walking late afternoon, yesterday.

So many people around and I could not believe my eyes when I found this newly dead weedy sea dragon washed ashore at my feet. And no one else had seen it. In all my years of beach combing, and they must be at least 77 I have never seen one in such pristine condition. So pleased. Home with a happy dance. Well sad it had died but lovely to find it. We are still both very tired but getting over our last week slowly. It has been a bit cooler so I have managed to put thrive all over the newly planted petunias and moved the front pots back so things look a bit more normal. I love my pots. I did wander down the road this morning and picked four agapanthus heads from the outside of a fence. do like my aggies in a vase. Having a slow day, doing some embroidery a nice little pin I found in Cloth Paper, Scissors I bought on Friday. I couldnt resist this one, lots of nice things to do. I get rather bored when it is too hot to go outside. Missing Jill who went home on Friday, but just the two of us have quietly settled down into what is probably a boring life. Tending to walk in the late afternoon as the tide is right then. I think we will be in bed before midnight although the dog probably wont be happy with the fire works. I just hope he doesnt break the door down this year. I think I will try a glass of ginger wine and bubbly tonight too. I am sure it is not good for me, but you only die once. Hope every one stays safe tonight and ready for a brand new year.

A few Kangaroo Island photos

I didnt take a lot of photos but these are a few of things we saw, places we went. A lovely trip although Max (the dog) wasnt happy coming home as the steps were too steep for him but going over on the other ferry he coped. Cruise ships, snakes, beaches the raptor domain all part of a lovely week with Christmas thrown in the middle. Forgot to take food photos but the duck was excellent.

Christmas day on KI.

I will be cooking a duck for dinner. John has just made the brandy butter. The Christmas challenge has been going on for odd moments during the day and our morning walk on the beach at Antechamber Bay brought forth this wonderful treasure. A paper nautilus. Unbroken and wonderful. I love Christmas here, peaceful, slow and like no where else. I would rather cook too. We had a salad followed by raspberries with ice cream and a little port over the top. Not too much,as we wait for the main meal tonight.

Wild weather

I am afraid my photos dont look terribly wild but boy it has been over the last few days. At one stage I could hardly get out of the car and in fact at one stage I had to take photos from the window of the car. It has calmed down a bit now but it is still damp. I have cooked and been busy wrapping up parcels and even delivered a few. The weather has been all over the place, damp and cold, windy and humid and warm. The pate has been made, so has the biscotti and the biscuits for those that wanted them. I have put together cards and have a shopping list. I have been organising stuff to go away as tomorrow I will be busy and Tuesday we collect Jill from the plane and deliver more presents. Then off on the 10 am ferry to the Island on Wednesday. Have organised a house sitter, just hope it doesnt get too warm again and the plants get watered. It is all very tiring and I have not been sleeping well.Sorry my blogging has been rather scrappy but so much is going on. I hope in the New Year it wont be quite so hit and miss.

Thought I had better put up some walk photos.

Very hot and unsettled today, we saw these cones on the Norfolk Island Pines along the sea front. Then a walk along the cliffs. The last cake is finished and I have done the stocking for baby Matthew. My poor plants are really not liking this weather, we go from pleasant to very unpleasant. Max is having a fit because there are the odd rumbles of thunder too, I think we have had a sprinkle of rain, we need more than a sprinkle, the weather guys are telling us it should get wetter. I hope so.

A bit more

No tree as such this year but a few favorite ornaments tucked around. My chest as you walk in now looks quite festive and I rather like the simple stick arrangement. I do take a small tree and some odds ands ends on the Island as well. Another cake done, only one to go. One a day is enough. Friend W called in to day with her gorgeous grand son.. I will show my lovely present later. Warming up but the weather bureau seems to think we could have quite a lot of rain in the next few days. I hope they are rights. A lovely walk early this morning,quite a cool breeze but warmer now. I keep warming the house with the oven on.

