Shadow Shot Sunday ~ Autumn Shadows

Life, like the seasons, slowly fades into the shadows,

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before the landscape and the hair turns to a snowy white,

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there is still one great burst of colour, before the shadows

lengthen and finally cover all.

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Thanks to Tracy at Hey Harriet for this delightfully shadowy meme.

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Footsteps

Footsteps lead fron doorway warm
into the white beyond
the single track grows long and lost
over the rise beyond

Over the hill and down through the dale
and ever onward going
through drift and and frozen patch of grass
the footsteps pass, the footsteps pass
along the wood with laden bough
they go not stopping for a rest
on, ever onward, forward going
with bent head to the falling snow they trudge
one foot and then the other



Till far into the darkening night
a light gleams through a window
the steps have long behind been filled
the snow lies silent there
and onward go the steps intent
on yonder lighted beakon.

The need is great, they hasten now
towards the one light beaming
Inside the room she waites and hopes
the child as yet unborn
with practiced hand he turns the babe
easing her sweating brow
the cry of life soon rends the air
filling the gentle room with joy
At last the weary feet can rest a while
as Christmas morn dawns bright and clear



before they set out once again
upon the sparkling morning snow
to make the marks that once have been
with lightened heart
tarrying now and then to watch a bird
or mind the light upon an ancient tree
and onward bound for home and hearth
where anxiously they wait for news
and for their safe returning.

MY WORLD ~ 6 ... Our Ski Lodge

Last week I missed posting because we drove
over 1,000km to attend the 45th. annual general
meeting of the A.N.A.R.E. ski club. My husband
has been a member almost since it's inception, I
am only an associate member.
The initials stand for Australian National Antarctic
Research Expedition. The criterion for membership
is obviously, that one must have taken part in at
least one expedition. Members are quite diverse,
ranging from scientists through all necessary trades,
and, all expeditioners having undergone rigorous
psychological asessments, are easy to get along with.


My husband designed the lodge and made a model
from which an architect friend drew up the plans. We all
pitched in and spent many summers building it. From
the front there are two floors, from the back there are
three. Initially we had accomodation in the dormitory
for 12, four doubles and four singles. As regulations on
the mountain have changed, 6 more beds have been added.

The lodge is situated on Mt.Baw Baw in the Victorian Alps.

There are a few good down hill runs and a large plateau

excellent for cross-country skiing.

We arrived late afternoon and had a great view down the

chair lift easement into the Latrobe Valley.

Would you believe it, during the night it snowed!

Now for those in the northern hemisphere that's

no big deal, but we're on summer time here.

None the less , we were thrilled. We had not been
up here for twenty years, so snow was a real bonus.

Here are the same trees as in the first picture,
only slightly more bent from the added load.



This blue shot was at dawn the next morning
just in case it all melted away again.



The lodge sitting pretty in the fluffy
white stuff.

Meanwhile we were snug inside by the fire waiting
for the others to arrive. A happy reunion with those
of the old guard. After 45 years we were all a little
more mature and 20 years of absence had in no way

dulled old friendships.
Although the planned BBQ was out of the question since

it had a foot of snow on it, we all had a great time together.

With these snow laden trees I feel Christmas is
just around the corner.
Next week God willing, snippets from the 1,000km

treck back home.

For wonderful sights and stories from around the

world, click on the logo on the right.

Thank you MY WORLD team for gving us this splendid

opportunity to post what is dear to us.