The Chinese and Japanese gardens in Canberra

Yesterday I finally got a chance to visit Lennox gardens in Canberra, it’s only taken me 31 years, lol. It was a lovely day and strolling through the park and enjoying the autumn sunshine with the beautiful autumn leaves, it was just a perfect day. I had long wanted to see the park and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there. I highly recommend it for visitors to town, and right at the beginning there is a cute little hidden garden with a vine clad structure surrounded by hedgerows and woodland plants and trees. In each corner there has a park bench to sit on and take in the peaceful view. My kind of place to sit quietly. 

The Nara peace park and the peace bell are within the Lennox garden park as is the Chinese garden, the beautiful structures are well worth seeing and photographing, as they sit amongst manicured gardens. 

There are picnics tables and plenty of room for families to enjoy an outing and a pleasant walk along the lakeside. I really wish that I had visited the gardens sooner as it was just so beautiful. 

Another nice place in the city to visit is the rose gardens next to old Parliament House, if you are lucky to see the last of the seasons blooms go along for a visit. The area around there is also very beautiful and attracts many tourists daily. It may not be the big hustle and bustle of Sydney but it has a lovely relaxing atmosphere and beautiful blue skies. Canberra has plenty of green open space and parks to explore with the family all year round and great for those of us who love nature. 

Festive Lanyon Homestead visit

 A couple of days ago I went back to visit Lanyon Homestead in the far south of Canberra, for the Christmas themed tour. The homestead is only about 15 minutes away from where I live and surrounded by the magnificent landscape crowned with the Brindabella mountain range. 

The lady that was the tour guide was very nice and took great care in imparting information about the history of the house and what the families did during the Christmas season. I surprised myself when the tour guide started talking about the original owners of the house. As she mentioned James Wright she went to mention his brother and before she had finished talking about him, I felt his brother had died suddenly. The poor man was only there a few days when he was killed in a hunting accident. What a terrible thing to happen, happily reunited with his brother and suddenly he’s gone. 

While I was there, I was again pleased to see James Wright, the architect that built this beautiful house in spirit. He comes across as a friendly and rather jovial man, so I do enjoy seeing him there. The energy of this homestead is beautiful and peaceful, so it is no wonder that some of the former residents are thee in spirit. They exude a truly beautiful spiritual energy. There is a very calm atmosphere both inside the house and outside as one walks around the grounds, and the vista is absolutely breathtaking. The outdoor view is a photographer’s delight, add the charming sound of birds singing and the cicadas doing their thing in the summer morning. 

As I had a walk through the old house with the tour group I became aware of a slim woman with very long red hair in the master bedroom. She stood with her back to us near the window but her hair was what seemed most prominent. When in a group tour , and listening to the guide, I can’t get much of a chance to pick up much information except for visual evidence of spirit beings. That was good enough for me though. After the tour finished we went to the cafe for morning tea. The young man serving us was so rushed off his feet, but did an amazing job of looking after everyone. We thanked him for his service and bid him a wonderful day. I discovered he is an avid tea lover too, my kind of person! 

As my husband and I were leaving the cafe, we walked back through the back courtyard where the stables and kitchen used to be and I was surprised to see a huge chestnut coloured horse in spirit standing there. 

Then suddenly James Wright appeared by my side smiling. He took off his hat and bowed his head to me to say goodbye. What a wonderful experience for me, I will treasure this experience as long as I live. I did thank him and let him know how much I love the place and the entire views around the homestead. It truly is a paradise, well if you were one of the family members it would have been so, but the servants would have perhaps seen it differently. The natural beauty of the countryside is just so sublime that I didn’t want to leave. Is it any wonder that some of the homesteaders are still present? I wish them every joy in the world and eternal peace and happiness. 

