We're late! The festive season ate well into January...
Despite travelling down the mountainside to the east coast on a magnificent sunny day word reached us of a severe weather warning expected there. We drove straight through to Howden, south of Hobart a week sooner than expected and happily took up our site here for the next few months.
Land for Wild Life is proclaimed on the gate. All the wildlife found here is a delight! None more so than these Tasmanian Native-hen. Endemic to Tasmania they are flightless. They like farmland with short grass and tussocks along the edges of wetlands, streams and dams. When disturbed they remind us of the American roadrunner as they run swiftly across our lawns.. We have a party of bush chooks from the horse dam just to our west side that consider our property their territory. Border wars take place on the east side when very noisy, demonstrative and aggressive behaviour takes place. Particularly noticeable is the short jerking tail and the clacking sounds interjected with a rasping hacksaw- cacophony. The noise draws us out every time - perfect cartoon characters these.
A dinner with jazz evening at John Daly's 'Timeless Way' in Kingston
We joined Alison on a working trip up to Brady's Lake. Hydro Tasmania is upgrading lake sites all over the island. How lucky for residents and tourists on this scenic island.
Our special event trip across to an island , off an Island , off an ISLAND! Thank you Alison and Amanda - this was a beautiful gift to end our Golden year.
Cloudy Bay on Bruny Island.
Cloudy Bay Cottage on a remote edge of the Bay was utterly perfect.
Weather forecast didn't sound good at all yet we were to enjoy unexpectedly decent weather.
Cloudy Bay Beach walks reminiscing ... Leecy and Chris had been here with the A's and memories abounded.
Big Band Jazz evening at Wrest Point Casino Showroom. Carols and Crooners didn't go down so well with George!
Christmas Morning
We were joined by Anita Wild and David Minchep for our Christmas dinner.
Turkey cooked most successfully in an old BBQ despite the many qualms!
Boxing Day with Anita and Mark Wild . Between them they served up the tastiest pizza as we celebrated their dog's birthday.
George' put in many hours of hard labour building a billabong across the creek bed that flows in the rainy season. This was to be Alison's 'frog pond'!
First customers were the Bush Chook. Padimelons and Possum also came to inspect.
The slow and careful process of emptying the pool that housed Alison's rescued frog spawn. In time it became her tadpole habitat.
Tadpole release...
a Saturday in Hobart checking out the sales followed by a stroll through beautiful Salamanca Markets and lunch at 'The Taste' was much enjoyed by the ladies.
Jig saw team cursed and complained bitterly night after night working on the finely detailed 1,000 piece puzzle - The Ultimate Noah's Ark..
The relief when it was DONE was enormous.
The Bush Chooks set up a shindig during \lunch and Carolyn spotted the metre long tiger snake being harassed by the hens. Carolyn spotted it first and named it Matilda!
Once the tiger snake had a name it make it part of the family! Day's later an even longer snake Maximillian came a visiting while George was painting the front decking.
Matilda the tiger snake became far too comfortable. Left the wild parts of the property to inspect the front of the house- sunning on the step outside the garage watching George prepare the ground under the house for new storage space. And, took up residence for a while, under the cocktail deck until she realized human traffic was busy and disruptive around there. The chooks are fantastic guards - always erupting in noise when Matilda was on the move.
Old Years Night we were joined by John Daly. and Amanda Harper with her dog Millie. We were all far too laid back to consider taking photographs.
The competition was on ... John produced a professionally basted and most delicious looking turkey on his weber. His dedication may have produced the best turkey BUT Amanda and Lea's turkey didn't have them work up a sweat. They had looked as cool as cucumbers on Christmas Day!
We all stayed up to bring in 2019 before hurtling off to beds.
