Discoveries with Dougall 24 - Neighbourhood delights.

They say Queensland is beautiful one day and perfect the next. Well yesterday it was awful but today it is perfect once more, so off we went together for a walk and we found the first flowering Queensland Silver Wattle tree looking absolutely glorious - this photo is for you Janet Pollard. 

Then we headed to some neighbourhoods where I loved the colour schemes for all their quirkiness.  The colour of this house, the beautiful hanging flowers, with a matching car parked in the drive.

 The prolific orange trumpet vine just enhancing those roof tiles.

And on the stretch home we came across a rather unusual walker and her partner. I had seen her before but this time I stopped and asked her if walking backwards was deliberate. "Yes" she said. She walks backwards every day for one kilometre, with her loving and patient partner by her side. She has done this for over 20 years and is absolutely certain that this is good for her back and her thighs and her general slim demeanour. Well she certainly looked trim and sprightly! So full marks to her but great big star for her partner who walks forward keeping her safe and on the path while she walks backwards!Now that is devotion is it not? 

Discoveries with Dougall 23 - Today's offerings

I woke up to a sunny day, the arctic wind had died in the night, and the skies were that clear blue which sets my heart racing so I went in search of my exuberant four legged friend and we set out on a ramble which exceeded expectations. Offerings from today: 

The warmth on my neck, the dappled light coming through the trees, the colours, even in these winter months, were all there to greet me and once more I felt that joy of being there, that appetite- inducing, endorphin- producing, energising strength that comes from experiencing these empty paths with a mad but oh so fun dog. More than that and perhaps best of all it inspires me to come home and write, smile at the infrequent passers-by, and reassess my view of this otherwise troubled world. I read the relaxation of regulations and immediately think of the short memories of humanity and that more than anything reminds me I cannot be complacent or careless. The virus is still very much cutting through unsuspecting members of humankind indiscriminately and harshly and for that we can only shudder and stand our prescribed distance for our sakes and everyone else's. Take care and stay safe. 

Winter Solstice- shortest day of the year 2020

Sunday morning and the day dawned glorious and sunny so it called for a road trip which I had checked out during the week. Wivenhoe Lake and Marburg House. We started at the Wivenhoe Lookout with views so typical of Australia - miles of beautiful country stretching out impossibly wide in front of us. In that Lookout the spot of the day by birdwatcher extraordinaire (mm)  of a spotted pardalote. Not a great photo but absolutely beautiful little creature singing majestically in this haven of bell bird song making its own voice heard. Found a photo so you can admire the colours of this male who was looking for his mate. 

The lake borders the Wivenhoe Dam where we saw two types of figbirds, pelicans, butcher birds, magpie larks, bablers (which are uncommon) and a whistling kite.

Onto Marburg House a beautiful Heritage house built on top of a hill in the 1890s by the Smith family who had a timber milling business and were also involved in the sugar trade in Queensland.  They built this grand house on top of the hill which was home to them and their 11 children. The house is surrounded by magnificent woodlands and gardens with mature Mango and Bunya pines, with warnings about falling cones. The cafe and restaurant which sadly were closed, are where Ben Ungermann of Masterchef fame is in charge. 

The road through the D'Aguilar National Park was a beautiful route of rainforest and dry eucalyptus and they gave way to rolling hillsides and homesteads of farms with horses and cattle in the paddocks. Back just as the shortest day was ending in this strange year.

Chasing the Monsoon - Alexander Frater

My late sister gave me a book in 2012 - here is her inscription dated Nov 2012.

She died shortly after in February of 2013. The book came to Australia with us but was forgotten for all these years until in lockdown I started looking for books on my shelf I had not read. This was one of them. I have just finished it and I loved every page. She always introduced me to the best writing and her choice here is no exception to that. 

The author is a journalist who was born in the South Pacific island group of Vanuatu. A picture which hung beside his bed painted by L. Geo Lopez was of Cherrapunji Assam, "The wettest place on earth". It had been a wedding present to his parents and his father often spoke of going there but never managed. So Alexander went on his behalf and followed the monsoon from Trivandrum in the deep south to the village of Cherrapunji in the North east of the Sub Continent near Shillong. 

I loved his determination to get there, to cut through all the red tape and ministerial obstacles, the descriptions of the various modes of travel, the monsoon arriving in various parts of the country and the reaction of Indian people to the coming of the rains and their significance. It is full of wonderful and humorous stories of how he travelled up the country chasing the monsoon ending up, almost like a pilgrimage to his father, in this distant village. Well it felt a bit like a pilgrimage to my sister as well. 

