Happy Friday everyone. I am a day late with my doors as I was really hoping to find some festive doors yesterday when I was out and about. Sadly I didn’t find any and decided to go to the beach instead.
My festive door is part of Dan’s holiday doors theme and it was taken from two years ago when we lived in Hillsborough, Northern Ireland. It’s a fantastic door and the little decorations certainly give it that Christmassy feel. I absolutely love the brick work of this building and the design of the panel windows and transom window, almost looks like a spider’s web.
I look forward to seeing all your holiday doors over the weekend.
Happy Friday to you all. Today’s prompt caught my eye as I feel like here in Australia we can see many wild animals. I guess a wild animal is anything that isn’t tame or considered as a pet. We have everything wild here, from cockroaches to kangaroos to spiders and snakes. Australia is even home to an abundance of deadly animals, many of which are native to this country.
The animal that springs to mind in my community is the cockatoo, a native Australian parrot. I had seen some of these in Sydney but here in the Shire we have thousands of these, maybe as we’re close to the Royal National Park. These birds live in the wild, however, many can be seen here on the suburban streets in search for an easy meal. They are extremely rowdy and their squawk (I remembered how much I love this word) would frighten the life out of you. I have jumped out of my skin on numerous occasions as they let off their loud SQUAAAAAWWK, sometimes when flying over your head or even towards you!!!
In their defence, they’re very cute and extremely smart and inquisitive. I guess humans are taking over their land which is quite a sad thought. Have you ever had the pleasure to see one of these???
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. This week I thought I would share some of my favourite “outdoor” doors. As I was thinking about this concept, I realised that many doors are “outdoor” doors, however, in my mind, I am thinking of those doors not attached to a house but rather they are outside, away from houses, sometimes acting as entrances to someone’s property or land. Please let me know if you have a favourite this week or do you have an “outside” door?
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These first three doors are from Bellevue Hills, in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. I guess these doors may also be considered as gates, especially number three but for today, it is considered a door haha.
4 – Woollahra 5 – Auckland6 – Downpatrick, N. Ireland
My favourite this week is number two. It’s a fine looking door and I love the arch above it. The image catches my eye also due to the blue sky and greenery in front. I used to love walking past this door at the weekends and I used to imagine what kind of beautiful home would be behind this door with its astounding ocean views.
Hi everyone and happy Thursday! It’s been three weeks since my last doors post and I must say I have enjoyed the break. I was debating whether I should rename my doors series since hitting 100 posts but alas, I have continued on from where I left off, with this week being volume 101.
This week I wanted to show you all a fantastic place that I visited a couple of weekends ago in a beautiful place called Menangle, a small village in NSW, about an hour from where we live in the Shire. We have been to this village before when I spotted this great general store and I was dying to take a look inside and around but never had the chance. On this occasion, I purposefully parked nearby to take some photos and have a nosey.
The Store Menangle
This store was built in 1904 and quickly became an integral part of the local community. Over the years it has served as a barn, a general store, accommodation, an event space, a bottle shop and post office. Today it operates as a quirky coffee shop with an outdoor seating area and a beautiful flower shop attached with some local products for sale also. I was hoping for it to be a general store too but even without, it was a really stunning space and I couldn’t help but admire the architecture, craftsmanship and of course its doors. I also appreciated the Christmas feels that were on display here, even if the weather was stifling hot and couldn’t have felt any less Christmassy. We didn’t have time for a coffee this time but we will definitely be back.
Thanks for taking a look and have a great weekend everyone. My work is quietening down now towards Christmas so I will hopefully be more active on the old blog!
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another magnificent week of doors. Today is my 100th edition of doors of WordPress and I wanted to create something a little different to mark the milestone.
I couldn’t think of how to choose my most favourite doors and it was very hard to narrow down my collection, so I thought a video might be a quick way to show some of my favourites. I managed to narrow it down to my top 250 doors!!!
I am so grateful that I have found a community that love doors as much as I do and a big thank you to Dan for creating this great space on our blogging platform. I have met lots of blogging friends through the Thursday Doors club and I love how we support each other by checking in and interacting through our appreciation for a good door.
I created a video to a song that I love by the Cranberries and shared to my Instagram account. It’s called Dreams and I’m sure many of you will know it. Sadly I cannot download my video with the song, I’m guessing due to copyright reasons so I have posted the video below mine in case you want to listen to it.
My top 250 doors to celebrate my 100th doors post. I hope you all enjoy!
Thank you all for your interest and continued support of my doors and everyone else’s too. Long may the love of doors continue.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another fantastic week of stunning doors. This week I am showing a few doors from Northern Ireland. I seem to have a never ending supply from when I visited home two months ago. As always, please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
1 – Portrush2 – South Belfast3 – Belfast City Centre4 – Belfast Cathedral Quarter5 – Armagh
I love all these doors for various reasons. The first door was taken in a thrift shop with lots of antiques and bric-a-brac. I spotted this door at the back and was very interested to see what was behind it but I didn’t have the courage to look as I think it was meant for staff. I love door number three simply for the absolutely stunning building that it is part of. It used to be a department store but has now been transformed into a fine dining restaurant from the Ivy group (best known for its sister restaurant in London). However, I LOVE door number five in Armagh for its really unique design and fantastic colour. It looks like something you would see belonging to Scrooge McDuck, with lots of gold coins being kept behind this door. If you’re an eighties child, you will know what I mean.
