On the drive back from the lighthouse we saw Koalas in the tops of the trees and this lovely mommy and baby koala really close to the roadside.
Busy little Bees
6 years ago
Saturday, 31 October 2009
We visited Cape Otway Lightstation while we were away. It's a very interesting lighthouse and we got some super photos and it turned out that the lightbulb came from Smethwick!
On the drive back from the lighthouse we saw Koalas in the tops of the trees and this lovely mommy and baby koala really close to the roadside.
On the drive back from the lighthouse we saw Koalas in the tops of the trees and this lovely mommy and baby koala really close to the roadside.
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
More Holiday..........................
On Wednesday we decided to visit Triplet Falls, we didn't realise at the time that this was an hour long walk to the falls and that there was probably no way Mom could manage this, so we left her in the car park - bird watching and Banjo minding! The rest of us made our way through the forest up to the 'falls'. They were, as Elliot put it, "awe inspiringley tranquil"!! Here's some photos.
Triplet Falls.
Australian King Parrots
Later that same day we headed further round the coast to the 12 Apostles. The 12 Apostles are a collection of limestone stacks off the shore of Port Campbell. The stacks have been formed by erosion. A number have fallen over completely over the years as the waves continually erode their bases. They are truely amazing to see and the weather was just perfect.
On the way back up to the car park a snake slithered across the concrete path right in front of us. Me and the kids jumped back and realised that Mom (Gran) wasn't going to be able to run away from it, I thought for a moment that we would have to sacrifice her to save the rest of us, but fortunately it continued across the path and into the undergrowth at the otherside. The photo isn't very clear but I wasn't going to try and get a close up of it!
The 12 Apostles
Triplet Falls.
Australian King Parrots
Later that same day we headed further round the coast to the 12 Apostles. The 12 Apostles are a collection of limestone stacks off the shore of Port Campbell. The stacks have been formed by erosion. A number have fallen over completely over the years as the waves continually erode their bases. They are truely amazing to see and the weather was just perfect.
On the way back up to the car park a snake slithered across the concrete path right in front of us. Me and the kids jumped back and realised that Mom (Gran) wasn't going to be able to run away from it, I thought for a moment that we would have to sacrifice her to save the rest of us, but fortunately it continued across the path and into the undergrowth at the otherside. The photo isn't very clear but I wasn't going to try and get a close up of it!
The 12 Apostles
Saturday, 24 October 2009
Holiday Continued.................
Day 2. After a quick walk on the beach with Banjo we all headed off to Otway Fly. This is a 600 metre long, 25 metre high elevated tree top walk in the rainforest. There is also a 47 metre high lookout that all of us except Mom (Gran) went up, where you get magnificant views of the crowns of the biggest trees we'd ever seen. There were loads of eucalyptus, blackwood, myrtle beech and mountain ash trees and lower down loads of different varieties of fern. Mom (Gran) managed to walk all of this including out onto the cantilever and just had a buggy ride back up to the visitors centre at the end.
Cantilever platform.
Viewing Tower
One evening we walked up into the hills to look for kangeroos and wallabys. We did see both but the light was beginning to fade so none of the photos came out very well. So, on the last morning Elliot, James and me got up a 6am to try again. This time with more luck. We walked along a track up into the hills and there above us were 5/6 kangeroos just stood eating and looking at us. There was a female roo with a joey clearly visable in her pouch, it was so cute, and then out of nowhere bounded the most enormous male kangeroo you've ever seen(he was well over 6 feet tall), I managed to get one photograph before Elliot and I thought we should make a quick exit, that male roo was not looking too happy at us being there so we left them to it. James in the meantime had gone on ahead of us and for all we knew could have been lying in a ditch somewhere - Elliot said nevermind we'll get help when we get back to the farmhouse because there was no way either of us were going back past the male kangeroo! If you look closely in the photograph below you can just make out the joey in the females pouch on the left handside. Click on the photos to make them larger.
More later.
Holiday Day One
Monday. Day One of the holiday started with a trip to the doctors to get Jakes plaster cast removed, that all went smoothly although we did have to go for an x ray just make sure everything was properly mended. We then left for the short trip south down the coast to the 'Otways'.
