Sharing Sorbet

My sigh? Having a fully stocked kitchen again plus living with the most generous family (love!)
So in hopes of taking advantage of the ice-cream maker this holiday weekend I am posting a recipe for Lemon Thyme Sorbet.

Whatcha need?

• 6 medium lemons
• 2 cups of water
• 1.5 granulated sugar (note: substitutions will not work as well)
• .75 cup fresh lemon thyme sprigs

Use vegetable peeler to peel off strips of the lemon peel (yellow portion only). In small saucepan, bring water to a boil, remove from heat and whisk in sugar until all of it is dissolved. Add lemon thyme and strips of lemon peel. Cover and steep for one hour.
Strain through fine-mesh strainer to remove lemon thyme and lemon peel. Cut lemons in half and use citrus juicer to extract juice (about 1 cup). Whisk in lemon juice. Chill in fridge for three hours or until cold then freeze in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

I'll letcha know how it goes, I think it would be fun to try with lime and
lemon. Yum!

Just to be cute...

X, Becca

p.s. thanks to weheartit.com

Say What?

I may lose followers by admitting but hey, give me a break (plus I don't exactly have even a bandwagon of fans) : I am a Twilight fan. I've read all the books in an almost obsessive speed two years ago and now am reliving my obsessions through the film releases.

On Wednesday my gal friends, MK, CJ and I went to an afternoon matinee of Eclipse and were charged fifteen dollars. This may seem like chump change to you, but five buckaroos a pop?! That's definitely worth a sigh. I loved Australia but man did it try to break my student piggy bank. From fourteen dollars to five dollars, even with the exchange rate my bank account is glad I am back stateside again.

Today's sigh is from my piggy

X, Becca

p.s. photos thanks to weheartit.com and http://www.beau-coup.com

Reckon I'mma Country Gal

Australia seems surreal, like a dream that reminds me of scenes throughout the day.  Perhaps its because I am enjoying the comforts of home a little too much including country music!!  I am not ashamed to admit my love for WITL radio station in Lansing and 99.5 in Chicago. Something about the deep voice of Trace Adkins and the way I find myself belting out with the radio makes me want to find the perfect pair of cowboy boots and march myself down to the country bar in town.

The best part about WA not having a country radio station means my return in summertime which would usually full of overplayed favorites is instead full of introductions to songs I haven't yet enjoyed.

My delightful gal friend, CJ, introduced me to  Wildflower a new radio hit. I'm loving the new Sugarland hits too!

Another welcomed sigh over country music.

X, Beccs

The *Sigh* Series

As of today I am starting the *Sigh* series. The sigh? The sigh that you realize lets a little more relaxation in by being reintroduced to something oh-so-fabulous about America that makes me glad I'm back!

Today, I am sighing because of Pandora.com. I love Pandora. The idea that I can get a variety of music but still insure that I control the general genre while going through my things for packing makes moving even more exciting!

When life gets you down, know you have Pandora for your musical needs!

My station today : Jason Myles Goss.
What stations have you created?

Take a sigh with me.....

X, Becca
p.s. photo thanks to weheartit.com

A new smell in the neighborhood

Remember in Monster's Inc. when Scully had three choices of atrocious smelling deodorant for Mike to choose from such as Wet Dog? Apparently the movie line was such a hit, now you can have off-putting deodorants too for a low low price!

I'm not talking about the sickly sweet cotton-candy spray us girls passed around in the Jr. High Gym Lockers.

Image thanks to manolith.com

But rather a scary thought: products such as the Burger King Body Spray called The Flame that can make you too smell like fast food burgers for $3.99

What about a Play-Dough spray?

Or as a Yahoo article highlights you can also choose from : beetroot, mildew or earthworm kudos to demeterfragrence.com

Now that I am back stateside, I am curious... Should I continue with the blog or has this blog, like the new spray market, seem unnecessary?

Making Poverty History

I've said it before and I'll say it again : 26,000 children die every single day because of starvation, lack of medical attention or shelter from elements. 26,000 children die every single day due to poverty.

Make Poverty History is a campaign that is notable here in Australia as well as other countries around the world.
The campaign is comprised of volunteers who work to raise awareness of global poverty and achieve change both political and social to help.

In Australia the campaign works along with other NGOs such as World Vision, Oxfam, Caritas, The Oaktree Foundation and Engineers without Borders.

