Morning walk with birds

 It was a glorious morning cloud and some sun a bit of humidity to warm us up and as we walked down to the beach there was this lovely pelican, I so love our pelicans, large and magnificent and beautifully black and white. He wasnt too pleased abut let me get up close and then waddled into the water.
They get quite tame as fishermen feed them.
Further on was a duck in the water, I need to work out what this one is as its not a mallard, then a cormorant drying its wings on the channel marker and finally a sooty oyster catcher who was up the beach searching for sand worms. So smart in his black and red.
A bit of fine drizzle today and I need to get the washing in off the line.
I dare not let the chooks out as that wretched fox might be around.
I am off tomorrow with Sarah, going over the border into Victoria to look at shetland ponies, not my pick but our grand daughter wants one for her 21st, she had a lovely one she rode to Royal Show standard when she was small.
We are also going to look at a couple of Welsh Pony studs as well.
We leave early tomorrow and come back latish on Saturday. John will be in charge so I hope nothing dire happens and Fenella is home to do the ponies. The weather looks as if it will be cool and damp, much better than hot and awful. It should be a lovely break.

Wet and cool

 What a day, floods in Queensland, and terrible ones at that, we had to ring friends to see if they were ok. Thankfully apart from some rain blown under roof tiles and a new carpet wet all was ok, so far. It is such a slow moving low and it is creating havoc all along the east coast, one minute bushfires, now floods.
We had a lovely walk this morning, getting wet ourselves as a very welcome almost 10mm fell, a lot of it while we were walking along the cliffs and I was soaked through! I didnt mind a bit as it was so nice to have any rain at all. You will see how dry it is by the photo of the hill on the bottom right.
As usual click twice to enlarge the photos.
When the east coast floods we often are terribly dry here in the south.
So a collage of this mornings photos and all taken before the rain really fell, it was quite magic as not terribly windy.
My daily collage, I dont think I am getting any better but they are fun to do.
We sat for a lot of this cold damp afternoon watching the disasters unfolding in Queensland, I am so glad I dont have to contend with floods. Bushfires are bad enough but floods are horrid.
So I sat and untangled a heap of embroidery threads so now they are usable.

Australia Day

 A collage of photos of my Australia Day.
Up early and a walk on the beach, a visit to the market (no photos of that) down to the Australia Day celebrations on Warland Reserve in Victor, a nice shot of the Town Cryer (left) and the Mayor (on the right). Ten new citizens were taken into the fold and there were very worthy recipients of the Australia Day awards.
John was an Australia Day recipient quite a few years ago and also has an AM so we always try to support the local event.
From there we headed up to lunch at Pt Willunga with friends and see the Tour Down Under pass by, always terribly fast and very exciting.
Home to do the animals and have a bit of tomato, cheese and bacon on toast as that was all we needed after such a lovely lunch.
So another Australia day has passed, I am very proud to be an Australian although I was rather surprised to be told in one of the speeches yesterday that only 50% of Australians today were born in the country. I am a proud third generation Aussie! Which means my great grand son is 6th generation.
Interesting as South Australia was only founded in 1836, much later than the Eastern States but my ancestors (on my fathers side), and John's, came out to South Australia and not via the other States.

All a bit depressing

The results of the MRI dont look terribly promising. I dont see the specialist until latish March so I will go on with my pain relief and walking as I have been. No good worrying too much until I really know what it is all about.
Two more of my little collages. My faces are not sticking down terribly flat but these are really for my own amusement and I supose I will get better.
we had a lovely walk this morning and after yesterdays heat today has been wonderfully cool and a bit windy.
I just hope it stays this way, we actually had .04 mm of rain overnight but you really wouldnt know it.
A decent rain would be wonderful.

Horse tram Clydesdales

We went in for a walk this morning and had to do a few other jobs and as I sat in the car and waited for John to come back the horse tram Clydesdales went past, they usually go through the back streets but have to get onto the busy road through town for a short while, I couldnt believe how many cars had to go slowly after them! I had to take this photo as I am not often in the right place at the right time.
We had a lovely walk this morning, around at the Bay, and although there were a few clouds and it was a little cool it was lovely walking and listening to the waves lapping on the beach.
Another batch of my little jewels, I have been asked what I will do with them, I think possibly on cards but also if I get enough who knows, I think they are a little big for brooches but on presents they would look nice as well.
I read on some ones blog that they take out a few minutes in the morning to do little collages and I thought it was a great idea, too big and I lose interest but small ones? perhaps, well I made one this morning and I will see how my mood takes me.
It will be hot tomorrow, today was lovely.
Yesterday I paid for my Bali flight so early June and it is actually going to happen!
I cant wait, although I have travelled a lot I am a bit nervous as I am doing a tour, but on my own, no John to pick up the pieces, I think my main worry is sorting out money, just because in Bali they work in huge numbers which are not worth much but it means keeping track of thousands of rupeah. Perhaps I wont buy very much!
MRI on my knee tomorrow, means an early start.
Oh and double click to see the photos better.

