On my way home!

After visiting my dads this week I drove down the steep hill to the beach and took a few photos with my little camera. Time was about 6.30pm.  This somehow helps me to recharge my batteries :) Well only sometimes.

Some view of Bass Strait and Coles Beach in Devonport, Tasmania, Australia.

These houses have a veiw of the sea, my dad's house is on the right up on the top of the hill and it over looks the sea.

It's hard to believe!

We haven't had rain for a long time, but then it is summer which will end soon. The garden is just kept alive with water and we don't water the lawns.  Water can be costly, plus the lawns will soon green up after a good rain, whenever that will be.

We bought some 'pea straw' for $5.00 AUD a bale recently to put on the garden, it helps keep the weeds down and moisture in. First we have to put some good nourishment in the soil of the garden.

The photo is of the bales of pea straw plus the lawn of same colour.

Murphy's Haystacks in South Australia

Murphy's Haystacks are in South Australia. These haystacks are a geological wonder and are about 34,000 years old and have remained as they are for that time. The origin of the granite rocks, or inselbergs is fascinating. Made up of pink (some call it red) Hiltaba granite.

We visited these haystacks a few years ago after seeing something in a distance in a paddock on the hill as we were driving by that looked unusual. We discovered a sign, so hence we drove and parked then walked some distance to the rocks. The paddocks are flat with grass or and crops, and here we have these wonderfully shaped granite rocks.

These haystacks were named after Denis Murphy, who was born in Ichor, Ballyagran, Country Limerick, Ireland in 1858.

Dad's Birthday with GGrandchildren!

My dad's 90th Birthday went very well.  The family from Queensland arrived plus many guests during the afternoon and late afternoon.  My husband and I arrived home to our city about 10pm with the family waiting for us.
We both enjoyed their stay, and had our other son, his wife and child for dinner last night, it's the first time that we have been able to get together all in the same place for over 5 years. Plus two of the children were not born or even thought of.

The first photo is of dad and his 4 great grandchildren.  The little boy he has never meet until that day.
He is also the little boy now 2 years of age that I delivered on the side of the road in Queensland, the mum being one of my daughter in laws :)
The child on the left is aged 7, the one in front is aged 22 months and is their cousin, the child on the right is aged 5 and sister to the 7 year old and the boy.

The below photo is the Mayor of the city where dad lives, plus dad used to be a Deputy Mayor for several years, and before that on the Council.

This photo will appear in the Newspaper.

Last Saturday!

My husband and I had a wonderful time at our grand niece's 3rd birthday party down by the river at a place called Tail Race Park in Trevallyn, Tasmania, Australia.
There are barbecues, big trees, seating and a great walking path into the city of Launceston.
The playground was used a lot by the little ones.
Was wonderful to catch up with many of our grand nieces and their parents.  We get to know them and they get to know us.

Birthday Girl and her Cake.

Making Backgrounds for Blogger!

A day or two before I got busy I made several Background Graphics for my blog in many colours but settled on a few dark ones.  I didn't realize that I could add my own. I knew I could add ones you find at different sites on the net as in a whole background. The one I'm using is the top one.

An exciting time!

Saturday the fun begins.
A childs 3rd birthday party in the morning time till after lunch.
Then to the Supermarket to buy some groceries so I can cook, plus of course meat to make some Rissoles.
Also have to make a Jelly Slice, a Fruit Cake and ice it Sunday, make various biscuits.
On Sunday and Monday more cooking plus cleaning the house.
You see our youngest son, his wife and their 3 small children are flying home to stay with us for 4 days.  It's the first time they have been home since 2008.  They live in the State of Queensland many km/miles away, arriving Monday afternoon at the Launceston Airport.
My husband and I have to take two cars to the Airport because they won't fit in one vehicle with just one of us driving.  Seat belts have to be worn and with 6 people and only 5 seats so therefore 5 seat belts.

But of course there is more.
On Tuesday my dad will turn 90, so more cooking for the party I am giving him at his house just over 100km's away.  So I think I will be rather busy for a few days, but I will love every minute of it.

A house with lots of noise here, and at my dads when the guests begin to arrive.

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all.

A graphic I made a few years ago.

Poppies

Opium Poppies growing in a typical paddock on the way to my father's home. The sign on the fence below.

Tasmania is the world's largest producer of opium alkaloids for the pharmaceutical market.
It produces about 50% of the world's concentrated poppy straw for morphine and related opiates from merely 10.7% of the production area.

