A few days in South Australia

We spent 3 days in the Fleurieu Peninsula and stayed in a B+B which was 8 km away from Yankalilla in the Inman Valley. Here are some of the views form our B+B(called Rattleys Cottage at Pear Tree Hollow).

View from B+B

 

Beautiful early morning sky

 

Quilt hanging on the wall of the hosts'cottage

 

Each day we drove around to different places, doing short walks along the beach and in the National parks.

 

Yaccas and stringybark trees in Deep Creek Conservation park

 

These are there to clean our shoes before going into and after leaving the conservation park ( to stop spread of a fungus)

 

 

The start of the Heysen Trail ( the trail goes for 1200km) at Cape Jervis

 

We walked a short distance along the Heysen trail

 

Ferry going to Kangaroo Island (seen in the background) at Cape Jervis

 

Horse drawn tram along the causeway between Victor Harbor and Granite Island

 

An old stone cottage in the Inman Valley

 

Maslin Beach

 

Jetty at Normanville

 

We left the Fleurieu Peninsula and made our way north through the Adelaide Hills to the Barossa.

 

Church at Strathalbyn

 

An old watering can outside The Cedars--- Hans Heysen's home near Hahndorf

 

 

Flowers outside a shop in Woodend in the Adelaide Hills

 

 

A Penny farthing outside a pub at Mt. Pleasant

 

 

Our B+B at Greenock in the Barossa. It was the Old Telegraph Station.

 

 

A plaque on a Lutheran church on the Kidman trail in the Barossa. It is in German as many Germans settled in this area years ago.

 

 

 We were going to the Barossa Farmers Markets on the Saturday and nearby was the Barossa Quilt Shop which was also on the agenda. However, it was not to be as we had to head home earlier than planned. We were going to stay on a sheep property in the Clare Valley--- there is always a next time.

 

The weather was very pleasant and both B+Bs had a slow combustion heater which we lit at night, and it kept us snug and warm in the old stone cottages.

 

Take care.



 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

A Shortened Holiday

Each year, my husband and I have a 2 week holiday at this time of year. We have been looking forward to our holiday and planned a lovely trip to South Australia.
Last Monday, we flew to Adelaide and hired a car and went to our first B+B in the Fleurieu Peninsula. It is called Rattley's at Pear Tree Hollow and it was just gorgeous. It is in the countryside amongst farmland where you can hear the cattle bellowing and the birds chirping non stop and the most glorious view. I love little birds and this place is a haven for little birds.

Our B+B

 

View of the Inman Valley from our cottage

 

A family of birds enjoying a bath

 

 

We stayed for 3 nights and travelled around the peninsula during the 2 days there.We went on bush walks and walked along the beach etc. An idyllic place to be.

 

On Thursday, we said goodbye to this peaceful place and made our way through the Adelaide Hills to a place called Greenocks in the Barossa. We stopped in some lovely quaint towns along the way and took the day to get there. We explored the Barossa area on the Friday and went into a town called Angaston for lunch. I found a Patchwork shop there called Jenny's Sewing Centre. I walked in and thought that there was hardly any patchwork fabric, when the lady told me to go down the stairs, which was hidden from view, and I may never emerge again! Sure enough it was like entering Alladin's cave. After going through the bolts of fabrics there, I ended up buying some white and red fabric ( I have just started a red and white collection as I would like to make a red and white quilt--- mind you, it may be many red and white quilts the way the collection is growing!) and some blue fabric. After paying the bill I received a phone call-- and that was when our holiday ended.

 

The phone call was to say that the person covering for my husband at his work had had a fall at home that morning and broken her arm. It was an accident and no one wants an accident to happen-- it was just one of those things that is out of everyones' control. Looking at my husband's face I knew the only option was to cut short the holiday and go home-- which is what we did.

We had lots of phone calls to make-- ie bought new tickets to fly home earlier and to cancel our stay at the present place and at the next place which was in the Clare Valley etc.

On Saturday, we drove through the countryside toward Adelaide airport. We did not have printed tickets as our new booking was made over the phone. We got there in time, returned our car to the rental place and made our way to the check in counter. Another shock was waiting for us--- we had got the time of our flight wrong  by 1/2 hour and they were already boarding and they would not let us board the plane! I did not know whether to cry or scream! To cut a long story short, we managed to get tickets for another flight 5 hours later-- so we had 5 hours to kill at the airport. I was glad to finally get home.

 

My husband has gone back to work today and I still have this week off work. I did toss up about going back to work this week, but decided against it in the end. Might get some sewing done , if I can get my head around it all!

 

Of course,  the one worst affected by all this is the person with the broken arm! She has sustained a fracture which is difficult to immobilise and it would be quite uncomfortabel too to cope with-- to put it mildly! My thoughts go to her and wish her a speedy recovery.

 

Will do another post later in the week showing the lovely places we did visit.

 

Take care.

 

New project, birds and a win

I have been  non productive these last few weeks and decided that I needed something new to do to get me started. I love embroidery and also EPP. So have decided on a combination of the 2. We are going away for a few days ( with non crafty friends) and I have been busy cutting up the bits of fabric and preparing them to take away with me.

Cut pieces pinned and ready to sew

 

 

I have been very lucky to have won this from Barb ( www.barbcreations.blogspot.com). Thank you Barb-- that was my first blog win! I love the book and fabric and the threads will be used in my new project.

