Travels – Page 2 – MakeCookGrow.com

7 Things About Bali

Share this post

We love Bali. For years we visited regularly but Covid prevented us from coming for three years. Now we’re back! We stay at the same villa, we’ve visited old friends, caught up with the wonderful staff here, eaten at our favourite restaurants and cafes and found a few new ones, had massages and reflexology and spent hours in the pool, chatting and bobbing about. It is wonderful! Here are a few things you need to know before you come to Bali. All interspersed with photographs of food because the food in Bali is wonderful.

SEVEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BALI

ONE Bali is 8° south of the Equator so you will burn easily just walking around. It is very hot most months of the year. Bring a 50SPF sunscreen and reapply after swimming, wear a hat and stay in the shade in the hottest part of the day. The streets are full of badly burnt tourists! Be especially careful to protect young children from burning.

Not glamorous but good protection in the pool. I wear a rash top in the pool and add a hat when I’m not actually swimming. Rash tops, which look like fitted shirts, are made out of spandex, polyester or nylon manufactured with UPF, (ultraviolet protection factors) and provide some protection from the sun. They are most effective used in conjunction with sunscreen.

I love being in the pool! Instead of just counting steps every day I like to keep a tally of laps, too. These are my lap markers, which worked well until there was a gust of wind and they blew away!

TWO The Balinese are hospitable people and very welcoming. They don’t like confrontation. Stay calm and polite and a solution will be found.

THREE Clothing needs to be cool and protective. The Balinese are modest and tolerant but be mindful about what is on display. There’s clothing for sale in Bali to suit every budget. Explore and enjoy!

FOUR Taxis are everywhere and very affordable. You can choose from cars, motorbikes and scooters. Always check the taxi has a meter or negotiate a price before setting off. Tipping isn’t common but you can easily round the price up or have a small denomination note ready to give to the person providing the service, such as a masseuse, as you leave.

It’s late autumn in Western Australia and my feet have been hidden in shoes and boots so straight in for a pedicure .

The family legs lined up for an hour of reflexology. Not quite traditional Chinese reflexology, but it’s very good, anyway.

FIVE Authorized Money Changers advertise their rate outside the building and are more reliable than exchanging money on the street where it is hard to count reliably. There’s ATMs but the exchange/withdrawal sequence can be different from what you are used to and can be confusing.

Make sure you stay well hydrated.

SIX The food in Bali is amazing and affordable. Online restaurant reviewers are the most up-to-date source of information as more and more cafes and restaurants open or reopen after the pandemic. We usually eat breakfast at the villa then go out for a remarkable lunch and then snack on something light for dinner. Old favourites, Chandi’s ( accompanied by a jug of margaritas!) and Mamma San feature every few days but there are many choices to suit all budgets.

Sometimes late in the evening you need emergency supplies delivered to the villa.

SEVEN Bali belly, or gastro, can happen any time! Don’t eat from street stalls unless the food is taken out of a fridge to be cooked for you as you wait such as at a local warung. Otherwise, visit local cafes and restaurants. There are so many! It’s best to also carry anti-diarrhoea medication and re-hydrating products, just in case. There’s Apotek/Pharmacies with basic supplies. Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhorea and will probably resolve within 12 hours otherwise seek medical advice.

Bali is known for its amazing beaches, beautiful mountains, terraced rice paddies, lush tropical forests and the warm welcome from the local people.Know as The Island of the Gods, there are temples in the eastern corner of every family compound and everywhere else, too. If you’re lucky, you will see one of the many parades and performances at a temple, celebrating special religious days, weddings or other events.

Dinner in Nusa Dua with dear Balinese friends at Mr Bob Bar and Grill. Really good food. We enjoyed ribs and steaks, imported from Australia. They were the best! Attractive building, attentive staff and a good night out. If you’re interested in genuine Balinese cuisine, he has another restaurant behind the Bar and Grill. We’ll go there next time!

Being in Bali is very relaxing. You can be busy sight seeing, snorkeling, swimming or surfing. You can eat fabulous food. You can indulge in massages, spa treatments and our favourite, reflexology. You can do a yoga class, just relax in the pool, catch up on emails or read a book.

We celebrated our 39th Wedding Anniversary while we were here. Housekeeping Staff saw our cards so we arrived back from lunch to this lovely surprise!

It was also Mother’s Day during our stay. We were lucky our son was able to join us for just over a week so we celebrated the day at one of our favourite restaurants. Such a lovely day.

Have you been to Bali? Tell me your favourite Bali stories.

Share this post

A Beach Holiday

Share this post

I know the calendar says it is autumn, but temperatures here are still in the mid 30°Cs ( 90Fs) so we headed down south to a beach cottage at Prevelly, on the coast from Margaret River. It took just over three hours to arrive in Margaret River where we stopped for lunch, some magazines and a few groceries. Then on to the beach house.

Nice surprise nearby and we were welcome to eat them!

Unpacked then set off to look at the beaches. Wonderful. Then later I walked around the local area. We’d enjoyed a generous sized lunch so settled for some soup and chocolate. Not the perfect dinner but we’re on holidays!

