December

 Few bits and pieces to post 

Got Bill this water fountain for the alfresco area for his birthday. Nice to hear the sound of running water.

Amy and I have been doing woodwork classes and this term I made a garden bench. I still need to sand and paint it but am very pleased with the result.

Have gotten into the Christmas Spirit and put up some Christmas decorations.

Lachlan has made some more lemon curd so Bindi and I both have another jar- it is very yummy!

Trip to Avoca Beach

 Amy and I headed up to Avoca Beach on the Central Coast for a few days to catch up with Bill's cousin Jos and her husband Steve- we haven't seen them since COVID so it was really lovely to see them, and also the weather was lovely. I enjoyed a walk on the beach each morning.

This was the view from their balcony, we enjoyed breakfast and dinner out on the balcony.

Amy had to do the payroll for walk while she was away, not a bad view at the office that day!

We took Jos and Steve out for lunch at Terrigal and checked out some of the local shops

 

Amy went to visit Susan's Succulents and pick up an order for someone in Canberra she knows, she was in succulent heaven- good thing I had a book to read.

November Happenings

 November has been a busy month, apart from getting away to Bundanoon have also been out and about a bit. Took my friend Johanna Clements out for a walk and afternoon tea with Julie Rackham. Johanna has been my counsellor in Stake Relief Society and was a week away from moving to Queensland-we will miss her and her family. We went up to Shepherd's Hill lookout, it was a stunning day, we get them maybe once a week in between the rain and the cold! It gives a lovely view over the Murrumbidgee looking towards Yass. Lots of water in the river. 

Another day I caught up with my friend Deb, we went for a walk up and around McQuoid's Hill in Kambah. Very steep walk up the hill but lovely views and again a good weather day.

We called into Cafe Blanco at the Carelton Street shops as our reward for that steep climb!

After our weekend woodwork workshop Amy and I signed up for a course of 5 weekly classes for 3 hours on a Tuesday night at Two Sheds in Wanniassa, we are really enjoying our classes. We are making a stool each and then if we continue can choose our own projects. 

Here is Amy on the drop saw- I learnt to use it a few weeks later as well.

Putting her stool together- we have learnt to drill pilot holes, counter sink and then drive in the screws!

With all the rain and the sun starting to shine the garden is blooming! 

Our bottle brushes are just lovely. I brought this low round vase a few years ago but could never put flowers out on the table with the macaws in the house, so nice to finally be able to use it!

The latest news from the macaw house is that Budgie laid 2 eggs! She has been sitting on them for around 2 weeks and there is a good chance they are fertile. We don't want more macaws so have been asking Bill what he is going to do about it! He finally booked in to the new bird vet in town after Amy suggesting it for a few weeks, and was advised the best thing to do if we didn't want baby macaws was to substitute some fake eggs. They needed to be ordered and arrived a few days later, the deed was done exchanging them for the real eggs, fortunately that went smoothly, so hopefully Budgie will soon realise they aren't going to hatch and stop nesting! I think we had about a week to spare! 

 

Budgie and Hawke in nesting and guarding mode!

The real eggs!

Earlier in the month my friend offered me a tree fern a - Dicksonia Antartica, as they had two growing close together. They sawed it off near the bottom, I collected it and planted it outside the granny flat bathroom. We had a few days of gentle rain and the fronds started to unfurl, it looks like it has settled in thankfully and is looking great. It will get morning sun but then shade in the afternoon and be protected from the wind and heat- I just love it!

On Saturday 26th November we were invited to a Thanksgiving Dinner at the Scott's house, we had a lovely day with them and some lovely friends- lots of very yummy food! Forgot to get a photo of all the pies for dessert!

Mayfield Gardens in Spring

 Day 4- Back to Canberra via the Mayfield Gardens

We headed home Tuesday morning via the Mayfield Gardens. We had seen them in April in Autumn and the colours were amazing, so wanted to see them in spring, and they didn't disappoint. It was a rather cool day, a shower started just as were nearly there but didn't last very long. We enjoyed the colourful display of the spring colours and enjoyed the gardens. Uneventful trip home but had to dodge the potholes. I am sure we will be heading back to the Blue Mountains another time, they really are a beautiful location.