ADELAIDE TRIP - Part Three.

 Sorry about the lateness of these posts, but we have a lot happening and been so busy of late.                        I'll try and catch up over the next few days.

Leaving Mt. Gambier, we headed for Warrnambool for one last night before wending our way home.

On the way we noticed a few things and also stopped in at Dartmoor, which I have shown before, but a few photos were beckoning.

The sign for the beautiful carved trees.

We'd stopped for a cuppa near these ones, though pity it was garbage day.

A little further along the road I spied this beauty.

Such a sweet tractor, which makes you smile.

Then we saw this,  what was evidently a museum of sorts, which is now up for sale.

Outside there were placed some lovely old machinery bits and I think what must have been a shop.  Couldn't find much information about it anywhere.

Part of what must have been the complex.

Lovely old machinery and the old store.

More rusting relics.

Along a side road, the sign pointed to a beach, so a quick trip to see this out of the way spot.

If you click on this photo, you will spy hundreds of little birds, which I expect were baby seagulls, although there was a sign warning of pesky plovers too.

Arriving in Warrnambool, we parked up the van and went for a little drive back out to a lookout we pass along the highway, but haven't stopped before.  A few photos follow of what is at Tower Hill Lookout.

The view from the roadside of the lookout, over the water which is looking south.

From the other side we this rock formation and the view further along is more water (below), either the Hopkins River or part of what was the last active volcano in Victoria.  I should have found out more.

Off down that road you see, which takes you down into the reserve and what did I spy along the way, but an emu or two, one of which is shown below.

We made our way back to the caravan, stopping at one of the whale viewing areas, but alas no whales were sighted.

The beach with waves rolling in & a few people wandering along.

The timber viewing area with great views if only there hadn't been a sea mist covering the cliffs further along.

That's it for today and hope you enjoy seeing the last of our trip and I will try and get back with another quick trip away, some garden photos and crafty bits soon.

As I explained, we've had a lot on our plates and to top it all of, DD and family are moving back to Sydney for her hubbies work.  I so miss our kids and grandkids these days.

Another thing is this Blogging Dilemma we seem to be experiencing with commenting and replies...............will we see some sort of fixing or is it another thing which is changing.  I'm tired of keeping up with so much change, chaos and worldwide unrest.

Thanks for hopefully some friends still following.

Take care all and hugs from Susan.

WE WERE AWAY FOR A WEEK.

Middle of this month we went away north toward Sydney for my young brother, hence why I've been so quiet.  Just some paperwork to sign, catch up with carers and his yearly review.

On our way early one morning, the stopping for a tea break at Bairnsdale near the river.

Next stop was luchtime at Cann River where there is a beautiful sculpture of Lyrebird.

Across the rod we have a lovely old timber church.

Finally arriving in Eden at the caravan park, where this local lot call home too.  Biggest problem here is looking out for all the kangaroo poo.😊

After spending a few days doing all we had too, seeing brother, then two of my cousins the next day & visiting both sons on the next two days, there wasn't much time for photo stops.  The above is a gorgeous view from Jamberoo Lookout near Kiama.  You can see so much bushland, farming country & the sea.

Heading towards home on the Monday, a comfort stop was needed in Ulladulla, where I snapped the harbour.

Further down the coast towards Batemans Bay, we always look out for this derelict old barn.

An afternoon break was wanting, so a quick cuppa was had at the Tuross Heads turnoff, where I took the above photo.  Below we have a row of Illawarra Flame trees, which are in flower August/Sepember.

Nearer to home lunch was needed and while at Lakes Entrance I too some time to snap the black swans.

Then we had a little walk along the foreshore, then back to the car where there were many Corellas on the grass.  Someone disturbed them and they flew into the trees.  Looked quite spectacular if you click to enlarge the photo.

Short and sweet for today, so I'll  end it here so I don't overwhelm you with photos                                   We've been uber busy since we got home, but I'll try and settle down a bit and catch up with some posts of what else we've been up to.

Thanks to all my lovely blog pals for my cards and birthday wishes too.  What would I do without you all.

Take care all and big hugs from Susan.

 

MY QUILT VILLAGE...............SO FAR.

 

I'm linking today with Sandra from mmmquilts in Canada with what I have achieved so far with my take on her Rainbow Neighbourhood QAL.  Mine is to be a quaint village, reminiscent of English villages and will be going to the Special School to hang on the wall.  

I'll start with an overall photo on the design wall and then each individual building.  Two still need to have embroidered letters for School & Library.  Wonder if you might guess which 2 they are?  Here goes..........

I've completed 8 of the 9 so far.

Trying so hard to put 2 photos on side by side so they don't take up much space, but cannot work it out.

These 4 above are my houses.

Next we have..................

The garden Pot Shop or maybe even an actual pottery.

Next comes.................

The Post Office.

I will see if anyone can guess what the next 2 might be.

I mirror reversed this one which will be in the centre of the 9.

Last of the eight I've done.

If you look closely or click to make the image larger, there is a giveaway hint in the windowpane.

The last building to come is something I think my friend Jo will probably guess before anyone else.

After nearly spitting the dummy, this will have to do for the layout of this post.  Maybe one day I'll learn the easy way of popping 2 photos side by side.

One last note of a funny day out on Sunday.  I was talking to someone at the Car Club on Saturday who just happened to mention his wife (not met her yet), was at a small local Quilt Show that was on the weekend, so off we headed on Sunday, only to find it was on Saturday ONLY.  So what did we do?

Went for a drive and ate some lunch looking out over Bass Strait & came home on some back roads.  A few photos follow.  I might add that the day was strange weather wise, with strong winds, cloud, a bit of rain occasionally followed by snippets of sun.

Taken from the car as it was so windy.
Kilcunda.

