And then there was last weekend

The keen eyed observer may just make out the paddle steamer just visible from my verandah room - perhaps you can see the lifebuoy?  Lots of old boats in Wentworth on Friday night, gathering to arrive flotilla style in Mildura the next day for the 100th birthday of the PS Melbourne.  It's lovely to hear their whistles as they leave.  The Abbottsford Bridge over the Murray was to be closed from 11am to 12.15pm so the boats could pass beneath.  I was to meet Heths at Banrock at 12.30pm South Australian time and vote in our local elections so timing was critical.

Made the deadlines.  Had to investigate this well dressed tree 100kms out of Mildura.

 Noticed these dumped paint tins - not respectable but quite arty...

 Arrived at Banrock in plenty of time.

 Here she comes now, here here she comes now...

 We ordered a snack

 and then went for a walk.

 Heths was most taken with this birds nest in a bird-hide - swifts, I think.

Fruit trees on the drive home.

A fabulous day.

We must do it again.

Culture Vulture

And so we arrived tired but happy to our eastside Hilton room in Adelaide, then off to Bangarra at Her Majesty's.  Terrain is inspired by the flooding of Lake Eyre and was just as wonderful as I'd hoped.  Bangarra Dance Company fills me with great hope for Australia.

The next day was Fathers Day and Steve kindly woke me up early to view the sunrise.

 After a few more hours sleep and a bracing walk around the rooftop tennis court

taking in the wildly exciting views for us hicks, we breakfasted extravagantly in the company of many other Dads, then set off to see North Terrace at ground level.

 It was also Mum's birthday, so a sunkissed clivea was just right.

 This is the building where Steve had his interview for his desert oilfield job many years ago.

This, now part of the Festival Theatre complex, is where the swimming baths used to be and Bronny caught the bus home.

 Round the military bit and back up McKintore (?) Avenue.

We both like a bit of brickwork.

 A surprise visit to Mum to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

An earlyish glass of wine, a quick read of the horoscopes, then back to Wentworth.

Tired but very happy.

Owl in Service

 Steve and I are off for a quick jaunt to Adelaide tomorrow to see Bangarra Dance Company - one of my favourite things to do.  I thought I'd finish off the last adventure before the next.  On returning to Wentworth, and still playing the Owl Service over in my head, I was somewhat astounded to find owls in service in Wentworth.  The Shire boys had planted new lawn and had come up with the idea of using owls and a hawk to deter grass seed chomping vandals.

 I'm not convinced that the ducks eat the grass seed but Steve thinks they are among the culprits.

There was a new sculpture at the Artback cafe and gallery - Murray Cod carved into a tree stump outside the cafe.

 I gardened all weekend because I'm an addict.  Steve indulged in the winter garden - there really is nothing more I can do until Spring kicks into action.

a melange for you

 Well, a lime actually.  The only one we've grown so far.

 a crooked lime

I haven't blogged for so long that I can hardly remember how to do it.  I have spent some time in Adelaide to be with Mum. Bronny and I have an Alan Garner thing going so I had to join the Adelaide Library Service to borrow the Owl Service.  It's about Wales, owls, flowers and spooky stuff but I had to read it when I was at school, so it meant nothing to me...  I enjoyed it this time around but it's no comparison to Strandloper.

 I gardened.  I gave Mum cyclamen seeds about 20 years ago and one of the plants is still flowering.

 I enjoyed the city, especially North Terrace.  Colonel Light's vision realised as far as I'm concerned.

Caught this display in the Adelaide Arcade.  Costumes made by TAFE students in Performing Arts.

 Mum and I saw 2 films - The Sapphires and Hysteria - and enjoyed both.  This is the Regal Theatre on Kensington Road.

Close your eyes now if nudity offends...

Here's Rufus' bum and part of Mum and Willowa in Helly's kitchen.  Willowa cooked up a storm for a latish celebration of Tamasin's birthday.

 The view from my Adelaide bedroom window - the cat sunned itself each morning.

And I came home to Wentworth to find an owl waiting for me.  Spooky indeed.

on a cold and frosty morning

Couldn't resist taking photos of Steve's glass sculpture on my way to the garage one morning last week.  Makes me think of the Tooth Fairy's castle in Hog Mas (?) - Terry Pratchett.

Life's good

The white cedars are shedding their leaves.  I love the touches of gold in the garden.

Some limes a friend at work gave me.

Mixed emotions.  The mist on the river in the mornings is beautiful - and the pelicans are back.  All the work on Wharf Street is about new houseboat moorings which I guess is part and parcel of a tourist river town.  But a workman took it into his head to cut out an old huge rivergum stump - a great loss of a natural play place for so many children.  And the loss of a symbol of regeneration that has fascinated many - the stump doggedly sent out new growth - it was often damaged intentionally and intentionally - but new growth always appeared.

The visit of Southern Belle

Southern Belle visited last weekend, thus putting the Mobile Library back on the road.  It has languished because I was unable to do my annual Portland trip in February this year.  Fortunately Jill has a surfeit of long service leave and made the long trip due north toute seule.  I have spent this weekend reading this wonderful little book.  There is no mystery to it - you know exactly how it is going to turn out because the cover tells you - but it is wonderfully written, funny, and kind on human foible.  A little like Alexander McCall Smith with an absurd dash of Tom Sharpe.  Just what I needed for an indulgent weekend.

Sticking to my low carb diet...

The bubbly is cava from Spain.  Steve ordered a dozen bottles and it is lovely to remember those amazing 5 days Mum and I spent in Spain 2 years ago with Rosa Norte.

(Just in case Momery wants to see what I'm drinking).

Here's Southern Belle being welcomed to the Stephanie Alexander garden at the Wentworth School - some consolation after we were shouted at for trespassing at the Two Rivers Motel - where Jill and other readers stayed for our wedding some time ago.  Most unfortunate.  The shouting, that is.  Different owners, I must further explain.

Here's some funny little hanging signs that I had not seen before.

The occluding capsicum in the first photo is not scrumped from this garden but was given to me at work on Friday.  Steve is incorporating it into spag bol as I blog.