July - September 2005 -
Western Australia |
| Back to Western Australia |
 With
our Round-The-World adventure to the USA, Northern Ireland and
Thailand at an end, we returned safely to our delightful home
in Western Australia.
We settled back in and are constantly reminded of why we live
where we do.
We are also expecting newly wed visitors any day now... |
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| Uncle Tom and Auntie Amanda visit Western Australia |
As you already know, Uncle Tom and Amanda have
made it all the way around the world and back again.
 Some
honeymoon! They did it safely, I might add. And they are all the
better for their adventures. To see what they got up to, click
here.
As my lovely wife shared earlier, we were only just home from
OUR round the world adventure, as Uncle Tom and Amanda were practically
beginning theirs! |
 They
decided to stop in a friendly, cosy place half way around the
globe.
Fremantle, Western Australia!
Good place to have family, eh Tom?!
We had ten days to prepare for their arrival.. but that gave
me enough time to get the brush-cutter (weed-whacker) ready ... |
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| From Bushland to Back Garden |
|  If
you're in to gardening, you might like to see how Uncle Tom transformed
our garden.
See
the brothers at play in the garden. |
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| Perth and Fremantle, Western Australia |
Tom and Devon feeding a parrot in Kings Park overlooking the fine
city of Perth, Western Australia.
It was a rainbow parrot. |
|  We
did some exploring with the newlyweds, including a visit to the
pelicans on the Swan river overlooking Perth >>> Those
of you luckily enough to get Tom and Amanda's 2006 Travel Calendar
will be delighted to find Perth featured amongst the many other
wonders of the world.
See what we got up to in Tom and Amanda's perspective:
Tom and Amanda's
Trip to Western Australia.
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| A Party for FAMILY |
|  Since
Tom and Amanda were here, and all our friends knew about them
[seeing as we'd just come home from there] we thought we would
have a party to introduce everyone!
And like all good parties, it ended up in the computer room!
We looked through Tom and Amanda's Wedding photographs prior
to their feature on Global Tick It. |
|  It
was a wonderful opportunity to share their special day.
It was nice to introduce family to my 'family' over here.
Thanks for coming Tom and Amanda!
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| Rottnest Island - Land of the QUOKKA |
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We took the ferry to the Island of Rottnest to enjoy a day in
the sun and to go looking for quokkas. What's a quokka?
You'll see... |
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By boat AND by bike we travelled into the land of the Quokkas.
In tandem... |
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And we found them.>>
Fuzzy little cute rodent-like animals.
Want to see more? Visit:
Rottnest
Adventure 2005
with Uncle Tom and Amanda. |
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| Devon meets a Kookaburra |
 Kookaburra's
have strange names, and wonderfully FULL calls that remind you
of full-bellied laughter. The old Australian song goes...
"Kookaburra sits by the old gumtree
merry-merry king of the bush is he
laugh Kookaburra, laugh Kookaburra
play your whole life long"
Sounds like a good way to live. |
 Several
of these wonderful birds appeared soon after clearing the garden
of brush. They enjoyed the access to BUGS and WORMS.
Perhaps that's why they were laughing!!!
I've added many photographs of the Kookaburra to the 'Animals
of Davilak Avenue' page, located here. |
 There
you will also see photos of Devon unabashedly approaching one
of these magnificent birds.
We hear them quite regularly laughing from the trees outside.
Devon notices them and says, "There! Kookaburra laughing!"
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| Uncle Tom starts a fire... |
 
West Ham Fan spotted at the scene of the bonfire in Hamilton
Hill. Put your mouse over the culprit
to see his face... |
 "What
fire officer?" he asked, when approached.
"Oh, the one you can see for miles? Oh, that fire... well
I can explain."
Sure Tom, sure.
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| And off they go... August
2005 |
 Thanks
for coming and spending such a great 3 weeks with us Tom and Amanda.
