A lucky overseas visitor

April 2018

A lady called Marcy from the USA had contacted me via the website Broads Abroad some time ago to see if she could visit. The website was pulled down shortly after, but Marcy and I had already made our plans.

She arrives on a Friday afternoon and I pick her up from the airport - driving several loops around the block before she actually comes out. We had never met before, so it is all rather interesting, but we really seem to hit it off.

Since she only has until Monday evening, I want to cram as much as possible into the weekend and give her a really good time.
The first bit of sight seeing always happens on the way home from the airport as usual.

Saturday happens to be the Targa, so I can't drive across Woodbridge Hill. Not to worry, there is always the scenic route via Gordon and Middleton - with a stop at the Grandvewe cheesery for some morning tea and a bit of cheese tasting.

From there, we go to Kettering to catch the ferry to Bruny Island where our first stop is......you guessed it: Bruny Island Cheese factory for some very sumptuous lunch which is enjoyed by all four of us.

From there, we meander down to Adventure Bay and on the way back, we go across the island on a very lovely track, stopping here and there to admire the views.

Coming out of the bush on the other side of the island, we toss up whether or not to drive all the way up to the light house. As we are considering and looking at the map, Marcy suddenly says: Did you know that track was supposed to be for four wheel drives only?

Good grief, says I, it's just as well my car is a four wheel drive then.

It is not!, disputes Marcy.

What do you mean, it is not? It has four wheels and it drives! Besides, I drove that track in November when I took Stephanie over there. 

Just goes to show that all is well that ends well and if you don't worry about anything, it is most likely going to be all well.

Four happy customers head back to the ferry and home for some dinner. A very nice day indeed. And the weather has been just perfect.

Sunday is another beautiful day as we drive down towards Port Arthur, stopping at Eagle Hawk Neck on the way.

Once in Port Arthur, Marcy goes on a guided tour while the children and I happily wander around.

Port Arthur is one of my favourite places because I can take the dogs with me. 

Another beautiful and happy day comes to an end as we arrive home just on sunset.

Monday is Marcy's last day and the weather is still absolutely perfect. After a quick detour down the valley for a quick look around Geeveston we start heading towards town.

On a whim, I turn off towards Mount Wellington and bravely tackle the road up to the top. 

I last came up here in January 2006, with Cameo and Pearl.....oh yeah, and a husband too back then.

Since this is National Park and the dogs have to stay in the car, we don't spend much time here. But the views are to die for.

Well, this is it. Time to head back towards the airport. Thanks for coming, Marcy. I've had a wonderful time.

Why was she a lucky visitor? We could not have had more perfect weather.

Autumn is definitely here

April 2018

With the arrival of April comes the typical unpredictable autumn weather. 

The chooks snuggling up to the backdoor is always a sign that there is some rain out there, no matter how little.

I'm sure if I was to open the door they would quite matter of factly walk in and make themselves at home.

Here is Lucky telling them: Sorry ladies, I can't open this big door for you.

On one such rainy day, we get a break in the weather just as we're coming into Snug on our way home from Kingston.

We make the most of it and stop for a walk at the town end of the Snug River track.
We hadn't been here for a very long time. In fact, I think this may be the first time for Teepee.

Normally, we access the track from the bottom end, after visiting Elaine at the nursing home, to give the dogs a break before heading on to Kingston for appointments and shopping - and of course a walk at Kingston Beach.

It has quite a feel of rain forest about it, especially being so wet between showers.

Not so long ago, I had to have a truckload of water delivered. Now, the tank is filling up nicely - free of charge.

Undeterred, we take a walk whenever and wherever we can. Here are some pictures of Minnie Point, just down the road from home, where we often stop for a little while on the way into Cygnet.

Autumn time and rainy season is also the time for mushrooms. There are some very interesting specimens  popping up everywhere.

By the side of the bush track.

In the middle of the track.

And some even in my garden.

Autumn has definitely arrived in Tasmania.

Slowly resuming normal life

March 2018

The 5th of March is a very happy day indeed. The surgeon tells me that I'm now all good to resume my life.
Naturally, that does not happen all at once as I still have to take it easy.......as easy as I can manage.


To celebrate the good news, we find another new track to walk on the way home, the Dave Burrows coastal track in Margate. 

I hear no complaints from my children.



Closer to home, we still walk our beloved bush track regularly.

It is now officially autumn and some of the eucalypts are shedding their barks.

Here they are, looking very majestic even in various states of undress.

Indoors, things have not been standing still. Some of my house plants will need to be divided and re-potted. The ginger I planted in this particular pot is growing rather rampantly. I suspect there will be quite a harvest when I get around to this job.

The most important day in March is always the 17th, which is Cameo's birthday. Since I don't have an exact date for Teepee, we celebrate both on the 17th.
Cameo is now 14 and Teepee is 11.

A new year begins

January and February 2018

The year begins quietly and sedately. I'm still not allowed to drive, relying on friends to take us places and help with various things.

Five weeks after the operation, I was told I could now start driving again. It is only short drives to start with as sitting for any length of time is very much an issue. But to be able to take the dogs for their walks is wonderful.

I am still only able to do very light chores with lots of rests in between. Going round taking pictures is easy enough though.

My little lemon tree which had lived in a pot and been moved indoors and out to keep it safe had finally been planted into the ground in the new vegetable enclosure. It had already set some fruit by then, and now they are ripening nicely.

In the long bulb bed, these beautiful lilies are out in their full glory. The scent is quite heavenly.

In the new garden bed by the bedroom wall, the sunflowers have come out. The grass seeds I had dropped in there have resulted in some good tufts of grass.

By the back fence, the Budleia bush is looking the best it has ever been. I thought it was on its last leg, but obviously not.

When I came out of hospital, the red flowering little gum tree was absolutely ravaged by coddling moths and there wasn't a thing I could do about it.

Normally, you cut all the affected branches off and carefully dispose of them to give the tree a chance to recover. 

It seems that this tree didn't need my help. Here it is towards the end of February, sporting some lovely flowers. That really makes my day!

Meanwhile, the sunflowers have ripened nicely and are bursting with seeds. The hens will love these as a treat.

Speaking of hens: For a few days in a row, Hanny comes to the back gate at bedtime and asks to be let in. I haven't been finding any eggs from her in the nest boxes and automatically assumed she had stopped laying.   It is Teepee who finds the nest Hanny has made in the bulb bed down by the fence. The cheeky girl. But she is also quite clever. Once I have taken the eggs away from there, she gets the hint and lays them again in the nest box where they belong.

I am getting quite keen to be doing something in the garden again although I have not yet received green light for any such activity.

But I can get plants and look forward to planting them.

Here are some Gazanias and some herbs. 

And a whole lot of little natives for a special project.

Meanwhile, this little succulent is happily brightening up the window sill with its big flower.

My doggy friend Jill introduces us to a lovely coastal track in Verona Sands I didn't know existed.

And so end the first two months of the year. In just a few more days, I'll see the surgeon again to hear what he has to say.