5 Months on Lamb Island

Almost 5 months ago we move to Lamb Island in Moreton Bay. Christmas has come and gone and now we are in the grip of a hot (as usual) Queensland summer.

The late evenings and early mornings are still delightful. If we want to work in the garden it really has to be done before 6.30am. Luckily we do have lovely ocean breezes and on the really hot days the living area of the house is air-conditioned.

We have been cooking our favourite food as well as experimenting with new recipes.

I made my first ever jelly from scratch.

Prosecco jelly

Also made a refrigerator cake a favourite from the 70's when friends came for lunch. I decorated it with edible flowers from the local flower farm called Pretty Produce. Previously I always decorated it with frangipani flowers.

70's refrigerator cake

This cake was a new one for me and will be made again

Pear and Ginger cake 

For afternoon tea I also made an Orange Ricotta cake

Also had pine nuts

The birds come to be fed twice a day. Well I tell them twice a day but somethings they call me earlier than they should. We love this family of Kookaburra's.

Not sure which one is the baby

We love this cheeky one also

Bit close for comfort

On a really hot day a couple of weeks ago Sister J and I made passata - what were we thing in the heat.

The flavour was well worth it

We have a couple of good options for swimming here. There is a pool on Russell Island a free 5 minute ferry ride away. A lovely sandy beach at Karragarra Island a 10 minute free ferry ride in the other direction or our local swimming enclosure. Of course the beach and enclosure are regulated by tides but we can work around that.

Picnic on Karragarra

Enclosure Lamb Island

The treat here is lovely clean water 3 minutes down the road looking over Stradbroke Island and watching the sail boats go by as you swim.

The sun sets have been amazing. There is nothing quite as magical as sun setting over water.

Every few weeks I make a batch of my favourite chicken and leek pies. They go in the freezer and bingo we have a snack or a meal with vegetables on the nights we don't feel like cooking.

Family favourite

When our neighbour had a glut of cucumbers I made pickled cucumber salad.

I ate it with everything

My gold Budda guards our front door. She is usually adorned with what ever flowers are around in the garden each day.

So serene

The November lilies bloomed profusely at the Tina Ave house so we cut them every second day.

Love these

We were very excited when this tree flowered outside the bathroom window. So glorious we planted another one in the garden in front of where we eat breakfast and lunch most days.

Settled in

The days are getting warmer but still chilly in the evenings and early mornings. It is a few degrees cooler here than on the mainland. A big plus for me. We do get more windy days but these can be used to work on indoor projects.
During the day it is hard not to take advantage of the lovely fresh air and garden.
We seem to discover a new tree or plant every week.

Jacaranda

New orchid

The first lily to flower

Yes we have a white picket fence

The Jasmine is flowering

We never have to buy another bay leaf

Our plum tree

The birds love the bottlebrush

Coffee tree

We have a rose and a new bud

The plan is to plant more vegetables. The soil on the Island is excellent so we expect good results.

Alamanda over the gate

The vehicle barge

The passenger ferry and Karragarra Beach

A lot has happened

Since my last post in March I have been on a holiday to the Blue Mountains in New South Wales with good friend C and moved house twice.

I stayed for 14 weeks with lovely friend R & S and their 2 dogs Lulu and Johnny whilst waiting for the house on Lamb Island to be vacant.

Sister J and brother in law B and I are living together now for company in our retirement.

We have been here just 3 weeks and already are quite settled.

This is the view from our verandah

Morning coffee and afternoon tea spot

This is also where we feed the birds twice a day

Our very regular visitor

Front verandah

We had quite a time putting two households together. As you can see we have lots of possessions on the verandah to fit things in. We are not overcrowded at all as we have been selective about what to use, what to store and what has to 'go'.

The garden has lots of potential

We have started a vegetable garden and even have a mushroom pack. There are lots of trees that we are waiting to see flower.
We had our first family lunch on Sunday the first of many.

A Friday night experience

On Friday night I was invited to a 'baby blessing'. This is the Indian version of a baby shower for the Mother to be.

