31 Years

On 23rd Feb Pete and I celebrated our 31st anniversary!  We try to ensure some time away around this time of year - our "time out" so to speak.  This year we did it a little different by organising a week with another couple (the couple we met last year!).  Since Pete was keen to get going, we left a couple of days early and headed to Cowra where we stayed for the first 3 nights ....... In Cowra hubbie dropped me at the patchwork shop while he went to check out the fishing shops ...... turns out I got the better deal since he got "lost" in a little jewellers shop and I ended up with a lovely ring!

Driving around the town we went to the look out and then down to the remains of the POW camp from wartime.....

Talking to locals we were told of an old fellow who has a collection (around 50) old, and some rare cars in a township not too far away .. Canowindra....... so we headed out there for a drive and to see if we could find the old timer "sitting outside his shop".  He doesn't advertise his car collection and so while Pete stood chatting I went to explore the old township.  I figured he had a better chance of getting to see the cars if it was just him there - unfortunately his phones camera wasn't working:(
Meantime I wandered around finding a wonderful 2nd hand bookshop that has a dog that comes to greet you as you walk in the door lol     I was super happy to find one of the Diana Gabaldon books from the Outlander series I've been trying to find.
Australian Patchwork and Craft enthusiasts might be interested to know that I also stumbled upon  yet another little patchwork shop called "The Plague and I" owned by Debbie Guihot.  Debbie is

known for many of her wonderful quilt designs over the years.  She was just so lovely and I stood and chatted with the her for ages before finally coming away with a couple of fat quarters and my name on a list for a design she is in the process of putting onto paper (The Snowman Quilt).  She also allowed me to take a photo of one of her fabulous quilts she designed herself which gave her a placing in one of the APC challenges. (this type of work is her personal downtime, so she doesn't have a pattern written up for it).  The wonderful Blue Bee Quilt that is featured on her facebook page, is a delight, and Debbie was amazed as she began to explain how blue bees do exist, that we actually have those Aussie Bees come to our garden on occasion.  I had thought I had a photo on my ipad to show her, but you never can find the one you want at the right time lol  Thanks Debbie for such a lovely time visiting your shop!

With Cowra being so close to Bathurst, we took one day to head there for a bit of a look. 

As most Aussies will know, its the home of the Bathurst 1000 Car Racing.  Mt Panorama is a public road, so you are allowed to drive around the circuit (at 60 kph with speeding cameras placed all the way around the circuit lol).  Even at just that speed, Pete still had a great time driving it and we got to appreciate just how tight some of those curves are for the race car drivers!

On the way back to Cowra we passed through a little town that was having their annual Country Show ............


Love the old tractors - 3mph!!

An Unusual Gladioli

Then it was time to head to Wyangalar  Dam with our friends ..... I had planned to do some 

Wet hat and crazy photo as usual!

blogging from the Dam, but found we had No phone or internet reception at all!!  Hence my blogging fell to having to wait till we got home.   Lots of fishing, ...... Our friends also had their fishing boat, so lots more time in the boat for me this holiday (kind of good, but I did miss having my quiet morning times of sitting knitting and reading - some knitting occurred of an evening while we were all sitting chatting), and I did get to use my kayak one day.  Unfortunately the cabins were located far from the water on a big steep hill which was not going to make pulling the kayak to and from the water an easy thing!

heading up the trail

looking out over the dam from the top

  Since I didn't get as much walking in as usual (I often go for walks during the time Pete is out doing his early morning fishing trips), I did get to take one of the short bush walking trails one morning -  which gave some fantastic views!

Looking out over the Village near the dam wall

And from the water looking back to the "hill" I climbed on the bush walk.

  Just 2 more photos to show you the Dam wall  before I sign off from our holiday post!