THE OCEAN CRASHES ONTO THE ADVENTUROUS

Crashing waves, the Twelve Apostles, Port Campbell National Park


Windswept by the Twelve Apostles, Port Campbell National Park

The Twelve Apostles, Port Campbell National Park

Tourists on the beach near the Twelve Apostles, Port Campbell National Park

Thunder Cave, the Twelve Apostles, Port Campbell National Park

 

Tourists tend to stick together, sometimes it’s hard to appreciate something when there are so many people trying so hard to do the same on all sides. We made a plan to return to the Twelve Apostles on a day that was not sun drenched Summer.

If you just venture a little to the west and down there are wilder adventures for those who leave the guide rail behind, past the Thunder Cave and onto the rocks. As we approached our fellow wanders they were frozen on the horizon in the act of a guilty holiday pleasure. They counted down the seconds until the wave crashed onto the rocks as he stood posed on an imaginary surfboard, the ocean had other things in mind, drenching them, squeals and all, washing away their hopes for a novelty holiday photo. Tourists can be determined though and we all rushed onto the cliff edge with renewed vigor to stand in various bizarre poses, playing chicken with the surf.

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AUTUMN FLOWERS AND UNRULY CLIMBERS

Happy hens demanding food scrap treats

Happy hens demanding food scrap treats

Cleaning up the garden for the open garden in April

 

Zucchini tromboncino in umbelliferae bed

Sunflowers in the driveway

Raised earthbag garden beds in autumn

Maize in the orchard

Pots on the deck

Pepperfish chilli varigated leaves

 

Watercress in the bird bath

Yellow viola bordering the legume garden bed

Eating green beans in the garden

Purple violas in the legume bed

Harvesting beetroot

Orange poppy in the legume bed

Legume bed with flower and herbs around the border

White zinnia in the brassica bed

View from legume bed into solanace bed

Painted lady runner beans

Garden beds in full autumn flush

 

For a while the garden was inconsolable, having missed the spring flush it went into a right sulk, but with autumn here, not even the shyest runner bean has been able to resist unfurling for a sun bake. We have been in a mad flurry trying to get the garden into order for our open day in April. Through January and February beach weather demanded a lot of our attention, but now with the threat of judgmental strangers raising a questioning eyebrow at wilting vines and sorry spring remnants we have to get to the business of patching up the render and getting onto that damn earth oven!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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SUN GLINTING OFF SAND

Gracie watching swimmers at the Grey River Beach, the Otways

Wild flowers in the dunes at the Grey River Beach, the Otways

Flowery romper and sun hat at the Grey River Beach, the Otways

Searching rock pools at the Grey River Beach, the Otways

Dylan at the Grey River Beach, the Otways

Dylan playing with Gracie dog at the Grey River Beach, the Otways

Tom chasing Gracie dog with flippers at the Grey River Beach, the Otways

Sunscreen and wetsuits at the Grey River Beach, the Otways

Sitting on rocks in a blue romper at the Grey River Beach, the Otways

The weather was finally dreaming of summer and two gloriously sunny days at the beach made up for weeks of mud and dreary grey skies above tarpaulins. We took our housemates for their first Australian beach adventure and, Antarctic water aside, I was proud of my little Australia, she really can impress when she puts a little effort in. So sun and salt washed away the tiredness, which we had been storing up, a sigh of relief that the main slog of the Permablitz was over and gently pushing the knowledge that there is so many ends untied in the garden out to sea bobbing towards the horizon for at least a few days of lazy leisure.

 

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SUNLIGHT ON FEATHERS

Pink blossoms on a morning walk through Flemington

Hen in a neighbours front garden on a morning walk through Flemington

Gracie dog woofing at trains on a morning walk through Flemington

Hot chocolate and coffee at Made Cafe in Flemington

Lacey foam on an empty coffee glass at Made Cafe in Flemington

Breakfast Plate with egg, avocado, mushrooms, tomatoes and fetta at Made Cafe in Flemington

Dylan's empty plate at Made Cafe in Flemington

Made Cafe in Flemington

Gracie inspecting a fluffy dog, is it a sheep?
With the weight of a big day of clay and earth bags ahead we got up early to treat ourselves to a nice breakfast at Made Cafe. It was a perfect spring morning, pink petals against blue sky. The staff at Made know Gracie well, to our shame, as the dog that hates trains. Situated opposite a train station, we provided the morning entertainment for our fellow breakfasters.Luckily they all had fluffy friends with leads fastened tightly to their hearts, so they found our blushes more hysterical than Gracie’s noise annoying.

As my egg yolk burst so did all my dreams of getting into food blogging. I realised Dylan was just too quick for me to snap a shot of his plate before the food miraculously disappeared with a blink into his belly.

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