During our travels we have found many interesting seats. They are often made into works of art which draw us in to photograph them. So recently I was excited to find a new weekly challenge to join others who enjoy similar things. Thanks to XingfuMama for hosting.
While wondering the streets of Port Lincoln we noticed this beautiful lounge display outside a church. Initially I didn’t notice all the details but as we got up close and sat down, I smiled. It was covered in mosaics and they were beautiful. The ottoman even had a game of scrabble on it. There was also an exquisite mosaic rug both on the back of the lounge and on the ground in front of it.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that my virtual coffee dates are very similar to my real life coffee dates. I love them but they are often a long time coming. That aside, I was happy to see that Natalie is still hosting our #weekend coffee share. Thank you. I find it welcoming to catch up with old friends as well as make new ones. I was surprised however to realise today that I had been MIA for nearly 12 months. How quickly that time has gone. I am hopeful that 2024 is the year that I get my blogging act together.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that I am still working 3 days a week despite giving a lot of thought into retirement. It’s weird. I know that I am ready but part of me doesn’t know who I am when I’m not a mental health nurse. At present I am on long service leave and not missing work at all. We have a few big trips planned for the next 12 months so I am thinking I have about 18 months left in me. Who knows, whichever way it goes I will definitely be taking Dolly Parton’s advice.
“Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”
If we were having coffee I would tell you that my husband and I have become cruisers. Last year we went on 2 cruises to various parts of the South Pacific. Our first one was to New Caledonia and Vanuatu onboard the Carnival Splendor. It was a lot of fun. We visited Noumea, Mystery Island and Lifou.
In October, we joined The Mutiny On The Bounty cruise with P&O’s Pacific Adventure which followed the journey of Willliam Blythe. During the cruise we visited places associated with the mutiny including stopping for half an hour on the exact spot it occurred. We also stopped at Norfolk Island, Nukualoka and Vava’u (both part of Tonga) as well as Fiji’s Dravuni Island and Lautoka.
We found both cruises very relaxing however we were very unhappy with P& O’s food. It was lacking inspiration, very repetitive and you had to pay for choices such as pizza and burgers. Both of which were included on Carnival six months earlier.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that X (our grandson) turned one a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, we couldn’t spend the day with him as he was in Japan with his other grandmother. Despite this my daughter and I celebrated in our own way. We had Australian party food, party pies and sausage rolls as well as our family favourite cheese dip. Unfortunately, hubby was away minding X’s rabbits. To add to our enjoyment we had a few celebratory drinks and watched Shrek 1 & 2.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that I lost my mother just before Christmas. Unfortunately her death was a long goodbye as her body slowly shut down. Like every thing she did in life, her death was in her time. Looking back I think it is very interesting that my first and last visit to the nursing home were on the night shift. At least the first time I was returning her after a family celebration.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that I am continuing to enjoy my creative side again learning more about my Cricut cutting machine. I Love it when the items I design turn out well even if they aren’t perfect. My favourite things recently have been personalised chocolate wraps, my glitter baubles wall chart using our Christmas family colours of the last 20 years. Last year was Ice Christmas – white, silver and pale blue. I also created the gift boxes for the table settings. To complete this I also learnt to create stickers.
If we were having coffee I would ask you what is happening in your world?
During our last holiday we literally lived in harmony with emus. As an Australian I never thought that this would be possible. They scare me. They peck you. They are wild creatures. However our Coffin Bay experience was very different. Here humans and emus share the town. We keep our distance from them and they just get about their business and let us take a million photos of them. I have never been up close to emus before.
In the caravan park we stayed in the emus had right of way and it was interesting to see the cars and vans stop an wait for the emus to make their move. Fortunately for us we were there in Spring so several of the families had chicks. So cute. I was interested to learn that the male emus look after the chicks not the females. Personally I got very excited when the families came up close to Truby (our slide on camper.)
As emus are usually solitary animals it was fun to see them in a mob just doing their thing.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that I hope 2023 brings you fun, laughter, less stress and definitely more joy. For me 2022 was a mixed bag. I have never taken as much sick leave as I did last year. Fortunately that meant that had plenty. I’ve had covid twice, long covid as well as pneumonia. My husband and I were lucky enough to enjoy 2 holidays in Truby (our slide on camper.) We also rented a house for a weekend away with family to celebrate my 60th birthday. A lot of fun a was had and memories created.
If we were having coffee I would ask you about your Christmas. Our family has a colour-themed Christmas every year hosted by my sister. Last year was Copper. It proved to be a difficult colour for both decorations and clothes. But in the end everyone looked great and my sisters creativity shone through. It looked amazing and a great day was had by all.
