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.

TREES........UP & DOWN.

 OK, I've been a little quiet of late, but it seems our I'net Provider is doing some "updating" so I've been a little out of sorts with my computer.  My webmail/email is so slow, though I seem to be finding it difficult to come to terms with so much upheaval with all sorts & not being able to go very far from town or see anybody at the moment is really doing my head in.  Hopefully some normality will creep in slowly over the next few months, though I won't hold my breath.  Even finding things to blog about doesn't seem to be coming easily.  Enough of my moaning and let's enjoy a bit from our local walks & something I promised I would show too.

A couple of days before my birthday, we had horrific winds here in southern Victoria, which did unseen amounts of damage due to fallen trees.  My birthday was one of the best sunny days we'd had in about 3 months, so it was off for a local walk and we discovered this tree which had come down in a small reserve 5 minutes from home.

DOWN....................

Our path blocked from this side and the damage to someone's shed is extensive.

You can see the size of the root system, but because gums are shallow rooted, after much rain they become unstable & whoosh, down they come.

This is what it looked like from other side of the path.  We'd had to walk back to the street & come from the other side.

UP..................

                                                 My magnolia has withstood the winds well.

DAMAGED but still standing.

We pass this tree just out of town, when we head for the coast & I'm always going to take some photos.

Yesterday, being able to have a small outing without going further than we should, I decided to stop and snap this fascinating curly tree, but oh dear, it had lost a limb.  

Don't  you love it's little round keyhole.  I love this tree.

The little trip was about taking some more photos of the daffodil farm which I said I would do before the flowers fade too much or have been picked for the cut flower trade.  

Taken from the main road showing the different colours behind the tree line.

Looking down from the gravel back road we took to go home again.

Along said gravel road, we came across these wandering cattle & one very woolly sheep.  Not sure they should have been out, though if trees had come down on fences, it could have been why.

                                      

                                      The views are spectacular in this area to the south of us.

                                                   

Also, a very large Wombat burrow.

A quick local walk today, I discovered this and have now been told they are popping up all over the place.

 Isn't it the cutest!

I've waffled on long enough, so I'll leave it at that.  I hope to be able to catch up with some blogreading over the next few days, so sorry I've not caught up with some recent post.

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

Susan.

MAY PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT.

Linking once again with Kate to find photos for a set of words.

1.  SEAT.

I've shown these seats before, but with DH sitting on the other.  Definitely not a good snap of me, but he grabbed the camera after I'd been taking a few photos of what we were watching from the seats.

2.  VIEW FROM SEAT.

This is Paynesville on the east coast, where a small ferry runs over to Raymond Island, which takes all of about 10 minutes, but is very worthwhile for the wild life which calls the island home.  It is where I've taken photos of the koalas lounging in the trees.(here)

3.  LUNCH.

A butterfly's lunch table.  Taken at the Melboune zoo a few years ago.

4.  STARTS WITH A P........

I was a PROOF machine operator for close to 12 years in a bank before being made redundant due to country branches no longer using them, through larger centres in capital cities taking it on.  This was the beast (I had 2 in my office) and it was a job I loved, having my own office & basically no-one to bother me too much.  The second was used during abnormally busy times, if there was someone on hand that knew how to operate it.  I taught young trainees , before they became tellers (CSO's these days).    Those days are of course long gone.

5.  TRANSPORT.

On our way out along a back road one day we spotted this.  Now this mode of transport isn't seen very often these days.  I snapped it through the windscreen, so not the best quality.

6.  OWN CHOICE.

Sign spotting, something I love doing.  A few weeks ago when the weather was passable (freezing & wet now, but then it is winter today....ha ha), we'd noticed a sign on  a side road to an Historic Walk, so decided to explore.  We ate our picnic lunch, whilst looking at clouds gathering in the sky, so quickly went on part of the walk.  We'll do the rest to the old cemetery another day.  In the small parking bay, there was this sign, which I loved, especially with the handwritten "please & thank you".  It seems this particular track is loved by horse riders.

