A VISITOR AND FINDING OUR WAY IN LOCH

We had a visitor last week, rather a shy one or perhaps he thought if he turned his back to us we wouldn't be able to see him . a little bird making a BIG noise alerted us to the fact he was there, just after dusk so we discovered him with the aid of a torch. I do often wish I could blog the bird sounds here, apart from the cacophonous cockatoos and the whinging young magpies, there are the sounds of the shrike thrush..so pure and sweet, the currawongs like clear melodic bells, the chatter of the blue wrens, the pardalotes, [who I really miss now that they have flown the coop] and on and on the list would go...kookaburras, magpies 

when they welcome daybreak with their warbling, the willie wagtails with their 'sweet pretty creature' sounds.

On Monday we went to Inverloch, south east of Melbourne on the coast to see an old friend and stayed in a   'resort' for the night, this is from our balcony so lovely to be so close to the sea and to hear it at night as we fell asleep. The next day we meandered home through Loch, maybe 50ish K's from Inverloch. My mother grew up on a dairy farm near here and through some good luck, the big one 'chatting' up an old fellow, our age I suppose, we found the farm. I had stayed there when I was about 7 and had a very vague idea of where to go. However with the extra help we found the very house, so exciting for us, especially me. 

 I remembered the passage way, in fact I slept in the bedroom on the right near the front door.

The man who owns the farm had bought it from my uncle so that was a lovely connection too.

Loch itself is a lovely little 'village', several antique shops and the the footpaths and verges planted with flowers, big old trees thriving in the wet Gippsland area.

even discovered the war memorial with two of my uncles written on...both luckily coming home to their loved ones, not on the 'lest we forget' side.

The day was rather miserable, the weather I mean, driving rain interspersed with some sun, and cold!

We finished the day with....

very tired but with full tummies....and a dog being sick in the car on the last leg of our trip, not good!!

CHRISTMAS CAKE......MESS

  

This morning I gardened, weeding and put out mulch....until it rained. So...I went inside and had a shower. It stopped raining of course! But it did look very threatening so we went to town to shop. Bought a ham for Christmas and a turkey as Christmas is definitely coming. Oh, yes, and I bought the fruit to make a Christmas cake and pudding. And therein hangs my tale....

I'm very tired, the weather is hot and humid but I decide to make the cake.....

 

Have you ever seen such a mess for one Christmas cake?!!  Unbelievable!!

The newspaper parcel in the oven is the cake. A hint from Matt Preston of Master Chef fame here in Australia, actually from his mother as it is her recipe which he uses....as I did. I have always labourously cut out layers of paper to line the cake tin for a rich Christmas cake but Matt said to grease the tin with butter, put a layer of baking paper on the bottom of the tin and then have about six pieces of newspaper on the bench and snuggle the cake into it and tie the paper with string, making the cover about an inch or two above the level of the cake tin. So much  easier to do.

By the way, the shirt in the middle of the mess was  because I was toooo hot so I had to strip off a layer!

After a cup of much needed tea and a cleanup I went outside and saw this scene, the roses echoing each other and the late afternoon sun back-lighting them. Thank goodness for gardens and the peace they engender.

FINISHED PROJECTS AND ROSES AGAIN

Nearly finished but how will I do his feet?

I worked it out after a few pullouts!

I used the same wool as the little jacket but again the colours are faded. He is rather cute I think1

 

The Paul Cezanne rose, given to us in remembrance of our very much loved son-in-law who died on 

Remembrance Day four years ago. How proud he would be to see his family doing all they are doing.

DOUBLE DELIGHT------MORE PARDALOTE AND A FINISHED BABY JACKET

My double delight rose has taken off this year and I am so enjoying it, looking and smelling. No wonder poets have extolled the virtues of roses for ever! 

I picked a bunch this morning and placed them on the mantelpiece, beautiful to glimpse as I walk past.

The big one brought down a ladder from the shed so I could take a photo of the birds on the nest as I think the babies must be about to fly. I couldn't manage to get  the lens directed into the 'hole' but did get some of the little pardalote again, better than last time.

And a finished cardigan for a special little boy whom I have'nt yet seen. The wool is a lovely soft limey green but it shows as a washed out version. It is slightly better in the shade of the persimmon tree but only just. The jacket was meant to have  knitted bands at the front and around the neck but I crocheted instead and then put a row of orange to jazz it up a bit, followed by my version of tricot.

THE ELUSIVE PARDALOTE

Over the last couple of months we hear very regularly through the day a little trilling from this elusive bird. Reminds me of the Scarlet Pimpernel...'We seek him here, we seek him there...the damned elusive pimpernel.'
Well, that is our pardalote!
We came to realize that they have a nest in the eaves of our house, I began hearing the chirping  especially as I drink my morning cup of tea in bed. Then I happened to see a tiny bird disappear in the direction of the chirrups.

 

The next pieces of evidence were the dangling pieces of grass, out from the 'hole' they have taken over.

 

 Then I just managed a shot of him..or her.

 AND TODAY, BINGO!!

The bird is a striated pardalote. There is a spotted version which we have seen here some time ago and until I saw it up close I thought this was the spotted pardalote. 

We have both enjoyed our discovery and want to get the camera close and see if we can snap something in their hollow. But I need the big one to bring down a ladder, maybe tom orrow.

We have been in the garden quite a bit over the last couple of weeks. I am enjoying being outside now as it is not too hot and I am feeling better than I have for a few months...thank goodness. I just hadn't had energy to spare. Needless to say the house is rather grubby but that can wait.

that is all for today as I am off outside again!

BOUNTIFUL PRODUCE AND SOME PHILOSOPHY.

I planned to do a post on our day in Rushworth but having sent daughter no 1 off to Melbourne after the weekend with some goodies from here I wanted to give you an idea of what is growing here. One of our pleasures is to share our  goodies, and this is what we did.

Getting there, tea made to drink in the car, forgotten boots and don't forget the flowers!

Cousins' feet...13 1/2 and a 22 month old.

A different view of the garden taken while saying good-bye, never our favourite thing to do although we do enjoy the quiet when we have our house back again!!

So...a bucket of roses, a bag of lettuce that the nearly 12 year old said that if you liked lettuce, you would find this lettuce delicious!!! I don't think he likes lettuce!! Oh and the rest, 3 dozen eggs and a boot full of wood, not actually full though, perhaps half full!

I am loving seeing all the spring flowers appearing on the blogs and then the autumn colours and cosy nights on the other side of the world. However not enjoying the terrible storm stories from America. I do hope things get back to some sort of normality before too long. And they are to have their elections on top of everything. I just pray that the right person gets in as they have so much effect on the rest of the world. No more wars, helping people instead of bombing. Fundamenalists everywhere having respect for others' beliefs.

And maybe world peace!