Perth City, WA

A tour to Perth City through my lens :)

What we scatter

A heart-warming story arrived in the mailbox today...

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes.

I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean,hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas.

I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas..

I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.

Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

'Hello Barry, how are you today?'

'H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good.'

'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?'

'Fine.. Gittin' stronger alla' time.'

'Good. Anything I can help you with?'

'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' th em peas.'

'Would you like to take some home?' asked Mr. Miller.

'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.'

'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?'

'All I got's my prize marble here.'

'Is that right? Let me see it' said Miller.

'Here 'tis.. She's a dandy.'

'I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one isblue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked.

'Not zackley but almost.'

'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble'. Mr. Miller told the boy.

'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.'

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me.

With a smile she said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances.

Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever.

When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.'

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man.

A short time later I moved to Colorado , but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.

Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one.

Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died.

They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them.

Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.

Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking.

They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket.

Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket.

Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.

'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about.

They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them.

Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size....they came to pay their debt.''We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho ..'

With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband.

Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral :We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds.

Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

Thoughts: It's not what we accumulate in our lifetime but what we have scattered that tells what kind of life we have lived.

Swan Valley, Western Australia

This is a very, very belated post. Sorry folks...I should let the pictures do the talking.
These were taken around Swan Valley- almost heaven...grapes, wine, cheese, chocolates and nougat!

Arrival in Perth International Airport




Scenery along the way from Karawarra to Swan Valley
Swan Valley Visitor Centre


Guilford Village Potters beside Swan Valley Visitor CentreLetter box from 1800


Swan Valley Pink Bus Tour...Free flow of Victoria Bitter onboard ;)
Grapes glorious grapes...endless vineyard!
Free wine and cheese sampling in this vineyard :)Gotten myself the sweetest wine ever...almost like honey!
The Margaret River Chocolate Company- Free chocolate samples and tonnes of chocolate

My forever love!




Mondo Nougat...best nougat in WA!!!

Lost

It has been raining non stop for the past few days.
The weather is cold and nice.
It felt almost like spring with the occasional sunshine.
I'm not sure where to put the blame, weather or my "intoxication"...
I am lost in my thoughts.
Before I begin my "rehabilitation", let us just listen to this memorable song :)




IRIS by Goo Goo Dolls

And I'd give up forever to touch you
Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
Cause sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight

Chorus

And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am


And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything seems like the movies
Yeah you bleed just to know your alive

Chorus

And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

Chorus

I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am

Self Appraisal

This came in my e-mail today.
It just get me thinking...what a good way to determine our performance ;).
Happy reading!


A little boy went into a drug store, reached for a soda carton and pulled it over to the telephone. He climbed onto the carton so that he could reach the buttons on the phone and proceeded to punch in seven digits (phone numbers).

The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation:

Boy: "Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn?
Woman: (at the other end of the phone line): "I already have someone to cut my lawn."

Boy: "Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price of the person who cuts your lawn now."
Woman: I'm very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting my lawn.

Boy: (with more perseverance): "Lady, I'll even sweep your curb and your sidewalk, so on Sunday you will
have the prettiest lawn in all of Palm beach , Florida."
Woman: No, thank you.

With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy.

Store Owner: "Son... I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job."
Boy: "No thanks,

Store Owner: But you were really pleading for one.
Boy: No Sir, I was just checking my performance at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady, I was talking to!"

This is what we call "Self Appraisal"

Beautifully Imperfect

Have you ever gone teary eyed after watching an advertisement?
If your answer is "No" try watching this.



It is Singapore's Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) Family commercial.
This touching advertisement is directed by the late Yasmin Ahmad.

This advertisement stirs your emotions.
I laugh so hard at the horrified look of old fogey(s) when the very composed Mrs Lee relate about her late husband's snoring and farting issues which she had to put up with all these years.
I was in tears when she told those present that the things she used to think were issues with her husband ended up being what she would be missing most about her late husband.

I called my mom right after watching the clip to tell her I love her :).

Happy Birthday to me!

This is a belated post :p.
I was going through immigration and checking into my flight early morning on 15th March.

The immigration officer in Australia wished me "Happy Birthday". How sweet... :)

I spent half of my birthday commuting from Perth to KL then to Penang.

My dear friends celebrated my birthday later in the evening in a Korean Restaurant.