Lilly in the garden

Yesterday I took a pic of this lilly as I thought it would be fully out in another few hours.

This was this morning

Lunchtime

From the front, dont know how long it will last out but it is a beauty.

Arrrr, Coffee!

Let me introduce my breakfast this morning.

My own cuppacino made at home and not even by me.
Love my coffee and usually I have it wet and black. Warren says i have about eight grajns of instant coffee in a cup filled with water. Its more like a quarter of a teaspoon.

A couple of months ago we decided to buy a coffee maker, we were in the market to buy a new dishwasher so took the opportunity to look at coffee makers. Oh my goodness, so much choice and they all seemed to done different things. We left with the dishwasher, that didnt take long at all but no coffee maker.

Later that day we went to Costco to fill the car with fuel, saving thirteen cents a litre that day, we decided to see what they had in the way of coffee makers. We bought the one in the picture. They only had two, the other one was $3000 plus, that wasnt happening.

I find jt too strong to have without milk and I did try having the second cup from one capsule and thats not too bad.  Then Warren perfected cappuccino. Yum! As I have sugar and milk in it, frothed by the machine, I limit my intake to no more than two a week, then I really enjoy it. Mind you, I have no idea how to make one!

Todays wildlife

We had lunch at a seaside bakery then walked along a beach path. Heard a noise and thought some one was gardening. It was gardening being done but not a person.

It was a bush turkey and he was raking up the dead leaves to make a mould for his nest. I say he as I think it is the males who prepare the nest.

He did stop when I took the photo but just turned the other way and keeping raking. Leaves were being scattered about two metres away. A completed mound can be as high as a metre.

A weekend adventure

Last weekend Sheridan and I went to see a piece of local history that was less than 30 minutes from home. I had no idea that it was there but during war years there was a large area with several buildings using radio transmission.

The huts that we saw are domed shaped and they reminded me of Nissan huts that featured on many military bases and housed refugees and migrants were they first came to Australia.

They looked like they were built from wood but on closer inspection, they are cement, the woods were used to pour the cement into and are about six inches thick.

This photo was taken at the entrance of one of the domes. Dont know how many people would have worked there, its possible that personnel were housed in tents as the buildings that are there were work station with trenches through the floor for cables.

Outside were the iron structures that were bases for the aerials. 

The last building housed the generator which ran on diesel. The fuel had to be brought in by truck in 44 gallon drums. We got there by driving on a bitumen three lane highway then a smaller bitumen road then a well formed gravel road for the last couple of kms. Of course back then, the roads were not so well formed and neither were rhe bridges. Four bridges the trucks had to negotiate before being about to deliver their fuel. The bridges werent built for trucks let alone trucks laden with 44 gallon drum of fuel. At each bridge, the drums had to be unloaded and rolled across the bridge then reloaded.

Very interesting to wander around and learn some history but written this, I realise how much I didnt find out.

Halloween

Its getting closer and I have bought some lollies for door callers. The last couples of years there hasnt been many kids around but just never know.

We were out at a small country town on the weekend and saw a house dressed for halloween.

The people had gone to a lot of trouble with signs and spiders, skeltons and witches.

Power outages

The other night I couldnt sleep and Warren woke up as well so what to do, have a midnight feast, well coffee and toast at least.

I went to the kitchen and put on the jug, grabbed the toaster and bread from the freezer and plugged the toaster in, suddenly blackness! Warren went outside to the fusebox and we started again. I waited til the jug had flipped off before turning the toaster on, nah, same again.

Looked like te toaster had sh... itself as nothing else was on except a light. Warren disappeared outside again and brought in the toaster from the caravan. All good, coffee and toast and read our books before going back to sleep.

Yesterday however was very different with a power outage, we were expecting rain, possible storms around 2.30, well, the prediction was only about 20 minutes later. First loud clap and we had no power, storm and rain lasted for about an hour. It was a bit dark inside but could still see and we put on our new camping lantern just in case. It threw enough light to get around.

Power and everything was restored about 5pm, just for us to see a bit of the news about flooding in Toowoomba and hail down south and it all went black again. Thinking about get out candles and stuff and back on it came and then stayed on.

Hopefully some of the rains has got out west where they really need it.

