Fairytale wedding

Despite the fact that I was NOT going to watch the royal wedding, I just happened to catch a glance while passing the TV and couldn't believe that this magical procession of Royalty and "the rich and famous" was actually occurring NOW, with all the same trumpets, regalia and fanfare of King Henry VIII...and of course, I couldn't STOP watching till they were safely back in Buckingham Place. WOW! Bring on the cucumber sandwiches.

Michelle didn't Shock but rocked

Mickelle Shocked rocked into the Gov with suitcase handbag and guitar in tow, apologetic for the delays caused by our Aussie airlines, flying from the Byron Bay Blues Festival, and jumped straight onto the microphone. She didn't disappoint and played 3 hours of amazing tunes some of which are yet to be recorded.

Hairy Nose Itchy Butt

The Hairy nosed wombat is endangered in South Australia but luckily we can still see them at the zoo or in this beautiful picture book by Elizabeth Frankel which highlights the problems of their diminishing habitat. 

The happy Cripple

Being unable to walk around much could be worse. Here I am in the fab Flinders surrounded by an array of local birds chatting away, being fed the mandatory camping jaffles, in my comfy lay-back chair with book and ipod. Wicked!

Anyone hungry?

It's Egg hunt time

The Easter Bunny was very busy even in the bush and the kids had a ball searching out the chocolate treats before the hot outback sun melted them.
Jessie found a hoard.

Spiderman Abseiling Edeowie Gorge

Edeowie Gorge did not disappoint with its beauty, ruggedness or options for adventure.
A 2 hour walk in to the falls, dodging and ducking massive spiderwebs with their equally
enormous  8 legged guardians, was rewarded with wonderful scenery and fantastic rock climbing and abseiling options. Under Andrew's patient tutelage everyone had the chance to abseil and all went swimmingly till Greg accidentally dislodged a rather large rock which sent the photographer strategically positioned underneath, to do a hollywood style leap to safety and crash rather spectacularly knees first on the rocks below. Ouch. Both the camera and photographer will need a little repair work before the next adventure.

Good Friday

Good Friday...a day to head out for your Easter adventure with the tinny, caravan or trailer hooked on, and the car filled to bursting with kids, dogs, toys, food and booze. Sadly it seemed that everyone was on the same road as us heading north and at Port Wakefield we all got the first chance to relax as the traffic ground to a snail's pace and we took an hour to go the 5kms through the town.
For us tho', the delay did not diminish the amazing beauty of the Flinders Ranges once we finally gor there and threw up the tent.....
No neighbours in sight!!!!!

Heads above water

The lotus pods still kiss the sun 

long after the blooms have gone.

Autumn Brilliance

Delicious autumn!  My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.  
~George Eliot

Vines

As Easter approaches the vines prepare to finish their hard grape-producing work and relax for the winter.
With so much rain this year the yield has been low but hopefully exceptional quality.

My man in project mode

So many projects,
so little time.

Tim's Birthday and 3 year anniversary with the Jemster

Que desastre!!!!

Can you guess what this is?
A disaster....
My iphone fell in the loo and is in recovery, or not!

Work work work.

There's always work to be done on a house of this size and who better to help out...cos he loves it...is Andrew. He and Sam make good progress on the roof and brickwork over the weekend.

Toadies

Our paddock is a fairyland of toadstools like these at this time of year.

So much rain

Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.
~Langston Hughes

Hula tree

The bark peeling off this majestic gum in the Botanical Gardens reminded me so much of a hula skirt I had to snap it.

"Menonpause" cycle chicks hit the road again at last.

My Passionate Daughter

You should begin to build up confidence and joy in your own richness. That richness is the essence of generosity. It is the sense of resourcefulness, that you can deal with whatever is available around you and not feel poverty stricken.

Choygyam Trungpa

Chestnut time

As usual for autumn, the horse chestnuts in our garden are popping out of their pods and plummeting to the groundlike mini polished wooden art works.
What a shame we can't eat them.

Head of the River 2011

Pembroke did not have it's best year this year but everyone gave it their all. 

Bodhi's crew was 45 degree off line at the start, but made up time by doing their best rowing to date.

The First 8 girls sadly lost to Walford by a  teensy 0-18 sec after leading for the entire 2 kms.

Only 2 year 9 crews scored a win this year and the cool wet weather did not help.

Nico's Birthday

Definite hangover material here.
Lucky we had to leave early to prepare for head of the River.

Instead of letting ourselves be trapped by our feelings, we should let them disappear as soon as they form, like letters drawn on the water with a finger.

Dilgo Kyentse Rinpoche

Fiery Glow from the balcony

Adelaide Views

Magnificent warm autumn weather and clear skies enhance the view of the city from the long ridge track.

The Menagerie

The chickens had their first taste of free-ranging today but I set two alarms to remind me to put them back safely inside so they do not become fox food like their many predecessors.

It's burn off time

Apart from the fact that winter is on it's way, I love the day when the clocks go back because it means it's burn off time and the hills once again are dotted with glowing fires and the sunsets are brilliant due to the smoke filled air.

It is by striving ceaselessly to change our emotions that we will succeed in changing our temperament.
Mathew Rickard.

The rain this year has provided us with an abundance of mushrooms and toadies, their magic circles, some hundreds of years old can be seen in the fields and roadsides everywhere.These two are looking very intimate

Getting down and dirty

Rosanna and I put the finishing touches to the new-look Bodhi's room.

Happy Birthday Andrew

In the absence of candles, we used glow sticks on the cake to celebrate with the birthday boy. Very effective I must say, but a bit tricky to blow out.

Friday Yoga

 

The light dances over the yoga mats during and after our revitalising session of yoga and meditation with Wendy.

Belair

Our weekly walk in Belair 

was abundant with wildlife. 

Two emus today,
at least half a dozen huge grey
kangaroos 

and a koala being 

harassed
by raucous white
cockatoos.

Still blue skies.