Sunday 22 April 2012

An excursion and a TENS machine

Not sure how much of this will work - it is all different!  Why can't blogger leave things alone?
The Gardens Friends had a wonderful excursion yesterday to Carmila Beach, about an hour an a half rive south of Mackay.  The flora is particularly interesting around that area, with many species being grown in the botanic gardens.

 I really love casuarinas, they are a really tough tree and grow along so many of our beaches, giving excellent protection.  The link below explains much better than I can the botany of them.
http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/1999/archives/25/in_the_garden/trees_and_palms/casuarinas

(This link does not appear to be working, but if you google Burkes Back Yard Fact sheet/ casuarinas, I am sure you should find it - I hope so anyway, it was very interesting!)

 The beach is lovely, and as you can see quite deserted!  There were plenty of people in small boats out to sea fishing, but we had the whole picnic area to ourselves.
 Ignore my ugle hand, this is a closeup of the branchlets and if you enlarge you may be able to see where the tiny leaflets are.
 There were lots of these seed cones on the trees, but there was a light breeze blowing and the only way I could get a photo in focus was to point up towards the sky!
Carmila creek runs into the sea at the picnic area, and this looked such a tranquil scene I couldn't resist another photo.  They should all enlarge with a click.
 This is a cover for the wonderful TENS machine below which I bought just before Easter.  I can't sing its praises enough, I thought it would help with the fibromyalgia aches, which it has, but it has improved my knee so much that I can mostly go up stairs with one foot on each tread - a vast improvement to having to go two feet on each tread!
It is small enough for me to take it in the car and use when on long trips, yippee.  It will have a very good workout next Sunday when we leave for Cairns.  Should have some good photos after that trip!

5 comments:

  1. Hi Robin, thanks for so many lovely pics. The cover you have made is gorgeous and reflects some the colours in the last pic.

    What is a TENS machine? I am glad it gives you some relief.

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  2. Beautiful photos Robin - I can't believe that Carmila Beach is deserted, it is so lovely. At first glance I thought those branchlets were porcupine quills. You have such interesting trees in Australia.
    TENS machines are great - I know several people who use them. So glad yours is bringing you relief and I love the cover you've made for it.

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  3. Hi Robin, I remember Carmilla Beach from when we lived in Mackay many moons ago...actually as I just calculated 40 years and a bit. Those casuarinas grew on the beachfront at Rainbow Beach and the seedpods were a devil coming off the beach in bare feet. Enjoy your trip to cairns, and hope your little machine continues to help with your knees.

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  4. Hi Robin, and thanks for such interesting photographs. Sorry I've been a long time commenting, things going on here. I am wondering if 'your' casuarinas are the same as the ones we have growing here?? We call them 'belah' trees, but they seem to have the same branchlets and seed pods, the latter attracting a certain type of black Cockatoo seasonally. Love your little TENS machine cover, always such perfect stitching and construction.

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  5. Going to a spa for relaxation is a nice experience but it’s not always convenient or affordable to go time and time again. To spare you from such troubles, we have created the New Tens Unit Electronic Pulse Massager.

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    ReplyDelete

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