Have a great week everyone and I look forward to creating my next doors of WordPress post as it will be my 100th edition!!
1 – Collapse of the twin towers 2001. This was a big one and I was 17 at the time. I remember being in school and a student ran into our classroom to announce to every one that planes had crashed into the twin towers. I travelled home from school and remember watching it with my family on the news and being in total disbelief and feeling so sad about it.
2 – Death of Princess Diana 1997. I remember waking up and seeing my mum watching the news and being very upset. When she told my Princess Diana had died in a car crash, it was shocking as she was such a prominent person in the media at the time and I remember all the charity work she was doing. I felt so sad that she had died in such a tragic way and to die so young. I felt for the two boys who had lost their mother.
3 – The war in Afghanistan. I know people had to be held accountable for the many deaths caused from the twin towers falling and the other plane attacks. However, I felt uncomfortable that a war was waged and now when I see the atrocities happening in the Middle East, I just feel so sad for all the innocent people that die, all the mothers and children who have nothing to do with any wars. I feel like we don’t seem to learn from history sadly and we make the same mistakes again and again.
4 – The Good Friday Agreement 1998. This was an agreement to end the conflict in Northern Ireland that had lasted for over 30 years. I grew up at the tail end of the troubles thankfully but I still remember all the bomb scares, bombs that actually exploded, army check points every time you left your village, and the tit for tat fighting between Catholic Nationalists and Protestant Unionists. I remember Bill Clinton visiting Northern Ireland and that it was a big deal that he was backing the agreement.
5 – Brexit voting 2016. A more recent historical event but one that I remember clearly and I was devastated to be leaving the European Union. I feel that people were misinformed and didn’t actually know what they were voting for. I was completely floored when I heard we were leaving the EU, I thought it would be a no brainer to stay but alas I was proved wrong. We will be suffering from this for years to come I’m sure.
6 – Donald Trump becoming president in 2017. I actually could not believe this. I thought he would have no chance of becoming president as he was a TV personality and business man but I was wrong. I was again shocked when Boris Johnson became the UK prime minister two years later.
7 – The tsunami in Phi Phi island, Thailand. The earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean 2004 was huge and I had a friend living in Phi Phi island at the time, so I was able to hear what happened straight from the horses mouth. Luckily, she was one of the survivors but it was absolutely horrendous how many people died, over 227,000 in total in different countries within Asia. We visited Phi Phil island in 2009 and met with the locals and survivors to hear their stories and visit the memorial garden that they had created. Such a tragic environmental disaster.
8 – Marriage of William and Kate 2011. This was massive in the UK and I guess I feel a connection to William as we’re around the same age. I had just started working in a nursing home and I remember watching the ceremony with the residents and seeing how excited they were to see the royals getting married. It was a great day.
9 – Death of Queen Elizabeth 2022. This was big as I had only ever known the Queen to be the reigning monarch. When she passed away, it was like the whole country was in mourning. I feel like this was a huge milestone and that she has left such a legacy, whether you’re a royalist or not.
That’s my top nine that I can think of now from the top of my head but I’m sure there are heaps more. Do you have any other historical events that you remember? I found this prompt very interesting and jumped at the chance to answer. It’s funny that you always remember where you were when you heard the historical news for the first time and also strange that we are currently living through historical events.
Hi everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. This week I am showing only one door from a fantastic building that I was able to see last weekend when visiting the Southern Highlands.
First a little bit of history –
The Burrawang General Store is a renowned café and store located in the small village of Burrawang, in the Southern Highlands. It was originally established in 1867 and has retained much of its old-world charm while offering modern appliances and a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. The General Store is known for its delicious, locally sourced meals and coffee, often enjoyed in a rustic setting that includes indoor seating, a veranda and garden views. It’s a popular spot for both locals and visitors exploring the scenic Highlands region.
However, we were saddened to discover that this store has actually just recently closed. The specific reason for its closure hasn’t been made public, however, it seems that management changes or evolving business conditions might have led to the closure. While the original café has closed, there are occasional events and pop-up dining experiences held at the site. Fortunately, this fantastic structure continues to be a beloved location in Burrawang village, attracting interest for its charm and heritage alike. I love the actual design of this store and although the door is not one that stands out, I feel like the door blends well very with the style of the building. I love the shutters on either side of the door and what a great sign above it. I doubt you would find a newspaper for one penny today!
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. This week I thought it was about time to show some local doors again from Sydney as it has been a while. Even though I live outside of Sydney, I still work in the city a couple of days a week so I am delighted to be able to keep discovering new doors there. I still have a good few from Ireland and England but will keep those in my collection for a rainy day.
As always, please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
1 – Coogee 2 – Sans Souci3 – Sans Souci4 – Darlinghurst5 – Darlinghurst
I love the first door from Coogee. It’s an old classic with a rather interesting bill board in the left hand corner of the photo! Fortunately, it’s an advert for a brand of wine here in Australia but actually made in France. According to Time magazine, it is a wine for the anti snob…and I happen to know it’s actually not a bad drop.
To be honest I love the first four doors, especially the homes in pictures two and three. The last door isn’t overly special or easy to spot but I loved the colour and character of the building, even the house number is pretty retro.
What are your thoughts? Have a great week everyone and keep your eyes peeled for some interesting doors.
