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As my friend was leaving the cafe after we’d enjoyed coffee and cake, the waitress said: “I hope you don’t mind me saying this. I’ve been watching you and your friend and I couldn’t help noticing how much you were enjoying each other’s company. I hope my friend and I can be like that in many years time. You made my day.”
For a few days on my journey north I stayed with my friend Rosemary. Our friendship began in the early 1950s, and this comment by the waitress made our day too. Rosemary lives in a gracious terrace house in Newcastle, lovingly furnished in period. She shares it with a very beautiful cat called Nina.
We spent a pleasant afternoon wandering around the mall, me relishing the opportunity to buy fresh turmeric and tom yum spices; visit an exhibition of textiles by Judy Hooworth, and a textile shop attached to the Timeless Textiles gallery; admire old (by Australian standards) buildings; eat a rich-looking chocolate gelato; enjoy a few murals; and photograph the bark of street trees.
The next day we took a leisurely stroll along the waterfront path to the Bogey Hole, originally dug out of solid rock by convicts as a swimming pool for their brutal commandant, Captain Morisset. The cliff face above the path is cut away showing layers – soil, coal, slate, sandstone. Tiny lizards scurry into the foliage lining the steep path up to the surveillance fort and the view north opens out as we head back down for lunch.
Newcastle is definitely a place worth visiting – heritage, history, architecture, art and scenery – to say nothing of a wonderful friend.
The cathedral
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The nature and landscapes are captured so beautifully. It is very interesting to see, Meg. I have now clicked email notification about your posts; I think the reader is not giving me notifications I need.
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I too had gaps in my reader feed, when I tried to reduce inbox traffic. You have always been an email notification though.
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Thank you
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I don’t spend much time on WP, and I have completely neglected my other blog. I wish I had time, energy and good health to be able to hang on here more, but I am struggling with basic chores and my job. I am sorry . You are the only email notification and I can’t commit to be regular. Maybe I should stop blogging cause people will get offended if I forget to pay them a visit. There is a woman that erased all links to my blog (i dont know when exactly and why) and she was the one that always got most of my attention. I cant spend months worrying what I did to her. I’d prefer if she had.sent me a.mail and sent me to hell, but no, she just deleted all posts linked to my blog for no reason that i could see. This is not for me. I have no time, and should be worried about my health and not some stranger’s inexplicable actions. Sorry for writing all this, but I really feel awful.
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Oh Paula. I was so sad when I read this: I wanted to give you a hug. Please, please, please don’t feel obligated to visit me; and remove email notification. I only asked you about ‘For Paula’ because it was especially for you, and delivered alpacas as requested. Concentrate on your own well-being and keep away from anything that causes angst. May tranquillity and good health fall upon you, and if the blogosphere prevents this send IT to hell! Sent with a warm virtual hug.
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I am a complicated one to understand, but you do get me. I put myself through a lot Meg, and I don’t feel worthy, if I fail in things I have planned. It is not always easy to understand our routines and schedules – I hated myself for not seeing your posts and I will not remove the notification – you are one of the persons that deserves that I keep track, just don’t think that I don’t care if I don’t show up immediately. I know you don’t – I am just saying it again. It’s not your fault, it is probably not my fault either, and I do have plans with my blog, and I want us all to have fun at this place. WP ruined the audio player appearance yesterday which made me more grumpy than usual. It is not possible to be liked by everybody and I don’t want to, I am just happy to have a few sincere and generous people around me that will understand and be patient. Hugs back (I just wanted to be here for you as much as you are for me).
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What a wonderfully sulky looking fish in that mural 🙂 And I love the yarn bombed plant holder 🙂 And what is that lovely bit of artwork on the shore, Meg? The starfish piece? Yes, I could be happy in this Newcastle too.
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I’m making a collection of interesting plant holders – spotted another one yesterday. There were a series of sea motif copper (?) panels along the walk: they seemed to attract graffiti, unfortunately. Glad you liked our Newcastle.
Do you want to add this to your Monday’s walk?
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Yes, I will do 🙂
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clever you noticing the plant holder! I am going to have to revisit a lot of posts on my return as I have just skimmed a lot of them.
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I’m surprised you managed a visit at all!
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Well there’s not much on the TV in the evening!
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How lovely to spend time with someone you can really be at ease with.
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You are absolutely right Gilly. I’m very lucky to have such a vintage friendship.
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I have never stopped in Newcastle and after seeing the very interesting photos in this post Meg I think I will have to visit one day.
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Me too. This is only a very small part.
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Will put it on the list. I am just reading “Margaret Olley” by Barry Pearce, and Margaret loved Newcastle and spent a lot of time there wandering around drawing.
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I think she may have donated paintings to the Newcastle Art Gallery. She’s one of my favourite artists.
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Have you been to the art gallery at Murwillumbah? If not you should go next time you are this way, here is a post I did about it. http://pommepal.wordpress.com/2014/11/01/a-memorial-to-a-remarkable-woman/
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Your piece on Newcastle’s natural and built environment is so loving. I have appreciated seeing it anew through your eyes, dear friend. Thank you.
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I’m delighted that you liked my view of your city, dear friend. And that you gave Jude such a detailed answer.
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Somewhat different to ‘our’ Newcastle – I wonder how Jo will compare them? I love the architecture and your friend’s house. I do like Victorian houses. Is hers Victorian?
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No Heyjude, having been built in 1900, my house is what we class as “Federation style”, sometimes also “Queen Anne style”. It does have Victorian elements inside, such as cast iron fireplaces, the joinery profiles of doors, window frames, skirting boards, cornices and architraves, and the high ceilings. At the same time there are Art Nouveau features, such as asymmetry and fretwork, which were popular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. I also love the beautiful timbers, including Queensland and New Zealand kauri, both prized nowadays. It has been fun seeking out furnishings from both Victorian and Federation periods. Most terraces one sees in Australia are Victorian, with cast iron balconies and much more elaborate decorative elements than this one has. There probably isn’t another terrace like it in Newcastle, and it would be rare even in the capital cities of Australia.
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It sounds delightful. I must look up the Federation style as I have heard the term before, but I’m not sure what it refers to. The Victorians were great at copying other periods! It did strike me that externally your house doesn’t look particularly Victorian. I particularly like Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau architecture and design. You have a wonderful house.
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You might also be interested to know that our Cathedral has lots of Arts and Crafts elements. While on a grand scale, it is interesting that it has the same architect as the very charming little timber Catholic church in Bodalla featured in one of Meg’s blogs.
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