It was only a couple of hours drive from home until we reached our farmhouse near to Johanna Beach. The farmhouse was a little 'dated' but so well equipped, and could have slept up to 10. There was a large picture window that looked out onto the huge garden with rolling hills behind it - we could easily have been in the Yorkshire Dales or Wales and it was sooo green, there is no water restriction in the Otways and the reservoirs are 100% full - amazing that 2 hours up the coast we are on level 4 water restrictions!
Mom (Gran) was in her element sitting by the big window spotting birds and then trying to find them in the bird book. We did have cookaburras, fairy wrens, flocks of corellas and some sort of yellow and black finch thing in the garden everyday.
The farmhouse is part of a family working farm that mostly seem to have cattle. The boys were able to collect fresh eggs from the 'chooks' every morning and there was a vegetable garden that we could help ourselves to.
The Farmhouse.
The backgarden.
Mom, me and Banjo.
Joahnna Beach was a ten minute walk from the Farmhouse, it's an amazing beach, huge and empty but we were warned that it was too dangerous to swim in as the sea suddenly drops away and there is no lifeguard. We walked Banjo there several days, he loved chasing the frizby.
On the way to fetch food supplies we stopped at a scenic lookout called Castle Cove for a photo opportunity.
Castle Cove.
Elliot, Gran and Jake.
That's all for this instalment, more tomorrow!
It was only a couple of hours drive from home until we reached our farmhouse near to Johanna Beach. The farmhouse was a little 'dated' but so well equipped, and could have slept up to 10. There was a large picture window that looked out onto the huge garden with rolling hills behind it - we could easily have been in the Yorkshire Dales or Wales and it was sooo green, there is no water restriction in the Otways and the reservoirs are 100% full - amazing that 2 hours up the coast we are on level 4 water restrictions!
Mom (Gran) was in her element sitting by the big window spotting birds and then trying to find them in the bird book. We did have cookaburras, fairy wrens, flocks of corellas and some sort of yellow and black finch thing in the garden everyday.
The farmhouse is part of a family working farm that mostly seem to have cattle. The boys were able to collect fresh eggs from the 'chooks' every morning and there was a vegetable garden that we could help ourselves to.
The Farmhouse.
The backgarden.
Mom, me and Banjo.
Joahnna Beach was a ten minute walk from the Farmhouse, it's an amazing beach, huge and empty but we were warned that it was too dangerous to swim in as the sea suddenly drops away and there is no lifeguard. We walked Banjo there several days, he loved chasing the frizby.
On the way to fetch food supplies we stopped at a scenic lookout called Castle Cove for a photo opportunity.
Castle Cove.
Elliot, Gran and Jake.
That's all for this instalment, more tomorrow!
Saturday, 17 October 2009
The Eagle Has Landed!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Arriving
Rainbow Lorikeets
Mom arrived safe and sound on Thursday evening, she was escorted by airport staff and was walking remarkably well considering how long she had been sitting for. So far she doesn't seem to be suffering from jet lag and is sleeping very well.
Friday we spent most of the day backward and forwards to Jake and Lewis's school because Lewis was involved in an exhibition. We (me and mom) had to talk about our different experiences of our school lives in a different country, it seemed to go well and Lewis was pleased to have two generations of people there for him.
Saturday (today) we went into Geelong, the idea was to show Mom the waterfront area but it was a very grey day and began to drizzle so we went to 'The Chocolate Rooms' for coffee instead. Then later on we went for a walk along the River Barwon and to Balayang Sanctuary where we saw loads of Rainbow Lorikeets, Cockatoos and Pelicans.
Monday we are off on holiday, just about 3 hours down the Great Ocean Road to a place called Johanna Beach to stay in a farmhouse by the sea. Hopefully, Jake is having his cast removed at 8am Monday morning before we leave.
We are planning on going to Torquay craft market and beach tomorrow, hopefully the weather will have brightened up a bit by then! Thats all for now, I don't think we have internet access in the farmhouse so I'll post more when we come back.
Rainbow Lorikeets
Mom arrived safe and sound on Thursday evening, she was escorted by airport staff and was walking remarkably well considering how long she had been sitting for. So far she doesn't seem to be suffering from jet lag and is sleeping very well.