Next morning we went down to Gnarlabup Beach. There’s such a lovely, calm little beach there and I loved being in the water. There’s also a cafe, The White Elephant, with amazing views and good coffee. Nice way to start the day.

To Margaret River to pick up a few things before heading to Augusta. Despite a long, hot summer the gorgeous scenery is green and lush. Farms, vineyards and forests. Beautiful. To Augusta, on the coast. When I was about twelve, we visited Augusta as part of a holiday visiting and staying at various beaches along the coast. My Father hired a rowing boat and we set off in the estuary, exploring the beaches. I think he had planned to do some fishing, but the weather changed suddenly and it was very windy and choppy. Dad was rowing as fast as he could, but things were a bit scary for a while! We finally arrived at the shore wet and cold and not keen on doing it again.

Monument commemorating the arrival of the first English settlers to the region, on the Emily Taylor. 02/05/1830

This is the Augusta Boat Harbour, servicing the fishing, tourist and charter boat industries. The whale watching boats depart from here.

It was windy in Augusta, today, too, but as we sat at the hotel looking over the Blackwood River over to the southern ocean, eating lunch, we were amazed at how beautiful the view was in every direction. We were in a beach town, overlooking water so it only seemed right to share an entree of chili prawns on noodles, followed by an occi (octopus) Greek salad and a serve of calamari. Great food, great view and we really enjoyed it.

The food was very good and very generous serves.

After a drive around Augusta we set off for Hamlin Bay, one of the gorgeous beaches along the coast. There’s nothing between here and Antarctica.

Driving through the winding karri forest roads back to Prevelly was very beautiful too.

The beach at the end of our street. Pristine and cool on a hot evening.

We visited an old favourite, St John The Theologian, built by a West Australian soldier, Geoff Edwards (more information here). Edwards had been evacuated from Crete during WW2. This beautiful church is his remarkable monument honouring the Cretans and the Monks of the Holy Monastery of Preveli who saved him and so many other Allied Troops.

Glowing icons watching over the visitors. A peaceful place in a beautiful setting.

The garden at a vineyard. So many of the regions vineyards, breweries and distilleries have remarkable gardens, featuring sculptures, salvaged historical artifacts and water features.

We rented a small rammed earth cottage in Prevelly. It was close to the beach and in a quiet area. I could go to sleep listening to the waves crashing on the beach.

We went for walks, read, ate local seafood and went sight seeing. It was a lovely break.

Share this post

10 Days in Kalgoorlie.

Share this post

Kalgoorlie is 594 kilometres from Perth. Established in 1893 when Paddy Hannan discovered 100 ounces of gold, it is still a thriving, mineral rich area. It took nearly eight hours to drive from Perth to our son’s house in Kalgoorlie. Most people would probably take around seven hours for this trip but we stop for three dog walks, one of which also included buying lunch. Progress was also hindered by ongoing roadworks. Every time we’ve come to Kalgoorlie for three years there have been road works!

We’re very comfortable staying at our son’s house. He also enjoys the company of our dog who seems to think it’s his second home. Louis has his own rituals connected to staying in Kalgoorlie. He’s also a good traveler and spends a lot of the time asleep. When we’re in the car he drinks happily from a plastic bowl I fill from a bottle and pass to him between the seats.

The name Kalgoorlie is thought to derive from the Aboriginal word ‘karlurlah’ the name of a common plant in the area. The entire region is rich in geological history. My son and I like investigating more recent times. We’ve visited ghost towns, old mines, natural pools and lakes, including Lake Ballard featuring Antony Gormley’s amazing bronze sculptures, wood lines which supplied the timber for steam engines and water distillation, abandoned pubs (hotels) and cemeteries. I’ve seen wild flowers I’ve never seen before and wandering camels, emus and a horse which lives at the hotel in Kookynie and visits everyone in the (very small) town every morning for breakfast.

This time we headed out east of Kalgoorlie in the same direction as the Trans Australian Railway. Stopped at the abandoned open pit Imperial Gold Mine before heading on to Karonie. Other minerals mined in the eastern Goldfields include nickel, cobalt, silver, lithium, zinc, tantalum and most of the rare earths. Potassium sulphate is harvested from dry salt lakes.

Passed the entrance to a station and admired the use of old machinery for signage. They had another more pointed message on the gate.

We were a long way from anywhere and it pays to be well prepared for anything that might happen.

We were parallel with the Trans Australian Railway line and slowed so we’d be sitting at the crossing in time to watch the freight train next to us on the track. It was very long! It was slowing down and finally stopped. The train, from Perth, was waiting for another train, heading towards Perth, to pass on a stretch of double lines. Most of the Trans line is just a single track. We sat there for 35 minutes. The diesel engine of the train was turned off while they waited and all we could hear was the slight hum of some of the freezer containers, many of them stacked two high.

The second, much smaller train arrived and passed, the first train started up and slowly moved on and we were able to cross the line and head for the Karonie Covered Dam. Passed these granite outcrops which seem to have been mined recently. Maybe for road base?

Arrived at the Karonie ( corruption of the Aboriginal word Cardonia, meaning rocks) Dam. It has long since lost its cover designed to limit water evaporation. The pillars holding the roof are reinforced concrete and are now collapsing. Built in 1913-1918 when the Trans Australian Railway was being built, the dam provided water for the steam locomotives.

