Our Dry Country

Well I planned on doing this much earlier, but waking up with a dreaded headache and then going to have a lie down after taking two pain tablets, left me till now to do this, besides multitudes of washing.

I grabbed a quick cuppa and hoped that would get me through the rest of the afternoon.

So yesterday started of like any Sunday, a steaming hot coffee a bowl of cereal and a rush around to get to esky ready with lunch a thermos to have a hot cuppa, phone on charge as well as camera battery.
Would be nothing worse for me than to have both those items die on me, Oh! how tragic that would be.

Our fist stop for the day was at Seymour by the Goulburn River, where we had lunch which consisted of thrown together rolls with ham lettuce and tomato. All around us we could hear the squawking of Cockatoos and the low shrill squeal of a Magpie hiding up in one of the trees above and children below laughing and squealing as they ran after each other.

 

Goulburn River

Seymour was still a very quiet country town to what I remember it to be from years ago.  A few cars were parked in the supermarket and a lonely person in old clothes walked through it's doors.

As we traveled down the highway towards Strath Creek, few cars passed us, the sun shone through the window as I felt it hitting my arm and becoming quite warm.

The sign for Strath Creek came up as we drove for what seemed for ever taking in the beautiful view around us of the Strath Creek Ranges.

 

Strath Creek Ranges

Then another sign came up pointing to the right saying Strath Creek Falls we drove for kilometers, then the road turned into just stones we kept driving in the direction the sign had told us to go, but there didn't seem to be another sign with directions. Scattered here and  there was a lone farm house. I thought who would live this far from anywhere no shops no nothing not even phone connection so I could get the internet. Who would live this far from nowhere, were they mad. It was very peaceful and the only sound I could hear was the rustling of the tall gum trees. I'd never seen properties so far away from anywhere with their big water tanks and their long winding driveways leading to a large country home. Children played along the driveway and a black and white dog ran after us as we passed.. A very large far with cows scattered everywhere watched us as we pulled over to take a few photos.

 

Cows, yes two black cows lol

We had driven for approx 40 mins but didn't seem any closer to the Strath Creek water fall and the road seemed to lead to know where. Hmmm that sign did tell us to drive in the direction we went did they have it facing the wrong way? Yes they did as we turned around and headed back in the same direction, some stupid person had turned the sign to the right when it should have faced left. Well at least we got to see some of the country side we had never seen before.

The creek beds were crying out for water, they were just mounds of dirt and stones. no water flowed anywhere and the countryside held no green grass at all. as the sun beat down

We eventually made it to the Strath Creek Falls to be very disappointed, as I looked around and heard a noise in the reeds beside the path there was no water which flowed of the sides of the rock to make a spectacular waterfall. Australia is known for being dry and this is something you could see as we drove through the countryside.

I also must mention out of no where came bounding two kangaroos we had to break quite quickly so we wouldn't hit them. I got such a fright to see them come out in front of the car from no where, we were so lucky that we were not speeding for it would have been a very different story that I'd be telling.

 

Kangaroos bounding across the road ( you will need too look quite closely to see them)

Trentham

Sunday started off like any other Sunday, a nice sleep in, which was well deserved.
With hot coffee in hand and the drone of some monotonous song on the radio, gave me the strength to get ready and head out the door with my camera for a lovely day of photo shooting.

With thermos under my arm so I can have a hot coffee along the way, with out spending money on the high prices they charge for a small cup of coffee, I gathered my thoughts on my day with my camera.

Upon arriving at Trentham falls the sky over head was very grey, but the sun was warm and inviting, I placed my camera around my neck and headed down the steps to what I assumed would be a spectacular waterfall. Sadly I was very disappointed, there was very little water running over the sides of the volcanic rocks which lay all around us. It is now March and we have had very little rain again for this time of year and as the river begins to dry up you can see the rocks at the bottom showing their head. I could hear the faint call from a distant bird and the rustling of the trees as  breeze came through them, as I strolled to the viewing area of the waterfall. A lone fern swayed in the breeze as I looked over the viewing area into the waterfall.

I felt very non creative with such surroundings, I think I'd anticipated the waterfall to be like the last time I took the trek down to it some years ago, when there was plenty of water flowing over the side.
I still managed to get a few photos although not as good as last time.