The drive from my home to my dads is mostly through the country side, going west then travelling north to the sea, Bass Strait.

A view on the way back to Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.

Digital Dolls!

Years ago I used to see little digital dolls on the internet, thousands of them, different shapes, faces and clothes, short, tall, stout and much more. I got to wondering how I could make one or two, so I found a site on 'how to make', then I set off and made several.
There are of course rules, always rules, but I wanted to do what I wanted to do, so I did.
They take a long time to make with all that shading.  I made them with biggish eyes, because I liked them that way. Now I haven't made any for years, these are a few of my old ones.
When I get time, I will try to make a few more.  They were made with the Software Programme called Paint Shop Pro 7, which   I still have but they can be made in most Paint programmes.

      

Warm days and fires!

Over the past few days and especially today there have been bush fires in the State of Victoria, Australia  (across Bass Strait from Launceston) with loss of homes, and still going strong. Here in Tasmania in some areas there has been uncontrollable fires, all now under control thank goodness.
Temperatures in some areas in the State of Victoria, Australia were 41degC (105.8) today with gusty winds and of course the winds changing. We here in Tasmania experienced similar but not quite as hot. We had a few spits of rain later this afternoon and now the sun is shinning.

Today was the Hobart Cup a horse race, it was postponed due to the high winds, and from news reports many a roof was lost and blown onto a Highway and surrounding areas in Hobart which is about 200km (124miles) down south from Launceston.
Down south a man lost his life when a tree hit his car and killed him whilst the wild storm was passing through.

 A bit of debris at the venue of the Hobart Cup today.

Nice place for a picnic!

Not far from where we live is a place called 'The Punch Bowl Reserve', why the name, I don't know but it's a wonderful picnic area with a great big lawn for the children to run around on, has lovely swings and a pond with a creek running at the side of the park.  Barbecues to use for a few dollars. Sometimes we go there for a short walk.

The Launceston Golf Club is also near by, and The Punch Bowl is also a short cut by walking for one of the Private Schools.

Australian Meringue.

Meringues are sometimes called a Pavola, we usually refer to them as a Meringue.  We are having a fad for these since Christmas and instead of me making one I buy one already made, where by artificial sweetener is used instead of 'sugar' if I were to make one at home.
They are very easy to make, and each person finds their own recipe which works for them.
I put on top whipped cream with strawberries, sometimes kiwi fruit or a banana.

What's it like being Blind!

For those that not are aware, my dad is nearly 90 and legally blind, has been for many years. Still lives in his two story house alone expect when my husband and I go down every week and sleep for a night or two. Dad lives just over 100 km away. He is able to walk up and down the stairs, on odd occasions comes shopping with me, and his mind - well that is sharp as a tack!

I wrote these words back in February 2009. What I have written is so very true. (I did a post back then), infact I have been blogging for a very long time and have deleted all posts prior to 2009 including many in 2009 and onwards. Thinking I should have kept them there, too late now.

he walked into the room
and sat down on the chair
look out the window and said,
“what a beautiful sea”.
with surprise he said,
“i see that ship, it’s all coloured white, the size of a match box”,
he turned and looked at me
as i sat in my chair looking at him.
the sun was shining bright
glaring into the room
he said, “are you there, daughter, for i do not hear you,
where are you, are you there my daughter?”
i sat there in silence, listened to his words
as he looked straight at me
but of course he didn’t see,
for the sun was not shining on me. 

JMD

Keeping Cool!

It's a warm day today. It's 35 degC (F 95).
I got up at 5am when it was cooler and did the vacuuming, ironing, cooking, then the dusting. Didn't have to iron many things, but was getting a bit behind with the normal housework. It's all done for a day or two.

So what do we do in warm weather!
Many people go to the beach, and being on an island we are at no point less than 250km from the sea, apparently, but there may not be a beach there, or the sea may not be safe.
Other's go shopping to A/C.
Some sit under a shady tree in a park, or sit in the shade of a breeze way.
There are some people who put their feet in a bucket of ice, and the list goes on, what ever you have to do to keep your body cool, that is what you do.

In this house we turn the A/C on which is fortunately ducted to each room, and I have that set on 25 degC (F 77), I don't like it any cooler, I like to know it's summer.
Went outside, the pavement is extremely hot, would burn your bare feet, and could easy cook an egg on the pavement.
Tasmania is a bad place for burning the skin, so we are advised to cover up and or use sunblock as most of Australia.

Before it became too warm this morning our youngest grandchild came for a visit, I captured this photo of her.  In a few months she will be 2 years of age.