Happy Friday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. It feels weird to even create a doors post on a Friday but I somehow completely missed Thursday. I was in work today when I realised it was Friday and that I had completely forgotten about yesterday being Thursday Doors day!
This week I have one door to show from Belfast. I walked past this door and immediately fell in love with the graffiti caption. I feel that it is a fantastic statement to live by and one that I think about quite regularly. If I’m having a bad day, a sad day or wishing I had more in life, I always like to think of this sentiment and remind myself that it “could be worse”.
Be grateful for what you have, especially in these trying times. If you have clean water, a roof over your head, a loving family, clean air to breathe, legs to walk, good health, not trapped in a war zone etc. you get my point. Just be grateful and appreciate that things could always be worse. There are people out there who have truly a lot to be sad about. There’s always worse off sadly.
On that note, have a lovely weekend and appreciate the little things in life.
After tossing and turning all night with the heat and things on my mind (nothing too serious) I checked my watch this morning with hopeful optimism that maybe I had a good enough sleep to get me through the day…but to my dismay it was only a measly 3 hours 45 minutes. I know this isn’t the worst, there are many new mothers and fathers who have much less sleep, however, for me, I normally need at least 6 hours to function. Let’s see how today goes.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. I’ve realised that my weekly doors posts are the only things that are keeping me blogging at the moment, thank goodness for doors and to Dan for having the weekly door challenge.
With work being so busy, I just haven’t been able to travel much but hopefully that will change in the coming weeks. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy to be busy at work and grateful for the opportunities here in Australia.
This week I am showcasing a few doors from Huntington in England where my sister lives. I have visited many times, with the most recent trip being last month when I visited home. I was looking back through my doors and couldn’t believe that I actually haven’t posted many doors from Huntington as yet. Surprisingly to me as the doors there are exquisite.
As always, please do let me know if you have a favourite or if one simply stands out more.
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I absolutely adore number five for the quaintness of the door, the glass panels, the wreath in situ and the exterior. I love everything about this cottage, including the thatched roof, the lantern on the wall and even the dog on top of the roof, apparently in remembrance of their previous pet pooch. What are your thoughts?
Hi everyone and a very happy Thursday to you all. This week’s doors are from Hillsborough, a little village in Northern Ireland. Some of you may remember that we lived here for nearly a year when we temporarily moved back to Northern Ireland last year. During our trip home last month we just had to return and spend a couple of days here as we had loved living there so much.
Please let me know if you have a favourite door this week.
12 – this little house was on the main street and we actually stayed here for 3 days. If I could buy this place, I absolutely would!!. It was so big inside which is quite misleading from the front. 3 – one of my favourite pubs in the village, The Plough. There are 3 pubs in this village, all very good actually. 45
Ok so number 5 technically has a few doors here but I’m thinking more of the black door behind the mini. To be honest this has to be my favourite, not only for the fantastic door, surrounding arch and transom window but I also love the brickwork of the building. It’s also one of my favourite images and really gives you a feel for the village of Hillsborough. The flowers, the bunting and even the mini parked outside all add to the visual.
Anyway, thanks for taking a look at my doors this week and have a fantastic weekend everyone.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. I have returned after a two week hiatus and feeling good for the break. I have been exceptionally busy with work but also I have found a new obsession, commencing my family tree on ancestry.com. I will have to write a blog post about that but for now I will showcase some doors from my trip to England last month.
We visited an amazing place called Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire and not for the first time. We had previously visited in late 2023 when we took my niece and nephew to a light installation show. However, this time we visited to appreciate the grounds and scenery during the day and with some lovely warm weather.
Managed by the National Trust, Wimpole Estate includes a grand mansion, extensive gardens, a working farm and parkland. The estate dates back many centuries, with its development influenced by various owners who made significant changes to both the house and the landscape.
It’s a very popular destination for tourists, nature lovers, and history enthusiasts, offering walks, seasonal events, and educational activities. It is also used for filming and cultural events due to its scenic beauty and historical significance. However, for me, I just couldn’t help but appreciate the venue for all the fantastic doors it had to showcase. As always, let me know if you have a favourite one this week.
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I absolutely love the door on the church from picture number 9 but I really love the simplicity of door number 1. Those doors that are split in two halves are really cool and always remind me of old country and western movies. I think the tractor also adds to the shot.
Thank you all for having a look and I hope you’re all having a great September thus far.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of spectacular doors. This week I am showcasing just one door that I found within the grounds Antrim Castle, located in the Platinum Clockwork Garden. I have wanted to visit this garden since it opened in 2022 and it did not disappoint. The door itself is quite simple, a beautiful green door set within a stunning tower made of bricks.
The Platinum Jubilee Clockwork Garden at Antrim Castle is a unique and enchanting installation that captures the spirit of both history and creativity. It was designed to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, however, it is not just a tribute to her 70 years of service but also a testament to the power of innovation in art and horticulture.
Interestingly, there isn’t an actual clock in the Platinum Jubilee Clockwork Garden. The “clockwork” theme refers more to the garden’s artistic design rather than to the presence of a functioning clock. The installation uses mechanical elements and sculptures that create the idea of clockwork, symbolizing the passage of time and celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign.