 

Trentham Falls

 

 

Wood duck at Trentham Lake

Off now to make curried sausages for tea and to finish mopping the floor which I should have done hours ago, but I once again got caught up with this wretched computer, doing one thing or another.

With a Can of Spray Paint

Although it's not the best day, I think I might sand my 4 chairs and give them a coat of off white with the spray can  my other half bought me on the weekend, just to freshen them up and make them look much nicer than the old scratched chairs they are.

I am quite annoyed with my effort with these chairs I sandpapered them, wiped them down and went to spray the paint onto them, it wouldn't go on properly, a couple of areas went on fine but majority was all beady... Hmmmm what have I done wrong? I think I will ask the hubby he who knows everything when he comes home from work.

The Chair

 

Any help with this project would be greatly appreciated. I thought this was going to be such a simple project but not so. I think I'd rather have my camera in hand taking photos at some nice place. Not such an effort for me to do this like this task which I thought would be completed today.

So here I sit sipping a hot cup of coffee in my favorite cup and contemplating what to do next

Saturday Night, Sunday

Well I'm here again as I promised, I have so many photos which I'd like to share with you, but at this hour it would take me too long to be able to get them all together and ready to post.

It is a very quiet Saturday night with only the sound of a song coming from the tv behind me. My hubby sits with headphones on listening to one of the songs which I placed onto my iPod today.

So once again I didn't finish the blog I started, not for any reason other than I was tired and had to crawl into the comfort of my bed, so I am back here again on a Sunday morning, sipping my hot coffee and eating home made jam on toast as I listen to an 80's station on my digital radio. 

 

C is for .......

I had a bit of a break after working and sorting multitudes of my photos on my computer, grabbed a few home made sausage rolls for lunch which I made last night.
Nothing better than eating a cold sausage roll.with a steaming hot cup of tea.

 

Home made sausage rolls. loads of garlic, onions, carrots, sausage meat and that secret herbs I use they went down a treat.

Now back to my photos whilst I wait for the prodigal husband to return with some spray paint so I can spray some chairs which I was given.

Hubby returned with a can of cream spray paint in hand for me and some sand paper so I could work on the 4 chairs I was given. I have decided to start on this task another day as it is a bit late in the day and also the weathers not too great for doing this sort of thing. One thing is I cannot wait to start them.

With the thousands of photos on my machine all sorted, I've decided not to post them here for you, as there would be just too many, what I will do is give you just one of my links so you can view them at your leisure.  http://www.flickr.com/photos/ezycardz/  

I am really pleased with the photos I have taken over the last 12 months, and always love to share them so others can view and comment on them. I am  loving taking photos and using the creative side which I never thought I ever had.

 

A sample of what you will see on my site.

 

I Return

I haven't been here for such a long time and it's not because I haven't taken any photos, there is nothing in this world that would stop me from getting behind my camera, just had very little time to do my blog, with one thing or another happening in my life.

I really do appreciate my husband even though I don't always show it, he is the one that is always by my side when I go out with the camera, and he has also taken up the hobby of snapping away as I do. We have been to so many spectacular places. My hubby uses our daughters camera which is the same as mine, so when i run out of room on my memory or my battery dies he is always kind enough to say use my camera. I feel quite blessed when he says that.

Over the last 12 months we have been all over the place from Ballarat to Creswick to Torquay and Jan Juc which seems to be our special place, we end up  two or three times in a month, especially over the Summer months when the weather is too nice to stay inside down at Jan Juc taking in the sun the cool sea breeze and the beautiful sites which I love to photograph.

 

Jan Juc Victoria

I have so many photos I could load from the months that I haven't been on here, but where do I start?

I have had so much fun exploring new places with my husband, seeing unusual and new things, some in good weather others not in such good weather, but  that doesn't bother us too much.

I think the most exciting thing for late last year, was getting my new Canon macro 60mm lens. I couldn't wait to get out with it the day I bought it, but it was a very hot and sticky 35 degrees and I ended up with a really severe  migraine due to the heat and had to wait a few days before I could go out again and use it.

My 1st macro photo

 

My 2nd macro photo

So as you see I am back again with many photos and stories to tell.