Tina's 90th birthday in Carcour

Tina’s party was very special indeed. It was held at Shalom, an old Catholic convent, under a gorgeous blossom tree. Such a perfect venue. Dom and Ruth organised some live music, including a cellist,  which was absolutely sublime. Tina was so moved by the cellist playing Bach as she walked in that she was moved to tears (Tina was an avid cello player earlier in her life).  All the people at the party were beautiful. There was so much love and it was so wonderful to share this experience. 

Unfortunately Shushann and Marion & Alun weren’t there due to their being unwell but Marion sent Tina a wonderful poem which you can read below. 

Tina's party

The two amazing musicians who played a wonderful variety of songs.

Listening to the music

Tina moved by the cellist playing Bach

A wonderful spread of food

Eating lunch under the blossom tree

Some spontaneous words said, all beautiful and from the heart

Sitting by the fire

Family photo

All of us

An engraved stone that is part of a beautiful labyrinth at Shalom.

Ah, what a beautiful friendship 🧡

This little fellow was in the field next door

My card and gift for Tina

Marion's poem

Carcoar life

Two beautiful but rather scary brown snakes have taken residence under Ruth's house !

Ruth's new beautiful horse

Another gorgeous horse who has moved in

Beautiful Meli and Gypsy

Views from Ruth's home

Family photo

Wingello State Forest and Morton National Park

A lovely weekend camping and hiking in The Wingello Forest on Saturday and Sunday.  On Sunday afternoon, we passed through Bundanoon to visit The Morton National Park where we did a beautiful, short but steep walk to base of The Fairy Bower Waterfall.

Highlights included ...

• Lovely people. Jo and Wendy always seem to attract a laid back, friendly group.
• Hiking along a road with pine trees on our left, and indigenous Eucalyptus forest on our right.
• Beautiful spring flowers still out in force, including some beautiful red ones I'd never seen before.
• The tranquil camp site set in the pine forest with light filtering through.
• Wendy's delicious burritos - she always makes the best camp food.
• Two wonderful encounters with red bellied black snakes, including one swimming across a lake and showing off it's beautiful red belly.
• Yellow tailed black cockatoos in the forest close to camp and getting to photograph them in the air.
• Beautiful cloud formations on Saturday evening.
• Adventurous bundu bashing and clamboring down the walls of canyon to reach a pristine river for a refreshing swim.  Well done, Joe, for finding a way down!!  I felt like an early explorer, going where no-one had gone before.
• An invigorating swim in a beautiful pool at the top of the Fairy Bower Falls. Getting munched by a couple of hungry leeches was a small price to pay!
• A gorgeous walk with great views to the base of the falls. The old forest trees with their gnarled truck and roots were stunning.
• A delicious pizza in Bundanoon.  Food always seems to taste particularly amazing after a camping trip.

All in all, another fantastic weekend!! 

First day hike (Wingello Forest)

Pine forest on our right, Eucaplytus on the left.

Nice wide paths so we could chat while we walked.

Both red flowers above were new for me. So gorgeous.

Nature sure does love yellow.

Some lovely textures on the trees.

What would a pine forest be without pine cones?

Evening stroll to find yellow tailed black cockatoos

Yellow tailed black cockatoos that proved hard to get close to.  Thank goodness for my 400 mm lens.

Beautiful cloud formations.

Camp life

The camp site was set in the trees. A very tranquil place.

Second day hike (Wingello Forest)

Here we are in a beautiful and very secluded river after venturing off path and climbing down a canyon to get to it.  The water was gorgeous.

How beautiful is this snakes red belly?  I'm seen 5 snakes on my last 4 hiking trips!  Not that I'm complaining, I love them.

Hiking to Fairy Bower falls (Morton National Park)

The beautiful rock pool at the top of Fairy Bower Falls. The water was seriously cold!

Hiking down to the base of the falls.

At the base of the falls, enjoying some pristine rain forest.