Bit of this and that.

Mother blackbird in her nest in a hanging basket. Not easy to see but you should see her beak and eye. I love their song but at home on the farm didn't encourage them as they are introduced. Here in the town any bird is a joy. Do miss my blue wrens. I am back to a badly aching back, finding my half hour walks rather a trial. I should know better than to lift heavy boxes looking for stuff. John is busy doing research on our local hospital history and is on the main computer more than usual so I have resorted to photos from my tablet as I can't get the time for the ones on the camera. The native dendrobium cross is flowering well, although after a lovely sunny early morning it is now windy and blowing, again! Great news, love how the family can do that these days, my little Rivington Lollipop has just won her class at Adelaide Royal. There is no way I can get up to see the ponies that daughter Sarah does such a great job with. Back to photos, my cymbidium is still flowering madly, such a joy. I have to confess to being fed up with changes in the weather that affect my body. Still making clothes for my doll, better finish her boots then not much more to do. Think I may make another one she is very sweet.

Beautiful walks, weather cool but sunny

Well there have been the odd shower and it has got overcast but on the whole our walks have been lovely. I just wish my aching bits would stop. We have been quite busy and not a lot of time to blog. spring is definetly around, a blackbird has built a nest in a hanging pot, bulbs are coming out and the acacias are coming out. The lawn needs mowing more often and flowers in the garden are looking much better than they did a week or so ago.Next we will be looking for rain!

She is now clothed.

Still not finished but she is getting there. Hat, shoes and wings yet to bedone. I am being given terribly slow but have been stitching this small piece as well. Busy today, washing, John went to a funeral, I felt I couldn't face another one. We Walked, Ed the cliffs near Kings Beach. Very cold but a lovely walk. Spring is coming.

Yesterday was such a lovely day.

Sun shine, no wind a lovely day. Over to Strathabyn to see part of a SALA exhibition that had a friend of ours David Dridan in it. Collected our bread flour from the mill and a bit of a wander and then over to see friend R and go up to the Green Man Inn for lunch. A simply delicious turkey ham and mustard pie with salad and chips. Such a treat and lovely to spend time with her. We didnt need much for dinner. A very special day. This prunus was in her garden.

The last few days have been freezing cold.

I havent felt like puting much up, I think it is the cold that is making me just want to hibernate. Sit on my heated pad and not do a lot. We have still been looking at some of the lovely Sala exhibitions and in between rain and hail we have walked. Trying to find somewhere out of the wind that hs been coming straight off the antarctic. The beach has been cut away quite badly and there are huge lumps of sea weed. Yesterday morning we went over to have morning tea with friends at Parawa. On the way the car was registering 5 and 6 degrees. Almost expected snow. We were lucky as there was no hail and the rain was only showers, not like Sarah who had to go to a show over at Strathalbyn where she said it was blowing a gale and pouring for most of the day. They did well with 2 ponies and came home with a bronze medal which made up for it all. We did a late afternoon walk along to the mouth of the Inman River, tide coming in fast and lots of sea birds looking for titbits s the river went out. We were glad to get home in to some warmth. I try not to use the heater (air con)_ but lately we have had to. Our morning tea was lovely but so sad as one of our friends daughter in law was the girl who was killed climbing Mt Everest and their son and them are devastated. So was I. Our eldest great grandson spent a day in hospital over the week end with suspected pneumonia but it was "only" a nasty case of flu. A worry as the two small boys are only 3 and 10 months. our daughter Tabby has had an accident with her leg, more tests today, and is having problems walking. Never rains than it pours. I am beginning to think that we are living too long. those of us over 80 dont look too bad but those almost there, a matter of weeks, well!

A lovely day

We had a brilliant day, sunshine and a trip up to McLaren Valencia to see some of the SALA exhibitions. Dog Ridge was lovely. Yesterday we found this lovely little mistletoe flower, and in the mail came this great parcel. Thanks Barry and Fiona, I treasure anything that comes from you.

Yesterday afternoon and this morning.

