winter flowers

 In my sun room a couple of lovely primulas that I bought last week with a cymbidium orchid and a pot of small bromeliads.
I love the sun room in winter as so much likes it in there, including Oscar and myself, in summer it does get a bit warm.
Just to prove that walking in the town along the bike track has its attractions as well, I did this this morning an easy walk but John is feeling not terribly well so I didnt go too far but was delighted with the slightly different vista across to The Bluff (photo 4) and also the grevilleas that were flowering (photo 3) . I couldnt catch a New Holland Honeyeater to photograph, they were diving in and out of the bushes getting the nectar so many of them but the minute I tried to focus they were gone.
I also love this banksia,(photo 2) I think it is a Western Australian one but is doing very well in the plantings, not the usual bush type but one who hugs the ground and sends up these lovely, very decorative flowers.
So amazing things along a suburban street.
I did see the specialist yesterday, he says another 6 months and I should be absolutely right and to see him in 12 months.Not quite as much bend as it should be but he is sure I will get there, just on with the walking and exercises
I wanted it all to be right today!!

Mclaren Vale and Willunga

 I tried to post this yesterday but something happened and I coudnt get it up.
We went over yesterday morning to Willunga to collect some oysters from friends and then after a chat etc went on to the McLaren Vale visitors center to see an art exhibition that was n there. One or two really nice paintings I liked.
The top photo is of the pistachio trees underplanted with rosemary in the car park. I loved the shape of those trees.
I bought a coule of primulas at the garden centre in the Vale and then we headed back to Willunga, they were having their almond festival, although with all the wild weather the blossoms were not at their best but I took photos of the vineyards and the blossoms as we drove home through the township and out on the main road to go up Willunga Hill.
A lovely outing, but I was home tired.

Wretched blogger

 It wouldnt put up my photos, I hope this works and you can understand from the post below.

This and that

 I have been making more of these little paisley hangers, they are fun to make but I seem to only get about one a day done.
This morning John took me in for another walk. this time without my stick and to do that I need somewhere relatively smooth and around by Petrels Cove is the nicest.
I didnt walk terribly far but more than I have done so far so I was pleased but rather tired by the time we got back to the car.
There was a seal in the water again and this sea gull decided to escort us back along the path, at a walk!
Lovely as usual to be out in the fresh air and looking at the sea but I do have to wonder how long before I can do this easily.

Yesterday

 The creek finally broke its banks, not a major flood but if we have even more rain than we have had in the last few days, 5 inches all up for July so far, finally above the average, it will flood well and truly.
We had a mini waterfall between the sun room and the hall yesterday, I could hear water running but thought it was outside until I saw the water. Our poor old house is quietly falling apart, it is a timber frame and has been added to over many years but things happen.
John got on the roof and found gutters were once more blocked, but more work really needs to be done on it.
Tomorrow when we hope the rain will stop we may be able to at least move things inside and dry them out a bit.
Last night we had a great big moon, I tried to take photos but they were not very succesful and I nearly fell over.
Not something I should be doing.
Only one more week to go of my 6 weeks rehab, not sure it will mean I will be able to go back to walking Max in rubber boots and in the wet but it is something to look forward to.

A cold and wild few days

 John took me over to Bashams Beach to see what the surf looked like, usually this is a safe haven for whales and their calves but not today.
There has been a lot of wind damage, John estimated that we had gusts up to 100 kms on Thursday, trees down, branches down every where.
When we went into the physio yesterday there was a lot of evidence of where trees had been across the road.
We havent had a storm like that for decades.
Our house being timber leaks like a seive and it was quite frightening hearing branches landing on the roof.
Last night I woke to hear hail pelting on the windows.
It hasnt warmed up much either, about 8 degrees C.
Any way it was nice to get out and see a wild sea and in a slightly different direction to where we usually go.
My knee is still a bit uncomfortable, perhaps the change in the weather!

Another airing.

