On the 26th Nov, I was excited to finish planting my last vegetable garden before leaving on our holiday to Perth, the next day.
Two weeks later Dec on 10th, I returned from Perth and was surprised by the growth.
However, today Jan 6th the GROWTH is amazing. Who knew I had green thumbs.
In January 2014, our family planted this frangipani tree to remember our cat, Yoda who had died days before. Last Thursday when I arrived to visit my daughter at our Sydney property, I noticed it had bloomed for the first time. I was so excited. I rushed over and took a quick photo to show my husband on my return home. However, when I got home I was so busy with Christmas I forgot but fortunately my daughter was also so excited when she noticed the beautiful flowers that she shared her photo with us. One thing we all agreed on is that our frangipani’s beauty was special and a great choice for Yoda’s garden.
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What household chore do you absolutely hate doing?
Basically anything that relates to cleaning. I am good with the cooking and even washing the dishes but scrubbing, wiping and dusting don’t do it for me. The only advantage of working full time was that I had a cleaner however working part time I can’t justify it.
At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
We are currently on holiday in Western Australia. Being on the other side of the country there are many new things to explore and learn about. Watching the sunset over the ocean this evening was different as living on the east coast we usually see the sunrise over the ocean.
How many times have you moved in the last ten years?
Over the last 10 years we have moved 4 times. Our latest move back to Newcastle last year I am hoping will be my last. We are currently considering our first ever renovations to make our forever house how we want it to be before we retire in the next few years. It’s a mixture of excitement and apprehension.
What inspired you or what did you appreciate this past week?
Last Saturday night I was lucky enough to see Paul McCartney in concert. It was my husband’s birthday and he is a huge fan, so I went to enjoy the night with him. Prior to the concert I was not a fan but I must say it changed my world. The creativity and personal connectedness was like nothing I had ever experienced before. Not bad for a 75 year old.
This serene setting is literally the view from my girlfriends front door. We were sitting having coffee one morning, when I was so taken by the view that I quickly took these photos and added them to Facebook with the caption “it’s a tough life but someone’s got to do it.”
If we were having coffee I would tell you that instead of coffee today we were having champagne to celebrate Inspiring Max turning 3 recently. Wow! I can’t believe how quickly that time has flown. When I started I knew nothing about blogging or where this journey would take me but I am so glad I took the plunge and dived head first into the deep blogging pool. I have learnt so much and love the sense of community out there in the blogosphere.
I love it when I connect with new blogs. My geography has also improved as I discover someone from a small country or island I didn’t know existed has visited Inspiring Max. Thanks for being part of my world and I hope our journey continues to deepen.
If we were having coffee I would tell you about our recent visit to Copeland Tops State Conservation Area, just outside Barrington Tops National Park. We walked the Hidden Treasure Loop Track, a 2 hour bush walk through a dry rain forest. The area is an old gold field and is scattered with old mine shafts throughout, so it is essential to stick to the path or risk serious harm or death. The highlight of our walk was Hidden Treasure mine entrance. Despite it being sealed up, with the help of flash photography we could see the old quartz seams that had once held gold. It was quite spectacular in its natural forest surroundings, but I wouldn’t have wanted to walk that distance to work every day.
If we were having coffee I would tell you how much I am enjoying working in my garden at our new house. I have always wanted to develop a vegetable and herb garden, but I’ve never had the time to devote to it. Now with only working part-time and not having children to run around my time is my own so I’m hoping to prove I have green thumbs. This week I began by making a herb garden, which so far is going well. I also bought a modern version of the Yates gardening guide to help me prepare for Spring planting. As Winter starts in Australia next week I’ll be planting soon enough. I am interested in any advice you may have of things to do or not do when growing my produce.
If we were having coffee I would tell you about King Street Boutique Motel, the accommodation my husband and I stayed at on our recent trip to Gloucester. It was created from one of the old homes of the area and contained a communal lounge, dining and kitchen area with 4 rooms on each side of the communal real. It was great value and our fellow travelers were friendly. Our room also had a little verandah that overlooked the driveway and from which you could see the mountains in the background.
If we were having coffee I would ask you what is happening in your world? Let me know in the comments.
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.
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Here in Australia shipwrecks form part of the heritage of many coastal towns. The jagged rocks, unpredictable storms and ocean currents have sent many mariners to an early grave. It is estimated that since the 1600’s there have been approximately 8,000 shipwrecks off the Australian coast with only around 2,000 being found.
To help protect lives, ships and cargo, lighthouses were built to help warn of the dangers ahead. Our most famous — The Cape Byron lighthouse is on Australia’s most easterly point with its light sending out its warning all over the Byron Bay hinterland and a long way out to sea. It was built in the 19th century and manned by resident lighthouse keepers until 1989 when it became automated.
The Narrows is the only entrance to St John’s Harbour, Newfoundland, Canada. The Narrows has a rugged natural beauty seen above from many angles over many days. At it’s narrowest point it is only 61 metres across, which has proven to be a great natural defense over the centuries. In the 1600’s, the harbour’s narrow entrance has provided the city with protection from pirates and later from enemy ships during war time.
When I first visited the Narrows, I remember my joy at seeing the mighty Atlantic Ocean for the first time—it felt different to the Pacific, I can’t explain why it just did.