Yesterday on the cliffs it was freezing cold .. again! This morning our walk in the Newland Conservation Park at the back of Waitpinga beach was lovely, quite warm and the bees were humming in the blossom in the trees and the clematis was out. Lots of birds. Yesterday on our drive back from the cliffs there was a half grown echidna on the side of the very busy road, on the footpath. I couldnt take a photo as it was not a good place to stop and I just hope no one hit it. First for the season. I was hoping for one this morning but no such luck. This used to be my birthday walk many years ago, about half way along it ends up over the sea on lovely cliffs but there is no way I could manage it today. Lovely memories though. I come home very tired from almost an hour these days.

Today

While others were having snow we are still in the midst of this icy blast from the south. This morning we went to see how Tabby was going selling her heritage poultry, then on to Goolwa to look at a couple more exhibitions and call in to a couple of open studios to see a friend. lovely to catch up. The lovely red gum sculpture is near there. Home to hot soup that had been in the slow cooker, luckily last night I had looked in the deep freeze and came out with some cooked zuccini that had been pureed and some chicken stock. Hot, delicate flavor and just what we needed. It has been so cold but not much rain. Later this afternoon we went to see if a walk was feesable, at the Kings Beach car park but the wind is coming straight off the antarctic so a photo through the car window of such incredible seas. Then around to Kent Reserve, our usual beach walk, the seas have washed away the point there and a bit of the for dune. We had an interesting walk. I think I have walked enough today. So nice to be in the warm but looking at snow photos has really made me think back to our wonderful days skiing. All done and dusted and we were the lucky ones with hardly any people to worry about and lots of adventures, especially at Falls Creek in the early days.

More wild weather, and so cold.

If I thought yesterday was cold, today was even colder. Straight from the antarctic the wind came in and nearly blew us over on a short walk along the cliffs. fascinating to watch the AFL game in Canberra last night while it snowed. Wonderful falls Creek photos on their fb page. Took me back to wonderful days skiing. Not capable any more but oh we did love it. Off to look at some SALA exhibitions.

Still wet and wild and so cold.

High seas, the pelicans have moved up the river and there is sea weed every where. We tried walking the beach but not easy as the tide was surging in as well. More rain and after an hour or so of sun this morning it is now overcast and raining. I have to say I havent done a lot, hand sewing and reading with a heat pad on my back.

Wet, wet wndy and cold

I think we have had so far about 42mm of rain. Drains are flooding and this is the best all winter think. I have been playing with this little doll. Another by Jill Maas. Again the face could be better. I just need to dress her but it is so cold out where my machine is. My moth orchids have been reshooting and I am so pleased with them, I am also enjoying the cymbidium they last so well the outside garden is getting a good soak too. I was hoping to go down to look at the sea but think maybe my granddaughter is calling in. I have a casserole in the oven, so something nice and warm fodinner. I dont think it has got over 12 degrees all day. I must manage a walk tomorrow but my arthritis is certainly not enjoying this so my shop this morning will have to do. Cheating a bit I know.

Sunny morning

So nice to feel warm sun at last, and get the washing all dry. We had a lovely warm walk on the beach this morning. John has gone off to visit son in law John who is back in hospital with a perforated bowel, again, I think. Poor Tab had her face opened up again last Thursday and now John has done this again. No lifting for 3 months and in hospital for 5 days. At least it is down here and not in Adelaide with their own doctor. The funeral yesterday was packed, she did so much in her life. I dont think I will be remembered in that way. Caught up with lots of people I havent seen for ages. I think that not wanting to do much after the move from the farm has isolated me up to a point. Still I am managing to walk most days and do some sewing and other odds and ends. Just so nice to be warm although I think we are expecting a change, rain and cold again for a few days. We did find a beautiful gold coloured little cowrie but I didnt take its photo, perhaps tomorrow.

a bit of this and that.

I haven't felt much like posting. A friend who I have known for all of my married life died and we went to her funeral today. Of all of us pony owning mothers I would never have thought she would be the first to go. All to do with our age I suppose. I have grown this succulent over the years and this is the first time that one has flowered for me, and I didn't even plant this one! I have not felt much like doing things, my arthritis has not been very kind to me lately and, yes I have been walking (John has been using the computer so my photos are not always easy to get at) but I have been doing a lot of reading but this little rabbit decided it wanted to join the rest of my made things. Still making a doll but she is being very slow. A bit like me.