Cross your fingers both for the war against poverty as well as for my roommate Naomi who has applied to be a volunteer. As a volunteer Naomi will be expected to volunteer once a week for six months, be trained in other areas of the organization and then have the opportunity to live abroad, similarly to the Peace Corp, to lend a helping hand.

Anywho, I just wanted to give a shout out to such a lovely organization and if you'd like more information please visit:   http://www.makepovertyhistory.com.au/

Cheers, from an inspired gal
p.s. photo thanks to http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/02/haiti_three_weeks_later.html

A Valley Girl

Welcome to Swan Valley

A simply gorgeous tourist town with what seems like never ending vineyards, art galleries, coffee shops, beautiful views and lets not forget the Margaret River Chocolate Company!

Last Saturday was a sun filled day rare amongst the rainy cold days we've had lately in WA. The warmth was much appreciated and so was the Swan Valley experience!

And all within the low low cost of free (although I admit I was tempted to bring back a bottle or two of Port) due to the tastings wine, cheese, honey and chocolate. I went into Swan Valley with the sniffles and a car full of good company and came out with a new love for cinnamon honey and Port! Came to find out that the port I had been tasting was born from Shiraz grapes so it wasn't really a surprise how quickly I feel in love (Shiraz is my favorite wine and also happens to be commonly from South Africa or Australia).

Yum.... why hadn't I experienced them before? According to the beekeepers cinnamon honey can help with various ailments (heart diseases, toothache, cholesterol, indigestion, and even hair loss) and I can't see how Port would hurt? You see, for "in vino veritas" ( in wine (there is) truth)!

Cheers from a valley girl
P.s. photography thanks to watoday.com.au and swanvalley.com.au

An International Mind

As my time in Australia quickly comes to an end, I am reflecting on my experiences here and how I am grateful I am for the friends I have made, the things I have learned, and the culture I have come to appreciate. During my stay I have tried to become as acculturated to life in WA as possible which included keeping my mouth shut (okay sometimes I just couldn't help it) about comparisons to America unless asked for my input, taking public transportation, visiting key places, joining the community, and learning the ways of  religion, food, and sports. I stumbled across this quote (can you tell I love quotes?) which nicely summed up my view on traveling:

When we go abroad we should try to respect and act in harmony with the culture, values and customs of the country we are visiting. The world is getting smaller and smaller. These days I think it is important to develop an international mind.. Yes, instead of judging each country from the standards of culture, traditions and lifestyle that we are familiar with, we should be aware of the world teeming diversity and learn to accept and embrace it. Developing an international mind does not mean discarding our cultural identity or traditions. It simply means casting off the tendency to judge things as superior or inferior based on our native standards or values ( The Human Revolution, vol 5 p60) .

Cheers from a girl's reflection

p.s. picture thanks to weheartit.com

Family Dinner

Tonight two house mates and I came together to enjoy a lovely family dinner! On the menu was homemade pumpkin ravioli with a white wine spinach cream on top, corn-on-the-cob fresh from the Freo market, and potatoes. Sound starch filled? It was delicious. There is something to be said for spending time together preparing a meal and then enjoying it.

Reminds me of soup days with my grandma splattered with tomato guts all over the kitchen or the flour-dusted faces of us as kids on cookie exchange day with the family on the holidays.

So is it safe to say cooking brings families together and fills the mind with scented memories destined to bring you back home no matter where you are, no matter how long after? What are your fondest family dishes? Care to share a recipe?

Cute picture says, "I'll give you a secret recipe for making good sweets, use fresh stuff and add a big love"

Cheers, from a gal reminded of home

P.s. cute picture from wehearit.com

Cute.

Thanks to Windows Vista I have a yellow pad of post-it notes on my desktop. Well I think it is time to do some post-it note cleaning so I am taking one cute saying off and giving it to you!


 "Life is one fool thing after another.

Love is two fool things after each other."

Cheers, from a post-it lover

p.s. picture thanks to weheartit.com

What is this Foundation Day you speak of?

Today was Foundation Day. When I asked around very little was known about this so called public holiday. After a little research, Foundation Day originally June 1st and now the first Monday in June, commemorates the foundation of the Swan Valley Colony in 1829. Swan Valley Colony was a British colony that over time developed in Western Australia. Captain James Stirling of the Royal navy decided that a celebration was needed to unite all of the colony's inhabitants including settlers and aboriginals and thus Foundation Day.

