WAFFLING ON WEDNESDAY.

 Oh dear, I do have an apology to all those who commented on the Photo Hunt, as I didn't manage any replies, but a huge thanks to all. I've been a bit melancholy & muddle-headed, due to my ongoing back pain & bunged up ears.  I've had the ears seen to & although ears have been done, it's left one irritated & inflamed.  Next appointment is Monday for my back. 

Today I'm going to post about a couple of our local drives we've taken and a walk, with a few more posts to come over the next week, as I'm way behind & I do take my camera most places & find some great pics and some really wacky things too.

A WALK.

A short drive from home takes us to a reserve with walking track called Picnic Point.  The walk isn't anything spectacular, but just an enjoyable ramble & can be done safely with masks down as we generally don't see anybody.

Nasturtiums seem to have taken over just here, but do make a nice splash of colour.

A goat we see quite often on a long tether keeping some of the verge neat & tidy near a small row of                                                                                  properties.

More of the West Gippsland Burrowing Crayfish chimneys.  This year seems to have been a bumper year as they are popping up all over the place.

The first bit of the walk sort of took us via the road, but now we need to head further into the reserve and the turning point is near this lovely house which has a large dam. So much wind in October brought down many trees throughout Victoria and this one landed in their dam.

As we turned on the track, oh dear, another down & with no way round it we had to climb over.  We noticed as we drove past yesterday that it has been cleared.

                                                              An old car rusting in peace.

Arum lilies colonising at the base of an old gum which has been lopped of it's top, probably due to the dangerous habit they have of dropping branches.

                                                        Another very large gum along the track.

              Back to near where we'd parked the car with a sward of green near a small farm.

A DRIVE INTO THE FOREST SOURCING FIREWOOD.

Another day we took a drive out into a new to us area of forest where we can source firewood collection, but alas no luck on that front, though we did see plenty for me and my camera.

Along the road we noticed this wallaby, slowed down, I took this through the windscreen, then he hopped over the road in front of us and up the embankment.  You must be careful as they can be unpredictable as to when they'll make their move.

Spotted these 2 lovely kookaburras carved into the top of a felled tree in someone's front yard.

And these two shaggy highland cattle were watching us, as we watched them.  I do love these shaggy                                                                                  beasts.

                                          Another of our magnificent gums.  Look at it's girth.

AND...............this was the most amazing sight!!!

A bluebell wood in the middle of farming country, just out of the forest on a narrow gravel road.  I was completely gob-smacked.  Must admit that they aren't the pretty darker English bluebell, but the lighter Spanish variety.  Just the same, it was absolutely gorgeous.

                              Another view and yes I did take more snaps than these two.

                    The distant ranges make for stunning views up through here on a sunny day.

Although I was going to do another of our drives, I'll leave it till Friday as I'm both tired and needing to finish handsewing the binding on the other baby quilt whilst watching an episode the The Great British Sewing Bee.  After a very hot & muggy day of 30+ degrees, we've had a shower of rain and are expecting storms overnight & tomorrow.

Have a lovely Wednesday in the northern hemisphere, take care, stay safe & huggles from down under.

Susan.

HOLIDAY BREAK - LAST DAY & TO HOME.

Thursday was  the final day of our break, then Friday we traveled home.  Thursday saw us once again pack our lunch & this time head towards Bairnsdale for DH to pick up a few bits'n'bobs for his woodworking.  After that was done we headed to Paynesville for lunch and a wander.  I have posted about Paynesville here also a few years ago.

Sitting eating our lunch, we were watching these cygnets, being looked after by Mum & Dad.

                               You may have to click on this & make it larger to get a better look.

                         This is more of the pier above where you can wander & some boats come in.

                                              Looking to our left from where we were sitting.

A tree close to where we were seated had a black swan sitting on a nest.  As we put our picnic stuff away in the car, another swan came & chased it away & wow, there were 5 eggs in this nest.  I didn't go any closer in case he/she came back.

Wandering further around the town, I happily snapped these..........................

Mosaics on the side of the shelter, where foot passengers wait for the ferry to Raymond Island.

                                      The ferry coming across the narrow strait from the island.

                                                         Looking towards part of the marina.

