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.

TUESDAY'S TRIVIA.

Tuesday started cold, frosty & foggy.

The grass covered in frost taken from the back verandah.

Along the top of the sleepers.

Ice on the pond.

After much debating & deliberation with our morning coffee, we came to the decision to head out to get some parts for our trailer, which needs a bit of TLC.  Made some lunch & thermos to take with us & headed off.  As we were going to be close to Braeside Park, we made that our destination for lunch & a walk.  Somewhere we've been before, but not for a proper walk.  Um... a lot of photos were taken, so join me as we potter along.
Starting with the tree sculptures, which I have posted before with one of my quilts, but there are several more than what I showed.

The view while eating lunch.

The pelicans.

Sugar Glider.

More of the Sugar Gliders.

                                                   The tree below has many animals.

A wombat peeking out.

A large lizard or maybe goanna.

A koala and kangaroo.

Pharlap and either trainer or jockey.
This was one of our famous race horses who was trained in this area.

Carrying on with the rest of the walk, we saw many interesting bits and pieces, so here are some I snapped.

One of several ponds & dams throughout the park.

A post for your camera, but it was at such an angle, all I could capture was sky or grass.
Due to being quite old, the climatic conditions etc., it had moved over the years.
Could be remedied if someone would do it.

Snake signs appear quite regularly on my blog...................😏

Teepees again, but this time not at the beach.

Bracken fern, all green & lush, but such a nuisance in a lot of places after being introduced in colonial days.

Now this was a lovely little surprise.  A painted stone, very like what I've seen on my friend Kate's blog in the UK.
I didn't see any more, but hopefully this pretty one will make many more people smile.

Reflections in more water we saw.

And for a few trees, very much favourites of mine, but I try not to overwhelm you with too many.

So sculptural.

Notice the beautiful markings on this log.

And eucalyptus leaves, so pretty in colour & shape.

After picking up some trailer parts, we headed for home.  Stopped in Tooradin to have a cup of take away tea and snapped these few pictures along the banks of Sawtell's Inlet.

A rather grotesque carved gargoyle.
I've never seen him before, but we usually go to the cafe on the other side of the highway.

The tide coming in from Westernport Bay & flowing down what I always think of as a river, though it's only a tidal inlet.

Looking further down the inlet.

That was our Tuesday and although freezing to start with, the rest of the day was lovely and sunny and made a difference as we actually had an "outing" with social distancing firmly in mind.  I'm still not game enough to venture anywhere there might be lots of people close to each other.  Luckily most of our outings are just us two & we don't need to gather as some people do.  We'll wait and see what the future holds for being out & about.
OH.......one last bit of trivia from the weekend.  We did make a very short trip up the highway to see this parked at the weigh-in station before it made it's way to one of the big power stations in the LaTrobe Valley.

This load was being pulled by 3 prime movers and being pushed by two more.  It was huge and could only travel during the night as the road needed to be closed, so it could use either side of the highway.
There were also many support vehicles and these loads always cause quite a stir & lots of people taking photos.  Whoops, just like me, who finds them fascinating.

OK, my lot for now.
Take care all, stay safe & huggles from down under.
Susan.