A Road Trip to the Deep South.

The South West of Western Australia is particularly beautiful. A more temperate climate than Perth or Heavenly Beverley, tall timbers, spectacular beaches, big surf, caves, lush scenery and a thriving wine industry make the region a magnet for holiday makers. There are art galleries, quirky crafty centres and gift shops galore. Tourists flock to Margaret River and its surrounds all year round.

Michael's friend, Steve and his partner Shirley have lived in the town for fifteen years. He is a silversmith, who makes a variety of jewellery, decorative pieces and wall hangings. He also works with glass to create exquisite plates and bowls. We were very interested in having some of Steve's items in the East End Gallery and resolved to take a road trip to see him and Shirley.

Enroute to Margaret  River, we caught up with another of Michael's friends in the Big Smoke. Cathy, an established painter, offered one of her Denmark coastal scenes for the gallery. We spent a very pleasant hour with Cathy and her Mum. Then we stayed overnight in a B&B in Fremantle, which had been converted from an old embassy. Very quirky and comfortable, but the stairs up to our top room were steep and narrow and nearly killed us. Repeatedly.

We had dinner at the Maya Indian Restaurant in Fremantle. Yum doesn't even come close. Go there when you're in Freo. The Qwim fish curry and the lamb Rogan Josh were to die for. We added naan bread, rice and raita to complement the meal. Excellent.

After taking a few obligatory photos of the West End, we retired to bed in the Tarantella room. The air conditioning kept the hot night out, making sleeping a breeze. We were out and about reasonably early, as we had arranged to meet our friend Ailsa for breakfast at Breglia's Piccolo Cafe in High Street. We had sussed it out the night before, discovering the prices were reasonable as compared to extortionate.

Breakfast was excellent and filling. And not too expensive. We waved Ailsa goodbye and set off for the Deep South. The trip was uneventful. We arrived in Margaret River mid afternoon. After finding a map at the tourist information centre, we located our accommodation for the next two nights. A pretty little villa on the river, surrounded by majestic forest, we unpacked before plunging into the swimming pool. The day was hot and sultry and the pool, deep and refreshing, reduced our body temperatures to near normal.

Showers, fresh clothes and we were prepared for the evening. After drinks at Steve and Shirl's, we retired to the Tavern for the evening meal. the food was typical pub fare. The wine prices were outrageous, but we were in the centre of a holiday region. We expected as much.

The following morning, we met at Steve's studio and workshop. We meandered around, taking in his jewellery and other items of interest. We settled on some pieces for him to package up and send to us in Beverley for the gallery. Then we took our leave and prepared for some reconnaissance.

We stopped at the Payet Gallery before lunch. The gallery was stylish, simple and uncluttered. Very us. We chatted with Kate, one of the owners for some time. Then on to the Boranup Cafe and  the adjoining gallery. The lunch was delicious and well worth a visit. The gallery was large, crowded and in some parts, very busy. In fact, I had to go outside after suffering from visual overload. There was just too much to see. The metal work in the gardens was outstanding and varied in the number of sculptors and pieces. Michael had a field day with his camera.

We moved onto other galleries and wineries. Woody Nook and Hay Shed Hill had wine and art. Bliss. Bettanay's had wine and nougat and liquid nougat, And a chilli fortified wine. Warm and divine, the liquid gold filled our mouths. More bliss.

We returned to change and decamp to Steve and Shirl's. This time, Shirley acting as a Masterchef, produced a feast of marinated chicken, sausages, salads with dressings and bread. Wonderful. But I think she overdid it. After nearly falling asleep in her chair, she retired to bed. We were pleased she felt comfortable to do so.

That night was cool. We needed the blanket on our bed in the cabana that night. We slept in, packed up our belongings and headed off at about eleven. We made it to Capel for lunch. The Capelberry Cafe was fantastic. We ordered turkey, cheese and cranberry baguettes, which were crammed with fresh ingredients. The coffee and tea were both very, very good.

We drove on. Later in the afternoon, saw us take an unfortunate detour between Wagin and Narrogin, adding about an extra hundred kilometres. By the time we arrived in Narrogin, we were ready for a break. Finding Just Jesse's Cafe open, we had a Devonshire tea and coffee to fill up. We chatted with Nic, the very friendly and efficient cafe waitperson and met one of the local organisers of the Narrogin art scene. Narrogin impressed us.

Arriving home just before dark, the dogs were ecstatic to see us. Even the cat greeted us with agreeable fondness. The bird was just about beside himself, chirping and bouncing on his perch. We'd had a great trip, but we were so pleased to be home. At the House that Rocks in Heavenly Beverley.

Fremantle B&B.

The Tarantella Suite.

Boranup Gallery.

Boranup Gallery.

South West forest.

Mine at Bettanay Winery.

Hay Shed Hill.

Hay Shed Hill.

Hay Shed Hill.