The surrounding rocks were terraced to direct the water into the dam. The terracing is similar in style to the construction work done at the Northam Army camp and was probably also done by Italian POW’s.

The line across the rocks in the distance is terracing intended to direct the water into the dam.

Old train tracks used when the Trans Australia line was built.

In 1919, during the Spanish Flu epidemic, Karonie was also the site of the Karonie Quarantine Station.

On the way back we stopped at a public bush air strip, intended for local and Royal Flying Doctor planes. The motto of the RFDS is ‘The furtherest corner, the finest care’. The service provides emergency and primary health care to rural and remote areas of Australia. Begun 1928 by John Flynn, the RFDS is recognised as one of the largest and most comprehensive global aeromedical services in the world. In this area they service both mining and rural communities as well as the local towns.

Next stop was the Bulong Pioneer Cemetery. I’d driven passed this little fenced in area several times before but this time we stopped. This cemetery was in use between 1894-1898. There are 10 unmarked graves and a list of names of the interred on site. Later research revealed the most common cause of death was fever. An infant was simply named, one man’s demise was the result of a ‘brawl in a bar’ and another, a circus employee ‘died after driving a waggon (sic) into a tree.’

There is a second, much bigger Bulong Cemetery. The town was originally called IOU but that was changed in 1895 to Bulong, the Indigenous name for the area.

I’d like to thank the Eastern Goldfields Historical Society for their assistance sourcing information about the Karonie Covered Dam. www.kalgoorliehistory.org.au

Blogs about previous trips to Kalgoorlie can be found here.

A Week in Kalgoorlie (Part One)

A Week In Kalgoorlie (Part Two)

Visiting Kalgoorlie

Share this post

Fashion Blogging and Traveling and Other Things

Share this post

fashion blogging

Did you know blogs about women’s fashion are one of the most popular of all blogs? No, I didn’t either, but I am surprised. Fashion, in this case, is specifically about what you wear. It is considered a means of self expression. Fashion dictates what is popular and can change very quickly. Current estimates claim 80 billion pieces of clothing are in circulation. This is an increase of 400% from 2 decades ago.

Image Pixabay

Apparently one in three young women, the biggest consumers of fashion, consider a garment worn once or twice is old and is thrown out. Local figures for Australia suggest every piece of new clothing is worn seven times before it is thrown out or sent to charity shops. I don’t think this is sustainable.

Image Pixabay

The reason I was dwelling on fashion and how it impacts on our lives is simple. Planning for going away soon, I looked up the predicted temperatures at our destination and then considered what was hanging in my wardrobe. I need more light weight shirts. A while ago I narrowed and shortened the sleeves on a summer shirt I’d never worn because the sleeves were so puffy! I added a pocket from one of the cut off sleeves for keys or a phone when I go walking. Now I wear that shirt frequently.

So when I saw another shirt hanging in the wardrobe which would work well with other pieces I’d already decided to take, I took it out and put it on to work out why I hadn’t worn it. In fact, it still had the tags attached. Same problem as the other shirt, puffy sleeves. Was that a fashion last year? So, the second shirt got the same treatment; narrowed sleeves and hemmed the newly cut sleeves at elbow length. Also added a pocket using one of the cut off sleeves. Wash, iron, all sorted.

Although I immediately think of the French when I think of fashion, one theme which dominates French fashion bloggers is the concept of a capsule wardrobe. Lots of individual pieces which can be mixed with each other, so limited colour palettes and all can mix and match. The other theme common in French blogs is to buy the best quality possible and pay attention to the maintenance of each piece. The French, probably the most attractively dressed women in the world, buy few clothes, but buy quality.

Image Pexel

Obviously, with my approach to caring for clothes, mending, altering and maintaining plus buying less of everything but good quality, I will never be a fashion blogger! But perhaps the average French woman would approve.

traveling plans

So writing about planning trips leads on nicely from writing about planning and organizing the clothes I want to take when we travel next. After two years of only traveling within our own state, we are making plans for a few holidays. We have friends who have several overseas trips booked, too, probably trying to make up for lost time!

We live in Perth, the most isolated capital city in the world. Our nearest popular destination is Bali, about three and a half hours from here. Lucky us! We love Bali and have missed our annual trip very much. We are booked to go later in the year. The next closest overseas destination for us is Singapore about 5 hours travel time from Perth. It is also a favourite! Then the next closest destination overseas is probably Auckland ( 6 hours), in New Zealand, but I have never been there.

Beautiful Bali.

So getting to popular European destinations involves long haul flights for us, taking about 24 hours to get to London (18 hours non stop available again now from Perth) It takes a lot of planning and a lot of stamina to fly to Europe. We traveled extensively within Asia as we lived there and we really enjoyed exploring various countries, some geographically similar but all with distinct cultures. And we’re really looking forward to going back to Bali!

other things

Last week I wrote about using up leftover artisan bread to make bruschetta. We really liked it and looked at other recipes, particularly from Italian bloggers. Roma tomatoes were recommended, we so used them to make the next lot. Wash, chop into small cubes, put in a sieve over a bowl and leave to drip. After a while I agitated the sieve to release more liquid, then continued as before; mix tomatoes, red onion, basil, red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic and leave at room temperature for half and hour. It was a very hot day so I then put the mixture in the fridge for half an hour, too. Next I toasted thickish slices of bread I’d rubbed with garlic, drizzled with olive oil and then spooned on the tomato mix. Splash of balsamic vinegar. Our new favourite lunch.

