Checking In, In Margaret River

It's been a full on week. Mostly catching up on stuff after being away. I know I keep complaining. I don't mind where I am actually, I just want to be there for longer than 3 days. I have been getting the 'numb bum' with all this driving. So this week has been so grounding and luxurious rattling around my little shack. Almost finished my washing. Book work. Have started tackling the garden and the reticulation. Had to let the retic guys go, as they took ages to come to my rescue and then left me with the job half done and then forgot to come back. So, I have taken myself off to the hardware store and am equipped with more bits to fix some of my reticulation (will complain that a little plastic piece called a joiner cost .85c and I think I need about 20!). Still need help with the solenoids. But I think I may have found someone that will help me with all that re wiring and wotnot, fingers crossed!

Gnarabup, the weather has been divine and the water delicious, you can see the warm sky, a result of  ex Cyclone Heidi

Very grounding playing in the garden. It's very warm in the south west of Western Australia at the moment. I have had to wait for evening to garden. I like this site, SeaBreeze, they tell you about the temperature, the wind, the waves, the tides, check it out here. I noticed that we have a quite a few people from all around the world checking out our little website, thank you and welcome, would highly recommend you visit our part of the country. But, I must also say, this isn't the only gorgeous spot, it would be hard to go wrong any where to be honest, every part of Australia has its own beauty.


Am going to share some photos with you that I took yesterday. We have been tracking the regeneration of the dunes, that were burnt in fires, November, pre Christmas. Seeing the little tufts of green interspersed throughout the blackened and charred bush are uplifting.

The trunk of a Grass Tree, the heat so intense the resin has melted hard

The Grass Tree from above, notice the regeneration

I have been tracking this plant since November, I think it's a Cycad of some sort, will find out

How eerie is this, haven't seen any regeneration there yet, all that white on the ground, is ash and sand

Critter update:


Rabbits; Wodger has gone, as have Thelma and Louise, there is a one or two in the paddock next door, but I haven't seen them here.


Lizards; The Black Skinks, they grow up to 60cm long, and 5 or so cm's thick. Dish has caught and killed two, completely ripping one in half. I was devastated. She was sin binned in disgrace. Have noticed another little one, so I just pray he is a whole heap smarter. Their problem is that they LOVE love love the sun, and must swoon off, which makes them slow on the uptake when it comes to escaping from dogs. The Blue Tongue Lizards are slower, stumpier, and have a really scary hiss, even though Dish finds them and alerts me to them, she hasn't killed one. Thank goodness. I have started to reward her for alerting me, and whilst we go to get the treat, the lizard has time to make its exit.


Frogs; haven't seen Cyril, but have heard 'them' at night. Will share a photo from my girlfriend, Noofi's pond the other day.

I have pond envy, Noofi's pond, with Cyril's cousins

Margaret River Wines, I have tried this week and can recommend;


Deep Woods, Ebony, Cabernet Shiraz 2010 (website click here)


Tassell Park, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008 (website click here)


Goundry-G, Shiraz Viognier, 2007 (website click here) This is not a Margaret River Region wine, it is a Great Southern Region, but they are our neighbours and it's yummy. And Im a lover of the Viognier. The wine was a delicious Christmas present, thankyou.


Have just bought, at the Margaret River Farmers Markets, a Burnside Organic Farm, Three Boys, Zinfandel, 2007 ( www.threeboyswine.com.au click here), it's a lovely bottle, a wax dipped corked top, and all the bottles are numbered, mine is 159/550, I like that.


The Margaret River Farmers Markets were on today, and after my walk, swim and coffee down at Gnarabup, I wandered in and bought, a pastry snail from the Margaret River Bakery, a lemon and pistachio bar from the cup cake stall (yummmm), the wine I have just mentioned, a huge container of organic blueberries and a dozen eggs. I tried a delicious sparkling (non alcoholic) grape juice. It's very good there. Next one on the 28th of January.


The Diet; it's working. Have lost a couple of kilo's and feel confident that I can lose more. All these little protein meals, are keeping me energised and satisfied. That reminds me, I had better take my vitamins and have another little meal!