Monday, March 29, 2010
The Red Hill Show, 2010 Dog High-Jump
It’s the Monday morning after the annual Red Hill Show. The 17 mm of rain we got through the night is beginning to soak in. Bark on the huge trees appear to be stained dark brown, a definite sign that the “hot-dry” is on its way out and Autumn is here. Streaks of sun are burning small holes through the greyness of the sky. It’s the start of the 2 weeks of “school” holidays. At Easter time the kids get 2 weeks off. We are “on permanent holidays” since we are retired so life is great.
Our friends met us directly at the Show Grounds on Saturday. Here in Australia, a Show is what the USA calls a “County Fair”. If you go to www.RedHillShow.com.au you can see how traditional it is. After seeing the miniature poneys, the alpacas, crafts of all types and the cooking sections we went to see the Chickens, Roosters and Ducks. There are so many varieties of amazing looking birds. The poultry shed is right next to the pigs and the winners are HUGE! The pigs are next to cattle and many of them were with their cute little offspring. It's so good to get "grounded".
Then I snuck into the photography shed to find out if any of my submissions did well. Yippee. I got two first prizes, one second and one Highly Commended. But enough of that. The event we love most is the dog jumping. Perhaps you have never attended a show like this? Well, here are some photos to amaze you.
Our friends met us directly at the Show Grounds on Saturday. Here in Australia, a Show is what the USA calls a “County Fair”. If you go to www.RedHillShow.com.au you can see how traditional it is. After seeing the miniature poneys, the alpacas, crafts of all types and the cooking sections we went to see the Chickens, Roosters and Ducks. There are so many varieties of amazing looking birds. The poultry shed is right next to the pigs and the winners are HUGE! The pigs are next to cattle and many of them were with their cute little offspring. It's so good to get "grounded".
Then I snuck into the photography shed to find out if any of my submissions did well. Yippee. I got two first prizes, one second and one Highly Commended. But enough of that. The event we love most is the dog jumping. Perhaps you have never attended a show like this? Well, here are some photos to amaze you.
Monday, March 15, 2010
The view from the dining area
If I lift my gaze above the computer screen, past the large window frame, through the glass and fly screen I can see the lower limbs of the massive gum trees whose tops cannot be seen except for the ones on the far edge of the neighbor's top paddock. Tiny clusters of yellowish gum nuts and the remnants of the drying flowers are what attracts the myriads of parrots at this time of year.
Hardly a leaf moves. It's very warm and dry. We didn't get the deluge or the hailstones which devastated much of the northern areas of Victoria last week with some regions getting 130 mm in one day. Our rain gague sipped only 35 mm over a 3 day period. No more, no less. Oh, that was enough to dust off the leaves and break up the soil a bit so we could do some gardening. But otherwise, the dam is "damn-low". The two 5,000 gallon tanks which supply water to our house were overflowing when it rained, but that's because we have a large roof line.
I really needed that luxury time in the bath tub after planting three young clivias on the south side of the house, then digging a 10 meter edging strip between the grass and ground cover and extending the footpath under the deck stairs by 2 precast concrete squares. My mind still thinks I'm 35 when I'm really .... oh you didn't think I'd be that silly? Every muscle ached. Then I recall my friend's favorite expression: "If you wake up in the morning, and nothing hurts..... you're dead."
Ninety degrees to my right are the three "almost" floor to ceiling windows which make up the 6 meters of the west wall of the dining area. Past the deck and glass balustrad, one story off the ground, stretches the garden surrounding our dam and below that the lower paddock where Omar grazes blissfully. It took me 6 hours on my ride on mower to cut the grass the other day. Sort of like a meditative motion up and down the slope or across the less steep areas, smelling the freshness of a bit of new grass and sneezing now and then on the dry seeds and dust.
On the farthest horizon, past the southwest edge of the Mornington Peninsula, past Bass Straight, slightly obscured by sea haze and white clouds is the length of "The Great Ocean Road" all the way to the tip of Cape Ottway.
How a Manhattan girl and a boy from Germany ever ended up on this bit of paradise is a whole other story.
Hardly a leaf moves. It's very warm and dry. We didn't get the deluge or the hailstones which devastated much of the northern areas of Victoria last week with some regions getting 130 mm in one day. Our rain gague sipped only 35 mm over a 3 day period. No more, no less. Oh, that was enough to dust off the leaves and break up the soil a bit so we could do some gardening. But otherwise, the dam is "damn-low". The two 5,000 gallon tanks which supply water to our house were overflowing when it rained, but that's because we have a large roof line.
I really needed that luxury time in the bath tub after planting three young clivias on the south side of the house, then digging a 10 meter edging strip between the grass and ground cover and extending the footpath under the deck stairs by 2 precast concrete squares. My mind still thinks I'm 35 when I'm really .... oh you didn't think I'd be that silly? Every muscle ached. Then I recall my friend's favorite expression: "If you wake up in the morning, and nothing hurts..... you're dead."
Ninety degrees to my right are the three "almost" floor to ceiling windows which make up the 6 meters of the west wall of the dining area. Past the deck and glass balustrad, one story off the ground, stretches the garden surrounding our dam and below that the lower paddock where Omar grazes blissfully. It took me 6 hours on my ride on mower to cut the grass the other day. Sort of like a meditative motion up and down the slope or across the less steep areas, smelling the freshness of a bit of new grass and sneezing now and then on the dry seeds and dust.
On the farthest horizon, past the southwest edge of the Mornington Peninsula, past Bass Straight, slightly obscured by sea haze and white clouds is the length of "The Great Ocean Road" all the way to the tip of Cape Ottway.
How a Manhattan girl and a boy from Germany ever ended up on this bit of paradise is a whole other story.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
The Mornington Peninsula
We think we live in heaven. So close (90 minute drive) to the central business district of Melbourne, we have it all. In view is the enormity of Port Phillip Bay, the outline of the Mornington Peninsula (sort of like a birds view of Cape Cod) and Bass Straight (the ocean). Within the bay are almost pristine sandy beaches with shallow water for long distances and then the depths of the bay with amazing coral reefs. Above it all are the heights of Arthurs Seat, 900 feet above sea level from which you have unobstructed views to Melbourne and the Bellarine Peninsula which, with our peninsula, make up the "arms" surrounding Port Phillip Bay.
The fertile land mass of the Peninsula has allowed it to see thrive: a productive "vegetable bowl", over 100 Vineyards with tasting stations and restaurants, farms which raise goats, cows and sheep for cheese and meat production; sheep, alpacas and goats for fibre, and loads of nurseries for shrubs, plants and trees. The many state and national parks provide a variety of hiking or walking trails through trees, massive grass fields (kangaroos a pleanty) and cliff views over the many beach areas.
That's enough to give you a taste and here are some photos.
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