Camp Wattle Grove & an Explosion Box Craft

 
After our lovely stay in Cardup, we went back towards Perth to do our first job with MMM (Mobile Maintenance Ministry) at a quiet Christian campsite called Camp Wattle Grove formerly known as Keswick Campsite. We were wonderfully welcomed by Don & Jody & their 4 kids. Don is one of the caretakers here. Being a well treed campsite there are lots of beautiful bird life. Seeing the red tailed Black Cockatoos is a daily delight.

Jody insisted on making our lunches every day and they also had us over for dinner twice in that week. Bob was to assist another carpenter there for a week in replacing 9 old wooden windows with larger aluminium windows in one of the demountables that are used for camp accommodation, plus the relining etc that is needed to finish off the job. The job was made all the more difficult due to the extreme heat with some days recording 39 degrees Celsius in the shade. That is well over the 100 degrees in the old Fahrenheit gauge. Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of the job but I do have one of the Robbiebago camped on site where you can see how we are surrounded by lots of trees and the much appreciated shade they cast is very welcome.

Eventually after a few days “off” I was sucked into assisting with the caulking around the windows even though I had no previous experience. I surprised myself in that I actually liked caulking. It is quick & easy once you have a decent flow going on the gun.

More crafting time

Earlier in the week when I had more ‘me’ time, I planted myself right next the air con and made a new Explosion Box. This time I made it a photo album style with 3 layers for a baby with lots of animals as decorations. Here is one picture. I hope you like it. If you want to see more or find out more details then please go to my craft blog and take a gander. By the way, this box is for sale  if you like it or would like a custom order, just send me an email. I will be taking all my boxes to the Bunswick markets this weekend. Wish me luck???!

The Invasion of the birds

Michelle at the beach at Rockingham

Windsurfers at Safety Bay (Rockingham)

Whilst based at Cardup (southern tip of Armadale/Perth) we went for a day trip and visited the coastal areas of Rockingham down to Mandurah

One of 2 streetscape sculptures at Mundurah

The beach at Mundurah

Then we headed back inland finishing off with a fantastic afternoon tea in the park at the Serpentine Dam shared with dozens of rather tame birds especially the Twenty Eight Parrots. They would go as far as pinch the food from your mouth.

At first they were timid but soon they were quiet comfortable with us and made themselves at home which I guess they really are – we are the ones invading and visiting their home!

The Adventure continues

Well here we are back in Western Australia at last after a 3 months break. We loved it so much that we couldn’t just leave & rush home for Bob’s big 60 and Christmas soon after, so we left the Robbiebago in Perth at some very hospitable people (thanks Donna & Colin), we borrowed a couple of suitcases, (thanks Nikki & Alison) and flew home so that we could come back in February and continue on with our journey. And so here we are again. We took 3 days to check everything out and attend church just one more time and to thank our marvellous hosts.

We attended a fantastic fireworks show celebrating the Chinese New Year. We forgot to take a camera with us and so we took some wonderful photos with Bob's new phhone, but I can't figure out how to down load the photos... oh well another learning curve coming up.

2 days later we took to the road and moved just 50km south to meet and stay with another family, John and Patricia, who have graciously allowed us to camp on their property. I have met some large families but this is the largest, they have 11 truly delightful kids who are still all living at home. We met them all except the eldest who is a nurse, at a BBQ dinner they invited us to last night along with another couple who are also camping on their property. We plan to stay here for a week and attend church with them on Sunday before moving on. We have a job lined up at a campsite for MMM (Mobile Maintenance Ministry) for next week!

Back Home (for just a little while )

Now we are back home for a couple of months. We flew home just in time for Bob’s 60th birthday party. What a terrific turn out it was with many friends and family coming to help us celebrate.

Having been absent from many meetings etc, we are not swamped with lots of pre-Christmas parties and such and that was very nice not to be frazzled. I had time to finish all my Christmas cards which I had started back in Perth and most of the gift shopping was done without duress. (Those that know me know that I do not like shopping unless it involves crafts).

Oh it is so good to be home but now that Christmas is over I am hankering for the simple life of caravanning. So here’s to the new year and hanging out with friends and family over the next few weeks before we head back to the Robbiebago and continue with the adventures God has in store for us.
I really like one of the quote I saw back in a Perth mall: it is a great reminder not to waste time in the new year.

No minute gone ever comes back again. Take heed and see ye nothing do in vain.