The start of Christmas

The wreath has been found and is on the front door. To the rights the front bed is showing promise and to the left is what we found under a thug oof a spreading succulent. Unfortunately a couple of 40 degree days hit just after I planted some petunia seedlings but they are still surviving thank goodness. It is quite cool today and I am half way through making the 3rd cake, it is a very rich boiled fruit cake and I am waiting for it to cool before the final bit. My back is killing me, stood for too long at the local MP'S drinks party yesterday, we didn't stay terribly long but the damage was done. Even this mornings walk hasn't helped it. Another rose from the garden, even if I only get the odd one at least it is something for the house. Better look at the cake.

Still hot.

We walked early this morning, still uncomfortably warm. Mid to high 30's. I have embroidered name tags for stocking and found a couple of rein deer so they are up but now cant find the front door wreath. Has to be some where but too hot to go looking in sheds. I know I had it last year. I find this weather very tiring but it should be cooler tomorrow so I think another cake will get done. I have been sorting out presents, have I got enough or do I need more. Will I make one more stocking? I suppose I should UT what material? I had to water at about 6 am this mornin, thankfully the petunias had recovered. I hope it is not hot over Christmas or I may lose things. John and our son in law have gone fishing, sent off with sunburn cream and long pants and shirts. It will be nice if they find all the places John knows about and get some fish. Need to make a few cards, that should keep me busy.

Too hot, 40 degrees.

Apart from shopping in the heat and making a mess of my toe which makes walking painful not a lot done today. We were only supposed to get to about 38, bad enough but 40 plus has seen my plants look wilted and sad. I did water early this morning but the soil is not terribly good. I was going to at least get the wreath on the front door but looking for it in a hot she'd did not appeal, perhaps next week. 4 more cakes to cook too. At least the air conditioner works, much better than the old one. So a few doll photos. I have finished the angels but there is still some sewing to be done. A day in Adelaide and now this burst of heat is a bit draining. Still in the high 30's tomorrow too. An early walk I THINK. If I can find some shoes.

Bits and pieces

I am still having problems with getting photos from my camera to the computer so a few photos I took on the tablet. I found the angel when going through boxes, I made her a few years ago and was pleased to see her. Now on the wall. The Christmas stocking I made, I now have 2 green ones as well and a bunch of little people, half dressed. I am a bit further on with them now. We have been walking but I feel a bit off today so only one walk. My sinus have been a bit uncomfortable.

Tiny cactus.

I am not terribly good with cactus but this tiny fellow had a flower at the market and I had to have it. My dancing ladies orchid is flowering even more. So pleased. The weather has been all over the place, a bit more rain over night. We did manage 2 walks yesterday. Trying to avoid the school leavers who are down in their thousands for the week end. Listening to the sound of distant drums! So glad we are not terribly close to the caravan parks which are full to overflowing. The week end is pretty well controlled now which is good but even so teenagers just out of school can be unpredictable. I have sewing to do.

Horrible day.

It is blowing a gale outside, you can't really tell but the tree over the road is being battered. We walked this morning before the wind and rain but wasn't very pleasant. My poor little front garden had a lovely drink. 7 mm but is now drying out again. The orchids inside are doing well, the moth orchid is really fleeing beautifully ad the oncidium I brought back from the Gold Coast is flowering, such a surprise as I really didn't think it would. So pleased. It has just gone very dark and pouring with rain, and it is really quite cold. More wind, hail and rain for cast for tomorrow too. I have been clothing my little angels and another 5 little bodies are ready to be sewn up. So glad we walked this morning.

Lovely walk this afternoon.

My photo files are a mess but at least I got these up from this afternoons walk on the cliffs. The flies were bad and I keep forgetting to spray myself. Or at least my hat. We saw another sleepy lizard by the path but again it was too fast for me. We had just over 15 mm of glorious rain this morning and it has cooled down a lot. The garden has suddenly perked up. I have been sewing clothes for little bodies. When they are done I am aiming for another 5 and then that should be it. Feeling rather tired after last night, too hot and not very comfortable. I really dont do very well in the hot weather and feel so much better when it has cooled down.