An excellent year!

www.woodfordfolkfestival.com/
WOODFORD FOLK FESTIVAL

Go check this site out. I'm going to this year for real!

On the deck with champagne and the easel!

Tim has taken up painting! The deck  outside our bedroom has become the  artists den. It looks and feels very homely and comfortable. Tubes of paint, brushes and sploshes of colour add to the already ambient characteristics. He sneaks out there and dabbles at least once a day. He says he's getting some confidence up before he ventures  out into an artists group. We picked up an old steriogram from Lifeline and made a cupboard out of it after ditching its innards. He keeps his arty farty gear in there and can be ready to work on his masterpiece at anytime he feels the urge. Me? I am on the other side of the house (calling distance) tapping away at the computer creating my own literal masterpiece! Pigs DO fly. We were toasting to thriftiness in the photo. I had found a hairdresser who charges $20 dollars less than the one I have been using for ages and ages and is local, so I went in and bought a bottle of Asti to celebrate! Frugal! Fantastic! Fun!

Our bikes.

This is what you do to shed the excess. Ride around our beautiful 'Borrowing Pit' which is around 3 kilometres (felt like 10 the first day). It's good for our lungs and keeps all the bending bits mobile. The hardest part was the seat but I am adjusting...slowly! Knees are holding up and so far it's very enjoyable. Tim even rides to the shop and back for the paper. Way to go!



One last big job at Salads Galore for the Oldies.

So many of our friends ask us what we do with out time since retiring. Well, I am hear to tell you the nasty news about retirement! Time goes just as fast as it did while working....faster some days! Catching up on all the chores that  were on the 'gunna' list are getting done...sort of. At least  plans to do them have been made for after we have finished this or that or some other adventure. We were called back into work for a clean up last week....actually we were supposed to do it months ago but never got around to it till just this week. One of  the 'storys' from our time at Salads Galore was the Onion Machine that we bought from Barker Boys in Adelaide some years back. Bloody thing would have worked but it didn't...not efficiently at least and so it was scrapped. Literally. Tim and I pulled all the bits off that were not stainless steel and broke it down to a pile of metal on a pallet. Imagine the Italian engineer who originally put it together   some 30 odd years back! He'd be horrified to think his work of engineering art being destroyed. Bits of it will hang in my garden when I get around to making them. A big gear thingy that has a great sound when you gong it and the name plate that will serve as a reminder of a chapter in our history. I believe there will be a time when we will need such reminders, or so I am told by our dear children who laugh at us getting older. They can laugh...I know their time will come!



A Week With Eil and Sue!



Cooktown Pole Dancers

We spent a week in August exploring the north from Townsville to Cooktown with  friends. Four of us in our tent! Tim has decided that one wife is plenty. (Whats worse than a nagging wife? Three nagging wives). We covered a lot of ground in an amazing amount of  time. It actually felt like a marathon! Enough said for fear of an uprising!

Not only was it  rushed  but crowded too...no not in the tent...everywhere we went! Kurrimine Beach resembled a nursing home for grey nomads and ...well that is all I am going to say about that too! I have decided that from now on  we go where no one goes on our get-aways.

Cassowary at Etty Bay

  In our search for Cassowary's we discovered Etty Bay just south of Innisfail. A glorious little bay tucked away around the corner from Mourilyan Harbour.  The dangerous critters actually have breakfast with the campers! Apparently they have become very tame after cyclone Larry went through, when locals cut up fruit for them to live till the forest grew back.

Eileen and Susan near the Curtain Fig Tablelands .

We did a day trip to the Tablelands too doing all the falls and all the beautiful vilaages between Innisfail and Malanda!



Mr Smiley was our chaperon. He kept the peace and made us all happy!

Don't know what we would have done without Mr. Smiley. He broke the silence and melted the frayed tempers when things got a little frizzled. Wasn't many times thank goodness. We are actually planning another trip so it must have been okay.