What does Foundation Day mean for me? In daily lives it means that public transportation observes the limited holiday schedule, that grocery stores and major shops are closed, primary schools are closed and yet uni is still on.

Cheers, from a gal on holiday
P.s. map thanks to weheartit.com

A List

Back in April my dearest Aunt sent me an email with an entire list dedicated to reasons why I should come back to America. Apparently there was some concern I would stay down under. Now that we are two weeks away from my return I thought it'd be nice to reflect on her list, and maybe even get a giggle out of it!

Picture thanks to Jerbear from our adventures in Chitown

Reasons to come back to America:

Lake Michigan
Real Pizza
The Greek Islands
The Obama Presidency
Abundant Water
Black soil
Massive Diversity in cultures
Real Mexican Food
Spanish soap operas
Truly Diverse Cultural experiences
The darling students of the West Side of Chicago, Elgin, Aurora, Detroit, New York...(I could go on and on...)
Cardinals’ songs
Coyotes
The Grand Canyon
Harmless insects, snakes and spiders
Fireflies in the corn and alfalfa fields at dusk, looking like stars on Earth
The Chicago skyline
Second City
A biker bar (we went to one yesterday — with REALLY GREAT food!!! Smelts, cole slaw, tator tots, the best BLT I have EVER had)
Italian Beef Sandwiches
A Polish Sausage Sandwich near Maxwell Street
The “El”
The Prairie Path
The Fox River, the Rock River, The Des Plaines River
The rock on Mom’s grave
Squirrels
Women’s Liberation
All of us
Brandon — he’s a very nice fellow that one — and likely to be a great partner in adventures around the planet 

Auntie J, no worries you'll be seeing me soon.

Cheers, from a "just visiting" gal

DOTT

DOTT? Duties Other Than Teaching.
Interested?

Well, in Australia or I suppose at least WA, teachers are given time during their salary paid, school day to complete duties other than teaching. Novel idea hey?
Think about how you could reach a work-life balance if every teacher was provided with DOTT for lesson planning, providing students with extra one-on-one support with their work, going to staff meeting, attending PD days, marking student's work, assisting with school activities, and preparing resources.

In WA the breakdown of DOTT is as follows:
secondary teachers are allocated 5 hours and 20 minutes a week, primary teachers 3 hours and 40 minutes, pre-primary teachers 5 hours and 20 minutes. Please note that this may vary from school to school.

Now you may wonder, if a teacher is observing DOTT time who is running the classroom? Well there are relief teachers just for that coming in every week at the same time (so you don't have to fret about how inconsistency would affect the learners)

Well you might be saying sounds great in theory but what does this look like in practice?
In my classroom my mentor teacher observes DOTT every Wednesday or which we playfully call "Wacky Wednesday (to reflect the change in schedule)". She still comes to school to open, welcomes, and manages the classroom however the same relief teacher also comes in to manage the main act. Wednesdays are when the learners are introduced to a new letter and explore many literary concepts. Every classroom will look different of course.

So there we have it, and excuse me Department of Education on the Stateside, I hope you took notes.

Cheers, from a mostly relaxed Pre-Service teacher (for after all it was Wacky Wednesday today)

Wow.

See that mountain over there? 

In Bikram today, after three days of struggling, fighting the temperature, taking breaks as most beginners do, and even taking a day off for rest; today, my body was somewhere over by the mountain and my mind was way over on this side of the fence. My mind let restraint go, kicked to the curbside. 

I want to march my way up to the mountain's peak and make a very loud, exhilarating announcement, (announcement, announcement, announcement!) 

"I GET IT!". 

I get it. 

I get what yoga is about. 

I get that it is more about the mind than the body (granted they say you can burn up too a thousand calories in 90 minutes of Bikram, and your body is always a bit sore). I get that one day you may surrender your mind completely and be on this side of the fence and another day your mind and body might be, at well, civil war. I get that yoga isn't always about the here and now but also about whether you can still do it twenty years from now. I get that once you walk into a Bikram yoga studio all the choices you've made throughout that day are now on pause. In yoga, it's not a choice. Your body knows the transitions, the heat, the positions are not a choice. So tell you mind to take a back seat, stop making choices, let go, but still concentrate, and plunge through the full ninety minutes.

All I can say is it's been a WOW day in yoga.

Alright enough of the yogi blabber, enough of exhileration, I'm all about sleep now.

Cheers, from a girl on the far side of the fence

P.s. photo via weheartit.com

A fitting song....

