Bicheno and more

  

After a wet Friday drive...stopping at Campbell Town for a delicious dinner...we arrived in Bicheno around 8.30pm and wandered across the road from our accommodation to see the fairy penguins come ashore...lovely despite the rain..

Saturday was a perfect day and we enjoyed breakie on our rooftop veranda

 

 

We walk across  the beach and follow the rocks around to the blowhole....Thomas says this is his  idea of "paradise"..

The its back across the point and up the lookout track..

The afternoon is spent taking turns for a snooze while Tom swims, climbs rocks and plays board games. We read and rest til going for dinner at a local cafe..
Then we drive north to Redbill Beach so we can walk the sandy isthmus at low tide to reach Diamond Island... The evening light is magic..
Strolling back along the beach we pick up sea sponges for a medicine John hopes to prepare..
Tom climbs sand dunes and generally races about having a fabulous time.
At dusk we go down to see the Penguin parade again...a delightful mild evening and the Penguins arrive on schedule..

We pack up on Sunday after a slow start and make our way south to Coles Bay for a coffee.
Then over to the start of the Wineglass Bay walk. Tom is delighted to see a Wallaby hopping about in the carpark before we set out.

 

 Its a hot climb to the top and Tom takes a breather on the lounge provided..

 Great views of the Bay from the lookout..

 

 A long hot climb down and a walk along the beach finds us at a suitable swimming spot for Tom...no 'breakers'.. (Could be the Whitsundays...if the water temperature was about 20 degrees warmer)
Stunningly beautiful.

View from out shady picnic spot

We make our way back..its a hard climb for Tom...but once at the top...downhill all the way...and he still has the energy to climb a few rocks..
We head south stopping at Orford for a coffee break and a quick walk along the beach..then in the car again.. We stop at Bellerive for dinner at the Pub bistro on the boardwalk..a nice spot..
Then its home..unpack and prepare for bed. (Hannah and I watch a movie..before turning in)

The week begins well with a number of orders to do...and customers..
John and Tom make a Calendula cream..
We spend a few hours on Monday afternoon preparing Spongia tosta..
Sea sponges we collected at Bicheno...are 'toasted' in a pan (a slow process) ..then crumbled /ground into fine powder and set on to make a tincture..

 

Hannah and I have a walk around town after dinner..

 

Up early to fill and pack Calendula cream before heading to Community Garden for a couple of hours. There are few of us today as Liz and Laura are taking part in the Wooden Boat Festival "RaiD"..This RaiD through some of Tasmania’s wild and beautiful waterways commences in Recherche Bay January 30 2013 and ends on Hobart on Friday February 8 to meet up with the parade of sail which heralds the start of the Australian Wooden Boat Festival.

They are rowing the  St Ayles skiff built by the Women on Water group at Franklin...quite a journey.

Hannah and I walk down to see some of the Wooden Boats that are part of the RaiD...stopping overnight in Cygnet.

 

 It promises to be a hot Wednesday..Tom's first day back..but the morning is cool and lovely

 

 John helps Tom pack his bag...adding a large rock for good measure..Tom is not amused.

 Glad to be heading back to school.

 Morning assembly in Carmel Hall by the looks..

 

Hannah goes to town to drop off CVs to Restaurants looking for work.

Tom comes home happy...had a great day. After afternoon tea we begin our homework plan...

It has been a really hot day for here...30 degrees...and the flat takes a while to cool off.

Hannah and I watch a series 'North and South' before bed.

 

Again the morning is hot on Thursday and there are fires burning north of Hobart.

 Morning reading session before school.....

By the afternoon there is a fire burning over at Franklin..the other side of the Huon...The smoke is blowing down here.

Hannah goes into Hobart for a work trial at a snazzy Restaurant called Rockwall. (We know Ben who is front of house manager...he used to work at Red Velvet)

 

Her trial goes well...and she has secured a job...Well done Hannah!!

I go up on the hill for a walk...stunning light

 Raspberries for dessert from our garden..

 

 

The week ends on a busy note..

Hannah flys out to Sydney for a friend's wedding.

Orders are prepared and dispatched...

Books are sold as we see more tourists around due to the Wooden Boat Festival this weekend...

 

We travel to Hobart on Saturday as John has an invite to go through more second hand books at 'The Barn' in North Hobart. Tom and I get dropped off in town and walk the bike track to North Hobart...via the Regatta Grounds...where its all happening!! Wooden Boat Festival , Navy Open Day, Regatta carnival.

