Monday, 9 January 2017

A trip to the wetlands, sketching, and decluttering

Well, I'm off to great start for the year, am I not? I completely forgot to do my Sunday Sketches blog post yesterday! My content was ready to go but it just slipped my mind. I'm kicking myself for not adding it to my digital daily task list as it constantly nags me until the task is done. My day was quite busy and productive in other areas so I guess it just slipped my mind.  Better late than never, right? 

On Saturday, as part of the Moment Catchers challenge, Bradley (son) and I went to Berrinba Wetlands so I could sketch on-location. It was an over-cast, gloomy day and it threatened to rain but we didn't let that stop us. Apologies that the images may appear a little dull and grey too. There is 120 hectares of protected bushland reserve and the man-made section takes up 40 hectares.

These beautiful wetlands were actually man-made. It was created by sand and mining operations after World War 2. It is now home to much of the wildlife in the area including pelicans, one of my favourite birds.

This piece of art was created by John Coleman in 2011. It symbolises, Mibunn, the sea-eagle, squawking and flapping his wings to once again protect Scrubby Creek. It has a solar panel and an electric motor so I'm assuming it can flap its wings at some point in the day. Something I have never seen. Apparently, there is a colony of sea-eagles at the wetlands so an appropriate choice of art.
If you're curious about the 'START' signage on the walking path, it's a marker for the Park Run Event they have every Saturday. It's where people can walk, run, and bike-ride through the wetlands on the walking path while they are timed. Read more about it HERE.

Some of the fauna residing at the wetlands. 

I love walking the path and being among nature. 

I especially like stopping at this circle of stones along the way. 

Some of the stone seats are marked with rune symbols. 
This one is Ingwaz which symbolises peace and harmony. 

I quickly got to work sketching while Bradley recorded the sounds of the wetlands. The birds and insects were creating a beautiful melody for us.



The completed sketch 


As part of my commitment to living a more minimal life, I took up the 30 Day Simplify Your Life challenge and, yesterday (Sunday), I got busy decluttering my wardrobe. I had already decluttered my wardrobe about two months ago and managed to rid myself of three extra-large bags of unwanted items but I was even more ruthless this time around. I managed to fill another two extra-large bin bags. One bag contains items for Donation and the other contains clothes to be thrown out. Those now-empty hangers used to hold clothes. I love opening my wardrobe now and seeing how roomy it is.  It's amazing how we get a build up of belongings over the years, some of which we never use.

After doing my wardrobe, I moved onto Brad's wardrobe and we managed to fill another extra-large bin bag of clothes to be thrown out. He was so happy to have more room in his wardrobe too.

TODAY, I tackle my books and art magazines. As with my wardrobe, I had decluttered a lot of my books already but there is definitely more to go. I'm a woman on a mission.

To finish off this post, here are a couple more of my daily sketches.

I was going to link up to Sunday Sketches but it's not up yet. I guess it is still Sunday in the States so I will keep checking throughout the day.

The link is up - click HERE to see the work of other participants.

I hope you have all enjoyed a beautiful and peaceful weekend.

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21 comments:

  1. Merlesworld9 January 2017 at 09:54



    I do like your feet sketches.
    Merle..............

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  2. Jennifer Rose9 January 2017 at 09:58

    Its so interesting seeing a wetland in Australia :) You have in your mind this vast open flat area, full of scrub land and scraggly bushes, even tho its man made, it neat to see. and great it is home to so many animals :)

    great foot sketch, can be hard to get feet looking right in a drawing

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    1. Serena Lewis11 January 2017 at 07:48

      I'm glad you liked the wetlands pics, Jen. I added more info to the post stating that there are 120 hectares of wetlands, 80 of which will remain untouched and protected — the typical bushland and creek have always been there but, what we classify as the wetlands, is the man-made section. I love that they create these wetland areas for wildlife although part of me always feels like it's a very small gesture considering the massive destruction we cause to natural lands and habitats on a daily basis.

      I agree, feet are not easy, especially when drawing directly with pen.

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  3. Christine9 January 2017 at 12:52

    enjoyed your sketches today!