EXCEPT it is much more civilized. A lovely blessing and no silly games.

I was invited to participate in the blessing and just followed instructions.

Items for the blessing

The Mother to be wore the rose petal lei. Each lady dips 2 fingers first in the tumeric, and makes a mark down the back of each hand, then on each cheek, then into the paprika and makes a mark on the middle of the forehead. Then one glass bangle is placed on each arm. Each lady does this in turn.

Grandmother to be is the first to do a blessing

 When everyone has had a turn the Grandmother to be does a blessing on each pregnant woman, we have 2 more at Dahrl Court, then those who want to become pregnant have a blessing. There was lots of laughing and giggling amongst those who do not want to fall pregnant.

Offerings to Gods

For participating we were all given 2 glass bracelets and a rose.

Of course my hands are too big for such delicate bracelets

We were then treated to the usual Indian feast (vegetarian) and as usual I had 2 serves - we are spoilt here for good Indian food. It just doesn't taste the same when we eat Indian out.

Hindu God gift 

This little twin pack is especially for Hindu festivals. It was part of the 'gift' all of the women received at the end of the dinner. It was in an Ikea tupperware type container along with 2 ferrero rocher chocolates. I have no idea of the significance of the last 2 items.

The mother to be wears the bracelets until the baby is born. The idea is that the baby can hear the gentle jangle of the bracelets in the womb and is soothed. Eastern version of playing Mozart - and hoping your child will develop a taste for good music.

About 20 on each arm

It is usually hard to photograph the children at events here as they are so hyped on cake they don't stay still. There was no cake so I had the chance to get a couple of shots. I did hear one treasure ask her mother very loudly where the cup cakes were.

Not so sure about the blue crocs

A week at Dicky Beach

This is the second year that friend C and I (plus Val the dog), have spent a week at Dicky Beach in February. I am really hoping that this will be a yearly sojourn.

The apartment is functional and dog friendly - so low maintenance. Polished concrete floors, no rugs, but a lovely view, balcony large enough to eat on, and air-conditioning. The kitchen is very good, all stainless steel benches, and a coffee machine.

The view from the balcony

This is a local residents beach, not a tourist destination. The locals come to the park pictured above at first light to check the surf. Not long after, the surfers are out on the waves before going to work. After work they return to ride their boards, surf kites and walk their dogs. It is rare to find this picnic table unoccupied. Right until last light there are people having drinks or evening picnics.

A view to the horizon is so good for the soul

Always someone to watch in the surf

We walked and swam 3 times a day, and didn't leave the area from Sunday afternoon until Thursday when we ventured into Caloundra to look at swim suits (the best shop) plus the charity shops for bargains.

Lunch

On Friday we had the 'holiday' fish and chips for lunch.

It is not a holiday with out fish and chips

You have to love a rented apartment with 'Granny's China'.

There is no other explanation for this

I am sure there were vegetable dishes last year. It must have been a setting for 12. Wedding china?

Walking the dog is the height of social activity in the afternoons after 4pm when a very large section of the beach becomes an off leash area. This part of the beach is really not suitable for swimming. Too many rocks and rips.

Doggy heaven

There are so many animals on the beach including a pet goat called Bob. Bob is very well behaved and comes when he is called. He doesn't chase balls but just enjoys interaction with 'nice dogs'.

Bob meets an impolite dog

Bob head buts impolite dog

Val meets Bob

No problems

In the afternoons we often 'wallowed' in Tooway Creek that runs into the ocean.

Late afternoon 

There is always so much to watch out in the ocean. I particularly like watching the huge ships loaded with containers that appear on the horizion. They look like they are headed straight into the shore until they make a sharp turn into the channel.

They seem to make such sharp turns

Up past the patrolled surf beach is another off leash area. This one is further from the apartment but very popular as it also has a creek that comes to the beach. this one has not broken through so is much deeper to swim in - great for large dogs. It has a coffee van in the mornings so is very social.

View whilst drinking a morning coffee

Last drinks