John took me in for a short walk along by Petrels cove, it was cold and there was a brisk wind blowing but we did see a seal chasing fish and surfing on the waves.
On the way in, we went the back way we passed the old cottage that is nearly falling down by the big swamp, probably one of the last remaining large swamps left in the area.It is the brown area in the middle, lots of swamp grass on it at the moment.
The old boy who lived here died a few months ago so i dont know what is happening to the land.
We come down the hil loverlooking Victor Harbor before we turn off to the Bluff.
a few photos just to show that I had been out and a bit about.
I am rather fed up with not sleeping as I am lying on my back at night and then feeling tired through the day.
One good day, one not so good day.
Cant wait for the all good days!!

Twenty tags

I have made 20 of these tags to take with me to the Dolly retreat at Coffs Harbor. Nothing very special I am afraid but I had to do something to at least give to some class mates. I had a heap of nice hand dyed wool felt and these little people appeared.
I havent been doing much else, walking, exercising, feeling tired and hoping there is more to life by the end of the month.
We did go out yesterday to a Bastille Day lunch in a local pub and it was nice but went on far too long and I couldnt get home fast enough, also i think I might have had a bad oyster as I feel rather as if I have an upset tum this morning.
Back to the exercises and walking.

The back road home

I havent blogged for a while.
Nothing in particular wrong, it has just been busy, trying to get the bend in the knee right, more walking and exercising, and then not wanting to do much. I have caught up with the blogs I follow on the little notepad but it doesnt have the photos on it that I want.
This was taken the other day when I was taken out for an airing.
Yesterday we went to Adelaide for hair cuts. A long and tiring day but I managed it!
To day was the physio who seems to think I am coming along well, some days I think I am and others I am not so sure but I can walk un aided around the house now which is good.
Sorry this is a pretty boring post but at last I can see a way ahead.

Small bits of stitch

I havent done a lot while I m recuperating but I have managed to get two small pieces of stitch done.
Tumbled houses and a small seascape.
They have kept me busy in between not doing a lot.
I thought I would get so much done but I find even reading difficult.
To day it is freezing cold and it rained for half the night.
I do feel a bit as if I have turned a small corner, but am impatient for some larger ones to appear.
I need to get some stuff done before I go to Coffs Harbor in August and what I had hoped to get done isnt.
Perhaps next week I will be able to do some machine sewing.

Out for an airing

John took me along to the Kings Beach car park for an airing this morning.
A brilliant morning to take photos as the tide was very high and the waves were incredible.
The clouds were rather specrtacular too.
There were huge breaks of waves across from the land to the  island at times and huge amounts of water being thrown up along the cliffs and on the end of the Island.
exciting.
My knee is still not bending enough and well I guess it will take time, more physio stuff to do.
Rather tiring.

Balinese cooking class

Here are Margaret and I with Ketuts wife in her tiny kitchen in the midst of our cooking class. It was a fascinating introduction to the food and ingredients.
Trying to reproduce it here is not so easy as there are so many different spices, like I think three different chillies and some things I have never heard of, especially din this southern part of Australia.
All I can really say is it was colourful and delicious.
Just a taste of the spice base used in several Balinese dishes -
Green and red chillies
ginger
shallots (red not like ours)
garlic
salam leaf (no idea what this is, they grew it in the garden)
pepper
sesame seeds
candle nuts
shrimp paste
nutmeg
masako (optional, again no idea what it is)
salt
tomatoes
This was all put together in a large pestle and with a huge mortar we ground this to a wet past, no photo of this unfortunately as it was interesting to say the least!
So a couple of photos of the ingredients. Dont ask what all of them were.
We made, Coconut satay, Chicken satay, tuna curry (very yummy) fried noodles.There were two other bases as well of spices as well.
Later we went upstairs to the family dining area to eat what we had cooked. A fascinating place upstairs over looking the street.
I have to say I was an awful failure at making satays as mine would not stay on the skewers.
Double click for a larger view.
I dont look nearly as fat now, I have lost at least 5kilos, if no6t more.
I havent been a good patient and have to rest today as my knee has swollen and I am on stronger pain killers.
Doesnt do to think you are pretty smart and can push the exercises!