Tina from Travels and Trifles is our host this week, and as you can see, the challenge is City Mouse/Country Mouse. I’m not totally sure I get what this one is about, and I’ve been reading posts, so I am going to give it my best shot.
I get the feeling you are meant to look at where you live, or something like that. Sorry, Tina, but I’m confused. So I will take this in my own direction.
City Mouse
It is no secret that I live in Melbourne, that is the Greater Melbourne area. It is a city that continues to grow larger every day. We have over 5 million people living here now and while that might not seem like a massive city, it is big enough for me.
I didn’t grow up here, but it will be 40 years next year since I first came to live in Melbourne. It was love at first sight, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. Well, maybe Tasmania.
The actual city centre is the part that I have always been drawn to and a part that I have photographed many times over the years. I love the city with all the buildings, and it gives me great inspiration for my photography.
For the first 8 years of living here I was a stones throw from the city centre. I could walk there. My husband and I had so many restaurants we loved to eat in. We would spend so much time in there.
However, when I got pregnant with my first daughter, we had to move, and we made the decision to buy a house. Unfortunately, buying a house around where we were was not going to work. The ones we could afford needed so much work, and with a baby on the way, it didn’t seem practical. We decided to move out a bit.
We ended up buying a house near Heidelberg. Once an outer suburb, but there is so much more growth further out than that now. It is funny when I look at the river in the city and I know that when I go home I will be close to it again.
Country Mouse
So we don’t live in the country, but people think we do when they come here. We have paddocks across the road with horses, though there were cows in them when we first got here.
Not far from our house is Banyule Flats, a piece of paradise, really. There is a swamp or wetlands for birds to come and enjoy. It was once farmland, but the year we moved into the area, they decided to let this land go back to how it was for the thousands of years before the British stole the country.
We live in the green belt, or green wedge, of Melbourne. A place that is allowed to be like the countryside. We see kangaroos all the time, and if you are lucky, you might even see a wombat as it is late getting home after a night out. Something I’ve seen, but haven’t really been able to photograph yet.
I often feel like I have the best of both worlds. A train ride into the city or a walk in the natural landscape nearby. If only we could all be so lucky.
Thank you, Tina, for being our host this week. I hope I didn’t butcher the theme too much.
If you would like to participate in this great challenge, then go to the following link to find out how to join the Lens-Artists Challenge. Click here for more info. Don’t forget to put a link in your post back to the host.
That’s amazing, Leanne..to be in the city but also get to see the kangaroos 😀..I guess that’s possible only in Australia! Lovely shots..
Yeah we are pretty lucky where we are, we see them all the time. Yeah, I think it might only be possible here. lol. Thank you PR.
It seems you have chosen the perfect place to live, Leanne – both worlds close. And, your photography always has that super touch that makes me sigh and love. Both worlds!
I like to think so, a place to stay. Thank you so much Ann-Christine.
Leanne, you’ve nailed the challenge in my book! I always love your cityscapes. They are always something I aspire to. My favorite is the morning pre-dawn. Your place in the green belt looks like a fabulous retreat for a city worker to come home to each day.
Thank you John that is kind of you to say. Two of my favourite places.
Wombat photos are tricky because they like it very dim. Might need a big spot light 🙂
Yeah they are, though on occassion I have seen them in daylight, but I didn’t have my camera with me.
I always love you city shots, they really show your love for the place. And the nature same goes there. Great post
Thank you Ritva.
Great photos as always. I love the colorful cityscapes, but the soft country shots are my faves.
Thank you John, I like your descriptions.
Country or city, I so love the reflections in the water.
Thank you Donna.
I think you’ve nailed this challenge Leanne! The whole idea is to contrast town and country and to share where you prefer to live, and you’ve done just that 🙂 Your slice of countryside within the city looks close to perfect to me, and I know I would enjoy the modern architecture of Melbourne too.
Thank you Sarah, I was hoping I was doing something right. lol. It is a pretty perfect place, well except for the snakes in the summer. The architecture is pretty good.
We sort of have the same story. We also don’t live in the country but it feels like that. Great comparison and photos.
Thank you so much Teresa, how lucky are we?
Your pictures are beautiful in both places
Thank you Nora.
Great photos all, Leanne. I like ’em!
Thank you Johan.
What a lovely combination of city and country you have. Thanks for the inspiration, I may write a similar combo post that reflects Madison.
Thank you Rebecca and you are welcome, I look forward to seeing it.
Leeanne, your images are stunning. You have a beautiful city and peaceful countryside. Looks like a wonderful place to be.
I think I do too Beth, Melbourne is gorgeous and yes, it is a wonderful place to live. Thank you.
LOL you interpreted the theme perfectly Leanne and as always the images are wonderful.
That’s great to hear Tina, thank you so much.
I think Tina will love this, Leanne. I know I do! Living downtown was always a dream of mine, but the cost of a small place is ridiculous. Plus now people my age who lived downtown want to get away from all the goingson and are moving to the suburbs.
Thank you Lois, I hope it is okay for the challenge. Living close the city has only got worse over the years. People my age want to live in the city for the life there, then they try to change it so it is quieter. Silly poeple. We are going to stay where we are.
Leanne, I loved the gallery in this post. The cityscapes are amazing, and the country views go right hand in hand with the city. Beautiful photos and edits!
Thank you Egidio. It is great that it is all part of greater Melbourne.
Indeed, Leanne, the best of both and your photos are simply beautiful.
Thank you Sofia, it is a graet spot.
You DO have the best of both worlds. You made a good choice, living there.
Took us a while to appreciate that, but we love living here now. Thank you Margaret.
Love the tone, and that the sun setting is reflected as well as the trees. Beautiful as always.
Thank you so much Peabea.
Perfect post for this challenge Leanne! You photos are stunning. I fell in love with Melbourne too!
Thank you so much Anne.
You might have interpreted the challenge different but the images are outstanding. The city looks to coexist nicely with the world around it. In NYC, not so much, Charleston absolutely (right now).
I enjoyed this one very much… and have always been envious of your wildlife.
Melbourne used to be known as the garden city, so as you can imagine there are lots of parks and green spaces. It is really nice. Thank you Ted, I think it is because our wildlife can be very different. I love yours.