"Another airplane, another sunny place, I'm lucky I know, I'm just too far from where you are. I wanna  come home. Another winter day has come and gone away in Paris and Rome but I want to go home. And I am surrounded by a million people but I miss you, you know. I've had my run, but baby I'm done."

 Blake Shelton -Home

 So okay, maybe I'm ready to admit that I'm ready to go home. Five months is a long time. 20 days and counting until I'm State-side again!

Cheers, from a girl with an undying love for Chicago

Doing something new

In North Perth (just a 20 minute walk from the Student Village) is a Bikram Yoga studio. I've walked by it for volleyball training and took the bus by it countless times into the the city but as of yesterday it is no longer a landmark on the way somewhere else but now it is the destination.

My gym membership expired last week so instead I have signed up for a 10 day unlimited pass for Bikram yoga for only 20 AUD.
I am not a complete novice to yoga for I have dabbled my fingers in power yoga, yoga videos and a few drop in classes here and there.

However, Bikram is taking yoga to a whole other playground. One that happens to be very hot. In Bikram each practicing studio is heated up to 38*C/100*F. Each session has participants transition through 26 postures (two rounds of each) to compose the 90 minute class.

For comparison sake, think forward to the middle of summer when it hits the first 100 degree day. It's a little hard to gather energy, and when you grab a cold beverage out of the cooler there are condensation droplets being born immediately; soon to monopolize the entire surface. Well, in Bikram that surface is your skin. Places you can never remember sweating from before like the tops of your feet are now dripping so that when you reach forward from triangle pose into impossible-to-hold pose you look around to see sweat rivers cascading off reaching arms and strained necks. Sound fun?

I don't mean to deter anyone from practicing Bikram it is calming (towards the end), strengthening, endurance building, and something new!
I mean, hey, I'm going back today so that must be saying something (smile).
If you would like more information feel free to visit the studio's website:  http://www.perthbikramyoga.com.au/

Cheers, from a sweating but intrigued girl

p.s. photos via wehearit.com

Just a thought...

Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.

-Margaret Lee Runbeck

A page from my journal..

I am required to keep a journal during my prac here with observations about my classroom, notes on my experience and comparisons between the education system back home and here.

So a page from my journal:

When considering documents and procedures that the Western Australian curriculum is based on, Outcome Based Education (OBE) comes to mind due to the most recent shift in the Australia education system (started in 1990). Outcome Based Education focuses on  individual student learning outcomes with accountability on what students specifically achieve. OBE  allows for school's creating their own tweaked version of the curriculum in which all schools strive for the same goals with varying ways of achieving them. However another shift has occurred with a National Curriculum being instituted in 2011. Currently National and State priorities in the education system includes: literacy, numeracy, civics, and ICT.

As for now, during my prac, documents to reference while planning lessons are: the Curriculum Framework, Curriculum Guides, K-10 Syllabus, Early Years Learning Framework and the Pre-primary Profile. With so many documents to reference many educators will be welcoming in the National Curriculum, hoping to have more specific guidelines for each developmental level.

When creating lessons I currently lean on the Curriculum Framework. I find all the curriculum documents to be very broad in comparison to the Michigan GLCEs. Who would have thought one day I'd truly appreciate the GLCEs?

Cheers, from a lesson planning girl

p.s. picture thanks to weheartit.com

Remember this girl?

 

The girl with the graduation cap dressed in Green and White?

Well, Sparta... it is official!

My last exam of undergrad is completed.

Now for a little bit of life and a little bit of play.

Cheers!

Galileo

 

I've loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night

-Galileo

Exam time

Here's the week, it never fails.
It makes me want to pull my hair.
When it comes I want to wail - Exams! 

*Enjoy my nice little song* (sing to the tune of Blue's Clues Mail Time Song)

One exam done. One more to go.

All assignments well done and then three week of full time prac!

Fun tidbit of information, the Australian grading scale:

50%-Pass

60%-Credit

70%-Distinction

80%-High Distinction

Although the grading scale is a bit different the highest grade still requires  heaps of effort to obtain.

Cheers, from a studying girl

You say winter?

At Mallory's door, for another biking adventure!

Starting next week it is officially winter time... now, I ask you when is the last time that you saw bright flowers like this with winter next door?

 

We stayed along the coast taking in the scenery until we thought maybe playing on the beach would be fun.

My love for you, nice and big!

Not too shabby of a view hey? This is somewhere up the coast from Cottesloe.

