The next stop....

After Phillip Island we started moving northwards again till we got to our Parliamentary Capital Canberra

We spent a couple of days doing the touristy things as much as we could...

Old Parliament House..... where you can follow the story of Democracy and the offices are all set up as in Bob Hawkes Day.... very interesting few hours spent there...

 Then New Parliament House..... big, bold... also interesting - they haven't been able to keep up with the pictures of recent Prime Ministers (we kinda been changing them rather rapidly)

View from the New Parliament Building, Old Parliament and then War Memorial on the other side of the lake (far end)

We did go up the Telsta Tower... so cold and windy but lovely views....

I have forgotten what this building was... big man made lake which is used well and has lovely walks around it

Art Gallery..... 

 Some lovely Parks, winter time so dry and brown from frosts etc but the locals were friendly

We visited one small museum which had this gorgeous Australian themed wood burnt work... I liked this little one  which housed doilies.... (or Doyleys)

We also spent hours at the War Memorial... so much to see

There is lots to see there.... 

Hubz and I have succumbed to head colds..... we had these already this year!!! grrr

Anyway chicken soup was called for... this is a recipe that I do follow as it makes it just right and has a squeeze of lemon at the end which just makes it perfect...

Very easy to make …. this is the one I made but there are choices on the internet of course

I finished up this embroidery.. there wasn't much more to do

Its 12" square....

I haven't before done such an intensive embroidery project before....

A pattern by Faeries in My Garden....

… so much detail... I nearly gave up a few times....

Now to find some pretty fabric to finish it off....

Righto, Gotta Go....  I hope you have a lovely week....

Memories....

We stayed in a variety of places.... one was a delightful Airbnb.  The room was at the back of an old cottage.... they still had the outdoor cooking area which was just lovely to see....

The comfortable room with a very cold shower room was at the back of this cottage (not their fault is was a freezing night) 

We passed via Bowral on our way and stopped for a much longer than planned time at the Bradman Museum.  This is the oval where the museum is based.  It is still used.

Both Hubz and I (he more than me) do enjoy the cricket and there was so much information in there... really a good visit and a lovely café for some refreshments....

Here is the sculpture of "The Don".... (Bowral is where he came from)

Down Kangaroo Valley and over Hampden Bridge (heritage listed) ...

… and then we went back to the coast to Narooma for a few nights.  Lots of lovely walks and drives....

 This is a seal which was happily floating and playing in the Bay one evening....

… and a ray which came right close to the jetty (actually saw quite a few)

We stayed right next to a golf course and so had some lovely walks.... we were standing at the tee and the shot was over the sea to the other side....  so beautiful...

We went to a really lovely historic town where they have kept most of the houses in the street as authentic as possible... I am silly but I didn't take pictures - except of our tea and scones which was served in lovely china crockery.....  The little villages Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba (very close by each other)  If you are interested just google it and there are lots of pictures....

Then down to Melbourne..... this time I was simply too busy playing with a couple of gorgeous little lads to take pictures...

We went to the Antarctic display - and spent a happy couple of hours playing there...

We also went and braved the freezing cold and wet to watch the Little Penguins come in..... It was a very choppy high tide and only a few came in and we all got very wet and cold..... 

Not the most successful evening but a lovely spot none-the-less.  

But those Little Penguins are just darling..... and we saw some on the walk back.... they had come out to wait for their partners coming in and were calling away.....

Sometimes the penguins need a bit of help keeping warm (hurt, injured etc) so I have started knitting a penguin jacket...

I managed to get some pure wool so I am using that.  The actual penguins need pure wool but acrylic ones are also welcome and get sold on little toys ones to raise money for them.  Information about the Knits for Nature project is HERE....

Righto, Gotto Go... better get back to that penguin jumper knitting!

More travels....

It is Wattle Season... and I just love the range of yellows and shapes of the fluffy's (even if I get the sneezes it is worth it)

Loads and loads of them planted on the sides of highways..... wonderful

The other thing I like on 'some' of the highways is these rope ladders.  Can you see it? 

Right across the road for the little critters to cross safely.....  then ropes down for them to get back to the ground.... 

We went and stayed with a friend of Hubz and his wife who I met for the first time on their piece of land near Taree….

It's a really lovely spot and so relaxing.... as well as really lovely hosts ....

Sunset time..... only the birdcalls for background music...

They do have regular visits by Koala's though none came to say Hello to us.... you can see the evidence of their sharp nails on the gum tree in their yard....

We visited Taree and had fish and chips by the sea

.. and of course a little walk with some ocean views.... 

 I have now finished off my second ever pair of socks (same wool as last time since I got several balls of it and it is lovely).  These are a gift and have been posted off - a labour of love are knitted socks

Righto, Gotto Go..... I think I'll have a cup of coffee and then think about the next step on a quilt I am quilting....

Hello.....

Thanks to those of you who sent me messages whilst I was silent in blogland.... it's always lovely to be missed!

Hubz and I had a break away, and for me a break away from social media aswell, just to wind down and enjoy the moments....

We travelled quite far southwards but had stops along the way....

(I'll share bits of the trip in the next few blog posts)

First stop was a coastal town called Woolgoolga…...

… of course a nice long walk was needed after being in the car ....

… some really pretty views....

 Woolgoolga is known for it's large Sikh community and there is a beautiful big temple ….

We didn't spend a lot of time there but had another lovely walk on the sandy beach....

Along the travels it was fun to see the range of yellows from the Wattle trees..... beautiful even if it made me sneeze!

My car project is a new crochet blanket …..  I actually got more of this done than this (can you see the rolled up ball) - I noticed it was becoming more triangular than rectangular and had to undo a whole lot!

Righto, Gotto Go.... time for some lunch!

I hope all is well with you...