tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30720254241655249692024-03-14T05:10:20.063+11:00linda mayWhat's in my Heart and Headlinda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.comBlogger402125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-21675363556443738982014-08-19T09:21:00.001+10:002014-08-19T09:21:30.797+10:00Mental<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mental.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
G'day,<br />
On my mind. Some experiences I have had and seen over many years with family and acquaintance who have had mental health issues.<br />
Is it hard for you to handle?<br />
It is hard for them too.<br />
Do you want to withdraw your support and walk away because it isn't nice?<br />
Standing by them and for them is what they need now, not your withdrawal.<br />
Do you want them removed from your problem list?<br />
Would you want someone to stand by you if it was you with the same problem?<br />
Would you kick your son or husband or sister or mother out of home because you don't know what else to do?<br />
Do you think that will make them wake up to themselves?<br />
It won't , it will isolate them and make them feel worse.<br />
Won't they do it the way you believe it should be done anymore?<br />
Well ask yourself, am I the centre of the world and should everyone do it my way at all times.<br />
Do you know their current behavior isn't all directed at you?<br />
If it made you feel bad then you can bet it made them feel worse.<br />
It isn't fun is it, it isn't nice, it isn't funny anymore putting up with their behavior?<br />
No it is not!<br />
<br />
Do you recognize that their strange behavior is because of the problem and they will return to more logical thinking when they are well again?<br />
It may, but with help......?<br />
Do you recognize that the problem may return at times of extreme stress?<br />
Would you treat someone with cancer the same way or give them sympathy and support such as you feel you are unable to do with that mental health patient?<br />
For Sue, Pete, Mike, Sandra, Suna, Jude, Mum and many others and maybe even me at times.<br />
I love you, but it isn't easy to like.<br />
I know mental illness is debilitating and isolating and I am learning.<br />
I may not always get it right but I am trying to understand.<br />
<br />
Love Linda.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-21448595607211676792014-06-05T09:48:00.001+10:002014-06-05T09:48:16.718+10:00symbiosisHello Blog.<br />
I have been thinking this morning. At times a silly thing to do. I think today I should have an absolute no people day. Why?<br />
Well I have been thinking about the personality traits of the people I know.<br />
There are the ones who want to dominate.<br />
They will share their knowledge , which is really a good thing to do. But sometimes they are the only ones who know anything, or think they do, and with that knowledge they need to prove that they know more than you do and choose to contradict you at every turn and bash you over the head with their knowledge. They are the teachers. They don't understand when you withdraw.<br />
There are the cur dogs. They want to dominate. They do it by being sneaky and by throwing tantrums because they know that you will withdraw to keep the peace and shut them up by giving them their own way. They are the sort that will use underhanded methods to get their own way. Like a dog who fears to lose it's pack position so it sneaks around the back of the shed and up behind you to nip you unexpectedly to warn you off and let you know it is the boss.<br />
There are the fickle ones. They want to dominate via seducing the ones they feel are the most interesting. They only have an interest in you when there is nobody better, or smarter or prettier. Then you are no longer important to them and they dump you to move on to the next person.<br />
There are the needers. They maybe feel that they are doing the wrong thing and want to tell you all about it so you can tell them they are okay and doing the right thing. They keep you running in circles trying to find a solution to their woes , none of which they are willing to accept or create change to accomplish. They aren't interested in listening to you, they just want you to listen to them.<br />
Then there are the dumb ones. They aren't dumb, they just want to get everyone else to do their work for them.They forget so you have to constantly go over and, repeat again and again, until it becomes easier to just do it all yourself. They just want to be looked after.<br />
There are the takers. They take and take in every area they can. They want to take but never give.Goods, services, emotions, finances. They give a little but expect a lot to be returned.<br />
The truth is the title word "symbiosis" is what makes the world go around. You have to give and you have to take, hopefully the cogs turn and mesh. Sometimes unevenly.<br />
Sometimes, when you sit and think though, you recognize all of these traits within yourself, not just in others.<br />
Sometimes though you also realize that the people around you never will.<br />
Sometime.<br />
Sometimes.<br />
Yes.<br />
Definitely need a no people day today.<br />
Linda.<br />
<br />linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-66084901491600092992014-02-08T16:51:00.001+11:002014-02-08T16:51:19.790+11:002014 Almost<p dir="ltr">G'day.<br>
            It has been almost a year since I have written anything in here due to my disgust in the advertising bull shit and spam that now fills my comments. I hate these. <br>
Anyway, since I have been in here so little this post is an update for my own benefit, as I doubt anyone else would read it now days anyway......<br>
In the past year I have settled into our own home again. It is so good to have a patch of dirt that belongs to us again and feel the security of knowing (a!l being well) that the place where I live is safe from some other person selling the property out from underneath us as happened previously in rented premises<br>
My garden is growing and filling in with flowers. I get a lot of pleasure from being able to grow and harvest some of my own fruit, vegetables and herbs. I have chooks again, three lovely Australorp hens who give me enough eggs and some to share. There have been successes as well as failures with the selection and sometimes placement of plants, likewise with my dogs and chooks decimating certain plants and I have had to build fences and cages for some plants to try to protect them.<br>
I have met up and spent time with old friends and family whom I love. It has shown me just how much we need others in our lives. <br>
I am stepping out and making myself useful in the community which has led me to new contacts and friendships. One of these involvements has been with "The Wagga Sensory gardens " I started going there to try to help maintain and develop the garden. When I started in about March of this year it was a dry,dead, weedy place. I weeded, watered, carted mulch, scavenger for plants and made garden beds for them to go into. When the hot weather started I was skeptical that I would be able to continue. They got funding there for a 10 session horticultural course, which finished just a few weeks ago. Since then the gardens have come a long way in their development. We now have more garden beds, manpower came from  the course participants and a watering system has been installed which covers much of the developed area of the gardens. I organized a group of people from the course to come along to the gardens with me on a Friday morning to work there. We sit and chat and have morning tea there as well.<br>
As part of my involvement with the sensory garden I went along to another garden here in town, the demonstration gardens in Shaw street. This garden is a community style garden, run on a permaculture basis . I have learned quite a lot since going along there from the  man and his wife who run it. I feel that more new friends have been made through my going there as well. They asked me to go on their commitee and I have agreed but as yet feel I haven't really co tributes much there. They have a wood fired bread oven built in there that I am interested playing in, I have made some nice DTE scones one morning there at one of their baki g days, but as far as yeast cookery goes, I have a lot to learn.<br>
An old friend who I have been blessed with her return to my life has also gotten me involved with her work in Landcare. I have been going out to spend time with her and we plan seeds of local native plants and grasses that go back into the environment and to regional farms to restock their land with local species, sometimes even grown from seed collected on their own properties. I have learned to prick out miniscule seedlings that with love and care will turn into huge big eucalyptus trees, and tiny sedges that can be used to hold river and creek and dam banks together and which provide vital shelter for native birds and fish. I ha e planted wildflowers that blew away when it got windy but I still had their tiny seeds pop up and grow to a size, able to be handled and pricked out into larger pots to grow on. Worthy practices me thinks.<br>
I have been back to the potter's club here, my old stomping ground. We just finished an exhibition in the local council art gallery here. I didn't really have a hand in the organization of it but the few items I put in for exhibition went well with a few nice sales of some of my work.<br>
I guess there is quite a bit I have achieved  during the past year.  Personally and work wise. <br>
I get bored, I get busy, I get cranky, I am happy with me, I have been broke, such is life eh!<br>
I am still kicking and I am growing.<br>
The coming year has some exciting events for me to move towards.<br>
O.K. that's all this post. <br>
Love Linda.<br></p>
linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-65166499165029855942013-04-06T21:17:00.002+11:002013-12-25T16:44:43.236+11:00G'Day,<br />
Not much of a blogger of late. I haven't been in here much. Which was somewhere I chose to release my creativity in the past.<br />
Ah! the joys of parenthood, laced with the results of becoming the parent of a parent, and savignon blanc mixed with those stresses.<br />
Explanation?<br />
My Mum is now 90 years old and has been living with my husband Pete and I for the last 6 months. Taking turns as her carer over the last 12 years or so since my Dad died. She has been increasingly difficult to handle. Hence the comment " Parent of a parent." Increasing hearing problems which she refuses to acknowledge. Resulting in complete self absorption and regularly occurring tantrums. Today was a classic example. I tried to talk to her and reason to no avail, resulting in her admission that it was all my fault for being selfish and not giving her everything she wants and her own way at all times. Or; words to that effect. Today I asked her to put in her hearing aids, which was very obviously an enticement of my abuse and her tantrum. The latest of a probably fortnightly occurrence of her tantrums. So she hides in her bedroom after telling me what she thinks of me and refuses to eat, drink, or communicate despite my attempts to placate her. I know the drill and the resultant behaviors well now. AHHH, I just want to scream!!!!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w304MjtehiM/UV_yJW7rqZI/AAAAAAAADjA/8hFmOcQ_hBw/s1600/W.A.+2013+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w304MjtehiM/UV_yJW7rqZI/AAAAAAAADjA/8hFmOcQ_hBw/s320/W.A.+2013+002.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
On a brighter note. I recently enjoyed a trip to the other side of the country to Western Australia to visit my sweet daughter Annie and her partner Jesse. They live at Kalgoorlie which is a gold mining town in the central south of the state. They moved there about a year ago, even though she left home several years ago. Western Australia is just that tad too far away to be seeing each other on a regular basis and I miss not having easy access to her. I hadn't seen my baby in nearly 12 months.<br />
I am so proud of the two of them. Being so young and making the step of home ownership at their ages. A proud achievement.So, the above pic is of the mining museum at Kalgoorlie. it was once a real mine, as the derrick at the fore front or the museum attests.<br />
While we were there we purchased a hire car which enabled us to drive around tow and make several side trips. One of which was outside or Kalgoorlie to a small mining outpost of Ora Banda. Interesting place. Ostensibly being a mining outpost consisting or not much else than a local pub. We went there to have lunch. Very interesting. Most interesting to me though, on that trip was the marvelous diversity of vegetation in comparison to the bush we see back here on the eastern side in Australia which is mostly cleared farmlands and very different vegetation. The trees over there, absolutely marvelous. The salmon gums with their pink/ orange smooth bark and leaves which seem to sparkle in the sun. And the slightly smaller gimlet. Another type of eucalyptus which has a bronze colored bark.They also seem to sparkle and reflect the sunlight, I guess to reflect back the heat that is endemic to that harsh outback landscape. The understory of plants in that area is wonderful too, although at the time we were visiting, the famous western Australian wildflowers were not in full bloom, we did have a lesser display of flowers to ogle over. They are so different and diverse compared to what there is on the eastern side of the country.<br />
While we were there, another side trip was to a viewing area of a huge salt lake which encompassed another mining town. Amazing place. Red soil and rocks glimmering in the sun overlooking a huge flat salt pan. A place called K<span id="goog_1195239193"></span><span id="goog_1195239194"></span><br />
linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-45473469941344574452013-02-23T22:09:00.000+11:002013-02-23T22:35:34.934+11:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
G'Day,</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I am back in my blog tonight, doing a bit of an update on where I am up to. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We are now back in Wagga after moving here on 28th of December 2012. It sure was a busy and tiring Christmas and New Year this year. Moving house is always a very difficult and trying time. In the long run things will be good.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The employment situation doesn't seem to be going any where at the moment. Pete has put in for quite a few jobs and as yet has been unsuccessful. My friend Janelle, an old workmate, has given me a job for 12 hrs a week at her cafe. I am so grateful to her, but 12 hrs work isn't enough to pay the bills. She has helped me out and I di think her for it, don't get me wrong. My cousin's wife got me a fill in job at a motel where she works but there are even less hours involved with that one. I did some training there and didn't seem to fit in with the other girls so I wasn't called back to do more. I will be filling in when someone is away though. I put in for a hotel services job at the local hospital but bombed out with that one. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I did predict that work would be hard to get here in Wagga. The cost of housing in comparison to Canberra is very good though. The lack of employment is daunting, but I guess I am happy to have come back here where I have, in the last few months, been back in contact with many old friends and relatives who still call me friend, after not seeing them for many years. Work in Canberra was easy to get but I had nobody to have some girl talk with, not like I have here. So plus and minus. Oh well, something will come along.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We have been enjoying demolishing and renovating this yard we now have. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Here are some pics to accompany the progress.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BYl218H3ugk/USh0oIH5ZTI/AAAAAAAADhI/buQlKTSRekk/s320/nans+b%27day+and+before,+house+pics+025.JPG" width="320" /></div>
First pic is showing one of the over grown and neglected garden beds before we moved in. We dug and chopped and pruned and weeded and, and and!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IfUAl_MDy0o/USh0-GQgkwI/AAAAAAAADhQ/q7uQC_jFYbM/s1600/house+garden+progress+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IfUAl_MDy0o/USh0-GQgkwI/AAAAAAAADhQ/q7uQC_jFYbM/s320/house+garden+progress+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The next pic shows the work on this garden bed half done.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1vcaOLkkQGY/USh1V2OS3VI/AAAAAAAADhY/U334683fqWg/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1vcaOLkkQGY/USh1V2OS3VI/AAAAAAAADhY/U334683fqWg/s320/007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The garden bed is now cleared and some plants have been planted.<br />
The pink oleander, the salvia and the 2 old neglected roses are all that was worth keeping in here. <br />
My old friend Jeanette came for a visit the other day. She and I started pottery lessons together almost 30 years ago now. I moved away to Urana and left her behind. We knew each others children as babies and toddlers. Now our children are grown, she has grand children and both her girls are married. I am now officially an empty-nester for the first time in 30 and a half years. Strange how the years can pass, then when we met up again, via face book, she came to visit and the years seemed to disappear. We clicked back in together. As she said "We are lifetime friends". Anyway, she is now a horticultural teacher. She advised me that this bed would make a better vege garden that the other bed I had planned to put my vegetables in. So as I had planted some plants in here already, and didn't want to remove them. I decided to mix the two in together. There are now, spring onions, parsley, rocket and silver beet planted in here. They seem to be doing well, especially the silver beet which seems to have doubled in size in just a few weeks. I fed the soil this afternoon with dynamic lifter and had previously added worm juice when I did the plantings. My neighbors will hate me for stinking out their weekend, hehehe. Oh well it is only temporary.<br />
I have also had a lovely visit from another friend with whom I worked. Alison, she bought me a house warming present, a pretty wire plant hanger with three herb pots in it for me to plant.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Other additions since moving into the house have been built in wardrobes. Which are greatly appreciated because now I have storage.<br />
The broken air conditioner has at last been fixed. It took them 2 and a half months to do. I got very angry with the business provider and made a few nasty phone calls before they actually handed the job over to another business and it was done a few short days afterwards. Grrr. I was really sick of their mode of operation. Seems they kept us at the bottom of their list for who knows what reason and we had to go to the solicitors to get things going.<br />
Another pantry cupboard in the kitchen and a cupboard for the bathroom. White venetian blinds in all the front windows so they all match, the old ones were broken.<br />
A new king size bed which is great. Pete's joke the first morning we slept in it was. "I was going to send you a text message to say good morning" because we were so far away from each other in the big bed.<br />
We hope to soon have a solar electricity system installed on the roof. Just waiting for them to finalize things for us and come back to do the work. The system will provide most, but not all, of our energy needs with the option of any unused power that is made being sold back into the grid.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wcRRnsxos54/USh10y0FLYI/AAAAAAAADho/HmeI22Q7Kjc/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wcRRnsxos54/USh10y0FLYI/AAAAAAAADho/HmeI22Q7Kjc/s320/005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Garden bed at front <strike>is </strike>now planted up and mulched heavily. I think the rhododendron has got some nice new growth on it since planting it out into the ground. It has been in a pot for probably 10 years and been carted around from place to place with me. I hope it is happy where I have chosen to plant it. The silver foliage plants either side of it are Western Australian natives. They are grafted, as they are known to be sensitive to root problems that make them fall in a heap. I liked the contrast in the foliage they provide. It is called Eremophilla nivea, it gets blue/purple flowers. The gladiolus in this bed were here before me. I just shifted them around.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KTR19S8a_ZA/USh15kEZ1NI/AAAAAAAADhw/pIFSr3Vroi4/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KTR19S8a_ZA/USh15kEZ1NI/AAAAAAAADhw/pIFSr3Vroi4/s320/003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Two of the rose bushes out the back looked promising. They were very old and leggy, with lots of tangles and dead wood in them. Before I decided if I was going to keep them I pruned them back and forced them to flower to see what they were, even though it was the wrong time of year to do this. The poor stunted flower in this picture is from one of those bushes. I think it may be a peace rose by the looks of the flower. Btw I made that table cloth, hehe.<br />