Perth

With the kindness of friends of friends, (Thank you Colin & Donna), we have a place to stop for 2 weeks and then store the Robbiebago whilst we run back home for Rob’s birthday and Christmas. It is right on the Swan River in Bassendean, Perth. Whilst in Perth we get to catch up with friends and family often taking in a meal with many of them, including Nikki & Neil, Bill & Hillary, Tina, Mrs S, Ben & Kate, Frank & Teena. We were also able to follow up on new friends made on the road including Joan & Bill as well as Peter & Alison.

A view of Perth

Bob beside the Percy Button Statue in Perth Mall

Day outings included a train trip into Perth where amongst various activities including watching a solar powered slot car inter school competition, a 2 hour guided walking tour around town which was very interesting, shopping and of course a meal.

Freemantle

 Another day we travelled into Freemantle and just walked around the shops before having a fish and chips lunch on the wharf. One of the little treasured nuggets was several hours spent at the Aviation heritage Museum in Bull Creek. including a semi private viewing of a magnificent historical lace panel depicting London during the Blitz. I really do recommend a minimum 2-3 hours to see this museum.

A small part of the magnificent lace panel that is long than floor to ceiling

Another night was a romantic date in town including dinner & an overnight stay in a classy hotel. (Thanks Manna House). On awaking the next morning after a lazy sleep in & breakfast we finally made our way into the fabulous Kings Park where we spent a couple of hours walking on some of the many trails there. The bridge walk was spectacular with its views over the Swan River and all the sailing boats out on the water. The wildflowers especially the kangaroo paws and the banksias were superb.

A late lunch in the park followed by a stroll through the gallery shop there finished our time in town. New friends Peter and Alison, whom we had met back at Barn Hill, graciously took us an all day trip around the Perth Hills camp site. Whilst in Perth I also got to spend some time in various stamping & scrapbooking shops and bought some lovely tools. A girl’s gotta have her tools!

An original sculpture available for sale at Kings Park inspires Bob.

Then there were also the quieter days bike riding and walks along the river, days reading and playing games and the sort of relaxing things one does on holidays. Whilst in Perth we enjoyed christian services & fellowship mostly at various Reformed Services as well as the local Bassendean Church of Christ on a few occasions.

Gin Gin & New Norcia

As we were passing through Gin Gin on our way to New Norcia, we noticed a lovely park with a creek, ducks and even a paddlewheel in it, so we stopped and had a delightful walk through the park, discovered a lily pond as well as a historic cemetery and church. One family lost 3 little kids within 6 days back in 1865 – I am guessing from some disease –shows how tough it was back in the pioneer days! We also went on a board walk through a forested swamp is just across the road. All in all it is a very pretty little town.


Moving on, we stopped for lunch at Wannamal (400 in the Camps 5 book). This is a good place to free camp. It is on a quiet road – not many trucks at all. It has flushing toilets that are cleaned daily, a good gas BBQ with a delightful tiled mosaic concrete table under cover. We will come back this way and stay.

 We finally arrived in New Norcia where the camp fees are just $7 per night for self sufficient vans. We stayed for 2 nights. We took in the 2 hour walking tour as well as the museum. Our guide was very informative with a slight off beat sense of humour. We enjoyed the tour. There are 7 chapels and we went into 5 of them plus other buildings etc. There are a lots of statues, altars, artwork etc depicting Mary, Joseph or one of the many saints as can be expected in a Catholic Church. Neither of us is big into art but the museum was still very interesting and also has a lot of historical artefact too. The next morning, I went along to a prayer session with the monks which I found very good. The songs and prayers are sing song chanted and easy to follow (with a paper printed of such) and I was grateful that there is no reference to Mary, Joseph or any of the saints in the prayer meeting. It is all directed to God and our Lord Jesus. (The monks pray 6 times a day, and the public is invited to join if desired.) We also stopped by the hotel which has a big grand staircase.

The Pinnacles

What a wonderful place! The Pinnacles truly is wonderfully different. There are acres upon acres of sandy desert dunes interspersed with hundreds of pillars of limestone.

You can walk it or drive through it with lots of places to pull over for hopping out to take a closer look or to take photographs.

 

 Though it was very interesting, we were in and out of there within 2 hours. So we took a few detours on the way home, stopping past coast vistas, a lake with stromatolites. (We saw different types near Shark Bay) and then a drive around the small town of Cervantes.