MERRY CHRISTMAS.

 Sorry, this is late all, but we've had a few hectic months which I may tell about before New Year.

Hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas day and can have a bit of a giggle at the photo above.

Been very windy here, hence the cows lying down.......................😊  Also quite cold with winter woollies coming out of the wardrobe the last few days.

I hope to get back into posting about the year that has been now that I'm getting to grips with this new computer system.  

Take care all and hugs from Susan.

LONG OVERDUE CATCH UPS.

 GADDING ABOUT.

Way back at the beginning of the year we had some days out.  What follows is a couple of these days and the photos I took.

Heading off to Korumburra, then Leongatha and then up into the ranges having afternoon tea at the Strzelecki Bakery.

The old railway line still has some bits'n'bobs along it and DH had a little bit of fun trying to move this,
but no luck.

The old station is being renovated into a community hub as far as I know.

One of our signs for the Car Club challenge.

Next, we headed down the highway towards Leongatha and had a wander around to look at some lovely murals.

DH placing his arms to act as an L to represent the town name,
though our town signs need the name in them too.
We've another one for L, so that will be shown later in another post.

A mural of a Banksia in a muted palette.  I remember the seedheads from the May Gibbs book of Cuddlepot and Cuddlepie as "big bad banksia men".  

One of our bakery signs for the challenge.

Same bakery with mural on side and DH posing.

The Final Part of our March Trip.

 Trying to catch up has been hard with more computer issues and all sorts happening in life at the moment.  DH has a spur on his heel and finding walking very difficult, the weather has been what our weather presenter calls "hit and miss" with few fine days, lots of inclement days with little rain and cold............oh so cold. As well as all this, my crafting mojo has gone on holidays, little brother has more problems and I'm missing all my family.  OK, enough of me moaning, so let's get the last leg of this holiday done.

On our way to the next destination, which was Bathurst, I saw 2 more lone chimneys.

We then passed through Cowra where I took a photo for our "I've been everywhere" car club challenge.

Into Bathurst we went and found that Mount Panorama was not being used for any car meeting, and I finally got my first ever look at the well renown racing circuit.

A mob of kangaroos were feeding in the centre.

A view of Bathurst from the top of the track.
Next 2 more photos taken for our challenge.

This is one of categories of finding something relating to our own names.
Well, just couldn't help myself with my initials.................SSS😁

DH with the Mount Panorama sign beside him for Iconic places.

A few photos below of buildings in the centre of our beautiful town of Bathurst.

Now I'm sorry, but I forgot to remember what the above and below photo are, though I think below is the Carillion.

This tree looks like it would hug you.

A side trip out of town, I espied these lovely iron sculptures of deer.

Then, further along, a paddock with donkeys.

After leaving Bathurst we headed east to Shoalhaven Heads for a few days and decided to go to The Australian Motorlife Museum near Wollongong.  A few photos follow & you will get a surprise......I know I did.😊

Just a few as the lighting was very poor inside.

Small cars, bikes and ones made of timber.
DH calls this size, "my size", meaning they are made for littlies..... like me.  haha?

A lovely old truck.

Now this was the surprise...................right up my street.
Lots of lovely old sewing machines.

Now heading for home along the coastal highway and we took the opportunity for some more challenge photos of Town names.

Ulladulla and Moruya, both places we know well having lived on the South Coast of NSW for many years.
The one below has a picture of Sydney Harbour Bridge as the stone for the pillars came from here.

A bit of nonsense. 
We see this pink plane as we head down the highway and finally stopped to take a photo.
I think it is just a type of sculpture.

We want to make time one day to explore this Wildlife Park.
Below is a sign just outside of the park.

The last day of travelling before home.  The opportunity arose for a couple more challenge signs also.

Isn't this great.........a huge whale tail.

We often wonder if this will still be standing when we venture this way, but, yes after being like this for about 20 years it is still standing and with hay.

Another lovely sign.
I am trying to get the more graphic town signs, as some are just so plain.
We have the whole alphabet to try and capture, though X doesn't seem to be available on this side of Australia.

Whilst taking the Rosedale photo, this lovely horse came over for a pat.

OK, that is a wrap up of the trip way back in March.

We've had another trip since then and some quite good little outings.  I'm still trying to make sure I get challenge photos and although they are for the car club, I'll show some on my blog, if no-one minds.

Thanks, if you are still following.

Take care all and hugs from Susan.

ANOTHER CATCHUP - March Holiday 2.

 A few more photos from the start of said holiday, still in the process of exploring the Snowy Valley Sculpture Trail.

After reminiscing around Batlow, we headed toward Tumbarumba, through Bago State Forest and onto Tumut.

This amazing gold shell with legs is on the pavement in Tumbarumba, but not sure
whether there was a plaque for it.

As we wandered about the town I spied this near a park.

Ah..........good old Hume & Hovell, famous explorers.
The Hume Highway was named after one of them and is the main route between Sydney & Melbourne.

A little about them in this plaque.  You may have to click on it to enlarge for reading.

Now to the Bago State Forest, somewhere we know, but long time since we'd been.  There were all sorts up there, but I'll show the one we liked best.

The sculptors name above and DH posing with the sculpture below.
The hand sign is mainly for our Car Club's ongoing competition for the 40th Anniversary year.

Someone had played around with this large stone.
I did think it rather cute.

Next was on to Tumut, another town we know well from living in this area.
I didn't find any sculptures here, so we had lunch at a cafe, then headed back towards Gundagai 
where we were staying.

Back in Gundagai we strolled around town and a few pictures were taken.

I remember these old petrol pumps from my childhood.

We visited the Pen Museum and found it fascinating.
So many pen types from long ago till the present.
I'd never realised there was a museum on pens, but then it is a long time since we wandered
about Gundagai.

Down one of the side streets I noticed this mural and just had to snap it, as I wanted to show one of our car club members who has just moved from his farm (cows of course 😏), into town.

                                                                    Don't you love it?

Two last pictures for today.

Love finding some different signs.
Brumbies and kangaroos.

Oh...............and of course my lonely chimneys.
I have quite a collection of these.

OK, my lot for today, but I've promised myself to get this holiday finished over the next week, as we've had a few good days out amongst all the bad weather & hectic bits'n'bobs happening on the home front and this stupid Windows 11..

Appointments galore with medical, young brother and a few car club moments.

I have been reading all my blogs, but can't comment on my old laptop & still have trouble with this PC at times.

Take care everyone and hugs to all.

Susan.

I 

GLOWING HEARTS LINKUP

I've been participating in a QAL with Sandra in Canada, which she has run now for quite a few years.         She has said we may still link even if it isn't quite finished and mine is a top but not quilted as yet.

This is a very quick post as I showed the quilt in my crafty catch up.

My quilt is made up entirely from scraps for the hearts and stash for backgrounds & sashing.
Sandra made her centre a maple leaf.
For those who may actually look at my blog, the centre of mine is a Waratah, the N.S.W. floral emblem and the pattern came from a book called Australian Patchwork by Margaret Rolfe.
I was born and raised in Sydney, the capital city of New South Wales.

Another photo which is explains about the Waratah.

As I said, just a quick post to do this link up and I should be back later in the week with my next part of our March holiday, though not sure whether many people are interested in my blog anymore.                   I do read all the blogs on my list, but now can't comment unless I'm on my PC.  Wish they'd stop changing everything.  Thanks to all, take care & hugs.                                                                   

Susan.