Prince Edward Island

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July 18 saw Frank and I making the long flight to Prince Edward Island for our son Stuart's wedding. Also making the arduous trek was 2nd son Matthew, my brother and his son and Frank's sister and partner. Small in numbers, but bearing the best wishes from family and friends who were unable to join us.

It was wonderful to to be able to recover from our journey in warm sunshine, under clear blue skies,  surrounded by lush green fields of potato, wheat and hay, forests of spruce and silver birch, quaint churches,  imposing lighthouses, delightful homes in muted shades of grey, green and blue with not a fence around them to be seen! Such an amazing sense of freedom and quality of life.

First view of this picturesque island.

Our view from the farmhouse .

 Long cool evenings perfect for enjoying the outdoors, BUT black flies and mosquitos played havoc.

Wonderful to have this special week together. We all live far apart.

Wedding

The surprise 'Quilt of love' made by family and friends of both families and coordinated by me.

Countryside

One of the famous PEI potato fields.

Looking across to Basin Head where the wedding took place.

Wheat

This shows the colour range of homes but not the mown space between. I can't believe I didn't take a photo of these homes and lawns that were just everywhere!

Churches

Lighthouses 

Beaches

Harbours

Sea food:-

Mussel farms

And of course no visit to PEI is complete without a visit to meet Anne of Green Gables. She was so welcoming and suggested I go on down to the house where Marilla would serve me some raspberry cordial. As a young teenager I had read all of Lucy Montgomery's books, so to visit her home was quite special.

Our time on the island passed all too quickly. It had been wonderful to be able to put faces to names of those who had shared in the creation of the quilt, yet because of the organisation required for a wedding, I've come away wishing there had been more time to converse with these new friends. I sincerely hope we will keep in touch.

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River and mountain

To better enjoy the photographs, please click on them to increase their size.

I’ve been super busy the past few weeks with work, various  projects, and organising for our trip to Canada [Prince Edward Island] for our sons wedding on the 26 th July, to  a very special lass whom he met in Banff,  She however, grew up on the island, hence the wedding being held there.

I still managed ‘Wednesday walking’ with my friends and now with 5 hours to kill at LA airport before our flight to New York,  I decided to try a catch up.

The 11^th of June saw us enjoying another Brisbane River walk. This time from New Farm Park to Newstead House and return via the old Gasworks and to what must be the best delicatessen in Brissie. A grey day, but awesome to be out and about and catching up on the history of this leg of the river, once an extremely busy port area, but now prime residential units in the converted wool store buildings.

As always, we didn't miss any opportunity to express our inner youth.

Just below the knoll that gives Newstead House its imposing position on the river, was an imaginative park with an Alice and Wonderland theme. Here we decided that our hiking was definitely helping us lose weight!!!

The following are wonderful shots inside of Newstead House taken by Laurel.

 

Downstairs accommodation

 Upstairs living

Standing down under, on another great day out!

A week later, Wednesday the 25^th, saw Margot missing from our crew, enduring skin cancer treatment. It was decided to visit for coffee and repeat the Uni to Corso trail  previously hiked, so that we could then eat our packed lunch with her. 

Hat throwing not because they have just graduated BUT because they are retired!!!

Again it was a beautiful winter’s day and again we totally agreed what a wonderful  city we live in.

The following week, 18^th June, saw us having an early coffee in a slightly chilly, Queen’s Park, Ipswich. From there we visited the Tourist Centre  to find an explicit trail map for the days little known hike.  A 15 minute drive south on the Warick Road had us turning left onto a dirt road to Harding’s Paddock picnic area, the starting point for our rather steep climb to Goolman Lookout. Only a 12 km hike, but a challenge we enjoyed on this crisp, sunny winter’s day.. On our return we relaxed  with another cuppa, enjoying the peaceful sounds of the bush, beautiful reflections on the ponds surface and the lush green grass of this area.

Resting in warm sunshine and sky watching through the shimmering gum leaves.

Hardings paddock

The following week another mountain called and we were again expecting steep climbs.

Margot and her friend Gail wanted to do 3 or 4 days through walking in further preparation for their Camino adventure in September.  Not feeling 100% and the OS trip just 2 weeks away I decided to be sensible and so Jenny and I only joined them for 2 days. Laurel and her husband, met us at Binnaburra.

Accommodation was booked for Binnaburra Mountain Lodge, but on day one, we parked the car at  O'Reillys, and packs on our backs set forth for the 25 km hike to Binnaburra. On day 4 Margot and Gail hiked back to the car.

It was a frosty morning and because the trail was mostly under the thick rainforest canopy, it took quite some time to discard our clothing layers. We were delighted to discover that the trail followed the ridge line of the Lamington Plateau so was in no way taxing. It varied from narrow, overgrown paths to smooth and quite wide. Sometimes damp, rocky or matted roots. There were large numbers of awesome  ancient Antarctic beech and towering brush box trees. Not many view points but the position of Binnaburra Lodge made up for that.

Lunch view

We arrived just in time to witness a golden sunset and to join our friends in front of the welcoming log fire for a glass of wine and cheese before dinner. Hiking can be so tough!

 

The following morning Gail and Margot loaded their packs again for a 13 km morning hike and then joined us for the Caves guided walk at 3pm. Jenny Laurel and I organised our 3 hikes for the day, so that we didn't miss the delicious scones, jam and cream provided at morning tea.

Amazing Brushbox and valley views

Narrow path with steep drops down to the head water of Coomera River.

And always a little nonsense!

Skippies, skippies, the bush kangaroos!

Being winter there were few wild flowers and next to no wildlife.

A mad dash up the last 100 metres was required after the caves hike, to catch the sunset spectacle. Later in the evening I snapped the crescent moon in a purple sky.

Our accommodation had a shared bathroom. Stepping out at 6am to pay it a visit I was quickly changing and grabbing the camera for these sunrise shots. Bliss!

At the end of another perfect day 'walking down under with friends' we vowed to return again next year.

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to give me encouragement to keep writing.