ADVENTURES -- PART ONE.

On Tuesday morning (26th Sept), we headed from home towards Canberra, to help with child minding during the school holidays.  As we were not taking the caravan, we decided to take some back roads as a change to travelling up the Hume Freeway.
Off through the Yarra Ranges and Valley & into Albury on the Murray River, which is the state border between Victoria and New South Wales.  Here we stayed the night & headed off next morning, hubby having made a plan to turn off the freeway & up the Snowy Mountains Highway over the Alps to Canberra.  We'd not travelled this road for many years.  First we made for Adelong, then onto Tumut, an area we knew well having lived in Batlow for about 6 1/2 years back in the early eighties.

The freeway heading out of Albury.

Fields of Canola dotted the countryside. (rapeseed in UK).

The "new" to us bridge over Adelong Creek with the pub in the background.

Hills in the distance between Adelong & Tumut.

Once we arrived in Tumut, we stopped for a cup of tea & amenities at the old railway station.  The trains no longer run in this area, but they have preserved some of the interesting pieces from days of steam travel.

    The station buildings and platform, now form part of an information centre, which wasn't open on this day.

If you click on this you can read some of the info, which is part of the interesting snippets about the days of steam.

Part of where those foot warmers were placed to be heated.

From Tumut we travelled up into the mountains, where we passed Blowering Dam, somewhere we picnicked when the children were young, though over the other side to where I took these photos.

Blowering Dam with forested hills in the background.

As we climbed higher, we stopped at Perry's Lookout, where I snapped a couple of photos.

Mountains as far as the eye can see.

Leaving the lookout, we passed through this type of scenery till we were even higher still and above the tree line.

Not many trees up here, but we do have a sign for brumbies, which we never see, but.................

today we were in luck.  Not the best photo due to roadworks we were passing through at the time & couldn't stop,.
There were actually 3 of them & beautiful they were too.

An old deserted hut in the distance.

Still a little snow laying around.  It was on the side of the road too, but our windscreen was so bug splatted, those photos aren't fit to post.

Finally we came to Adaminaby where we had the most amazing salad sandwiches, loaded with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, beetroot, cheese & sprouts & for K, ham too.  This small town in the mountains is the stopping off point for cross country skiers & trout fishing on Lake Eucumbene, which was formed as part of the Snowy Mountains scheme to generate hydro-electricity & irragation.

The Big Trout.
We do have many "BIG" things here in Oz.
I've seen quite a few in times past & should find some old photos & do a post of them.

A snow plough on the right, to clear roads in winter & the sign for the Snowy Mountains Scheme Museum, somewhere we should think about visiting some day.

I didn't take anymore photos till after we reached Canberra, so that post will come during the week & one to follow later about our trip home, which was even more adventurous than this. 
Hope you have enjoyed coming along & although this is supposed to be a -quilting- blog, it is a diary of our life too, which has changed substantially since hubby gave up work & we are now officially retirees.
Enjoy the week all and take care.
Susan.

SEPTEMBER SCAVENGER PHOTO HUNT.

Linking once again for the monthly photo hunt with I live, I love, I craft.

1.   SHUT.

My magnolia had this particular bud, for about 5 days before it decided to open, as the weather had been so cold & overcast.  Now the wind is blowing the petals off in no time at all.

2.   COPPER.

We visited Como House, a National Trust property in Melbourne a few months ago & I happened to snap this windowsill still life.  I remembered it, although I was thinking of something else to use for this  particular word, but couldn't find one.  Lucky wasn't I that I could fall back on the above.

3.   WRIST.

This was a hard one, so WRIST WATCH it is.
I got this watch on my 9th birthday & it had been my mother's 12th birthday gift.  I still quite often wear it to this day & it goes well.  I've just worked out that it is 77 years old.  At least it doesn't run out of battery power, although it does need a new band.

4.   QUARTER.

Another hard one, but as you can see from the title on the book, I did find "something" for this word.  I made this bag from the book to carry large quilts in or other craft work, when out and about & it is a 'Fat Quarter Bag'.

5.   IT STARTS WITH C.........

A "CHARABANC'. 
We spotted this on our way through Norfolk many years ago.  Not the best snap, but so many things I had for "C", that it was hard to pick one which might be different.

6.   FOAM.

"FOAMING' surf, crashing over the rocks on Phillip Island on a very blustery day last year.

