"and you will believe in love...and all that its supposed to be..."

The area where my house is located is very pretty. I would also say that I nest into my houses, like a small rodent, snug with all the important elements close at hand so that I do not have any reason to leave.

So if you are a guest, you might be so comfortable that you do not not realize that you came to visit and never saw any of the island.

This is why I try my best to make sure that our house guests get to see something, even if it is a small sliver.

Riff Raff Saff was on the island for a non-Derby reason (strange yes, but true).
But, of course, the pull of the Derby cult is strong, so she ran all of Sunday night practice, and then Reffed with us at Monday night practice.
I skated instead of reffing on Sunday and I had a really good time.
Too good actually.

Zok and I took Saff to see Russel Falls and take a long walk, and have lunch out of doors. A fairly small payment for her giving up her weekend for the advancement of Tasmanian Derby but there you have it.

Post Script:
I was not trying to dive off the Falls I only wanted a different angle for my photo...

"I don't wanna know anything that makes me sad..."

I believe if you asked just about anyone around these parts that they would have to agree that overall Hobart Town is having a gloomy, rainy, spring.
I'm not throwing around accusations, I am just trying to report the facts.
I will concede that winter may have seemed brighter only because the hours of daylight were less-two hours of sun for a nice walk, then darkness for movies.
This is a nice uncomplicated relationship. Spring however has been very promising from about 7 a.m. until 9 a.m. then some drastic weather change, a fierce cold sea breeze followed by a day with cloying cloud cover that makes the air thick and muggy. Yet the light drags on until late into the evening, so one feels they should be doing something.

>sigh< I promised myself I would only write about positive aspects of Hobart Town.
So let me tell you about the Sunday Farmers Market in town. Last year this market was a bit of a let down to my expectations but this year has improved.
I met a nice puppy named Rusty (a local AU red heeler) who belonged to a stall that was selling honey.
I bought coffee from a small independent roaster.
I ran into two (!) people I knew and like.
I saw one of our Derby Refs (in training, zebra foal) who has a stall selling both vegetables and vegetable seedlings. He is a favorite of Zok's.
http://hobartkitchengardens.blogspot.com/

Zok bought more tomatoes and some 'sugar babies' a small variety of watermelon.
We also got some flour from Oatlands, where some people have re-opened an old mill and are using traditional methods to make oats and flour.
I love a bit of Luddite backlash. Especially after being horrified by watching the documentary "Food Inc.".

We have also learned about a small Italian deli/store/cheese/coffee bar.
So I guess I really did not know it all...
This is why I should stay open to possibilities, and leave the perimeter of my neighborhood occasionally.

"It's been ten years or more since I set eyes on you..."

I love cake for breakfast.
I especially love Birthday cake for breakfast.
Zok is pretty well proud of himself...

"...so much to plunder...I think I'll sleep instead..."

I won't bore you all with photographic proof that the Christmas items went up in stores on October first.
I won't tell you about how I plot and plan to eek out some small bit of Halloween for myself and then remember that night doesn't descend on our days until about 9 p.m. this time of year.
I will just leave you with this:
Twenty
Six
Dollars (US or freakin AU at todays exchange rate)
EACH!!!!!!!!!
(as if all orange colored pumpkins were created equal for sobbing out loud)

Yes, those are DEEP FRIED, SUGARY, beignets...please send help, or an exercise tape...

Dearest Warratah, and Lilac bushes, I did underestimate you, and I apologize.

"I've got a brand new pair of roller skates, I think we should get together and try them out..."

Yes.
This about sums up the week.
*artwork by Dot Dash aka - http://pipstafford.blogspot.com/

"...I'm about to throw some tomatoes on the griddle to fry...kick off your shoes and sit awhile..."

We had house guests- followed by a house guest, who will be followed by house guests. Zok has been in constant motion, in the kitchen, cooking meals.
His nephew is here, working a contracted job as a 'sparky', which is Australian for 'certified electrician'. He is on night shift, from 6 p.m. until 3 a.m., and Zok likes to make sure he isn't starving on his way out the door, and in case he has failed this task, two to three food options are packed up in travel containers for the hours he is away.

All the while the weeds are still winning their battle to overcome my patience to get rid of them.
The first Convict City Roller bout is drawing nearer.
The garden plants bloom and die and bloom again.
Zok learned to make bread.
I planted a pin-cushion Hakea.

"Somewhere in between the waxing and waning wave"

I lost my weekend to skating, and a sudden weather change from rain to warm cloudy days. I even skated down at the beach which makes me the object of comment by many the passer by. However, if I am ever to actually be a referee my transitions and ability to skate backwards without looking behind myself the whole time needs to improve, and quickly.
Two members of the South Island Sirens came to help Cassie and I make penalty calls at Sunday's scrimmage session, four of us at once is the most we've ever had.

Meanwhile at the homestead, Zok finally made the decision to get the kitchen aid mixer he has been talking about for over a year.
He has made buttermilk pancakes, lemon grass buttermilk scones, and he used it for his pizza dough. Every item has been especially fluffy. He is very, very, pleased.

I've been spending hours trying to battle against the evil onion weed-
This is a bulb weed, and according to the gardening show (our only garden show is national, which I find charming) impossible to overcome by hand weeding, but the alternative is to kill the whole area, by covering the beds over with black plastic to raise the soil temperature so high the weeds die.
Of course everything else would have to die as well.

Zok moved a small Banksia tree, to make room for a new veggie-bed.
Australian's are anti-lawn due to the ever ongoing struggle with drought.

Something is wrong with my Warratah, I haven't had any luck finding out what is wrong. Often, if a common plant has a problem, the gardening show talks about it, because the problem will be spread across a large area of Australia. I have posted last years photo 'in memory of'.
My Clivia has three blooms instead of one this year, such is gardening in the continent of old soil...good and bad. My lilac and snowball tree are both growing at a good rate, Zok has ordered a pomegranate tree after we witnessed the success of the one on the gardening show (from the patch that is local in town at the botanical gardens).