The ingredients: a glorious blue sky day, windless, moderate temperature.  Bellerive Beach lured. Adults and children in the water, smiling dogs taking their owners for a walk, dogs bounding into the water following sticks and balls, seagulls whirling, gulls gathering on the water to grab a swarm of tiny fish, gentle waves skidding up the sand, kids screaming with delight in the playground, the fish and chip shop full of patrons, families playing on the sand, individuals stretched out on their towels to lap up the warmth of autumn sun.  What a package of Sunday delights!

When I arrived at the headland separating Howrah and Bellerive beaches, the tide was low and rock ledges covered in mussels were clearly visible in the bay.  By the time I was departing, these were almost lost under the incoming tide.

I love the crunch under foot of the brittle bird-discarded mussel shells.

On the way home, a cluster of galahs feasted on seed laden grasses. They hardly moved as I walked by.  It was a day when ‘the world is your oyster’.