My fiery heart.

Our Sunday had started with a lazy lie-in { bliss! } and bircher muesli and coffee and sunshine and plans with friends -  we were seriously on track for #bestdayever - and then, T pulled a muscle in his back :( 

Sob.

He's been working so hard and travelling so much... and missing us. And we've missed him like crazy too. And then he's here and in pain - it's just awful. Booooooo.

I asked if he wanted to stay home. But he said no. We had brunch on the beach at Wategos and in the afternoon we hit the road... friends had invited us to a bonfire on their property an hour to the south. 

It was a beautiful clear night and I planned to not take any photos because I'd been snapping through the day and sometimes it's nice to just be. The kids jumped on the trampoline and played dog-soccer and baked Danish 'bread on a stick' around the pre-bonfire pit-fire and we got to know some new people. Our friends have built { stage one of } an amazing house - it's completely inspired - a real-life Grand Design set on 40 acres of Australian bushland with kangaroos { we saw a baby 'Roo as we drove in! } and God knows what else running free?! - oh yes! - a bunch of gorgeous wild kids ;) Ours included!

Fun.

But then they lit the big fire.

And as I walked towards it and saw everyone silhouetted by the amazing fiery light... I turned around and went and got my camera. Sometimes a photographer just can't say no!! 

Night + fire is a mesmerising mix for young boys too. We didn't stay late { I wanted to get my husband home, man this one is a trooper #keepinghim } but the boys had the best time - until the marshmallow sugar-rush hit and it all went downhill fast. Hahaha.

So, here are my photos that I wasn't going to take. I hope you like them. 

When was your last bonfire / camp-fire experience?
Amber. XO

{p.s. Thanks so much to Dana and Stefan for inviting us! We can't wait to return the favour. x }

The Simple Extravagance of Nature | A Byron Bay Sunset

T said he needed to walk on the beach.

Too much screen time up my sleeves - I readily agreed. We bundled our boys straight from the school bus and into Byron. They said The Pass. 

We parked at the top of the hill and walked the track down. The trees closing in on us brought an early darkness that spilt us out at the bottom onto the sand and the most sublime sunset.

Ohhhhhh...

T walked.

The boys ran. 

And I was lost in light and colour.

The sun set over the water, the sky blending from a golden yellow to fiery burnt orange and when it finally dipped completely beneath the craggy mountainscape of Mt Warning and I didn't think it could get more beautiful a wave of pink swept in from the right; it swept right around from Wategos beach and.. it turned everything into magic.

{ You can actually watch a video I posted on instagram that night if you like - turn off the sound; it was windy! }

Oh,
Mother Nature you are just SO sublime.
So heartbreakingly beautiful.

I am still in awe of the amazing theatre of colour that danced around me that night. These are the moments that stop us. That keep our eyes open and our hearts singing. That fill us up with reserves of bliss and gratitude for life. The extravagances of a life lived simply.

Where do you go to find your bliss? What fills you up and keeps you going? Please share :)

Amber. XO

18/365 Bangkok Airport

Travelling monks. Bangkok airport. Thailand.