Driving through Mirboo North on a street we generally don't go down I noticed this gorgeous mural.

                                Not really the best photos as it was just starting to rain again.

OK, that's my lot for today and I'm posting this as is and must sort out a few more posts of catching up with our meanderings of late, The Silo Trail and other trivial bits.  The weather is absolutely foul again today, cold and wet and we have the woodburner lit.  Trying to dry washing too & have to do the grocery shopping this afternoon.  

Take care all and big warm hugs from down under.

Susan.

   

               

THANK YOU.

 I've really been slack of late due to both being busyish and unmotivated, but I need to thank everyone who commented on my last post of the year.  Much appreciated.

The busy bit has been a few appointments with doctor/dentist,  and a quick trip to DS1's place to say bon voyage to our eldest grandchild and her partner before she left for England to work for 2 years.  She has already started work & he is still going through a long list of applications.    We also have had our car club picnic for Australia Day and trying to get the garden in shape, though that is tough at the moment with our "very" hot weather and so many blueberries being picked too.  Up to about 20kgs so far with many being frozen, and others for neighbours and friends.

Lack of motivation has been another issue with my crafting, but I'm slowly get myself back into it, I hope. DH also had a very, very large jigsaw on the go that he got for Xmas from DD which ate up table space for me and my old laptop which is not quite as efficient as it used to be, so hence my lack of commenting on other blogs.  I'm in the study doing this on the PC, which is what I should do more often.

A few quick snaps and hopefully I'll catch up with some more very soon.  I took a good handful while away, but not much else has happened this month, so I'll do one of our quick trip next week.

BLUEBERRRIES.

Not something I'd normally show, but I've had a fridge full of blueberries at times and then some packed and ready to go to the clubrooms for the "old" guys.😊

THE JIGSAW.

DS1 & J's new babies.

Two miniature goats.

AN AFTERNOON DRIVE.

One Sunday we headed to Leongatha to see an embroidery/quilt show, which was very small, but with some beautiful work and only 4 quilts.  As we headed home we stopped at Inverloch to go for a quick walk and noticed the sail boats out on the water beyond the stretch of sand.  You may need to click on the photo to see the boats.

 TO BE FINISHED.

Needing "MOTIVATION"  to get this lot quilted............push me!

Poor Bubs hasn't been up and running since early December & I've so many ideas running around my head, but I must get stuck into some of these first.

OK that is my lot and hopefully I'll blog more from here on in.  Sorry if this post is a bit disjointed, but I wasn't sure how to get started again.  Thanks again to all my loyal friends.

Take care and hugs from down under.

Susan.

CATCHING UP WITH A BIT OF THIS'N'THAT

 I'm really struggling with so much uncertainty and dear old Oz in the grips of another wave of Covid.    We are staying home a lot with little snips of time spent with a local trip in the car, pick up a takeaway coffee and finding somewhere scenic to drink it.  I've picked up a free ticket for the quilt show in Melbourne, but so unsure whether to go or not.  Other people are not quite as anxious as I am and we have had our 4 jabs, plus the flu vaccination.  Will I on won't I?  

Anyway, let's see what we've been up to anyway with a few photos of local countryside & crafty bits.

Looking out over Bass Strait from Kilcunda on very windy day.
I nearly got blown over trying to take this photo.

Another day saw us go slightly further afield for me to try and pick up some fabric I needed to finish a quilt and as we were coming home, we decided to take a detour to somewhere we'd not been before.  We had noticed the signpost to Yaringa Boat Harbour often, which turned out to be a small marina on Westernport Bay.  We may go again in summer to take a better look, as it was a cold overcast day threatening to rain, but we did enjoy the extra jaunt.

Another day when we realised that we'd have a little sunny break so we headed out to take a small walk on the Two Towns Trail which connects our town to the nearest to the west of us.

And what did we discover in the park in front of Council Chambers but a new to us sculpture.

A beautiful gum blossom planted in the middle of pond, where I have taken quilt photos just recently near the small waterfall behind this.  It certainly makes a statement.

Now for some crafty bits we've been up to.

This the start of what I have on the go at the moment, after buying very pretty acrylic yarn that was on sale at Lincraft for an absolute bargain,.  I don't really need another, but I loved the colour.

I finally finished the blue and white jumper which has been on the go for a few years due to not being able to get the stripes to match up on the sleeves as I don't need them as long as the pattern, but it took some working out and I've worn it recently.

Hubby remembered a broken toy that we had squirreled away and decided to play at Repair Shop tactics and mend it.

My mother had given us this when she worked in the office of a large company that imported these big dumpers, I think, and our boys played with it when young.  Somewhere along the line it had broken, but with a lot of effort all these years later, we have......................

                                                                         Now mended.

Can you see the Butcher Bird sitting on my hanging basket?

Well, one morning I looked through the kitchen window to be taken aback by him sitting on the edge of the combie planter that I'd put on the new plant stand out of the weather right in front of the window.  By the time I'd got the camera out he'd flown down the length of the verandah, hence the above photo.

QUILTING.

This very old pieced top went onto the machine last week and is now awaiting binding.  Turns out I made it in 2001.  Oh dear, shameful.  I'll possibly donate it to the foundation my brother attends for their Christmas raffle.

 Two works in progress.  The top one is from a book and the lower one, a design of my own.  More to come about these two soon.

                                            

                                                                         WEATHER.

Yesterday saw more rain and even a thunderstorm and this what the sky looked like as it came across Middle Farm.  We've certainly had our fair share of inclement weather so far this winter.

The gutters in our street were awash.

OK, that is my lot for today and this post has been a real hassle with blogger not playing along nicely.

Hope all my lovely blogpals are either staying cool or warm depending on where you live.

I'll try hard not to be so wayward with posting.

Take care all and big hugs from down under.

Susan.  xox