MELBOURNE CUP DAY

The Melbourne Cup is known as "the race that stops a nation" because, although today is not a holiday for most parts of Australia, there are few places where work doesn't stop while everybody watches the race.

For stay-at-home women it is an occasion marked by fantastic lunches - either attended at various glamorous venues or in the home of a hostess with the mostest.

So today a group of my friends and I dressed up a tiny bit, donned our race day hats and gathered at the home of one of those hostesses-with-the-mostest!

Ultimate glamour but oh the pain

 


 Did the size of my hat fool you???

It was tiny ...but oh so glam !!!

Not everyone wore hats .....

 

... but as you can see we had lots of laughs!

Anyone know which horse won the race ?????????????

Cheers. ( hic !)

OCTOBER SCAVENGER HUNT

OK, I wasn't going to do this month's Scavenger Hunt.
Not inspired. Especially as there was so much there that was difficult for an Aussie who isn't into Halloween.

Then this morning I saw some of the ones already up and was inspired to give it a go.
As usual I trawled through my photos to see what I already had to fit the bill. That's the fun and challenge for me.
I only had a couple to take specially.
So here goes

October Scavenger Hunt


1. crackly leaves



Well I don't know if they are crackly- probably not ! Just dead, limp and decaying.


2.  sunset

A recent, very spectacular one from my backyard.


3. a river

 

The Brisbane River at night


4. golden

Golden wattle fits the bill.


5. something eerie

The bush after a bushfire. Very quiet without all the birds too.

6. graffiti / street art

Sound barriers along Queensland highways.


7. mist



Taken while on holidays in beautiful Canada - Maligne Lake.

8. a black cat

Julie, belonging to my SIL.
A feral cat, taken in as a wild, spitting orphan kitten and sort of tamed.


9. candle lit

and a delightful dessert in Paris.
Need I say more?
I want to go back !!


10. heritage

Captain Cook's cottage.
 Removed from the UK and re-assembled brick by brick in Fitzroy Gardens in Melbourne. A tribute to a fantastic navigator and the man who is responsible for the decision to make a penal settlement in Australia and therefore our British roots


11. pumpkin

Just about my favourite vegetable. Yummmm !

12. a witch's hat

The only one I could find in our photos.

Taken at the time of the floods in January when there were roads closed for the floods.

That's it for October.

 I'm glad I had a go 'cos I enjoyed finding something to fit each category in the albums in my collection.

The only new photo was the pumpkin !!!

Cheers.

FAVOURITE THINGS FRIDAY - PICNICS

As usual I'm linking up with Shay for Favourite Things Friday.

Why don't you click on the link on my sidebar and see what others are writing about their favourite things.

PICNICs

There was a time when our children were small that we would pack up the car and toodle off for a picnic most weekends.

All we needed was a grassy spot in the shade of a tree somewhere in the country

or by the sea

where we could set the table with our special cloth,

put out plates and cups, thermos and soft drink, bread rolls and BBQ chicken

and

 r. e . l . a . x . x. x . .  . . . .

Now there's just the two of us ( Darby and Joan !!)

 we don't do it often enough but recently,

on the spur of the moment,

we grabbed all the necessary and sped off for a short visit to Bribie Island about an hour and a half 's drive from home.

It was mid-week and not a brilliant day but the sun came out

and so did the camera.

The wild life was co-operative

and it was oh so peaceful.

Ahhhhhhh..... we should do this more often.

Cheers.



GOD SAVE THE QUEEN

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh made a fleeting visit to Brisbane today as part of their present visit to Australia.

From the aeroplane they boarded a catamaran to cruise down the Brisbane River to a reception at Southbank Parklands where they met with many victims of the horrendous floods earlier this year.

The weather was perfect - fine and sunny and 27C.

Huge crowds lined the river all the way to catch a glimpse of them as they passed

 and once at Southbank the Queen continually halted her passage through the crowds to accept bouquets from the many little children who lined the route.

Looks like there won't be any more talk of a republic while she's on the throne.

Cheers.

All photos today from here.

JACARANDA TIME IN QUEENSLAND

Yes, it's that time of year again in my part of the world.

Jacaranda time !!

Looking back I see that I seem to post about these lovely trees every year

but they are so spectacularly beautiful I just can't let a year pass

without showing you some new photos of them.

Yesterday's weather was cloudy and did not do them justice.

They are dotted around the whole perimeter of this green park in central Ipswich.

The lovely St Mary's church is there in the background.

Part of their charm is the lovely purple carpet of bells spread on the ground beneath the trees.

Cheers.