My blog win

 

 

A couple of weeks ago, I was sitting in the garden having a cuppa. These birds were dashing in and out of the plants having a great time. I went in and got my camera and managed to get a few photos of them. We used to have the smaller birds in our garden in the past ( silver eyes, sparrows, willy wagtail, bull bulls etc) but they seem to be a thing of the past. We now have the kookaburras, magpies, wattle birds, noisy miners and lorikeets. I do like the smaller birds, but have accepted these as well.

 

 



This is a cheeky magpie. She appears everytime for treats from the compost bins-- very tasty grubs are found in these bins.

These 2 kookaburras were comtemplating a bath.

A rainbow lorikeet in the firewheel tree. I think lorikeets have ADHD-- they cannot keep still and are constantly in a hurry . They are agile birds and often hang upside down trying to get the nectar from the flowers.

Flowers from the firewheel tree

 

I am off this morning to a sewing group. When I say "sewing", I really mean a craft group. Currently there are 6 members. About 35years ago, we all worked in the same place. Approximately 4years ago, I bumped into 1 of them in a patchwork shop. We realised that we both liked patchwork, so decided to meet up over a cuppa. We invited 2 other friends who liked craft ( and more importantly, to talk!) and our craft group was born. One does cross stitch and the other knits. Since then we have had 2 new members---one does beading and the other generally chats and occasionally mends some clothes. We take turns at hosting it. We start with morning tea,then do some craft, walk to a cafe for lunch, walk back and do more craft.Needless to say, we mainly talk. By the time we leave, we have solved the problems of the world! So I had better be off.

 

 

Enjoy the rest of the week.

 



The Sydney Royal Easter Show 2013

We caught the train to The  Sydney Royal Easter Show onThursday. It was a rather warm day ( compared to past Easter shows which were usually later in April and cooler). I always love the excitement of the Show-- there is a special feeling there. Thankfully, we did not have to go into the crowded Showbag pavilion this time as we did not have any little children with us. ( when our kids were little, this was the first place they wanted to go to, and then we would have all these huge show bags to carry around with us for the rest of the day!).

Here are the photos taken at the Show.



Entrance to the Show

 

An interesting turkey

 

Cows waiting to be milked

 

Some of the quilts in the Craft pavilion

 

Folk art items

 

My proud moment!( Had to put it in again!!)

Beautiful embroidery

 

Gorgeous miniature works of art

 

Pig racing-- cutest little pigs wearing tutus

 

My favourite-- wood chopping competition

 

 

 

The fruit and vegetable displays

 

I thoroughly enjoyed the day and am looking forward to going to the Easter Show again next year.

 



 

What did I find at the Easter Show?

Today, my husband and I caught the train and had a day at the Royal Easter Show. We both enjoyed it, but are now home feeling exhausted as it was a rather hot day.

We split up at the Craft pavilion-- he went to see the Homewares and I, needless to say, went to the craft section. I was walking around looking at all the quilts, when I was gobsmacked! There looking at me, with a ribbon on it, was my "Day in the Country" Wallhanging. Not mine, but my pattern made up with my handpainted buttons on it and a ribbon which said "3rd prize". I just stood there staring at it, not quite believing my eyes.

 

"A Day in the Country"Wallhanging with a 3rd prize ribbon

 

My version of the above wallhanging

 

 

Now I am home, I have come back down to earth again. We did lots of walking and saw the animals and the cutest pigs, the woodchopping etc. Now I am exhausted and need to sit with my feet up!

 

I will do another post this weekend with photos I have taken at the Easter Show.

 

Have a Happy Easter.



 



First gum blossom

When we moved into our house almost 27 years ago, we had a gorgeous iron bark tree in the garden. When it flowered, the bees could be heard buzzing for hours in the tree, and after awhile, they would appear drunk from the nectar and on the ground. The poor dogs could not leave them alone, and often got stung by the bees. Last year, out of the blue, the tree just died.

So recently, we went to the nursery to get a new eucalypt for the garden. We planted it and nurtured it, but weren't prepared for the burning heat we got in January. We came home to find the few leaves on the plant burnt. Despite that, the bunch of buds on the tree continued to grow-- albeit slowly, but surely. The nurseryman advised us to cut the buds off to give the tree a helping hand, but we just could not cut the buds off. Finally, one of the buds has opened.

 

1st gum blossom
 

 

2nd bud about to open-- it has a tiny cap on it that is about to pop off and the blossom spikes are all neatly tucked inside it ready to unfold. The burnt leaf can be seen in the background.

 

 

 

We are hoping that the poor tree will recover from the damage caused by the hot January weather. We have since bought a different eucalypt to add to the garden as well. So in a few years, we will get shade again in our backyard.

 

 





Completed matching Heart Wallhanging.

We had a very windy and rainy night, but now the rain has stopped and I was able to go for my  usual Sunday morning walk. It is still rather overcast and  hence a good time to be indoors sewing. The varnish on the heart buttons is dry now and I have sewn the buttons onto the wallhanging. I chose to leave the butterfly/dragonfly buttons off this piece as I felt that there might have been too many buttons for the wallhanging. I have sewn the  light blue butterfly button onto the cushion and will use the dragonfly on the second cushion cover which is also just completed.

Heart wall hanging

 

 

Now I have the wall hanging and 2 completed cushions-- a finish for February. In the New Year, I decided that I would aim for at least 1 thing a month. Hence 1 cushion in January and now another cushion and the wallhanging for February. Hopefully, I am on a roll and it will continue!

 

 

Cheers,

Yvonne