Fresh, ripe tomatoes with red onion, basil, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar plus a splash of balsamic vinegar and lunch is done. Delicious!

Share this post

Living the Simple Life, Rubic Cubes, Packing and Dog Toys

Share this post

living the simple life

A week down south during the Margaret River Region Open Studios was great for seeing a huge range of artworks, but also interesting in other ways. Mostly, the artisans work from studios within or attached to their houses. So as well as hearing about their philosophies, motivations and work habits, you learn, in many cases, what makes their lives fulfilling and satisfying.

Image Upsplash

The artists we visited live in suburbia, on hilltops with nothing between the beach below and Antarctica, on small bush blocks and on working farms. Heavy winter rain means the southwest is lush and green with masses of arum lilies and many wild flowers beginning to bloom. This is a very beautiful area. ( The arum lilies are considered a weed and used to be sprayed every year but apparently not this year!)

The people I spoke to often referred to seeking simpler lives. My immediate image of the idealised simpler life is living on enough land to support chickens, a horse, a cow for milking and a large area for growing vegetables. This is not necessarily what everyone was seeking. Being without the constraints of traditional work hours, living in ‘off the grid’ houses, as often the usual services are not available, and reusing existing housing styled to suit their needs were common discussions. assorted-color paintbrush lot

Image Unsplash

Tending to vegetables and animals would eat into their working time, there’s amazing wild flowers in the bush, so why grow your own flowers, working digitally at times that suit their other interests provides sufficient income and there’s still small rural schools or school buses for their children if they’ve chosen to live out of town. These were people who had chosen to live simple lives by their own standards.

Many of the artists are tech savvy and you just swipe your card on a tiny machine to pay and a receipt pops up on your phone. Many of these people have taken what they really want to build simple, harmonious lives for themselves. They have created time to follow their artistic passions. Sometimes that’s creating amazing food, beautiful pieces of art, glorious gardens but only after they’ve had a surf !

This area is extremely diverse. There’s traditional farming, vineyards, breweries and distilleries, every imaginable type of accommodation, plus deer farming, olive oil production, patisseries and lavender products. There’s all sorts of little shops selling lovely things, views that stop you in your tracks and some of the most amazing houses. Plus lots of people living simple lives and achieving their artistic goals.

rubics cubes

Do you like this Rubics Cube birthday invitation?. The 3D puzzle cube was invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Emö Rubic. He intended it to teach his students about three dimensional squares. Clever invitation, clever puzzle.

traveling

In a previous covid free time we liked to travel. My husband’s work meant he was frequently overseas, so our son and I would travel to spent time with him during every school break. I must have sewn and embroidered this drawstring bag for stowing slippers very early on as I soon adopted far less grand ways of packing. Not so pretty but very efficient.

Laughed photographing these slippers as we are currently sleeping under a zebra print rug and I have a leopard print dressing gown.

These boubouche, bought in Paris nearly 20 years ago have been worn and worn but despite looking a bit misshapen, still fit well.

I actually ended up with quite a few pairs of slippers. It was often customary to remove our outdoor shoes and wear socks or slippers indoors. I wore slippers until about four years ago when I left work and wanted footwear to suit every situation, indoors or outdoors, including long walks. I began wearing Skechers most days and my collection of slippers live unworn on a shelf. Not in a pretty drawstring bag!

We spent last week in Margaret River and I briefly contemplated the embroidered drawstring slipper bag, just like I considered a tailored, wool coat. The slipper bag stayed home as did the wool coat. The puffer jacket which came with us is light, warm and doesn’t need dry cleaning. Unfortunately it makes me feel like the Michelin man, a warm Michelin man but a very well padded one, too.

The zebra

When we’re not using the zebra print rug, Louis, our groodle likes to claim it as his own. He likes to spent hours asleep partially under it, only rousing himself if anyone comes to the door or he can smell things cooking. Any food aromas require instant investigation.

Seeing a very cute zebra toy in the pet section I bought it for Louis. He tolerated it being on the rug with him but them ignored it. He is very fond of soft toys and his reaction was a bit puzzling. Zebra has been totally ignored since he and Louis were introduced. I think it’s because zebra doesn’t squeak! I watched him chew zebra’s body, legs and head and getting no reaction, ignored him.

Body doesn’t squeak, legs don’t squeak, lost interest.

Did you watch the royal funeral?

A magnificent display of pomp and ceremony and an appropriate farewell to a remarkable person..

Share this post

Margaret River Region Open Studios 2022 and Farewell to the Queen

Share this post

open studios

Margaret River just before it enters the Indian Ocean. Later in the day the wind was so strong there were little waves on the river.