OK, that is my lot for this hunt.  Sorry I've been a bit AWOL, but we've had ongoing i'net issues due to this stupid NBN maintenance and my back has been sore again, which then makes me feel a tad down.   I wasn't going to participate this time, but really need my blog friends.  Thanks if you decide to have a read.
Have a great weekend all, take care & huggles.
Susan,.

JULY SCAVENGER PHOTO HUNT. (2018)

Linking this last Friday of July with Kate from I live, I love, I craft, I am me, to show my selection of photos for her word list.  I've had fun with both finding in the archives & more recent ones, including a last minute photo yesterday, which is very fuzzy, but will have to do.  So here we go.

1.  DOOR.

A side door with beautiful ironwork at Bolton Abbey in the Yorkshire Dales.  Somewhere we head to each time, we visit the UK.  So this one is from my archives, probably 2014.

2.  11AM.

This is my fuzzy one, but hopefully you can read the little blackboard heart.  Taken about 2pm yesterday, at the Craft & Quilt Show in Melbourne, where I had a day out savouring many works of art.  If I was just a tad taller, it may have been better, but I did find it and, with a little bit of laughing by the stallholder as to why I needed it.  Luckily she is someone I know as she used to have a quilt shop in the next suburb to where we live, but it closed many years ago and is now an on-line business.  SAD!!.

3.  TEXTURE.

Just look at this old cart made from timber.  It definitely has TEXTURE!!!!!!  I took this photo earlier this year on a day out to Gulf Station, which is a National Trust property in the Yarra Valley region & is only open odd occasions.  I should do a post about it, as I did take many photos.

4.  SHADOW/S.

Another from the archives.  Taken at Temple Newsam in Leeds, this is part of the walled garden & although looking for another photo, I spotted this and realised the shadow line went diagonally from corner to corner.  There were a few other contenders.

5.  VIEW.

I narrowed this one down to a more recent photo, from the quick trip we had to Sydney.  This view is from the lookout area on Cambewarra Mountain, on the south coast of NSW, in the Shoalhaven region.  For many years we lived in Cambewarra Village at the bottom of this mountain, where hubby and I both worked out of Nowra.  Alas, this where I was made redundant from the bank, where I'd worked for many years and we've moved on several times.  It is an area I still dearly love, and yes that is the sea in the distance, and the little lump on the left is Mt. Coolangatta with the Shoalhaven River flowing out to sea in the centre.

6.  My Own Choice.
OH DEAR!!!!  I've two for this one.  Sorry.............................
Both doggy photos, to join with others who do the "dog bit" for their own choice.

Dash, on the left and Patch to the right.

On Sunday, just gone, it was a reasonable day, although, extremely fresh and we made our way to the coast for my monthly sea-air fix.  We walked along Cape Patterson beach, made our way up to the grassy knoll at the top to take in the view before we started along the beach again, back to the car.
As we sat, a motorbike descended the track to the beach & what did I espy in his back pannier, but these two cuties.  I asked politely if I could take photos & told yes I may.  The very nice man gave me an account of how he collects for The Children's Hospital by taking them out on odd occasions to raise this money.  I didn't have any money on me, due to just walking along the beach & he said it was OK, as they'd just needed a "wee" stop. BTW..  Patch licked me death.  They even have their own Facebook page.

Millie.

I'm sure everyone will know the artist who painted this.................
A beautiful portrait of a friend's dog, who sadly passed away suddenly, very recently.  This little lady was our unofficial mascot for the car club we belong to and is missed very much by her owner, as well as many of the members. I commissioned it from Kate.   We should be presenting this to her next Wednesday night at a committee meeting & I'm sure she'll do as I did, and cry as she unwraps it.
OK, that is all from me for now.
It's been a busy year so far and I know I've been slack on the blogging front, but the Scavenger Hunt keeps me on my toes, so as the weather warms and we venture towards Spring, I may keep more up to date.  I'll do the linky thing & keep an eye out for the other Hunter's post.
Take care all.
Susan.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

First of all, I'd like to send a big "THANK YOU" to all, for the  lovely comments on my last post of the Photo Scavenger Hunt.  I had no internet connection at the caravan park on our weekend away in Bordertown and have been ever so busy catching up with washing & mundane stuff.  It's also been Car Club committee meeting week, with the newsletter to be distributed too and the weather has been atrocious as well.  Next week we are off to DD's for a spot of child minding 😏, as in DD herself, who has had an operation on her foot and can't drive for six weeks.  OK, her hubby is going back to work & what with school holidays at the moment, it should be a lovely catch up time with her & our grandies, who are growing up way to fast.

