Bijou Residence

Somewhere in this book a contented Phryne Fisher makes reference to her  'bijou residence'.  It immediately struck a chord.  A home where everything is a treasure, a gift, a memory.  A feeling of ease and completion.  And that's what I have.

I'm not pretending these chaps are part of my world but there is a man who cycles past in the mornings and evenings, probably to and fro the ferry.  Unlike the racy types who hurtle by, he sits upright and peddles rhythmically.  I can imagine onions hanging from the handlebars.  Something Gallic about him.

Starting with this just over a year ago, I now have everything I want.*

There have been incremental changes that perhaps only I can see.

Bronchitis / pneumonia has laid me low for over a week now and I have had plenty of time to savour mes bijoux.

I have spent a lot of time on the 'was to be discarded' blue couch:  reading,

looking behind to the kitchen,

looking to the side

and looking ahead

These small joys have been around for a long time:

a plate Helly gave me years ago

a summer cocktail in the solarium

relaxing in the solarium

a Georgia bowl and grapes from her garden

cooking Judy's quinces

Secret night time treasures too.

Very happy.

* well, Georgia's basin is still awaiting its stand in the bathroom...

when I'm not panicking

I have a lovely time.  I bought Sally Beeches Black Cockatoos at the School House Gallery Exhibition and it is now hanging in my house.

Jill PD really enjoys exploring the walk from the gallery across what used to be Rosny Golf Links.  The Kangaroo Rivulet still runs through here.

Crossing Gordon's Hill Road, the rivulet continues.  Who knew?

Amazing to think this little bit of wildness is bordered by highways and dense housing.

I have also been beguiled by the Sorell History Rooms.

Beautiful uncluttered spaces with sleek, crafted storage.  Perfect.

And in the Sorell Memorial building too.  I have wondered about the future of this art deco treasure as houses from this era are being demolished for unit developments.   I think it's safe.  It also houses the RSL and, on occasions, theatrical productions.

I went to a matinee performance and thoroughly enjoyed it.  There is a bar for drinks and snacks but you can take your own food in too.  Seating is at tables and I was lucky to be on a table with 2 other women attending on their own.  We got on famously and discovered we had 2 cast members with us too.  Turns out they were the detective and offsider so we felt quite safe.

The Reconciliation event at the Triabunna Tivoli saw us back in Tribes.

we were smoked

we were serenaded with a clever arrangement of From Little Things Big Things Grow

and then there was the movie

The film was much better than I had expected and promoted outback Australia beautifully.  Deborah Mailman wore some amazing dresses incidentally. 

Jilly PD had a short stay in Triabunna so that I could pursue book printing enquiries in Hobart.  It was a pleasure to catch the ferry into the city.  Hobart is awash in red and black for Dark Mofo.

you know you've made it when the CWA cowtows

Closer to home there have been some interesting moments on Bellerive Beach

sails are not that uncommon

Spirit of Hobart very close to shore

but many of us were perplexed by this guy

So now I'm listening to the Floosie's Fleurieu FM streamed radio show.  She's just playing Tom Jones for me...  I've just returned from my first aerial yoga class and I'm totally blissed.

Fall

For some time now I've been planning to regale you (yet again) with pictures of my perfect house inside and out.  So here's my 2026 autumn outlook:

From my driveway, the road leading to the cliff top.  When I lived here before, the white houses didn't exist and only the large red roofed Wentworth House was visible.  I quite like the white houses.  They look a bit Welsh to me and are occupied by the son and daughter of the owner of Wentworth House, almost a hamlet.  Note trees in autumn splendour.

Looking down the street, the beautiful crab apples.  I was rather taken aback a couple of days later when the house owner came out and chopped off all the russety gold leaves.

and from my garden

So you can understand my horror on waking up on the first day of winter to the sound of chainsaws and the sight of toppling poplars.  I immediately notified Clarence Council and was blithely told that permission for the work had been granted in 2019.  So there.