Friday we spent most of the day backward and forwards to Jake and Lewis's school because Lewis was involved in an exhibition. We (me and mom) had to talk about our different experiences of our school lives in a different country, it seemed to go well and Lewis was pleased to have two generations of people there for him.
Saturday (today) we went into Geelong, the idea was to show Mom the waterfront area but it was a very grey day and began to drizzle so we went to 'The Chocolate Rooms' for coffee instead. Then later on we went for a walk along the River Barwon and to Balayang Sanctuary where we saw loads of Rainbow Lorikeets, Cockatoos and Pelicans.
Monday we are off on holiday, just about 3 hours down the Great Ocean Road to a place called Johanna Beach to stay in a farmhouse by the sea. Hopefully, Jake is having his cast removed at 8am Monday morning before we leave.
We are planning on going to Torquay craft market and beach tomorrow, hopefully the weather will have brightened up a bit by then! Thats all for now, I don't think we have internet access in the farmhouse so I'll post more when we come back.
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
A months worth of news.....................
A months worth of news............
Part of the back garden - before
Lewis cutting down a tree
Right, here we go with an epic installment.
A few weeks ago Lewis ran for his school in the District Athletics - he ran the 800metres and came 4th. Unfortunately 4th place wasn't good enough to take him onto 'zones' but he did very well none the less.
Lewis has also been on school camp to Sovereign Hill in Ballarat. He lived there for 3 days in the style of an 1850's school boy and had to dress the part and be taught in an authentic 1850's school, complete with cane and slipper!
He has also just completed a course in indoor soccer - he came all this way to be taught british football by a bunch of aussies! Anyway he enjoyed it but didn't want to continue on to be in a team. They have great 'taster' sessions of every sport you can think of here, they usually run for 4 or 5 weeks and at least give the kids the chance to try different sports without a huge commitment or too much money.
Elliot has had some excellent results in History, maths and English over the past few weeks so school is going well for him and he soon goes on leave for his end of year exams. He has also applied for several part-time jobs at our local shopping centre, just shelf stacking to get himself abit of extra pocket money. He hasn't heard anything yet though.
Elliot has also been helping renovate the backgarden - he has actually been digging and carting wheelbarrows full of stone and soil all over the place - not what he usually likes doing but where there's money involved, he'll do anything.
Jake has also helped with the backgarden, including making and mixing mortar for James to use in building some steps, he really helped James out. He has also helped me decorate my bedroom. He did the majority of 3 coats of undercoat and 2 coats of colour and apart from a few 'drips' he has done an excellent job. Now, you might think this all sounds like child labour, but I like to think of it as learning 'life skills'! Anyway I wasn't going to have 3 sons and not put them to work now was I!!
The boys are now on 2 weeks school holiday, that is the end of term 3 just term 4 to go before the 7 week summer hols. So, the first day of the holiday Jake arranged to meet some mates at the local roller blading place. He had a voucher to get in for half price so he was well happy when I dropped him off there at 1.30, roll on 2 hours and he rings me say he has had bad fall and thinks he's broken his wrist!! So much for a cheap afternoon out, it has now cost us just about $200 to discover that he has broken his wrist and so he is now up to his elbow in plaster cast for the next 5 weeks. So, his plans for more rollerblading and rock climbing this holiday are now on hold, he will also have to spend his birthday and our holiday in 4 weeks time in plaster so no surfing for him on holiday either!! I suppose we've done quite well as this is the first broken bone in 15 years of parenthood.
Finally, the garden renovations. We had nothing more than a mere back yard on 2 levels separated by a muddy slope so James has built 2 steps and a paved path and then dug up what grass there was (not much and dead all summer!) and laid down membrane and covered it all in gravel. Oh, nearly forgot, he has built me a large stone planter and put trellis up for me so that I can grow something up the shed. So, tomorrow we are off to a local garden centre to buy some plants, hopefully we'll get some rain until they are established and before it becomes too hot.
There is still loads to do in the garden, back and eventually the front, but that will be a huge and expensive job as we live on a hill and have 4 terraced sections to the front garden leading up to the verandah, the idea is that we make everything as low maintenace as possible and just have plants that will survive in the drought and extreme heat. I've also got big plans for the kitchen and bathrooms and just keep casually mentioning these to James until eventually he'll think it was his idea!!!