 

We ventured down to the jetty and grabbed ourselves a front row seat to the sunset. 

The show? Free of charge.

I will not claim it was the most vibrant sunset ever but it was a nice sight.

Plus how can you complain when in good company?

I am thinking I should take more advantage of living so close to the beach...

Perhaps more running on the beach and maybe a sleepout?

Cheers, from a beach babe even though it's "winter".

It's a small world after all....

Meet Perry and Glenn. Perry I have known since the beginning of Junior High. Anyone remember our Perry-Perry April Birthday Party in the eighth grade? We went our separate ways in High School going to different schools. Turns out after all these years we have a common love for studying abroad. Two years ago she to came to Melbourne to study and on one of the first nights she met Glenn- the more confused looking of the pair (smile). She stayed for eighteen months, returned to Chicago for her final semester and now is in Perth! Why Perth? Glenn plays for the Australian Olympic Hockey Team, and was asked to move to Perth for training purposes. The picture pretty much describes their relationships : a bit of romance with a lot of goofiness.

 

Both Perrys in the same city? How could we not meet up? I kept Perry company as one of Glenn's hockey games and had a blast! Notice the green hockey field? Hockey= field hockey.

Turns out my jumper wasn't needed for my imagined ice arena...

A lot of laughter, new acquaintances, and a few drinks later we called it a night with plans for next time.

Cheers, from a Perry girl

Curry Time!

 

I wouldn't be surprised if a prerequisite of living in Australia was knowing how to cook curry. Or maybe I am just one of the few Americans that don't know how? Can anyone back me on this?

Anyway, enough was enough. Today I learn how to make curry. May have been an easy curry lesson but have no fear a more advanced recipe sure to follow.

First step choose which sort of vegetables you wan and chop em up to bite-sized bits.

Ollie made a capsicum cup! Talent.

Next chop up your protein of choice, in our case chicken. Mix in the correct portion of coconut cream (400ml) and curry sauce (200ml) either home made or purchased from the store alongside partially cooked chicken. Cook for a few more minutes before throwing in all your vegetables in, the more the merrier.

Let simmer until cooked (10-15 minutes).

Note if including potato might want to pre-boil for five minutes before adding to the curry pot.

Not spicy enough? Add jalapeno the last two minutes!

Enjoy on it's own or atop rice.

My curry mentors, so proud!

Cheers, from a spice flaming mouth (just right!)

Says the Suit...

Meet the Suit. The clothing outfit that labels you the serious type perhaps even with spoonful of fashion sense. Yesterday while at the station I caught myself looking at a polished man in such a suit carrying a briefcase so I automatically labeled him as a business man : whether searching for work or already well established I couldn't tell you.

Here comes the fun part. My mind carries off on its own thought train, what was this guy like as a child? The thought of him as an eight year old dressed in a suit while ripping up his mother's petunias made me smile. What about his briefcase? What if it is full of such said flowers? Wouldn't it be humorous if he had a whole bag of lollies next on top of business report? Or if his boxers had Buzz Lightyear on them? Now, he is much more than a suit.

I suppose it doesn't matter where I am, people watching makes me be the girl walking around with a smile even though I am alone.

What sort of crowd observing games do you plan? I'd love to try em out!

Cheers, from girl with reindeer underwear

P.s. picture thanks to weheartit.com

Bicycle Built for you!

 

In the words of Queen, " I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride it where I like. "

Okay, so even though I abandoned my beater green bike at MSU, I miss my bike.

So Mallory and I went off last Sunday on a bicycle ride following the Swan River.

And oh gracious me! What did we see?

A random train stop. Some carnival camels.

A precious pup.

A babbling brook, autumn leaves, and fellow bicyclists.

About 13 km later we called it a day and hit the Freo Markets!

Cheers, from a biker chick

P.s. photos thanks to Mallory and weheartit.com

I'll have the whole Lot!

I did it! With less than five weeks to go I was conscious about getting my true Aussie colored burger in.

Welcome to Alfie's in Guilford, WA! Number one burger joint in Perth since the 1940's. Outdoor style just like a Dairy Queen except filled with delicious burgers.

Judging by the crowd of people on a Wednesday night, Alfie has rightfully stayed in business.

Meet the infamous Australia burger stuffed with egg, pineapple, tomato, BBQ sauce, cheese, onion, lettuce and hold the bacon. The Lot burger is suppose to have beetroot on it as well, but hey close enough.