Looking through the figs with lichen growing all over it in Mossman.





Milla Milla Falls.



We decided to go back to Etty Bay  last week for a couple of days. We hired a van for the time we were there and for sure and certain I am cured of ever owning one! I suspect there may have been a 'passing' taken place in there. So old and ramshackle but we didn't really care  as we ate at the little store mostly and sat on the beach.  I set up office under a fig tree and conducted the business of writing poetry. Pure bliss. Next time we will pitch our tent and take our chances with the mozzies. It is a lovely spot and I was inspired to ramble on.



Ramblings from Etty Bay

The tide half up, half down.

Endless lapping and movement regardless, from both land and ocean blue

Children frolic, castles built, endless search for shells and treasures

Chasing, catching, rolling, romping, screaming and laughter...

Joyful expressions of appreciation.

Junior Life Savers practice their skill

Rotate and take their turn at saving.

Spot the waving arm, march, guide harness, rescue, carry, drop and kneel... kiss of life.

Then there are the boards ...paddle out and glide back, turn ‘round and do it again.

A swayed backed mother leeds her twins to the waters edge

One with bucket other with spade

Sit in waves trying to contain the ocean in their toys

Their little bottoms sandy like crumbed chicken.

People gather; holiday makers, teens stealing time off work,

Mums and dads, grans and granddads hand in hand, not much talking.

No need.

In the silence I  sense the spirit of a visitor from another time

Young nubile nymph climbing rocks, jumping waves, the fresh sting of salt on skin.

Crisp, refreshing, dunkings on a hot summer’s day.

Bare feet cautiously climbing, clambering over shell encrusted volcanic leftovers.

Searching, inquisitive, prying and fascinated young eyes.

Waves’ creating an explosion of spray pounding islet rock.

New discoveries as the wash pulls away and exposes secrets.

The shadows almost reach the waters edge

Streams of low,  sun rays seep through the giant figs.

My silhouette grows chasing the last of the days light.

A Forest Kingfisher darts across my path

It’s time to retreat to my nest too.

Brisk cold shower, to get rid of crusty sand.

Fold up chairs and tables, baskets, bags of soggy towels, buckets and spades

Eskies, light now, picnic lunch long eaten....all lifted into the boot of the car.

Tired happy children strapped safely into car seats,  a far cry from the freedom of  the day

But too tired to care. Be asleep before they get home

Dreaming of castles, and wild roaring oceans.

A sumptuous feast for the soul as I sit and gaze into the setting of sweet little Etty Bay.

Carnarvon Gorge and back via Longreach

If you haven't been to Carnarvon Gorge yet you had better before it's too late. No, they are not mining it or turning it into satellite suburb complete with K-Mart and Bunnings. The reason you must hurry is because YOU my friends are not getting any younger. Leave it too long and you wont be able....especially as walking 22 kilometres in one day will be on the agenda. Tim and I decided that Carnarvon Gorge was our Everest! Over 30 creek crossings, stairs that felt like they were the ones to Heaven, hills that felt like mountains and kilometres that I think where miles! We decided to go to the end of the trail. 'Big Bend' and do all the 'featured' walks on the way back. Big mistake! We knocked over the first  three coming back but by the time we got to the turn offs to 'The Amphitheatre' and 'Moss Garden' neither of us could bring ourselves to do it. We did make it to Wards Canyon though and from what we had seen thus far it was the pick. My photos do not do it justice. Our feet where on fire by the time we got there and a soak in the foot bath of freezing cold water got us mobile again for the last 5 ks back. (felt like 25).

It was very cold camping, could have thought it was Tasmania! The camp fire was comforting though as well the Tawny Port  we discovered at Dan Murphy's before we left. Our sleeping bags rated at -7degrees worked a treat so we didn't have too much to complain about apart from sore feet. It was well worth the effort and I am sure if we had of done a little more training before hand we would not have thought too much off the distance. Being gobsmacked around every corner  at all sights and sounds of the bush made it all worth while. The sand stone cliffs where amazing. The gums living on the edge where of particular interest to me! 

