Fields of Gold

 Driving past the the canola fields near Illabo, NSW, we are stunned by their glory.

Water, water, everywhere

Just had to stop in at the lookout on our way to Canberra. We've never seen so much water in Lake George which is usually rather dry.

We were gobsmacked by these beautiful vistas (and the warning sign).

20 Something Snaps - The Welcome Mat

Some of the sites that rolled out the welcome mat on our recent trip to the UK and Ireland. 

London

St Luke's, Old Street

London

London - See https://ballau.blogspot.com/2022/06/riding-on-mail-train.html

London - See: https://ballau.blogspot.com/2022/08/the-duke.html

Via a ferry from Cobh, Ireland

Port Sunshine near Liverpool

Orkney Islands

Lerwick, Shetland Islands

Fort Charlotte, Shetland Islands

Lerwick, Shetland Islands

Culloden, Scotland

Also known as Downton Abbey

England

Belfast, Northern Ireland

Belfast

England

Orkney Islands

England

Derry, Northern Ireland

London

Pub in Chalfont St Peter, England

The Duke

As we were walking between the Postal Museum and Charles Dickens House Museum in London we felt the need for refreshment. Then we saw a sign to a pub, The Duke.

We found an Art Deco pub (circa 1938) sited in a residential area on a corner underneath a block of flats. The interior of the cosy pub featured many features of its period and the food was good. I'd recommend it as a spot to rest prior or after a to visit the Dicken's Museum which we found just around the corner.

The Place where we live

 The previous owner of our home left these clippings pasted on the wall in our garage. 

A fishing map - as we are near Toronto we might find Blackfish, Bream or Tailor

Facts from the Newcastle Herald in April 1974

Motivation Missing

My feet haven't really hit the ground after our recent bout of travelling. Travelling is hard work and doesn't provide many opportunities for sleep-ins and lazy days. I love to travel but I also enjoy the quiet times we spend in our home on the Lake. 

When I looked out the window this morning and saw the monochromatic grey view from our bed  I staged a sit-in past my normal rising time. As the news of Olivia-Newton-John's death was on the box we reminisced about times past and music from our younger days.

View from my comfy cot

I'm a Master of Procrastination who, after seven weeks on the move, has so many things on my to-do list. I managed to crawl out from under the covers before ten and slink into the study to play catch-up. 

Reading Challenge Progress July - A Drought

On the 27th December 2021 the Goodwill Librarian launched on Facebook her 2022 reading challenge. I made a hasty decision to join this challenge. 

Each month I will report my progress in reading books that fulfil her criteria. I will add a link to the Librarything entry for each criterion I tick off.

I was unable to tick any books off my list in July.   As I travelled from mid June to early August my reading habit took a hit. Now that I am home again I have resumed reading.

You can see the full list of the challenge criteria here.

 I still have find books to fit these criteria:

27. That's a one hit wonder 

28. About nature 

35. Only published as an ebook 

36. About sports 

39. By an author who shares your name 

40. On audiobook read by the author 

42. Written by two authors 

45. About current events 

This is not a full list of the books I read in July. The remaining titles can be seen on my Librarything or GoodReads accounts.

Truanting

I played hookey from the conference this morning to tour the Norfolk Island home of late Australian Author Colleen McCullough. It differed dramatically from what I expected to see. Colleen was quite the collector. Unfortunately interior pics weren't allowed.

While the house looks traditional from the outside the interior is another story. It has to be seen to be believed!!!

Windows in the dining room were specially commissioned

The Bookshop is decorated according to Colleen's taste