Deep breathing is good

It has been been wonderful to stop and take a few deep breaths and just simply relax.....Larry has been chilling out today listening to his music...probably Deep Purple or Jethro Tull but who cares?!!

I've been doing some hand embroidery and listening to mother nature. The galahs making all the raucous noise turned out to be white cockatoos - a protected species but what a mess they make of stripping the trees and the noise is deafening. I found them just outside the cabin but one look from me and they took off........

 They perch precariously on any branch they can find only to descend again when it is safe......

 Meanwhile the pelicans just gracefully glide by...............

 Over 100 quilters are about to descend on the town with most of them staying here in the Caravan Park. The local shops love it when we all visit especially the shoe shop! Now I don't really have a fetish for shoes but just thought I might drop by this morning and what beauties I scored! They are Stegmann's and feel like slippers and my orthotics fit comfortably too....and they are leather so I'm chuffed!

News of the Quilting weekend antics to come........

History on the Murray

Yesterday we spent five memorable hours in the historic town of Echuca. For a very small price you can explore the history of the transport system that our pioneers developed. The paddlesteamers are still running and it certainly amazes me how successful they were. We didn't do the boat ride but we certainly filled in our time. Interestingly it was one of the convicts deported from the UK (for stealing silk), that actually founded Echuca in 1850 You can read more here. .......

 I know we learnt all this history at school but it is not really until now that I really appreciate it all. This period of time was while William Morris was alive and I wonder if he used any wool shipped from Australia for his tapestries or textiles. What a tough journey it would have been but certainly made easier when the Suez canal opened in 1869 - William was just 35 at the time.

I am sure Robert and Joanna Barr Smith, (who were responsible for most of our William Morris collection at the Art Gallery of South Australia), would have used these shipping containers in large quantities to bring back all the Morris textiles, carpets and furniture!......

 Of course there had to be one of these - I suppose!!!.....

 Each door led to one "lady"....not sure how long they have been boarded up!......

 And in true Aussie style there has to be a bit of humour! This excerpt is from the Star Hotel's website and tells all......

The Star hotel was one of 78 hotels in Echuca. The hotel was know as a rough and drunken establishment and was eventually de licensed in 1897. The Hotel owner how ever continued to trade illegally and was raided by police, the Hoteliers answer to this was to construct a escape tunnel out of the shades bar out into the alley behind. The cellar and escape tunnel can still be visited today.

 The underground bar had some wonderful Arts and Crafts style furniture.........

 Larry entering the escape tunnel.......

 What a creative use of old drum barrels........

 So we are back enjoying the peace of the river views (apart from the screeching galahs!)........

 Sunrise this morning..........

 And this is our little cabin for another six nights.

 Till next time - take care and thanks for visiting x

Quilters from the Mallee

We have driven over 3,500 kms (2,174 miles) in almost 3 weeks and today we arrived in Cohuna.  The Country Quilters weekend starts on Friday night so I have a few days 'rest' first. Since my last post I have had another two day workshop with 18 enthusiastic girls from Hopetoun. Karen the workshop convener was very nervous when I arrived as this was the first event she had organised. But it wasn't long before those nerves were transferred to me as I had agreed that participants could work on whatever project they liked! So it was a busy time but I did manage to get a happy wave at the end of our two days together.......

 Saturday evening we had a wonderful show and tell (and yes Jude - below is one of the quilts that you quilted!!)

 How amazing is this quilt?.....

And Ollie is beaming with her centre block design inspired by the floor in the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg - can't wait to see it finished.......

  Thankyou girls for inviting me and for giving us a chance to share in the true heart of the Mallee........you are all very special and I hope you get the rains you are needing for your crops very soon xx

While we have been away we read about the Australian 2012 Vanilla Slice winner and decided that our journey should divert to Birchip to check it out. Larry has a weakness for this indulgence so we did decided to make our own judgement.

They were pretty good but we still think they are not as good as the ones from Ballarat!

 Our travel was not so long today so I had a chance to go on a short walk in the bush where I found evidence of wallabies or maybe kangaroos??

 Glad these guys were behind a fence......

 Pretty sure this is the rabbit loo spot..........

 and in this hole lived enormous ants that were very shy - which is probably a good thing!......

So tonight we are settled in our cabin by the river and just look at the amazing view..............

Till next time take care wherever you are xx