Of rust and Islands, a bag and Mason

The first photo is of a ship that was being towed for scrap before the 2nd world war and in big seas the tow rope snapped and she came ashore on Fraser Island and all attempts to float her off proved to be of no use. At one stage they even had a wedding on board not long after she went ashore.
Now there is still quite a bit of her left but I loved this photo taken through a port hole. I was told there were three decks below the one we could see in the sand.
I thought perhaps those doing rust projects might like this photo but I will put up a couple more later.
The next is a bit of an explanation of how you can have very tall forests on Fraser Island, they had a thriving timber industry before the greens got rid of it. Now the only thing on the Island is tourism.
Then the base for my little hand bag, I need some cord for it so it is not quite finished yet and I had enough of the fabric left to make a mobile phone bag as well.
Then small or perhaps not so small Mason who is growing and thriving. I have seen him quite often since I got home. He is normally quite a happy little chap although the other day when we took him out to help feed the ponies he didnt think much of me, but it was early in the morning so he had an excuse and his morning ritual was upset.
I am coping reasonably well although I had a full morning this morning, but I am tending to be pretty tired by about 4 o'clock, feeding the dogs and cat and chooks here time and watering, still no rain and thinking about dinner.
When I have to take the rattly old Toyota out and do the larger number of feeds here will be a bit more interesting. I think I will make a physio appointment.

1770

This delightful small town on the tip of an estuary was so much better value for money and the apartment we had was lovely, very Balinese. the view from our deck, Jill and John enjoying drinks,
the tropical garden in frontand me poking my finger into the jar the statue at the front gate was holding.
I could have stayed there for much longer even if Jill did get attacked by midges.
I am making a base for a small bag, so nothing much to show but I am still finishing my little book as well.
Horses fed, dogs fed, got a lot hotter today and John was off fishing, he has brought back fish as well so all is well with my woprld.

1939'ers

I keep forgetting how this works. The first photo is of the area around 1770 showing the inlets and mountains, then the rain bucketing down from in front of our balcony.
The '39'ers Birthday cake, it was incredible and so different. and finally the wonderful designs that the sand crabs make when cleaning out their burrows on the beach.
I am still making small pockets for my purse, I had a run away dog today so spent ages catching him and he is now I hope secure.
The farmers market early this morning then out to feed horses
A walk on the beach this afternoon and Australian Rules football has started and my team The Adelaide Crows won their first match of the season, not tipped by many but I still had faith in a new young team.

Start of a small pocket book

I have been doing Dale Rollerson's Ratty Tatty Papers, an on line course and in it we all went mad collecting paper table napkins. So I thought I would take a leaf out of Dale's book - no pun intended - and make a small book relating to my trip in Queensland. I couldnt believe how hard it was to get napkins that felt tropical Queensland.
so While I had a bit of time wandering shops I bought this particular one which only came in the small size so I had to cut it and make it fit. I found some really cheap pink felt in Crazy Clark's and got a bit of vliesofix, bonded it together and borrowed Jill's ancient sewing machine and machined over it. Ready to take with me in case I had time to do some sewing. So I made two pocket pages for my book, hand sewing around the edges. I know this looks more Morroccan but it did at least have palm trees and there are often quite Moorish looks to the tiles up there.
The hunt for more napkins was interesting and I did finally find a couple more that I think will do now that I am home.
Here I have no problems finding them but boy did I walk the streets looking for them in Queensland.

Yeppoon area

This is the kiln at the Nob Creek pottery about 40 km's away from the Resort which a friend of mine and I drove to while the rest were playing golf.
Then there is the so called singing ship, which is a piece of public art commemorating Captain Cook who passed in 1770. It is made so that when the wind blows through the pipes it 'sings' moans more like it. This is at Emu Creek which is near to Yeppoon. Jill and I are just in the photo. The ship was pretty quiet when we saw it as it was quite still.
Lovely views and the next photo is from the resort beach and shows Great Keppel Island and other islands around it. The resort on Keppel was closed so all thoughts of going out on the ferry were cancelled. Any way it was pretty rough as the effects of tropical cyclone Hamish were still being felt.
The last photo is of the three Brolgas, or Australian Native Cranes which were grazing around the edge of the golf course. They are lovely big grey birds with pink on them and when thay do their courtship dance they are quite magic.

More photos

Jill's cat Smokey in his favorite position on her table.
The view from our 96 year old friend Phyllie's balcony of the Broadwater at Surfers Paradise. The early setting of the table on Jill's balcony for dinner, we spend a lot of time out there, lunch, breakfast, dinner and just sitting her duplex overlooks a quiet park, that is when we are home and not galivanting around the country.

Small stitchery

Before I went on holidays I made up in a hurry the background for this little quilt and had a lovely time every time I had a few minutes in the early part of the holiday hand stitching onto it.
I am not quite sure if I have totally finished it but it is bright and was such a fun thing to do. I saw something along these lines in the last Quilting Arts before I went away I think.
I still have lots of photos but quite honestly have not finished editing them so perhaps tomorrow there will be more.
I have to go and collect Celina from netball. I cant say I have done much today, swept floors, made a casserole for tonight and delivered Celina to school, fed her mothers ponies and come home again. Really boring and I am itching to get into my work room.
Sarah has just told me I will have to do her horses here for a week as soon as I finish Tabs, and there are far more here to do unfortunately and my back really does not like the Toyota. Ah well the joys of motherhood etc etc!!