Many years ago our cars were serviced by one particular mechanic. He knew his job well, so we continued to patronise his business, unquestioningly.

And then he retired. Resisting the change, for reasons I’m sure we had at the time, although I have now forgotten, we located another mechanic nearby. Yes, our new mechanic knew his job, although I always felt he lacked that “something special” of our previous man.

About a week ago my car began to complain that it had been neglected way too long, and it was loud about voicing its displeasure at the recent lack of attention.

Making contact with the new, although now not so new owners, of our previous favourite mechanics shop, I translated the problems as best I could, as told to me by my ailing vehicle.

A surprisingly low quote was given, and my car was feeling much better within an hour or two. Apparently, my car had every right to complain ~ a six cylinder car running on only five is not a happy-chappie!

As I have already mentioned, my car needed some T.L.C. so yesterday the “new” mechanics gave it the complete once-over it had been pleading for.

Driving my blue baby back home again I fully expected at any moment it may break out in song, as it glided along the road, purring as contented as a well fed kitten.

Behind the wheel of my car I also mentally rejoiced at having discovered such wonderful mechanics, who have that “special something” which I had missed for years.

I also chided myself at the memory of resisting the change of ownership in this business. Change can be good, just ask my car! 😉

The weather here is changing as well…another change I resist every year. I so enjoy the cooler months, we have so little cooler weather in this area.

The time has come for me to be more accepting of the many changes taking place around me, rather than resisting them. The weather will show no concern as to preferences of the earth’s inhabitants. It will change as it sees fit.

Two weeks ago I couldn’t have sat in comfort at this hour of the morning on my veranda, enjoying the early morning changes of the mountain. It was too cold.

The mountain is changing constantly as I write…the wonderful mechanics in town changed my car into a purring, gliding kitten and now my house has changed into a hive of activity.

Embrace the changes, savour the magical moments and move with them.

Have a fantastic day, in whatever your day brings!  I know I will. 🙂