The ACT Government is running a Christmas tourism event for visiting Calthorpe house, Lanyon Homestead and Mugga Mugga Cottage. Check out the link below for details. I recommend going on a morning tour to avoid the heat. 

https://www.historicplaces.com.au/events/tours-christmas-at-act-historic-places

Some further information on life at Lanyon Homestead is in the link below, I hope you find this enjoyable reading. I love history and really enjoy Australian history, it may only be a short period of time but it is very interesting and the nation has come on in leaps and bounds due to the industrial revolution and many brilliant inventions along the way. 

 https://cmag-and-hp.s3.amazonaws.com/hp/assets/2d/7d87f0784b11e5a607bf58cbeb3ccc/Lanyon_brochure.pdf

Iandra Castle (Mount Oriel)

 

https://iandracastle.com.au/

https://iandracastle.com.au/gallery/

I am planning a trip to Iandra Castle (Iandra Homestead Pastoral Estate), I just missed out on yesterday's open day, so I am determined to see it as soon as possible. It will be a lovely day out, as I love historical places and gardens. Iandra is a heritage listed estate which commenced construction in 1880 and completed by 1910. Beautiful and romantic architecture of a bygone era of which not many are left in Australia. Thankfully what is left is heritage protected to showcase the past achievements of a young and  developing nation of Victorian and Edwardian times.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iandra_Castle Some historical information for further knowledge. Check out google images for interior photos. Follow on Facebook and Instagram.

I do hope that people seeing this blog post may take the trip out to see this lovely place and breathe in the lovely country air. It is worth the drive out there for a day trip and perhaps a picnic. Don't forget to take a hat if going in the warm weather to walk in the gardens. Ladies how about a parasol to prevent hat hair and feel like a lady of olden times? 

Calthorpe House

 http://www.historicplaces.com.au/calthorpes-house

I went to see this lovely old 1920's house today, it is only 15 mins from where I live.

I did in deed see Harry Calthorpe, he made his presence known to me prior to me going there, as I made the booking to go and see the house over the phone, he turned up.

However I don't know why he had a beard, moustache yes, that was part of his distinguished look and  fitting of the times. 

On arrival at the lovely house harry greeted me as I walked down the side of the house to the front door. Spirit always know what's going on, not much gets past them.

If you love old world historic places, it is a must see if you live in Canberra or visit Canberra. At the house I purchased a book by Dawn Calthorpe, called Chortles, Chores and Chilblains.

Something to treasure and remember my visit. I am sure that I will return there again.

Sadly due to people talking, myself included I did not get a chance to communicate with Harry. But I could see him clearly. In the garden I could see two little girls playing. This was a snapshot in time as a surprise, thanks to Harry. This was him sharing a memory with me. He loved his children very much.

One of the girls is still very much alive and living near by.  As I left, I thanked Harry for his company and showing me his home, I thanked the lady tour guide and her off-sider who was very busy taking bookings. it must be a lovely job to do if you love history. I love all things 1920's and 30's.

PS: As a child in Scotland I lived in a house built in 1910. I loved that house and was very sad when my parents sold it. I have always loved old world houses, that have a soul of their own.

Alex's Visit to Lanyon Homestead

 Yesterday I went out to Lanyon homestead to see the house, I was aware there was a lady in spirit there. However I was surprised to be greeted by James Wright (one of the men that built the house) in spirit. I informed the staff and they showed me a photo of him; which confirmed to me that it was him as I described the man to the staff; and what he was wearing. He accompanied my husband and myself around the house and property the whole time we were there. How amazing is that?

http://www.historicplaces.com.au/lanyon-homestead


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanyon_Homestead

Right from the moment My husband and I went up to the front of the house I started to see spirit people around the house. The energy was very strong. On entering the house I was greeted by James Wright. He was very pleased to show the house off to us. I expressed how I really loved the house and that I am very much an old world person, preferring things of the early 20th century to modern life. 

When I saw James in spirit he looked much younger than this photo.  His hair was brown , he still had the bushy beard which was grey. He was wearing a white shirt with braces instead of a belt on his trousers, beige  trousers and riding boots. I thanked him for accompanying us around the property.


There were a few spirit beings there at the homestead. Not just the famous lady that is seen my many.
She was in a yellow dress full skirt of the Victorian era. I saw her and felt her presence in the hallway of the house 

At this point I started to inform the two ladies that were working in the house taking admission fees. They were rather delighted to hear about James being seen there as it is only just the lady that many people see. The ladies then went and pulled out a photo of James and an old book to help identify the person that I was seeing.

  

After having a look through the dining room I suddenly went cold and was surprised to see people sitting at the table enjoying a meal and lively conversation. I thanked them for allowing me to see them and expressed my love for the house again.

From there we went out into the back courtyard and again more spirit activity. I turned to my husband and told him there were a few horses here' I think three or four of them. Some chestnut or dark brown, and people grooming them and getting them ready to be ridden. When I walked in to one of the out buildings where the old saddles and reigns are kept, I heard a young man yell out BLAST. He cut his finger on something. He was not aware that we were there. I just laughed and told my husband what I heard and saw.