The Platinum Jubilee Clockwork Garden
If you ever find yourself in Northern Ireland, a visit to the Platinum Jubilee Clockwork Garden at Antrim Castle would be recommended. It’s a place where history, nature, and art come together to create a truly magical experience.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. As you may be aware, I’m currently visiting home in Northern Ireland and have just over a week left of my trip. Fortunately, I have seen an abundance of fantastic doors, something that has been lacking for me in Australia of late.
We visited a place called Armagh last week, the county where I am from. We simply took a stroll around the city and breathed in all the amazing history and architecture which I will have to show you all later at some point. In addition, I also stumbled upon some amazing and very colourful doors. I thought, seeing as it’s Pride month here in Northern Ireland, where people come together to stand for LGBTQA+ rights, it would be a fitting time to show case these colourful doors. Apparently the pride flag colours represent the diversity of the LGBTQA+ community and the spectrum of human sexuality and gender. Personally, I just love the colours and they make me feel happy when I see them.
As always please let me know if you have a favourite this week and I hope you’re all keeping well in the blogosphere.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. I was rummaging through my collection and realised I still have a few doors from my trip to Dijon, France from almost a year ago now. I love how each door conveys a certain rustic and historic charm…if only doors could talk, I’m sure they could tell a tale or two.
As always, please let me know if you have a favourite.
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Personally, I love numbers four and five but my winner this week is the last door at number five, a door leading to under the stairs. Could there be a French Harry Potter living in there?
Thank you for the reminder WordPress that I have been blogging for the past seven years. I actually always remember this myself anyway, as I started this blog when I emigrated to Australia seven years ago.
I find it insane that I have actually lasted this long as I never imagined it to be a long term project. My aim was to show case places that I was visiting in Australia and maybe inspire others to visit them. This has continued but I would say that my journey has changed throughout the past few years, meandering my way throughout the blogging world, always on the hunt for tips and advice, learning new things and meeting new people along the way. It’s a journey that I thoroughly enjoy, however, my only wish would be to have more time to invest in blogging. Also more time to travel would be lovely but alas, one still has to work and bills to pay 😜.
When Covid hit, I thought I had nothing left to blog about as we could no longer travel. However, I soon learned that you don’t have to stick to what you normally blog about. The blogging community taught me that it’s my blog and I can write about whatever suits ME and whenever suits me. I participated in many writing challenges throughout the covid lockdowns and beyond, with some of them now firmly in my psyche, for example, being a member of the Thursday Doors club hosted by the amazing Dan!
I have found the blogging community to be strong, supportive and for the most part, inclusive. Thank you all for having me in your blogging space and I really hope to still be around for the next seven years. I will continue my doors posts and hopefully share some new travel experiences now that I have moved back to Australia. Next week I am heading home to Northern Ireland to visit my family which I am extremely excited for. It’s only been seven months since I have last seen them but I really do miss my family, especially as I have a new niece to meet!! I will keep you all posted on what we get up to.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. I was on my lunch break during the week and took a walk around a little park that I like to frequent. It’s like a small rainforest in the middle of the town, a tranquil oasis that most people don’t even know exists.
Fred Hollows Reserve in Randwick, Sydney
I was walking along the boardwalk provided when I stumbled across the most AMAZING door…in a tree!!! Who do you think lives through that door? The quaintest door I ever did see and it really allows your imagination to run wild.
Could it be a mouse or a squirrel…or possibly a couple of robin Redbreasts?
I’m guessing someone placed this door here but what a great idea. It certainly brought a smile to my face ☺️. Enjoy your Thursday everyone and keep dreaming.
Which food, when you eat it, instantly transports you to childhood?
I used to love this as a child and it reminds me of being at school, having this as part of our school dinners. I see a lot of patients eating this when they’re in hospital too, easy to eat I suppose, cheap to make and great comfort food. Can you name a better food combo?
Hi everyone and a happy Friday to you all. It’s been a while since I have posted a flower of the day but looking through my photo albums, I discovered that I have a copious amount of flowers to show case.
Today’s flower is the common hollyhock. I found this nestled against a wall when visiting my sister last year in Cambridgeshire. I loved the colour and the fact that it was sitting on its own. Simple yet effective. It is a stalk-flowering plant known for its height and beautiful flowers. Have you ever seen one of these?
I am also thinking of Cee and hoping that she returns to full health soon. She is always inspiring us to post flowers and for that I am grateful ☺️.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. This week I only have one door to show case, however, this is a special door found on a boat trip that I undertook last weekend.
The ferry to Bundeena with its fantastic wooden door for the captain’s use only.
We took a small boat trip from Cronulla, our nearest seaside town, to Bundeena, another smaller and more quaint little seaside town. I have previously created a blog post for Bundeena as we had taken a short trip there during covid times and absolutely LOVED it.
Cronulla to Bundeena – a little village in the Royal National Park
The boat ride takes about 35 minutes and costs about $8 one way. It’s a beautiful, relaxing boat journey and the best way to travel to Bundeena. I was thrilled to be able to showcase this boat journey with my friends from Melbourne and enable them to visit Bundeena for the afternoon.
I had great intentions to walk along the beach, have a nice lunch and complete the Aboriginal trek, however, my friends were more interested in finding the nearest pub! Luckily for them, we found a cool, cosy pub on the main street that also served street food (lucky for me). After a couple of tasty margaritas, we headed back to the wharf for the ferry ride home. Fortunately, the sun was setting and we were able to view the most stunning sunset.