I had to admit that it looked quite entrancing by moonlight

As perhaps did I.  Later in the week I got to talk with the landscaper, Alison herself from https://alisonsgarden.com.au/ .  The poplars (Lombardy - a weed apparently) are to be replaced with tulip trees which have a similar form and tulip shaped flowers.  They haven't got to the planting yet.  I shall keep you informed.

afternoons with Beatrix Potter

When I was a fulltime public servant and recently crowned Wicked Defective Step Monster, I used to fantasize of sitting alone under a big tree and reading Beatrix Potter books.  Forty years later, the time has come.  I don't have a big tree anymore but I have my solarium aka my bedroom where the sun beams most afternoons.

Not being pressed for time these days, I've also been taking the opportunity to read this wonderful 500+ page biography of Beatrix Potter.

It is exceptionally well written and thorough.  Beatrix was a survivor of Victorian expectations of an only daughter in a well off family living in London.  She performed the role of dutiful daughter demanded of her but yearned for the freedom to choose her own life.

Her filial duties included accompanying her parents on their long and frequent holidays, including to relatives in Wales.  She often wrote illustrated letters to young family members and friends, and it was from these that her Tales evolved.  She studied the natural world, particularly fungi, and tried to get a resistant science fraternity to accept her findings.  As her children's books became published and sold well, including in America, this most enterprising woman had the idea of spin-offs - toys and puzzles - well before our now ubiquitous 'merch'.

Beatrix and the technology of the time didn't quite get into films and DVDs but she made herself a wealthy woman.  She returned constantly to the Lake District and eventually bought Hill Top Farm.  She married late and wisely.  William Heelis was a well regarded local solicitor who could provide expert knowledge as Beatrix sought to extend her Lakeland land holdings.  Beatrix became an expert  sheep farmer and conservationist.

Beatrix and William on the day before their wedding

Beatrix said her favourite Tale was the Tailor of Gloucester,

and claimed she definitely sided with Timmy Willy, the country mouse.

History revisited

Energised by Mrs History's visit, I presented the idea of a Bellerive Heritage Volume 5 to the Bellerive Historical Society and there is definite interest.  It's 30 years since we published Volume 4!  So there's something to work on...

I was invited on a jaunt to Sorell for the opening of the restored Carriage Shed from the days of the Bellerive Sorell Railway.

It was all done exceptionally well though sadly I did not get to partake of the cake.

I wasn't going to show you the Groovy Sorell Mayor launching the revamped Shed but changed my mind when I realised my photo included the writing on the wall support.  The Shed is still basically a tin shed but re-purposed to hold community exhibitions, concerts, etc.  The mayor envisages a silent disco.  I think it is wonderful that that there is still pigeon poo on the ceiling beams and builders' jottings from the original build and the refurbishment.

Rebecca White, our local federal Labor member, is a local and looked dashing in red.

And it was lovely to catch up with Carmel who used to be Mayor and worked hard on so many projects for Sorell.  She is also a little devilish.  The object she has just got out of that bag

is a toy train which made a beeline for this lady.  Sorell Council has 9 councillors, 6 of whom are women.  I think it shows.

Later that week it was off to Parliament House for a tea party to celebrate Heritage Week/Month.  Still not sure which because I saw no other events advertised.

I had never been inside before.  The security to both get in and out is mind boggling.

Here the Chair of the National Trust addresses us.  The Minister for Heritage and a million other things was very upbeat about the economic benefits of heritage for tourism.  The chap is from the bookshop at Campbell Town which I really must go and have a look at.  I was appalled to hear that he has second hand copies of Bellerive Heritage for sale.

History in the making.  Georgia has a couple of pieces of work in the School House Gallery at Rosny Barn.

We attended the Exhibition Opening and I am rather taken with the black cockatoo print by Sally Beech, another Tribes girl.

Continuing the Gallery Crawl, last night Georgia and I attended the opening of the Tasman Artisan House at Sorell.  You can just see some of her work on the shelving to the left.

Fred, with his back to us, makes ocarinas - should you be in the market for one.