A walk in the black forest!

Not really but this tree with its exposed roots caught my eye.

It was on a rainforest walk we did, very small park with a few paths around probably only about 300 metres all up. It was nice and shaded though, we thought we would walk off our scones jam and cream but that little walk wasnt going to do it but we did try.

Netflix

I had pondered on getting netflix for awhile but had never done anything about it. Talking with my sister and brother in law, it seems that they use it quite a lot.  Being country they dont or havent been able to access tv as much as city and so they signed up to netflix several years ago.

Netflix is being able to get movies and series through computer. Yay to be able to watch something without ads.

I decided to look into it. Opps while checking it out, there was an offer of a free month,  how could one possibly knock that back.

First day I watched a movie on the laptop. Warren set up one of the laptops to the TV and now we can watch it on the bigger screen. Yep, decided that $9.90 a month was worth while spending.

Second month went by and I dont think we watched anything on it. However this last week with bruises and a sore shoulder, I have more than got my monies worth.

Watching a series called Jack Irish, didnt know anything about it but it looked intriguing. To my surprise it is an Aussie production with Guy Pearce from Priscilla, the guy who was the Mayor in The Dish, he plays a lot of character roles, guy from Boney, another guy who played a young cop  when the cop shows were very popular. So far I have watched five episodes and it is a good show and no ads!

The rivers are running

After the rain thats been on and off for several days, Warren suggested we go for a drive to check out the water levels.

We headed out to a park not far from home that we have been to before, we knew that Lucy would love the chance to run.

We walked to the end of the road which was not passable. Just over the causeway the road runs into private property.  The water was running over the road pretty fast but I dare say by tomorrow, it would be under the level and therefore be able to be used again.

The water wound its way away through the paddocks and over the road again. There were four floodways before reaching the end of the road and the park. It does get a little busy on weekends and esp in summer. The park has several tables and chairs under the trees, one set is even under a patio and there is a toilet block as well.

Hot Chocolate

Nothing like a hot chocolate in a warm welcoming coffee shop on a wet wintry rainy  day.

Then we came home and crashed in front of a TV for an afternoon nap.

Before our nap though, I threw some bacon bones, some stock and hot water into the crock pot.

Made a great quick dinner with a cheeses toastie.

Battered and bruised

Taking Lucy for a walk yesterday and we set off up the hill as we hadnt been that way for awhile. I had been cutting down the hill but last time there was a magpie swooping a kid on a bike, didnt swoop us but I didnt want to take the chance.

We wandering along, it had rained and for Lucy there were lots of things to smell. All of a sudden, I heard someone yell and turned to look at the sound, saw a black mat of fur coming hellbent for the fence and barking furiously.

Poor Lucy took off, she was terrified! Next thing I knew, I was on the ground and Lucy was trying to pull away  ut due to her lead she couldnt go any further. I couldnt hear the other dog anymore and had to coax Lucy to come to me while getting up.

She was shaking and we got out of  there as soon as we could.  We take a pathway just north of that place and Lucy had returned to her usual self by the time we turned onto the path.

As I was dirty from the fall, Warren suggested I have another warm shower to clean up and help with any bruises or scratches that i may have. Lucy was out of sorts last night, from the incident or weather we couldnt work out.

After a nights sleep, my bruises have come to the fore, I have one on my left knee probably I fell on to that, one on my right thigh, I was carrying an umbrella so I assume it was from that and no bruising but I have a painful sore right shoulder.

Taking it easy today, nothing desperately needs doing except some washing and as it is wet, that will have to go in the dryer anyway.

Winter?

Yesterday it was hot, reached 33 degrees. This morning was a nice cool overcast morning in the low 20s.

Around lunchtime, it was very dark outside, seemed like it was about 8pm. Bit of thunder and some rain.

I needed to collect Warren from the train station. Going out to the car, I selected to show the temp, it was 34 degrees inside the garage, as I drove out, the temp kept going down until it was at 17 degrees a couple of ks from home.

We did get a lot of rain but no hail, although there was plenty of hail stones just north of us which did a lot of damage to farms. Expect to see more expensive strawberries and watermelons.

Last night we had the a/c on to sleep, tonight Warren has broken out a jumper!

High tea.