The other larger rose bush I pruned back to force it to flower may be a Mr Lincoln. A big strong crimson red rose. It has lots of small flowers on it at the moment. The flowers will continue to improve with feeding, watering and TLC.They will both be staying.<br />
There were lots of horrible briar roses around the yard that I also removed. Also removed were the noxious weeds, privet, broom and cottoneaster. There is vinca in amongst some of the beds. It is an absolute pain to get rid of. It will take vigilance and work for that to happen.<br />
A huge viburnum dominated one side of the yard. It was cut down but it's stump is like iron, you can't chop it with an axe it is so hard. We also tried digging and poisoning it but it has now begun to re-shoot, so I poisoned it a second time. Wayne, our next door neighbour has offered to help remove it, as he has a chainsaw and is the owner of the local sharpening business so can repair the chainsaw,( his words, not mine) Hahaha. He is a nice neighbour.<br />
The lady on the other side of us is friendly but her husband has twice turned his back on us and won't acknowledge us. Go figure? Our conscience is clear, so I don't know what his problem is. Suffice to say, he won't get another chance to snub us.<br />
The man across the road waves to us, but we haven't met him yet.<br />
Wagga people are quite different to Canberra people. They walk down the street and look at each other. In the city people don't look each other in the face and talk in hushed voices. In Wagga they talk out loud and laugh together and stand around in the street talking. They dress and drive differently too.<br />
There is a box in the shed that has several hundred bulbs in it to be replanted. We found them all over the yard, so there must once have been gardeners here. As the many garden beds attest to. I am hoping the bulbs are daffodils. They look like either daffodils or jonquils. I guess as they have been neglected for many years they may not flower for me the first year. I hope with feed, water and TLC they will flower the following year.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pDlL3zFz23g/USh2D3tcu2I/AAAAAAAADh4/xuyeLoFS8Go/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pDlL3zFz23g/USh2D3tcu2I/AAAAAAAADh4/xuyeLoFS8Go/s320/010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
My niece Judy was here over the school holidays visiting her father and spent some time with me, which was lovely. She is an art teacher, when she was leaving she gave me this woven basket that she had made from found rope and string, dyed with turmeric. I added some twiggy legs to it using trimmings from the big old grevillea shrub that I removed from the back garden and hot glue. The yellow thread is antique sylko thread which I had in the back of my sewing kit.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3bax2cYxpNA/USh2QsEeChI/AAAAAAAADiA/2g4_crHOzG4/s1600/spring+2012+7+porcelain+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3bax2cYxpNA/USh2QsEeChI/AAAAAAAADiA/2g4_crHOzG4/s320/spring+2012+7+porcelain+025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I don't think I have posted these in my blog before. Before I left Canberra I made some candle and tea light holders out of imperial porcelain clay. These are 2 of them, they sit on the windowsill in my lounge room now. Porcelain clay is quite different to the usual pottery clay I use. It can slump and tear easily and is more fragile and temperamental, especially before it is fired.<br />
The pure whiteness of it lends the clay to become almost transparent when used thinly so it is good to use for candles, as the light will illuminate it and shine through. Lovely stuff.<br />
I am now back at Wagga Potter's club as a member again. I went there to do my first duty day in the shop today. I have missed that place. They had the AGM a few weeks back. I took on the workshop person's job.<br />
The Canberra potters society was great and I will miss my Thursday drop in group friends. It had government funding so the facilities there were extensive and I will miss that. But..... Wagga potters club is like an old friend to me. Some members have gone, some have stayed and there are a few new ones too. I made 6 small candle holder/tea light holder pots from imperial porcelain today. I hope they survive, I made them very thinly.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPfej04u1Do/USh2o2O2WtI/AAAAAAAADiI/D6l7m5_tS1A/s1600/christmas+2012+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPfej04u1Do/USh2o2O2WtI/AAAAAAAADiI/D6l7m5_tS1A/s320/christmas+2012+016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The pic above is my second son David and my Mum on Christmas day 2012. Due to the move back to Wagga we cut right back on this Christmas. We went to the banquet at the Southern Cross club in Canberra for our Christmas day lunch. It worked out well. No cooking, no left overs, no food shopping. Easier than doing it myself. The banquet was great, even if it was a bit expensive. In fact it was much nicer than I expected it would be.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_xDni_uQ9as/USh2vGb5joI/AAAAAAAADiQ/szKNJ4VByMU/s1600/christmas+2012+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_xDni_uQ9as/USh2vGb5joI/AAAAAAAADiQ/szKNJ4VByMU/s320/christmas+2012+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Nan, my Mum, 90 years old, bending Santa's ear.Hahahaha.<br />
A very young Santa with an old child. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KyZ5FQ8drTo/USh2y77RFTI/AAAAAAAADiY/qoPl_RL78as/s1600/christmas+2012+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KyZ5FQ8drTo/USh2y77RFTI/AAAAAAAADiY/qoPl_RL78as/s320/christmas+2012+013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Myself, Pete and David. Christmas dinner at the club. The pearl necklace I am wearing was a christmas present from my Mum. It is lovely, I don't think I have ever had real pearls before.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TtQRo3k5ZHo/USh225C55YI/AAAAAAAADig/WfM-Zdakz0o/s1600/christmas+2012+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TtQRo3k5ZHo/USh225C55YI/AAAAAAAADig/WfM-Zdakz0o/s320/christmas+2012+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Rufus doggie. On Christmas morning we opened our presents. Rufus got this blankie off Santa. He loves blankies and completely wraps himself up inside them, especially in the winter. His old blankie was too big for him. It was actually an old fake leopard skin fabric dressing gown of my Mum's that she had given him and I got sick of it always being dragged out and left in the middle of the floor. I got him this one, due to my guilt in throwing his old one out, hahahaha, he loves it.<br />
I have to get my baby car re-registered next week. It is such a nuisance changing registration from one state to another. I hope nothing needs fixing first, I may need to get 2 front tyres soon, but am hoping that they will let it pass the test. <br />
This week we purchased plane tickets to go to Western Australia to visit our daughter Anne-Marie. We haven't seen her for a year so have been missing her. Having her move to the opposite side of the country was just too far out of reach for us. We travel next month. She lives in Kalgoorlie. She and her partner Jesse have just purchased their first house and only got the keys to it a couple of days ago. I am so proud of her, especially considering their ages. She always was a determined kid.<br />
Summer is almost over. It has been hot and dry here where as in other parts of the eastern side of the country there has been catastrophic flooding closer to the coast and summers dreaded bushfires.<br />
Gotta Love Australia. <br />
<br />
P.S. Would the person/people who keep putting advertising on my blog comments Please Piss Off!<br />
I am not interested and I will not follow the links you have added there. I advise anyone who reads my blog to also not open these links. They are a nuisance. I do not want them. Do not put them on here!<br />
<br />
<br />
That's all for now.<br />
Bye.<br />
Love Linda.<br />
<br />linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com54tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-39884343800539288512013-01-06T22:08:00.000+11:002013-01-06T22:08:02.752+11:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uQkXryrx-do/UOlLOmdHseI/AAAAAAAADgo/5UWJOCBMpoA/s1600/nans+b%27day+and+before,+house+pics+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uQkXryrx-do/UOlLOmdHseI/AAAAAAAADgo/5UWJOCBMpoA/s320/nans+b%27day+and+before,+house+pics+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
G'day,<br />
Goodness me!<br />
Has it really been 3 months since I have updated my Blog? Yes...... well as the date says.<br />
Lots has happened since my last post.<br />
Pete and I have bought a home of our own, back in Wagga Wagga. Canberra was too expensive for us to purchase a home and stay there so , yep we now have a home of our own again. A home of our own is something I have craved since giving up our home in Junee to move to Canberra 4 and a half years ago now. This time has been scary for me because to get a home of our own has meant a big change, using Pere's superannuation and the full amount of the proceeds from the sale of our Junee home plus a loan to make up the small difference in the price of this house. Plus leaving secure employment in Canberra where we were making a nice living to trade off for the purchase of this house. We are now both unemployed. Scary stuff eh.<br />
Anyway, we have a house of our own again. We have been here for one week now.<br />
So..... about the house!<br />
It is a double brick cavity walled house in Wagga Wagga , which is the town I was born in , but haven't lived in for 28 years now. Probably built in the late 1940's by the look of it? 3 bedrooms, Lounge, dining and study area, very good sized rooms and a block of land a bit less than 900X 2 square mtrs in size. Solid as. So far we have erected a garden shed and done a few things to it, (mostly Pete's handiwork, which he has enjoyed doing.) See pic above. The soil looks good, the yard is quite overgrown and needs lots of work, but the inside of the house is pretty good. We have been waiting for the replacement of an air conditioner that is sorely needed ever since we have been here, there has been a monstrous heat wave across the southern part of Australia. The solicitor has told us that it will be actioned tomorrow, Monday, It better be. I hung the thermometer outside his afternoon on the clothes line in the back yard and the temperature showing on it came to 46 degrees Celsius. OUCH! Same is predicted for the rest of this week. I must be getting old because this has been unbearable.I had a drink this evening of diet cola and tullamore dew whiskey and now I just feel sick. Eeeeeewwwww. Afterwards a soak in the cold bathtub and a very light salad for the evening meal, but still feel yucky.<br />
But....... onwards and upwards.<br />
Last night here there was a spectacular dry storm, with lots of lightening and very few raindrops to accompany it. Scary stuff when it is so tinder dry as the lightening had the potential to start many fires. <br />
We are both looking for work. My friend Nellie has offered me 6 hrs per week at her Cafe in the early mornings doing food preparation but that isn't enough to pay the bills. Though I am grateful of the work. It is a start. At least I have friends in Wagga , long term friends which certainly beats Canberra where I only had acquaintances.<br />
O.K. other news. My eldest son has stayed in Canberra and is living with his girl, Amber, in a home unit.<br />
My second boy is in Wagga and my lovely daughter is now living in Kalgoorlie which is on the other side of the country from me.<br />
My Mum is back living with us here in Wagga, She had her 90th birthday a few months ago. She is feeling this heatwave terribly. She was quite sick from the heat last night. As I am tonight. We are taking care with her and keeping an eye on her. This broken air conditioner really sucks!!!.<br />
I haven't started gardening here as yet though I have a nice collection of potted plants that I intend to transfer into garden beds later, it is too hot to do at at his time of year. I have requested a quote to clear the tangled mess of plants throughout the yard here. This seems he way to go at the moment as a bloke with a small backhoe would be able to clear gardens, trees and noxious weed stumps much easier that we could do and remove the debris as well for us, so that I could begin planning and planting when the weather cools down again. <br />
Goodness When I was laying in the tub tonight I thought of all the good words that I should write to update and share in here tonight, but as I sit here at the keyboard they elude me.<br />
It is soooo hot.<br />
Goodnight.<br />
Love Linda. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-22882207235927448142012-10-02T00:54:00.001+10:002012-10-02T20:10:58.280+10:00Floriadne 2012 & Spring Flowers<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UkhWRqIOQYg/UGmbLI7HOxI/AAAAAAAADfk/n0zHv1Bqr50/s640/spring++floriade+2012+008.JPG" width="640" /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_MbdLbV9X3w/UGmWDS3XUtI/AAAAAAAADaU/pEVEfoEBgqg/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_MbdLbV9X3w/UGmWDS3XUtI/AAAAAAAADaU/pEVEfoEBgqg/s400/spring++floriade+2012+059.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
G'Day,<br />
Yep! You guessed it. Floriade is on here in Canberra again. It is a festival of spring time and her floral bounty. The displays this year, as for every year, astound me.<br />
I always wonder how they time everything so beautifully to have the flowers last for the whole time the festival is on. Especially so, as there is always changeable weather in Canberra at this time of year. We can get everything from frosts to very warm dry days, strong winds and heavy rain with thunder storms. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZY_DwR6jT6Q/UGmWLgsYBNI/AAAAAAAADag/DCvzAbE9qfk/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZY_DwR6jT6Q/UGmWLgsYBNI/AAAAAAAADag/DCvzAbE9qfk/s400/spring++floriade+2012+056.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
Not all of the photographs I have added for this post are taken at Floriade, I will label them accordingly for you.<br />
The first pic above his text is of one of my favourite reasons to go to the botanic gardens in Canberra.He is a Gippsland water dragon. The day I took this picture was sunny but cold and I disturbed this little bloke as he was trying to warm himself in the sunshine near the information office and bookshop area. He tried to squeeze himself back between the rocks to hide from me. On warm days and during the summer these dragons are everywhere in the gardens but more prolific around the waterfall area and water features.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The flowers at Floriade are centered around Tulips of all colors, shapes, styles and sizes. each year there is a different theme. The plantings are done in patterns and pictures which can be explored, worked out, if you so wish, and seen better from the heights of the ferris wheel in the park. To tell you the truth, this year I didn't even bother to try and work them out. I just enjoyed the flowers and tent displays.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_PGEpiF_vp8/UGmWTJNLwFI/AAAAAAAADao/j80BrNG4LWk/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_PGEpiF_vp8/UGmWTJNLwFI/AAAAAAAADao/j80BrNG4LWk/s400/spring++floriade+2012+054.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I thought these white and pink Tulips were lovely. Then again, I liked them all. You can see some of the under plantings in the closer photos. They included Hyacinths, Viola, English daisies, Daffodils , Poppies and Jonquils.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-geDrmw8CI4Y/UGmWbuiN_QI/AAAAAAAADaw/TLSC_tTtnww/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-geDrmw8CI4Y/UGmWbuiN_QI/AAAAAAAADaw/TLSC_tTtnww/s400/spring++floriade+2012+053.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Same bed taken further back. these flowers must have to be some of the most photographed in all of Australia, going by the people there, nearly all if not all of them were clicking away. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BWQLnCIqJ2g/UGmWjzpUvOI/AAAAAAAADa4/QEWl2RKJpa0/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BWQLnCIqJ2g/UGmWjzpUvOI/AAAAAAAADa4/QEWl2RKJpa0/s400/spring++floriade+2012+055.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This is the lake in the centre of commonwealth park where Floriade is held each year. The bed of Daffodils are finished flowering. Of course you can see that can't you. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-79F1vMJRV9Q/UGmWsd46m1I/AAAAAAAADbE/EhZKb3lLTcw/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-79F1vMJRV9Q/UGmWsd46m1I/AAAAAAAADbE/EhZKb3lLTcw/s400/spring++floriade+2012+052.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
The beds along here were planted out with themed patterns. With some imagination you can sort of see that the yellow tulips here form a stiletto.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vbK3WD481bw/UGmW0aG693I/AAAAAAAADbM/Rhs-gYT2gQA/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vbK3WD481bw/UGmW0aG693I/AAAAAAAADbM/Rhs-gYT2gQA/s640/spring++floriade+2012+051.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Isn't this pretty. White tulips, small red tulips, white hyacinths and English daisies adorn this bed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UYbcNe7WG_I/UGmW8T0WE3I/AAAAAAAADbU/vwFQnza1kYQ/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UYbcNe7WG_I/UGmW8T0WE3I/AAAAAAAADbU/vwFQnza1kYQ/s320/spring++floriade+2012+048.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Another view of the lake , across one of the tulip beds. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I59QNtW2grw/UGmXEf8aapI/AAAAAAAADbc/Vq1XESkb1aI/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I59QNtW2grw/UGmXEf8aapI/AAAAAAAADbc/Vq1XESkb1aI/s320/spring++floriade+2012+047.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This purple Tulip wasn't sure which color it wanted, so it chose to be both purple and red combined. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JwewVJ4iSNw/UGmXLsUujEI/AAAAAAAADbk/e5ocHtWG2Cw/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JwewVJ4iSNw/UGmXLsUujEI/AAAAAAAADbk/e5ocHtWG2Cw/s320/spring++floriade+2012+046.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
A double white tulip. <br />
My hand, I stabbed it with a knife while trying to remove an avocado seed. How stupid, I know very well how to do that and went ahead to do it the wrong way. My fault, but I did have a very sore hand for a few days.Hahaha.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-neuBhqZg0u8/UGmXTRvTWQI/AAAAAAAADbw/UKuzI6RMc68/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-neuBhqZg0u8/UGmXTRvTWQI/AAAAAAAADbw/UKuzI6RMc68/s320/spring++floriade+2012+045.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
A white fringed Tulip. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E_Rh0UCVzPM/UGmXbXp-YAI/AAAAAAAADb4/qGJjmA4cs0Y/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E_Rh0UCVzPM/UGmXbXp-YAI/AAAAAAAADb4/qGJjmA4cs0Y/s640/spring++floriade+2012+041.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Along this walkway in amongst the trees and on both sides of the pathway, hundreds of white perspex peace cranes had been hung. It looked really good. You can't see it very well in the photos though.<br />
The picture below this shows a closer example of the cranes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AKzfCIWqdMk/UGmXjWTlFqI/AAAAAAAADcA/IQxli4Ylaik/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AKzfCIWqdMk/UGmXjWTlFqI/AAAAAAAADcA/IQxli4Ylaik/s320/spring++floriade+2012+044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mqSbz7-CC_Q/UGmXroIScrI/AAAAAAAADcM/sEXP27l9IC0/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mqSbz7-CC_Q/UGmXroIScrI/AAAAAAAADcM/sEXP27l9IC0/s320/spring++floriade+2012+039.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Red Tulips. I love red. There were many different shades of red amongst the tulips displayed. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EOs54m-u5oE/UGmX0RGceaI/AAAAAAAADcU/WNte5BQy4LA/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EOs54m-u5oE/UGmX0RGceaI/AAAAAAAADcU/WNte5BQy4LA/s640/spring++floriade+2012+037.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
