Some holiday wildlife

While over at the coast we saw wildlife we don't see here......for instance, snow leopards at an animal park and a huge goanna being chased by a kookaburra in the rainforest.  We saw a few of these fellers.....

 ......the "Hello Koala Trail" features koala statues painted in bright colours and interesting designs; we did see others but weren't always in a position to photograph them.

 I like the beetle on this one's nose, and the gorgeous yellow-green eucalyptus leaves covering the body.  It lives at the koala hospital in Port Macquarie, where of course you can see the ridgey-didge fair dinkum real thing as well.......this little one, for instance.

 "Go away, I'm asleep.  Do not disturb.  Leave me alone.  I'm not awake."

Sea Acres is a national park in a rainforest within sight and sound of the sea, and one can walk through it on an elevated walk which is only just above ground level in parts while quite high off the ground in others.  Half way round is an open area with tall wooden sculptures, seats for sitting, and Ninox who is named after Australasian owls.

Ninox looks impressive but is not comfortable for sitting, as its beak pokes right in the middle of one's back.

Since returning home it has been hot, and some days have been very hot, and a few days have been really very hot.  Forecast for the next few days is more really very hot weather.  Summer hasn't officially started yet and already I am over it, so roll on autumn.  Before going away we ordered blinds for outside the windows of my sewing room and the living area off the kitchen, both of which face north - the hot sunny side in Australia - they were installed a few days ago, and already we have noticed the difference.  The sun doesn't hit the windows as strongly, so the windows don't heat up as much, so the rooms stay cooler.

I remember visiting with my grandmother or mother when a child, and those older houses often had blinds outside the windows to help keep rooms cooler.  Newer houses aren't always designed for good climate control but we are fortunate to have verandahs at the front and back and wide eaves round the house, all of which keep summer sun away from the house walls.

Stitching has resumed on Cricket/ette's quilt and by heck it is bright.  The blocks are eye-poppers, sashing and inner border are orange, cornerstones and binding are green, and when the striped border is added it will knock the kid's socks right off.

The uke group is now gearing up for Christmas after a busy weekend; Saturday night the choir sang at a charity concert and the uke group played too (because the choir and uke group have five members in common), then again at the monthly main street markets on Sunday morning, and Sunday afternoon at an awards ceremony at the music school.  This coming Saturday we are playing at a charity afternoon tea......makes you wonder what the town did for entertainment before we came along, doesn't it?

"To remove freckles.
Bruise and squeeze the juice out of common chickweed, and to this juice add three times its quantity of soft water.  Bathe the skin with this for five or ten minutes morning and evening, and wash afterwards with clean water."

I'm afraid it's too late.......I have had freckles since I was a child, and even staying inside during the heat of summer doesn't seem to stop more appearing.

Enjoy your days!