Margaret River, south of Perth, is well known for it’s vineyards, restaurants and amazing surf but it is also home for many talented creatives. The Margaret River Region Open Studios is a wonderful fortnight when 168 artisans in the region open their studios. Visitors can watch them working, admire their work, chat about the process and also buy their products. The region is divided into four areas. Just as well as the project actually covers a large area.

Lookout overlooking where Margaret River joins the Indian Ocean.

The four regions are Busselton and surrounds, Dunsborough and surrounds, Cowaramup and surrounds and Margaret River and surrounds. If you can spare the time, visiting one region each day and visiting about six studios seems to works best. Obviously, not everyone can commit five days including travel time if you’re outside the region, so it might be easier to focus on your particular interest.

Amongst the art works on display are paintings, sculpture, jewellery, ceramics, textiles, glass making, woodwork, photography, hat making, printmaking and even tattoos. Some studios have more than one artist displaying their work.

All the information is online, but we prefer a paper copy. To begin refining our plans for the week my husband and I mark the studios we’d like to visit, then select our joint bchoices by negotiation! This year I wanted to revisit one studio we went to last year; I’ve often thought about the artist’s work and wished I bought one of his prints last year and intended to this year.

Adam Ashdown, the printmaker we revisited is an Gyotaki printmaker. This is an obscure form of 19th century Japanese printmaking begun about 100 years ago as a way for Japanese fishermen to record their catch. Using sumi ink they would coat one side of a freshly caught fish then carefully apply a sheet of rice paper before before rubbing it all over to print an exact copy of the fish.

I originally saw gyotaki fish prints in Dunsborough at Adam Ashdown’s open studio last year. Ashdown, the owner of Saltybones, has perfected gyotaki printing to record the fish caught locally around Dunsborough. Like the original Japanese printers, he also prints trophy fish for fishers pleased with the fish they’ve caught.

Leon Pericles is a well nationally and internationally. Visiting his studio and garden was a delight. He is a master printmaker, painter and sculptor with a wicked sense of humour. His displays and garden were so popular it was impossible to get photos but I photographed the entrance to his house and studio as I couldn’t capture the artwork, the whimsical landscaping nor the waterfall in the bush.

Another artist I first discovered years ago is Rebecca Cool. I have one of her paintings carefully stored somewhere but mislaid as we moved several times locally, then overseas and then returned to Western Australia and built a new house. By then we had the goods and chattels from four houses in storage and a container coming from overseas so many, many things are somewhere safe, but just where is a bit of a mystery.

Apart from her artworks, Cool has illustrated several children’s books and has two more being published soon. Cheerful, happy pictures.

Milliner Kimberley Box makes a dashing range of ladies fur felt hats. Gorgeous designs and interesting to talk to her about becoming a hat maker. I’m pretty sure I’ll be back to see her next year!

A collection of lasts and feathers and other decorations.

.There’s an enormous number of accommodation options in the south west. Putting up a tent is probably not one of them! This is the coldest I have ever been down here. There’s motels, hostels, many bed and breakfast places, resorts and lots of holiday houses to rent but you might need to book well ahead. Unfortunately, due to post Covid extreme staff shortages, finding venues open at lunchtime is tricky but most of the well known cafes and restaurants in towns and vineyards are open in the evening. There’s several supermarkets, lots of bakeries and light meals available in coffee shops.

HM Queen Elizabeth 11.

Image depositphotos.com

The Queen is dead, Long Live the King! A cry not heard since the death of Queen Victoria nearly 120 years ago. So much has changed profoundly in that time. For most Australians the Queen is the only Head of State we have known. Stability and certainty are reassuring during troubled times and our Queen will be sadly missed.

The best tribute was expressed by Paddington Bear, “Thank You Ma’am, for Everything.”

Share this post

French Holidays and Roasting Fennel

Share this post

the french ON holidays

Menton Pixabay

I am thinking about the French. Mostly I’m thinking about the way they go on holidays. The French have five weeks of paid holidays a year and these grand vacances are usually in July and August. Visit Paris in August and you’ll find even the boulangerie shuttered and deserted. It’s summer holidays and many Parisians flee the city for the country. Mostly the French stay within France for their holidays, unlike many Australians, most of whom came from somewhere else, even if it was five or six generations ago. Australians go seeking the uniqueness of other cultures, the French prefer their own!

Pixabay

Many French have access to beach houses where several generations of their family will gather for extended periods. They swim, eat, sleep, read, shop. They enjoy traditional, restful holidays. They eat the local specialties intermingled with their usual cuisine. When Australians go on holidays they rush from one site to the next, jamming in as many galleries and museums as they can. They hire cars to visit the cultural attractions, they take photos of all the statues and buildings and generally rush around, completing a detailed and exhausting itinerary.

The Brandenburg Gate, Pexels

I’m thinking about this as our next planned holiday fits all the criteria of achieving as much as possible every day. The Margaret River Region Open Studios, an annual event where artists in the region open their studios daily for two weeks is wonderful but requires meticulous planning to do everything we want to do in a week. Although the program is online, we prefer a paper copy. Using different coloured highlighter pens we both mark the studios we’d like to visit, or in my case, one I’d also like to re-visit. The studios are in four areas, making it easy to decide on one zone a day, so then the real decisions are made. Finally, we have a map with the places we’re visiting marked and try to stick to the plan. Next comes the booking of lunch time cafes and restaurants. It’s a lot of planning for a week away.