The yellow, red and purple tulips in this bed were planted so that they were different heights and rose and fell like a big quilt or clouds or rippling waves.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CrBhAr5fmDQ/UGmX8IhRzWI/AAAAAAAADcc/un1hjai3N-o/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CrBhAr5fmDQ/UGmX8IhRzWI/AAAAAAAADcc/un1hjai3N-o/s640/spring++floriade+2012+035.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Red red tulips, red English daisies and the smaller red parrot tulips .<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aA2I81Anaq4/UGmYElhdS0I/AAAAAAAADck/I_lqzfIIYCY/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aA2I81Anaq4/UGmYElhdS0I/AAAAAAAADck/I_lqzfIIYCY/s320/spring++floriade+2012+033.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
These raised beds were in the Bunnings display area. They were planted with edible things, leafy greens, herbs and vegetables. I want these for my new yard when I move. They are a better height than many raised beds that I have seen and of a proportion that allowed you to stand and reach across to tend the plants, without getting down on my haunches and hurting my stupid legs and knees. Because they are metal they would hopefully last for many years as well.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vW2-quGdJ-Q/UGmYVrlcuZI/AAAAAAAADc4/ReYGiDYbFz0/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vW2-quGdJ-Q/UGmYVrlcuZI/AAAAAAAADc4/ReYGiDYbFz0/s320/spring++floriade+2012+030.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I love Poppies. These ones are either Artists poppies or Iceland poppies. They are tough annuals so will grow easier than the big poppies.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Below is a closer view of a gorgeous poppy. These flowers say "Spring!" to me.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iRXIjIUUJ4A/UGmYdZaUdMI/AAAAAAAADdA/PMZrrFRUXNE/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iRXIjIUUJ4A/UGmYdZaUdMI/AAAAAAAADdA/PMZrrFRUXNE/s640/spring++floriade+2012+031.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lwvtQZv3KDg/UGmYllIEn0I/AAAAAAAADdI/ABF68xkT9rE/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lwvtQZv3KDg/UGmYllIEn0I/AAAAAAAADdI/ABF68xkT9rE/s320/spring++floriade+2012+029.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
A big bed of little white daisies. Oh my do you think I can remember their proper name? <br />
I know I should but........<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DC6Np5aL_ro/UGmYvvtUhzI/AAAAAAAADdU/mz4er-UN0ZU/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DC6Np5aL_ro/UGmYvvtUhzI/AAAAAAAADdU/mz4er-UN0ZU/s320/spring++floriade+2012+028.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
A big steam powered Calliope that is at Floriade every year. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ox-XYttZeg4/UGmY4RJp9jI/AAAAAAAADdc/bIlxmGIdumk/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ox-XYttZeg4/UGmY4RJp9jI/AAAAAAAADdc/bIlxmGIdumk/s640/spring++floriade+2012+026.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
The next lot of photos I have displayed in this post are not taken at Floriade. The scene above is taken from The Red Hill lookout. Which is one of several placed on the hills around Canberra to view the city from different angles.In the center you can see the big flagpole that sits above new Parliament house. The lake beyond is Lake Burley Griffin. Named after the bloke who won the competition to design Canberra. It runs through the city and is made by the damming of the Molongolo river, which flows down into the Murrumbidgee river. Peter and I were up there last weekend and went into the restaurant/ cafe up the top for afternoon tea. I always wanted to go in there.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pMDGME4CxUY/UGmZAlLgtKI/AAAAAAAADdk/R2Pnp_pwrxk/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pMDGME4CxUY/UGmZAlLgtKI/AAAAAAAADdk/R2Pnp_pwrxk/s320/spring++floriade+2012+021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The next photo is taken in The Victory Memorial gardens in Wagga's main street.<br />
I think this is called loropetalum?<br />
It was in the sensory garden there. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a7scJXb3Xz4/UGmZI7iWBCI/AAAAAAAADds/t0HEQNU2Ofw/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a7scJXb3Xz4/UGmZI7iWBCI/AAAAAAAADds/t0HEQNU2Ofw/s320/spring++floriade+2012+022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Sweet Williams in the Victory Memorial Gardens, Wagga. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5soc5oJ-Ofc/UGmZQ1g8y7I/AAAAAAAADd4/wNX1GYJkRdQ/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5soc5oJ-Ofc/UGmZQ1g8y7I/AAAAAAAADd4/wNX1GYJkRdQ/s320/spring++floriade+2012+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Orange Calendula. Wagga gardens again. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2ErC236Vm_Y/UGmZYrJT-3I/AAAAAAAADeA/4oLhmLV_Z2w/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2ErC236Vm_Y/UGmZYrJT-3I/AAAAAAAADeA/4oLhmLV_Z2w/s320/spring++floriade+2012+020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Perfect yellow Calendula. Wagga again. <br />
We sat in the park here at lunchtime and phoned the real estate lady to make an offer on the house we are going to buy. So, another memory made. Another memory to add to times spent in this park over many years of visits during my life.<br />
As a child, feeding the ducks and being scared of the honking geese there.<br />
Of running through here barefoot and grubby, climbing on the trees, putting my bare feet in the lagoon and poking the water with sticks at 10 years old.<br />
Of the possum who made us teenaged girls scream and run when he showed himself in the tree that hung over the bridge in the main street right in our faces, late one night after a rock concert.<br />
Of other photos taken of my own children playing on the play equipment in the park.<br />
Of lunchtime meetings with my husband in the park for lunch, when he worked at the council across the road when my eldest son was a baby.<br />
Of soft serve ice creams that melted and ran down your arms and shirt in the summer heat, bought from the dairy delight shop just around the corner in the main street, now closed.<br />
Or my children, in their teens, laughing wildly as a bird pooped on my head while we had a picnic lunch of Kentucky Fried chicken there.<br />
Of attempts to escape into the shade of big trees on hot sweltering summer days .<br />
Or waiting as a child to stand underneath that huge old pine tree to see the Christmas lights turned on.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-05QtJxEAUS8/UGmZg76ymiI/AAAAAAAADeI/CHORXwMXHtk/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-05QtJxEAUS8/UGmZg76ymiI/AAAAAAAADeI/CHORXwMXHtk/s640/spring++floriade+2012+016.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
The pic above is at Wagga again. A bright bed of Livingstone daisies and viola.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o72z3Uac66c/UGmZowkNowI/AAAAAAAADeQ/ITpfD8uWjIM/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o72z3Uac66c/UGmZowkNowI/AAAAAAAADeQ/ITpfD8uWjIM/s320/spring++floriade+2012+015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Back in Canerra one of my favorite Sunday things to do is go to the Kingston Bus depot markets. They have gourmet foods and plants, craft and arts, buskers, a food hall area, antiques and a junk place out the back.<br />
One of the things I will miss when I move from Canberra is this place.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XhB18FQLeP4/UGmZw55CnOI/AAAAAAAADec/NX2VswrVpmc/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XhB18FQLeP4/UGmZw55CnOI/AAAAAAAADec/NX2VswrVpmc/s320/spring++floriade+2012+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Kingston markets again. The still warm woodfired bread, antipasto, and strawberries are a highlight.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ARFo1d8Sw4Q/UGmapBVpnTI/AAAAAAAADe0/pyvv_X48LKA/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ARFo1d8Sw4Q/UGmapBVpnTI/AAAAAAAADe0/pyvv_X48LKA/s320/spring++floriade+2012+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
These next pics are of the orchids at the botanic gardens again. Don't know their names. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2UqQQ8yuGGE/UGmax7lv6DI/AAAAAAAADfI/2zVArEv6dIY/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2UqQQ8yuGGE/UGmax7lv6DI/AAAAAAAADfI/2zVArEv6dIY/s320/spring++floriade+2012+011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-17MfihNlS58/UGma53VrwuI/AAAAAAAADfQ/ZddfH7X4H4k/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-17MfihNlS58/UGma53VrwuI/AAAAAAAADfQ/ZddfH7X4H4k/s320/spring++floriade+2012+010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dEEiWxYnqXQ/UGmbCOagAiI/AAAAAAAADfc/LTx9LcgIto4/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dEEiWxYnqXQ/UGmbCOagAiI/AAAAAAAADfc/LTx9LcgIto4/s320/spring++floriade+2012+009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The color of this orchid reminds me of little eggs.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5znJZjOTaa0/UGmbTZvXPeI/AAAAAAAADfs/qPQCQQebOkE/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5znJZjOTaa0/UGmbTZvXPeI/AAAAAAAADfs/qPQCQQebOkE/s640/spring++floriade+2012+004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vPGqZz24psA/UGmbcYznSGI/AAAAAAAADf0/z9ZL18WVpSo/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vPGqZz24psA/UGmbcYznSGI/AAAAAAAADf0/z9ZL18WVpSo/s320/spring++floriade+2012+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Little papery daisies planted near the waterfalls at the royal botanic gardens, Canberra. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1FnCWDZqTyE/UGmbk1B03eI/AAAAAAAADgA/e7bMMQ87adE/s1600/spring++floriade+2012+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1FnCWDZqTyE/UGmbk1B03eI/AAAAAAAADgA/e7bMMQ87adE/s320/spring++floriade+2012+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
And last but not least here are a more few pics of the Gippsland water dragons at the botanic gardens in Canberra. They are great little critters aren't they. This one is medium sized.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
That's all folks<br />
Good Night!linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-88067805765402265722012-09-28T22:30:00.000+10:002012-09-28T22:30:57.624+10:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y6Ec1qKRaG0/UGVxVQZubEI/AAAAAAAADZo/O75L_ypx1cM/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y6Ec1qKRaG0/UGVxVQZubEI/AAAAAAAADZo/O75L_ypx1cM/s320/005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
G'Day.<br />
I hope if anyone reads this post they are well and happy in their lives. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OIO7-0uTaKU/UGVxeY_fLkI/AAAAAAAADZw/gzzWZs2W9kY/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OIO7-0uTaKU/UGVxeY_fLkI/AAAAAAAADZw/gzzWZs2W9kY/s320/006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Floriade is on the tele (Better Homes and Garden's show) at the moment as I write. I hope to go there for a look tomorrow. It is spring time here.<br />
Oh I so love spring, don't you? It is my favorite season. <br />
Since I have been in here writing my story, there have been changes happening in my life.<br />
I thought I would record them here.<br />
I am being positive at moving forwards towards our future.<br />
We are in the process of purchasing a house in my old home town of Wagga, New South Wales.<br />
The house is an old double red brick place probably built in the late 1940's or early 50's going by my knowledge of the housing styles in the area. It is solid as the proverbial brick s**t house.<br />
In fact the building report has stated that the timbers in it are much harder and stronger than the recommended building standards require. No movement in the building and the pest report that is required of such purchases states that there are no problems as well.<br />
All is go!<br />
I am pleased to have found a house that is also out of the residential areas of Wagga that I suspect will become lower class (rough) in the near future. It is however on the brink of a semi industrial area, I don't see that as a problem, but more of an asset if we need to sell for what ever reason in the future.<br />
The house is in reasonable walking and close driving distance to the main CBD of Wagga. Tick. <br />
Otherwise it seems to tick the boxes of what we are looking for to settle and retire. It has nice big rooms.<br />
A good size yard, even though it may take a bit of work to make it what we want. But that should be totally enjoyable for me.<br />
Just under the 900 square meter block. So, room to build a studio and work shed for us and have a chook yard and garden. Albeit there will be some work to remove old cement cracked pathways that radiate throughout the back yard. there is a humongous old hills type rotary clothes line that will have to go.<br />
I have been looking at chicken suppliers today. At the different breeds and how to get them.<br />
Oh this is going to be so much fun!<br />
We are in the process of prioritizing the things that we need first to make this home into ours.<br />
We have finance approved. Tick.<br />
One thing though. The contract arrived by mail today. It was drenched and dripping from the horrid weather we are having, but also our names were spelled wrong. So it will have to be returned and rectified. Minor setback.<br />
Then we need a fence to keep beloved little doggie Rufus safe. To be achieved.<br />
Then next; a tin prefab shed to store all our jumk in and later to store gardening gear in as there is no storage in the yard..<br />
The house does not have built in wardrobes but there is plenty of room in each of the 3 bedrooms to have them added. There are 3 joinery type businesses just near the house.<br />
Minor repairs to one tile on the roof, and a drawer front in the kitchen is missing, yep easy!<br />
I said minor repairs, as the interior of the house is in very good order, the kitchen and bathroom have been modernized. <br />
The advert said it was a 4 bedroom home but as one of the (so called) bedrooms is adjoining the dining room and we will use it as a computer room / office area.<br />
The home is in a safe, flood free area. Tick!<br />
Strange. The building report man said that the heater in the lounge room is of a style that he had never seen before. It has a copper pipe running from under the house and the building inspector said he couldn't ascertain if it was for oil of gas heating? Maybe we could go to a metal working place and have an insert made to convert it to a wood heater as it looks like one of those old fashioned enamelled yellow looking wood heaters from the outside. I think they were called warmray. Chimney looks like it is still intact. Pest report, likewise, passed inspection, so no termites to eat the house away. They are a problem in Australia.<br />
Also has 2x air conditioners and an evaporative air conditioner, which will not be used as I don't like them.<br />
Other than that; I want to have solar power installed. I am not interested in having the amount of solar power that will require selling our power back to the grid, but rather supplementing the amount of power we consume and therefore reducing our exponentially growing power bills in the future.<br />
AND a studio to play in. Yes, I know I have mentioned this subject before but....I am enjoying the possibilities! And the planning that goes with it. I have an area envisioned that would be suitable.<br />
Oh I have plans!<br />
Although the plans for a studio are not a first priority. They do include an additional toilet as there is not a second one inside the house. Which is run from, as required of newer council requirements, water collected in a rainwater tank, as will likewise be the water supply to my studio/work area.<br />
It will be interesting to see the advancement and achievement of my dreams for that in a few years won't it? What has been achieved and afforded financially, as opposed to what is the dream?<br />
But......for now, I will plan and dream and, and, and, sign papers and commit my next few years to paying back the loan that will make it all a reality.<br />
Anyone who knows me will know that over the last 4 and and half years that I have lived in Canberra I have desperately missed having the security of actually belonging somewhere on my own little patch of earth and doing what I wanted on said block. You just cannot do that when you are renting someone else's property.<br />
Once you have your own place you have difficulty with the restrictions placed upon a rented property owned by someone else. And! the inconvenience of having to leave a property owned by some one else who decides to sell and move on to their next project, and finding another place to live. As has happened to us for the third time since being here. <br />
I do recognize that it is their property , but it is so difficult to keep moving after having your own place and doing it every year or so as we have had to do since moving to Canberra.<br />
I have loved living in Canberra, it is a great place to live and I have enjoyed living here. If I could change things and stay I would. But the fact is we can not afford to live here with the high costs of accommodation and housing in general.<br />
Work here is good, and I have always had the type of work here that I am able to do, be in high demand. To the point of being offered more work than I am physically able to handle. <br />
But that is not a future at my age, so I have to move onwards and hopefully upwards. I will have to look for work all over again in Wagga after not living there for 28 years.<br />
There are of course reservations in moving back to Wagga . There is one person there that I do not want o ever be in my life again, if I was to see her on the street I don't know what I would do. But. Hopefully. Hopefully that stage in my life is finished with. As hopefully my association with her, and her catastrophic position in my family is likewise.<br />
How do you trust again after such adversity caused by her idiocy?<br />
Ah well. That is another story eh?<br />
<br />
<br />
Anyway!<br />
Back to the beginning.<br />
The first photo at the top of this post.<br />
It was taken right outside my back gate here in Canberra, a few weeks ago. Wattle at the height of it's flowering.. There is a walking track/ bicycle path that runs along the back yard of my fence. Spring is here! Flowering wattle trees are endemic at this time of year here. I think the one out the back is known as the black wattle.<br />
Lovely isn't it?<br />
<br />
The second photo at the beginning of this post is also taken from the walkway at my back fence. It is my view of Mount Taylor. Canberra is surrounded by a ring of such hills and is in a hollow. Which explains why it is known as a cold arse hole of a place. It is lovely though. As these areas are preserved as nature reserves, it is a tribute to urban planning design, the bush and open areas are preserved for the future. Pretty special in my mind. We walked up to the top of Mount Taylor last year. When my old dodgy legs were feeling pretty good. I couldn't manage it at the moment though. It was a pretty steep hike. Well worth the trouble. Although along the cemented walking track lots of fit and healthy joggers do it all the time, it was a challenge for me. We walked up the other side, our side, and kept off the marked tracks. There are hundreds of Eastern grey kangaroos up there. Big and small. I enjoyed seeing the wildflowers that are endemic to this area. Some of them quite specialized and rare, considering we are living just a few kilometers south of Australia's capital city.<br />
O.K.<br />
Change of subject.<br />
9 weeks ago I went on google and found a lady near me who does Hypnotherapy. I joined her program to lose weight. So far I have lost 9 and a half kilos. It hasn't been easy but I think I feel confident I have mastered it. Rather than a diet, it is more like a lifestyle change. Well, so far so good. I am doing ok. I have lost the cravings and compulsion to eat things that I know are not in my interest. There is accompanied with the program, a lifetime support via email, phone and requested visitation with this lady. So far so good.<br />
Now I can look at something and say "Oh that looks Yum! But I don't want it and I am not going to have it." I haven't missed what I know is naughty food. I am resisting. I like it. The test will be when my Mother comes back to stay with us in a few weeks and pushes her habits onto me again. But...at the moment I am doing O.K. I will go back if the need arises to visit Ilona again for her help.<br />
Anyway, I guess that this post is pretty boring for others. Rather it is a log of my intentions and happenings at the present time. As the header said, What is in my heart and my head.<br />