A magical end to the day seeing this sunset. I was obsessed 😍
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of exceptional doors. I have only one door to show you this week and you may have to zoom in to see it. I absolutely love this house, the front porch, the blue rocking chair and all the greenery. The door is equally stunning with its deep green colour and wooden panels, tucked under its beautiful gable roof.
I have a small loop that I can walk if I need to increase my step count and breathe in some fresh air. It’s close to my home and takes you around some lovely tree lined streets with some fantastic houses. This one is my absolute favourite and I always smile as I walk past it.
Have a great weekend everyone. Today is my Friday and it’s a long weekend due to it being King Charles’ birthday (not sure why we need a day off but I’m not complaining).
I am very fortunate to know someone who owns their own boat or barge, as they call it and they are happy to take passengers on a river cruise along the Port Hacking river, located here in the Sutherland Shire. My friends have been inviting colleagues from our place of work to experience the river cruise, with different passengers taken on board each time. I think my partner and I are considered the resident guests, meaning we are able to attend every time, wow! I feel so lucky that we have been able to attend on the two occasions that have happened so far.
We meet at a nearby carpark at 7am, it’s nice and early and a great way to start the day. We hop on board and sail towards the Audley Dance Hall Cafe for breakfast, about 20 minutes from when we set sail. The river is so quiet and serene at this time and we have been lucky enough to spot some spectacular wildlife, including a sea eagle and a kingfisher.
The breakfast at Audley is tasty and it’s a great way to catch up with friends and share great conversation. After some time and having checked out the Audley gift shop, we head back to the barge and set sail back the same way we came. Instead of docking again, my friends take us on a little journey along the river to more open waters and we sail around the different suburbs of the Shire, taking in the beauty of the water, the tree filled shore lines, the impressive boats / yachts and the stunning homes built along the water’s edge. You can tell people have a lot of money if they live here.
All in all, the river cruise is extremely relaxing and enjoyable and I can’t believe we are able to attend for free AND it’s on our doorstep. Simply amazing. I hope my photos can show case the beauty of the river cruise experience.
We hop on board at the boat ramp and sail down to the dance hall and back again before heading out to the more open water of the river.
Hi everyone and welcome to another week of fantastic doors. It’s Friday morning here but I figure I’m still in time to post some doors. It’s 0630 and I’m currently on my hourly train ride to work, so what better time than now to look through my gallery.
I have an array of doors still waiting to be showcased, however, this week I want to show you some of my favourite lighthouses. I absolutely love lighthouses and will make it my mission to go out of my way to find them. I love their architecture / design, their spectacular viewpoints and the fact that they emit light to help people at sea. What’s not to love! Plus they will almost certainly have a door. As always, please let me know if you have a favourite. These are all located within New South Wales, Australia.
Macquarie Lighthouse, VaucluseHornby Lighthouse, Watson’s BayCape Byron Lighthouse, Byron BayBradley’s Head Lighthouse, Cremorne PointNorah Head Lighthouse, Norah HeadBarrenjoey Lighthouse, Palm BeachRichmond River Lighthouse, Ballina
I find it very difficult to choose from these but I have always loved the Bradley’s Head Lighthouse for its delicateness and location. However, the Barrenjoey Lighthouse is very different from the others and its location is out of this world. I also love its colour and brickwork with the red roof to the side.
This is the walk up to visit Barrenjoey Lighthouse from Palm Beach.
Thanks everyone and have a great end to your week.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to a new week of wonderful doors. I have to admit (and you may have noticed) that I have lost my blogging mojo of late, even more so with my doors posts. There are two main reasons for this, 1. I have been so so busy with work and settling back into Australian life that I just haven’t had the time or motivation and 2. I am so disappointed with the lack of interesting doors where I live. I know that my first point also plays a factor as I need time to go and visit new locations but I would love to have some in my neighbourhood. Now don’t get me wrong, there are some lovely houses around but I guess a unique looking door just isn’t high on everyone’s list.
However…I was walking in our nearby coastal suburb, known as Cronulla, at the weekend and was DELIGHTED to discover some beautiful doors and homes. As sad as it may sound, it really made my day and brought a smile to my face. Some of the images, you may have to enlarge to see the actual door but I just loved the whole buildings and wanted to showcase them. Please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
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My favourite is number 2. I stood and observed this house for a good few minutes (hopefully not too creepily) just taking it all in. Such a quaint little cottage with great outdoor greenery, a fantastic roof and of course the yellow door with its little porch. FANTASTIC!
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. I am pulling out a few of my favourite random doors from my collection as I am really struggling to find some interesting doors where I live. These doors were taken in different countries and many even before I realised I had a love for doors. Please do let me know if you have a favourite this week.
Do you have a quote you live your life by or think of often?
An Irish saying and one that I say almost daily, especially when I double and triple check things in work. As a nurse I am always doing this and often find myself saying to my patients “to be sure, to be sure”. I say this without even realising and it never fails to make the patients laugh.
Hello everyone and happy Thursday to you all. Today in Australia is ANZAC Day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps), a day to remember those who served their country as part of the armed forces and a day to think of those who lost their lives to war.
Although we didn’t do anything today to commemorate i.e. attend the usual Dawn services, it was still a good opportunity to reflect and think of those who lost their lives (dying for their country to give the future generations a better life) and those who made it home.