It really was great to get to know you both so well over that
time. Devon loves you both much and you are always the first people
he blesses...
I ask him "Who loves you" and he always says "Uncles
Tom and Amanda" and smiles... |
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 Tom
and Amanda Clark, off for more adventures on the Clark Honeymoon
2005. |
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| Lavender, Nasturtium & other wonders of
the garden... |
Our garden is divine.
Flowers everywhere.
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<<Devon Sips Flower Nectar
for Breakfast Every Morning in Spring>> Mouseover
hold your mouse over the picture to see
it move
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Beauty everywhere.
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| Devon visits school... |
Devon went to school for the very first time.
He is registered for a place at the Perth Waldorf School.
This is a Steiner School and it is private, and it is the choice
we are making for our children's education.
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 He
is 100th on the waiting list at the moment for the playgroup so
we should get a permanent place for him when is three in January
2007, which is apparently the best time for him to start a playgroup.
In this playgroup the parent stays with the child for the whole
3 hours.
Here is Devon outside the school walking down the winding path
through the bush land paths of the school complex..
Let me share with you of the highlights of our visit... |
 Devon
was greeted by the teacher Lisa, who is lovely.She called the
children into the classroom by singing and kneeding bread dough
in a bowl...it is like something out of a fairy tale!!
Lisa had prepared a bowl of warm
water for the children to wash their hands in. It had lavender
flowers in it. So caring and aware! Devon loved it.
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|  Then
we all sat around this cute little wooden table like Snow White
and the Seven Dwarfs and made things with the bread dough that
Lisa made.
Devon and I made a turtle and a few shapes.
All the bread went into the oven ready for us to
eat later for our morning tea!
After that we all played outside in the gardens on the hand crafted
wooden toys and slides (no plastic here!) and we had the option
to play indoors too. |
 Next
we ate our morning tea on the other big wooden table outside -
delicious.
After tea was singing. Mothers and children all sat around in
a circle (on the circular rug) on cushions and we song positive
songs about our earth, nature and being. It was truly magical!
The morning ended with story time. Lisa didn't read from a book
but had prepared, with props, a beautiful story about a caterpillar.
After the story was finished one child got to blow out the candle... |
| Not surprisingly Devon REALLY enjoyed the morning
and he gave Lisa a hug and kiss goodbye. I look forward to Devon's
education here. |
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| A little more about Steiner schools...is there
one in your area? |
| Waldorf or Rudolf Steiner education is a unique
form of education from preschool through high school, which is based
on the view that the human being is a being of body, soul and spirit.
The specific methods used in Waldorf schools come from the view
that the child develops through a number of basic stages from childhood
to adulthood. The Waldorf curriculum is specifically designed to
work with the child through these stages of development.
Waldorf education was developed by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925)
at the beginning of the 20th century. It is based on Steiner's
broader philosophy and teachings, called anthroposophy (literally,
wisdom or knowledge of man).
Anthroposophy holds that the human being is fundamentally a spiritual
being and that all human beings deserve respect as the embodiment
of their spiritual nature. This view is carried into Waldorf education
as striving to develop in each child their innate talents and
abilities. Waldorf schools operate in a non-discriminatory way,
without regard to race, gender, ethnicity, religion or national
origin. |
 The
pupils learn about the world, society and themselves in a way
with which they can strongly identify. The Steiner curriculum
responds to the developmental needs of each pupil.
It has proved adaptable over 75 years in many different cultures
on all continents.
This is because the curriculum is designed to develop faculties
rather than merely deliver prescribed information: it is interdisciplinary
and comprehensive. |
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The Rainbow Warrior - GREENPEACE FLAGSHIP
Visits Fremantle, Western Australia |
We visited the Rainbow Warrior, king of the Greenpeace fleet.
Want to see? Click...
RAINBOW
WARRIOR
visits FREMANTLE |
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On to
Oct-Dec 2005
birthdays, christmas, koalas and more>>> |
