Easter holiday week

Beautiful Easter moon rising over the back hills.

We had a wonderful visit to Bendigo over the Easter long weekend.Stunning sunrise on the way to airport...

Thomas's favourites were the Chinese Dragon Festival markets, the street parade and fireworks on Fri and Sat nights viewed from our front porch...oh and the playground was cool too (spot Tom!!)

John loved the bookshops...I was entranced by the Grace Kelly gowns, delighted by the bath at our accomodation!!...and we all enjoyed exploring Castlemaine and Daylesford.

We had hoped to visit Hanging Rock on Monday...but the weather deteriorated ...getting colder and wetter as we drove south...so ended up at Fitzroy..Brunswick St...for a couple of hours..Luckily missing a big downpour as we ate some lunch in a cosy cafe..

Tuesday and its a grey cool day.

Plenty to keep us busy as we take orders throughout the day..
Thomas is happy building a construction model he got through book club at school...

We get the fire going in the shop and its real cosy.
I set up a few of my hats for sale in the shop...just for fun..

In the evening I close all our curtains and get the fire going there...a little Harry Potter time, a phone call from Hannah, homemade sausage rolls and salad for dinner and a quiet read before bed...simple joys.

Wednesday and the sun is shining...at least in the morning anyway..
We get on with orders and customers come in throughout the day.
Thomas processes some Mistletoe that John harvested on the outskirts of Bendigo...and express posted here...Shhh...(you didn't read that.) Used in a cream for sunspots

Then Tom had a play with the archery set he found at the Bendigo Markets..(very keen on archery!!)

John and Thomas left after lunch to go to a nursery at Snug...in search of medicinal plants.
They also visited the Tip Shop, and various Vinnies/Salvo shops on the Channel too..Happy with their haul of plants and books
I had a busy afternoon of orders and customers...Closed the shop and did a dash to the Post Office about 3.45pm so as not to miss the post for the day.
Quiet evening listening to some gripping Harry Potter chapters!!

Thursday and the sun shines...but there is a breeze keeping things a cooler.Lovely herons wading in the water this morning..

I take a look at John's plant collection...impressive...

I get a sourdough loaf in the oven while the boys continue Harry Potter.
Ryan is having breakfast with s friend at Lotus Eaters..so Arlo is over to play with Tom...they have such a great time together..

John gets to work processing the Geum urbanum then the Artemesia abrotanum..two plants he bought yesterday. They are ingredients for a medicine we will make for stomach upset.

Ryan and friend Dave (who is the chef at Peppermint Bay) call through and Ryan gives Dave a tour of the building..
Fairly quiet morning order wise.
Orders began to fly in as the afternoon progressed...
Tom got busy with some work on his computer...
I crashed after work and had a sleep...still feeling the effects of my head cold.
We had a quiet evening with Harry Potter after hamburgers from Devour...
Tom decides to keep reading some Harry in bed...

The wind picks and almost drowns out Zumba music coming from the Town Hall!!

Friday and it is predicted to reach 24 today.. After a few chores Thomas and I head off in to Hobart. We have to buy some new boots for Tom, warm top for John, a few items at Spotlight and then we are going to the Botanical gardens to see the Unravel -plant dyed fabric exhibition..
We had a lovely time exploring areas of the gardens we hadn't seen before...the Herb Garden, Cactus House, Peter Cundal's vege patch (used when filming Gardening Aust. segments)...Tom found some lovely trees to climb...and we both had a ride on the Carousel...fun. The fabric display was wonderful...stunning colours and patterns achieved using plants and rocks etc...

Back to Cygnet and John and Tom walked up the street to look at a fleet of Vintage buses that had stopped there...amazing ..

After work we decided to go over to Peppermint Bay for dinner...its such a warm , sunny afternoon..

 

Saturday and the boys go to Hobart (have to swap John's top for a larger size). They are also going to Salamanca Market to chase up some Oak tree from one of the stall there.
I have a lovely walk in the sunny morning.

I spend the day doing some more work on Jess' dress...
We potter in the garden during the afternoon and enjoy the saturday afternoon sounds of people enjoying Lotus Eaters...a distant tractor slashing ...and the occasional birdsong..Lovely

Finish off the week with a cosy meal at Red Velvet..then home for more Harry.....