If we were having coffee I would tell you that hubby and I are becoming grandparents. We got the exciting news at my 60th birthday weekend away. Due in February our bubba will soon be here.
Ifwe were having coffee I would tell you my surprise at seeing a double rainbow outside my kitchen window. It happened on Wednesday evening 15 minutes after I posted by first blog in eight months. I smiled. And took it as a sign from the universe.
If we were having coffee I would tell you about my new toy. I bought myself a Cricut Maker 3 for my 60th. For those of you who don’t what one is, it is a die cutting machine that makes all kinds of crafting simple. It will certainly keep dementia away as there is so much to learn. This Christmas I started by making personalized glitter baubles. I then moved on to basic T-shirts. It is so much fun and I am really enjoying putting my creative hat back on.
If we were having coffee I would confess that I realize my planning for fun on my blog last year didn’t work out. Hindsight tells me that long covid brain fog and travel derailed it. However focusing on excuses won’t help. So now in 2023 I am getting back on track and making new habits. Lucky I have lots of inspiration and now I just have to do it.
Ifwe were having coffee I would ask you what is happening in your world.
To start 2023 with some excitement I am joining Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge. The challenges are divided into series which cover 5 weeks. This year starts with the series theme of Body Parts Human or What??And this weeks topic is – Eyes.
For me the answer was simple. The Big Galah. Australia has over 150 big things made specifically to attract tourists. The Big Galah is 8 metres high and is found outside a road house in Kimba. Kimba is half way between Sydney and Perth. In Australia galahs are found everywhere, often hanging out in groups. They are a type of cockatoo which is pink and grey.
I love the Big Galah. She is gorgeous. Her eyes call tourists and other travellers to stop their journey and visit. When I saw her I stood staring at her for a good 5 minutes from many angles. As I moved it felt like her eyes were following me. Thinking about her still brings a smile to my face.
Australia has a new and booming tourist industry. Silo Art trails. These can be found all over the country. Artists paint old silos and water towers in rural and regional areas. This creates a reason for tourists to visit and spend money in the town. In general, the artwork reflects the local community.
On our recent holiday we saw many of these glorious artworks. I love reading the stories attached. Most gave great insight into the towns history. They really do change the landscape and brighten up the towns.
Avoca Silo ArtSt Arnaud Silo Art
Deniliquin Water Tower Art
Narrandera Water Tower Art
We are looking forward on our next trip to discovering more about rural communities through exploring Silo Art trails. They make an amazing outdoor gallery throughout the country and give new ideas on different routes for our travels.
The Murray River is Australia’s longest river and it divides the Victorian and New South Wales states. Echuca is a city on the Victorian side and Moama is its sister city on the New South Wales side.
Founded in 1853 Ecucha was once Australia’s largest inland port due to the river trade. Paddlesteamers were very busy going up and down the Murray carrying people and cargo, mainy redgum timber and wool. To honour the city’s history, Echuca has built a Discovery centre around the old port.
The original paddlesteamers have been brought back to life and today are used for tourism. Unfortunately, for us we visited Echuca on a long weekend. This meant the paddlesteamers were fully booked. Never mind, next time will do.
The Port of Echuca Discovery Centre was amazing. We spent hours emersing ourselves in a forgotten time. Learning about life in the early days of Echuca. I loved that they have rebuilt the original wharves mostly using the original timber. They are 3 stories high. This is due to the various changes in river depth and so at any level the cargo could unload. The flood marker below gives an indication or the river levels. During our visit the levels were low.
The scary thing for the river crews was that if the river level dropped too much the paddlesteamers became “stuck” and couldn’t move until it rained and the river levels rose again. This often meant waiting it out until the snow melted or the rains came.
I love the displays and horse and buggy that was giving rides through the precinct.
If we were having coffee I would tell you how excited I was last Thursday to escape town for a few days. As I was finishing work on Wednesday afternoon I felt a little manic. My husband and I took a road trip to Tamworth, 3.5 hours northwest of Newcastle. It felt so weird when we crossed the imaginary line of our LGA (Newcastle Council) because during restrictions it was the limit we could travel to. We had planned to have lunch at an historic pub at Wingen many times and Thursday was the day.
To celebrate the first trip to a pub since lockdown ended I did what most Aussies did and ordered a beer on tap. I don’t often drink beer but thought why not. It was so cold, fresh and memorable. The food was also pretty good. I would have loved another beer but time did not permit. It was great to be out of the city connecting with the country again.
