I always feel a strong sense of harmony when I’m atop a mountain. The winds, the view and the calm air all form into a feeling of enchantment. The pensive thoughts diminished and I’m able to find the inner-peace. Mountains have that magical spell on me. Here, I can set myself free in the oasis of serenity. The world of hustle and bustle is left behind, I can hear my innermost thoughts and hear the rhythm of my soul. No fancy frills and thrills, just magical moments with me and myself.

When I take in the serenity in the air
I hold on tight to my heart and soul
Embracing my live as it is
Rediscovering the charming moments in life
My world as I see it, can be as wonderful as I want it to be

Post from: Quaint Melody

• A quaint encounter
• Lone star
• Idyllic bliss
• Of love and broken hearts
• Haste

I spent the mid-autumn festival afternoon on Mt Eden. It is always very windy up there. I started snapping photos while waiting for the moon to come out. The temperature was freezing and my fingers seemed to have taken on a life of their own after awhile, but still I kept on snapping. Funny how our passion almost always enable us to push through unfavourable conditions.

Standing atop the once volcanic mountain braving the freezing winds, my mind wondered off to those days where festive seasons spelled out fun and laughter. As a kid, I anticipated every traditional celebration. I remember walking around the suburbs back home with my colourful lanterns every mid-autumn festival, prancing around with my friends. The laughter and colours are still fresh in my mind. Those picturesque moments are permanently locked in the precious corner of my memories.

Life may throw me a curve ball ever now and then, but I soldier on the passages, continue to search for the buoyant nature in me as a kid, the simple bliss of life.

Post from: Quaint Melody

• Moonlight rendezvous
• Colours of autumn.
• What a wonderful world
• Shadows in the sun
• Let’s talk about weather

When the buzz is over and crowd has dispersed
A lone star is left at the stale scene
In its dreary state it stands alone
Months and years it awaits
Reminiscing the old glorious days
While awaiting its future to be made

There’s a bittersweet taste lingering in the air
Is it something new or an old familiar scent?
When all is done and said
What is left to savour
What is left to behold
Hope or despair?

When we say we are the owners of our destiny,
does it include those bleak moments in life?

********

I apologise if the sense of sorrow in this writing affects you. They just poured out of me when I was standing across the street snapping this scene. I believe that sorrow shouldn’t be something we repress but rather, embrace. It’s only when we truly face up to our demons and accept the dark places in us can we achieve true happiness and be totally content with ourselves.

Post from: Quaint Melody

• Idyllic bliss
• Of love and broken hearts
• My mountain
• Haste
• Little things in life

Sunday night. The Observetory. A quiet night out with my significant someone.
Delightful companion and delectable food. Life should be such blissful joy.

Post from: Quaint Melody

• Orakei Marina, Auckland
• The night that was
• Lone star
• Invito
• Haste

Why does the sky seems so grey
Is it because of me
There’s no one left in sight
I feel the world closing in

Of all the places I’ve been to
All the people I’ve seen
People come and go
But memories, the memories of them cast footprints in my heart

As time goes by, I learn it’s all the grand plan of life
Of all the love and broken hearts
Of all the victories and battles
We’ll rise and shine again

*I notice Akismet is recognising some regular comments as spam. Don’t be alarmed, I’m keeping an close eye on it.

Post from: Quaint Melody

• Blog-hopping
• Little things in life
• Idyllic bliss
• Light
• Happy parents day!

I took a moment and stood there in the middle of the busy street.
People passing by, quickly in their paces.
Of tourist, students and people in their business suits, none of them seemed to have a minute
to spare.
People rushing here and there, trying to fit in as much as possible in a day.
Steps so cold, life so hasty, in the fast lane of metropolis life.
As the steps advanced, precious moments are left behind.
Is it, worth it?

Post from: Quaint Melody

• Lone star
• Little things in life
• Where I was
• My mountain
• 5:52pm

5:52pm . Sunday . Queen Street
People hurrying away home, preparing for the week’s start.
A stray of orange clouds appear in the sky, over the heritage Civic Theatre.
I stroll along the street, observing the beauty that is the city.
Sunset came and went away, so beautiful, yet so quickly.
Like many things, it’s gone before we even realised it’s there.

Carpe diem! Seize the day!

Post from: Quaint Melody

• Light
• Haste
• Land of the long white cloud
• My mountain
• Silver lining

After what seemed to be two days of sunshine, the rain resumed. Gloomy clouds roam the skies once again. Although the greyness can turn one’s emotion to be melancholy, it certainly has done some good to my much neglected garden.