My only door this week is from an old pub situated at the heart of Sydney, known as The Glenmore Hotel. This is a heritage listed pub (known as a hotel as all pubs used to be hotels up until the 1980s, as this was the only way they could have a liquor license) built in 1921, just a stone throws away from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.
This pub is full of character and charm and you can feel the history as soon as you walk through the door. It made me think of the ANZACS and that maybe they would have had drinks in this pub.
The Glenmore Hotel – I must remember to take some images from inside the building as it’s really special. Sydney Harbour BridgeThe Australian Hotel ready for ANZAC Day celebrations View of the Sydney Opera House from the Glenmore Hotel rooftop bar.
Have a great weekend everyone and I look forward to checking out some of your doors.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. This week I only have the one door to show you, however, it’s a good’un, in my humble opinion.
We were visiting friends over the Easter weekend in one of our favourite spots, the Southern Highlands and I found this door in a very quaint little village called Berrima.
I also love the flowers in front of the door and they add a lot of value to the image. They are known as Japanese Thimbleflowers, very beautiful but don’t be fooled, as all parts of the flower are poisonous and can be fatal if ingested!
Ps. I love how I can add my door post to another challenge here on WordPress, Cee’s flower of the day (FOTD) challenge 🤗.
Hello everyone and happy Thursday. I have had a couple of weeks off from blogging which has been so lovely but now I am ready to share my second edition of doors with an emphasis on cars. I really, really LOVE doors but I also can appreciate a really good looking car and as they have doors (often more than one!) I thought it would be fun to feature some more of my favourite cars over the past year.
As always, please let me know if you have a favourite image this week. I am displaying 10 images taken by moi, probably because it’s my 80th edition of Doors of WordPress so I figure it should be marked in some way.
I hope you have all been well and I look forward to seeing all your door entries this week for those participating in Dan’s Thursday Doors. Sadly, I am not a car expert so I can’t even name many of the cars, hence the reason they are simply numbered. Personally, when I look at cars, I look more at the shape, colour and its overall appearance / character.
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I have many favourites from this collection for all the reasons mentioned above but my absolute favourite has to be number 8. The colour is stunning and the model is fantastic. I think of its history, the nostalgia, the history and James Bond haha. I can just imagine driving this around the Amalfi Coast, with no traffic of course!
I hope you all have a lovely Easter holiday period and you are able to spend some quality time relaxing or visiting family.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. As I am running low on new doors I thought I would show a few of my favourite cars (I figured they have doors too right?!). These are classic cars that were pictured in Hillsborough, Northern Ireland, just before we left for Australia.
There are a lot of wealthy people living in Hillsborough, therefore, classic cars is a big thing there. They are a real pride and joy for some folk and they really love to show them off in the village.
Let me know if you have a favourite this week. I apologise that I know nothing about cars and can’t even tell you what type of cars they are. However, I absolutely love seeing these classic cars and can really appreciate the time and effort it takes to keep these on the roads.
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I love all of these cars but I especially love number two. It’s the unusual and cheerful colour that really appeals to me and there’s something very “James Bond” like about its appearance. I could imagine driving this in the English countryside or the other extreme, driving along Route 66!
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another wonderful week of doors. Last weekend we were visiting family south west of Sydney in a quaint little town called Camden. It’s a one horse town built on a flood plain with an abundance of character and history. We just took a quick stroll up and down the main street but I was happy to spot a few doors along the way. Let me know if you have a favourite.
Happy Thursday everyone! The day is almost over here in Sydney and I will be heading to bed very soon but I wanted to share my one door with you this week.
My one and only door but it’s a good one (in my humble opinion). Sadly, there aren’t too many great doors around me so I will have to travel further afield when I have some time off.
I did manage to spot this door in Cronulla this week, a nearby coastal suburb that is great to visit for beach walks and a swim. We have been here twice this week already for walks after I have finished work.
It’s a really beautiful area and only a 9 minute drive from our place. I love the blue door seen in the right hand side and the curtains on the left are cool that they make the window look like a door.
I look forward to seeing all your amazing doors also for those participating. Enjoy the rest of your week everyone.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. This week I have just two doors to show you from a day trip we took to the coastal town of Thirroul, 45km south from where we’re living in the state of NSW.
Thirroul is a coastal town with beautiful beaches and I feel that you can really tell from these doors and surroundings that these houses belong to wealthy people living at the coast. What do you think of these doors?
They are both very unique and captivated me for different reasons. The architectural design of the doors and buildings is exquisite for both homes and I love how the greenery really makes the doors pop!
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another wonderful week of dreamy doors! This week I thought I would show case some of my favourite red doors from my expansive collection as I know many of you are partial to a red door.
My absolute favourite has to be number four from Edinburgh. I absolutely love a grand door and this was HUGE. I love the design, colour and it brings back great memories of our nephew’s wedding in this building, the Mansfield Traquair Centre (previously a Catholic Church). Fantastic!
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. I’m glad I have my doors post this week as Bloganuary has officially finished and I need something to blog about today. It almost feels like saying goodbye to an old friend, “see you next year!”.
I am showcasing a few doors from Sydney this week as I haven’t seen too many interesting doors from where I am now living…yet. Give it time Wayne! I always want things to happen straight away, let it go hahaha. Anyways, let me know if you have a favourite this week.
I love door number two but my favourite has to be number four World Square. What a fascinating door in the middle of a mall in Sydney’s CBD. It reminds me of something from Kill Bill the movie, when Uma Thurman is completing her training to become the world’s most deadly assassin. Have you ever seen this movie?