I was surprised and fearful for these two & their four cygnets, asleep on the boards where the ferry ties up, but they were fine, as the ferry has buffers it comes in against & when the gangplank comes down for the cars to alight, they are well underneath.  Phew.....................

On the way home we stopped to snap a few interesting (to me) places.

 I loved this old abandoned farm with it's tank stand, old  homestead sheltered by the tree & the derelict shedding.  

                                   

      I'm not too sure what this building is, but it's both weird and interesting.                                

We headed for home on Friday & I took the photo below of one of the many pretty garden beds adorning the main street of Yarram before we left.

Leaving the beautiful countryside of East Gippsland & heading into the LaTrobe Valley, you see this eyesore, though I suppose it is an essential part of our lives these days, especially as so many are now relying on power to use the internet for essential work to stay employed.

This post is probably somewhat disjointed due to my photos changing position occasionally (don't know why), and me losing so much of my mojo and motivation "again" of late.  

Hope you've enjoyed this break we had and I'll be back with catchups of the garden, crafting & some local walking.  Will things ever get better?

Take care all, stay safe & huggles from down under.

HOLIDAY BREAK DAYS 2 & 3.

TUESDAY.

The day again arrived overcast and drizzly, but we packed some lunch & thermos and headed towards Loch Sport, somewhere we've not been to before.  Loch Sport is a holiday destination & not much else, a spit of land sandwiched between the Gippsland Lakes and Ninety Mile Beach.

Emus.

Along the way we spotted these and I took a photo from my window, due to it being very overgrown along the verge & I'd probably have disappeared into it, but DH braved getting out and................oh my...... the car filled with mosquitoes.  Hundreds of them, which we then swatted at, all the way to Loch Sport.

Finding a car park not far from the beach we parked up, ate our lunch, then with a break in the misty showers, we quickly walked down to the beach.  A few photos follow.

Walking against the wind.

Looking at the small sand-hills & bordering scrub. 

Another misty shower as I took this snap of the information board.

Looking down the track to the car park from the information board.

Turning back toward the sea.

More of the coastal ti-tree beside the car park.

We decided to head for the caravan taking another unexplored route along the coastal road beside Ninety Mile Beach.  First we had to cross a small inlet to take us back through town & I just had to snap this.................

Big Nessie & Little Nessie.
Somebody has an imagination.

Oh and this was the surprise of the day and I couldn't believe my eyes.  Pulled over quickly and at least got one good photo as she turned to look at us, then hopped away to follow her two companions.

Mum with her joey in someone's front yard in Loch Sport.

Also spotted these two murals on private houses.

And a better photo of the emus, who had moved to a more open paddock.

Plus more of the coastal ti-tree and heath in both pink & white.

Finally driving along the coastal road, we discovered this..................

The last remains of the shipwreck Trinculo which you can read about on the board .

A small curly sponge I spotted beside the wreck.

After capturing the last photo, I was suddenly inundated with mosquitoes once again & made a quick retreat towards the track back to the car.   Luckily they didn't follow us and we could take the track at our leisure & more photo spotting for me.

Lichen covered trees.

                     A carpet of lime green moss.

WEDNESDAY.

Breakfast finished, we had already planned to have lunch at Port Albert on one of the days as a little luxury treat.  They have a great fish and chip shop, so off we went.  Murky weather once again and also very windy.  Taking another new to us road, we came upon the little locality of Tarraville, which boasts a handful of houses, an old school and church, so out with the camera once again.

The church, above & below.

The school, above and below.

I also spotted this beautiful derelict building and anyone who knows me well, must know that I can't resist these evocative structures.

Isn't it lovely?

Arrived in Port Albert to howling wind & much misty rain, so no decent photos.  I'll remedy that some day, but the fish & chips were lovely.  Headed for home along the South Gippsland Highway, where you pass through the small township of Alberton where I found a mural on the side of the Hotel on an earlier trip down this way.  Hence the clearer sky, as we'd had better weather back then early in the year.

Another lovely (although wet & windy) day was had, and discovering lots of new to us roads off main highways is something we delight in.  Not for everyone I know.

I'll catch up again hopefully tomorrow with the last bit of the trip, as I've lost count of all the things I've been going to post about over the last 2 months, namely some of our local walks & drives and lots of crafty bits.  Thanks for following & still commenting everyone.

Take care, stay safe & huggles.

Susan.