With The Wind in My Hair

I love getting out on the water and over the summer I took the opportunity of sailing again on the Lady Nelson, out of Hobart.  I took my grand-daughter with me and we had a lovely time watching the crew climb the rigging.  I thought that this boat would be a great way to volunteer when I retire, till I came to the realisation that I, too probably would be required to climb the rigging.  The thought of that makes me green around the gills, so maybe I will leave that to the more adventurous characters out there and just play tourist.

This photo was taken of the Lady Nelson when she was sailing in the Tamar River, northern Tasmania.  I was on my little yacht and sailed by her. It was the start of the 3 peaks yacht and running race.

Here are the hearty souls heading up the rigging.

And what a lot of rigging there was.

And the only rope on a yacht is ...... the bell rope every other rope has another title.

The bowsprit. Love to be out on there watching the dolphins swim by (but alas I am not that brave).

A nautical craft in it's own right.

Silhouette

against the sun

And along sailed the Windward Bound.

I haven't always been into boats.  I was into my 30s before I ever stepped foot on a boat. Some dear friends were building a yacht and I took a keen interest as it was a long term project.  Well, finally the day arrived when their beautiful 40ft steel ketch was to be launched and the boat owner invited me to have the honour of christening her. That began my love affair with yachts.  I bought my own yacht several years later but decided to sell her (after 10 years of wonderful sailing) and get something a bit more suitable for our lifestyle that we are planning when we retire. All we need is something that was quick to get in and out of the water when the fish are running so we can go out and get a feed. So we found a small cabin cruiser. Just the thing for me to still get the wind in my hair.

I've Come to Be Educated

As a teacher in a country school, I am never surprised what might happen. Lately 4 ducks have shown up and adopted my class and sit outside the glass doors waiting for the children to come out and play. Sometimes they tap on the glass when they see the children eating their lunches. If we eat outside, they help themselves to the children’s lunches, straight from their lunch boxes. We always have willing garbage disposal units to get rid of our leftovers. I really like them visiting but sometimes they can be a great distraction to my bunch of 5 and 6 year olds.

Such a handsome creature!

I love taking macro shots and this is one of them.

Gorgeous and Productive Weekend

 

I feel very lucky living by the river on days like this.  The warmth of the sun fills up my house so I don't have to use the heater through the days, even in winter. I have been going through the garden digging up Dietes, Fairy's Fishing Rods, Blue Agapanthus and red Canna Lillies to replant outside the fence at the shack.  The soil at the shack is very sandy so I am going to have to buy in some soil and build it up a bit. Over time it will be fantastic.

 

Yesterday I spotted oodles of manadrins on the tree so harvested a few. I wanted to make cordial with them but my dear husband wanted to eat them as is. 

 

The harvest for today. 2 lemons, several mandarins and 5 eggs.  I have 5 isa brown hens and each day I get 4 or 5 eggs year round.  My hens don't go off the lay as I give them 1 can of dog food each week to boost their protein as they can't make eggs and new feathers during their moult unless they get extra protein.  I sell 2 dozen eggs a week.

Here we grow: 

Cherries, 2 varieties of Apple, Apricot, Green Gages, Walnuts, Plums, 

Vegetables, I have in at the moment are, Carrot, Broccoli, Cabbage, Garlic, Rainbow Chard, Broad Beans.

As time progresses, I will be sharing my garden.

 

 

End of Autumn

Autumn, here in Tasmania is a beautiful time of year.  We begin the day with frosty delight (see pic of the frost on my railing) and then the sun treats us to mild warm days. Just delightful.

Getting Started

 People have often said that I have a unique way of looking at things and considering that I have recently taken up photography, I am investigating the way I DO look at things.  This blog will be about an assortment of things that take my fancy on any given day and I will have photographs to accompany my ramblings.  






I love this post and rail fence that runs around part of a garden at Callington Mill at Oatlands in Tasmania In the garden there was parterre where vegies and herbs were planted. On the other side of this fence were many artichoke plants and an orchard of espaliered apple trees, each bursting forth with the promise of a great crop.

After visiting the old mill I wandered round the quaint little village looking at the beautiful old homes, I looked up and there on the roof of one of the cottages was this eye catching sculpture perched on the chimney.  

 This clown photograph was my very first photograph I took.