Down memory lane - are you here?

Careers, or a way of life buried in museums and historic villages......

Did this hardworking fellow ever have a 'title'?

The crafty creators of yesteryear - do you remember your first machine?

My first was a Remington -  Touch-typists, what a breed!

The local shopkeeper and his store were a favourite - those lollies for a penny!

The butcher always had a spare snag or bone for the family pooch, now a bone costs $3 

Did your Primary school classroom look like this? Mine did! I loved all of my Primary School teachers.

I have NO idea as to why anyone would want to have had this career! (shudder)

Hats off to our stay-at-home Mums of yesteryear! They had so many mod cons to get them through their day :/

The following career is by far the most admired by me, we used to leave the "Night-watchman" (as he was known) a whole carton of beer as a heartfelt thank-you for the job he did and the service he provided (regularly) [pardon the pun] - throughout the year.

Sometime after mid-night the 'service' was provided, and I clearly remember the "Night-watchman's" arrival, the clang of the pans being changed and the thump of his footsteps as he made his way up the side of the house under his heavy load hoisted onto his shoulder.  (in my time though, the vehicle had modernised to a motorised truck!)

HAPPY BLOGGING & Christmas Greetings 

Oh, you pretty things.....

Photos taken from inside Chemist's at Herberton Historic Village

HAPPY BLOGGING

Where words fail ~ and passing time

"Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation"
  Kahlil Gibran
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We need not a calendar for reference to dates which reflect life's events; big or small, happy or sad, for they are ineradicably etched in our minds.
On this date last year, I wrote a POST - spontaneously, straight from heart, out of nowhere - the very first time I'd made mention of my beloved, and it felt right.  It was bursting to come forth.
A year later I am feeling melancholy due entirely to being somewhat despondent that on such a date; a marker of  passing time, I am considerably lacking in the ability to express, create, or even craft the written word into something amazing - something befitting the occasion.  A magnificent 10th year of passing tribute for my magnificent beloved is what I envisage. I chuckle quietly thinking how this epitomises that phrase - where words fail.

However, I am mellow and self-indulgent on this date each year so a harsh judge of my shortcomings I shall not be. No.
I will ready myself soon and go about my daily business albeit somewhat different to my life of a year ago; I shall see to all of the routine things one sees to in a day, I will not forget to celebrate life and all its blessings, but amid the day's routine I will indulge, and remember 'our story', all over again.

In Loving Memory

                                              

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.

HAPPY BLOGGING

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 !