Pexels

Rigorous but stimulating, this will be a very busy break. Then I think we should plan a “French” style sea break. A swim in the morning, a pile of books and magazines, lunch somewhere close by, perhaps a little sleep, then a walk or another swim before a dinner of cheese, crackers and a punnet of strawberries. Unlike French style holidays, my beach break will involve no sun tanning and lots of sun screen! And a hat, always.

Pexels

Reading a French blog this morning I was pleased to see that espadrilles are de rigeur again this season. Not that I really care about fashion but I do really like the ones I bought last year and look forward to wearing them again. The beach outfits featured on the same blog are in a different category all together. Offering little coverage at all I think the dresses, playsuits and bikinis are intended for a particular age group which doesn’t include me!

fennel

Fennel is an eyecatching vegetable. So eyecatching, in fact, I bought one at the green grocer, although I have never prepared or cooked fennel before. We have enjoyed fennel seeds in Indian cooking and fennel salads in Alsace but I have never actually made anything from a fresh fennel.

Fennel Seeds Pixabay

Looked at lots of online recipes. Did you know fennel belongs to the same group as carrots? They don’t look alike! Fennel is eaten thinly sliced and raw in salads or roasted. It smelt slightly of aniseed when I was cutting it up but this wasn’t really noticeable when it was cooked. Most recipes I read advised keeping the cut off celery like stalks and any hard outer layers for soup. So I gathered up beans, carrot, cauliflower and the fennel stalks and outer layers and made a pot of soup, too. I kept some of the wispy fronds as a finishing touch when I served dinner.

The recipe suggested roasting fennel with carrot and onions. Did as I was told. The marinade was a mix of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Italian herbs, garlic , lemon juice and salt and pepper. (I didn’t have any white balsamic vinegar, as recommended, so used red. Tasted very good) In another pan I roasted chat potatoes in duck fat. It was cold and stormy outside so a starchy, roasted dinner was very attractive!

Roasted fennel is slightly sweet and soft and really luscious. The three vegetables were slightly sweet and were well caramelised.

Salmon with Mediterranean herbs, the roasted fennel, carrot, onion and potatoes and a squeeze of lemon. Lovely dinner and leftover roasted vegetables for a salad and also there’s a pot of soup.

Spring

At the end of the month the Southern Hemisphere welcomes Spring. We are currently experiencing the cold and wet sort of weather I remember from my childhood. I have enjoyed the rain but also look forward to spring flowers and planting tomatoes. After disappointing harvests, for us, not the rats, I will grow them in a cage. So unattractive. Are you beginning to plan a Spring garden?

Share this post

Sorting, Plastics and the Coastline

Share this post

sorting

This very lovely armoire hides a dreadful mess! Tucked neatly into a vestibule I’m glad it has doors to hide the chaos within. This is where I keep my art, craft and ‘it might be useful’ things. Once tidy with labeled storage boxes it now resembles a danger zone. I didn’t know where to start and wouldn’t have even tried to sort it out except the other day I opened the door and a box of pastels fell out. They made a mess and some broke. Not good.

Thought I’d deal with the paints first as most of them were in boxes or bags or palettes. Some were immediately binned as the tubes were solid, some I tried to use and some I’ve put aside to investigate later. One small palette (origin unknown) reminded me of the compact traveling boxes people I know take with them to capture views during their travels. I’d like to do that, too. Tried them. Despite the lovely colours, actually the paint was thin and disappointing. Bin.

Other paints also found their way into the bin. The tubes with cracked and crumbled paint went but some others are sitting, waiting to be tested. Interestingly, I found oil colours from my student days which are still usable and acrylics of unknown origin which are in good shape. The tin of aquarelles will compliment a huge box I have and use frequently. I sharpened them with a sharpener found amongst the jumble and I remember writing my son’s initials on it 27 years ago. It still sharpens well.

I’d like to say I persisted and sorted and organised the contents of the armoire, but I didn’t; I was distracted by the treasures within for hours. And there is the problem, what do I need to keep, what might be useful and what if I want that sheet of textured red card in the future? A work in progress but I’m glad I can shut the doors. I think next time I’ll focus on the drawers at the bottom. They are full of my husband’s photos.

plastic free july

We must reduce our reliance on plastics. I like to think progress is being made, especially in first world countries. Well, maybe. I’ve just seen announcement in the paper informing us that the President of the United States, Joe Biden, has Covid. In the photograph heading this item is a photo of Biden with a plastic water bottle on his desk.

China is the World’s biggest polluter (10 065 million tons of CO²), followed by the United States of America (5 416 tons of CO²) and then India (2 645 tons of CO²). The next three are Russia, Japan and Iran. Plastic Free July encourages people to be part of the solution by reducing the reliance on single use plastics. I know many, many Americans are working towards reducing their use of plastic but apparently not their President.

australia’s coastline.

Australia is the sixth largest country in the World. In fact, Australia is almost the size of mainland USA! The middle of Australia is arid. The greatest population concentration is around the coast. It is estimated that it would take almost 29 years to visit one new Australian beach everyday. There are at least 10 685.

