In the gentle dawn, happy birthday Canberra.

Canberra is 103 years old in March 2016 ….a young city just finding its place in the world.

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There are many birthday celebrations through the month of March, and one of the biggest events is ”Balloons Afloat”

Here we are at dawn waiting for the giant balloons to fill with air and be fired up into the sky..

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Some balloons are taking off without any trouble, but there is not much wind this morning…

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….and some of the cuter ones are having trouble floating off.

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and some stayed up just long enough to give the kids a thrill…

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Looking at all the families around enjoying this early morning start to Canberra day I can’t help thinking of all the turmoil in the world at the moment, and yet, how much ordinary people all over the world really just want to be able to live peacefully with their families and communities.

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The dawn on the lake is very gentle this morning, as the poet Mary Oliver says ” softest of mornings, hello.”

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We are off to our favourite little café in the city for breakfast. This café has a healthy herb garden and even a pumpkin vine heading out and over to the road. You can’t trust a pumpkin to behave well in a garden bed, never mind a city bed!

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I think the Chicago planners, Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony would have been happy to see a garden in the city, that was part of their dream.

What great good fortune to live in a peaceful city.

Happy birthday Canberra!

 

 

 

 

26 Replies to “In the gentle dawn, happy birthday Canberra.”

  1. Such a beautiful post, Gerrie. Happy birthday to your gorgeous and peaceful city. I’m sure you’re so right about most people just wanting to live their lives in peace. Is it really so much to ask, and just what gives the very small minority the right to shatter that peace and wreak havoc and destruction? I’m so heart-sore for those people who live in war-torn places and I’m especially thinking of the dreadful Brussels attacks today.

    1. Yes, I could not agree more Sylvia, and all the children who are in these regions must be so traumatised, surely for life. Thanks for the comment.

  2. That looks like a fun celebration. Yes, I also think often of how lucky we are not to be fleeing for our lives or living under the threat of war.

    1. Thanks Jason, yes I agree, just by the sheer luck of where we were born we have avoided it. I can’t imagine the trauma of having no home and no community.

  3. Just loved the hot air balloons! The lake is so lovely too. I’m always fascinated by how capital cities become capitals, Canberra has a particularly rich story. Happy birthday, long may it live in peace.xxx

    1. Thanks Dina, and yes, Canberra owes much to the original architects from Chicago, who planned a garden city….. now is called the bush capital!

  4. I love the balloon that looks like many small balloons 🙂
    Watching big hot air balloons take off is really quite spectacular. What a wonderful birthday celebration 🙂

  5. What a great way for Canberra to celebrate. What a colourful scene. I was interested to see the 2 paddle boarders setting off across Lake Burley Griffin. I enlarged that photo and yes there are 2 children with them. Hope they can swim if they fall off!!!

    1. You are the only person to notice that there are two tiny children on the paddleboards…I think they have safety jackets, but pretty amazing.. they seem quite steady, but not something I would have done!

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