Brand New

Brand new day and brand new financial year.  I set off this morning for my brand new job, having turned down the offer of a high ranking position in the Bureau of Re-definition because it's too cold in Canberra.  Admittedly it was another cold and frosty morning here (but not -7C).  The school kids must be looking forward to their swimming lessons on Monday.

I am the Gatehouse Officer, opening and closing the new Gatehouse information centre 7 days a week, a total of 3 1/2 hours per week.  Down the track we'll have a small produce stall there too but we'll let winter pass first.

It is a pleasant 7 minute stroll from our place to the Gatehouse so the Pharaoh Dog will get at least 2 short walks a day.  I left her at home this morning because I wanted to make it easy on myself for the first day.  As I hoped, I saw a different world being up and about when I'm usually lounging in bed.

Our house in the early morning

the sheen on the caravan park fence

the ice on our gate posts

Fortunately I had leftover pancake mixture from last night.

I haven't had pancakes for breakfast since Sarah was here last.

And Jill seemed to have no regrets about missing out on a walk.

a cold and frosty morning

and my pepinos look very sad.  I was in such a hurry to get to Zumba that I didn't even realise the pepino plant isn't even in the picture.

something different

Yesterday we drove to Launceston for lunch.  We had seen on the news that the Inveresk Tavern had combined with the Migrant Resource Centre to promote food cooked and served by members of recently arrived ethnic groups.

First stop Campbell Town.  Others stop here for the book shops, shoe shops, leather shop or bakeries.  We stopped on the other side of the river so the Pharaoh Dog could stretch her long black legs.  We did, however, stop on the way back for a very nice coffee.
We drove via Cressy and Longford, both towns trout-fishing focused these days.  It was lovely to see the hedged hawthorns still being used as fencing - some agricultural pursuits remain.  We found the Inveresk Tavern.  It was absolutely chockers.  All the tables occupied.  Everyone eating and drinking happily and, as they approached the end of their meal, offering their table to the next lot of waiting customers.  The sort of harmony that makes you weep.  This week's food was from Nepal.  Only 4 items on the menu to keep it simple.  We had dumplings, chicken curry and a dish made with puffed rice, chilli, peas and onions.  All delicious and a total of $25 - excluding our wines.
Afterwards we found an off-leash exercise area for Jill PD.

Jill and Steve approach cautiously, looking, looking

still looking

and then other dogs arrived and snakes were forgotten - as were we.

Winter Solstice garden report

Looking at a magazine the other day, I remembered how easy it is to make your garden look interesting if you take close-ups.

a pretend primrose

pepinos which will probably never ripen

snowdrops emerging now the privet hedge has gone

the very last of the cornflowers

the rocket bed finally self-seeding into the garden

raised garden bed for tomatoes, currently growing broccoli and lettuce seedlings, cuppla lupins and beetroot and radish seeds.

other raised garden bed with emerging broadbeans, lettuce and kale seedlings

somewhat rickety raised beds, one featuring newly erected teepee skeleton for peas and beans,

the other for rhubarb yet again transplanted.

the pittosporum which was destined for the chop and cunningly decided to let tomatoes grow up through it.  The tomatoes are self-sown and continue to provide me with vitamin c as I graze the garden.

the path leading back to the house being weeded and the chives clumps split

hellebores emerging subtly beside fence painted 5 times with engine oil

bolder hellebore

artichoke and Steve's brass razoo

jerusalem artichokes from self-sown plant

plants on table in back porch

Steve preparing solstice sausage sizzle

Pharaoh Dog waiting patiently

finally food and an elegant drop (with elegant sauce bottle)

and a new book to read from the library, after Sandrine kindly gave me the first in the series for my birthday.  I have also put a library hold on the book Jackie Morris mentions today - Court of Lions.  All in all a very pleasant short day. Now I think I'll have a look at the Dr Zhivago dvd.

culture report

Not a lot to report!  Saw La La Land at the Orford Odeon last week.  I had a good time eating popcorn and drinking cab-merlot, and my friend Anna won first prize in the raffle. I could take or leave the movie but it did cause me to discover Honesty Trailers.  If you want to catch La La Land, watch the Honesty Trailer here and be done with it.
Steve and I have taken the Pharaoh Dog to Kingston beach

which is very dog friendly.  And we have discovered that a local cafe which we had considered rather ordinary, does excellent fish and chips - and very large serves.

Of course there was Tony Robinson in St Davids on Saturday night and   P O L D A R K   on Sunday night, so no complaints.  And today I picked up Dr Zhivago dvd from the library so shall indulge in that too.

Easter Angels update

Some of you recall the excitement when the Easterers strode down North Terrace,

generating rumours of a Charlie's Angels re-re-make.  You can catch the early action here.

Always on duty, Pearl and The Babe while away the time scanning the ocean for Soviet / Chinese submarines and prime ministerial looking chaps in wetsuits.

At a call, they're off  to rendezvous with Lady Jayne and hear of Charlie's next assignment for them

which they greet with the response it deserves.




[With thanks to Lady Jayne and her faceless and mysterious benefactor named .... ]

Dog Days and Sundays

Eager anticipation outside the Orford Hall for the book market today.  I won't test you with more surreptitious photos of unknown people perusing books - have done that a cuppla times previously. Again I went determined to buy nothing

and managed to stick to five.  I've spent the last couple of weeks reading the last batch so I could return them today and leave an uncluttered patch of carpet on the bedroom floor.  Not to be.
And not to forget that it is Sunday.

This church in Orford has recently been converted to a house and looks rather splendid.  Once I would have sold my soul to do something like this.  Far too lazy now.

The Paris End

Some of you know that we live at the Paris end of Melbourne Street.  I took these photos some months ago from the front garden.  We are easily entertained in Tribes.

But we have  our moments of culture and glamour too.

This long weekend we have a Re-loved Fashion Market and another Pop Up Book Stall.  Curiously I was not asked to help out at the fashion do

but I will be at the PUBS for a cuppla hours tomorrow.  Of course it is also the Classic FM Love 100 Countdown which is rather blissful.

As is this photo from the Glorious Bean who was gallivanting around the towpaths and woodlands of England at the time.  The day after I received it by email I saw a very similar photo in an English Country Garden magazine at the Blood Bank.  A sign!  And so I'm re-thinking my garden.