Cape Hillsborough

Yesterday the Friends of the Gardens had a day out, visiting Cape Hillsborough, a nature reserve about an hour's drive north of Mackay.

 The weather for the day was just perfect - a pleasant breeze blowing, but not a gale!  I set up the lunch things while the others (about 30) were ferried to another valley where the local ranger, who just happens to be our vice-president, pointed out lots of interesting features about the ecosystem.  By the way, I think ferrying in the sense I have used it, must be an Australian colloquism - I simply meant car pooling as  there was only enough room for five vehicles over there.  One of our American Friends thought we were going on water - she had not visited the area before.

 I took a couple of photos of the beach to show you.  When the tide goes out you can walk from the mainland across to the little island.  I tried to take a photo of the sand to show you all the iron pyrites, but it does not show up.  Our boys used to be very excited when they were little, they were sure they were going to be rich with all the gold on the sand!  Sadly it was only fool's gold.  I am not sure where it comes from, but this is the only beach where I have ever seen it, the whole beach glistens with the specks.

 This friendly kookaburra came very close.  He was sitting in the tree just above the BBQ and was obviously hoping someone would leave it unguarded.  Usually there are quite a few wallabies about, but they had deserted the area yesterday so I can't show you any photos of them.
Foolishly I packed my camera in an accessible place as there were some really good photo opportunities on the way home.  As we were in our Landcruiser, we came home by a back route over a very rough road, but very scenic.  We shall just have to go back again another day.

The postman has visited again

This lovely felt heart came in the post yesterday.  Jackie from Dogdaisychains gave it to me - I had sent her some tweed a while ago which I bought in Scotland and have never used.  The heart has been made into a brooch, but when I look at it I think I may thread a chain through it and wear it as a pendant sometimes.

 Jackie makes really beautiful felt pieces so do go to her blog to check it out.

 I have not been entirely idle, I have made a few of these organza flowers, some are brooches and some are hair pins.  I saw them on Linda Vincent's blog and she kindly sent me the link to a tutorial for them.  They are fun to make so I am hoping they will sell in the shop at the Gardens.

 Spring is definitely arriving in my garden.  I love these bedding begonias.  They keep on making a lovely show and can be neglected shamefully!

 I am fascinated by this little walking iris flower.  A friend sent me an offshoot in the mail last year, a tiny shoot, which has grown into the plant below.  Apparently it drops its flowering shoot to the soil and forms another plant.  I shall have to move it to a better spot as I need to rejuvenate this bed soon.  I think the plant originates in Brazil.

Double click on any of the photos to see more detail.

A visit to Brisbane

On Tuesday we had a quick trip to Brisbane, flying down in the morning and back again at night, a long but fruitful day.  Bill had a medical appointment in the afternoon and was very happy with the results.  Because we had plenty of time before the appointment we took the opportunity to visit the Queensland Art Gallery to see the incredible exhibition from the Prado in Madrid.  Photos were not allowed but I have scanned these two from the brochures

 I was completely blown away by the exhibition and was sorry we had such a short time to look at 100 paintings.  I loved the paintings which had lots of textiles in them, they almost looked as if the fabric was glued to the picture instead of being painted on!

 This is only the top half of this painting, double click on it to see more detail - superb.  I could have spent the whole day there, but only had a bit over an hour - much better than not seeing it at all.

This is a photo of the old observatory which is a landmark in Brisbane.  It was built by the convicts to crush grain, and initially was powered by either wind or a treadmill, commencing in 1828.  There was rarely enough wind, so the unfortunate convicts operated the treadmill to crush the grain.  In1861 it was converted to an observatory and signal station.  You could see right out into Moreton Bay and the observer would signal when a ship was entering the Brisbane River.  It hasn't been used since the late 19th century, but is heritage listed and maintained by the Brisbane City Council.

I had intended to wander around the city and take a few more photos, but we were both tired and footsore so just went back to the airport and read while we waited for our plane!

The Postman has been to visit

 Today the postman brought this lovely (tiny) parcel to my letterbox.  The package was beautifully wrapped

 and opened to show this little matchbox

which opened again to show this exquisite little book inside.  Gina from Fan my Flame made it, along with over 80 other matchbox books!  I am so glad I succumbed to temptation and bought one.

Book Parade 2012

This is Children's book week in Queensland - maybe all over Australia- I am not sure about that.  Every year Mackay City Council Library Services holds a fantastic parade in conjunction with the local Walkerston State School and the St. John's Catholic Primary school.  As My grandchildren attend the State School, of course I have to go to watch.  The theme this year was supposed to be "Your favourite story book character", but there were lots of TV and film characters. Perhaps they don't read much at home!

 Alexander is the Mad Hatter - a very happy one too.

 Hamish is easily recognisable as Harry Potter

 I don't know what this one was, but his parents had gone to a lot of trouble

 I love the witch.

 Here you can see quite a group of children in various guises

The teachers get into the spirit of the day as well!

And here is one last one of the two boys together.  All over for another year.

A bit to show - at last

 Finally I have manged to do something a bit creative.  I have had my lovely Landscape dyes for so long I thought they would no longer be any good, but they still worked, and now I have several new scarves.

 The green and the fuchsia scarves were $5 scarves bought at the opening of a discount store in a new shopping centre here, lovely fine silk, but I have realised they have been sewn up with polyester thread, but I doubt if anyone else will notice it. 

This one was practising nuno felting.  Again it is so long since I have done any, I had trouble remembering what to do, and I could have used a lot more wisps of wool without making the scarf too heavy - perhaps another scarf coming up to refine the technique.  At least I have taken notes and photos this time for me to look up later!

We had 6 mm of welcome rain yesterday - the first for over a month.  We should be back to beautiful sunny days again for a while now - the sort of weather which makes you glad to be alive.

Visiting at the Botanic Gardens

We had dinner at the Gardens Cafe a couple of nights ago with some visiting friends.  The cafe has only been opening at night for a few weeks, the food is very fancy but tasted delicious.

 This is my dinner - I can;t remember all of it, but it was chicken wrapped in prosciutto with vegies and a wild raspberry sauce - from raspberries grown at the Gardens.

 I thought the dessert, balsamic strawberries with native rosellas and vanilla icecream would not be too large or too rich, but Bill had to finish mine off - which he didn't mind at all!

 I have shown you photos taken in daylight of the sugarcane wall, but there is now a spotlight on it at night with a very dramatic effect.

 Today we had a birdwatching walk in the Gardens for the Friends group and Maya had set up this wonderful collection of bird nests for us to look at.  She has collected them over a few years from various locations around Mackay.

 Some of them are really intricate and a few are just a mess!

I haven't done anything creative since before the Olympics started - sock knitting can happen while I am watching!  Some of it has been very exciting, but I think it will be just as well to get back to normal next week.