Now to the other 'thank you' to Judy from News from Jude blog, who hosted a Mystery Case Weekend Retreat.   I attended at the last moment to catch up with my friend Joy who lives between Dubai & Ballarat, due to her hubby's work.  I did take a few photos, but they were few and far between.  The ladies all pick a case after a bit of lottery-type fun, sometimes loving what they pick & sometimes doing a quick swap.  After all that they started madly sewing on the Friday night.  As I was trying to get to grips with something I was doing, I took it along instead of starting something that may end up as a UFO.  Last time I went, I'll admit to finishing the quilt & giving it as a gift.😌
The following photos are some of what were finished as tops or in progress by the ladies.

And the last photo of the lovely group of ladies showing off their quilts together, along with Judy, our hostess & her trusty offisder Pat.
I was plodding away on this, just to show I wasn't idle.

Playing with my blocks on Judy's floor.

On our way to and from Bordertown, we did have a "few" photo stops.

Pink Lake.

Green Lake with the Grampians in the background.

Similar to above, 

There were a few pelicans on the water.

This beautiful old building has intrigued us each time we pass & Pat informed me that it was the old Post Office in the little hamlet of Lillimur.  Another one of my strange foibles, is photographing abandoned buildings.
After having a lovely time with the wonderful ladies, I felt quite flat when we got back, thinking about the talented lot I'd spent time with.  There was our hostess, who is an extraordinary long-arm quilter as well as a pattern designer & retreat organiser, Pat who helps with the nuts & bolts parts of the pattern process too.  Then there are the retreaters who again, consisted of another talented long-arm quilter & many other quilt designers, along with chatter about uni days, careers, living in foreign countries, entering State Quilt shows, winning ribbons, promoting their blogs and all manner of other titbits that I can't even join in with.  I left school at 15 & although I worked, I definitely didn't have a career, but I am who I am, & enjoy finding out about how & what makes other people who they are.  Talk about a fish out of water, but I enjoy the company & puttering away like the slow tortoise I am, with my hands & mind busy.

AFTER THE HOLIDAY.
This weekend the weather has been very, very miserable, but I've made  the most of it by staying indoors doing this.................

Making a mess in the kitchen.  Notice the rainspots on the window.

Which finished up as some choc/mint pinwheels, though they aren't very round, and a slice, to take over to DDs.
And this.......................

A little sewing on those blocks from last weekend.  My design wall isn't big enough and there is one block hanging off each side, so once it's put together, I'll show a better photo.

Not been the best week for photography, but I did snap this one below, after I'd heard the Corellas milling overhead and captured them on these roofs across the way.  They do "fly overs" nearly everyday & it is noisy & quite spectacular.

Click to view larger.

That's about my lot for now and again I may be absent till next weekend, due to our commitments, but I'll try and catch up over the next month with some of our lovely outings before the weather turned into winter.
OOOH!!!  I do have something else to share...........................................................................................
I don't want anyone to think I'm, uh...................................boasting, especially after feeling so flat (above), but I've a quilt in this magazine......

Yes, me!!!!!!!!!  This is a digital magazine run by three lovely Australian ladies, and although nobody knows, I actually have a few goals to hit before I reach 70, and one was to have a pattern published in a magazine.  I finally took the plunge late last year and  it happened.  I'm still pinching myself. 
OK, that is my lot this time and once I get myself organised, I will do some posts of our out and abouts.  Take care all and lots of huggles from down under.
Susan.