I was invited to join a friend and two other friends for high tea today. Her two daughters had bought her the gift for her birthday. One friend offered to drive us as she knew the area so all I was required to was dress in some finery and meet at the selected time and place to be whisked away.

We were early so spent the excess time in a dress shop which is unusual for me. I was the only one of the four not to buy anything but only because what I liked didnt like me.

At the appointed time we presented ourselves to the cafe. The seating was outside on the verandah and two small tables had to be put tigether even though it was booked. I was a bit worried about the chairs, they were a little spindley, cute to look at but bit wary to sit on in ones latter years. They did stand the test though.

We had several choices of teas, I went for coffee and it was flat white or cappuccino.
One small quiche and three cheese scones but in filo came out with "the best relish" you will taste. The dish of relish was more suited to two pieces not four, although we were told after that we could have asked for more.

A tray of desserts came out.

A scone, jam and cream, a tiny cupcake, melting moment and a carmel slice. I didnt eat my slice as it looked far too sweet for me, I'm sure that I have made it in a past life.  Consisting of honey mixed with oats and biscuits caramel condensed milk then melted chocalate spread thickly over the top. As it was a warm day, top of 33, it was getting hot there by the time we had finished. I had not been to a high tea before so had no idea what to expect only that there would be food.  We all agreed that we didnt want/need any lunch.

Raining!

We missed some of the rain when we were away a couple of weeks ago.
But its raining now and it is so nice to hear the rain and of course benifit from it further down the track.

Half an hour up the road, strawberries farms were hit with hail yesterday evening, no hail here.

Hopefully rain is being received further out west as well.

A weekend project

While Warren was away riding a few weeks ago, I settled into my sewing room. Spotlight had a sale and I was able to grab another king sized quilt and sheet set for our bed. Linen in that size is not that easy to come by so very pleased to be able to get them.

As I also bought king sized pillows and one set of pillow cases from a different store, we were short on those. Both the quilt and sheet sets had two standard pillow cases included, which didnt fit the ks pillows.

A bit of measuring and cutting and then I had turned four standard pillow cases into two ks pillows that match.

I liked the tropical side in the pack but seem to use the blue more.

Potted Potter

A few months ago I bought tickets to go to this show. Going there last night, the audience seemed very young, grandparents with kids from about five to early teenagers. Opps did I make an error?

Well, it was a good show and yes geared towards kids but funny for us too.

Two guys sort of reenacted all seven books of Harry Potter. One was slight and short, he played Harry and the other guy was the type of fall guy and he played all the other characters. Of course there was audience participation with a game of quiddich, one half was Slyerin and the other was Griffindoph. They got two kids up on stage to be the seeker and bought the short guy out dressed as the snitch.  The little girl from our side looked very pretty and sweet but they had only gone a few metres and she reached out,  grabbed the snitch and pulled him down to the ground.

As we went to the afternoon show at 4.30pm, South Bank was packed for dinner options and there was also an MS walk, it was a very busy place. Plus raining yay. Ended up back at station to get something to eat before training it home.

Muttaburra

Now thats a name that can be hard to say. I know I said "Muttabuggar" a couple of times before I got it right.

Muttaburra has a local sculptor who works in metal, scrap metal.
We drove into town from Longreach and saw four sculptures. Unfortunately we spent quite a bit of time driving around and finding them, I didnt take that many photos.

Shearer and sheep.

 We took a walk out here to see these birds.

The piece here was a large dinosaur made from barbed wire with three eggs inside, we needed to discover how manys eggs. I was surprised by the kangaroos that just sat while several people were around. There were about eight of them under the trees keeping cool.

Longreach

We left Barcaldine at around 7.30am, picked up two more people and a tank of fuel. We headed west to Longreach about 120 k away.

The famous Australian Stockmans Hall of Fame.

We didnt spent long here as we had other things to see. A quick trip away the place and then out the road to find the road to Muttaburra. There was a road from the centre of town but that was half gravel. Local knowledge informs us of the one further out which did have some gravel but not as much.

Just before our turn, we caught up to a four trailer truck, luckily the cattle yards were on that road and after a couple of hundred metres, on went his blinker and off he went. Not a bad road but not a terribly good road to pass a four trailet.