 

With the pineapple and BBQ sauce it was the perfect mixture of sweet and meat.

Asten and I super satisfied. Enjoying our burgers by the fire!

 

Pretty cool atmosphere nixing the plates and tables. 

Just gather round the fire for a ol' fashion burger n chips!

My burger was 8.50 AUD and well worth it.

Unlike American burger joints asking how'd you like your burger, you are served medium.

More simple that way and I am sure less stress about Mad Cow disease (Moo!)

 

Still full two hours later.

And to think we contemplated having dessert afterwards.

Whew! Glad we didn't!

The Lot Burger (hold the bacon) gets the BP seal of approval!

Cheers, from a stuffed tummy 

Want more info? Check out :  

http://www.australiablog.com/history/archive/australiana/the-aussie-classic-burger-with-the-lot.html

I love you too

Remember when I said that Western Australia received the same box office movies that those in Midwest American did? Well there is always an exception. 

And the movie, I Love You Too, will serve as a case in point. 

Turns out the film hasn't reached American Cinemas and perhaps isn't intended to...

Featuring Brendan Cowell and Peter Halliar the Australian film tells the tale of a bachelor who falls in love and after three years of dating presents a 'commitment' ring without ever saying I Love You. Well you can guess how the love of his life could be fed up and decides to leave Australia 

for her home in London leaving Brendan alone. 

The movie serves as a comedy and had many similarities to the American film, I Love You Man.

My personal feedback? Cute. Made for both genders. A little slow but makes you smile.

Cheers, from a film critic
P.s. photo thanks to www.tvauscast.com

Annalakshmi

Welcome to Annalakshmi! Annalakshmi is the Hindu Goddess of Food and also a vegetarian Indian restaurant right next to the Bell Tower along Swan River. It is the kind of place that doesn't bother with advertisement because word of mouth travels faster.

The second story dining room is only open for lunch and dinner which probably helps keep costs down. The food was scrumptious. Mallory and I visited tonight and helped ourselves to naan, a sort of pumpkin soup, jalapeno jasmine rice topped with cauliflower curry, and this cabbage salad including cranberry with some sort of nut (that tasted real fresh since there wasn't any time of dressing on it! Simple but a nice tool to cool the tongue off after curry).

Naan (Indian Bread)

Now here comes the cool part : they believe that each guest should "eat as they like, and pay as they feel". Meaning after the meal has been enjoyed you pay the host what you feel was appropriate.

Even more impressive is that the cooking/help staff isn't really staff at all but volunteers from the Perth area. Then, each guest's donations are taken to resupply the restaurant in addition to helping out a health organization for women around the world.

Neat place, hey?
Don't only take my word on it, check it out:
http://www.annalakshmi.com.au/mission/

Cheers, from a well fed guest

P.s. pictures thanks to www.annalakshmi.com and www.south-africa-tours-and-travel.com

A Stirring of Seasons

Autumn!!!! Two weeks ago, tonight, at 11: 06 I asked my mates to join me outside. Alright, I kind of insisted.
Why? Because it was the first night of Autumn air : the crisp air that makes my mind go a tad crazy.

On Thursday, I didn't respond to Kate's question right away for I was distracted by crunchy looking yellow leaves on the ground. *sigh, yes I tip-toed all over them.

Hi my name is Becca and I am a complete Autumn Dork.

Hold onto your Season caps for its about to get windy. It may be Autumn, but the crunchy multi-colored leaves I speak of are few and far in between. In fact, most people in WA don't own a rake. Instead of shedding life, many plants are just coming to life! Flowers and green shrubs are butting there heads out from the ground and taking claim to the sun.

Why? Because as Perth heads further into winter it also heads into the wet season. Unlike Chicago, with many layers of snow, Perth just gets drenched with buckets of rain. So it makes sense, since the weather does not dip down that low during winter and seeing as how plants love water, that places like King's Park are just blossoming starting in Autumn.

The weather makes it hard to dress appropriately. Before the sun wakes up, on my way to the gym I am layered with sweatpants and my jumper. However if the sun is switched on and warming my body I shed layers to a skirt and tank top (walking quickly through the shaded bits of sidewalk). Come night fall, I consider if I should have brought another jumper along because it really is quite frigid.

The sun certainly does keep things quite interesting!

Cheers, from a girl living with weather bi-polarism
P.s. top picture thanks to littlebrownpen.blogspot.com