Glorious morning walk and a few more jewelled patches

 Look at that reflection of the clouds on that damp sand! I love mornings like this when we walk, there were a lot of people and dogs around and I quickly snapped this when the beach was relatively empty and until I loaded it to the computer hadnt realised what it looked like.
Overcast and cool but the sun has burnt the clouds away and it is now quite warm.
I am washing and trying to tidy things up so I can work on some beading. I want to re do a necklace.
The piece of kelp washed up had a lovely design to it, not a lot on the beach this morning, and it was a different beach but things keep changing.
John went fishing yesterday, we did have a lovely feed of fresh fish, yummy, not a lot but enough for us and some for the cat.
So in between doing a massive tidy, why do I get into such a muddle? While he was fishing I did some sewing, when I needed to sit down for a few minutes.
I have three more of these to do and then I am not sure what the next thing will be.
I have to get ready for a selling exhibition in April so I will have to get my thinking cap on.
Double click for a larger view.

Bits and pieces

If you click or even double click on the top photo it should be clearer.
They are little bits of precious 'stuff' I have been sewing together, so much fun when it is hot.
we walked along the beach at the bay this morning and saw this pelican flying by, of course I had just shut the camera down so had to aim blind and hope I got something, he came up reasonably well when I cropped the photo.
Then there was this strange piece of jelly, looking alm ost like a starfish but its not, whether it is a jelly fish or the remains of some sort of sea creatures eggs I am not sure.
The brown jelly fish from the other day have moved around to where we walked this morning but I wasnt going to take their photos.
I had gone in to the market early this morning and as it was lovely and cool we then walked.
Bother I have lost a photo it was of the rather ominous looking clouds with the sun peeping through, perhaps tomorrow!
Yesterday a friend of mine and I went for lunch and then wandered down to have a look at the Rotary art show, first time for her, second for me, it takes a while to get around and we kept bumping into friends so it took even longer. We needed a cup of coffee and a cake shared afterwards.
Lovley to catch up.
I had also had a doctors appointment and we have arranged for me to have an mri on my knee to see why the wretched thing is still aching, something else to look forward to but my polymalgia rheumatica seems to be clearing up which is great news now to slowly get off the rest of the cortisone I am on.
Not this stops my arthritis pain but that I can sort of live with.

Foggy morning

 I should be feeling happy but I am not.
to start at the beginning on Sunday we had our Welsh Pony Youngstock Show, it started to rain as I left home and got heavier and heavier as I got nearer to the venue in the Adelaide Hills. I had taken a jacket but was in light pants and shirt as it was quite warm when I left home.
We did very well with our ponies, my special cream filly was the best foal futurity exhibit and went on to be supreme B in both the rings, meanwhile it got colder and colder and wetter and wetter. The Section C Cob filly won and was Supreme C in one ring and went on to be Supreme Pony in ring 1 and our Welsh Mountain colt became the Supreme in ring 2 with the filly beating him for Supreme of Show.
I was so cold I didnt wait until the end of the show as I was shivering and being cold is not good for me and headed for  home,  the temperature in my car as I left at 12.30 said 12degrees C and I didnt warm up much on the long drive home, changed and fell into bed!
Was so pleased for the girls when they rang to tell me, they worked hard in trying conditions and to top it off my other daughter and granddaughter took out the Cob Section D Championships in both rings.
So yesterday I felt flattened and didnt do a lot.
I had a blood test early this morning and as I left home it was 9 degrees and there was lots of fog.
Photos taken as I was driving in.
Home safely to be greeted by the news that one of my ponies was in a very bad way from hitting her head on the  floor, she had gone up and over onto the concrete.
Long story short we had to wait ages for the vet to come and put her down.
No ones fault, just one of those awful accidents that happen when you have animals.
We all feel rather depressed about it and pretty upset.
I wasnt going to write up my blog but as I havent blogged for a while thought perhaps an update might be necessary.

Bag finished and this mornings walk

I finished the bag yesterday, I think it looks ok.
I couldnt get onto the net at all yesterday but today it seems to be a bit better.
We walked early as the sky was clear and it promised to be quite warm, so we went to walk along the cliff tops near Petrels Cove and on to the little beach.
the beaches have been changing over the last few days, there is a lot more sand here but it was also low tide.
No jellyfish to be seen today but lots of lovely swirls in the sandleft from the tide running out, rock pools and a red starfish.
A beautiful walk and now I am home trying to get a heap of ironing done.
We have an art opening to go to tonight and out for a quick meal, bliss to be part of those out in the larger world! Sometimes I feel very cut off living out here but at other times I am glad I am no longer part of the rat race and can do things at my own pace.
On Sunday we have a Welsh pony show to go to, our States youngstock show, it is supposed to be relatively cool, relatively is the operative word. I will probably only stay until lunch time as it starts at 8 am and that will be long enough for me.
I am doing lots of small sewing things, more of those little bits for either a card or? Not sure what but it keeps me busy near the fan when it is hot.
The day starts very early, at daybreal here, around 6 am as that is when I need to get hoses on and the watering done and at least the flies are not so bad when I walk Max.
I had better get back to that ironing or it wont get done!

