Bunbury North or Bust!

Earlier this month Martin and I took to the skies, flying to Cairns in Far North Queensland. Our friends Noel and Kirsten have just moved there from Adelaide, and the opportunity to join them for a short holiday was a temptation too great to resist. Toffee, my new little friend, thoroughly enjoyed the flight too, especially when Martin held her up to the window to see the view. (I will tell you more of her holiday in a later post.)

We left Adelaide rugged up in winter woolies and arrived in Cairns to find the temperature around 30 degrees Celsius, so the first thing I did was to remove as much clothing as decency and opportunity allowed. O the blessed relief of not having to brace against the cold!

Needless to say we had a wonderful time with our friends, sharing the enjoyment (and challenges)

We found the burst water pipe

of setting up a new home (Bunbury North), and also taking in some of the sights of the tropical north.

'Supermoon' at Clifton Beach

Clifton Beach Sunrise

The supermoon rose over Clifton Beach while we were there, and we took pictures of the moon rising without knowing that it was 'super', and the next morning Martin greeted the sunrise on the same beach.

We were captivated by the beautiful Crystal Cascades, a secluded freshwater swimming hole, hidden in a tropical rainforest, where a series of small waterfalls flow into large pools surrounded by boulders. We watched crazy kids jumping off cliffs into one of the deep pools - the NO DIVING signs were no deterrent to them - 

and saw a Golden Orb Weaver spider - so big! -

and an Orange Rustic butterfly.

Another highlight of the trip was the Skyrail rainforest cableway - a 'must do' for any visitor to Cairns - we loved it!

Rainforest from the Skyrail

On our last day, we packed a picnic lunch and drove to Mossman Gorge - yet another amazing rainforest paradise, north of Cairns and not far from Port Douglas. Words fail me to describe the walks through the rainforest there, and the clear mountain river is wonderful to swim in, if you can brave the current and cool temperature (I didn't).

It's cold!

Our holiday drew to a close too quickly, and we reluctantly said goodbye to Noel and Kirsty in the early morning darkness, leaving for the airport at 5am! By 9am we were back in Adelaide, glad of the winter woolies we had discarded 10 days earlier, and full of happy memories of a wonderful time with dear friends in a great place - Cairns.

Sleepy friends say Goodbye

'Neigh'bours that horse around

We have interesting neighbours. They often seem to think that our paddocks are nicer than their own, so they frequently visit us, and spend their day grazing, rolling around on the grass (rats - just missed that photo opportunity!) or relaxing under the tall gum trees nearby.

Most of the time we co-exist peacefully. However, when we need to venture away from home in a hurry, our horsy neighbours don't seem to have an appreciation of our need for a speedy exit. On these days it sometimes takes 'some time' (pun intended) to manoeuvre our way around, or through the horses!

Honey and Sassy

I have discovered a good trick is to keep a brightly coloured shopping bag handy, and to wave it furiously at my equine friends. This is usually successful, and they amble far enough out of the way to allow safe passage through.

Bandit and Yours Truly

Encounters like these continue to make living here fascinating.

E

Wedge-tail Eagle

You never know who (or what) you're going to meet on the 1 kilometre track in or out. Here are a few pics of our other neighbours, some of whom have featured in earlier posts.

Highland cattle

Kelvin Koala (the original)

Eastern Spinebill

Fat-tail sheep

Peekaboo!

Our neighbour's cattle

Crescent Honeyeater

NEW FRIENDS

• Welcome to Lily, and daughters Adel and Dania. Take a look at  Lily's blog
• Welcome too, to Melisa Nichols, of Melisa's Bears. Melisa makes exquisite bears and other critters.

Brief encounter of a special kind

Recently I succumbed to the lure of an Ebay auction for the first time. I was just browsing through the Artist Bears on the site, when I came across a delightful little bear, Toffee. She called out to me so loudly that I just had to make a bid on her, and to my surprise I was successful.

