WEEKEND ROUNDUP ----- LATE!!

OK, I felt like I didn't really do much, but, yes I did.  Mostly the kind that is not too interesting.
SATURDAY.
Saturday morning saw me do some baking, as our bikkie tins need a top-up.  I made some peanut crinkle biscuits and a chocolate, rum and raisin slice,  This usually sees us through about just over a week, unless we get some visitors (rare).
After lunch the star quilt went on the machine and I managed to do a few rows before tea.

SUNDAY.
A bit of housework, then outside to try and rid the so-called front lawn of "dandelions", which seem to grow prolifically in these parts.  Down on hands and knees isn't so comfortable anymore, but at least it wasn't stinking hot although it is the middle of summer.  In fact, I came in and rang my granddaughter and found our weather station said it was only 12.3 deg outside.
After lunch, we decided to walk the next section of the rail trail, which we are doing bit by bit.  Off we went and the sky was looking slightly more overcast, and we set off, but didn't go as far as we hoped, because it started to drizzle.  Back where we'd started this part of our walk, was an information map of the Rainbow Bird Trail, so we decided to go for a drive instead.  We had our thermos and bikkies with us, so off we went.

Rainbow Bird Trail

We did the best we could with said information, but realised it was a very basic map and it did take some time to find it properly.  We stopped by a creek and had our cuppa, then carried on a way and found a sign to The Devils Kitchen, which is a strange geological formation causing a deep gully to cut through the countryside.  My photos aren't the best as the light was so poor.

We finally found the trail and followed the small green guide posts in all sorts of directions till I was scared we were lost in this very strange native tree forest.  The tracks were rough and I felt we were going round in circles.  We did see lots of rosellas flying about and quite a few kookaburras and frightened a few kangaroos too.

There have been many fires through this area, and this seems to have been one of the more recent ones.

You can see what I mean by it being a bit "spooky".  Finally as we really did think we'd never find our way back to a proper road, we came upon a small dam, then a parking area where there was another car.  Two ladies in said car were looking for mine workings as well and I suddenly pointed to a small rise and we all saw some brick pillar type things.  They were the base for some large water tanks that fed the cyanide plant.

Dam

Brick pillars

As it began to rain and was on its way to 5pm, we decided to go back another day to find the rest of the site.  I do find places like this fascinating and wonder who would work out here and how they coped.  It was called the  Historic Jubilee Mine Site.

Just a few more photos.

Hubby crafted a small key to hang his keys on, instead of them being on the laundry worktop.

Pattern leaflet for the scarf I'm knitting.  Wool and pattern were purchased from a lovely quilt shop in Tavistock in the UK, so both should be available easily for those in UK.

One last photo to show the sort of countryside we pass at times when we are walking the rail trail, which was line that ran from Ballarat to Skipton.  The next few sections should be quite interesting.

Open countryside.

Some calves for sale.

A wedge tailed eagle, a long way up by the time I grabbed the camera.  I'm a sucker for birds.

Not a productive weekend, but interesting all the same.
Hopefully by midweek, I'll have some craft to show, though I've been busy at night knitting or handsewing binding at the moment.  Also have one chapter left to read in The Yorkshire Shepherdess, which has been great.  I thoroughly recommend it, and found it written in a style where you feel you are being told the story without any editing, just as if Amanda was sitting beside you.
Take care all, have a great week.
Susan.