Happy Wednesday!

Can you believe it is August 1st? This whole year is just flying by I can't even believe it. I remember being in elementary school and getting so excited after New Years to change the year when writing the date. It hardly ever happened so it was super exciting. Now I remember things that feel like yesterday and were actually like 20 years ago and I can't believe I am old enough to remember things from that long ago! 

It's so easy for months to just slip by and then all of a sudden it's August! For example, I've had the idea for this post for a while. At some point, I wrote about how when I lived in Toronto or London and I walked to work, I liked to try and notice something new or special on my walk every day. I wanted to get out of the zone and find something to appreciate. For example, I remember seeing a bird hopping in a puddle after a rainstorm, or people skating before work at Nathan Phillips Square. In London, I walked through this beautiful old graveyard Bunhill Fields Burial Ground and the tombstones were so ancient you couldn't even read them. 

So I wanted to challenge myself in Melbourne to do the same thing for a week, and take a picture each day of what I saw. I call it - My Week of Awareness! 

Except it was way harder than I thought it would be! Sometimes I would see cool things but I couldn't get my camera out in time. Or I would forget. And if I took a picture on a Thursday and then the next Thursday I saw something cool I wouldn't use it, because for some reason I wanted pictures for every day of the week, even if they were from different weeks.

So finally, here it is, my week of awareness, spread out over the last month or so haha.

Monday: 

There is a shortcut to the train station I go to every morning, and I have to walk down this path called Lover's Walk. It's written at the entrances on both ends of the path, but it always makes me laugh because it's the least romantic walk ever. It follows along the train tracks and I actually saw a rat run past me a few weeks ago. 

Tuesday: 

It's winter in Melbourne! And even though it was hot at t-shirt weather on the weekend, the trees definitely look like winter. I saw this tree when walking across the street to get to my work. 

Wednesday:

This was a mannequin in the store I saw on my way home. It stood out to me because the outfit is the same as Kim Possible, an old cartoon that I used to watch with Jacob. 

Thursday:

Tj and I went to dinner after work at a Chinese restaurant not too far from home, and we walked by this beautiful florist shop! Have you ever seen a display like this? It's just stunning (please ignore my reflection in the picture). 

Friday: 

I had to stop at the mall and pick up something and the store had these cards out with the number for the Children's helpline. I have a similar saying I use when I meditate, but I just thought this was cute. 

Saturday:

This display is from a restaurant that I pass by every week when I do groceries, and I had never noticed it and I don't know how, because the entry to where the grocery store is is very plain, and this is so pretty I'm surprised it didn't stand out to me more.

Sunday: 

Sundays are for markets! I saw this cheeky poster at the Prahran market and it made me chuckle. They have a whole series of different posters but I couldn't get good pictures of the others. Cute marketing! 

I hope you have a great week! Be aware of your surroundings as my mom always says hahaha.