SNAKES ALIVE!!!!

First I want to thank all who left messages on my last post. I'd also like to thank Jo from Through the Keyhole for nominating me for an award, which I will gladly accept.  It might take me some time to get it all together, but I had know idea how to go about the last one I was given, so will definitely give this a go.  Alas, no internet whilst away, but now we are back, I'll start with a scary moment I had yesterday.

On Friday we arrived home at lunchtime after starting out early to beat the heat.  The car actually told us at one stage that it was 36 outside and by the time we got here, we were really feeling it.  I washed the sheets and towels (which dried in about an hour or two on the line) and then around teatime, we had an almighty thunderstorm with torrential rain.  The gutter on the front verandah in front of our bedroom window overflowed and hubby found we had "one" blocked downpipe.  Pulled out the leaves and it was OK.  Sunday when all was much drier, I cleaned up on the verandah and went around to the side gate to grab the weed trug and saw something move out of the corner of my eye.  First thought was a blue tongue lizard, but "oh no", it was a snake sitting behind one of my pots in the little courtyard.  I was already walking past it by this time, so shot through as quick as I could and called for hubby, and lucky for me it stayed (I thought he might think I was mad if it had gone), and then slithered off out the gate and under the hedge.  I'd run to get my camera, but he was too quick slithering off, so no pics.  Our snakes are poisonous, but they are part of our natural world and best leave them to go there way.

SOME HOLIDAY PICS.

We had a lovely time although it was very hot.

MALLACOOTA INLET.

Part of the inlet.

Looking toward the ocean beach and sea.

The boardwalk around part of the lakes.

Jetties, boats, water and hills.

I did take many more photos, but we'll go onto another day and show something I learnt whilst out.

BETKA RIVER AND BEACH.

This is just south of Mallacoota and very pretty.  Notice that wonderfully shaped tree.

On the way to the small aerodrome in the area, you pass a sign to a WW11  bunker, which I had no knowledge of at all.  I'd never realised how close the war had come to Australia except what I had learnt at school, which was the bombing of Darwin and the Japanese submarines in Sydney Harbour.  Our life is a never ending journey of discovery, eh?

The bunker.

Late in the afternoon as a cool sea breeze came in, we went back to Betka beach and had a walk.

I took my shoes off and felt the warmth of the sand on my soles and between my toes.  Does anyone else love making that squeaking sound on the dry, soft sand?  I do and then we paddled in the water, which was just a bit cooler than I thought.  Loved it and must do it more often.

I'll post a few more pics on Wednesday of another day out, but I'll end on these two.

Whilst staying in Warragul, the young family in the caravan beside us had accents that I couldn't mistake.  I met the young mother over at the clotheslines and asked if she were from Yorkshire and she said yes and we got talking.  She had noticed that I was sewing the night before, asked how long we were staying and if I could show her how to hem this little dress.  She'd bought if for her little girl and the hem had been "glued up" and the first wash brought it apart.  As we were there only one more night, I did it for her.  Parts were tough going because of the glue residue, but I got it done.

Last night as the sun was setting after another extremely hot day, the sky had darkened, but there must have been a peachy glow from the sunset, which was being cast onto the trees behind the house over the road.  The trees were full of white corellas, but they had also taken on the peach coloured glow.  Click on the photo to enlarge and you should see how fascinating it looks.

OK, I'll leave it at that and although a wonky sort of post, I am still here and catching up on reading my bloglist.  Not much crafting going on due to the heat, but as it's a bit cooler today, so I'll clean the van this afternoon and hope to do some handsewing or knitting tonight.  I've finished reading The Yorkshire Shepherdess (great book) and have just started Allotted Time, so haven't been idle, along with the usual things we all do.

Take care all and  have a good week.
Huggles Susan.