East Timor with Duncan

 

roadworks

Our oldest son is a Capuchin friar as regular readers of my blog will already know. This semester break he was given the opportunity to travel to East Timor with Catholic Missions. From what he told us he had an amazing time. I look forward to sharing more photos soon!

St Damian leper clinic

Port Elliot Show

We went to the Show on Sunday. A country show. It was the second day of the show and so some things had been taken home.

 However there was still a lot to see in the main ring. It had been a longish car ride to get there so we decided to sample these ice-creams first. And we were very glad we did,we highly recomend them! We wandered into a shed with some interesting exhibits!

Then  after a long time examing farm machinery and holden utes it was lunch and a dog obedience demonstration. Kind of glad Clancey wasn't there he might have let the side down;even this "learner" at 3 months was pretty well controlled.

But the day was still young so we headed to the water where several surprises awaited!

Being a beautiful afternoon we weren't disappointed with the colour of the sea and sky.

However we were surprised as we walked down the steps at the point overlooking horse-shoe bay to see so many people sitting on the rocks.

Why they looked as if they could have been attending a performance and a very entertaining one at that!

Well we were right they were spectators, a small audience if you like, and we joined them to watch the dark glossy performers go through their act. It got a bit smelly at times, a sort of fishy smell, perhaps some of the comedians were still "playing" with their lunch.

Unfortunately we couldn't get close enough to take some good pictures so these will have to suffice as memory prods.
After all that sitting still it was time to explore the rocks and surroundings,

clamber down into tiny coves and examine the brightly arrayed foreshore.

Just as we were leaving and had clambered back up over the rocks to our waiting car a fellow holiday-er asked us if we had spotted the whales?Whales!? Surely it was too late for whales to visit this coast,by now they would be on their way to their feeding grounds in Antarctica. Well most of them were but apparently this female and her cub were a little late in making their departure. Now before you ask,my eyesight has not deteriorated to the extent that I mistake a rock for a whale.

We did see the mum-and-bub surface several times unfortunately what the eye can see the camera is not quick enough to capture. So I leave you with the rocks where we spotted them and who knows maybe if your eyes are better than mine or your imagination greater you might just glance them as they slip gracefully away to join their companions further south!

Goolwa

We spotted this unusual structure leaving port Elliot. Apparently it is built by a husband and wife team of architects and even sports a swimming pool on the top according to neighbours.

the Oscar W in the bckground

swift or swallow?

the dragonfly that didn't get away!

spotting more dragonflys

sun on bulrushes?

a cormorant came by

pensive?

Mr Percival perchance?

Of gardens and books

DD sent us these beautiful books from Auckland. I love the ones by Joyce Blake. They remind me of this book.The boys have also enjoyed pouring over the other books. Aren't I lucky to have a daughter who has 'inherited" my love of op shops.

Although I have to say she seems to be much better at spotting the bargains! Last time I was in Auckland I couldn't find any op shops so I am looking forward to her showing me "her" ones!

 When I awoke this morning the first thing I did
  I saw this beautiful sun-rise through the kitchen   window. It was a much deeper colour than the photos show,but I wanted to remember it,hence the photos.

 Now some of my kids say I take way too many pictures and they might are right, I do. I admit it!
 But if I'm too selective I just might miss that special one, right again? Blame it on my failing eyesight(which has never been that great),obsessive-compulsive behaviour but what the heck I like taking photos!!

 Don't they look studious1 Actually it was a pretty good day work wise. We do have a separate room which is named "the schoolroom" but we seem to be more relaxed and yet more gets done when we use the dining-room table. Also after the last rodent influx in said room I'm not happy to spend to long out there!
So the boys use it for their strategy games(lots of floor space!), the rabbit,turtle and two birds mostly live there and our books and other resources spill over into it.


And the flower? Well just because I like columbines don't you!

Fischertechnik

We have 3 Fischertechnik sets in our home. Two of them are incomplete, the other was purchased for Master 13 several years back. Recently ds(9) has had time to sort through these and attempt to make his own models.He has learned  such a lot about levers,gear,pulleys etc that it has reminded me again at how little you need a science curriculum for  this age, or at any rate for this child who learns so much by doing.

Neil Gaiman:"The Graveyard Book"

One of my children has been pestering gently suggesting that I should pre-read this book to see whether I think it is suitable for ds(13) for sometime!
Finally during these holidays I found time(!) to do so. I am glad I did. As with the previous book by the same author"Coraline" I found this one hard to put down.

In both the author's use of words is a delight! I don't have Coraline with me to quote but the opening chapter of that just begs to be read aloud,even if you only read it to yourself!! And both Master 9 and 13 have had it read to them. However I am still uncertain whether Master 13 should read the rest of that title and I certainly don't intend to recommend it to Master 9 until he is considerably older...it is  just too darn scarey!

      The beginning  of "The  Graveyard Book" made me feel quite the reverse. My thoughts as I scanned each succeeding paragraph of chapter one went something like"hmmm and this is a book recommended for children?!! well I'll have something to say about that!"And so if you feel tempted to pick up this book for yourself or to pre-read for your darling offspring (and I hope you will!) be warned: the book keeps getting better and better! What do I mean by that? Well simply that while chapter one is more than slightly sinister, the analysis of friendship,loyalty,honour and truth as they are described throughout the plot are so wonderful that you would be as much an egg-head as I nearly was if you sopped reading after Chapter One.

For this is a book about heroes, about counting the cost and being willing to pay the cost if its called for, about honorable acts and loyalty to ones friends. In short it is one of the most absorbing book for older children I have read for a long time. But don't just take my word for it,read it yourself and then please come back and leave a comment!

All things domestic!

Our bread machine has recently come down from the top of the pantry to reside on the kitchen bench. The children are all really enjoying this fruit bread recipe. And because its another beautiful spring day the washing gets a mention too!