Good Night.<br />
Love Linda.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-64466017470874584162012-08-26T22:25:00.000+10:002012-08-26T22:25:38.981+10:00G'Day,<br />
I took myself walkabout this weekend. Down to the beautiful south coast of New South Wales. Bateman's bay is only 2 and a 1/2 hours from here and is an easy trip.<br />
I see that the pic upload thingy in blogger has been changed since I was in here last. I have pics taken over the last few days but am not willing to work out the new system at the moment, so I will just write.<br />
I left on Saturday morning and stayed in a motel overnight. I quite enjoy being able to run away by my self sometimes for a bit of soul food. The bush and beaches down there are that to me.<br />
<br />
<br />
I walked along the beaches and tracks in Murramarang national park which travels along the coast just north of Bateman's bay.<br />
I soaked my soul and heart in the perfect blue - green - turquoise colors of the clear sparkling transparent waters.<br />
I watched the waves rise up, become transparent, change color then tumble over and foam, to be pulled back into the sea again and listened to their music.<br />
I got leg cramps all night long from the workout my stupid wobbly old legs had from walking too far in the sand.<br />
I stood still in the bush and absorbed the quiet and listened to the tiny rustlings in the undergrowth and the bird song.<br />
I sat by myself in an Italian restaurant and ate sketti bol and drank a 1/2 carafe of white wine.<br />
I quietly observed birds and animals, sneaking up slowly on them to get pictures.<br />
I drove along narrow lonely dirt roads at slow speed with all the windows wound down, because nobody else was around to bother me and I marveled at the beautiful forests and plants.<br />
I listened to classical music in the car that matched and complimented the scenery. <br />
I paddled in the ocean and laid down on the sand to feel the sun and embraced the earth.<br />
I climbed over rocky headlands and great rock platforms on beaches that could only be accessed on foot.<br />
I watched the afternoon sun turn white and grey trunk eucalypti silver, and sparkling in dappled sunlight.<br />
I traveled sandy walking tracks in the national parks, and saw rare plants and noted in my mind their difference. There was one particular type of casurina I hadn't seen before. The leaves and form of it were quite distinct.<br />
I absorbed nature's growth, regeneration, decay and beauty in her magnificent forests.<br />
I saw vegetation change in relation to its distance from the ocean. Tall trees, twisted windswept shrubbery, ferns, different eucalypt species, flowering plants and trees.<br />
I watched sadly as pretty introduced species had invaded the bush, because they had escaped from someone's garden.<br />
I looked in real estate agents windows at the prices and thought, no thanks, but wouldn't it be nice. <br />
I looked at animal tracks along the beaches and in the bush showing goanna, wombat, bird, kangaroo and lyrebirds markings.<br />
I especially loved the midnight blue, male satin bower bird at pebbly beach. Just gorgeous and so used to being around people that I could watch him without too much trouble. <br />
I marched in the sand alongside sparse people footprints, making patterns with my shoes and bare feet. recognizing them as I went.<br />
I drove down an isolated bush track high up on the escarpment that said Monga national park. I had previously wanted to explore it. Here I saw unspolied bush, different to the coastal variety, including tall, tall eucalypti and their understory of ferns and big old soft fern trees, thick leaf litter and decaying fallen forest giants returning to the earth. <br />
I stopped at cafes and ate my lunch at tables outside in the sun and chose healthy food. The mushroom and walnut burger was to die for.<br />
I drove safely and within the speed limit, and let speeding traffic on the highway bypass me. I saw one speedster get chased by a highway patrol car. Serves him right. <br />
I had a lovely time.<br />
Good Night.<br />
Love Linda. <br />
<br />
<br />linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com66tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-21593777524078086042012-07-20T22:39:00.003+10:002012-07-20T22:48:49.210+10:00Exciting.G'Day,<br />
My mind is whirring at the thought that we may be closer to having something that belongs to us. A home. A tiny bit of dirt on this big country that I belong to, may one day belong to me.<br />
We have been looking at houses, back in Wagga, which is my original home town, the place I was born, and where my children were all born.<br />
We looked at one that immediately peaked my interest on the computer. One of many for sale in Wagga. We had a drive past of it last weekend and the flag was outside saying open house. The real estate lady that I had emailed had told me a different time for the opening so it was by chance that we saw inside it at all. <br />
It is a 3 bedroom house about 30 years old, the kitchen has been renovated, there is a nice big enclosed sunroom attached to the back and a nice new big shed. The yard is a funny shape as it is in a cul-de-sac. It is quite a good size but ends in a pointy triangle at the back. We can get the caravan into the back yard easily. Also at the back of the house is another room that could be used as a 4th bedroom.<br />
I am trying not to get my hopes up, but, I think I want this one. In my mind I have plans already of how I may begin to work on the back yard. Dig out around the shed and make a retaining wall that includes a seat/bench and put a roof over it. Make that outside extra room into a room for Pete to have with his music and display his collections and stuff.<br />
We looked at a couple of other houses that were open, but although they were nice etc, they didn't appeal to me as this one has. <br />
I can have chooks again! Oh I loved having chooks. Such great productive little birdies. Also in the back yard is a large aviary. Hmmm not sure about that, I don't really want to fill it up with too many things to look after. I think the aviary is too close to the house to be a chook pen.<br />
Ever since we left our house in Junee I have been pining for something of my own again. I have missed it so much. Yes I know all the cliches. Its not the house that makes a home it is the people in it. But it was so special to feel that we had something that belonged to us as we did when we owned our own place.I have missed the sense of belonging and security that brings. A future.A place to practice what I would like to preach about garden, earth, sustainable gardening. All that and more. Get in the mud again and red Wagga clay.<br />
There are a few things that I am hesitant about in deciding to go back to Wagga to live. A few people whose presence turns me off the idea, but there are many other good people I still know in town that I can go visit and call on too. <br />
The other thing I love about the house we have looked at, is its position. It is in a flood free zone. Just 2 blocks from the Wiradjiri walking track and on the side of Willan's hill. A place special to me, a bush reserve dividing Wagga. Also within walking distance to the botanic gardens. My park. The place I played as a child, then frequented as a teenager and was married in, then took my own children there to play.<br />
I know I shouldn't get my hopes up and am scared to be so excited in case we miss this house and someone gets it first, BUT.......<br />
Wish us luck!<br />
Goodnight.<br />
Love Linda.linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-46604502552646035072012-07-08T22:15:00.002+10:002012-07-08T22:41:39.381+10:00Fiji Holiday.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-picasa-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-TcGxGGem6dM/T_ktXLcPyPI/AAAAAAAADTY/d266uJURZYg/s1600/fiji%2Btrip%2B055.MP4" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fredirector.googlevideo.com%2Fvideoplayback%3Fid%3D92c0a0c0724a3d73%26itag%3D18%26source%3Dpicasa%26cmo%3Dsensitive_content%253Dyes%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1344322141%26sparams%3Did%2Citag%2Csource%2Cip%2Cipbits%2Cexpire%26signature%3D4D7078838B4DE2EEB35E8CB6988F69240E1D2437.67DEDC90FB6D67C97484932D17E48BB3FA980998%26key%3Dlh1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fredirector.googlevideo.com%2Fvideoplayback%3Fid%3D92c0a0c0724a3d73%26itag%3D18%26source%3Dpicasa%26cmo%3Dsensitive_content%253Dyes%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1344322141%26sparams%3Did%2Citag%2Csource%2Cip%2Cipbits%2Cexpire%26signature%3D4D7078838B4DE2EEB35E8CB6988F69240E1D2437.67DEDC90FB6D67C97484932D17E48BB3FA980998%26key%3Dlh1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
G'Day all,<br />
Or should I say Bula! Warning. This is a long long post.<br />
Yes we went on our Fiji holiday and have been home a week today. I loved it, but then again I knew I would, I have always had an interest in tropical islands. That might be a hangover from my very early life in the tropics or the influence of old movies and records which I loved growing up, I knew by heart the soundtrack to "South Pacific" which was in my parents music collection and of course played as a tele movie every school holidays. <br />
Anyway, we got to experience some of those special islands ourselves.<br />
Some Fiji info; Fiji is a short 4 hr flight from Sydney. There is a 2 hour time difference. The population of Fiji is 900.000. Made up of 50% indigenous Fijians, 40% people of Indian descent, the other 10% is made up of Japanese, Asian and European people. Cannibalism was rife in the early days of Fiji but has not been practiced for the last few centuries. Wages here are very low, I was talking to a taxi driver and he told me that the people who work at the resorts earn $3 fiji an hour or $5 if they are supervisors. I was also talking to a lady called Lemba, she was one of the activities officers, who made me a woven hat from palm leaves, she said she was from Lautoka, which is the 2nd biggest city in Fiji and she was saying she had 3 children who lived with her parents from the ages of 3 to 11. She works at the Mana island resort (owned by the Japanese) for 11 days straight, then goes home for 3 days off. I don't know if her accommodation, travel and keep is included as part of her wages or she has to pay extra for that but she lives in the staff village while working on the island.<br />
The majority of people are employed in agriculture., Fiji's main export industry in Sugar, they are also known for vanilla production. People live in villages governed by a village chief to whom they refer their problems rather than the police.I think it kind of nice to live in those villages where people know each other and their families for generations despite the state of some of the housing.<br />
The Fijian people are a handsome race, or, I thought they were. They all seem to move with languid grace, appropriate to the climate I guess.They seem strong and well built and always singing and laughing whether it be as entertainment or just as they go about their daily activities. We were sung to in welcome, to share their culture and in leaving the lovely places we visited. They particularly love children and are very good with them.<br />
The video above is called a spear dance and was held as a welcome to us who took part in a tour that included a ride up the river to a traditional village, a visit to see the village school, have lunch, a swim in a waterfall, a ride on a bamboo raft and a very hairy ride along the very interesting Fijian roads, quite an experience is the traffic and road conditions over there! Hahahaha!<br />
On our way to and from the resort on the main island were roadside stalls made from unfinished wood cut straight from the bush and tied and nailed together. On these stalls were stacked oranges and papaya. I looked at the oranges and thought they looked green, speckled and not very nice. The same oranges were included in our buffet meals. They were very sweet and had lots of seeds in them. I wondered what sort they were as they were quite different than the type we see in shops here. The papaya was beautiful too, tasting different to the ones we get here, but I guess the ones we get here had to be picked under ripe to travel as they are a very soft fruit.I also saw stalls with live mud crabs trussed up and bright luscious flowers for sale. Oranges, watermelon, melons and pineapple were a constant on the menus, and used to decorate the pretty cocktail drinks we tried, yummy. I should have taken more pics of those.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C9loq3nwxS8/T_kv0p1WE0I/AAAAAAAADS4/o4xQeGmyYno/s1600/fiji+trip+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C9loq3nwxS8/T_kv0p1WE0I/AAAAAAAADS4/o4xQeGmyYno/s320/fiji+trip+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Our first stop off was at the Warwick Resort on the coral coast of Viti Levu. Viti Levu is the biggest island of the Fijian group. The capital city is Suva and we landed at the airport which is in Nadi, which is pronounced with an extra n. So Nandi. Other languages confuse me, and I can't understand the differences between their spelling and the English spelling and pronunciation that I have in my head. Oh well, hehehe.<br />
the pic above is of the beach at the Warwick resort. It was interesting walking along here as many local villages front on to the beach as well and we watched local people walk straight out into the water and go fishing with nets and hand lines.Also along the roadsides we saw people carrying BIG bush knives and machetes, going to work the fields, I wouldn't want to mess with one of them. <br />
On the way to the first place we stayed in we smiled to see the local bushfire brigade doing a burn off on the side of the hill. The fire was sizzling away and the firemen were laying down on the grass watching it, (supervising) hahaha.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-42K4unq4ImU/T_kv9csADlI/AAAAAAAADTA/SxY5KEi37XQ/s1600/fiji+trip+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-42K4unq4ImU/T_kv9csADlI/AAAAAAAADTA/SxY5KEi37XQ/s320/fiji+trip+008.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
Next few pics are of close up stuff along the beach near the Warwick. I like putting bits and bods together and taking close ups.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DTCVs0BHgHU/T_kwF5Q5poI/AAAAAAAADTM/AB2wGG1axfE/s1600/fiji+trip+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DTCVs0BHgHU/T_kwF5Q5poI/AAAAAAAADTM/AB2wGG1axfE/s320/fiji+trip+012.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
Coral, sea urchin and starfish.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ap7vo0ZzGJU/T_kwOA02phI/AAAAAAAADTc/6I-Fy_Rh798/s1600/fiji+trip+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ap7vo0ZzGJU/T_kwOA02phI/AAAAAAAADTc/6I-Fy_Rh798/s320/fiji+trip+010.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
I loved this twisty big old tree between the beach sand and the forest on the banks of a creek that ran into the sea.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z7wtzhvmsEA/T_kwW2pEr6I/AAAAAAAADTo/rA4xrjwBbY0/s1600/fiji+trip+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z7wtzhvmsEA/T_kwW2pEr6I/AAAAAAAADTo/rA4xrjwBbY0/s320/fiji+trip+020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Another compilation pic.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pPQLlIJwb58/T_kwfdpmfTI/AAAAAAAADTw/MyNrMxFBoeg/s1600/fiji+trip+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pPQLlIJwb58/T_kwfdpmfTI/AAAAAAAADTw/MyNrMxFBoeg/s320/fiji+trip+018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The creek that runs onto the beach up from the Warwick resort. Loved the lush tropical growth. Some of the rocks you can see in the water are actually big lumps of long dead coral.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9AkIWzYP5Io/T_kwn8TavLI/AAAAAAAADT4/rzwKFLoT8Kw/s1600/fiji+trip+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9AkIWzYP5Io/T_kwn8TavLI/AAAAAAAADT4/rzwKFLoT8Kw/s320/fiji+trip+034.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Two big pots in the extensive landscaped grounds of the Warwick.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JZKIc_k8Lhw/T_kwvylPJTI/AAAAAAAADUA/grPQ19NRCEE/s1600/fiji+trip+041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JZKIc_k8Lhw/T_kwvylPJTI/AAAAAAAADUA/grPQ19NRCEE/s320/fiji+trip+041.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The first 2 days we were there the weather wasn't too brilliant. But it didn't dampen our spirits, or the afternoon cocktail tasting. I think this was pineapple,coconut and raspberry? The building and atmosphere here was beautiful but I had the feeling that the greetings that were given by some staff here were not as genuine as they might have been and I had a bit of a bad experience here. I left my prescription glasses in the room and when I came back to the room after the cleaning lady had been through I couldn't find them. Next day we went on a tour up the river that I mentioned earlier and still couldn't find them so went without them. When we packed our things to go to Mana island they were nowhere and ditto when I did a thorough check when we unpacked again. We made several phone calls back to the Warwick and after some passing around we were told that the cleaner had accidently picked them up and put them in her pocket and taken them home with her. Which was unusual as she was wearing a sulu, the local version of a sarong skirt, so I am thinking there were no pockets in that. I was assured they would be returned and sent to Mana island and I could pick them up from there. After several more phone calls I was informed that I could pick them up from the airport on the way home to Australia. Anyway I did get them back. But it was very suspicious.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YUdN3beih60/T_kw385Bq-I/AAAAAAAADUM/2lgAs_15CTc/s1600/fiji+trip+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YUdN3beih60/T_kw385Bq-I/AAAAAAAADUM/2lgAs_15CTc/s320/fiji+trip+023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Some of the flowers around the grounds of the Warwick Resort.<br />
The red flower above was quite large, probably 10 to 12 cm long.Don't ask me their names.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5_8bdkseFiw/T_kxAAeLjfI/AAAAAAAADUU/iYBUjtc0pQA/s1600/fiji+trip+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5_8bdkseFiw/T_kxAAeLjfI/AAAAAAAADUU/iYBUjtc0pQA/s320/fiji+trip+026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The people around the resort had these white lily thingies tucked in their hair.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MqOXoCCxp6w/T_kxIRbAANI/AAAAAAAADUc/9XJHpIHE1k0/s1600/fiji+trip+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MqOXoCCxp6w/T_kxIRbAANI/AAAAAAAADUc/9XJHpIHE1k0/s320/fiji+trip+033.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This looks like an iris of some kind.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r98lDeUCyow/T_kxQDSCOgI/AAAAAAAADUk/XahSRmHhawI/s1600/fiji+trip+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r98lDeUCyow/T_kxQDSCOgI/AAAAAAAADUk/XahSRmHhawI/s320/fiji+trip+036.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
These orchids were grown on posts in coconut fibre out in the open.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IIUpjS0ctQA/T_kxX5gztHI/AAAAAAAADUw/Eo81_qsMQKQ/s1600/fiji+trip+042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IIUpjS0ctQA/T_kxX5gztHI/AAAAAAAADUw/Eo81_qsMQKQ/s320/fiji+trip+042.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-efMDdVSbHEg/T_kxfKnCRPI/AAAAAAAADU4/inG-6Zqmvmc/s1600/fiji+trip+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-efMDdVSbHEg/T_kxfKnCRPI/AAAAAAAADU4/inG-6Zqmvmc/s320/fiji+trip+044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The photo above is taken on the tour we did up the river. The man is poling on a small bamboo raft. There were quite a few of these (large and small) tied up along the river banks.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YVII-XkSHj4/T_kxnWOLm8I/AAAAAAAADVA/cny0Q1GMyvk/s1600/fiji+trip+045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YVII-XkSHj4/T_kxnWOLm8I/AAAAAAAADVA/cny0Q1GMyvk/s320/fiji+trip+045.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
Photo above and below here are of the waterfall we went to on the tour. Some people jumped in and had a swim in the waterfall, I didn't, I am not very brave, I went in up to my waist on the stairs though.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6_wr9uZHBfs/T_kxvzavWDI/AAAAAAAADVI/Ux5_Koo85G4/s1600/fiji+trip+046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6_wr9uZHBfs/T_kxvzavWDI/AAAAAAAADVI/Ux5_Koo85G4/s320/fiji+trip+046.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
