BACK HOME AGAIN

Yes, I have been travelling again. And I’ll tell you about some of my travels, beginning with the new header. This is a view, looking west along Asling’s Beach in Eden, NSW.

But before I got to Eden (oh, go and look at a map…) I spent a couple of days in Brisbane with an old friend …

We were neighbours when The Man and I rented  the house next door to her. She was a keen gardener and our many trips to garden centres, garden parties and gardening discussions probably saved my sanity. There were other things…ginger beer, bread-making various kitchen experiments come to mind

Brisbane seems hell-bent on becoming like Los Angeles…traffic is appalling, it’s often smoggy and buildings are getting taller.

But there is a good bus service operating from  (relatively) close to where my friend now lives. So we parked the car, hopped on a bus and went to Brisbane City Centre. First stop was a concert, put on by the Council for old folk. I think they banked on the fact that most old people are deaf! The sound levels were waaay off the scale and the featured singer screeched. We left after a couple of “songs” and wandered off in the direction of Southbank.

And half way down a main street, H. showed me a Thunbergia mysorensis – alongside some delphiniums, which I thought surprising! It’s  native to the tropical parts of India and ought to do well here, but I’ve never seen one  locally. Maybe I should address that …

I cannot seem to get a link to work, but try Google Images

On to Southbank, site of Expo, 1988. Today, a lovely place to wander or cycle or even run, if you’re that way inclined. Huge trees along the river and garden areas with some seating. And it’s the permanent home now of the giant Ferris wheel. Why the numeral 7  in the hub? I’m guessing that Channel 7 tv is a major sponsor.

We passed an elderly man (Chinese, I think) squatting  beside the river with a fishing pole. No reel, just a fixed line and old, practised hands gently manipulating it. 

I’ll leave you with one of the popular areas of the old Roma Street  rail yards. A display, beside a pond, of Brugmansias.

I’ll be back, maybe tomorrow, maybe later, with more “eye candy.” What’s that you say? I haven’t posted anything funny? Oh, alright. Just as a special treat for loyal readers…

IDEAS ON HOW TO PASS A SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

Sundays, for many people, are a time to cheer on the local team. A day when the family all gather for a big lunch. A chance to put up the feet and read the weekend newspaper.

Or, perhaps, head down to the Council car park, all roped-off with bunting and glow-in-the-dark road cones. And a crew of women in hi-viz vests, inking HUGE pieces of linoleum, ready to be printed…by a chap (also in a hi-viz vest) on a road roller.

 

Yes, just another Sunday here… with members of Printbank Mackay.

The weather while not conducive to racing down to the beach has been relatively warm this month.Note that word”relatively.”  On the night of the Blood Moon I was out at 5am to gaze skyward, dressed in jeans and a sweater.

And the sky was filled with stars! I don’t remember ever seeing such a clear night sky here! And, yes, I did see the Blood Moon. And Mars. No photos though, as I am thwarted by street lights around here  and those orange-y sodium lights at the intersection down the road. But the weather was, that night, favourable.

So…no astronomical wonders to show. How about some orchids? Not mine. I do have some in bud, but they’ll be in bud for a while yet.

However, a friend across town has a collection  and quite a few were flowering so I popped in while The Man was in the dentist’s chair. Not all had name tags and Vic, the orchid man, was not there so …I’ll do my best, but I’m flying blind with some. 🙂

 

A brassocattleya

This looks like a Cattleya…

And this…

This I do know...Phalaenopsis though not its varietal name

Vanda 

Epidendrum radicans  Common as…I have several.But guess what? Not one of mine has flowered! Known as Crucifix orchids, they do come in other colours, but this is the most often seen.

Let’s have another Phalenopsis …

Vic also has pawpaws! (note to self: see if any nurseries are selling plants yet)

Yes, mid-winter, folks! My last tree was flattened by a cyclone and I haven’t bothered to replace it.But I do so love fresh pawpaw…not those poor, sad things the supermarket staff treat like footballs!

Off to don my chef’s hat!

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUMER IS ICUMEN IN

Or, as is more likely to be heard in the northern parts of Australia: “Strewth! It’s bloody hot already!” Indeed it is. Some areas are getting the storms and some are getting left out.

I went with a couple of friends yesterday to see some linocuts which had been printed by a road roller. We drove south, watching the darkening clouds, quite expecting to get wet, but the clouds rolled away and dropped their load somewhere else. What I call Clayton’s storms.*

And the prints we’d expected to see were not on display!  We’d got the date wrong. Oops! So next week, perhaps we’ll try again.

There was a small exhibition by two local artists and the local handcraft store was open and we found a place to have some lunch so it was not a wasted day.

We were having lunch the other day when the garbage truck roared up the street and it was not our usual platypus-decorated one.So I grabbed the camera and raced out, bare feet hopping on the hot stones,just in time to catch this

A bit fuzzy, but this truck ‘s scene depicts the Mackay Marina. I wonder how many cities have such swish garbage trucks?

In my last post I didn’t think to mention how I carry my alcohol. Literally speaking! In England a few years ago, I often popped into a small supermarket near my bus stop and got a couple of bottles of wine and some cheese, olives, grapes. The small necessities of life. And this supermarket is one that sells mostly “Fair Trade” comestibles.They also sold strongly-made cotton canvas six- bottle bags and I brought two back with me.They’ve been in regular use for over three years and show no signs of wear.Wish I’d brought more as everyone seems to want one!

Anyway, yesterday, I spotted this

A two-bottle wine bag with a sense of humour. Mr LX, I’m sure your machine could do this! 🙂

I’m on watering duty for my neighbour and it’s time to swap out some hoses so I’ll leave you with a quick pic of a new Callistemon in my garden. It’s called Taree Pink, should any locals want to plant one. This is an accurate photo of its colour.

 

And the title of this post? Here’s a little musical accompaniment. I think you can follow the old English.Feel free to join the singers. Perhaps even skip about.

I’m going to christen my new pizza stone. Thanks for the tips, Mr.LX

 

 

 

*the storm you have when you’re not having a storm  see here:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claytons