2025 Outback Queensland and NSW Road Trip (Part 2)

We separated. Different states that is! 

Australian Standing Stones at Glen Innes, NSW.

 

I couldn't find Jamie aka 

James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser 

from Outlander when we were in Scotland so 

thought I'd try again. No luck here either!

Big Golden Guitar, Country Music Wax Museum 

and National Guitar Museum, Tamworth.

 Australian Country Music Hall of Fame, Tamworth.

Crocheted yarn bombed guitar, Tamworth. 

 

 Pool of Reflection, 

Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

We spent the whole day here, finishing up with 

the Last Post Ceremony at the end of the day. 

 

 Roll of Honour, 

Australian War Memorial, Canberra. 

 

This is my Great Uncle Bert, Herbert James Meikle. 

I was able to find lots of information about him. 

The family always thought he died as a 

POW in Changi. He actually died as a POW 

working on the Burma Railway. 

Records showed he was missing for over a year and 

that must have been when he was sent to Burma.

 

One of two Changi Quilts,

 Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

 

The other Changi Quilt, 

Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

There was a Mr Squiggle and Friends exhibition 

at the National Museum of Australia, Canberra.

It was fabulous and brought back 

lots of childhood memories.

The Senate Chamber,

Parliament House, Canberra. 

Cape Conran Coastal Park 

near Marlo, Victoria.

Seven weeks and just under 10,000km later, 

we arrived back home.

We had a fabulous time and explored many lovely 

country towns (too many to mention). In the 7 weeks

 away we had blue sunny skies almost every day, 

albeit cold at times, with only 4 days of rain. 

One in Sydney, two days of light showers in Cairns 

and one day in Tamworth. I think we were very lucky.

 

I hope you've enjoyed a snapshot of our trip. 

On our travels, I was gifted something very special

which I will share that in another post.

Thought I'd share this photo.

Kade is now 5 months old! 

We certainly missed this little munchkin!

Scrub Stitchin' 2025 - Part 2

 

 Sharmayne and I planned to work together to 

make coats for our rabbits as our main project.

Maybe it was just us but we found them quite tricky. 

After working on them all morning, we got to 

the collar and bias section. We just couldn't work 

out the next step and it was doing our heads in. 

At about 2.30pm I said we needed to put it away 

and come back to it in the morning.

 

I got up next morning and found a tutorial online. 

What a difference that made. 

Watching a video was much easier to 

understand than the written instructions.

 

 So apparently we were making a tailor made 

coat, only in miniature!

Finally, the coat was finished.  

It only took about 12 hours to make! LOL!

If I had been at home working on this 

by myself, I think I would have given up.

 Needless to say, 

Rosie will only ever have one coat!

Hector admiring Rosie and Tilly's coats.

I also put my Heartstrings stitcheries together 

to make a wall hanging for my sewing room. 

It is so much prettier in real.

There are 120 different Tilda fabrics with no repeats. 

I hadn't realised how many different fabrics 

I had and there were a lot more I didn't put in. 

And now I've added more to the collection 

on the trip up! Oops!

 

I also got the borders put on my 

Little Christmas Bird table runner.

Rosie and Tilly enjoying the show and tell.

I hope you've enjoyed reading 

about our Scrub Stitchin' adventure.

I'm already looking forward to the next one!

Rosie and the Easter Bunnies!

Easter lunch with the family, 

our first with little Kade. 

Missing Nelson and Chloe 

as they are away camping.

Introducing ...........

We are so excited to share the safe 

arrival of our first grandchild,

 Kade Leslie MacDonald

 Born 1st March at 8.28am

Weight 2.780gm (6lb 1 oz) 

Length 46cm long

 

Austin and Paris, the happy parents.

 

The name Leslie is after their grandfathers, 

my father and Paris' father's father. 

It is also Austin's middle name.

 My first cuddles as "Granny"!

With "Pop"!

 

"Funcle Mitch" (the fun uncle according to him) 

who can't wait to teach Kade all the bad things!

 

Uncle Nelson! 

I think that smiles says it all!

Home with big brother Ralph. 

Funny how they have the same colour hair!

Exciting News!

When we got back from our Kimberley trip, 

Austin and Paris gave us this bottle of champagne.

Best fine print we've ever seen!

We are going to be grandparents! YAY!

Last month we had a "Parents To Bee" baby shower.

I made this tummy time quilt for the baby.

My lovely quilter Leanne squeezed me in so I could 

have it finished in time for the shower. 

I think Austin and Paris were surprised that I'd 

had time to make one before the baby shower as I'd been

very busy with the quilt show and going away.

I found this gorgeous poodle and thought it was perfect. 

The green is the colour of the nursery with a poodle theme.

How cute is the quilting!

Five Siblings Plus One and OPAM

Last week we headed off to Palm Cove (Queensland) 

for a short holiday with Noel's brothers and sisters. 

Hence the 5 siblings plus 1, me!

  

No hat or gloves were needed for our morning walks!

 Off we went for a day up at Kuranda. 

 

We went up on the Kuranda Scenic Railway.

 

Such a lovely station.

 

We came back down on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.

 

 Next day was a trip to Hartley's Crocodile Adventure.

 Went full crocodile for lunch. 

Crocodile pie, crocodile spring rolls and skewers.

Mossman Gorge.

Mossman Gorge.

Mossman Gorge.

Trinity Bay Lookout in Port Douglas.

Trinity Beach in Palm Cove.

Donald MacDonald, "Dad", trained here in 1943 

before being shipped off to Papua New Guinea.

This photo is taken looking to the same place 

as the original one on the sign.

There's always one or two silly people!

This photo is the battalion that Dad was in.

  

All too soon it was time to head home. 

We found this cute coffee van at Cairns airport.

Due to high winds, our plane went past the airport 

and came in from the city side. 

We got a great view of the city.

My one finish for July, "Nelson's Choice".

Thanks to Kris for keeping us inspired.