View from back verandah of The Durham Hotel
If we were having coffee I ask you if you picked the winner of last Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup. In Australia it is known as the race that stops the nation and is Australia’s most famous house race. As it is over 3200 metres it is particularly hard to pick a winner for and this year proved no exception. The favourite, Incentivise was leading with 400m to go when suddenly Verry Elleegant swept in and won.
If we were having coffee I would tell you about the hydofoil surfer I enjoyed watching this morning at the beach. He was difficult to photograph but mesmerising to watch. The beach was high tide and only the surfers were out because of the conditions.
If we were having coffee I would ask you what is happening in your world.
Thanks to Natalie The Explorer for hosting our weekendcoffeeshare.
Today on my walk around the suburb my attention was drawn to an usual sight. A Banksia plant was displaying several stages of the Banksia cycle all at once. There are over a 170 species of Banksias ranging in size and shape, with all but one of them native to Australia. They were first discovered by and consequently named after Sir Joseph Banks when Captain Cook discovered Australia in 1770. They are a truly an Australian original.
The photo below shows the flower in bloom. This flower was one of the last for the season.
This photograph shows the cone after the flowers have dropped off. It is here that the seeds are stored in pods until opening up. For many Banksia species this is triggered by heat – bushfires or drying out.
I love the contradiction in this photo as it shows a new cone with pods developing as well as a dried out empty cone.
In Australia the dried out cone has inspired many craft and woodwork creations. However, in many ways their greatest claim to fame is being the inspiration for May Gibbs’s Big Bad Banksia Men in her Snugglepot and Cuddlepie books. The Banksia men were the villians. They were always out to create trouble. Owing to the commonness of the species, dried cone can be found everywhere so growing up every child could relate to them. I’m sure my family wasn’t the only one to create their own Banksia boys adventures.
Today is International Coffee Day. So to honour my favourite coffee style, I have described my thoughts and what I love about coffee or in my case a cappuccino as an acrostic poem.
Connecting with others
Getting to know someone new or on a deeper level is best done over a cup of coffee. It is a safe way to spend time with someone be it at work, home or out and about in daily life. I personally also love to participate in Natalie the Explorer’s weekendcoffeeshare for the same reason.
Ageless
Coffee beans were first discovered in the 15th century. Today they are a world wide phenonium and can be enjoyed by everyone. Even if you choose not to drink caffeine you can order your coffee decaffinated. Little ones can also participate by enjoying a babyccino – a cup of frothy milk sometimes with the treat of chocolate on top like a regular cappuccino.
Protection from diseases
Regular drinking of coffee helps protect us from developing Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. It can also help protect against Type 2 Diabetes as well as other diseases including certain types of cancers.
Pay it forward
In many coffee shops in Australia you can purchase an extra cup of coffee which the coffee shop will then make at a later time for someone less fortunate than ourselves. At present with the current Delta outbreak you can also donate $5 to certain websites and buy a coffee for the nurses and doctors working tirelessly in our Covid wards and ICU’s.
Ubiquitous
I love that coffee is literally everywhere. Even driving out in the country if you need one it doesn’t take long to find somewhere selling coffee. We will often stop when traveling as it is a great way to support the locals and get to know what is around the area. We have never found anyone who wasn’t up for a chat.
Calming affects of caffeine
Coffee increases mood by increasing the dopamine levels in our brain. It also helps with focus and energy levels.
Choices
In Australia there are many choices when it comes to your favourite beverage. Although all are varieties of the same 3 ingredients -coffee, milk and milk froth, they are very different?
Expresso
Macchiato
Long Black
Cappuccino
Latte
Mochaccino
Affogato
Piccolo Latte
Ristretto
Irish Coffee
Babyccino
Improves my focus, fat burning ability as well as physical performance
Coffee’s impact on metabolism, focus and physical performance is well documented. It can also help increase pain thresholds and if I need to take Panadol, I will have it with a coffee as it increases its painkilling effect.
Nutrients and antioxidants
Coffee is a brain food and if full of essential nutrients and antioxidants. Like all good things however it is important to remember that moderation is key.
Oppurtunities open for all
I love that anyone who wants to become a barista in Australia can become one. It requires a course and to be good at it a passion for coffee. As a mental health nurse I have seen several of my patients been accepted by their communities despite their obvious disabilities because they made an excellent cup of coffee. In a non Covid world Australians in particular will travel for a good coffee.
I have enjoyed my daily takeaway cappuccino as I wrote this post. I hope you too get to celebrate International Coffee Day and enjoy your favourite coffee today.