Next we went into the servants quarters which were in a separate small building. The bedroom was so sparse a basic bed and a wardrobe, a hand made bedside table  of very poor quality. just planks of rough wood knocked together into a table. Sitting on the bed was a young teenage girl with dark long hair and a night cap on. She looked a happy soul. I did say sorry for the intrusion on her privacy and I did tell her the date. I dare say all of these people in spirit are well used to the intrusions in to their daily lives in spirit. Still I like to be respectful and not treat them as anything less than who they are. Just because they are in spirit does not give others the right to think of them as part of the entertainment.

There are several reasons as to why a spirit being will be seen at different age groups
One is they revert back to looking how they did in their 20s to 30s when being back in spirit. Also it is down to how the individual wishes to be identified by those that see them. If the person was known to you personally they will show you how they looked when you knew them.


Having said that sometimes I have a spirit come through when conducting a reading and they first come through as the looked just prior to death and then show me how they looked at different ages. It is really up to the individual spirit being. The personality, ego, etc stays the same until they reincarnate, only then will that change. Eyes do not seem to change from life time to life time. I have no idea why that is though.

Fun at the Australian War Memorial

Most folk visit the Australian War Memorial and don't have any strange experiences to speak of. Then there are others just like me. We pick up on the spirits that are there. I seem to be connected with the men from the Boer War and World War 1. No sooner do I set foot in the place, then it starts. Spirit just comes up to me as if to say, hey want to buy a cheap watch.
I only go because my son loves the place. We do this visit 2 or 3 times a year, whether I like it or not.
 As I was saying I get into the main entrance, and lo and behold a soldier appears in spirit. The spirits are Earth bound and troubled souls. I wish I could move them all on to the light. But the simple fact is you can't make them go if they aren't ready or don't want to go. It is a sad, gut wrenching feeling just being in the War Memorial for me.

I went with my husband and one of my sons about 2007. Both my husband and I had this overwhelming grief and hopelessness sweep over us. I felt like I was going to be sick. This was the soldier’s collective pain and suffering. I have a very strong connection with WW 1 and always have. This was my last incarnation as I have had this confirmed via deep spiritual meditation, which I will talk about later on.
While we were both there, I had a young soldier of 17 in spirit come up to me. he took my hand and wanted me to meet the other spirits. He was a happy sort of young man. I could feel him so strongly. It felt like he was looking for a mother figure. I felt so sorry for him and wanted to help him. I could hear him say to other spirits in an excited voice, "Hey, she can hear and see us".  I felt so useless as the place was full of visitors,
there was no way I would be able to communicate with them in a busy museum.

I noticed the spirits were sitting or standing in little groups talking to each other. It was like they flitted in between current time and WW 1. it is hard to explain in words. The other thing I noticed is the different war sections were divided into separate groups. As in the WW 1 guys didn't mix with the WW 2 troops etc. The reason being they are not in the same soul group. I don't pick up much from WW 2 for some reason either but I do in the Boer war, WW 1 and the modern stuff. The new section is a whole new story that I must tell.
Walking into the new area for current day events is also quite upsetting for me, even staff members are picking up the vibes there. One lady inn particular tries to avoid the area as much as possible. When she has to go in there, she bolts through it.

I have picked up on at least 3 spirits in that area, one of which is a woman. I found her the most upsetting. I can say that experience has been the worst feeling that I have had in there. So much so that I would avoid it, if I could.

Please be aware that there is no need to be afraid of these spirit beings. They cannot and will not harm you. All they are doing is trying to communicate with the living (Physical world beings). I personally have the utmost respect and compassion for these spirits. It is highly offensive to use spirits as a form of entertainment. So please have respect for these beings. They have the right to exist the same as we do.

The only difference between us is that we are living in a physical body. In the spirit world they don't need the physical body.

I won't go into all that technical information in this post. I shall write a post on that subject shortly.



Copyright by Alex Fulford  2010

 

Australian/International Psychic Association's (APA/IPA) Psychic of the year 2013 (ACT) Awarded 5 Star rating in the USA 2015

Tuesday, 14 December 2010

Fun at the Australian War Memorial

Most folk visit the Australian War Memorial and don't have any strange experiences to speak of. Then