Toffee was made by German bear artist Gudrun Niklas (http://www.mahlbachbaeren.de), and I would recommend visiting her website. Gudrun was prompt in despatching Toffee, and before I knew it she had arrived, and has been a constant delight to me ever since.

Around the same time, I was busy making a bear  for my niece Brooke's first baby, Dreyson, who was born safely and received joyfully into the family on 24th April.

Sonny the bear was also 'born' on this day, and received joyfully by yours truly.



Now Toffee's adoption coincided with Sonny's 'birth', and although these two met each other only fleetingly, it was love at first sight, so I had to record their brief encounter for my amusement, and I hope yours also.

Hello, little one!

I love you, Sonny!

I love you too, Toffee!

Look at me!

Be careful up there, Toffee!

I have to leave soon, to look after Dreyson.

Well, you'd better practice with me first

This is how you hold a baby, Sonny.

A farewell kiss: "Give Dreyson a kiss too."

 
.

I miss Sonny!

No gorillas in this mist!

We live in a lovely part of the Adelaide Hills, overlooking a valley where the view is different every day.

My husband Martin loves to get outside in the early morning with the camera, to catch the changes.

These photos were taken on a couple of mornings, about a month apart, in April and May last year.

I see beautiful views like this from my kitchen window on most days of the year, so washing up becomes less of a chore, and more an excuse to stand still and marvel at the creation.

I hope you enjoy the photos.

Bilbo and Paulie - Bike or Tardis?

Critter Cottage was abuzz, as the news broke that Bilbo and Paulie were to be adopted.

"You're going to a big family, and they already love you," said Nana Kayzy. "They told me that they can't wait to take you on their teddy bear picnics!"

"When can we go, when, when?" cried Bilbo, jumping up and down with excitement, while Paulie hung on behind him.

"When can we go?"

"As soon as I can get you ready," Nana Kayzy answered. "Off you go, and have one last turn on the swing seat while I find a box to fit you both."

Bilbo and Paulie were not impressed at the thought of being cooped up in a box, so while they were swinging, they hit on a plan.

"A box doesn't sound good - we need a plan"

"Aha! I've got it!"

When Nana Kayzy went looking for the boys, they were not to be found on the swing seat, but searching outside, she found them - on the bike, and heading towards the gate. "And where do you think you're going?" she called.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"We're riding to our new home"

"We're going to ride the bike to our new home!" squeaked Paulie. "We don't want to go in a box."

Nana Kayzy laughed, picked them up, bike and all, and brought them back into the cottage, where Sandi and Scruff were already sitting up at the table. "We're going to have a farewell celebration party!" they cried.

Farewell Celebration Party

Bilbo and Paulie decided on orange cordial and lollies for their celebration, because "We need a BIG drink and lots of carbs to get us ready for our BIG trip," they explained. (Nana Kayzy told herself that she'd better be a little more careful in explaining nutrition to the bears in future.)

"We need a BIG drink and lots of carbs"

"What do you think, Paulie?"

"OK, Nana Kayzy - we'll go in the Tardis"

After their celebration, the boys were shown THE BOX, which Nana Kayzy quickly explained was just like a Tardis, and would transport them to their new home much more quickly than riding a bike all the way.

Bilbo and Paulie could see the sense in this, and after checking it out thoroughly, agreed to this method of transport.

"Watch your step, Bilbo - that first one's tricky."

"It's pretty comfortable."

When last seen, their little faces were full of anticipation of the exciting adventure ahead, and they gave solemn promises to write as soon as they arrived at their destination.

"We'll write as soon as we get there."

Nana Kayzy closed the box, and the intrepid time travellers were off, and . . . the Tardis disappeared from sight!

"Farewell, intrepid time travellers!"

                                                                                                                      

WELCOME TO NEW FRIENDS!

• A warm welcome to Robyn Kaye and Gabriele Joy, of GJOYful Bears - a lovely site to visit.
• Welcome also to a good friend who has just joined us here on the blog - Annette Henderson, of Dreamweaver Bears (see pic on my last post). Annette was an encouragement and inspiration to me in my early days of bearmaking - thank you, Annette.