Puppy Love

I have started going on walks to the park with my down stairs neighbor. Today I got to puppy sit her little guy, Bosley. We went on a walk, lounged on the couch, worked on the computer, watched Oprah. Puppy love is the best!

Bumbling

Many years ago a friend of mine, Steven Schulenberg, was out and about with me and Phyllis. After a day of wandering around doing things Steven coined the phrase "bumble". He said we didn't go anywhere with purpose we just bumbled around finding fun things to do. One of the things I love about Matt is he is a fabulous bumbler!! Yesterday was a perfect example. I wanted to go see Hanging Rock so that was a definite plan but the rest of the day was a bumblers paradise. We started off going to have a look at the Organ Pipes National Park. The lookout was closed for repair so we thought about making the hike down but knew Hanging Rock was coming and judging from the fitness level of both of us figured one big hike in a day was enough. I was fascinated by gigantic ants wandering around and this cool orange fungus that was growing everywhere but we headed off for some more bumbling.

Go 30 minutes outside of Melbourne in any direction and you hit any number of little country towns that are wonderful to wander around. Our first stop was Kyneton. There is a lovely little main street with antique shops and cafes. We wandered into a wool factory and an art fair but the main attraction of the day was a dog show. I had never been to a dog show (only seen them on tv)and stood out like a sore thumb. First, we were missing the main accessory. Sans dog we looked very suspicious. Secondly, I had that stupid, happy, I wanna pet the pretty puppy look on my face which was obviously repellent to these show people who took this very seriously. I do love to watch the people run with their dogs. It always makes me laugh. The dogs normally look rather graceful but the people..not so much.

We continued on to Castlemaine which is a beautiful little town. We stopped into a pub for a traditional Sunday roast forgoing Capone's. No matter where I go there always seems to be a pizza place named after Al. I have a photo of Angela under a Al Capone's pizza sign in Prague.

We found what I think is the best art gallery I have been to since coming to Australia. Heron's Gallery is situated in a gorgeous old building that has been home to a hotel, surgery and apartments. It's worth going to the gallery just to look around the building. The collection of art that is there just makes the whole experiences that much better. There is some really beautiful work. My favorite was a print of cicadas by Geoffrey Stocks. Check out their website http://www.heronsgallery.com/

We went on along to Hanging Rock. I don't know why I (and many others) have been so fascinated by the place in relation to the dreadful book, Picnic at Hanging Rock. The book was painful and yet I am still fascinated by the story and I know it's not true!! When Matt was little he said they used to run around looking for the missing girls who supposedly disappeared in 1900. It's been an urban legend since the books release. I was recently reading more about the book and the legend it created and found information that originally the author had a last chapter that solved the mystery. The publisher told her to leave it out. Good call on the publishers part. I think if people read that the missing girls had actually transformed into lizard like creatures and slipped into a hole in the time space continuum the book wouldn't have been so popular. The mystery would have been ruined. Regardless of the book the actual place is breathtaking in more ways than one.

I am really trying to get out there and do more nature walks. I don't really find warning signs with little stick men plummeting to their death encouraging but up we went anyway. About half way up I was definitely puffing so I told Matt to go ahead. I needed to heave in breath privately. Between my breathing I heard some crunching and looked over to see a little wallaby lounging in the tall grass eating away. So my lack of fitness led me to have a lovely encounter with a wallaby. I am trying to take a positive spin on this.

I was again held up on my way to the top by a large group of tourists including one lady who foolishly wore 2 inch lucite heels for her climbing adventure. By the time I made my way up there Matt was basking on a rock like the guru at the top of the mountain.

The whole Park is called Hanging Rock but there is actually one specific "hanging rock". Here is Matt doing his part to hold it up.

The view from the top was fantastic. Huge rocks everywhere more accurately called mamelon (literally translates to "nipple") Here's some info from the official website."Said to be the best example of a volcanic plug or mamelon in the world. It consists mainly of soda trachyte rock (solvsbergite), found only outside this district in Norway and Sweden. Since its formation, the mamelon has been exposed to considerable weathering and erosion, resulting in a conglomeration of unusual rock formations that can now be seen on the site."

There were lots of wildlife sightings along the way including the wallaby, a koala sleeping high up in a tree, lots of bunnies and fairy wrens, a BIG kookaburra and a kangaroo with a baby in her pouch. All and all it was a day of bumbling at it's best.

Ca'rn the Hawks

The Hawthorn Hawks won the Grand Final so the neighborhood has been full of ruckus. It's been fun though to see everyone out and about in their team colors. The best part of the whole sporting event to me was the presentation of the medals. Each Hawks player was presented a Grand Final medal by a little kid who was involved with AusKick which teaches boys and girls Aussie Rules Football. It was really cute. There were signs this weekend "Ca'rn the Hawks". Somehow, in Aussie speak "ca'rn" means "come on". I don't think I will ever learn all of the slang but I am working on it.

Legal

Celebration!! My visa has come thru!! YAY!!!!!!!!!! I broke out all the picnic gear we got from the wedding , packed up some food and wine and Matt and I went to the park to have a celebration dinner. Unfortunately, when I try to get my lovely husband to smile sometimes he gets this pained look on his face like I am torturing him. It was fun anyway and I am SO relieved to be done with immigration stuff....for now anyway.

