Home.

At last, yesterday was rather a marathon, our plane was late which meant the next connection in Melbourne was a panic, they were calling us, then a long, very windy but much needed walk to get the car and home after 7 pm. We had a sandwich and found the door on one deep freeze had unlatched slightly, all still cold but a lot of sorting to do this morning. Washing on the line, still windy but COLD!!I had actually found the temperatures up north a bit hot and we had been sleeping under a sheet. I was frozen with blankets on last night. Any way P's lovely rhododendron has flowered, I am still amazed it is still growing well. Have potted up a few bits from J and K's gardens, only things I know will grow. In for a small shop, things are a bit under control here. More on our trip tomorrow.

Such lovely things in the garden

I would dearly love to grow these oncidiums, or dancing ladies as they are affectionately called but so far no luck, although John assures me he thinks there are some in the green house, but certainly hey are not flowering. Yesterday we drove up to Bina Burra on the mountain plateau behind the Gold Coast on the way up we saw a very large gonna walking across the road. We did a short rainforest walk, I took lots of photos but my camera is not talking to my tablet so I will have to wait until I get home for those. I saw several little brown birds and some potoroos (small wallabies) and a large shiny black skink. We had lunch in a very nice little cafe in Cunungra, all home made and quirky furnishing, it is really nice when you find somewhere good and unpretentious.I did a small shop for a couple of cheap tops and after an energetic morning yesterday, J is working this morning and we are relaxing. Not quite used to this warmer, humid weather, what a wimp!

Busy few days

Phyllis funeral or rather her remembrance on Monday was lovely. She was 103 but had touched so many people in that long life. We were so glad we could come up as we have known her since our skiing days, nearly 50 years. A life well lived that perhaps went on a little too long. Yesterday we went by train to Brisbane, much easier than fighting the traffic and finding a park and saw some lovely exhibitions at the art gallery and the state library. The one at the library of the decorated possum skin cloaks was brilliant. I bought a book from a past exhibition of aboriginal textiles, on special and it is brilliant. I can't go past a gallery bookshop without buying something. This morning J has gone to work and we are resting, I was pleased I managed to last the last two busy days, three if you count getting up here. The weather so far is lovely, a far cry from a fire and layers of clothes. The jackeranda is out,palms wherever you look. Heaven.

Away.

A quick post, we are up here on the Gold Coast for a funeral. Arrived last night, tired after a week end of family.

Odds and ends

It has gone back to damp and cold. I had a wander around the garden and I am sorry but some how I ended up with 2 photos of my chickens. I think on this tablet I touch things I shouldn't. Any way there are three chick's from 10 eggs, not a brilliant average, just hope they are not all roosters. The last photo is of my second flowering of this orchid, I am quite proud that I have managed that.I found the rather nice iris in the strawberry bed. The large leaves are of our Gaura lily, which is a native of Queensland, I was hoping it would flower again but so far no sign of its enormous flower spike. The other photos are of just around the garden. I am expecting the family later, I think I need a good sleep but apart from making a green salad all is more or less ready. Just wish my aching back would behave. Hope everyone has a great week end.

Busy day

I can hardly move. We walked this morning, lovely before the nasty hot northerly got up. I have some of the family for dinner tomorrow night so I have cooked today, as well as tidy up. I made a smoked salmon impossible pie and a lasagna. I dont do this sort of cooking very often and all that standing has sent my back in to a spasm. I am not a happy chappy. There will be 9 for dinner tomorrow night. Then we are off at midday on Sunday to Queensland for the funeral. I am not ready for that either. I have to get my head around clothes for warmer weather, the suitcase is down but that is as far as I have got, maybe Saturday. I just hope I dont fall in a heap tomorrow, although only a green salad to do and a self saucing chocolate pudding because they love it and I can do it after I shop tomorrow and then re heat. Although a wizz around with a duster will be in order and with any luck John will do the vacuuming. I think we have become rather wimpy and old!!

We finally had a walk this morning, it has been very wet and I am still hoping that eventually we will have some sun. Those huge clouds turned into a thunderstorm this afternoon. Yesterday we heard that a very dear friend had died on sunday on the Gold Coast so this morning was spent trying to find flights to get up there on sunday, no funeral date yet but we assume Monday or Tuesday. We will be up there for a week staying with j, no point in not staying for a few days but unfortunately death doesnt give you much warning. Our oldest son and his wife are also coming over from Melbourne for the week end but at least we will see them for a couple of days. Now I have to work out what clothes I have for a warmer climate, here one would think it was still July, jumpers and warm pants and I have no idea if I can still fit into anything, the waist line seems to have expanded. so much to do and not much time to do it in. OH and out of the 10 eggs under the broody hen so far I have 1 chicken, probably male!

Wet and cold again.

The weather has gone from quite warm and terribly windy to cold and wet again, over 14 mm since early this morning and probably more to come. The fire has just been lit again, this is mid October for goodness sake. The crucifix orchid has been blooming under the verandah almost all year and the pots under the pergola are enjoying the rain, but the glory vine got a bit trashed by yesterday's wind. I am not feeling 100%, all that wind yesterday and my hay fever rather got to me, so staying in and catching up with things sounds like a good idea.

A walk this morning

We had a lovely warm walk along the beach this morning, just a bit of a breeze and blue sky. We came back on the bike/walking track where I took these photos, I think they are new notices. We did see one plover on the beach and an area a lot further u p with fence around it, so I suppose they may be nesting, although being school holidays and a lovely day there were a lot of dogs on the beach too. I had things burnt off me, at least they were burn off not cut out but the one on my forhead gave me a screaming head ache for a lot of the day. More reading and baby blanket embroidery. It is supposed to be very hot tomorrow and a strong wind so no fishing for John and then rain and cold again on Sunday. Typical spring weather I think.