One of the two longboats we traveled in. It was really fun. The two guides sang and mucked around the whole time. In the bottom of each of the boats was a plastic bottle with the top half cut out, meant to be used for a bailing scoop. On the way back the faster boat kept dropping back and then running up along side ours and threatening to throw water at us. I think we all got pretty wet, it was fun going through the rapids too. Our guides were real entertainers.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rfPqvXrhJRM/T_kx4WuZF-I/AAAAAAAADVU/Y7AqOamGDX8/s1600/fiji+trip+047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rfPqvXrhJRM/T_kx4WuZF-I/AAAAAAAADVU/Y7AqOamGDX8/s320/fiji+trip+047.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The village (Namuamua) we visited was a christian one. Although it seems that they hold dear their culture and live according to custom and tradition. We had lunch there and visited the school. This is one of the classrooms at lunchtime. Everyone in together. I was quite shocked at their lack of resources compared to what our Aussie kids have. As you know I work as a school cleaner, and see how much we do have. They lost all of their computers and many materials during the recent floods. We took some books and made money donations to the school as did some of the other tourists.<br />
This village school had about 90 kids and the village has about 300 people. Schools in Fiji go from kindergarten to year 8 level. The village school is a boarding school as well. The people were very friendly and open, sharing what they had. I did find it a bit difficult (ouch) to sit on the mats during lunch and the welcome ceremony with my stiff legs and back.Afterwards they set up craft stalls, I bought a little wooden bowl, a sulu and a shell necklace.<br />
I felt bad because they seemed to have so little compared to what we in western culture have but then thought no... they mightn't have much but what they do have that many of us have largely lost is strong family and tradition and community and if they had the things that we have they may lose much of that culture. So it is really a double edged sword I am judging by. Culture is a terrible thing to lose track of. Money driven.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DmGl-5T0SQ4/T_kyA3-yHVI/AAAAAAAADVc/H6lI1DeULz0/s1600/fiji+trip+059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DmGl-5T0SQ4/T_kyA3-yHVI/AAAAAAAADVc/H6lI1DeULz0/s320/fiji+trip+059.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The lady in the red sulu (A Sulu is the fijian version of a sarong) was from America. She had a bag of lollies that she was sharing with the kids. Beautiful kids!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ptb1QMlQ-Lk/T_kyJT7hoaI/AAAAAAAADVk/qJ0d8rTBvPQ/s1600/fiji+trip+058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ptb1QMlQ-Lk/T_kyJT7hoaI/AAAAAAAADVk/qJ0d8rTBvPQ/s320/fiji+trip+058.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Below is a picture of an old Bure in the village we visited. The new one is much the same but I liked the look of the old one. Bure = fijian hut or house. Bula is hello. Vinaka is thank you, Moce is good bye. Moce is a bit strange, it is pronounced mo-they. See what I mean about spelling rules haha. They are the few words I can remember anyway.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X4tHix5ReMg/T_kyR24tfkI/AAAAAAAADVs/VOeomHbw_EI/s1600/fiji+trip+062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X4tHix5ReMg/T_kyR24tfkI/AAAAAAAADVs/VOeomHbw_EI/s320/fiji+trip+062.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Photo below is of a Bure on the river bank that we passed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4bVTuJpwyM8/T_kyaLppeWI/AAAAAAAADV4/dXHVogEslXE/s1600/fiji+trip+050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4bVTuJpwyM8/T_kyaLppeWI/AAAAAAAADV4/dXHVogEslXE/s320/fiji+trip+050.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Pic below is of one of our guides and my hubby Peter when we had a ride on the bamboo raft. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qUN-3bDXnCs/T_kyihyhJaI/AAAAAAAADWA/av_JpNzV2zI/s1600/fiji+trip+064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qUN-3bDXnCs/T_kyihyhJaI/AAAAAAAADWA/av_JpNzV2zI/s320/fiji+trip+064.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WC6WtI_QlfQ/T_kyrPXBDcI/AAAAAAAADWI/je6H6kDzrYE/s1600/fiji+trip+065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WC6WtI_QlfQ/T_kyrPXBDcI/AAAAAAAADWI/je6H6kDzrYE/s320/fiji+trip+065.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Riotous jungle growth along the river. You can't really see it in this pic but there is a waterfall behind there, one of many along the way.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-diuln8ucT74/T_kyziQzUOI/AAAAAAAADWQ/3yShpYeg_po/s1600/fiji+trip+068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-diuln8ucT74/T_kyziQzUOI/AAAAAAAADWQ/3yShpYeg_po/s320/fiji+trip+068.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The next part of Fijian holiday was at beautiful Mana island which is part of the Mamanuca group of islands. The photo above is taken from the catamaran we traveled on to the island.<br />
Mana island is the one in the distance. We spent 6 lovely nights here. I liked it much more than our stay at the Warwick resort. The food was nicer, the people nicer, atmosphere etc. If I return to Fiji I would chose here again as a destination. Not as posh as the Warwick but I liked it better. One of the staff told me about an old lady in her 80's that had been back twice a year for the full 40 years that the resort had been operating. The temperature was around 30 C but in the the summer it gets to 39c. Summer is wet season and cyclone season.<br />
The first thing that struck me here was the color. Perfect blues and the oh so unreal blue greens and turquoise of the water,emerald green vegetation and silky white sand surrounding us was just breath taking. <br />
At Mana island we stayed in a free standing bure in the middle of the island. There was no T.V or radio and I didn't miss it one little bit. Though I must confess I took my tablet to read books and my MP3 player to listen to.<br />
The island was serviced by a water desalination plant, We were warned that we should boil the water and that we might be best to take bottled water with us but, honestly, I have tasted worse water traveling around Australia to different towns. I couldn't see a problem with their water taste wise. Bottled water is available from the shop but is costly.<br />
The bure we had has a thatched roof and exposed rafters inside, which is how many other fijian buildings that we saw seem to be built. Our bure had a stone half circle built onto the outside in which was enclosed an outdoor, open air shower. I thought I might be a bit uncomfortable with showering in the open air, but it was no problem, quite a novelty, except for the leaves from the tree above sticking to my feet and walking inside. We took our own tea and coffee.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iUQkWZdPOGU/T_ky8cPRo9I/AAAAAAAADWc/ELearfgQC3g/s1600/fiji+trip+072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iUQkWZdPOGU/T_ky8cPRo9I/AAAAAAAADWc/ELearfgQC3g/s320/fiji+trip+072.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Pic above is of South beach, pic below is North beach. Just look at that colour.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WTk2-FnKOt4/T_kzFK8Pa-I/AAAAAAAADWk/5UhfU9_eg2U/s1600/fiji+trip+076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WTk2-FnKOt4/T_kzFK8Pa-I/AAAAAAAADWk/5UhfU9_eg2U/s320/fiji+trip+076.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Below.... this is my spot. Nothing better than laying in one of these hammocks reading and looking at the coconut trees swaying above you. Heavenly. This hammock was a bit low to the ground but I found another that was higher to laze in.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-673zW-xdLr0/T_kzNy2sFBI/AAAAAAAADWs/GBm4j9opedk/s1600/fiji+trip+074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-673zW-xdLr0/T_kzNy2sFBI/AAAAAAAADWs/GBm4j9opedk/s320/fiji+trip+074.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ovid7pWPsVU/T_kzWHz8akI/AAAAAAAADW0/g4C2AYLZWyw/s1600/fiji+trip+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ovid7pWPsVU/T_kzWHz8akI/AAAAAAAADW0/g4C2AYLZWyw/s320/fiji+trip+077.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Yes this is a red flower...you were right, hahaha. It is Fiji's winter at the moment so the flowers are not as numerous as they would be at different times of course. I didn't bother taking pics of the bougainvillea of the franjipani, everyone knows what they look like. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dpgdHMcKCSk/T_kzeUC-o7I/AAAAAAAADW8/JMIjT4PhftE/s1600/fiji+trip+085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dpgdHMcKCSk/T_kzeUC-o7I/AAAAAAAADW8/JMIjT4PhftE/s320/fiji+trip+085.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
We did a circuit of the island on foot. This is the view from the lookout that overlooks south beach. The island has an airstrip up this end, we walked around it on the way to the lookout. The mozzies live up there in the bush too, they had a lovely feed of me, they were very friendly hahaha. Up near the lookout there were trees with dozens of tiny skinks running over them. Some of the larger skinks had bright blue iridescent tails.<br />
Other tiny lizards, Geckos were making their funny little barking calls at night in the rafters of out Bure. They are so tiny and beautifully delicate, how can they make such a loud noise? Other wildlife on the island that I saw included doves, fruit bats, parrot finches, a beautiful bright emerald green with a red beak,red patch on their heads and above their tails where their wings cross over. I was also fascinated by the Bulbuls, they are Fiji's national bird, we watched a couple of them waiting for crumbs at the restaurant on south beach one afternoon. There were also some sea birds and herons, I saw black ones, grey ones and white ones, not all of them on Mana island though. As well as, in both places we stayed, were the introduced pesky nasty little Indian myna birds.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HoUmE0DF6rQ/T_kzvN7um6I/AAAAAAAADXQ/ge4eKDqe60o/s1600/fiji+trip+082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HoUmE0DF6rQ/T_kzvN7um6I/AAAAAAAADXQ/ge4eKDqe60o/s320/fiji+trip+082.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The pic above is also taken from the top of the lookout.South beach in the distance.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w_fKPMzgzwQ/T_kz3E_axdI/AAAAAAAADXY/i3uIWRtS2ZE/s1600/fiji+trip+089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w_fKPMzgzwQ/T_kz3E_axdI/AAAAAAAADXY/i3uIWRtS2ZE/s320/fiji+trip+089.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
This old boat was sitting just at the top of north beach near the staff village.I liked the way rain water was pooled in the bottom and plants were growing inside it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jjoyTNw888E/T_kz_qdLa7I/AAAAAAAADXk/g2Lc3B-Xrxo/s1600/fiji+trip+097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jjoyTNw888E/T_kz_qdLa7I/AAAAAAAADXk/g2Lc3B-Xrxo/s320/fiji+trip+097.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
Mana island has quite a few water activities available to play with. There is para-sailing. Semi submersible trips to view the coal reef that surrounds the island. Sailing ship trips, jet skis, kayaks, scuba diving and snorkeling, 2 swimming pools, a day spa. The yellow boat you can just see in the above photo was cool,the semi submersible, we went for a ride in it. The reef is full of tiny bright fish that you would otherwise only see in an aquarium. All colours shapes and sizes. The reef here is protected and part of a marine sanctuary. Coral planting has been carried out in recent years to regrow damage done by pollution, global warming tourism etc. They also have a program running to protect and record rare sea turtle egg laying and hatching on the island. Leather back turtles and green turtles live in the area.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cMB69GLlPXU/T_k0INBoD2I/AAAAAAAADXs/4XrObXgpoek/s1600/fiji+trip+091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cMB69GLlPXU/T_k0INBoD2I/AAAAAAAADXs/4XrObXgpoek/s320/fiji+trip+091.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This is a weird rock formation on one end of north beach. The islands are volcanic, I think this was basalt. Also laying on the beaches here was the volcanic rock, I think it is called tuff, it is like aerated stone and sold in hardware shops here as barbeque rock. When we walked around the island a sweet little girl from the village,(about 9 yrs old I am guessing) guided us back along the path through here to the resort, she was so cute. Years ago I have scrambled around areas like this no problems, now I find it quite challenging to my old legs and tender feet, I must be getting old.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yuxWE5YStlg/T_k0RFOFpwI/AAAAAAAADX0/PoEVDWY51Hk/s1600/fiji+trip+098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yuxWE5YStlg/T_k0RFOFpwI/AAAAAAAADX0/PoEVDWY51Hk/s320/fiji+trip+098.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
On one end of south beach there is another village and a pack packers area. (above pic) We walked around there too.On this walk we followed a path that went up over the hills and to the other side of the island. Along the way there was vegetable gardens amongst the greenery, banana trees, papaya, cassava and taro planted around. It seemed to me that there was a lot of subsistence type agriculture on the islands and also along the river that we toured up on the main island. The locals are quite poor and supplement their diet with home gardening. They told us that their cassava is the same as our potatoes, a food staple. Cassava is made into tapioca.<br />
The resorts we stayed at had buffet type meals with theme nights.I paid for our meals before we got there so that made meal times much easier.It worked out as $50 australian each, for 3 meals a day. At the fijian theme nights I enjoyed trying different foods, I especially liked the smoky tasting taro. They cook in earth oven called lovo. The fire is lit inside a hole in the ground, let burn down to charcoal and ashes then lined with leaves, food placed inside, then covered with mats and more ashes and left to cook. <br />
Entertainment was held in the main building each night at the resort. The resort band was nice and the highlight of the nights were the children (tourists) dancing and little boys trying to catch and jump on the disco lights, hahaha. One of the girls singing had a great voice. One night we went and looked at the board to see what was on and it said surprise . So we rocked up to see what it was. It was a surprise. Nobody came to entertain us, hahaha. All in good fun though. The night we left there was a bonfire on the beach. That was cool. The activities bloke had us divided into groups, there were New Zealanders, Aussies and a group of Americans and they had races on the beach, the Aussies won of course, mostly because we outnumbered the other groups by about 3 to 1, hahaha..<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cUIdQ-eCRi0/T_k0i9NB8aI/AAAAAAAADYI/dtTx-JvS_10/s1600/fiji+trip+114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cUIdQ-eCRi0/T_k0i9NB8aI/AAAAAAAADYI/dtTx-JvS_10/s320/fiji+trip+114.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The next pic was taken at the Fijian Bure on Mana island where they have activities and crafts. An old lady with the hat and the goofy smile, I wonder who she is? While I was there the craft activities included, weaving fans and hats, making a broom and hunting, husking, drinking and making ice cream from coconuts.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AXwLZN-TBcU/T_k0r4MuzKI/AAAAAAAADYQ/_yPwk77FlV0/s1600/fiji+trip+100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AXwLZN-TBcU/T_k0r4MuzKI/AAAAAAAADYQ/_yPwk77FlV0/s320/fiji+trip+100.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
These goats were on the beach in the village near the back packers area on south beach, I am guessing for their milk.<br />
When we walked around the island up this end, we came across another small very exclusive, expensive looking resort, over 18s only....oh I bet it cost a pretty penny to stay there.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WKxpPZ6lJ3o/T_k0yQXaMwI/AAAAAAAADYY/PTVpUQpyCV4/s1600/fiji+trip+122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WKxpPZ6lJ3o/T_k0yQXaMwI/AAAAAAAADYY/PTVpUQpyCV4/s320/fiji+trip+122.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The pic above was taken from the windows of the semi submersible craft we had a ride on. The pic doesn't do the reef and tiny fish justice of course. Ssshhhh, don't tell anyone... but that old lady with the goofy smile fell off the semi submersible craft onto the platform when she came back after the ride,she got her toe caught on the edge of the boat and was most embarrassed. hehehe, shhhh. And the silly old chook also fell out of her kayak, despite having one of her own at home. Hahah, watch her ride this kayak!<br />
The kayak was very hard to steer but worth the trouble because we could row out to and sit above the reef, because the water was quite clear, we could watch the tiny brightly coloured fish flitting in and out of the coral.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K_0gaNLXFE8/T_k05_6gFLI/AAAAAAAADYg/YlpqZkNz1gQ/s1600/fiji+trip+141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K_0gaNLXFE8/T_k05_6gFLI/AAAAAAAADYg/YlpqZkNz1gQ/s320/fiji+trip+141.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The next 2 photos are taken from the lookout above north beach on Mama island at sunset. The beach below is called sunset beach. Amongst those islands you can see in the distance is the island where the film "Castaway" with Tom Hanks was filmed. Because my sunglasses were missing, I bought a cheap pair of glasses, all they did was filter out all the yellow so they were not much use, anyway...... I took the second photo of these 2 sunset pics through the lens of the sunglasses and you can see how it filtered out almost all the yellow.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3xLsIPy4u6o/T_k1Bv3koYI/AAAAAAAADYs/j6Q-H34PEK8/s1600/fiji+trip+136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3xLsIPy4u6o/T_k1Bv3koYI/AAAAAAAADYs/j6Q-H34PEK8/s320/fiji+trip+136.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The guys below were singing to us as we were waiting for the boat to come to leave the island.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9U9RSM0bWrs/T_k1KOBmbcI/AAAAAAAADY0/fLAjYGa8Tnw/s1600/fiji+trip+156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9U9RSM0bWrs/T_k1KOBmbcI/AAAAAAAADY0/fLAjYGa8Tnw/s320/fiji+trip+156.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The boat below is the Seaspray. It takes people out on day trips and to a nearby uninhabited island on day trips. I should have done that, maybe I could have fallen off a third boat. Hehehe. Oh isn't that colour wonderful!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NpASsxGSops/T_k1Slt9YUI/AAAAAAAADZA/wJjyRBJAUZs/s1600/fiji+trip+159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NpASsxGSops/T_k1Slt9YUI/AAAAAAAADZA/wJjyRBJAUZs/s320/fiji+trip+159.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Pic below is of the same sunset, taken a bit earlier in the evening.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I8WoBn8Iqvw/T_k1bl1QZrI/AAAAAAAADZI/bNc3HDfAP6k/s1600/fiji+trip+150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I8WoBn8Iqvw/T_k1bl1QZrI/AAAAAAAADZI/bNc3HDfAP6k/s320/fiji+trip+150.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Th day we left, we had a few hours to kill before our flight so we caught a taxi into the center of Nadi to buy presents to take home for our family. Nadi a town of 40.000 people, so comparable in size to my home town of Wagga. The CBD was very busy, the road rules in Fiji are the same as Australian road rules but oh boy, I don't think they worry too much about obeying them, hahaha. In Nadi I didn't like the way many of the shop keepers tried to hassle us into their shops and sell us stuff. It made me uncomfortable, stubborn, not wanting to be bossed around by them and less eager to enter the shop instead of what they had intended.<br />
So my travel to a tropical island idea was satisfied. Then I came home again to mid winter. It was actually quite nice to feel the cold air on my face again when we returned to Canberra.<br />
Would I do it all again?<br />
You Bet Ya!<br />
That's all .<br />
Love Linda.linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-45807885273830639252012-06-11T14:19:00.003+10:002012-06-11T14:39:23.546+10:00National Arboretum, Canberra.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-picasa-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5FK-qG9Td1Y/T9VcNiu_ULI/AAAAAAAADRo/h-djNknY_MQ/s1600/National%2BArboretum%252C%2Bopen%2Bday%2B%252C%2Bsunday%2B10th%2Bjune%2B2012%2B008.MP4" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fredirector.googlevideo.com%2Fvideoplayback%3Fid%3Dcd168ee3c26ed840%26itag%3D18%26source%3Dpicasa%26cmo%3Dsensitive_content%253Dyes%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1339404441%26sparams%3Did%2Citag%2Csource%2Cip%2Cipbits%2Cexpire%26signature%3D1DCAB12A624FAE711623655C72EDAD97A0B7837C.775A6F03E53749E56E75DFDFB58AE2D33F7CC55A%26key%3Dlh1" />