Grand Final

The AFL grand final is coming up this weekend which is the equivalent of the Superbowl. The Magpies didn't quite make it but the football club for our neighborhood, Hawthorn, did. The whole of Glenferrie Road is decked out in support for the Hawks and a lot of our neighbors are sporting Hawthorn gear. Will see who wins but it definitely makes it much more fun when everyone around me is excited about the game.

Royal Botanic Gardens

Sunday was a perfect day for a stroll thru Melbourne's Royal Botanic Garden. 100's of people were out having picnics, reading books and generally lazing about on the grass. The gardens are massive (87 acres) situated along the Yarra River and have been around since 1846.

There was a big variety of plants and flowers. I really liked the Japanese banana plant.

The fern gully was my absolute favorite. It's like a miniature rain forest in the middle of the garden.

It was an absolute bee paradise. Pollination was happening willy-nilly all around. I couldn't get enough of them but Matt tends to swell up to the size of a watermelon if stung so he wasn't quite so fascinated by the little fellows.

Evidently the bees aren't the only creatures taking over the garden. There is a plethora of flying foxes but there is also a bit of an overpopulation with eels in the lake. I didn't walk down to the edge myself but borrowed this picture of the net to show how many there are.

World's Most Personable Latte

When I am having a quick coffee break I never really expect to see a big, smiley face but today I sure was pleasantly surprised at Via Volare in Fitzroy. I almost felt guilty stirring him up.

Drive-In

The last time I remember going to a drive-in my parents took me to see Bedknobs and Broomsticks. I may have been about five. The drive-in now must be my absolute favorite way to go see a movie. I pretty much wore my pajamas, packed up some snacks and drinks and off we went to see Wall E. If that wasn't good enough I wanted an ice cream. All you have to do is send a text message to the concession counter and they will bring whatever you want right on out to the car. It's lovely! So was Wall E but there really hasn't been a Pixar movie that I didn't like.

Alfred Pal

I was watching a documentary on Tito (Yugoslavian leader) and there was a man talking about the atrocities of his life. I stopped listening because I was so taken by a painting behind him. I started to say something and Matt said "that painting's really cool." His name is Aldred Pal and it was his work. I have looked and looked on the internet but there is very little info about him at least in English. I found a few images of his work but the selection is much less figurative than the work shown in the film which reminded me a bit of Francis Bacon. There is a documentary about Pal called "2020-1920" but I can't find a way to rent/buy it. He didn't have an easy life. He lost his whole family in the concentration camps of WWII then spent 8 years in the communist prison camp, Goli Otok in Croatia. Most of the rest of his life was spent under constant surveillance. I would love to find both the documentary and more examples of his work so if anyone knows any more about him please let me know.

Zsofia Otvos

My wonderful friend Zsofi has been chosen as a featured artist for Chicago Artists Month 2008. I am so proud of her and she really deserves this. More of her beautiful work can be seen on her website www.zsofiaotvos.com. Yay Zsofike!!!

More art on the Street

This is another piece I love on the streets of Melbourne or more specifically Carlton. It's nice to see something with a Mexican theme. I miss Latin culture, language, food, etc etc. It's funny the things I took for granted in Chicago.

Two Doors Down

If there was any doubt that 80's fashion is back in full swing here comes this video by the Mystery Jets. I love the song but I love 80's synth pop music so it's no surprise. The Don Johnson suit and Robert Smith hair crack me up a bit but the music is reminiscent of so much stuff that I love I can't help dancing around to this catchy little tune.

Chicago Love

When out and about last night Matt spotted this fine fellow and I had to take a picture of another Australian rocking the Chicago gear.

Paperbark Take 2

After my first experience with a Paperbark tree in the rainstorm I couldn't stop thinking about how the Aboriginal people use the bark like I use aluminum foil. Of course I wanted to try it for myself. Matt and I got some Blue Grenadier(type of fish) at the market and were going to peel off some layers of paperbark in the park. First, we headed up to Dromkeen for a volunteer day first and Sandra, Tracy, Luke and Natarsha came up to have a picnic and feed the peacocks. Sandra heard about our plans for paperbark was kind enough to collect some from her neighbors tree.

The paperbark is oiled and wrapped around the fish. I smoked it in a pan and baked it in the oven. It's really supposed to be cooked like damper bread, in the coals of a fire but I don't quite have access to a fire pit in our apartment building. It was really smokey and tasty!! Paperbark is not only a beautiful tree but quite useful too.

It's the little things

I know I have told some of you about a complete and utter meltdown I had a few months ago. Matt and I were in the grocery store and I wanted Diet Cherry Coke. Matt frowned and said that drink wasn't imported into Australia. Poor thing had no idea what was coming. Floods and floods of tears and a red runny nose amongst whimpers of "I wanna go home." Who knew the lack of soft drink would cause such a bout of homesickness. Matt looked perplexed and worried but the moment passed and we continued shopping. Last weekend at the South Melbourne Market we happened across a Lolly Shop that had a big sign in the back corner "USA FOODS". Nestled happily in a carry case just waiting for me to give them a happy home was a 20 pack of Cherry Coke Zero (close enough!). Happy Days!! It really is the little things.