It is so windy!!...Terrible news for the Firies fighting a big blaze at Molesworth northwest of Hobart.

At the Carnival ground we witness a huge inflatable worm wrenched from it's tethering ropes by the wild wind...people come running to catch it before the wind whips it away into the harbour.

 

 

A Navy helicopter has to make 3 attempts before being able to land...

 

 

 

 

We have a wonderful walk...although tiring walking into a headwind.

  

We meet John who is just about ready to go...

 

have a cuppa in town then pick up supplies at Officeworks before heading home... The smoke obscures Mount Wellington..

 

 

We rest then slowly prepare to go out to dinner at a dear customer's home at Glazier's Bay. Pat is late 70s/early 80 yo Scottish lady. She delights in our book shop and has given us some wonderful books for Thomas. Her partner Jim is in his 80's...and has worked all over the world.. Lovely people...we have a great evening  dining with them and their neighbours Max and Sue.. 

Wedding highlights and back in Tassie

An eventful time in Sydney for the wedding...with many hands coming together to contirbute to a beautiful ceremony and celebration....

 

 

Pre-wedding breakfast at The Armoury Cafe with my siblings and partners

 

 

The flowers prepared lovingly by Liv..

 

 

All ready on the hottest recorded day in Sydney...46 degrees

 

Lucy assembling  the cake...well done...

 

 

Here comes the bride...

My dearest Dad is present ...such a remarkable gift to us all.

 

 

Back home and its into work etc....

 

 

Australia Day weekend is spent exploring the Tahune area past Geeveston..

We walk the Huon River track crossing 2 swing bridges... over the Picton River  then the Huon River..

 

 

 

We spot a tiger snake basking in the sun..

 

 

Tom and John delight in getting the bridge swinging from side to side...

I make sure I'm off it when they do this. 

 

After a trip to Hobart on Sunday to pick up lightweight rain jackets for John and Tom...on Monday we leave at first light (before 6am) and head over to begin a walk up in the Mount Picton area. Following Forest Roads and directions John has downloaded from the net (from a walker who has done this track) we manage to find our way to the top. The pink ribbon  and occasional yellow tag markers help us find our way. (Although there are a few times when we have to hunt about to determine the right direction)

 

 

 

 

Fabulous views as we break though the forest out to the heathland..bit that is Mt Picton behind us. We have ended up on Anderson's Bluff.. It's a tough slug pushing our way through the heath sometimes slipping into ankle deep mud on the "track"

 

 

 

John scouts ahead to see if we should press on.

I have had a woos moment..having a cry as I slip yet again into the mud and struggle to get up..

Tom is tiring out too. The flies bother him while we wait so my scarf comes in handy.

 

We spot John heading our way..can you??.

 

 

Its good news...once we reach those trees we will be out of the mud and the track opens up..

Worth the effort we reach a cairn ..have a break then enjoy the vegetation and stroll along the plateau.

 

 

 

 

We enjoy our lunch then tackle the long walk back down..Tom is such a trooper...looking out for me more than anything..what a treasure. We lose the markers at one point of our descent...but after a scout about we again find a marker.. finally reaching the car again at about 3pm..

We stop at the Picton river crossing so Tom can play for about an hour in the water. He has a delightful time..

 

Dinner at Geeveston on the way home is very welcome...not to mention  hot showers when we get home.

 

After a flat out day of orders on Tuesday we go up on the hill to have a look around. Its very dry (as everywhere)..but we expore the potential of the lower house site near the dam.. Its looking like a better option then the ridge top.

Wednesday dawns a beautiful day. We are in touch with Hannah as she makes her way south..in Albury this morning and will drive to Melbourne to board the Spirit of Tasmania tonight.

 

 

A very quiet  non-eventful day..

Hannah is making her way onto the Spirit ...sending us this photo before boarding

 

Its a cool Thursday..grey skies and Hannah is reporting in as she travels south. 

 

John and Tom complete the process of making Herb Salt  (processed Levisticum plant mixed into salt then dried)..and bottle up the results.

The day is busy with customers and orders..

Hannah arrives unannounced...I spot her waving at the window as I serve a customer..

Great to see her safe and sound. She enjoys a well earned rest as the rain falls...up in Tom's lego area that John has set up in the attic area above the shop.

Quiet night..

We have a wet Friday and are kept busy with orders..

 

 

This afternoon we are driving up to Bicheno for the weekend...looking forward to it..