My Mother is recovering from eye surgery. Initially she stayed with us in Perth for just over a fortnight for pre- surgery appointments, then the eye surgery, then recuperation and some post surgical appointments. Now I have been down here in Australind with her for about ten days. She is doing very well.
My first task was making her special muesli, a combination of oatmeal, dried apricots, dates, raisins and sunflower seeds.
Also picked some lettuce, broad beans, parsley and sage when we arrived and were given the lemons, all used to make salad.
I grew up on a farm about 7 kilometres from where my Mother now lives. This area was a small settlement with a service station which also sold some groceries and had enticing jars of lollies (candy). Now it’s a township of many suburbs, a number of primary and two secondary schools, two shopping centres and all the support services which come with these developments.
This area, like most of Western Australia, has experienced heavy winter rainfall. The rainfall has been recorded on our farm since 1914 and my Mother still has a rain gauge in the front garden here. She sends the rainfall records to the Bureau of Meteorology every month.
Record of local rainfall for this area 1914 -2007.
Right at the front, in the middle, is the rain gauge in suburban Australind.
Heavy rain means her garden is gorgeous. The front garden is ornamental, the back garden has both vegetables and exotics. She has amazing roses this year, like everyone else! She always has fresh flowers in the house.
Harry Wheatcroft
Chicago Peace
My great grandparents are buried in a nearby town, so we set off to visit them! They are keeping other relatives company, too. I took lots of photos and read lots of gravestones before we went to a coffee shop nearby in a restored house overlooking the river.
My Great Grandfather, born in Norway as Christian Jensen.
My Great Grandmother, born in South Australia. They were married in Adelaide in 1883. They had seven children.
Wandered through the beautiful garden winding around the river. We had coffee and cake then visited the information centre intended to inform visitors about the attractions of the area. The government has decided to close this as all the information can be found online. What a shame!
Pretty, well kept gardens at Stirling Cottage.
Throughout the garden there are illustrated excerpts from the very beautiful book, Tales of Snugglepot and Cuddle Pie, written and illustrated by May Gibbs, who once lived nearby. This book was regularly read to me when I was a child and remains a favourite. When we came back here, Mum showed me another May Gibbs book she has, Two Little Gum-Nuts. Published in 1929. It was a Christmas gift from a cousin to my Father.
Other things to happen this week:
* Four year old Cleo Smith, who was abducted from the family tent at a remote camp site on the coast of Western Australia, was found after being missing for 18 days. Such a relief.
*Aldi are using 84% recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging. This is a move in the right direction, but the actual cost of recycling plastics is so high it is still cheaper to used virgin plastics. They have also transitioned from plastic yoghurt tubs to paperboard tubs, saving 15.3 tonnes of plastic a year. Before you buy yoghurt, check if there is a paperboard tub alternative to plastic.
* World Diabetes Day is on the 14th intended to increase awareness about diabetes. Millions of people around the world live with diabetes. There are two types of diabetes and both types require careful management. The International Diabetes Federation predicts by 2025 there will be 422 million people living with diabetes.