This morning was warm and sunny after days of (much needed) rain, so we set off along the coast. We started at South Cottesloe Beach, famous for being the best place to view stunning sunsets. We then progressed one beach at a time until we reached Mindarie. We sat in the sun eating lunch and drinking coffee before being lured into the gelato shop. A slight wind but beautiful views of the water.

The coastline of Australia is about 34 000 kilometres (21 000 miles) although different sources vary slightly in length. The coastline includes more than 1 000 estuaries. The Indian, Pacific and Southern Oceans surround different parts of Australia’s coastline.

European exploration and discovery highlighted how treacherous parts of the coast can be, with many hidden reefs. Early explorers included Dutch, English and later, the French. Sealers and whalers, mostly American and English, had temporary bases on the southern coastal areas of Australia.

There are over 8 000 known shipwrecks off the coast of Australia although not all of these have been located. The oldest shipwreck discovered is the British East Indian, about 500 tons, wrecked on the Tryal Rocks off the north west coast off Western Australia in 1622.

FOOTNOTE

I’ve started tidying the cupboard. I’ve actually done three shelves but not thrown out much stuff. I found so many things I’d forgotten about and feel inspired to begin a few new projects. I sorted envelopes, paper, coloured and plain, plus cardboard into separate piles but then they seemed to take up more room than before I began! I think I need a workroom but the unused rooms are all upstairs and I can’t see that working. Currently the dining room table has potted orchids, a bonsai, some ‘slips’ I’m propagating, a scented candle and a vase of eucalyptus leaves. Also on the table; paints, palettes, brushes, pencils, paper, art blocks, feltpens, blotting cloths and so many other things to do with my artworks. Now you know why I think I might need a workroom.

Share this post

Going Down South

Share this post

Going down south is a popular break for people living in the Perth metropolitan area. Down south refers to the area south of Bunbury along the south west coast of Western Australia. This very beautiful region offers thick bush land, amazing coastal views from clean, yellow sandy beaches and striking granite cliffs, coves and reefs. There’s a huge wine and brewing industry, fabulous fresh artisanal food, so many talented artists and crafts people, authors and photographers and surfing breaks famous around the world. It’s a lovely area to visit for an active break, a relaxing time or anything in between.

Map Department of Regional Development

We booked into a resort, Bunker Bay, which we visit at least once a year. It nestles in secluded bush land on the Indian Ocean past Dunsborough heading towards Cape Naturaliste. There is a scenic drive to Busselton and Dunsborough one way and Yallingup, Cowaramup and Margaret River another way. We like to come down here and visit old favourites and always find something new to enjoy.

Set off from Perth Monday morning and headed down the coast. Stopped in Busselton for lunch. Once a sleepy retirement settlement plus beach shacks and camping areas Busselton has become a thriving arts centre and there’s the amazing jetty, too, the longest wooden jetty in the world; nearly 1.8 kilometers /1.1 miles long with so many activities to enjoy. These include a train trip along the jetty, a sea bed underwater walk and viewing windows under the water. Busselton has grown and now stretches almost to Dunsborough. Also many beautiful old buildings in the centre of town.

Ben Ing, previously Head Chef, Noma, Copenhagen,now at his own cafe, Alberta’s in Busselton.

Really good coffee, really good treats.

Home to about 86 restaurants and cafes, Busselton is also the home of Alberta’s, run by two former employees at Noma Copenhagen, considered the best restaurant in the world with 3 Michelin stars. Kirsty Marchant (head gardener Noma) and Ben Ing (head chef Noma) opened their cafe Alberta’s, the name a nod to Ing’s Canadian heritage, at the beginning of June. For now they are open in the morning, Thursday to Sunday, serving ‘morning’ foods, listed on a black board. Broths, baked goods, small bites and coffee. Nearly everything is sourced from local suppliers.

Our bed picnics don’t usually take place on the bed but you get the idea.

Once we were unpacked and settled I headed for the beach. It was a short walk along the boardwalk over the lake and through lush greenery.

We’re fans of long lunches at wineries, local cafes and restaurants and then settling to “bed” picnics for dinner, which aren’t eaten in bed! We collect punnets of seasonal berries, cherry tomatoes, some local apples, goats cheese, some crackers, sometimes cold meats and soups. Spread out on the coffee table this is our usual dinner when we are traveling.

We’re on either side of the bush in the middle of the photo.

We can hear the waves crashing. Peaceful and picturesque.

The next morning was relaxing and slow, reading, making some phone calls, watching the birds. Then we set off for lunch with some friends. We hadn’t seen them for ages. So much to talk about!

Lunch became afternoon tea and suddenly it was getting dark. Tuesday was the shortest day of the year and darkness fell early. Such a lovely, relaxing day.

We had visitors every day. They just wandered in and waited for snacks. My husband was happy to oblige! Sometimes we had five water hens lined up waiting for a treat. They attract our attention by tapping on the wooden slats on the deck.

On Wednesday we set off to have lunch at one of the very few local cafes/restaurants opening for lunch. More venues advertise they will be open from Thursday to Sunday, but we will be gone by then. The staff shortages in Western Australia mean no-one should be unemployed! Currently there are 1.4 full time jobs available for every unemployed person in W.A.

