The Happy Wanderer returns

Referencing the Floosie whose South Australian adventures always excite me.  One day I'll join her in her South Australian discoveries.  I love wandering.  I enjoy the buzz of public transport and sitting in airports with other travellers.  As a child, 'I love to go a wandering...' was one of the songs the family sang as we holidayed in our kitted out Bedford van, and as we walked the lanes and clifftops in Wales.

These days I tend to beat the same path from West Beach to Christies Beach when in South Australia, but there are other adventures to be had.  Shortly after arriving, I received an invitation to an exhibition opening at Carrick Hill, and this one was special.  David, my sister's partner, had a work in the Heysen Sculpture Biennial which was to be held once only at Carrick Hill while The Cedars is under repair / maintenance.  I had been to Carrick Hill once before with Mum so it was a trip down memory lane for me and a revelation to The Pearl.

an amazing house and garden

we both loved this apparently joyous copper sculpture,

though it was inspired by bushfire in the Mallee

There is a point where you can look downhill to the magnificent house

or uphill to this magnificent river gum, spotlighted by yellow thread.  Pearl and I were both stunned by this.

But onwards to the main event - David's sculpture.  It is beautiful up close

and much bigger than you think!  This was such an unexpected and wonderful evening.  The lavishness and generosity of the catering was outstanding and, though it's not obvious here, the 'art crowd' were out in full, fabulous arty uniform.

I spent 3 days visiting Mum, driving Pearl's car and eating her food.  Then it was off to Canberra,

via the efficient Eloise at Marion who cured me of my aversion to Flight Centre and didn't mind me taking this photo.

Canberra was a whirl with

National Gallery of Australia,

lichen on a tree beside The Lake,

more outside sculpture with truncated Carillion beyond,

Lady Jayne and Lucy under the moon at Questacon,

falling water at Tidbinbilla Reserve,

the healthiest lilac tree I have ever seen at Rock Valley Homestead,

offcut art at the botanical gardens

and Lady Jayne's beautifully restored gardens.

'But was there any food?', I hear you ask.  There was

a considered bubbly or two in the curated arbour

(my selfie skills are not improving),

a delicious red Pearl bought at the d'Arenberg Cube at McLaren Vale

and kindly brought along for the red guzzlers,

dazzling desserts at the Arboretum restaurant,

and perfect banh mi in the City.

I loved this restaurant with its Vietnamese accoutrements.  Possibly kitsch, but a joy to remember those long ago trips to Vietnam and Vietnamese friends.  Happy wandering indeed.

And then back to Adelaide

for Pearl had a birthday party to attend as a character from Alice in Wonderland.  We decided she was the Mad Rabbit.  I made my last jaunts to Mum and took the long way home on my final visit to check out Benny Avenue between Christies Beach and Port Noarlunga.  Many years ago I looked at a small shack for sale on Benny Avenue.  Sometimes I wish I'd bought it.

view from the end of the street

same spot looking south to Port Noarlunga

same spot looking north towards Christies Beach

Pearl and I kept to tradition and dined at the Swedish furniture shop that must not be named, 

and then it was on to the airport for an Adelaide farewell

and a pleasant wait to board for Hobart

with the sun setting as I arrived home.

Are you going to Orford School Fair?

It has been busy, mostly mowing the lawns with a bit of chipping thrown in.  You have to seize the sunny day for these activities, and these have been pretty rare.  The rate at which the grass grows is incredible.  It take 3 battery recharges for me to mow all the grassed areas.

To re-charge my own battery I went to a TSO strings concert at Spring Bay Mill.  I fantasised arriving at The Mill, getting a bean-bag up the front, getting a glass of bubbly, and being in heaven - and that's what happened!

The next Friday I went to a TSO Brass in the Cathedral concert at St Davids in Hobart.  I was so excited at the prospect of hearing Big Brass in the cathedral.  But I did not get so close to heaven this time.  The mistake was mine:  I had imagined being virtually alone in the cathedral and I had confused Gershwin's American in Paris with Rhapsody in Blue.  Still it was an amazing event and I drove home in the dark and fog without seeing a creature on the road.  In fact  I only saw 3 cars on the entire drive home.

The Sunday saw both the Village Market and the annual Seafarers' Memorial and Blessing of the Fleet.  Jill PD and I watched from a distance.  This is a very difficult service for some locals because they have lost relatives at sea.

Boating life went on with reflections playing on the fishing boats

and the Maria Island ferry departing on schedule.

The blessing of the fleet was doubly disappointing - no bronzed Greek gods diving for a crucifix in the water, and the scattered flowers straight from the shop and still in their wrapper.

We were blessed to see The Governor quite close up.

Wednesday night, finally, was The Orford School Fair.  This is a lively community event and Friends of Triabunna Reserves were invited to have a stall.  I am always thankful and stunned by the skills the members bring to our group.  From virtually nothing we created an attractive stall and display space.

Did I think to take a photo?  No, of course not.  But here's our logo.

And here's the Maria Voices with Gina upfront for Big Yellow Taxi - which should perhaps be the anthem for The Friends of Triabunna Reserves.  It's wonderful when you know everyone in the choir.  One day I may join...

Yesterday I spent a cuppla hours at PUBS flogging books.  As usual, the time went very pleasantly.  I got into conversation with a lady who paused talking and said that I really reminded her of Miriam Margoyles.  Meant in the nicest possible way.  I am intrigued by MM but she is 81, a little older than I.  Once people said I reminded them of Felicity Kendall.  I can even remember that.

The garden has been neglected apart from pulling up weeds and mowing grass.  Finally, after about 4 years, I have one gooseberry - which will ripen while I'm away.

At least the lily of the valley and solomon's seal are going to plan, though the l.o.v. does not have much scent.

A little bit of reading.  I ordered this book from the library after my other self, Jackie Morris, mentioned it in her blog.  I was a bit scared to start it because it is about a mermaid caught by brutal men and I thought I would get too angry and hatefilled, but it is a good and very different read.

Finally, I am off to Adelaide this evening.  Two days in Adelaide to visit Mum then a road trip in The Oyster with Pearl to Canberra, via Sandrine in Mildura - all floods permitting.  Return date currently unknown.  I will be away for Halloween so here's a message for you I photographed last time I was in Adelaide.

Fairly random

Things are happening, but not with many photos.

Vivien gave me a tea-towel with one of her designs when she visited recently.  She said some people use them as hand towels, an idea I seized on.  I had 3 others of her work filed away because they were getting too wrecked as tea towels.  All washed now and ready to dry clean hands in the bathroom.

I had some Friends of Triabunna Reserves' business to attend to at Pelican Walk last week.  En route I noticed these tulips in The Honey Lady's garden.  I'm not a great fan of tulips but, en masse and in the evening sunlight, they looked stunning.

Sadly we had a funeral to go to yesterday.  It was held at a funeral home on Rosny Hill.  The view of Bellerive from the carpark is amazing.

I have been doing some serious reading,

and some not so serious reading, although the topics touched on in both are of great importance to me.

I made a pledge to myself some time ago to read all the Charles Dickens books in order.  I reluctantly started The Pickwick Papers out of duty but find I absolutely love it.  It seems to me that there are allusions to events in Jane Austen and Henry Fielding's writing, and probably to dozens of  writers that I don't know.  Social commentary and events occur that become  major themes in later novels.  And also complaints that continue today, eg disgust at the old buildings that are being pulled down and the ugliness of the modern buildings that are replacing them!