Strange things in the sky

 We went in for an early first 2013 walk this morning on the beach near Hayborough and heard this strange buzzing sound in the sky, and there were these two flighted hang gliders, I couldnt get a decent shot as they didnt show up well in my led on the back of the camera due to the bright light.
It was a lovely walk and there was a small yacht coming in past the islands.
I have been making owls, they are such fun to make and each one has its own personality.
I find themf a nice thing tohave on hand and stitch a bit of when I have time.
today I am washing all the bedding, slowly as there is not a lot of water pressure at the moment, and tidying up.
The family laft late yesterday afternoon.
We went to dinner at friends place, a lovely meal and beautiful views across the valleys from their newly refurbished tennis house deck and were home around 11.30 and asleep by the time midnight came in, it has been a very hectic few days!
One nearly nasty accident early this morning as our oldest granddaughter and friends were walking home and they were attacked out of the blue by some young aboriginals, F had a nasty cut on her head from a swung hand bag and ended up in the hospital for a few hours, I didnt even know we had a problem down here.
Of course they shouldnt have been trying to walk home but couldnt get a taxi and their phones ran out of battery so were unable to contact family. Luckily it wasnt worse.
So no resolutions, just hope for a happy and healthy New Year and things to keep me interested. Oh and some rain would be nice.

Some of the grandchildren

 Our oldest son and his family were over from Melbourne for a few days and last night we had a family bbq for those who were around, we are missing some but here are most of the grand children.
Isabelle (20) and Fenella (25), Millie (5) in my hat and with her new puppy, Russell with her Melbourne aunt Marguerite. In the third photo Celina (15), Evie (15), Will (13) and Isabelle and Fenella.
Having come straight back from the Island to a lunch and then having them arrive was a delight, but also a bit exhausting. I think I must be getting old as I seem to wear out pretty quickly.
So a faily easy party last night for 14, salads and meat on the bbq followed by fruit and icecream.
Seems the middle aged group enjoyed themselves, a lot of bubbly was consumed as well as wine and beer.
I left them watching the dvd of Brave at about 11.45 and went to bed!
Most of the washing up had been done and I cheated and had paper plates which cuts back a lot on the washing up.
Now the family are making last minute decisions and are packing up and I am washing as the towels and sheets come my way.
It is also warming up and the garden is terribly dry, we are heading for high 30s and I think a 41 by the end of the week. Still things have been done, like having to buy a new refrigerator(!!) desperately needed but thank heaven for Simon as he put the door on the other side which is great, and the header tank sprung a leak, now has a temporary seal on it as no one is open to get a new one and there was nothing to be had locally.
Both John and I feel rather as if we have been on the go and one day perhaps it will stop, at the moment he has 3 for a meeting bout water matters. Not the best day but at least they are outside, just hope the flies dont cart them away but there is no where in the house.
I havent yet made any New Year decisions, we will be out for dinner tonight, but I would like to wish every one a safe, happy and healthy New Year.

Christmas morning

 We were a little slow having breakfast and opening presents, I got a kindle, a basic one so now I have to learn how to work it. I love books and the feel of books so may only use this for travelling, we will see.
Then we went to Pennington Bay for me to walk and John to fish.
Some one else had probably got this lovely leatherjacket and didnt know what to do with it so left it to die.
They make very good eating.
The clouds and sea were spectacular.
John had fun and lots of bites but only caught a tiny salmon trout! Quite a few people were on the beach, more than I have seen for a long time on Christmas morning.
Click on the photos to enlarge, you can click twice. We had our ham sandwich for lunch, I did some sketching and some hand sewing, then dinner, a good champagne with nibbles (which we didnt need but Johns pate is too good to not have!), followed by our skewered prawns and salad and then what we really didnt need, heated boiled fruit cake and yummy brandy butter. we both felt we had over eaten so today, so far, not too much.
We leave tomorrow morning so I am partly packed, the Melbourne family arrive late tomorrow and we are out to lunch and so it will be a bit of a mad rush, especially as the beds are not made!
Back to the mad hurley burley of life.
What fun.
I hope all those who read this blog had an equally lovely day.

Christmas Greetings to all my blog readers

Here is the line up on the mantlepiece and some close ups, the tree and pointsettia by the window with a corner of the view of the beach and ferry terminal.
There are ferries coming and going continuously today, and then tomorrow they stop.
we loaded P onto an early one this morning and are now catching our breath after 3 extra for drinks and then dinner last night, a very hot day and a wonderfully balmy evening with great company.
We have walked various beaches and then had to have an afternoon nap!
Age is catching up, but its a wonderful time and place to be.
Oh and those orange flower things are what I had been making from egg cartons, such fun.
A safe and very Happy Christmas to all.

We are on the Island!

 We arrived yesterday, tired and apart from packing and unpacking we did very7 little.
P arrived on the morning ferry, and we havent done a lotm went to visit a couple of galleries, went to my favorite place, Pennington Bay, and then this evening we went to the Chapman river, no fish were caught but a lovely time and the area was beautiful.
We are waiting for dinner, roast chicken legs, but the oven is a little slow.
Having a lovely time, hope every one else is too, Cheers!

It was a grey morning with the odd shower about.

 We went in for a quick walk along the beach near Hayborough, havent been there since the autumn and the beach has changed a bit. Swept clean by the last few storms.
The cockle train went past, I have to say I dont like this horrible paint job, it is a heritage train.
We delivered some presents and finally I have my missing Christmas cake back. If you want to know what happened go to my other blog in the side bar.
This will be very short as I have lots to do and not a lot of time to do it in, but at least we have had a bit of rain and it is cooler.
Off to do some ironing.
Oh and this really isnt an afterthought, not sure how to say this but I feel so terribly for those in the US with another horrible shooting.
Why do they do it?

Christmas Bush and grevillia robusta.

 The Christmas bush (bursaria spinosa) is a local to this area, It is a lovely addition to the summer browns. I photographed these yesterday as I had to take a detour and come in to the valley the back way due to an accident between Victor Harbor and the turn off to the valley. It was a great opportunity to take photos on the slow, unmade road home.
The grevillia came up in a tiny pot of a cactus I bought years ago on a stall, repotted it  and it is now several meters tall, it flowers at this time much to the delight of the honey eating birds and possums. A close up of the flowers and a shot through some of the shrubbery that it lives in in the garden near the house.
I have spent most of the last few days wrapping presents, most of that is now done and we have even delivered some.
It is warm and muggy but we had some very welcome rain, probably not much but it did vindicate John blowing out the gutters, and it was slow gentle, steady rain for a couple of hours.
I am now taking stock of what I have and havent got and will begin making biscuits tomorrow when it is supposed to be cooler.
I think John may be going fishing.
Such a relief not having to water even for just a day.