Feeling just a bit virtuous.

Why? because I have finally managed to clean the house so now I can relax for a few more days and hope the cat doesnt shed too much.
Of course the minute I had finished vacuuming I proceeded to throw random threads all over the floor again. At least they are not cat hairs!
We walked early this morning as the ute had to go in to have the light John broke (he backed into the toyota tail gate!)  and as you can see it was grey and actually cold. Lovely.
I had been up early as the mare we have been waiting to foal was roaring up and down her paddock and not a foal to be seen. I thought it would go down hill but the silly little thing was three paddocks away and uphill, Luckily we found it. So an early morning adventure in my SIL's ute with Sarah holding the foal in the front seat while I drove, still in my yukata, she then got flattened by a very upset mare when she put the little boy back in the paddock  but all seems well now.
A first time mum but she certainly knew it was her foal and he settled for a long drink after his adventures.
I have made a start on this little bag using up what I have, some dupont silk and what I suspect is a piece of gold French lace as it came from a very superior clothing place, I have had it for ages and decided to finally use it, no good keeping everything and I cant take it with me.
I am also fiddling with these little pieces, not sure if they will be cards or what but I have lots of bits that I cant bear to throw away and a use will be found for them.
Finally, instead of mad birds it is a mad fish, this one is finished and I have another under way, I did cut out two more but am not madly keen on them and so something else will be done with the others.
I am feeling I am getting a bit done, and I have a couple of classes coming up to go to soon and possibly a trip to Bali, life is getting interesting.

Victor Harbor Cockle train

After our walk this morning we had a few jobs to do in Victor and this mornings the cockle train was the steam train The Duke of Edinburgh. All newly painted and refurbished here she, no I suppose it should be he is going around the turntable so that he can go back down to the station to couple up to the carriages.
I was a little surprised that he was running as we are terribly dry and usually they dont run the steam cockle train in summer due to the fire risk.
So far all I have seen is the diesel but the steam train is so much more fun.
We are cooler, a bit, and there is still rather a blustery wind blowing.
I feel so sad about the devastation in Tasmania and worry for those in Victoria and New South Wales on this a terrible fire danger day for them.
I hope all are safe and well.
I am doing some silly sewing but its not finished so no photos yet.

Blue stingers and brown jellyfish

The last two days of walking on beaches has meant that we have seen the arrival of the bluestingers on the Hayborough beach, and the first photo is of one washed up and also the brown jellyfish in the water of the little beach at the end of the cliff walk near Petrels Cove.
You cant see them terribly well although if you click twice you may get a larger view, but there were literally thousands of them on the beach and in the water.
I remember one year when we were diving off West Island and they were there and any unprotected bit of you was stung quite nastily.
We have had terribly hot weather, and quite windy weather as well, so the seas have been quite rough and coming from the south.
We have another week of hot weather to come but it is quite comfortable at the moment, I think we got to the equivalent of about 105 degrees or more F, about  41 degtees C but hotter in other places.
So lucky that so far no fires have been near us, but the devastation in Tasmania has been horrible.
While it is hot I have organised a lot of easy sewing to do as really all you can do is go out early to put the hoses on and again late at night and just not do too much during the day.
My hens have stopped laying as well. I knew I needed to get some new ones before Christmas but as we were going to be away I really didnt think I wanted the worry of new hens.
At least we have managed a walk most mornings, I need to get some of that Christmas eating off the body!

Early morning walks

We are heading into a 42 degree day today, wasnt quite as hot yesterday and we had a cool night, infact it was lovely when I got up just after 6 am to turn on the hoses but by 8 it was hot and windy.
A bad fire day so i will be on watch for all the day.
we go down a bit tomorrow and then up again into the high 30's and low 40s.
All you can do in this weather is hibernate and hope the power doesnt go off.
I have several stitching things lined up but I need a bit more stimulation than that!
I have almost finished the washing only our towels to do and that is done.
The internet has been pretty strange, I think that it is because of all the traffic we dont normally get in the area due to holidays. I couldnt get onto blogger yesterday on my small machine, or this morning but out here (in the hot end of the house!) It is better so I am doing this blog early.
Loved these sea gulls and their reflections when we walked yesterday, and of course there are huge numbers of people with dogs that normally we dont see at all.
I had to laugh at the dogs as Tuppy the old pug has moved up to the kennel under the trees at night, must be cooler, and I found Sarahs border collie Sally curled up by the shed in the damp soil where I had watered yesterday.
Max of course does his own thing and demanded to come out when I was doing the hoses and then at 8 said he hadnt had his walk, by then the flies were terribly bad and it was hot and dust was blowing.
Well off to hand out that washing and do the dishes and sit and sew and read. Nice that I did all the shopping yesterday.