Silent Sunday ~ Reflections

Be like a duck, calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.
Michael Caine

 

The best thinking has been done in solitude - the worst, in turmoil.

Edison

Photos taken at Lake Barrine, Atherton Tablelands

HAPPY BLOGGING

The Atherton Tablelands

I don't know why I hadn't thought of heading to the 'Tablelands' before now - exploring the northern tropics during our winter months is the best time, with warm days and chilly nights. We're almost out of 'cool times' now.  It had been well over 20 years since I'd been 'up'.
The drive north took 4 hours from home to there with 2 pit stops. I stayed in a cabin which backed on to the Malanda Falls and down a flight of stairs each morning I sat by the falls with my morning coffee.

Once at the top of the Tablelands, it's a 20 minute drive between all of the attractions and little towns and villages. I chose a lot of secondary roads and saw so much more of the amazing countryside. I passed dairy farms and visited tea plantations.

In the early morning I drove down rainforest lined roads, let the car windows down, drove slowly and listened to the sounds of the rainforest.

 Marvelling at the volcanic crater lakes I dipped my toes in and took far too many photos. On one particular day, I scared myself silly when caught in a rain storm whilst negotiating a winding mountainous road with almost zero visibility and nowhere to pull over.

Strolling around preserved historical villages and quaint little towns I realised how much simpler and laid back life was up here.

I drove up winding roads to 'look outs' and was awestruck by the vistas.

 The visits to cheese and chocolate factories did little for my waist line, but what fun supporting the industry!  The smell of the farms with their ploughed paddocks and cattle and dairy cows assaulted my senses in the nicest possible way.

I enjoyed rainforest treks in the many conservation parks and during one such walk I realised I was completely alone and for a moment I felt like I was in the Lost World. I spotted a Tree Kangaroo so far in the treetops he was hardly visible but I managed to zoom in and get a reasonable shot.

Day 5 it was time to head home.

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Silent Sunday and my do I feel old......

I have been very lazy and suffering from blogger's block and still am (and most of you know what that's like!).  

I promise to be back posting regularly very soon.

Eleven days ago, my eldest daughter Sherry AKA 'Home-girl' celebrated her 40th birthday. All day I wondered in amazement how it happened - er, well you know what I mean.  She's not only beautiful but a real sport too!  All day she played along with our pranks and silliness - this is one little lady who will never lose the child within.  

And may God keep her safe during a tricky operation being undertaken tomorrow.

HAPPY BLOGGING

Gold City - Charters Towers

Header: 
Not far out of town, an Aussie Stockman moving his herd further along the Stock Route to continue grazing.
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With the weather being perfect for day-tripping, a few days ago Spice girl and I blew the cobwebs out of my Hyundai and headed south west to the gold fields - specifically Charters Towers. It was an easy 90 minute drive on a good highway (the Flinders) with the countryside much greener than we expected.. Charters Tower's population is approx. 8,300 and swelled to 30,000 in the gold rush of the late 1800's.

         

We thoroughly enjoyed some retail therapy at the boutique gift-ware stores and enjoyed visiting the heritage listed buildings. 

A stop to introduce ourselves to the local boys in blue was a must, one never knows when help may be needed in a strange town. And a quick pause at the ambulance centre in the event that serious injury was sustained requiring medical treatment..

Clever use of the old Excelsior Hotel

One of my favourites (above) the Australia Post building, formally known as the Telegraph Office.

I bumped into this old time local who was quite pleased to pose for the photo in front of one of the town's murals.  (He was wrong, he did not break my camera.) He called me 'missus', I called him 'sir', he tipped his well worn hat and through his tobacco stained moustache bid me a good day. I was in a fanciful mood and imagined his big pockets to be filled with gold nuggets.  Perhaps he was going to any one of the following places.

We were trying to fit as much as possible into a day visit so a stop at the Visitor Information Centre was essential. There we met more local characters who weighed me down with brochures and maps making it evident that a return visit is a must as we would not see all that this friendly and interesting town had to offer in one day. 

First built in 1891, the Australian Bank of Commerce underwent conversion in 1995 into a 660 seat performing arts theatre and cinema complex.  Unfortunately the theatre wasn't open for viewing that day.

           City Hall housed extensive WWII photographic displays honouring honouring our war heroes.

Wherry House, formally the Bank of NSW now houses various Government offices

Built as the Royal Arcade in 1888, it became the Charters Towers Stock Exchange and was connected to the world via telegraph. There is a mining museum and wonderful static displays - a ghostly reminder of the town's golden days when more than a 'touch' of greed echoed in these walls.

It was time to leave this 'gold city' with its fascinating history, delightfully maintained architecture, magnificent boarding schools catering to remote and rural families from huge cattle stations, and the friendly and welcoming locals.  A return visit?  Absolutely.

             One must return to see how the renovations progress on this old beauty

HAPPY BLOGGING !

The Strand - Part 1

Recently I enjoyed a stroll along the esplanade (the Strand) - the sun had risen and cast eye-watering glare across the bay. (In future I'll walk late in the afternoon when the sun is setting behind Castle Hill.)
The improvement along the esplanade is quite remarkable and nothing like when I was a child, or a teenager, when we would park convoy-style along the beach front, light a fire on the beach in the early hours, and wait for the rising sun.

PS: ......

and many thanks to new blog friend Bernie from bushbernie.blogspot.com who was the first to correctly identify the mystery tree in my last post!  It is apparently commonly know as the Sausage Tree (Kigelia Pinnata) - a south African tree.

Visit Bernie's Aussie blog, it's amazing.

HAPPY BLOGGING

Life's continuing journey - a recap

Since writing THIS POST 4th Dec. and THIS POST 31st Dec. much has happened.  

A wonderful Christmas with my beautiful family, bought the new house 'Apartment in the 'burbs', threw myself into decorating and putting my stamp on it (almost finished but not quite), caught up with old friends, successfully shopped for a new medical team, celebrated yet another birthday in the tropics and was made to feel so special on Mothering Sunday. 

I count my blessings, I am no longer a 'drifter' - I have a fixed abode, my integrity and good intentions is firmly intact, my middle-aged common sense continues to stand me in good stead, and I have several pairs of cute shoes now instead of one. And my suitcase is unpacked and still filled with all I have learned.

I am now 'back home', back to the future - rediscovered my home town all over again. Familiarised myself with her changing patterns.

Although my good humour, optimism and positive approach is alive and well I have discovered during this continuing journey some unexpected things about myself. Nothing big, nothing earth shattering ......but I am disappointed that I still feel (to a somewhat lesser degree), aimless and without purpose. I thought that just living in the moment and for each day would be good - I find it's not. The future can be 3 months ahead or one year, but none-the-less I have discovered that for me, planning ahead is satisfying - things to look forward to, to plan for.  Most surprising is I thought I was much braver than I am. Is it an age thing? I don't know - I haven't thought about it too deeply. I have discovered that some things just aren't fun or fulfilling undertaken alone. So there comes limitations, in all sorts of ways.  But, I still count my blessings for they are many and I read something recently that my good blog friend Typist from HERE wrote and those words resonated deeply with me: 

"Accepting that what you want to do and what you can do aren't always the same and that's okay"

Around here:
I've been working on a little garden project along the front wall of the house and when I eventually post a couple of photos I beg you to remember I am NOT a gardener........

Mystery bird -

Not such a mystery, but a handsome specimen!

HAPPY BLOGGING!