By the sea shore

On the Pacific Motorway with a sense of elation and freedom. Cant remember the last time we were on it.

Off to Burleigh Heads for a walk around the National Park and Tallebudgera Creek before retiring to a verandah. A round of G and Ts to whet our palate in between watching the sunset and the changing skies, the best and saltiest Greek olives- in truth they may have been Turkish too- tarama and goats cheese, dips and delicious prawns and feta with tomatoes. In between banter and bursts of laughter, covid updates, travel bubbles, netflix specials and JK Rowling's 3000 word essay and tweets on trans, travel or not and more tarama. More vino, red this time, and a deviation to good books and the cinema - what was the last film we saw - the one about keeping hives in the depths of the Macedonian mountains amongst abject poverty- and an hurray that the local cinema is starting up again very soon. Plans to climb up mountains, go for long beach walks and swim next time (bit chilly today) and off to bed all yawning as the good retirees that we are. 

Waking to dark swirling clouds and Surfer's Paradise in mist, so a long walk down the beach taking in the swimmers and surfers along the way was called for. A socially distanced fish and chips at the local surf club with excellent company and a leisurely drive back along Surfer's Paradise in the falling rain. Home to a cup of tea from C and my first winter bath. Mary and John, thanks for sharing your balmy winter wonderland. We loved it. 

Discoveries with Dougall 22 - Nooks and crannies, boats and banks

Its been a while since I took D for a walk. He had a sore knee so I refrained from taking him out until he was completely better - well yesterday he bounded out and how wonderful to walk once again in the neighbourhood to discover all its nooks and crannies - they are never ending.
On today's walk the addition of a new boat along the path - except this one is different as it is on land and is planted.

One of the banks exploding with Japanese sunflowers 

The beautiful screen produced by a neighbour who has shared his garden with the whole community. His recent additions are a boardwalk and a stream flowing below, as well as a doll house for everyone to share. Dougall loved exploring the area. I think this screen captures the beauty of real leaves and the light in a spectacular way.

 One of the coral trees, Erythrina (meaning Red in Greek) just beginning to flower along the path.

 Capturing the light on this garden of bloom 

And finally the golden shower tree, Indian laburnum or the pudding pipe tree

aren't they just the best names for a tree ? 

The days are wonderful and sunny, though the grey clouds occasionally roll in. We look to them for rain but often they move away and we are left disappointed. Never disappointed from our walks which are a joy.

Corona creation

So here it is - my corona creation - my boys sent it to me for Mother's day and I finished it the day hubby came back home. I enjoyed the many hours I spent squinting to see the numbers but loved the way it came together. What a thoughtful present it was and definitely down my alley.

World Environment Day 5th June 2020- post

Yesterday's blog was all about saving our tree - today's blog is about World Environment Day ( a day late ). We shouldn't really only reserve our actions for one day but these days help to remind us what we can all be achieving in even the smallest of ways for the environment. 

The possums are alive and well - look at the efficiency with which this paw paw has been eaten. Impressive isn't it ?

 The tree looks magnificent and the lower garden is bathed in sunlight. Time for a new project.

 Dennis happily surveying the garden. 

The Master Beekeeper checking the beehive and all is well and the bees are thriving. 

Communing with his bees !

A most exciting Day

Today at 7 am I welcomed 5 strapping lads into my garden. Dave and Co from https://rightwaytreesolutions.com/ were here to rid our Poinsiania of the cactus and cat's claw that had taken hold of it all these years and to give it a good prune as the branches were over extending and in danger of falling. Well I haven't had so much fun in a long time, not just because they were all so lovely and chatty, as well as hard working but also watching the sheer expertise required to do a job like this. Dave made it look so easy. He was like Tarzan, flinging himself from branch to branch, issuing instructions to the lads below and doing a fine job of cutting off all the invasive weeds as well as the overhanging branches. My heart was in my mouth watching him as he seemed to balance on nothing and managed to handle his saw and the ropes all superbly. In the process I believe we disturbed a possum or two but they will be back together with all the birds tomorrow I am sure. Dennis and Doreen were perched on branches just above supervising it all! 

So this is the tree today - you can see the cactus spreading right through to the very top.

 This is the invasive cactus which took over most of the tree's trunk. 

Dave in action 

 Right at the top - and its a long way down ...

The cleaned up and pruned tree 

And this is what we can look forward to seeing in November of 2020. Cant wait.Well done guys.