The Pinnacles are limestone pillars rising by the thousands from desert sand in Nambung National Park, 250 km (155 miles) north of Perth. The geology fun comes complete with trail markers and freedom for kids to run, and run, and run all along the 1.2 km (3/4 mile) loop trail.
I have loved the feel of the grass under my feet,
and the sound of the running streams by my side.
The hum of the wind in the treetops has always been good music to me,
and the face of the fields has often comforted me
more than the faces of men.
I am in love with this world…
I have tilled its soil,
I have gathered its harvest,
I have waited upon its seasons,
and always have I reaped what I have sown.
I have climbed its mountains,
roamed its forests,
sailed its waters,
crossed its deserts,
felt the sting of its frosts,
the oppression of its heats,
the drench of its rains,
the fury of its winds,
and always have beauty and joy
waited upon my goings and comings.
~ John Burroughs ~
Thanks to Laura for sharing her photos and the idea for this post.
I took all the photos except the three that have me in them, which were taken by Ben.
To clarify, I’m not actually in love with this world, but I do think God’s creation is amazing!
Several months ago, two-year-old Nikki asked to use the toilet when we were in Subiaco visiting the Station Street market. The public toilets near Subiaco train station were a convenient solution.
Little did I know that ExeLoo automated toilets were equipped with piped in music, male voice prompts, and – who thought of this? – a wall that opens up to dispense a toilet seat.
Nikki and I were completely unprepared, and we both just stared in horror when the wall yawned open. My brave girl did not cry, and she used the toilet without complaint. But for weeks afterward she made comments and asked questions about the experience. We talked at length about how loud and frightening the toilet was, but that it was ok, and how we were glad there was a toilet right there for us to use when we needed it.
Once she has made a request to go to the loo, Nikki has never refused to use any toilet. However, following her ExeLoo experience, she likes to ask some relevant questions such as, “Mama, will there be a man talking?” and “Will the toilet be loud?” She also covers her ears or grabs my leg when she hears piano music in a public restroom.
I vowed that I would video the inner workings of an ExeLoo to inform others – you have to see it to believe it.
My preschooler is not the only one who has had a negative experience with an ExeLoo toilet. A friend’s husband was horrified when the loo doors opened after 10 minutes, with him still seated. Thankfully he had taken a newspaper to read which enabled him to retain his dignity until the doors mercifully closed again.
Farmhouses are popular family holiday destinations here in Western Australia. With my parents visiting, we enjoyed a long weekend at a recreational farm several hours south of Perth in Pemberton. Our location was a perfect base for exploring the area, including the Valley of the Giants treetop walk, the Pemberton Tram, and Beedelup Falls.
Thanks to Dad for taking this photo in front of our cabin on the last day of our weekend away.
Our three-bedroom cabin featured a large backyard.
Free range chickens wandered all around.
Nikki and Michael hand-fed greens to a happy caged bunny in front of our cabin.
We can see why farmhouse breaks are so popular. The kids loved the animals and wide open spaces, and our location was peaceful and relaxing for the adults as well.
Still in the Karri forest, we stopped for a picnic near Beedelup Falls before hiking the loop around the waterfall.
The best view was from a suspension bridge at the base of the falls.
Michael said, “splash!”
A tram provides another way to explore the forest. The day after our tree top walk, we hopped aboard the Pemberton Tram for a round trip to Warren River.
Our tram driver talked about Karri and Marri trees, the Snotty Gobble, wildflowers, and the local history of the mill and surrounding houses.
Meanwhile…
… Grandma and Grandpa held hands,
… Nikki peered outside from the vantage point of Grandma’s lap,
… Michael ate sultanas, and
… Vi slept during a peaceful and informative ride through the forest.
The playground in Donnybrook was just a stop on our way to a weekend in Pemberton.
The next morning we headed straight to the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk near Walpole.
Thirty eight meters off the ground at the highest point, and running for 420 meters, the suspended steel truss walkway is an engineering marvel, and an excellent way to gently sway through the tingle treetops. This short video clip gives a glimpse of Baba with Nikki on his back and Michael walking alongside.
We walked the loop twice, with Michael riding on Baba’s back the first time, and Nikki riding around the second time. Riding or walking, it was amazing to experience the top of the forest whilst suspended above a deep gully.
Coming back to the ground, Nikki led us to a boardwalk through the Ancient Empire forest.
On the boardwalk, we meandered around and sometimes through tree trunks measuring up to 16 meters in circumference and over 400 years old.
Majestic and peaceful, we very much enjoyed our visit to the tingle forest.
For our tenth wedding anniversary, Ben planned a mini holiday at a surprise location. He kept me guessing right ’til the last minute by packing our passports, but it turned out he had a road trip in mind!
We drove down Australia’s beautiful southwest coast to our destination: an amazing seaside mansion near Bunbury. As we basked in our surroundings, I began to contemplate the luxury of living in a home that is not attached to someone else’s house. This would be a first in our ten years of marriage and could be a possibility for us if we stay in Australia.
During our three-night stay, we explored the surrounding region which includes a cheese factory, award-winning winery with an excellent restaurant, an old-growth forest, and places to run and play near Busselton Jetty.
We enjoyed a sunset walk just outside our house and Ben took our favourite tenth anniversary photo with the sun setting over the Indian Ocean as the backdrop.
A beautiful finale to the first ten years of our marriage, brimming with promise for the decades to come!
We traveled to Cyprus to rest 
, skip the end of Ramadan, and enjoy a different culture for a while. After a night in our stone cottage 
, we were raring to go 
see the rest of the island.
Our exploration began at the Bath of Aphrodite and extended to an approximately two mile hike 
along cliffs rising above the Mediterranean Sea 
.
On our second full day we visited a chapel 
and the nearby ruins 
of a sixth-century church 
. Michael topped the day off with a board book 
in which Fred asks Ted, “where should we go?” “To the mountains,” said Ted.
And so next day we drove up up up 
, and hiked even further up to see some mountain sheep 
. We ate a picnic lunch and played 
in the playground 
.
Driving onward and upward we came to Kykkos, a wealthy monastery 
with some amazing mosaics 
. On our way back down into our village, we shared the road with goats 
and once there I took a picture of a hand-embroidered linen tablecloth 
I had been admiring in our cottage.
We spent the following day storming a castle 
, enjoying views from the top 
, and eating al fresco next to the harbor, with water so clear we felt like we had front row seats to a giant fish tank 
.
On our last day we drove 
back across the island 
, starting out at 9am in order to catch a 7pm flight. Plenty of time for a photo 
in front of Aphrodite’s Rock 
and a two-hour Sunday lunch at ΙΑΣΩΠ“Jason” Tavern.
Cyprus in a word? Scrumptious.
