Bushwalking in the Dandenongs: March 17, 2007

Mie has been visiting us from Japan for a couple of weeks, and we had an outing to the Dandenong Ranges Nat'l. Park last Saturday. It was a perfect Autumn day, and the great tall eucalyptus forests were bursting with amazing fragrance, due to some magical combination of the dry air, recent rainfall and weekend foot traffic tramping on some fallen leaves.

We walked through green gullies of tree ferns and a vertical landscape of very straight and towering mountain ash. It was very very pleasant and rejuvenating.




We also went to William Rickett's Sanctuary, a sort of outdoor sculpture gallery showing beautiful clay sculpture of Australian indigenous people and animals that have been skillfully blended with rocks, trees and nature.



We stopped off to feed some colorful bird life at a picnic ground before heading back to Melbourne (about a 1 hour drive).



Above is a wild orchid, and below is Mie's farewell dinner.

Beach Trips with Friends: Feb. and March 2007

The weather has been pretty good since our return to this part of the globe, and we have managed to get to the beach and swim in the sea twice a week the past six weeks. Usually, it's Sandringham Beach, the local beach near Craig's mother's house. We also went away for two weekends with friends to enjoy the beach.

In late February, we went down to Lorne (about 2 hours SW of Melb) with Jamie, Gillian, baby Harry and dogs Mochi and Clyde. We hung at the house, cooking great meals and having long talks, playing texas hold 'em poker, we walked on the beach, had a bodysurf in the waves and even caught air on some trampolines (see above photos). We all brought down mosquito netting to sleep on the deck under the stars. It was a bit cool, and a fine misty rain woke us all at 7 a.m. but this was a very special treat And a very fun time.

Breakfast after clearing away our outdoor beds

Mochi and Harry

Down on the beach, the water was warmer
than the air and great to play in

View from the house, cockatoo in foreground
Often visited by kookaburras and other great birdlife

Another trip was not technically out of Melbourne, but we drove almost two hours from our place, down the Mornington Penninsula to quiter beach suburbs to visit Emma, Ross and Bailey. This weekend we were actually watching Jamie and Gillian's dogs, Mochi and Clyde so they came adventuring with us. Ross was a keen dog-lover and happy to have the furry company, while Bailey tried to fathom the endless licks from Mochi. It was wonderful to spend several slow hours with these old friends.

A few beaches in the Melbourne area have colorful beach houses
like these which are privately owned and used for storing beach stuff.

From the beach down in Mt. Eliza, we drove up the coast and got hot again so stopped at our usual, Sandringham Beach for a swim with Ed and Mie. Mie is a friend and former colleague visiting from Japan. This was on March 10th, but Autumn weather is creeping in and our beach swims are numbered. Very glad to have had the time to spend in the sun and sea and with so much good company.

Move Back to Flemington House, Craig turns 30, Feb. 7, 2007 to March, 2007

After a week staying with Craig's mother, we moved our many boxes and possessions out of the garage and back to our old house in Flemington. Flemo is a great place and holds a soft spot in our hearts. So, it's been great to be back, and after our tiny apt. in Japan it feels like we are suddenly living in one of the immense catsles we encountered on our European travels.

We unpacked with a fury as we had already arranged to host a bbq for Craig's 30th at the new house three days after we moved in. We went through 11 big boxes sent back from life in Japan, stuff we left in Australia from four years ago, and a lot of stuff that was sent back in a crate from Zoe's mom's house in the US six years ago. It was the first time we had ever brought so many of our disjointed posessions together under one roof, and it is nice to see them again and make use of them. One month on, still have yet to properly hang all our pictures, but nesting has been great.

Craig turned 30 on Feb. 9, and several friends came over for a bbq, most of whom we hadn't seen for years. It was great to catch up and quite a realxing evening.

There have been lots of bbqs and lots of great reuniting with friends since then. And, in the first month of living here we have had three house guests already, each suddenly needing a place to stay and staying for about a week.

Getting ready for the birthday bbq

Catching up with everyone

Another BBQ in March with one of the house guests, Ed