<param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" />
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" />
<embed width="320" height="266" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fredirector.googlevideo.com%2Fvideoplayback%3Fid%3Dcd168ee3c26ed840%26itag%3D18%26source%3Dpicasa%26cmo%3Dsensitive_content%253Dyes%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1339404441%26sparams%3Did%2Citag%2Csource%2Cip%2Cipbits%2Cexpire%26signature%3D1DCAB12A624FAE711623655C72EDAD97A0B7837C.775A6F03E53749E56E75DFDFB58AE2D33F7CC55A%26key%3Dlh1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>Sound on.</div>
G'Day,<br />
Yesterday I went out to have a look at the National Arboretum here in Canberra and was very impressed at it's" masterpiece in the making" type of idea.<br />
Date, these pics were taken is 10th June 2012. One of the few days that it has been open to the public. Although it will be open each Sunday during Floriade, if you can get to see that and are interested. <br />
I bought a book while I was there so I could actually remember the details and quote them correctly.<br />
O.K.<br />
The National Arboretum was started in 2004 when a competition was launched to design the area.<br />
The arboretum covers an area of 250 hectares that were specially allotted to the purpose.<br />
The area was previously a pine plantation that was razed in the 2003 terrible bush fires that swept through the area.<br />
The winning designers were Taylor Cullity Lethlean Architects and Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects with the winning concept being "100 Forests, 100 Gardens". A long term planting of rare, threatened and symbolic species of trees for study, preservation and future generations.<br />
It is 6 km south west of the civic center of Canberra.<br />
I think in that shaky looking video that I took half way up Dairy farmer's hill I erroneously said that there were 46 forests already planted of the 100. That was wrong, at the present time there are more than that. None except the Himalayan cedars are mature at this stage.<br />
The official opening is to be held in 2013 which is Canberra's 100th birthday.<br />
The finished site is also to be the official home of the national penzing and bonsai collection which is at present housed in the park in the center of Canberra. It will also include an information/visitors center and children's play area, cafe/ retail outlet, plus interpretative self guided and guided tours and an area to hold concerts and events. There have already been opera/music events held there, with more planned in the future. No, I haven't been to any .....yet. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QjjZBGiT9kY/T9Ves1YvoJI/AAAAAAAADRI/-4DaTawA0gM/s1600/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QjjZBGiT9kY/T9Ves1YvoJI/AAAAAAAADRI/-4DaTawA0gM/s320/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The pic above is of a sculpture in place of a wedge tail eagle and nest made from recycled steel. Larger than life, like it's subject. The wedge tail eagle is the biggest eagle in Australia and second in size only to the American bald eagle on the world scale. It is placed at the summit of dairy farmer's hill. I walked up the steep side, puff puffing all the way , I should have driven along the road, hahaha. Oh well it was still a nice way to spend a sunny Sunday in winter, and a great way to put the old heart rate up. I made a few rest stops along the way. It was well worth it for the view. A 360 degree view across the whole area.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oZtPlVFtOQo/T9Ve1l1egaI/AAAAAAAADRQ/2Ls43Q0mRy0/s1600/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oZtPlVFtOQo/T9Ve1l1egaI/AAAAAAAADRQ/2Ls43Q0mRy0/s320/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Up the top of the hill are a few of these Aleppo pines which survived the 2003 bush fires. Aleppo pines have special significance as they are symbolic of the trees on Gallipoli, where Australian soldiers landed and were slaughtered during the first world war, but held the area regardless of their difficulties.<br />
This pic is from the top of Dairy Farmer's hill, looking towards the civic center, you can see why Canberra is called the bush capital. The bare grassed areas you can see below the hill are nearly all planted with young trees to develop into the forests for the site. <br />
Also impressive; you can see the dam at the bottom of the site. It is at the bottom of a thoughtfully terraced area that runs down between two hills, designed to slow running water in times of heavy rain and stop erosion plus hold the water in place so that it can be stored and used within the arboretum site. It is also a great site for flying kites, as quite a few kids were doing yesterday. Other areas beside pathways and roads were covered in natural rock parquetry to also help in curbing erosion in those areas. The arboretum is watered entirely with non potable water.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uACNa-UcBLU/T9Ve-i2CGhI/AAAAAAAADRc/gxydK-NAlAw/s1600/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uACNa-UcBLU/T9Ve-i2CGhI/AAAAAAAADRc/gxydK-NAlAw/s320/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
These next two pics were taken inside the Discovery Garden. It is sponsored by ACTEW, the local electricity/gas/water, services company.<br />
Hmmm so this is where our money goes. But .... in their favor, they do a lot for the community in support and sponsorship of many events. The garden itself is an educational one, designed to show that plant placement, plant choice, design and watering etc can be all important to success and conservation of the environment we live in.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HMff3Xaj7iw/T9VfHoom_5I/AAAAAAAADRs/H9FCa7RIq6o/s1600/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HMff3Xaj7iw/T9VfHoom_5I/AAAAAAAADRs/H9FCa7RIq6o/s320/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The next pic is of a sculpture made in rusted steel, installed at the top of the hill (don't know it's name) at the other end of the arboretum. It actually says "Wide Brown Land" which is a line from the poem by Dororthea MacKellar called "My Country"! Cool eh! I walked about a 1/4 of the way down the hill to get this pic but still couldn't fit all of it in.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hs2pcKjF9CE/T9VfRbQKUUI/AAAAAAAADR4/wG85FhQtyvE/s1600/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hs2pcKjF9CE/T9VfRbQKUUI/AAAAAAAADR4/wG85FhQtyvE/s320/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zQIGSuTJr9Y/T9VfaOagHZI/AAAAAAAADSA/esYkmsByewE/s1600/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zQIGSuTJr9Y/T9VfaOagHZI/AAAAAAAADSA/esYkmsByewE/s320/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Just to the north and at the top of the hill, to the Wide Brown Land sculpture, is a matured forest area of Himalayan Cedar trees. Inside this forested area of the arboretum is a picnic and BBQ area and underneath the trees were many of these fantastic red mushrooms. Poisonous of course but very pretty. It is a pity though that many of them had been stomped on. By adults or children, I wonder. What a waste.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-msN5p0r_W0s/T9VfjVwXhxI/AAAAAAAADSI/UAcaOCNGKEY/s1600/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-msN5p0r_W0s/T9VfjVwXhxI/AAAAAAAADSI/UAcaOCNGKEY/s320/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Mushroom's view of the Himalayan Cedars.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mJo4vFy4wpw/T9VftSN1dXI/AAAAAAAADSQ/oosoY_thRTs/s1600/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mJo4vFy4wpw/T9VftSN1dXI/AAAAAAAADSQ/oosoY_thRTs/s320/National+Arboretum,+open+day+,+sunday+10th+june+2012+025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Driving around the whole site later, I saw the planted areas which were sign posted with names and descriptions of the trees there as well as the reason for the plantings and some of that species uses. Very well done.<br />
One lady, a helper, that I was talking to, said to me that many of the trees there would not be mature for 50 years. Beyond my life time. <br />
But can you imagine the beauty of walking through the forest of silver birch trees down at the bottom of the hill when they are mature. At the height of their autumn beauty with their bright golden leaves fluttering and falling around you in a gentle breeze?<br />
Or the forest of Arbutus with their bright red fruits above you, when the trees at the steep side of dairy farmer's hill is mature? <br />
Or standing within the dappled sunlight in a forest of one of the many eucalypti forests on a hot summer day and breathing deeply of their resinous scent?<br />
The colors, scents and movement of the beauty of a forest. Albeit, a man made one, are magical. <br />
Pure Magic!<br />
I am sure over the coming years I will return to the arboretum many times to watch it's progress.<br />
Playing tourist in my own back yard and learning while I do so. <br />
That's all.<br />
Love Linda.linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-12071790764746405752012-04-15T10:29:00.002+10:002012-04-15T10:57:36.959+10:00I will.G'Day,<br /> Last night I did quite a lot of reading on depression. Today I feel as if I am stronger than I have been feeling, and worrying that my behaviour has maybe effected the people around me negatively. I worry that my husbands depression may return. I will try to be less impatient and communicate better with the people around me (Mum). I will try to be more positive. I will try to not let my worries and frustration over flow onto the other people in my house because of it.<br /> Yeah well I tried. But bloody hell it is so F****g frustrating with my Mum here. If I talk to her she asks me to repeat 3 times, then I have to go back to the beginning of each sentence and re explain it all to her over again. If I talk to her it opens the door to a never ending rattling of words and advice straight back that , Yes! I repeat! Never ends. She has no sense of what she is saying being wrong or intrusive or prejudiced or negative, she never has. And I can feel the old bloody pressure rise and my frustration along with it. It is so hard. I always have to be the strong one and consider every one else's feelings and shut off my own needs in case I worry someone else. Oh my, this post has turned bad hasn't it.<br />I have a duty of care towards her and it drags me down. You see a poor old lady, I see a mindless torment. You see a angry impatient selfish daughter, I see no future without frustration. You see, a romantic notion of looking after elders in a society where many are put aside in nursing homes and mistreated. I agree with that one, nursing homes aren't always nice places, I worked in one for many years, but it really isn't a loving fairy tale existence to do it yourself either. It is bloody hard. Nursing homes are cruel places, where patients are made to fit the mold of routine etc and sit there waiting to die. But they do get medical, physical and social care that they otherwise might miss by staying in their own homes. I don't know about other countries, but here they are also very very expensive. Doing that to my Mum is out of the question for me.<br />Yes I know all the cliche's, I have heard them, seen them, felt them. I know I am not being a nice person. Walk a mile in my shoes.<br />I love my Mum, but by god, she drives me mad!linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-45442059666119315102012-04-06T15:12:00.005+10:002012-04-06T16:38:11.031+10:00Words Words Words.....G'Day,<br /> I have always found great fun and amusement in words. We depend on them don't we. Language rules our every action and interaction, no matter which language is our language of origin. In particular I get a lot of fun out of other people using the wrong word. No I am not saying I am better and know all there is to know, I am no great brain or expert on such things. But...what I really love is when in conversation, people to whom I am talking try to sound intelligent and use what they think is a really big word then get the word wrong and use it with the incorrect meaning.<br />Here is for an example, the difference between two similar words. "My husband Bert had a prostrate operation last week, oh the poor old fella has had such a rough time of it." Love it!<br />Well...... if I had an operation on my nether regions, I am sure it would be much more comfortable if I were prostrate than standing, ha ha.<br />Last week I was in the local west field shopping mall and looking through one of those Asian style cheapish shops, you know the ones with the gadgets, everything you might want for your house and lifestyle if you knew what you wanted it for? Anyway, in one section of the shop there was a cleaning gadget section which contained cleaning cloths of various varieties, woolen dusters that would fall apart the first time you used them or get hooked in the top of your favorite antique ornament and send it crashing to the floor. Plastic brooms, mops, window squeegees, dust pans and brooms, etc. One item took my attention . It was a plastic floor cleaning tool with a sponge blade on the end. The translation on the packaging said "For warm, clean, homeless feel"<br />Really funny translation.<br />Another thing that I have found great joy in is the words that children use when they are learning to master language. My own kids bring many sayings and word variations forth from my memories of their youngest years. Mistakes in word meanings and pronunciation. My second son Dave when he was 2 or 3 years old could not pronounce some word sounds namely Tr. He always said them with an FW in front. So Train was fwain, truck was fwuck etc. We were trying to coach him one day and were saying different words for him to pronounce "Davey say train for Mummy" He replied "Fwain". OK Say "Train tracks" Reply..."Fwain fwacks, haha you get the idea. Next we tried Crackers, which became Fwackers, then I thought hmm, maybe a c word to show him the difference. So I said, say "Cat" so he put the word cat and crackers together, which had us all rolling around laughing ( picturing a cat with crackers, we call fireworks, crackers here) he didn't like that, so he had a bit of a meltdown which made us laugh all the more. Poor little kid. Why didn't we have a video camera in those days? Oh I am still laughing about that, he was so gorgeous.<br />My youngest child Annie was also a mistress of word play when she was around the same age. Some of her word changes are ones that I still use in my head when thinking to myself and they always make me smile . So cute. She use to call vegemite, megebite. Disappeared became misappeared. If we asked her where something was and she didn't know she would hold her hands out wide and look up at you, shake her head from side to side, with very wide open eyes say, "It's misappeared!" So funny. Similar meaning, which was quite clever of her, but not quite right, hahaha.<br />Another story of her when she was probably 3 years old. We took the kids to visit my husband's grandmother who was very old at the time. We introduced Nanna Lander as Daddy's grandma. She thought for a while and in her mind must have been working out the concept of great grandmother. She could see that Nanna Lander wasn't the same person as her other Grandma or Nanny so she turned back and said " Oh you are my Nanny- Granny!" Hahaha.<br />The children I sometimes see while at work come out with great things too. One of my funniest memories happened a few years ago. My son, with whom I work was walking past some kindergarten children one afternoon . He has long red/brown hair and a reddish beard. One little boy stood staring, open mouthed and swiveled to watch my son go past. Then turned to his little companion and said in awe "Did you see that, he is a wookie!" Wookie being that big hairy critter from the star wars movies.<br />A few weeks ago, we arrived at one of the schools, and a group of children were waiting around for their bus number to be called to go home. I entered one little boy's classroom and he stuck his head around the door and said "Hello" Then called to his playmate to say "Hey Adam! Look it's the Mopper" Ha ha so funny. Well...I guess that's better than being called the rubbish lady, which is what one little girl referred to me as, at another site we clean. I did correct her , she now calls me the cleaner. Kids are so funny.<br />You have got to love the way little kids minds work haven't you?<br />I hope you have a lovely Easter break. Today is Good Friday. I made another batch of yummy fig jam. The figs are still going but getting closer to the end of this season's fruiting. There have been so many this year that I think even the little silver eye birds are getting sick of them, lol.<br />I managed to wipe a few things off my to do list for today, I really need to go wash my baby car. Instead I am here on the computer. Better get to it!<br />That's about all.<br />Bye<br />Love Linda.linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-67506871193691745752012-04-02T11:58:00.001+10:002012-04-02T12:26:50.085+10:00Autumn Garden<div><p>G'Day, <br>
          I have'nt posted about what is happening in the back yard lately. So here, goes. <br>
Autumn is here and daylight savings ended over the weekend so it will get dark earlier. The days have started to become shorter over the past few weeks, and become cooler, but we still have been having some warm late summer days amongst them. This weekend was beautiful Saturday we had 26C Sunday we had showers in the afternoon and it was cooler. Some of the deciduous trees around Canberra have colored up with the autumn change, many are yet to come.<br>
Anyway, enough innane talk about the weather, I am sure everyone knows what autumn is like. <br>
I am trying to do my first post in here from my new baby computer. It is correctly called a tablet so it is quite different from the other one we have therefore I have to re-learn some things, please be patient. The photos I have included were taken just a short while ago around my yard. <br>
I also haven't worked out where the spelling correct button has gone, so there will be mistakes. I will try to fix them but....oh well you know me.<br>
I haven't worked all this out yet. I don't know how to put the text in between the photos. So Um? They include red cyclamen, oregano in flower, zucchini flower with lady bug, figs, gardenia, diosma, lavender, iceberg rose, one last azalea, and easter daisies. <br>
The other few pics I have included here are of some bowls I have been working on. I have been decorating them over the weekend with some colored slips ( liquid clay) . A work in progress. The little lidded containers are finished, they were pretty but both of the lids are glazed closed, oh well, I can pretend, hahaha. If I hadn't told you that in here you wouldn't have known and you might have thought I was a good potter or something. </p>