Animal Crackers in Heavenly Beverley

The House that Rocks has been home to the Three Stooges, the Fickle Fairweather Feline and the Pirate Parrot. This does not include the mobs of magpies, the gaggles of galahs, the twenty eights, the black-shouldered kites, the little olive hoppers, the red-capped robins and the brilliant electric blue wrens that also inhabit our garden. Plus we have had a racehorse goanna and bobtailed lizards frequenting the property from time to time. They all earn their keep by reducing the bug and mouse populations to reasonable levels.

Across the road, at Mount Beverley, live - Sir Trampalot, his mum Spookadook and Princess Chloe. And the galah, Scratchy, who is a constant source of mess and amusement. That’s the inside residents. Outside is an array of large aviaries with geese, ducks and chooks. Most have personality issues and confusion about their breeds.

Next door is Freedom Hollow. The epitome of a disturbed menagerie. There are sheep who think they’re dogs, birds who think they’re dogs, cats who think they’re birds, orphaned babies of every breed who have been rescued, nurtured and restored to health (most of them anyway) by the energetic, indomitable Lorna, human ringmaster of the three ringed circus that is her four and half acres of independence.

As well as sheep, there are permanent kangaroos, as well as horses and pigs that come for rest cures. Geese, ducks, chooks and enough birds for Noah’s Ark all have homes amongst the gum trees. Lorna, at seventy-one, runs the property single-handedly and still works for Home and Community Care, supporting the elderly in their own homes. Needless to say, Lorna would be horrified if anyone described her as becoming elderly…

Then there is Bentley. This magpie is no Little Orphan Annie. She knows a good wicket when she sees one. Bentley’s territory encompasses the House that Rocks, Freedom Hollow and Mount Beverley. She is fed by three households – every day. Currently, she favours a Barfy Burger from us, which is a delectable raw meat patty with added garlic, kelp and yoghurt. I have no idea what delicacies she scores from our neighbours.

Bentley has also caused nervous breakdowns in two of our lot. She took to sitting on top of Red, the Pirate Parrot’s cage, on the back verandah, scaring the living daylights out of him. Red has had to be moved back indoors, as he started pulling out his head and chest feathers, so stressed by the bloody warbling magpie.

Ruby, the Fickle Feline, is seriously jealous of Bentley. So much so, that Ruby deigned to eat some Barfy Burger, from the pot of it at Michael’s feet, whilst he was feeding Bentley. This is unheard of. The cat loathes wet food. This green eyed monster behaviour was purely to impress Michael, who has been Ruby’s slave since he came into all our lives nearly six years ago.

Sascha the Weimaraner is currently sporting a deepish head wound that looks suspiciously like a magpie’s peck. Chloe, from across the road, also took offence at Bentley, chomping a mouthful of magpie feathers in retaliation for suffering a sharp poke on her tender canine behind.

We arrived home yesterday after our road trip to the Big Smoke and Margaret River. I have not seen Bentley at all so far. Part of me is concerned that she has come to some harm. But, I know that the most likely explanation is that she has moved onto greener pastures.

I’ll look for Bentley when I go home shortly from the Gallery. I know, I know. Sucker!

Sascha, looking particularly brave. Or maybe not...

Ruby, with a mind like a steel trap. Or maybe not...

Pip, who is very very alert. And sometimes alarmed...

Ruby - hovercat!

There's a red parrot in our Christmas tree...

Kissy, kissy Bentley. Mwah!

To Sleep or Not to Sleep - That is the Question.

Yesterday, Michael and I motored down to the Big Smoke to participate in a Sleep Study. The instructions were clear - be there by 7.30pm, follow our normal evening routine as far as possible, and prepare for sleep with enough electrodes attached to our heads to give forty three volts in every cup. Plus, nasal probes, a mouth "horn", a snore microphone, leg movement monitors, finger oximeter  and two belts around chest and tummy. What a fabulous way to induce restful slumber.

We tried to prepare for the event by downing copious volumes of vino. We'd had to eat before we arrived at the Sleep Lab. First snag. In summer, we rarely have dinner before eight o'clock, as we're in the garden until sundown.Upon entry, we filled out more paperwork, chilled together for a couple of hours and then prepared to be wired for sound in separate rooms. Second snag. We rarely sleep apart.

Then we hoped we would drift into cloud cuckoo land. Third snag. Interesting concept - trying to fall asleep with enough wiring glued to our bodies to power most of Perth. And in total darkness. Fourth snag. We have no curtains in our bedroom so there is always some light. No cat on the bed for Michael to stroke all night - fifth snag. The piece de resistance is sixth snag - having to be unhooked in order to have a pee. Or worse still, in Michael's case - not being able to bend your head enough to aim accurately at the porcelain.

This was one of the worst nights sleep ( or lack of sleep) I have ever endured. I was disorientated by the blackness of the room, disturbed by the additional prongs up my hooter, distinctly uncomfortable with all the additional equipment I had to manoeuvre if I rolled over and dismayed by the difficulty of trying to go to the loo. I also was cold, then hot, then cold again and needed to take painkillers at some stage for my chronic tennis elbow, which I have now developed in both arms.