And me, well I have done the usual, shopping, washing, cooking, cleaning (okay, not much cleaning!) driving the boys here there and everywhere. I walk everyday with the Banjo and a couple of neighbours, frequent trips to the seaside, meeting up with friends and lots of hours making cards and scrapbooking and of course being artistic director in the garden renovations department. That's all for now. I'll post more photos when we've got some plants in and cleaned up abit!
And after, it'll soon be ready to be planted up
Jake with a broken arm.
Part of the back garden - before
Lewis cutting down a tree
Right, here we go with an epic installment.
A few weeks ago Lewis ran for his school in the District Athletics - he ran the 800metres and came 4th. Unfortunately 4th place wasn't good enough to take him onto 'zones' but he did very well none the less.
Lewis has also been on school camp to Sovereign Hill in Ballarat. He lived there for 3 days in the style of an 1850's school boy and had to dress the part and be taught in an authentic 1850's school, complete with cane and slipper!
He has also just completed a course in indoor soccer - he came all this way to be taught british football by a bunch of aussies! Anyway he enjoyed it but didn't want to continue on to be in a team. They have great 'taster' sessions of every sport you can think of here, they usually run for 4 or 5 weeks and at least give the kids the chance to try different sports without a huge commitment or too much money.
Elliot has had some excellent results in History, maths and English over the past few weeks so school is going well for him and he soon goes on leave for his end of year exams. He has also applied for several part-time jobs at our local shopping centre, just shelf stacking to get himself abit of extra pocket money. He hasn't heard anything yet though.
Elliot has also been helping renovate the backgarden - he has actually been digging and carting wheelbarrows full of stone and soil all over the place - not what he usually likes doing but where there's money involved, he'll do anything.
Jake has also helped with the backgarden, including making and mixing mortar for James to use in building some steps, he really helped James out. He has also helped me decorate my bedroom. He did the majority of 3 coats of undercoat and 2 coats of colour and apart from a few 'drips' he has done an excellent job. Now, you might think this all sounds like child labour, but I like to think of it as learning 'life skills'! Anyway I wasn't going to have 3 sons and not put them to work now was I!!
The boys are now on 2 weeks school holiday, that is the end of term 3 just term 4 to go before the 7 week summer hols. So, the first day of the holiday Jake arranged to meet some mates at the local roller blading place. He had a voucher to get in for half price so he was well happy when I dropped him off there at 1.30, roll on 2 hours and he rings me say he has had bad fall and thinks he's broken his wrist!! So much for a cheap afternoon out, it has now cost us just about $200 to discover that he has broken his wrist and so he is now up to his elbow in plaster cast for the next 5 weeks. So, his plans for more rollerblading and rock climbing this holiday are now on hold, he will also have to spend his birthday and our holiday in 4 weeks time in plaster so no surfing for him on holiday either!! I suppose we've done quite well as this is the first broken bone in 15 years of parenthood.
Finally, the garden renovations. We had nothing more than a mere back yard on 2 levels separated by a muddy slope so James has built 2 steps and a paved path and then dug up what grass there was (not much and dead all summer!) and laid down membrane and covered it all in gravel. Oh, nearly forgot, he has built me a large stone planter and put trellis up for me so that I can grow something up the shed. So, tomorrow we are off to a local garden centre to buy some plants, hopefully we'll get some rain until they are established and before it becomes too hot.
There is still loads to do in the garden, back and eventually the front, but that will be a huge and expensive job as we live on a hill and have 4 terraced sections to the front garden leading up to the verandah, the idea is that we make everything as low maintenace as possible and just have plants that will survive in the drought and extreme heat. I've also got big plans for the kitchen and bathrooms and just keep casually mentioning these to James until eventually he'll think it was his idea!!!
And me, well I have done the usual, shopping, washing, cooking, cleaning (okay, not much cleaning!) driving the boys here there and everywhere. I walk everyday with the Banjo and a couple of neighbours, frequent trips to the seaside, meeting up with friends and lots of hours making cards and scrapbooking and of course being artistic director in the garden renovations department. That's all for now. I'll post more photos when we've got some plants in and cleaned up abit!
And after, it'll soon be ready to be planted up
Jake with a broken arm.
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