<br/><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-W5cmHA10Rzg/T3kImg-H1YI/AAAAAAAADP8/n9mCQdDH9Vk/IMG_20120401_133142.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6qz79nkKYNw/T3kH5Q2zSII/AAAAAAAADPE/HDLom4F0xvg/IMG_20120402_112615.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jNdVfRnkOdM/T3kI3JMHNvI/AAAAAAAADQc/wuR9jiPOsps/IMG_20120401_133054.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cF04YxRRLpg/T3kI4XzBneI/AAAAAAAADQk/ModxvOO4ZXg/IMG_20120401_132958.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-T0RCO_ep5L8/T3kIJrn9gEI/AAAAAAAADPU/gL16bUcx9uA/IMG_20120402_112150.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-y2v8Kjy9lAw/T3kIIoDTRiI/AAAAAAAADPM/ux30HNeEcP0/IMG_20120402_111901.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-y98dGELqvJ4/T3kInibzm7I/AAAAAAAADQE/CG6vCvU_3wM/IMG_20120402_111444.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Li5vqbIivY8/T3kIXrGxcTI/AAAAAAAADPs/3xR53ohGlgw/IMG_20120402_111510.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EBFVkqX-2PY/T3kIZItNIFI/AAAAAAAADP0/E13m1Pj7WaA/IMG_20120402_111604.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-scDZHH8OrB4/T3kIovoH_FI/AAAAAAAADQM/nTSpIgzteI4/IMG_20120402_111401.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rBTQ664iiQ4/T3kILXOjDhI/AAAAAAAADPc/RyxtuqeU-Jo/IMG_20120402_111632.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GqWKdsgw2ho/T3kIqGy6U6I/AAAAAAAADQU/GeRbi-Gbwg8/IMG_20120402_111423.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0xdedkay3Xo/T3kIMVDBGqI/AAAAAAAADPk/KZXO4XR8pnc/IMG_20120402_111740.png' /></div>linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com4Mawson, Mawson-35.36417 149.09532tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-40019646060478698502012-03-19T13:30:00.000+11:002012-03-19T13:32:24.553+11:00New!G'Day,linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com150tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-66890227893158812872012-03-04T21:50:00.003+11:002012-03-04T23:13:26.048+11:00Ello!<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">G'Day</span>,<br /> As evidenced by the previous post's date I have slacked off in my blog.<br />I had a look around some of my favorites tonight and realised how much I have been missing it, and some of the people I have got to know here in computer land.<br />What have I been up to?<br />Well the normal bits and pieces I guess. Though I have been neglectful of some of the things that gave me joy and entertainment lately. My blog, my plants to name 2 of them.<br />Yesterday I went for a drive down to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Bateman's</span> bay in the rain. The driving, which is usually a joy to me, was a bit more challenging. There was quite a bit of damage to the roads along the way and the rain was quite heavy most of the way home, not good on windy steep escarpment roads. There is a huge weather happening here, at the moment. More water than the south east of Australia has had the misfortune of experiencing for many a year. Last year there was lots of rain but the flooding was more localized than this year. At this moment 3/4 or New South Wales is flooded. Huge! Nearby where I live hasn't been as badly affected as further inland. Just over the border is the town of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Queanbeyan</span>, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Molongolo</span> river has been flooding, which in turn flows into and fills Lake <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Burley</span> Griffin in the center of Canberra. The lake is closed. We have had some flooding here in Canberra which closed roads and damage but not as terrible as what is happening the last few days in my old home town of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Wagga</span>. The river is expected to get to a record high there tomorrow around lunchtime. North <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Wagga</span> is being evacuated, Lake Albert is cut off as are many of the roads into and out of and around the city. Many of the towns around the river are similarly affected. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Lockhart</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Jugiong</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Gundagi</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Uranquinty</span>, The Rock, Griffith, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Leeton</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Hanwood</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Yoogali</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Grong</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Grong</span>. and so forth, right down the Murrumbidgee river system and it's tributaries. Most, if not all of the water storage dams around N.S.W. and the A.C.T. are over flowing and resulting in rises of river heights to add to the huge amounts of rain La Nina has been sending us. Yeah....... I know there are some funny town names around there if you haven't heard of them before <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">hahaha</span>.<br />It was a bit clearer here in Canberra this afternoon. According to the bureau of meteorology tomorrow is clear but then we have 3 more days of rain predicted. My back lawn squelches when you walk on it at the moment.I went out there this <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">arvo</span> to pick some herbs and vegetables for tea and the grass is high and very green, unusual for this time of year when summer's heat has normally dried everything out.<br />Tea was lovely though, and we sat out on the back deck to eat. I did freshly picked green beans, lightly cooked and seasoned with Italian salad dressing and tied in bundles with a long bit of spring onion top, served cold. Some tiny potatoes cut in 1/4 and made into a potato salad (mayo, mustard, dill, parsley, spring onion, olive oil). Another salad made from my fresh <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">roma</span> tomatoes, basil and spring onion from the garden. Fresh prawns I bought at the bay yesterday, served in their shells. And I also bought some fish down there which I did in a beer batter and they were yum too. See Mum can be creative when she takes the time.<br />I really love this time of year when I can go outside and pick things from the garden to cook with. So much better than shop bought, and more satisfying too because you grew it yourself.<br />When My kids were little I had this thing where I thought kids should be able to go outside and pick things to eat straight from the garden, and they did too. But none of them as yet seem to be the least bit interested in gardening themselves. Oh well, maybe as they get older they will show more interest.....um, maybe.<br />Last week I was very proud of myself. I have been saving everything for a while now from one of my cleaning jobs with the idea of taking a holiday to escape Canberra's winter, which can be quite harsh, for Australia, being at the foot hills of the snowy mountains. Anyway I had this idea that I would escape to a tropical island in winter. I paid for Peter and I to go to Fiji in June this year. Made up of 3 nights on the main island <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Viti</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Levu</span>, and 6 nights on a small island resort, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Mana</span> Island. I couldn't make a decision after reading and re-reading many pamphlets and travel books as well as looking on the computer for a month and gave up. There are just too many tempting places to choose from in Fiji, so I went along to the travel agents in the nearby shopping centre and asked for them to put together a package, told them my ideas, and that is what he came up with. Costs $4750 all up, includes flights, transfers, accommodation and all meals on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Mana</span> island. Yes I know it could have been done cheaper, but I wanted nice. I can't wait for June. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Whooo</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Hoo</span>!!! Now I have to keep saving for lots of lovely spending money.<br />Apart from that I bought tickets to go and see John Butler next month. Should be good eh.<br />Other news; My baby is leaving and going to the other side of the country at the end of Easter. She has completed her university degree and will be moving to Kalgoorlie. I don't like that she will be more than just a few hours away from me as she is now. Too far away if she needs me or I need her. I don't like it, but she is making her own life and moving forwards I guess. I am a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">sook</span>.<br />My second boy David is starting a new job which he is very happy about. He had intended to move to Melbourne to go to University next year and study engineering. A friend of his recommended him for a job where he works. The job is an assistant to a company who does Geo- technical engineering and it will lead to an apprenticeship with on the job training as an engineer. So it is a better option for him than going to Melbourne. My eldest son Mike is thinking of moving to Sydney to be with his girlfriend if he can get a job there. So I might become an empty <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">nester</span>. It seems so strange to imagine that we may soon have a house to ourselves after so many years.<br />In the unlikely event that someone actually reads this blog any more, after me being so neglectful of it, I hope you are well and happy in your lives.<br />Good Night.<br />Love Linda.linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-25336506683046056462012-01-08T20:04:00.008+11:002012-01-08T22:19:26.410+11:00Griffith Visit.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jkI9VXz-gPU/Twlfv0-qJaI/AAAAAAAADLk/gGtLQ1Oo5j0/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B024.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jkI9VXz-gPU/Twlfv0-qJaI/AAAAAAAADLk/gGtLQ1Oo5j0/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695188479066645922" border="0" /></a>G'Day,<br /> Today I went for a dawdle around the arts precinct here in Canberra. My husband Pete was working night duty and needed to sleep so I stayed out of the house.<br />This is some of what I discovered to share here in my blog.<br />O.K. the first pic above is of a superb fairy wren. I love these little guys, they are so tiny and delicate and are quite common around this area. The one in the pic is a male in his breeding colors, you might need to enlarge the pic to view him better (click on the pic). I have had quite a few tries at photographing them before but with my cameras in the past I have been unable to get close enough or take the picture quick enough before they flitted away. He was in the gardens outside the National Gallery.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WGd9Mjyo5x4/TwlfvRUam0I/AAAAAAAADLY/3BkXkTUgkJk/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B023.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WGd9Mjyo5x4/TwlfvRUam0I/AAAAAAAADLY/3BkXkTUgkJk/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695188469494225730" border="0" /></a>The next pic is of a sculpture that is outside the front of the National Library of Australia. It has the sounds of reeds in the wind and water playing, and is by an aboriginal lady,an artist, whose name escapes me just at this moment.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nj1a4XRj41Q/TwlfuxXcjgI/AAAAAAAADLM/mhGyMWueyfc/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B020.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nj1a4XRj41Q/TwlfuxXcjgI/AAAAAAAADLM/mhGyMWueyfc/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695188460917001730" border="0" /></a>These are also in the area between The National Gallery and The National Library of Australia. The area is known as Reconciliation Place. An area dedicated to reconciliation of the Aboriginal people of Australia and displays some indigenous artwork and stories of their journey since white settlement of this country. A sad and horrible story as is the story of many indigenous cultures worldwide. This sculpture is of a male and female yam. A staple food . It is by an indigenous artist named Thancoupie, also known as Gloria Fletcher. I have written about her before in here. She is a special favorite of mine and a ceramic artist whose work I love.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sm0CYbA5VSA/TwlfuY60TkI/AAAAAAAADLA/cgVHgJGDHps/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B020.JPG"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6jC8yCt0FHI/TwlfwG9TC9I/AAAAAAAADLw/Agl7xHdS-JY/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B021.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6jC8yCt0FHI/TwlfwG9TC9I/AAAAAAAADLw/Agl7xHdS-JY/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695188483892775890" border="0" /></a>The pic above is at the front of the National Library of Australia and shows a wider view of the sculpture in the earlier photo. The front bit where you can see the water ripples is really cool. It sprays a foggy mist onto the air, the ripples are made from metal of some sort.<br />I went into the library to have a look at the treasure's gallery. I had worked in there during the renovations, cleaning, that were finished last November and wanted to see what it looked like finished and fitted. I looked around at everything and thought, Haha. I have been inside that display case, I polished that glass, I swept, washed and polished that parquetry.<br />There is a major exhibition in one part of the gallery there at the moment. It runs until March 2012.<br />"Handwritten , Ten centuries of manuscript treasures from Berlin."<br />There were hand written manuscripts by Erasmus, Bach, Galileo, Napoleon, Newton, Mozart, Curie, Goethe, Dickens, Einstein, Machiavelli, Nightingale, Beethoven, Dante, Luther, Darwin and Michelangelo. Amazing stuff. Though the galleries were a bit crowded to look at many of them. My favorite thing there were the old books. Perfectly hand written and beautifully decorated manuscripts from the days long before printing presses were invented. The oldest book that I saw was made in the 600's A.D. Amazing!<br />And yes! Hahaha, I copied that off the post card otherwise I wouldn't have remembered the details to share with you.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2_trPITkVL4/Twlezp-6phI/AAAAAAAADKk/_KqncsP66_Y/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B018.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2_trPITkVL4/Twlezp-6phI/AAAAAAAADKk/_KqncsP66_Y/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B018.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695187445322786322" border="0" /></a>This is a view of the stone artworks and area in the center of Reconciliation Place. The building at the side that you can see is the Portrait Gallery. It is a fairly new place less than 2 yrs old (from memory) I had my lunch in there today.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqYx4BG8CSc/TwlezdP-fOI/AAAAAAAADKY/lzBA9tgXKtM/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B017.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqYx4BG8CSc/TwlezdP-fOI/AAAAAAAADKY/lzBA9tgXKtM/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695187441904680162" border="0" /></a>Closer looks at the rock sculptures from the above picture in reconciliation place.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nh_hch-7NkM/Twley9Bo69I/AAAAAAAADKM/DUwztTt2feM/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B016.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nh_hch-7NkM/Twley9Bo69I/AAAAAAAADKM/DUwztTt2feM/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B016.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695187433254611922" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uz-NffJhHsA/TwleytKS15I/AAAAAAAADKA/9o2e_LT7d-k/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B014.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uz-NffJhHsA/TwleytKS15I/AAAAAAAADKA/9o2e_LT7d-k/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695187428995946386" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LjNRPa4TwLQ/Twle0BGXUeI/AAAAAAAADKw/l0zMQ9wPQBU/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B019.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LjNRPa4TwLQ/Twle0BGXUeI/AAAAAAAADKw/l0zMQ9wPQBU/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695187451528040930" border="0" /></a>This is a passage way that leads to the edge of Lake Burley Griffin that defines the center of the city. It shows the war memorial at the other end of the passage way, across the other side of the lake. Also through this passage are flags along the edge of the lake from all countries around the world. I thought it looked good the way it all lined up.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e4BM56wyOb4/Twld6M1jiAI/AAAAAAAADJo/poBK1ni52os/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B015.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e4BM56wyOb4/Twld6M1jiAI/AAAAAAAADJo/poBK1ni52os/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695186458246350850" border="0" /></a>These are some of words carved into the other side of the rock sculptures in the pics above. I liked the wise words. They were quotes re; reconciliation.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VCq2KtJa_44/Twld5phHysI/AAAAAAAADJc/Kk1FwmwP6KE/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B012.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VCq2KtJa_44/Twld5phHysI/AAAAAAAADJc/Kk1FwmwP6KE/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695186448765405890" border="0" /></a>This one is a little harder to read but well worth the effort. You may be able to see it better enlarged.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vhECD3bdwME/Twld42gssEI/AAAAAAAADJQ/fK8g02njJyY/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vhECD3bdwME/Twld42gssEI/AAAAAAAADJQ/fK8g02njJyY/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695186435073421378" border="0" /></a>I parked my baby car in the area at the east of the National Gallery and walked through the sculpture garden there. I hadn't noticed this particular piece before today. Strangely fascinating isn't it? The restaurant overlooks this lake.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">******************************<br /><br /></div>The rest of the photos were taken on the trip I took a few days ago to visit my cousins and Aunties and Uncle in Griffith, Ne South Wales. It was a 5 hour drive each way and I got home yesterday evening.<br /><div style="text-align: left;">I visited the Griffith cemetery. My grandfather Joseph Trenerry was the only undertaker in town for many years. So he is directly responsible for much of the stonework and burials in Griffith. My uncles, Bill and Wally continued the business and it was then passed on to my Uncle Bill's daughter, Carol and her husband, who still operate the business today.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SC9tYoKX1hw/Twld4m9JEOI/AAAAAAAADJE/nGYwfyFrgnA/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B008.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SC9tYoKX1hw/Twld4m9JEOI/AAAAAAAADJE/nGYwfyFrgnA/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695186430897754338" border="0" /></a>Justin Potter was my cousin Ruth's son. He died of leukemia, a cruel disease he fought for many years....... too young.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MunFeDHRGiE/Twld6cu-VtI/AAAAAAAADJw/B6pk6kSBVtE/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B013.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MunFeDHRGiE/Twld6cu-VtI/AAAAAAAADJw/B6pk6kSBVtE/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695186462513714898" border="0" /></a>Oh O.K. so these are out of order now. I didn't post them that way.<br />Oh Well!<br />This is another of the sculptured stones in Reconciliation Place Canberra.<br />Sorry about that folks. Lol.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2HsOe9HcIxw/Twlc_DQYFQI/AAAAAAAADIs/2-YRp-0WNcI/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2HsOe9HcIxw/Twlc_DQYFQI/AAAAAAAADIs/2-YRp-0WNcI/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695185442062210306" border="0" /></a>The plaque above is my Uncle Joe. He was my Mum's eldest brother. He died from pancreatic cancer. He was a father of 2, a small business owner and wind instrument player in the family band. How do you sum up a person's life into such a few words. Of course you can't.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pm4907kqQLc/Twlc-eSd0hI/AAAAAAAADIk/6IKzqluvQqk/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pm4907kqQLc/Twlc-eSd0hI/AAAAAAAADIk/6IKzqluvQqk/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695185432138863122" border="0" /></a>These people were my maternal grand mother's parents. They died before I was born. They immigrated from Scotland and settled first in South Australia where my grandmother was born in Mt Gambier, later moved on to Broken Hill, then settled in Griffith N.S.W. They were very thrifty people (scots) and short of stature. Miner's I think, in those early years.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MfsgyVAvUkE/Twlc93PTecI/AAAAAAAADIU/R2zYX3js4NI/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MfsgyVAvUkE/Twlc93PTecI/AAAAAAAADIU/R2zYX3js4NI/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695185421656619458" border="0" /></a>John and Jane Trenerry were my maternal great grandparents. Jane's maiden name as Pearson. they were English and Welsh as far as I know. Both gone before I was born.