DON'T DRINK AND BLOG

When we were on Bribie Island we visited the Art Centre. Unfortunately, they were in the process of changing the exhibition. However, there was a nice collection of crafts by the enthusiastic locals. After browsing, Mary, TOH and I went for a short nature walk  through the adjoining park.

Don't you just love his shirt?

 We walked past this big, old, gnarled Banksia Tree. I love this rustic, ugly wild tree with its.........

huge flowers and leaves and its......

scary seed pods. Scary because I always think of the Australian children's story, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, where one of these seed pods was characterised as a big bad Banksia Man.

 I had never seen one of these seed pods before.

Another big tree was covered in these pretty, wild flowers.

At the end of the track was a little water hole, dark with tannin from the trees and reflecting the lovely blue, winter sky.

BIRTHDAY BEAR AT BRIBIE

The Birthday Bear group went to Bribie Island to celebrate my belated birthday. We stayed at a resort for three days. We were trying to escape the cold weather at home even though it is only 100k away. After a lazy breakfast we went for a stroll.

 Bill is not keen on walking on sand. 

 So we took the path that winds through the park along side the beach.

Party poopers.

 We arrived at a neat lookout where we could see:

 Blue, yellow and green stretching for miles to the south and ....

 to the north.

We returned to the unit for lunch. Ann had brought some home cooked Aberdeen Sausage, Mary and Helen provided the salad.

 In the afternoon, Mary and I walked along the sand in the other direction from this morning. I loved it. It is so relaxing and rejuvenating.

We looked back to take a shot of our resort. It is the only one on this beach. There are smaller apartment blocks and lots of houses for rent. It is a nice quiet place to come for a getaway.

We even saw some young men brave the water. They are probably from a colder climate. It is like summer weather for some but not me. I like it hot!

 After some time we left the sand and returned through the park. We saw Banksia Flowers and

 Willy Wagtail Birds.

 Soon we were back at the resort. This is the backside facing the street.

We watched sky divers land on the beach (photo by George)

We watched the sunset and 

the moon rise before going across the road to the hotel for dinner.

 Ann had dressed Birthday Bear. Bear was waiting at Los Angeles Airport to fly to Australia. She had a handkerchief to wipe away the tears as she waved goodbye to her LA angels. She had a photo of the family too. (Most readers probably know that I have recently been to LA to see my grandchildren). Those not familiar with our Birthday Bear Tradition read here.

 I consoled Bear and told her the angels are coming home for Christmas. She was happy about that.

After dinner I was full but the manager insisted of giving me a piece of Apple Pie for free for my birthday. The meal was only ordinary 'pub grub' but the company was great as always. We chose the wrong night to go there as the sign behind me says, "Onesie Disco" for kids. So it was like eating dinner on playground duty. There were many children running around in Onesies. Oh well it was a fun experience.

A SURPRISE FOR NORM

A very good friend of mine, Joan, rang and asked me to come to a surprise 70th birthday party for Norm, her husband. Joan and daughter Cheryl had organised a cruise and a picnic at Bribie Island. Bribie Island is one and a half hours drive north of Brisbane. As we live on the south side of Brisbane we set off early and had to jostle with peak hour traffic until we were on the north side of town.

Soon we were driving over the bridge which connects the mainland to the island.

We were early so we watched the busy, noisy corella parrots.
The boat is getting ready for the tour and the parrots take off.
Norms friends all turned up before Joan and Cheryl brought Norm to join us. He thought he was going for a drive with the grandchildren.
"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NORM"
The boat pulled in and we boarded for a 3 hour cruise along the Pumice Stone Passage. The stretch of water between the island and the mainland. There is a surfing beach on the other side of the island.
We set sail in the specially designed boat, with a shallow draught and no propellers, so that none of the water animals will be hurt. There are endangered dugongs (sea cows), turtles and dolphins.
Most of the area is a National Park. These are the Glasshouse Mts named by Captain James Cook in 1770. (They are ancient volcanic cores)

It is a fisherman's paradise. There are beautiful little picnic grounds which are only accessible by boat.

It is a 3 hour cruise,very relaxing and informative. There were many birds to watch, some have migrated from China, Siberia and northern Europe to enjoy our summer,which was beautiful today.

I think this is an osprey eagle (help me Lizzie)

This is a beautiful Jabiru but he was so far away you can't see his beautiful orange legs and bluey, green neck and head. They are mostly found in northern Australia and this is the furthest south that they come to nest.









Then we sailed into some canals on the way back to check out how the "rich" live in their posh houses and......

...their posh boats. The tour guide called them "not bad fishing shacks"

Then it was back to the park for a birthday picnic of fish and salad. Then there was a special present for Norm.

Norm and Joan have a son,Craig, who lives in Tasmania. He has a vineyard there and has just produced his first bottles of wine. As he couldn't be here today he sent his sister 2 bottles to give to his dad for his birthday lunch today.

Two Bud Spur-Semillon Blanc
It was a nice drop. Well done Craig.

A toast to the Birthday Boy with his own son's wine.

Happy Birthday ol' mate.

We met Joan and Norm in Papua/New Guinea in 1965 when we were all young and vibrant, and we have been friends ever since)