Back home

Hello everyone.  I'm back from my two week visit to see Mum in Western Australia where I had a wonderful and busy time with many laughs and a lot of fun.  We were up quite late one night with my nephew visiting and as we were peckish, Mum made pancakes at 1.30 in the morning for a snack.  We were giggling like a pair of school girls at the ridiculousness of it all, we might have been just a tad tired too when everything seems so funny even if it isn't.

Sunday night back in Melbourne I was presented with this platter of goodies made by Genevieve.  The cake is an apple and berry teacake and is surrounded by mini chocolate mousse in shot glasses and lemon melting moments.

My thanks to Genevieve who spent Saturday making these, a big sacrifice of her time as she is loaded with uni assignments and lectures to catch up on.

While my body may be back in Victoria, my mind often turns back to the time spent in Western Australia remembering childhood activities and marveling at the total difference in terrain to the part of Victoria where I live.  I had a go at making daisy chains from Cape weed daisy flowers, something we use to do as kids.  I had forgotten how much yellow pollen gets on your hands and clothes.

 

Another place full of childhood memories, the old log my sister and I would use for pretend tables and chairs.  We were supposed to be gathering kindling for the wood heater but as is the way with kids, there were other more interesting things to do.

With daisy chain in hand I took some photos with the idea in mind I might photograph something suitable for a still life painting at a later date.  One of these might do.

So now it is back to the routine.  The garden is clamoring for attention, a little pruning was achieved today but there is weeding, sowing some vegetable seeds and planting annuals for spring and summer colour.  The grass needs a trim which might have to wait until it dries out a little more.

Wishing you all a fabulous week.

Anne  xx

Travelling The Great Ocean Road

Today hubby, cousin Jane and I came home from a very enjoyable two day trip along the Great Ocean Road, Victoria.  It surely has to be one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to, the second time I've visited but even more impressive second time round.  We stayed in Port Campbell last night and went back to view the 12 Apostles again this morning to enjoy them in the different light from yesterday afternoon.  Loch Ard Gorge was so beautiful, The Bay of Islands spectacular.  On our first day along the way we stopped off to take a walk through Mait's Rest rainforest walk which was magical and I discovered a tree that grows in Victoria and Tasmania I had never seen or heard of before, the Myrtle Beech.  As we were walking, oohing and ahhing, I couldn't stop thinking about how much Louise and Dave would have enjoyed this walk.  Here are some photos of our time away.

Jane and I dunking our feet in the very balmy water of a rock pool.

 

Mait's Rest rainforest walk.

The trunk of a Myrtle Beech

Late afternoon at the 12 Apostles beach area.

Morning photos of the 12 Apostles.

Loch Ard Gorge

This beach was lovely and we did a little foot dunking.

I absolutely adore this photo from the stunning rocky pillar to the colours.

After we finished viewing the spectacular Great Ocean Road scenery, we headed to Warrnambool for lunch and spent some time in the cemetery after to look for the graves of my great, great grandfather,  great grandfather and families which we found.  It was a lovely moment.  My great, great grandfather arrived in Victoria from England in 1852 with his wife and four children at the time (more were born in Australia), settling in Warrnambool.  He was 32 years old and died 10 years later from an unfortunate accident where he suffered a compound wrist fracture.  He contracted tetanus 7 days later and died 3 days after that.  A tragic story.  My great grandfather and his younger brother left school (they were in their mid-teens) and went out to work.

Our journey from Warranambool back to Melbourne took us through lovely farming country and we stopped so Jane could take some photos of the vast open spaces of our country.

Anne  xx