Her beauty AND her terror

I found myself partially glued to the tele for much of this morning. Fairly unusual for me actually. Channel seven have been running an extended coverage of the forecast on cyclone Yasi, with journalists posted at various points throughout Queensland. I feel as though Queensland (and Australia for that matter) has been in a continuous cycle of natural disaster for a while now. Floods, bush fires, now cyclones. Quite frankly, it is frightening. I realise I have had a rather tumultuous week. My little big boy starting preschool. There has been a degree of emotional anguish expended around that, I know. But I couldn't help but tear up when seeing residents, the premier of Queensland, even the presenters on Sunrise speak about the expected devastation, this cyclone will bring. I know I wouldn't want to be in the position they are facing. Wouldn't want my family or my friends to be going through those terrifying feelings and moments of sheer panic. It really strikes a chord close to my heart, as I'm sure it does most human beings.


We have been to Cairns and Port Douglas. A couple of times. We honeymooned in that region and revisited it again when I was just 9 weeks pregnant with Felix. On that most recent trip we actually drove out through Innisfail to a tourist attraction called Paronella Park. It is a magic part of Australia, the world for that matter.  The locals are a wonderful bunch of people. Laid back and extremely hospitable. No one deserves to experience the kind of fear a category five cyclone will bring and it breaks me to think of these towns and communities in Northern Queensland going through this. It really reinforces the fact that when you live in Australia, you truly never stop dealing with mother nature's wrath. It is greater than all of us.


Onto a more uplifting note. We generally have to park our car a short walk from our place (no off street parking in this neck of the woods!). When parking the car this afternoon, I captured a shot of the scene that delivers so much happiness to all of my family, on a daily basis. Peering through the shady umbrella overhead. Dappled sunlight showering the ground below. The playground responsible for so much fun, laughter and memories, off in the distance. A place that reassures me every time I see it, that I am home. I simply couldn't help grabbing my camera and clicking away. Although I recognise the physical picture may not quite convey the mental picture I was trying to accomplish, it is beauty to me.