There’s a quiet, icy stillness in the air as I set out for a walk around the peninsula. I’m wearing sturdy boots and am rugged up like an eskimo, for it’s a dull grey Winter day. Although it's past noon, the sun is still hiding behind a doona of thick clouds. It’s just me, a few ducks, a swan, a lone cyclist and a couple of women power-walking in their lunch break. I stop to admire jonquils, daisies and eucalypts, and the first of the wattle… clusters of golden powder puffs that herald the coming Spring. Along the water’s edge I discover a narrow, winding track, still muddy from recent rains. It’s shielded from the road by a line of old buildings and shrubbery. High up in a tree, there's an old, well-weathered timber birdhouse and I wonder who put it there and when. There’s a scattering of litter, and fallen branches in amongst the overgrown bushes and thickets of blackberry. Seeing this saddens me. I feel that no-one cares about this place, and yet they should! Right down by the lakeside, there's a rusted table and chairs, so perhaps somebody still comes here to sit and enjoy the views. Around the corner up the hill is the old Buggy Shed, once upon a time it was our family home and I have fond memories of playing here with my sister. Built in 1913 as a garage for The Constable's Cottage, it has been recognised by The National Trust for its 'significance as the earliest surviving structure of its kind from the Commonwealth period in Canberra'. Dilapidated until recently, it now stands proud with a new roof and fresh paint... and yet, it's empty. Families like my own lived here and made it their home. And those old corrugated walls inside hold many stories... Clusters of golden powder puffs that herald the coming Spring...High up in a tree, there's an old, well-weathered timber birdhouse... Around the corner up the hill is the old Buggy Shed... I have fond memories of playing here with my sister...Families like my own lived here and made it their home....Is there a place where you feel a strong sense of belonging?
9/8/2013 01:26:07 pm
Lovely to join you on your walk Lizzie :) Wandering around my mom's farm brings back the same kind of memories for me. xx
Lizzy
9/8/2013 02:35:54 pm
Thanks JJ... I'd love to see photos of your mum's farm.
Lizzy
9/8/2013 07:41:19 pm
Dear Rosa, thank you so kindly ; ) 9/8/2013 07:50:24 pm
What a lovely walk! You almost reconcile me to the fact that summer is going to end.
Lizzy
10/8/2013 05:51:21 pm
Thank you Patricia... summer is going to end and then we will enjoy the warmth of springtime here. ; ) 9/8/2013 07:53:09 pm
What a beautiful walk!
Lizzy
10/8/2013 05:51:36 pm
Thank you, GG. : )
Lisa Aherne
9/8/2013 07:54:33 pm
Yes, memories are wonderful, yours stirred mine.
Lizzy
10/8/2013 05:51:56 pm
That's wonderful, Lisa... happy ones, I hope xo
Lizzy
10/8/2013 05:52:28 pm
Hi Serena, thank you kindly... there are indeed many hidden gems in Canberra and I do hope you discover and enjoy them : ) A place where I feel a strong sense of belonging? It is the place where I am now. It’s now the height of summer in western Canada. But soon it will be winter and there won’t be green grass, because it will get too cold. I dread the fall, because it brings winter. I used to tell my darling why didn’t you go to Australia, why Canada? Which is crazy, because then we would have never met. Sometimes I look up the old street on Google Earth where I grew up in Budapest, but eerily there is nobody there. Well of course it’s just a 3 dimensional photograph after all. But really, there IS nobody there. Everyone I have and everyone who holds me dear is in this cold winter country. So yes, this is where I belong. I have to apologize, it’s all about me... again. But reading your posts Lizzy tends to bring out a type of self reflection and often I have to look twice before I can see your world... which is so very beautiful.
Lizzy
10/8/2013 05:53:52 pm
Hi Zsuzsa... reading your thoughts makes me happy to know that my posts bring out some self reflection... that's a good thing and it means that I am touching people, as a writer. I love what you wrote here. : ) 10/8/2013 09:32:31 am
Winter walks are good for the soul, beautiful photos!
Lizzy
10/8/2013 05:54:09 pm
Thank you Laura... I plan to go on more of these!
Lizzy
10/8/2013 05:54:43 pm
Thank you Krista... sounds like your spirit is drawn to Italy... and that's a good thing : ) What a wistful and dreamy post. It did me good spending time here! :) I love your childhood pix and it cracks me up how you look basically almost exactly the same! (ps Thank God for New York, where I feel more at home than I reckon I would in any other corner in the world.)
Lizzy
10/8/2013 05:55:31 pm
Azita... you make me smile. I'm just a bit taller and more wrinkled, eh!? Isn't it wonderful that you feel so attached to NY! 10/8/2013 03:17:32 pm
Great pictures! I particularly like the old ones. It's nice to have a sense of place that particularly appeals to you, and be able to return there. Life is always what you make of it, but sometimes it's nice to have a little help in being delighted in living in a place with fond memories. Fun stuff - thanks.
Lizzy
10/8/2013 05:56:46 pm
Thank you, John... I love sharing these old photographs... I am truly fortunate and blessed to have such fond memories.... of happy times... and, of course, I've had my fair share of loss and pain too... but I'd rather dwell on the good stuff ; )
Eha
10/8/2013 03:24:27 pm
What a glorious array of photos so quintessentially Australian and so delightfully snippets of a family's past . . . No wattle blooms arising here as yet [am 1/2 hour north of Bowral], but my Erlicheer jonquils have gone crazy and my poor 20 year-old weeping rose is leaf-budding ere I have finished pruning . . . Hope you are getting stronger . . .