Left, scallops and right, fennel. Delicious.

This bistro only offered small share plates on their menu. We began with Scallops, duck xo, smoked avocado and allium ($36) and another plate of Confit fennel, yolk emulsion, edamame, goats cheese ($16). These were well balanced, interesting dishes accompanied by sparkling water and pinot noir. Things went down hill from there! The second two dishes were Beef short rib, maple mop, parker house roll, pickles ($40) and a bowl of shoestring fries, duck fat, herb salt ($16.)

The beef short rib was covered in a lump of fat, the sweet, soft bread roll a gluggy mystery ( I noticed other tables left theirs, too) and the gherkin was just sad and floppy. I added vinegar and salt to the shoestring fries and they were still pretty plain. The duck had truly flown: we couldn’t taste any duck fat at all!

I enjoyed the post lunch coffee and the wander around the adjoining art gallery. The bistro was an attractive area with views to a lovely green outlook, the food was disappointing.

Had intended to have the icecream for dessert but felt it was wiser to go elsewhere. The local well known, wonderful icecream shop, Simmos was our next stop. They were very, very busy and we both thought our icecreams were just right!

On Thursday we set off quite early to spend some time with my Mother on the way home.

As usual, we had a great break down south and we’re already planning the next one!

Share this post

An Interesting Day in Pinjarra

Share this post

Pinjarra, a country town on the banks of the Murray River, is 82km (51 miles) from Perth. It is one of the earliest settlements in Western Australia. The name Pinjarra is thought to be a corruption of the Aboriginal word beenjarrup, meaning place of the swamp.

Early settlers met with resistance from the local Aboriginal people. In 1834 this resulted in the Battle of Pinjarra, one of Australia’s worst recorded massacres.

In 1974 Alcoa established a major alumina refinery in the area greatly increasing the population of Pinjarra and nearby Mandurah on the coast.

We’d often pass through the town heading south but hadn’t stopped to explore for many years. It was an easy drive from Perth to Pinjarra on the Forrest Highway.

the evandale complex

Arrived at the well sign posted Evandale Complex, a group of buildings once belonging to the McLarty family. We parked and headed off to the first building. The garden above faces the main road into the town and is in front of the old school master’s house and the school. The school master’s house is now the home of the Murray Districts Historical Society.

The garden at the front of the School Master’s house is mainly planted with roses, including this stunner. Unfortunately, there’s no labels or site maps identifying the names of the roses. A site map for the entire complex would have been so useful! The lady in the shop thought they had one, but couldn’t find it.

Beautiful, well established roses and no signs of chili thrip!

Classic country school, designed by George Temple Poole (1856 -1934). He was responsible for designing many public buildings in Western Australia including Post Offices, Courthouses, Police Stations, Hospitals, the original Art Gallery in Perth, the original Museum, the Swan Brewery (now offices, apartments and a restaurant.) There are schools just like this one all over the state.

There’s more information about Temple Poole’s public buildings on this blog about Beverley, another old settlement in Western Australia. https://www.makecookgrow.com/2019/08/visiting-beverley-western-australia/

This spacious and fully restored four room school building is now the home of a group of patchworkers. Many of their beautiful works are for sale. There’s also interesting photos on the wall showing groups of former school children.

Autumn began eight weeks ago in the southern hemisphere, but this was the first real sign for me! Bulbs germinating in a garden bed near the carpark. Lovely.

The Art Gallery featuring works by local artists. This building, Liveringa, was built in the 1860s and is one of two homesteads on the property.

I did as directed: I drank coffee! Did I do stupid things? Not saying.

The museum is absolutely full of fascinating relics from another era when so many things were made at home. This is an Aladdin’s cave of treasures. Much of the machinery on display is still in working order. Most of the collection originated in the local district. We were accompanied throughout the workshop by a guide. She was so well informed and interesting.

Onto the shop featuring arts and crafts made by locals. Lots of treasures.

The shop and on the right, the end of the meeting room adjoining a big pottery area. So many areas for craft men and women to work, store their materials and display their products. So many interesting crafts people working at this site.

The original homestead built in 1888 and featuring wide verandas to protect the rooms from the harsh sunlight. It is now set up as tearooms. The rest of the building seemed to be storage and more meeting rooms. There are more tables at the back of the house, too.

This is the tearooms. It is where we had lunch, sitting outdoors overlooking a beautifully maintained garden leading up to the main road. There was a light breeze and it was pretty and peaceful.

I enjoyed a very good traditional quiche with not traditional chili dipping sauce.

My husband settled for a pot of tea and a scone with jam and cream which he really enjoyed. There is a limited menu with salad rolls and sandwiches, pies, cakes, hot chips and the wonderful quiche.

Then we set off to look around the town. I enjoyed visiting the new shopping centre. My husband sat in the car and read the paper.

Other buildings of interest include the old post office, on the main street, another Poole designed building. There’s several cafes offering lunch and snacks, some of the usual fast food places and some interesting shops along the main street.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Australian Alps get more snow than the Swiss Alps.

Eighty percent of Australians live on the coast of Australia.

Share this post