china rose (white)

February 7, 2025

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 1 February 2025].}

A very belated Happy New Year to you, my dear patrons.

I'm sorry (once again) for the radio silence.

The end of 2024 was voraciously consumed with move-related activity and kittehs, leaving me no time to assemble my usual end-of-year wrap-up blog.

I still intend to write and share one, but I have many photos to edit to bring it together, and January has somehow already disappeared into the rearview. How is that possible?

I hope 2025 will be a better one for me. And for you, if 2024 was hard.

The state of the world worries me deeply. In case you haven't heard, the Doomsday Clock ticked one second closer to midnight with the swearing-in of Drumpf as the 47th US President, the ongoing wars around this globe we call Earth, and the continued inaction of many world leaders in tackling climate change.

I'll be honest: it's hard to have hope some days.

But I do have hope. And plans. And I continue to see the beauty in the world and the people in my life despite everything.

I hope you do, too.

I would tell you all about the plans and inspiration whirling around my head. But I feel like, every time I mention my creative plans, I must push them aside while I fight another personal metaphorical fire.

So, instead, I will simply promise to share as much as I can when I can and hope you'll stay with me.

In the meantime, hopefully, these photographs of China roses I found in the front garden of a home in Grove Park last June will remind you of the beauty in the world.

When it all feels overwhelming, stop, take a deep breath and smell the roses.

living on bridlington time

December 28, 2021

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 21 December 2021].}

bridlington time [bridlington, east riding of yorkshire, england, 2017]

burleigh heads

August 10, 2021

^{[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 3 August 2021].}

Today was a stressful one, and there was a "doze, not quite a nap" this afternoon when I pushed through for too long without eating.

But I got important life admin sorted, and I booked an appointment for my second dose of the vaccine, so there's that.

dogs prohibited beyond this point [burleigh heads, queensland, australia, 2009]

Today I felt the urge to share a little photo essay of photographs I took at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast in Queensland back in 2009.

At the time, I was visiting for my birthday. But later in the year, for various reasons, I moved to live with my parents in Redland Bay at the other end of the Pacific Highway.

untitled #240 [burleigh heads, queensland, australia, 2009]

In 2002, when I'd returned from the UK, I'd lived with them in the Gold Coast hinterland. In Bonogin. My then-partner and I would drive to Burleigh Heads most days to walk along this stretch of the Gold Coast.

It was a beautiful spot to be and provided a stark contrast to the Gold Coast tourist drag of Surfers Paradise. I was more familiar with that part of the Gold Coast from my primary school years when I lived in Brisbane.

untitled #241 [burleigh heads, queensland, australia, 2009]

I feel a postcard from another's life related to my relationship with the Gold Coast coming in time. It was an annual pilgrimage for our family in my early years, punctuated by fluorescent beachwear and putt-putt golf.

Later, while at college, it was a place of cultural cringe for me.

untitled #242 [burleigh heads, queensland, australia, 2009]

In 2002 and 2009, I could see the beauty again in areas outside of the tourist traps. I hope this is what I shared with a partner in 2019, though I still hold a love for the kitsch 1980s Surfers Paradise in my heart to this day.

It's complicated.

Isn't it always?