Isn’t that how life is? There’s always two sides to a story, always a silver lining in sight, although sometimes we need to really pay attention to see it. Much like the faint rainbow in the picture, it is there, just subtly, waiting for you to discover.

Sometimes, perception is everything.

UPDATE: The answer is here. Did you spot it?

Post from: Quaint Melody

• 5:52pm
• Light
• Of love and broken hearts
• At the dawn of light
• Land of the long white cloud

I’ll let the pictures do the talking here. Hope the many photos brighten up your Monday!

Wait for the photos to fully load then click the main photo. Move your cursor to left/right side of photo to go to the next or previous photo.

p/s: If you missed the Olympic opening ceremony, there are some amazing photographs here.
Special thanks to narrowband for the link!

Post from: Quaint Melody

• A night to observe
• Good morning, Monday
• Good things come in small ways
• Light
• Shadows in the sun

The sun finally came out Monday afternoon, winds blew away the gloomy clouds.
Rays shining through tall trees towering from a distance, casting long shadows on the emerald field.
Walking along the familiar path, relaxing myself in the lush atmosphere,
I detected a mist of sweetness in the air.
The storm didn’t come, it’s a good day after all.

Share with me, my friends, your relaxing moments of the day.

當我獨自漫步，聽風的歌，看影子舞動。生活也就如此，悠然。

Post from: Quaint Melody

• Idyllic bliss
• Lone star
• Going home
• Euphoria
• Of love and broken hearts

A shot of the morning sky outside my window to kick start Monday.
It instantly brightens up my day. Hope it blows away your Monday blues too!

Post from: Quaint Melody

• At the dawn of light
• 5:52pm
• Land of the long white cloud
• Shadows in the sun
• Orakei Marina, Auckland

It’s been a very wet and gloomy winter down under, raining more than usual. The weather pattern surely has changed dramatically in the past few years. Auckland weather can be very unpredictable. With the sun shining one minute, and gloomy clouds roaming the next. Climate over here is direct opposite to those in the northern hemisphere, with summer starting from December to February, autumn March to May, winter June to Aug and spring September to November. While the weather here is generally temperate, mainly maritime, summery sun can be quite unbearable. Though the general temperature seldom hits the 30 Celsius mark, the UV levels are very high due to its closer proximity to the sun at that time of the year. It is really not advisable to expose oneself under the hot sun for a prolonged period of time, even if sunscreens are applied.

Coming from the tropics, the thing I enjoy the most about living in the temperate climate is the many colours that comes with it. While summer is too harsh, winter too gloomy and spring too garish, autumn yields the perfect season for me. It is then when everything turns colourful and breezy. The whole town seems to turn into a big dazzling picture, with coolness in the air and leaves swaying on trees in shades/hues of reds and yellows. Even the most unromantic people will feel the poetic moments in the air. A walk in the park is most pleasurably at this time of the year. I always feel a little surreal emerging amongst the breezy air and splendid colours of the season. It never fails to amaze me.

On another note, forecast said another storm is heading our way. This gloomy winter weather is killing all my fun to get out of the house for some decent photo shoots. Somehow the sun only comes out occasionally during the weekdays and rains all day long in the weekends! The sky pretty much looks like the above picture lately, albeit a little less dramatic (what to do, I’m all about drama!), but still, gloom! I’m just going to roll into bed and hibernate.

Post from: Quaint Melody

• Colours of autumn.
• Land of the long white cloud
• Idyllic bliss
• Wintry Domain
• Silver lining

I pondered, over and over, searching for something that wasn’t there.
‘Let it be for now,’ a voice rang in my mind.
‘Just remember, this too shall pass.’

Post from: Quaint Melody

• Daze
• Of love and broken hearts
• Idyllic bliss
• Silver lining
• Light

When cc meets D80… (a miserably failed attempt at mimicking the master)

Post from: Quaint Melody

• A cold blooded murder.
• Mr K, the saint
• Of love and broken hearts
• Shadows in the sun
• Orakei Marina, Auckland

Darkness falls, but fear not. At the end of the passage, a light breaks through.

photography sunset Auckland

Post from: Quaint Melody

• Light
• Light
• 5:52pm
• At the dawn of light
• Tenacious light

Want to stay in this neighborhood? Houses here only going from NZ$700,000!

Technorati tags: autumn Auckland

Post from: Quaint Melody

• Season of whole
• Let’s talk about weather
• A charming old maritime village
• Orakei Marina, Auckland
• City of apartments.