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  4. Rita9 January 2017 at 13:18

    What a beautiful place to wander and sketch! I love the circle of stones and you captured them well. Loved your other sketches, too. It is still Sunday here, BTW. ;)

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    1. Serena Lewis11 January 2017 at 07:49

      It surely is, Rita. Glad you liked the sketches. xo

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  5. Art by Darla Kay10 January 2017 at 00:14

    Hi Serena! I've been away a long time and look forward to catching up on blogs, yours included! I see we're on the same wave length as far as decluttering goes! That's my goal for this year as well! Beautiful sketching and watercolor as I remember! You were always so inspiring to me! Wishing you well, have a great day!!

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    1. Serena Lewis11 January 2017 at 07:51

      HI Darla! It's so great to see you back in Blogland! Thanks for your kind words. I've already been over to leave a comment on your blog. Good luck with decluttering.

      Have a lovely week. :)

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  6. Victoria Zigler10 January 2017 at 07:46

    Hey, it was still Sunday in some of the world when your post went up, so it counts as a Sunday post. ;)

    I'm glad you have somewhere beautiful like that to walk and sketch. I would have loved alking there and listening to the sounds of nature with you and Bradley.

    One place I can honestly say I'm not a pack rat is when it comes to clothes. Hubby and I own so few we can share a wardrobe, and I hate clothes shopping, so only ever buy more when I need something replaced.

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    1. Serena Lewis11 January 2017 at 08:04

      I figure that, as long as the widget Alexandra uses on her Sunday Sketches post accepts my link, I've skimmed in regardless of it being Monday here. hehe

      I'm sure you would love the sounds of the wildlife, Tori.

      I hear you, Tori. Funnily enough, I hate clothes shopping too and usually come home empty-handed. I'd much rather buy art supplies or books, but even books are off my list now. I admit that most of the clothes I had were many years old because I didn't often buy new ones. I have just gone very minimal on what I do choose to keep now. I had also been holding onto some hand-me-downs from my daughter which I decided not to keep as I don't believe I will ever get that skinny again. I love having a minimal wardrobe!

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  7. Tammie Lee10 January 2017 at 08:18

    wonderful sketches, tasks and photographs.
    I am in the mood to de-clutter also, but have not begun.

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  8. Snowbrush11 January 2017 at 04:23

    Bradley liked having you go through his clothes! I don’t know if I would have ever felt that way, but I seriously doubt it, so I’m wondering which of us might be unusual, and I’m betting on him.

    Eugene, Oregon, where I live, has some old gravel pit ponds turned wetlands that have trails through them. They are called Delta Ponds, but I don’t know why, maybe after the gravel company. They border the Willamette River, which is Oregon’s best known river and near which most of the people in this very large state live. Of course, there’s also the Columbia River, but it begins in British Columbia, runs south through Washington State, and then forms much of the border between Washington and Oregon, and finally empties into the Pacific. Now you can wow your friends with trivia that no one is interested in.

    How did you know what the “xx” means?

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    1. Serena Lewis11 January 2017 at 08:20

      I'm Bradley's Mum but I am also his legal Carer. You may not be aware that Bradley is legally blind, hearing impaired, and has numerous other medical issues so he needs my assistance with quite a few things. More a necessity, rather than being unusual.

      Interesting trivia. I think it's great that they have turned them into wetlands — very much like what they did here.

      I have a set of runes from many years ago so I am familiar with the symbols and subsequent meanings. :)

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    2. Snowbrush12 January 2017 at 03:56

      “Bradley is legally blind, hearing impaired, and has numerous other medical issues”

      I bet right on him being the one who was unusual in regard to letting someone go through his clothes! Thank you for letting me know.

      “I have a set of runes from many years ago so I am familiar with the symbols and subsequent meanings. :)”

      But there are many different runes just like there are many different languages, so is there one form that’s common where you live?

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    3. Serena Lewis12 January 2017 at 06:33

      There is no doubt many different interpretations of the Runes but they all seem to accept that the origins as being based around Norse mythology and the Norse God, Odin — from what I have read anyway. I don't know which interpretation is most common where I live but the runes I personally refer to are from the Anglo-Saxon alphabet.

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  9. Stephanie Faris11 January 2017 at 23:13

    What an inspiring place to sketch! And I LOVE your sketch of feet. Such great detail!

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    1. Serena Lewis12 January 2017 at 06:13

      Thanks, Stephanie. Glad you liked my sketch. :)

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  10. Shashi Nayagam12 January 2017 at 04:10

    Oooh love the place love the sketch.

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    1. Serena Lewis12 January 2017 at 06:13

      Thanks, Shashi. It is a lovely place to visit. :)

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