Warrumbah Gorge

One of the many creek crossings.

                                                            

Alive On The Edge

  King Ferns at Wards Canyon

Our trip home was interesting. I had not been any further west in Nth Queensland than Charters Towers. Places like Blackall ,  Longreach and Winton were mere dots on a map till this journey. Still dots on a map but people do live there. Amazing and nothing short of a miracle that they do! In all the towns the emphasis seemed to be on our pioneers and the way they lived. I  will always be grateful for the hard work they put into opening up and laying down the communities that make up our precious state. We have no idea what hardship is these days!

Tim and Suzie and the dusty road before us!

We decided to take the 'tourist track' to Tambo from Springsure. I thought it was worth it and Suzie handled the road well even though her 'footwear' was inappropriate. We know we have to get proper 4wd tyres for any more adventures like that. Sliding around in the bull dust in city slick  tyres was not all that much fun. 

Mr and Mrs Emu out for a stroll along the road to  Belyando Crossing.

Tim picks up with a new bird.

Bottle Trees near Blackall.

I bought one home from the Information Centre in Blackall. I am now officially a grey nomad picking up plants where ever I go...except from the National Parks of course!

The Stockmans Hall of Fame Longreach!

The QANTAS Museum.

We found The Stockmans and Qantas Museum very interesting and spent a long time in both. I am not sure I needed to know all that stuff about how a plane stays up in the air though. I was comfortable in my blissful ignorance. Now I will be wondering if all the parts are  in good order!

Homeward Bound

The last nights where spent at a motel. I know we piked out of the camping deal but we did make that decision  when we first set up the rig. Too tired? Then rent a room! So we did.

 

Look at the fancy fences out west!

All the posts were wrapped in tumble weeds! It went for miles like that  then suddenly stopped. Must have been the edge of the winds space.

Suzie smiling even though she has bugs all over her face.

Till the next adventure....

"Change of Minds"

                We are allowed...we are entitled to change our minds if we want to! Here is a photo of our first adventure in our 'rig'. The car could fit in the tent if we really wanted it to. We have a name for it...Suzie...because of her brand but have attached another...Tardis. If you could see what we put in between her three door frame you would be amazed. We have a state of the art tent Black Wolf go up in a flash model, air beds that blow themselves up (inflate) and a set up that all falls together in the least amount of time possible.  From pulling up at the site , wandering around and making sure it was the best spot, to ripping the ring pull off a can of beer was 20 minutes. And that was our first time! Have plans to be getting even better at it with a bit of practice.

Sunset on the banks of the Basalt River 'Bluff Downs' Western Qld.

                 Our first stop was Bluff Downs a farm stay where you can camp on the banks of the Basalt River. We had the place to ourselves apart from the cows and crows. Quiet? Yep. The river drops down and has a small waterfall that makes itself known with it's shushing music. Birds feed and drink all day long and create a scene that changes constantly. "Hey look....is that a crane? Are they  scraggy necked ibis?"  All day long we bird spotted. Bluff Downs run deer as well and Tim and I tried to recall all the names of  Santas reindeer round the camp fire while dutifully dealing with an over full bottle of Brandy. Shame the internet doesn't work out there or mobile phones we could have dialed a friend! 

We came home to attend a party but didn't unpack. Restocked and took off again this time for more civilized spot...Kurrimine Beach Caravan Park. The 'happy campers' from the school holidays had all packed up and gone home and left us  to the pick of the plots....beach front . Pub was just a stroll away...no cooking this time...just fishing and making wind chimes out of  the oceans remnants, reading and of course those pesky over full bottles of wine! Bill and Bev from Hervey Bay our new neighbours looked on in amazement at our rig and how it all fitted back into the car. That is when we decided Tardis should be Suzie's surname!

Thats all folks!