When morning arrived, announced by one of the lovely staff opening my door, my almost immediate reaction was relief that the night was over. If anything, Michael had endured an even worse night that me. He had been wakeful and restless and the Sleep Study nurses, Toni and Anthea, had let him sleep a bit longer than they would ordinarily have done. I was really grateful for their empathy and consideration.

We then had to exit the facility post haste. Neither Michael nor me are particularly productive in the morning, so this task of showering, dressing, packing up and departing at speed was not easy.Somewhat shattered, we stopped at Bunnings to collect some plants and had a fairly ordinary breakfast.

After our usual city list of activities and purchases, we arrived home mid afternoon. Vanessa, with friend Jacinta, had held the fort at the Houser that Rocks overnight. We were never so grateful to pull up into our driveway. I pray that our Sleep Studies produce the necessary data. Because we are never going to go through another one again!

zzzzzzzz........

Our First Sale @ the East End Gallery.

Today, I was in the East End  Gallery. This was our fourth weekend open since we began our Christmas 2014/15 Exhibition. We've had a trickling of visitors into the gallery over this time, which has been encouraging. Even if we'd had nobody in, we still would have persevered.

We have no expectations as we have never had a gallery before now.  Our primary aim is to provide a venue for local artists to display their works. We are hoping that we will have some idea what we're doing by the Easter Art Exhibition, a recognised tourist event on our calendar. Until then, we really are playing pot luck.

All that changed today. A couple of blokes, Tommy and Tom, wandered in as I was eating lunch. Shortish, baldish, one wearing a hat, both in their sixties. Casually dressed. Good friends, long term I guessed.They asked initially about Sue's Corner Shop. Then they started looking at the gallery. We chatted. I took them out the back to see the workshop and meet Michael. I felt instinctively that they were different, interested in the gallery, interested in the building, interested in what we were trying to achieve.

Tommy had played for Perth Athena soccer club in his youth. Tom was a classic car fanatic. I was enjoying showing them around. On our way back through the unrenovated part of our building, we stopped to chat about the old signs we'd recovered onsite. One of the signs was an advertisement for soft drink cans with a background of the Perth city skyline and the Narrow Bridge, probably set in the early to mid 1970s.  Tom was entranced. After some haggling, we agreed on a price.

Michael and I were very excited. But we hit a slight snag. We had no change, so I had to run across to the Beverley Country Kitchen to break a note. They were instrumental in helping us make our first sale. The deal was completed and Tommy and Tom left with their sign.  True, we hadn't sold an art piece. But we were cock a hoop, all the same.

Now we're looking forward to our next sale. And I need to photograph our remaining signs!

A photograph similar to the one on the sign we sold.

Happy New Year in Heavenly Beverley.

New Year's Eve at the House that Rocks was a chance for the Beverley Hillbillies to get together with loved family and friends. We sat in our backyard from early evening, shared good food and vino, chatted, laughed and reminisced about the year just finishing.

Alex arrived on the bus three days ago. He has washed up and hung out washing and fetched and carried for me. He is at his most cheerful and endearing in the morning. Each new day is an adventure for him.Life continues to be challenging, as well, as he is now a young man with his own beliefs and opinions. Sometimes we clash, but that is also to be expected. Young men are supposed to fly the coup and find themselves.

Callum and his delightful lady, Bron - my future daughter in law - roared in from the Big Smoke yesterday morning. We had a laughter filled second Christmas, exchanging gifts, telling stories and hearing their news. Their house has had an unfortunate setback in finishing - the builder appears to have misplaced their garage door. Hopefully, 2015 will result in the early locating of said garage door, so that its installation and their final inspection of their new home can take place. Maybe by late February, they'll be in...

Vanessa was with us in spirit; she enjoyed a girls' night in the city of cocktails, frocks and her first flutter at the Casino. Fortunately, not much money was lost. She sounded happy and very relaxed when she rang to regale me with the details of her New Year's Eve.

We had our good friends, Denese and Guy here, along with their whirlwind seven year old son, Caleb, and Lorna from next door. Needless to say, we had the additional canine visitors in Woody (red cloud Kelpie), JB (Jack Russell terrier) and Tyson (naughty Pomeranian). Unfortunately for Tyson, he blotted his copybook fairly early  by growling at Woody and was firmly removed from the party by Lorna. His disgrace was complete when he was tied up and left at home to cool his heels by himself.

Alex entertained Caleb with the construction of a gingerbread train by them, together. The result was spectacular and my young man did me proud by taking a much younger boy under his wing for the evening. Nights with lots of adults can be pretty boring for a child and Caleb seemed very pleased to have the activity with Alex.

My cunning plan of using just about plastic everything worked like a charm. Cleaning up was pretty painless, with Alex depositing all the rubbish in bags in the wheelie bin. All we had left to do this morning was wash up a few serving bowls and cutting boards. Bliss.

Our visitors left around ten o'clock. Alex retired to bed. Michael and I struggled on until just after eleven. We eventually realised we weren't going to make midnight and went to bed. Cal and Bron saw the New Year in for us all. I was briefly aware of the live streaming of the countdown coming from the guest room before I fell asleep, warm and comfortable with my husband and my family around me in the House that Rocks.

Happy New 2015.