Lizzy
10/8/2013 05:57:48 pm
Hi Eha... your garden with its jonquils and weeping rose sounds beautiful. Thank you for your very kind words : )
Eha
10/8/2013 07:23:23 pm
Lizzy: you have pretty strict 'instructions' on what to post!! I really believe about 75% + of the people I keep in contact would so enjoy - may I please ahare in all its totality? I normally just do, but . . . A lot of present and past Canberra folk and people 'still there '? 10/8/2013 04:04:33 pm
G'day and beautiful photography Lizzy, true!
Lizzy
10/8/2013 05:58:08 pm
Thank you kindly, Joanne : )
Lizzy
10/8/2013 05:58:22 pm
Thank you so much, Amanda xox
Lizzy
10/8/2013 07:50:48 pm
Eha, please do share. ; )
Lizzy
10/8/2013 08:09:16 pm
Thank you Celia xo
Lizzy
10/8/2013 09:29:24 pm
Bec, thank you xo 10/8/2013 09:33:05 pm
Lizzy what magnificent pictures of a wonderful walk.
Lizzy
10/8/2013 09:35:17 pm
Wow, thank you Mandy xox
Lizzy
11/8/2013 09:18:05 am
It sure is winter, here, Maureen... and I am envious of your 29 degrees today, when we are forecast a maximum of 13! Thank you for your kind words.
Lizzy
11/8/2013 09:18:22 am
Native plants are indeed ! 11/8/2013 04:14:14 am
I love the mix of old and new images, and your reflections on belonging. It's pretty amazing how only a handful of words and a scatter of photos can give us pause to do our own reflecting.
Lizzy
11/8/2013 09:18:38 am
Kellie, thank you so much... I love that! 11/8/2013 12:06:46 pm
what beautiful photos (old and new) - i can feel that cold damp wintery air. you have had some cold days lately - every time i see the weather map, canberra is having minuses in the morning! keep warm, lizzy.
Lizzy
11/8/2013 08:07:20 pm
Thanks so much... yes, we are feeling the cold... hope you are enjoying some sunshine ; ) 11/8/2013 09:04:59 pm
What a beautiful place to live! Thank you for sharing :)
Lizzy
12/8/2013 09:17:22 pm
My pleasure, Tandy... thank you for your kind words : ) 12/8/2013 02:02:58 am
What beautiful photos and memories. Hearing you talk about walking in the cold makes me think about our own winter that will soon be here in the U.S. Have a lovely day. :-)
Lizzy
12/8/2013 09:17:50 pm
Thanks so much... so very kind... and welcome to Good Things. Bring the warm weather to my place please : ) 12/8/2013 01:23:20 pm
Lovely post Lizzie with beautiful writing, so nice to see some of your family photos also.
Lizzy
12/8/2013 09:18:04 pm
Thank you so kindly, Catherine : ) 12/8/2013 10:48:13 pm
What a lovely post Lizzy! Your photos are so lovely :)
Lizzy
12/8/2013 11:34:55 pm
Lorraine, thank you so much for your very kind words! : ) 12/8/2013 11:36:28 pm
What beautiful images. I love the mix of the old with the new. We can feel Spring is on its way here in Sydney, too xx
Lizzy
12/8/2013 11:41:14 pm
Thanks so much.... that's really lovely of you. Wow, send some warmth here... it's still so chilly in Canberra xo 13/8/2013 05:48:13 am
Your descriptive writing and photos are a delight. The sense of belonging you mentioned comes through loud and clear (and/or soft and subdued) -- so glad you've come full circle.
Lizzy
13/8/2013 09:18:02 pm
Thank you, Kim... so very kind of you : ) 14/8/2013 10:55:52 pm
Such a lovely post Lizzy, the photos are wonderful. It always amazes to read that you're heading into spring when we're into fall.
Lizzy
15/8/2013 10:27:12 pm
Eva, thank you... me too... and hasn't this year just flown past! 15/8/2013 01:03:23 pm
What a well written post, Lizzy. I truly felt I was walking beside you as you showed me the place where so many memories were made.
Lizzy
15/8/2013 10:27:36 pm
Karen, thank you so much, that's truly kind of you : )
Lizzy
15/8/2013 10:28:02 pm
El, thanks so much! Very kind of you to say.... me too, I am hanging out for some warm weather : )
Susan
26/8/2013 12:13:17 am
Dear Lizzy
Lizzy
26/8/2013 09:11:28 am
Dear Susan, how wonderful! Yes, please! I have sent you an email. Thank you for stopping by. : )
Janet Berenyi
29/8/2013 06:55:42 pm
Dear Liz, Wow thank you, I have just looked up your blog and Winter Walk. I walk from the NFSA down to the National Museum and hadn't realised that I was passing the Buggy Shed every day!! I walk with a colleague every day past the lake and enjoy the seasons of Canberra as we walk. It was great to meet you and I look forward to reading your blog. I will send you my father in laws book. Best wishes, Janet
Lizzy
29/8/2013 08:27:09 pm
Dear Janet, thanks so much! It was a delight to meet you... I will call in and say hello again... there is much history to The Buggy Shed. I look forward to receiving your father in law's book. Regards, Liz
Helene Walsh
11/5/2014 12:38:44 pm
Thanks for your depictions of present day Canberra and memories from the past. Comments are closed.
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Cooking and writing have been a lifelong passion. Join me as I share with you my favourite recipes; postcards and morsels from my travels; conversations with cookery writers and chefs; and news on food, cookbooks and cooking. - Liz Posmyk
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