What’s the thing you’re most scared to do? What would it take to get you to do it?
I honestly have no idea about this prompt. I don’t think I’m really scared of anything to do. I think if I was that scared, I just wouldn’t be doing it.
I am nervous about going back to my teaching role tomorrow but I know it will be fine once I get the first day over with. Thinking of the students, the money and job satisfaction will get me through the nerves this evening and knowing that everything will be ok once the day is over. There will be light at the end of the tunnel, the world will not end (yet).
Well done to everyone for making it to the end of Bloganuary. We have done it, one blog post every day for one whole month! I have to say, the prompts have been pretty good compared to the last couple of years (there were a few dodgy ones before) so thank you to whoever created them. I hope it inspires me to keep blogging often in the coming weeks / months.
Have a great day everyone and enjoy the last day of January.
The price of everything! The cost of living has risen so much over the past couple of years with wages not rising to match. This is very much evident in Northern Ireland post Brexit, obviously there are other factors at play, Covid, wars happening around the world etc but it’s sad to see people struggling to buy the basics or worried about heating their homes.
I do find I complain about this less in Australia but it’s still happening here too. The weather can be a big thing to complain about as it has been very humid here of late, however, I don’t like to complain about it as I left Northern Ireland because of it being too cold!
I complain about the injustice in the world, the sadness from the wars raging on and the suffering of innocent people. I also complain about how the environment is suffering and global warming. We can make little changes to make a difference but it’s the people in power who ultimately have to take action.
I think that’s it really. I’m sure I complain about other things too, we have a tendency to do that if you’re from Northern Ireland 🤣. We love a good moan!
This is easy for me as I don’t play any sports, nor do I watch them.
Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy watching big matches on tv with friends in a social gathering, like football and rugby. I also enjoy watching the Olympics and tennis but I wouldn’t be following sports daily, it’s just not my cup of tea.
I used to play sports when I was younger but haven’t really found anything that I enjoy enough to play regularly as I have grown older. I love the gym, walking, running, hiking etc but I’m just not really into sports. Maybe it’s the competitiveness that I don’t like or the fact that I wasn’t great at sports when I was a kid at school. Who knows but it doesn’t really bother me. As long as I’m active, healthy and happy, that’s good enough for me.
Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all have a great week and for those participating in Bloganuary, I hope you enjoy the last few days.
I don’t even play the lottery at the moment so my chances of winning are nil / nada / zero / zilch.
However, if I were to play and happened to win I would, first of all, quit my job…or at least take a long time off.
I would help my family with their mortgages and / or divide some money out to them (although I am well aware that money causes a lot of problems with others, why did they get so much, I only received this amount etc etc).
I would go on a long vacation, maybe a world cruise, although that could be too long. Maybe just a couple of weeks somewhere interesting or a relaxing holiday to the Maldives. I would love to travel around Australia for a few months, that would be a dream come true.
I would buy a house or two. Perhaps one in Australia and one in Northern Ireland so that I can travel back and forth and follow the spring / summer seasons.
I would love to do some charity work, not necessarily donating money to charity but I could give my time and volunteer, hopefully make a difference to the world somehow. It would be lovely to be in a position to help others, no strings attached.
My brother in law gave me this book to read on our flight over to Australia, however, we were exhausted and too tired to read. I am looking forward to reading this on my train journeys to and from work. I remember reading George Orwell’s Animal Farm in school and being mesmerised by the language and context. It was so relevant and accurate of the times both past and present. I hope this book will be just as fascinating. Have any of you read this book or any book from George Orwell?
I am heading to work today so I will make a start en route…
Write about a few of your favorite family traditions.
I don’t think we really have any family traditions except for Christmas Eve when we have raclette.
Raclette
This is a Swiss style of cooking on a small grill in the centre of the table. Under the grill you can place your little dish of food and cover with cheese (we normally have some veggies or shrimp) and on top you have a hot plate where you can grill your meats and potatoes. we have this a couple of times a year but always on Christmas Eve. Does anyone else do this?
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors.
I’m not sure if any one will know this but today is in fact National Irish Coffee Day…and I love Irish coffees!!! When I am home in Northern Ireland, I will always try and have at least one. In 2019 I asked my Dad to show me how to make them. I think he was proud to teach me and they tasted delicious.
I swear I’m happier than I look 😅
In honour of it being this day, I thought I would showcase some of my recent and favourite public house doors from Northern Ireland. As always, let me know if you have a favourite.
The Waterfall Bar, CarnloughThe Plough, HillsboroughThe Parson’s Nose, Hillsborough (we lived on the same street!)The Stillhouse, Moira
Have you ever tried an Irish coffee??? I could have one right now, however, it’s only 7am here!
What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?
I was a little underwhelmed reading this prompt to be honest, only because I feel we had a very similar question two days ago about what we do for fun. Personally, fun and leisure time are interchangeable 🤷🏼♂️.
Anyway, in my leisure time I like to walk and see new places, especially with my partner. I finally have a day off tomorrow and we will take a walk to the E.G. Waterhouse National Camellia Gardens that I mentioned yesterday. I have been here before but my partner hasn’t so I’m exited to show him around. There’s lots of nature and water views and I find this extremely good for the mind and soul.