7.   SCARF.

Just finished this for Missy Moo, who admired my purple one with all it's sparkly bits & asked if I could make one for her too.  She chose the blue colourway & I ordered it from the Wool Warehouse & as soon as it arrived, I made a start.  I chose not to do the same pattern as mine, which was super lacy & not practical for wearing to school.  I worked on a pattern of my own and am pleased with how it turned out.  I've written it all down so that other's can use it too.  Can't wait till she gets home from holiday to see if she likes it.

8.   LINE.

The large telescopes of Siding Springs Observatory near Coonabarabran run on a rail "LINE" for moving.  Taken quite some time ago when on holiday in N.S.W.

9.   NOSTALGIC.

I know I hate putting my photo on, but this is for me, quite nostalgic.  I see so many pet photos on blogs and feel that I miss out, but here I am in the late 90's with my two cats, Fluffy (left) & Tabitha (right), who are mother & daughter.  They lived to 14 and nearly 18, so we had them for a long time & I miss them both.  I worked out that I was still working when this photo was taken, as my hair had been permed, wasn't grey, I was wearing rather large round specs & we were living near Nowra on the south coast of N.S.W.  Definitely "NOSTALGIC'.

10. MY OWN CHOICE.

I love this set of stairs up the side of Malham Cove in the Yorkshire Dales and often use it as my desktop wallpaper.  I took this photo in 2014, but we didn't actually walk up them.  We were going to in 2016, but didn't even visit Malham that time, so maybe next time.

OK, that's my lot for this month and now I look forward to seeing all the other hunter's photos.
Thanks Kate.  Cheers all.
Susan.

WHAT!!!! ......Warm Weather?

Yes, Friday & Saturday have both been warm, a little overcast, but warmth.  In fact yesterday, our weather station got to a staggering 33°, which we aren't sure is always a correct reading.  Anyway, time well spent with a day out on Friday & mowing/weeding lawns Saturday morning. 

FRIDAY.

Deciding to take advantage of the better weather we headed off to Wilsons Promontory, which is the most southerly point of Victoria.  Best to show it with photos.

Heading south on a gravel road for an adventure.

Views over South Gippsland.

Approaching "The Prom" as it is known.

Taken from one of the viewing bays.

A couple of emus near to a wildlife walk.  We'll do this when we have more time to spend in this area, ie. a holiday.😊

More rocky outcrops.

FIRST STOP......Tidal River.

The river emerges into this cove, then out to see.

 I forgot to take many photos of the river itself, but I'll do that another time.

Some people were doing a spot of fishing.

The very soft white sand.

Trudging up the track from the beach.  This soft deep sand certainly gives the legs a workout.

Ooh, and what else did  I spot?   These.

Mummy & baby disappearing into the scrub.  Does anybody recognise what they are????

SECOND STOP....... Squeaky Beach.

The sign in the carpark.

Walking down along the track to the beach.

 Through the trees, then I spy the water.


And we come out at this........

which forded a little creek that wound it's way across the sands.  Hubby chose to go across, but I climbed a small bank & walked along the top.  I didn't want to get my shoes wet if I fell off.

The sandy bank route I took, but, hmmmm..... I still had to get across that water flowing out to sea.

Solution!  Take off your shoes & socks, brace yourself for the cold water, then.....DO IT!!
Aha, how invigorating, as then I went paddling at the edge of the beach where the waves were breaking.  Ooh, I did enjoy, even the cold water, as we are just heading out of winter, so it's still chilly.

SQUEAKY BEACH IN PHOTOS.

Many rocks are scattered across The Prom's beaches.

There is a lovely gap here in between these large ones, but I didn't go
 through this time, but maybe a bit more exploring is needed.

Looking out across the water to even more rocky outcrops.

I spotted these two birds waddling across the sand.  I've checked my bird guide, but can't seem to find what they are.
Maybe a Dusky Moorhen, but I think they are way too dark.

More of that lovely white sand.

Squeaky Beach from a viewing bay on the way home/

JUST A BIT OF NATURE.

Texture.

Odd shapes.

Just emerging.

Now Sunday morning and what a difference from yesterday.  After 30+° , today will only be 17° & the wind is already blowing a hooley.  There is to be some sun, rain & maybe thunderstorms.  Ah well, maybe a bit of sewing, getting my Photo Hunt post done ready to hit publish while away at the end of next week, doing a spot of child minding, is the best  way to fill in day like this.
Hope you are having a great weekend all.  Take care & huggles.
Susan.