Magic on the Darling

Bit of excitement on Wharf Road this week.  You may have noticed a huge power pole marring some of the photos of the view from our deck...

Not any more.

These great works, including extending the wharf, have been promised for some time. 

  HMAS Platypus couldn't wait...

Launched on the Darling at North Bourke in October by Lady Jayne of Rivett, it powered downstream on the chocolate-milk floodwaters and is now is high, dry and happy at Wentworth.

Tassie 2

After the excitement of 01 Queen Street we had coffee and cake at Jean Pascale's (or similar) in the village - lots of choice for eating these days in Bellerive.  On Saturday we caught the water taxi to Salamanca Market.

 The Wheat Silo units - dream dream...

We had a fabulous time and bought each other's Christmas presents.. Then caught a marimba moment outside Parliament House.

oh to be a groovy granny in Tassie...

Water taxi back to Bellerive.  Cuppla photo opportunities.

The former Mrs History at the Boer War Memorial to which she devoted hours of research and went on radio requesting that someone come forward and make a replica lamp for it - which they did.

Baldies Clip Joint - seeing is believing...

Then back to Jean Pascale  for lunch this time.  And who should turn up?  Scarey O'Garey (who may have another name by now).  We used to work together at WorkSkills in Bridgewater.

Life is pretty good in Bellerive these days!

Sunday we spent at the Seafarers Festival which was a great, but wet, event.  Then we had to return our yellow car to the Goughs so Gaye could drive us to the airport - Jill was flying home, I was being picked up by sister Liz to be driven to Swansea.

Ours was the bright yellow Datsun parked at the back of 01 next to the back-gate.

Note Oscar's horsies...

Tassie 1

As some of you know, Mrs History (aka Southern Belle) and I were invited to Tasmania as guests of the Bellerive Historical Society to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the society we started back in 1990.  We rendezvoused at Tullamarine at 8am and had a leisurely brainstorm and bubbly till our noon flight.  Some of you also know that Mrs History and I are The Arbiters of Taste when it comes to things Bellerive so we decided being 'humbled', as everyone is these days, was soooo 20th Century, and we are very PROUD of our achievement.  We dined with the current President (of the Society) that night at the Shoreline and he plied us with books that he has published on behalf of the Society, and bubbly.  So we were VERY HAPPY.  We were staying at the Shoreline so it didn't matter.

 The view from my room - taken mainly to show Steve the nesting plovers..

The next day our official duties began.  We made brief speeches at the launch of the Society's latest book held at the Rosny Barn and then to lunch at The Waterfront Hotel, formerly known as The Clarence Hotel, for a fabulous feed of fish.  After these arduous duties we had a little time to explore and re-acquaint.  We had been loaned a car, so parked at the Second Bluff and walked around to Bellerive Beach.

 It was getting darkish and all the dog walkers were out.  Jill got a little tired of greeting dogs.
Of course, 01 Queen Street was very high on the list.  This used to be our house but is now part of The Cottage School - a fate we had always wished for it.  Standby, George.

Our former back garden.  They have kept the apple tree by the back gate!

and added to my silver birch copse.

And note the underneath.

Now Jill and I aren't ones to do things quietly

so the neighbours were alerted.  As was the school cleaner / chairperson who invited us all inside.

This is our kitchen somewhat extended.  And here's that beautiful downstairs learning space.

I love what they've done with our house - and I'd love to live in it again one day as it is now.  Touchingly, they have kept the window-seat in the Margaret Preston Room (for the cognoscenti) and the tulip fretwork in the hallway - even though the cleaner says it's a bugger to dust.  And George, your ironwork plant hanger is still out the front.

Too gorgeous

I was going to post my Tassie trip photos today but this happened... Steve came in this afty to tell me 'there's a wedding boat at the wharf'.  Intrigued, I investigated.

Obligingly, the wedding party appeared.

The bride told me proudly that her husband had built the River Shack.  They had used it for holidays before and then decided to get married on it.  Excellent!!!  Shades of Oscar & Lucinda and Petticoat Junction rolled into one.

In true Aussie wedding style, the blokes were out the back.

I do love life on the rivers - especially rainy Saturdays.

I shall blog Tassie tomorrow.

Like Wow

This one's for Georgia.

Poster in the Post Office window so it's a bit reflectiony...

Orange Blossom Time

Just want to share some blossom with you - sadly you don't get the scent (neroli??) but it is intoxicating.  The roses are also magnificent this year, so it really is like Paradise.

I pass zillions of groves / blocks like this on my way to work.

And here's one with some purely ornamental blossoms too.

[no, sorry, you can't see this one for some reason]

Living on the river

A big week in Wentworth.  Steve's friend, Mark, and his girlfriend Katy came to visit on their way back to Canberra after 3 months travelling oz.  They were enthralled by the Country Music Festival and Paddlesteamer Ruby clearly visible and audible from our deck.  You'll just get the visuals...

In the garden, the neighbour's lemon tree is coming in to blossom

and broad beans from a roadside stall are being shelled.

The money-plant never grows but it stays alive...