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E5xgTWbthok/Twlc9thUVfI/AAAAAAAADII/8awt0NJ6qIE/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E5xgTWbthok/Twlc9thUVfI/AAAAAAAADII/8awt0NJ6qIE/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695185419047818738" border="0" /></a>Essie and Joseph Trennery are my mother's parents.I picked the posy from my Aunty Joan Hearn's garden. My grandmother Esther had the same christian name as my Mother. She was mother to 6 children and one adopted, though related son. She was a child prodigy and played piano concerts in the Opera house at Broken Hill when she was very very young. She was also a music teacher and played the piano at the local picture theatre in the days of silent movies in Griffith. She had a family band named the Gloom chasers, I think they had another name at one time and were called the rhythm aces. They traveled around the riverina area. My Uncle Joe played the trombone. My grandfather Joe played sousaphone, my uncle Wally played drums, my Mum sang. Can't remember what all the others did but they were all involved. My Grandfather was an undertaker. He owned a gypsum mine, he built cob and co coaches, he was a stone mason, head of the masonic lodge of Australia for quite a few years. Worked as a farmer, I think he worked as a plumber as well , quite the jack of all trades. I remember when I was tiny he would always tell me that he used to suck his fingers, (like I did) when he was a little boy and they fell right off. He had lost three of his fingers while he was up trying to repair a windmill and the cogs turned suddenly and cut them off, he only had his thumb and index finger left as a result. He did everything so well with that hand it amazed me as a child, he was known to pick a bone clean with a knife and fork and never use his fingers to do it, hahaha.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VNfa8PaXTHI/Twlc_XBP6zI/AAAAAAAADI4/wRlxh7Nhtfs/s1600/graves%2Bgriffith%2B007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VNfa8PaXTHI/Twlc_XBP6zI/AAAAAAAADI4/wRlxh7Nhtfs/s400/graves%2Bgriffith%2B007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695185447367469874" border="0" /></a>This is the plaque on my Uncle Jim's grave. I had a lot to do with him growing up. When my own father was away working, my sister and I used to call him Daddy Jim. He was a gentle giant with a sense of humor. A truckie and farm worker, most of his working life and father of my cousins, whom I visited. he died from pancreatic cancer also. Love you guys.<br />So today and my Griffith visit are strongly linked by my thoughts of family and it's continuity. My aboriginal heritage, no matter how small, tied in there as well.<br />I wrote this after my walk around today.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br />.................................<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I am a miniscule part of a long story<br />So I try to seek knowledge<br />To link fragments of my country's history<br />To myself<br />And I find parts that I identify<br />Though my words are too different<br />And you lose interest<br />I am lost<br />in my own history.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">.........................................................<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I know that I could elaborate further here. Time ties my hands as does lack of skill in my writing. My story would run off on too many different tangents to be well done.<br />Bye<br />Love Linda.<br /></div></div>linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-8869752715475004992011-12-28T18:35:00.003+11:002011-12-28T19:15:32.489+11:00Merry Christmas 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-moEOvthAzpk/TvrHJLJOdSI/AAAAAAAADH8/xSgKmpoR6hg/s1600/my%2Bboys%2Bxmas%2B2011%2B009.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-moEOvthAzpk/TvrHJLJOdSI/AAAAAAAADH8/xSgKmpoR6hg/s400/my%2Bboys%2Bxmas%2B2011%2B009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691080039560279330" border="0" /></a><br />G'Day,<br /> As you can see from the date on my last post my blogging has dwindled somewhat this year. I do try but face book and it's voyeurism seems to take up my spare time.<br />I will get back to my blog periodically.<br />Anyhow!<br />I had a lovely Christmas this year. My Hubby Pete had holidays that ran across the silly season this year. It is the first year after many others that we have both been off work over christmas together. One or the other of us (though usually Peter) has had to work for many of them. He returns to work on the 1st of January, I on the 10th. I can't remember having a break that long for a looooooong time.<br />I was vacillating on how to spend the day but had a few welcome invites that we all were able to follow up on. I got to see all of my children and spend precious time with them, as well as see all my Hearn cousins and some of their grown children and grand children. Magic.<br />For the evening meal we went to my husband's niece's house. Then after that we went to my daughter's boyfriend's house and spent time there with her much loved adopted Nan , her partner's Nan. Most entertaining.<br />Peter and I stayed in a motel for 2 nights and came home to the boxing day sales for a few bargains. I bought underwear and sleep ware. It was pretty good price wise, even though all the clothing I buy is always on sale, hehehe.<br />On Christmas morning the streets of my old home town seemed so strangely deserted. You could have shot a cannon along the main street and not hit a soul. Boxing day was the same. Hardly any traffic at all, in the morning when I saw it anyway. The photo above is of an ancient tree that is on the bank of the Murrumbidgee river at Wiradjiri reserve in Wagga. I have had pics and stories of this spot in my blog quite a few times. I think last time the pictures I posted were during the drought and the old river was very narrow and shallow. It was lovely to see one of my favourite places green and full of life giving water again. I have always loved those majestic big old river red gums that grow down there. If you look closely at that photo, I am standing at the bottom of the tree to show just how big it is. I am a bit over 5ft & 3 inches tall.<br />Now THAT is a tree!<br />I was also interested to see that the local council has at last started to develop the reserve and have tarred part of the road into there, and are in the process of building a boat ramp. It is about time.<br /> I guess if I was to say that some of the things I prayed for during the year; for my kids to be happy and have love, for water and rain, for my marriage to survive another year, have been answered. There were some rough patches.<br />So......Here is to another year. Another year with it's ups and downs , twists and turns to go through, with lots of love and laughter, work to keep our hands busy, um what else?<br />A year of enough.<a id="publishButton" class="cssButton" href="javascript:void(0)" target="" onclick="if (this.className.indexOf("ubtn-disabled") == -1) {var e = document['stuffform'].publish;(e.length) ? e[0].click() : e.click(); if (window.event) window.event.cancelBubble = true; return false;}"><div class="cssButtonOuter"><div class="cssButtonMiddle"><div class="cssButtonInner">Publish Post</div></div></div></a><br />That's all Folks!<br />Love Linda.linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-81838942206879971802011-11-17T08:29:00.002+11:002011-11-17T09:03:19.577+11:00Sunday Scribblings "Life is Good"G'Day,<br /> This weeks Sunday Scribblings prompt this weeks asks us to write on the subject"Life is Good"<br />I am sitting at the traffic lights at the intersection of Yamba drive and Hindmarsh drive. It has taken me three light changes to get to here and I am enjoying spending my waiting time doing some people watching in the traffic on my way to work.<br />The people in the car beside me are enjoying their wait too. Their car is on my left and half a car length in front of me. The neck of the lady driver is all I can see of her, and her hands. She is nicely proportioned and her soft brown hair is drawn up tightly into a pony tail as she bops her head talking animatedly to her pasenger. They are laughing. She is driving a green Holden commodore, about ten years old, a strong sensible, reliable car. I guess they are in their late twenties. She is telling him a story and using her hands to accentuate the tale, holding them to show the size and shape of something, and waving her hands about in her description, they are happy and their life is good.<br />On the right hand side of me is a man in his early forties. His hair is cut short and he is thin and pale. I think he has that office worker look about him, but he is not dressed for the office today. His car, a white Mitsubishi magna, needs a wash. He is intent on the lights changing and he is sitting with his hands tightly clenched on the steering wheel. I can see the cords in his hands and knuckles as he grips the wheel. He is impassive in his facial expression but I imagine as he clenches his fists that he is going through his "to do" list and wondering how he can get it all done this afternoon so his day off work is productive, as his time is so precious.<br /> The car behind me is an aging brown Mazda two seater. The lady inside it is probably in her 60's. She has dark brown hair which is perfectly groomed, never a hair out of place and if I touched it it would crackle from all the hair product it contains. Her make up is the same as her hair, perfect and she is wearing red lipstick. I imagine her working in a fashion boutique, she is probably the owner. This is a very attractive woman, one which is confident in her looks and ability. Her face is 1/4 covered by her large sunnies and she looks content to wait and enjoy her music as she sings along happily, she has noticed me watching her in my mirror and smiles back at me. Yes her life is good.<br /> In the far left lane is a man in a Volvo. I watched behind me as he swapped lanes forcing his way across from the right hand side of the road, weaving through traffic until finding himself poll position to turn left towards the hospital. He is stressed, in a hurry. Tapping his fingers impatiently as he waits for the next change of the lights so he can be off and away around the corner.<br />Then there is the girl waiting behind him in that lane. She is driving a shiny red baby car, a Toyota I think. I bet she is on her way to work too and she turns the corner and then left again into the hospital car park. Then jumps out with her tea packed neatly into a plastic lunch box and runs across Yamba drive for the shift change and nursing handover. She likes her job, and her life is good.<br /> My life is good. Like anyone's. Weathering the storms, riding the crests and troughs of the waves and keeping my head above water.<br />Bye.<br />Love Linda.linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-70851439389664134242011-11-07T10:17:00.002+11:002011-11-07T11:08:14.122+11:00Sunday Scribblings" Omen and Operation".G'day,<br /> I didn't manage a post last Sunday but today I would like to combine that last prompt word with this weeks prompt.<br />I have been thinking about a friend of mine, an old work mate. I will share her with you.<br /> For the purposes of my blog post we will call her Elaine.<br />Elaine has been on my mind because ...well, she is a long time friend of mine. I have known her for probably 15 years or more. Our children went to school together, and we worked together for many years as well. We still see eachother sometimes for coffee or lunch, though not as often as we would like, and I keep in touch with her on face book, so the miles between us are shortened that way.<br />She is a pretty lady and is only about 5 ft tall , but her size belies her strength.<br /> I have seen her go through many trials. She lost her first husband to cancer. During those terrible end days of his illness she went beyond me, to a place inside herself that only someone who had gone through such trauma has had to go. Out of my reach she was switched off to many of us in her outside of the moment world. Yet in the following months I saw her not understand the people who judged her and her actions in that grief. Which was not a help to someone who was supposed to have been their friends. They didn't have the flexibility to see that each of us may react differently to that situation.<br />Several years later I had the privilege of seeing her rediscover love, a new husband who absolutely adores her and had a new child. Yeaaaay all cheer for Elaine!<br /> This was all happening to her with the time of life stresses that bringing up teenagers can bring as well as several nasty other health scares with her daughter, youngest son, and a very recent one of her own to deal with. Is this a strong little lady or not?<br /> Elaine is an inspiration to me.<br />A few years after her new marriage she became a small business owner and is now doing well for herself. She is sometimes challenged by the pressures of making a business work but keeps progressing through it with fresh new ideas. I am so proud of her.<br />Some of my favorite memories with Elaine are when we spent time together in my pottery shed and she wanted to make something out of clay.<br />Another memory with her was when her new husband had bought a little canary yellow corvette to renovate and play with. The day they picked it up she came around to my house and took me lapping the main street in the little car, so funny, especially so as the main street in the town where I was living consisted of probably a dozen shops or less and a couple of pubs, hahaha.<br /> But....my very favorite memory of Elaine and one which always makes me laugh is....<br /> In that small town where we lived you meet many people who have different personalities.<br />One woman in particular had a not so good marriage.(I wonder why?) Her favorite thing to do was try to flirt with other people's husbands, hopefully, in front of their wives. Well! This woman decided she liked the look of Elaine's first husband at a function one night and decided to try her games out on him, in front of Elaine. Oh I do love this story LOL. Which resulted in Elaine going over to the woman in question and smacking her fair in the face. Hahaha. My little tiny 5 ft tall Elaine sat her on her backside in front of everyone for her trouble. Needless to say the shocked look on her face and resultant sympathy from her friends was most amusing too. The same vixen lady, who shall remain nameless has some sort of weird need to try to upset other women with her games, is that a power game on her part, I don't know. She did the same to me.<br />But herein lies the two prompt words I am writing about.<br />Omen; don't mess with Elaine or you may find out you need an operation. Lol.<br /> Love You Elaine.<br /> Bye<br />Love Linda May.linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-79877330350127825382011-10-23T20:09:00.003+11:002011-10-23T20:18:05.266+11:00Sunday Scribblings, "My Back Yard".<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EJamFN1yfz4/TqPaRgKAd5I/AAAAAAAADHg/Qqa-sMU7s4c/s1600/080.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EJamFN1yfz4/TqPaRgKAd5I/AAAAAAAADHg/Qqa-sMU7s4c/s400/080.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666612750386755474" border="0" /></a>G'Day,<br /> Sunday Scribblings prompt asks us to write about our Back yard. I often do, as you know.<br /><br />Symbiosis.<br />The earth made up of particles,<br />broken down<br /> from it's own plants and animals<br /> over millenia,<br /> there for eternity.<br /> A true wonder.<br /> Nourishing all before<br /> and after itself.<br />My whole world<br />My Backyard.<br /> ********<br /><br />Short and sweet.<br /> I hope so anyway.<br /> Bye.<br />Love Linda.linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-55810297538399285452011-10-10T22:29:00.004+11:002011-10-10T23:23:36.530+11:00Sunday Scribblings "The Call".<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-digVUA8rlOU/TpLXvo4TU6I/AAAAAAAADHY/r1t4rZMTboc/s1600/015.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-digVUA8rlOU/TpLXvo4TU6I/AAAAAAAADHY/r1t4rZMTboc/s400/015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661824894985524130" border="0" /></a>G'Day,<br /> Sunday Scribblings prompt asks us to write about "The Call".<br />Ok.<br />The call we all have to accept sooner or later.<br />I got the call late at night. It was after I had gone to bed and I was awoken by my husband who called me to the phone where I accepted "The Call" and was passed on to my Mum who gave me the news. Mary the lady at the hostel was sitting up with her and giving her support.<br />I made the appropriate phone calls, some then that night and a few more the next day. My sister was hard to track down because she was away from her home. She went to Sydney the next day to carry out arrangements etc.<br />I wasn't there.<br />I was stunned, though I knew that it was inevitable. I didn't go back to bed that night I sat up in the lounge room. Inevitable for us all sooner or later.<br />He had been receiving treatment in Sydney, radiation therapy, on a nasty lesion that had kept reoccurring on his poor chin. Good old Aussie sunshine had left it's mark on another victim.<br />I had seen him just a few weeks earlier and sat with him in the hospital. Spent a week there at the hostel nearby the hospital.<br />He couldn't shave his chin and it was really bothering him that he was untidy. I tried to very carefully trim some of the whiskers away from the lesion but it was too painful and he didn't trust me not to bump him there. He had become attached to a young nurse there and he wanted her to trim around there instead and I thought" oh well that's OK", she has his trust and she has more experience too. The heart attack came a few days later due to the effects of morphine used for pain relief.<br />We spent time together in the common room there, after noon tea and sessions with the other patients designed to share laughter and therefore relief from their respective situations. I told a joke and he watched the other patients faces as I spoke then grinned with pride when they all laughed at the punch line. Hahaha. Well I guess the other jokes were a bit tame compared to the one I told.<br />He said to me there, "How am I ever going to get your mother to stop talking?" and I said to him "If she hasn't stopped now she never will, that is just her". And he liked that too. He never said so, he wasn't very verbal, but the acknowledgement showed in his face.<br />On the last day I went to say goodbye. I was sorry to go but I was eager to get on the road and back to my children waiting for me at home 5 hours away from the city.<br />The doors were security doors and they closed and locked and you had to ring a buzzer to get back in. I said my goodbyes and he hugged me and went to kiss me but I drew away because the lesion on his poor chin smelt terrible and was weepy and I didn't want to get it on my face. I felt so bad about that. You can't imagine the guilt I felt afterwards. I went out the door and I knew right there and then that it was the last time I would see him. I turned around and started to go back for another hug and to kiss him, but the door had shut. He had turned away and headed back inside.<br />And I knew.<br />Mum looked at me and said "What is wrong?"<br />I couldn't tell her.<br />I put my head down and we went to the car.<br />I just wanted to get home to my children.<br />But I knew.<br />It is funny but, I knew when I saw his brothers and his sister, my dear Aunty Marion, in the same way, that it would be the last time I saw them.<br />My Dad has been gone for eleven years now. He didn't quite see the new millennium in. He died just short of a week after my birthday on 26th November 1999.<br /><br /><br />Good Night .<br />Love Linda.linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-72677795693145106132011-10-03T19:25:00.003+11:002011-10-03T19:32:13.936+11:00Sunday Scribblings "Present"G'Day,<br /> The sunday scribblings prompt site has presented us with the word present.<br />So the biggest present of all.<br /><br />For my present<br /> I present to you<br />The biggest present of all.<br />She will feed you,<br />and care for you,<br />and you must feed her,<br /> and love her,<br /> and care for her in return.<br />I present to you<br /> Earth, our mother.<br /><br />That's all.<br />The ultimate present we all have.<br />Bye for this week.<br />Love Linda.linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3072025424165524969.post-29494588201005778822011-09-28T18:19:00.002+10:002011-09-28T18:31:10.160+10:00Sunday scribblings "Plan B"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3qTmJLwtbik/ToLbHTbewwI/AAAAAAAADHM/hLTslmGCoHE/s1600/011.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3qTmJLwtbik/ToLbHTbewwI/AAAAAAAADHM/hLTslmGCoHE/s400/011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657325000451867394" border="0" /></a><br />G'Day,<br /> Here is my meager contribution to the weekly prompt site Sunday Scribblings.<br />This weeks prompt is;<br />"Plan B"<br />Who has the ooooopmh to be living plan A.<br />The finance or luck to have their dream.<br />Just a small percentage of us may?<br />Those who influence us all,<br />though we don't see their all<br />The bad bits and sacrifice to get where they are<br />In a dog eat Dog world.<br />I am living plan B.<br /><br />Yeah I know it does not rhyme. Why should I follow the rules? I have to be different.<br />Or am I just drifting along and letting it all happen to me, not taking the tiller?<br /><br />Bye.<br />Love Linda.linda mayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426368991644308588noreply@blogger.com4