Also we will be joining a gym tomorrow!!! This is another thing I love to do in my leisure time. I haven’t had the time to train at a gym in about 3 weeks and it’s really upsetting my normal routine. I really miss that feeling of being alive after the gym and my weight gain has went completely in reverse. I’m hoping 2024 will be my comeback year and I will be stronger and fitter than ever.
Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t got around to visiting.
As most of you will know, we have just recently moved house. We are currently living in an area called the Sutherland Shire, about half an hours drive from Sydney by car. We have always considered living here before but never had the courage to take that leap and leave the eastern suburbs. The housing crisis in Sydney has actually propelled us to live further afield now and so we have chosen to come here, where you can get more value for your money.
An attraction close to here is the E.G. Waterhouse National Camellia Gardens and we are looking forward to visiting here this weekend. We haven’t got around to it yet as we have only been here for two days, however, I did visit here back in 2021 with the hope of one day returning. You can see my previous blog post on this attraction here. It’s a wonderful place with gardens, wildlife and beautiful scenery. I will be intrigued to see if it has changed much. Thankfully, it’s only a 20 minute walk from where we are living and I look forward to keeping you updated with this.
If you could make your pet understand one thing, what would it be?
To pee and poo outside! Today is our last day of dog sitting and I think it has genuinely put us off having our own dog.
Now in the dog’s defence, he is pretty blind and has a neurological disorder. Maybe he hasn’t been shown to do his business outdoors, it doesn’t really matter the reason but it’s not pretty when he urinates or defecates in the house.
We have started to keep him outdoors more and walk him straight away after he has eaten. This has helped massively and we can’t blame the dog at all, it is what it is. However, if we could make him understand the importance of peeing and pooing outdoors, that would be lovely!
Happy Monday everyone! Today is officially our moving day. Yippee!!
Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.
I love this question. This is something I used to think about a lot as I feel I have a very random name that doesn’t really match my personality. If you look up the definition of Wayne, it means “wagon maker” in Old English. That has to be the complete opposite of me. I would not have a clue how to make a wagon! I’m not even very practical with my hands at all.
I feel that I was given the name Wayne as it was a very popular name in my town when I was born in the early eighties. I grew up in a small town and there were five kids (including me) there with the name Wayne!
I moved to Belfast, the capital city of Northern Ireland in my late teens and I never met another Wayne for years! Actually, people found it strange to meet someone with my name.
When I moved to Australia, it seemed to be a popular name again there and I believe it’s a very popular name in America too. I used to try to think of what celebrities were called Wayne to see who I could have possibly been named after but the only person I could think of was John Wayne. Quite often, if older people don’t comprehend my name, I will say my name is Wayne, like John Wayne and they often have a laugh about it and reply – “is your horse parked out the back!?” – it’s a running joke.
I will also get referred to as Wayne’s World (party on) also as this was a huge movie when I was growing up. I like to think yes, it is my world haha.
I found this in Leura, NSW, Australia and feel that it managed to sum me up quite well (apart from the wagon maker). I do love adventure and trying new things.
I do quite like my name now as it is quite unusual and I don’t often meet people with my name, for instance, I have no friends called Wayne so it’s very easy for people. The only issue is that I have to change the way my name is pronounced as every country seems to say it differently. If I could insert a voice clip here I would, to be able to show you what I mean. Quite often people will think my name is Win due to my Northern Irish accent.
It’s also an easy name for friends / family and work colleagues to create nicknames from and I quite like that. For example, I have been known as Wayney, Wayners and Waynebow throughout the last twenty five years or so.
I wonder if there are any Wayne’s out there reading my blog or do you know someone called Wayne?
I’m not sure if a dream job exists but if there does, please let me know!
I would love a job that would let you have a lie in and also finish early. So if I could work maybe 11 – 2pm with an hour lunch break haha, that would be amazing.
I actually wouldn’t mind what I do, perhaps I could be available to give out money to people, like a competition winner announcer. So you are able to make people happy, help them, tell them the good news and feel good for doing it, all while not being tired or stressed yourself. That would be a lovely job. Do you know if this job exists anywhere?
I’m writing this at 5.30 am on my way to work. Although, I’m grateful to have a job that I actually enjoy and still have the ability to work, so I can’t complain too much.
I have seen many good and bad leaders in my time so I feel I can definitely comment on this. If you have a boss / manager at work or a teacher at school / college, it doesn’t automatically make them a good leader. I learned that along the way. The qualities that I feel a good leader should have are :
– Leading by example, if you do a good job and help others, your followers will strive to do the same. Don’t ask someone to do something that you yourself would not be prepared to do. Delegate appropriately. If you’re a good leader, people will want to help you.
– Be kind but be firm. You don’t need to rule with an iron fist, however, you can’t be a walkover either. You need to stand up for what is right and look after your followers / employees / students.
– Be approachable. This is very important to build a good rapport and communication. You want everyone to feel at ease and know they can come to you with any issue / problem. It creates a good atmosphere and builds strong relationships.
– Be open and honest. Be authentic. You don’t have to put yourself on a pedestal, we are all human beings. No one is better than anyone else.
That’s my list for now. I really strive to have these qualities when I’m nursing / teaching. I always say to my students, “treat people how you would like to be treated and if someone is not kind to you, think how you will never be that person”. I will have a lot of respect for a good leader. I don’t expect them to be perfect, nobody is but if they have these qualities, we’re onto a winner.
WrookieSchU 