Around the garden

It has been a busy week, I really dont want to complain of feeling tired all the time but... finally the sun has come out, although there is supposed to be more rain over the week end, the plants in the garden are begining to grow and I can see some losses. We had friends staying in the middle of the week, so lovely to catch up, they live in Western Australia and we never seem to get there and so we see each other rarely. Lots of catching up to do. I really do seem to find that I dont cope as well as I used to with cleaning the house, making beds and thinking of food for more than two, how pathetic. So no walks for a while and the next few days are full of appointments and other mundane things. I need to get out and start trying to weed. I have also started to embroider the baby blanket but that will take for ages to do. Sometimes I just want to curl up and read and not do anything else. What a cop out that would be.

A busy Sunday

We went for a walk this morning with the wind blowing a gale and the sand on the beach sandblasting us, I tried to take a photo but was a bit scared I would get sand in the camera, this was a not very good photo taken with my body shielding the camera, it was pouring past us. It seemed to get worse so we went up onto the bike track and I took the 2nd photo of the sky over the for dunes. Only a short walk and it felt like hours battling that wind. Home and I made biscuits, then we went over to Glacier Rock cafe to have lunch with friends. Havent been there for ages and it was a nice lunch. Home and I finished this little knitted mouse, I just had to put it together and now that is another thing finished. The wind calmed down for a while and then started to rain as we headed for home and the wind has picked up again. John has lit a fire as it has suddenly gone from remarkably warm to cold. Not much for dinner tonight as we had such a good lunch, perhaps scrambled eggs will do. Tomorrow is another messy day, an early blood test and then up to Adelaide to see the solicitors at 2pm, not a good time and it will be tiring. I think somewhere in the middle I will be making a beef casserole as we have visitors staying the night on Tuesday. It is nice to be busy but I do wish we could have more days like Saturday.

Finally a sunny day

Around the garden, after all the gloom and wind and rain it is lovely to have a sunny day, the dendrobium delicatum which lives under the cedar tree all year round is flowering, I think the rose is Constance spry, the crab apple is out and the pear trees in the orchard are flowering. the Geranium maderense are at their best now too. The only trouble is I need a few more dry days as the ground is still terribly soggy. John has gone fishing, I am afraid that they didnt get anything but at least it was a day out. I went to the market and came home and have been washing sheets, making beds as we have guests coming next week and dusting, and falling asleep in the sun!

Suddenly hot and windy

Sorry about the spot on my camera lens. We walked along the cliffs from Petrels Cove and the northerly was making the waves quite spectacular with white horses but I dont think I really caught them. It has got hotter and hotter and unfortunately windy so my hay fever has struck with a vengeance. i have done a bit of inside tidying and was going to do more outside but every time I go out I cant breath and my sinus aches so I have decided it is better to be inside. A friend came over to visit yesterday which was great, and we have other friends coming to stay the night next Tuesday, we were supposed to go to the solicitors today but they cancelled and we have to go on Monday, better weather but I had hoped to have a day to make beds and clean up. We have a fairly busy week end as well so tomorrow I will make beds after I have shopped. So much I would like to do outside but the ground although drying out with this wind is still too wet to pull weeds and well I dont think it is worth me going out or I may not move for a week. I rather liked the magpie, there were a lot along the path as we walked and this one flew up onto the post very conveiniently.

Today.

A slow day visit from a close friend, phone calls and an early walk on the beach. My male peacock,a bromeliad flower and Max.

happy Birthday to me

Had to have the photo of Granny Crompton, or Granny Pen as the children would say, on my 77th birthday walk along the beach this morning. Yes the sun was shining for a brief moment or two but it started to team with rain as we headed back to the car and got soaked. The weather this year, another 36 mm over the last 2 days and the creek was even higher this morning, no photos as I think I am a bit photo'd out of flood waters. The sea near Kent Reserve was a horrid brown from the water coming out of the mouth of the Inman River but if you look hard, (click twice) you may see three little hooded plover on the beach in the last photo. To say this weather is difficult is not really making the point. Paddocks are saturated, water is lying every where,getting around means leaving tracks we dont want, if you can get around, the garden looks more like a bog. Local agricultural shows have had to be cancelled, which will make it difficult to qualify ponies for the big shows. Trying to re schedule shows is not easy as everything has been planned from year to year. Such a shame as I always love going to our local show. I really worry about how much of my garden plants will survive. Then suddenly we go from wet, and gale force winds to the weather bureau predicting 27 degrees on Thursday and possibly Friday, dont mind the warmth but would prefer about 23 degrees and no wind for a week, then some gentle showers.Our State has had a battering with no power all over the State, at least we are prepared for that, to floods coming and coming, poor vegetable farmers to the north of Adelaide losing huge amounts, vegetables prices will probably go through the roof. Not unprecedented, we have done this before, but well over 50 years ago, and not so many people which doesnt help matters. I made broccoli and brie soup yesterday, with cheese puffs, that is lunch and we are out to dinner tonight. I am happy, the tin man (lady) hasnt siezed up yet!

Masons party and morning walk

We had a lovely bbq lunch for Masons 8th birthday, here he is with Millie (soon to be nine) and the weather held, started raining not long after we returned home. Poured and blew all night and most of the day. we did just manage to walk on the beach between heavy showers. I am so over this weather. I am afraid I am not doing a lot, general tidying and reading. Naughty but nice.

elinor peace bailey doll

I have had fun making this little doll, epb has a free tutorial on her Facebook page. Yesterday we went to Yankalilla agricultural show and today my great grandsons 8th birthday party. A lovely day but the rain started around 4.30. Oh and daylight saving has begun. Busy couple of days.