Newcastle’s Fairy Garden

Today as we are still in lock down in New South Wales, I thought we’d share a takeaway coffee at a secret spot I only discovered last year. Newcastle’s Fairy Garden to my surprise is over 50 years old. I can’t believe I never heard of it as a kid even if then it was a private place.

Merv Moyle created the wonderland across the road from his house in the 1970’s for his children. Over the years he kept adding his new ideas to it until his death in his 90’s.

Imagine how special his children and grand children must felt to have their own fairy garden, complete with a fairy queen, animal friends, fairies and toadstools, not to mention the beautiful flowers and rainforest. As a child, I thought we were lucky as our dad had made us a cubby house. I am glad that it is now open for anyone to wander through and connect with your inner child at this magical place.

I hope you enjoyed our coffee and visit today. Thanks to Natalie The Explorer for hosting Weekend Coffee Share


Weekly Photo Challenge: Evanescent

Last weekend my husband and I went on a road trip to Barrington Tops National Park, where we enjoyed many fleeting moments in time. My favourite was the time we spent with an echidna, one of our wild Australian animals. We found her on the side of the road as we drove past. She was only the second echidna I’ve seen in the wild and she was a treasure to behold. In truth, I don’t know the echidna’s sex but we nicknamed her Edna so she was a female to us.

Initially, she was scared of us taking photos of her so she hid in her spines until she thought the coast was clear.

 

Then she decided to walk into the bush for a moment.

We however weren’t giving up so we kept very still and she came out to play again. Walking or should I say waddling around on the road in front of us for over 5 minutes. I don’t know what she thought I was but she just kept walking towards me.

She was absolutely beautiful. Then, just as we had finished watching Edna, my husband noticed in the distance that one of the wild brumbies (wild horses) we had driven past earlier had wandered into the middle of the road and was just standing there. 

Priceless. Definitely shows it pays to be mindful especially when spending time with nature.

Two wild Australian animals in one fleeting moment in time.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/evanescent/


The Butterfly Story

Life is a personal journey. Others can help and support along the way however, they cannot do the work for us. When they rescue us, we never learn the skills required to save ourself when things get tough. Sometimes life has an odd way of putting the challenges we require in our path. But, it is important to notice what we learn from each experience — the good as well as the bad. The following true story of unknown origins explains the importance of struggles very well.

A man finds a butterfly cocoon, which develops a small hole. Over several hours, he notices the butterfly struggling to force its body through the small hole.

After a period, the man noticed that the butterfly appeared stop progressing. In trying to be helpful, the man decides to cut the cocoon open.  The butterfly emerged easily however its body was swollen and it had small-shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly expecting at any moment the wings to enlarge and expand enough to support the body.

Neither happened!

In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around the ground. It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not realise was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle by the butterfly to break free was nature’s way of forcing the fluid out of the butterfly’s body and into its wings so that it is ready for flight when the butterfly emerged.

Like the butterfly’s journey out of the cocoon, the struggles, we overcome help to develop our strengths needed for later life. They allow us to overcome obstacles that would otherwise cripple us. Without them we are unable to fly.

All our journeys are unique experiences and remember, there are no maps.

Butterflies-in-cocoons-emerging

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/struggle/


A Tale of Two Cities

If you could split your time evenly between two places, and two places only, which would these be?

For a period I would love to be able to spend 6 moths in Australia and 6 months in Canada. There is so much natural beauty, flora and fauna and history in both places, devoting time to exploring it would be amazing. The question I would struggle to answer is where to begin? Maybe I could use the following acrostic poems as a guide.

 

Adelaide

Uluru

Sydney

The Great Barrier Reef

Rottnest Island

ACT

Launceston

Illawarra

Albury – Wodonga

 

 

Charlottetown

Alberta

Newfoundland & Labrador

Algonquin Park

Drummondville

Arctic Bay

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/a-tale-of-two-cities/


Weekly Photo Challenge: Monochromatic

The following two monochromatic photos of a wild goanna we found at Minyon Falls are interesting. Taken from slightly different angles they truly show how his camouflage works. It was fascinating to see him in the wild from a distance of course.

 

IMG_2400

IMG_2401

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/monochromatic/


Weekly Photo Challenge: Half and half

This week, let’s split our photos in two.

 

Two visiting Kookaburras

Two resting ducks

One side — burnt bush the other saved

Overlooking burnt and natural bush

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/half-and-half/


Weekly Photo Challenge: Muse

What subject keeps you coming back? This week, show us your muse.

Australia is my muse. I love my country and love to share its beauty and uniqueness with the world. Unfortunately  many people only get to visit us virtually due to the distance.

 

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/muse/


Eat, Drink And Be Merry

…for tomorrow we die. The world is ending tomorrow! Tell us about your last dinner — the food, your dining companions, the setting, the conversation.

If the world was ending tomorrow I would choose to go camping  in the Australian bush with all my family. Not glamping—glamourous camping with all the modern conveniences. Camping à la natural. No electricity, no showers and dig your own toilets. I love getting out with nature, listening to the sounds of the bush and hopefully seeing  a koala or possum in the trees. We have never had a problem with snakes as with over 20 people we make too much noise.

Tom Possum

The food would be a bush BBQ that we begin preparing in the afternoon by collecting a massive amount of wood to keep us going all night—waiting for the world to end. Included on the menu is:

  • bacon
  • capsicum
  • corn
  • damper
  • green salad
  • mushrooms
  • potatoes
  • rissoles
  • rocket salad
  • sausages
  • steak

After dinner as we continued to chat and drink champagne and beer by the fire I would introduce S’mores to the family. I would get everyone to cook their marshmallows over the fire while I prepared their chocolate and biscuits. We don’t have graham crackers in Australia so I would use the best substitute I could find. Once the marshmallow is cooked I would join them all together and watch everyone’s enjoyment.300 - hot choc and smores

 

The spontaneity of sitting around a campfire is the best. Nothing is or can be planned yet the memories last forever.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/eat-drink-and-be-merry/


Z – Zoo # A – Z Challenge

Zoo are a great part of traveling to me. Visiting other countries or areas and seeing new animals for the first time. I am never disappointed as they come in all shapes and sizes. My latest favourite animal to meet in a zoo were housed in the Arctic Tundra section of Toronto Zoo. It was winter so they were at home in the cold weather  and needed no special cooling unlike the polar bears in Australia.

Arctic Fox

Henry 1 yr old Polar Bear

Henry 1 yr old Polar Bear

Arctic Wolf

 

I love to go to a zoo

To get up close and view

The local animals —big and small

As they live their life behind the wall

Happy with the food on the menu


E – Easter Show

First held in 1823 at Parramatta, Sydney’s Royal Easter Show has grown to be the largest event held in Australia and the 6th largest in the world. Due to its growing size it has moved localities twice and is now held at Sydney Olympic Park in a purpose built facility. In 1891 Queen,Victoria bestowed the right for the show to be officially called Royal. Attending the show is fun for all ages and my experience is that you run out of time to see everything not that you are bored with nothing to do. Each year the shows theme is “city meets country” and it can be found in the following  activities:

  • Agricultural Show
  • Animal Shows
  • Art & Crafts Displays
  • Community Displays
  • Entertainment
  • Fireworks
  • Grand Parade
  • Main Arena
  • New Product Displays
  • Petting Zoos
  • Side Show Alley
  • Stages
  • Wood Chopping

The following photos are from the show a few years ago as unfortunately I was unable to attend this year do to other commitments.

 

#A-Z Challenge