And This Little Pig said Holiday Post 4

Update time, we managed to get out of Cradle Mountain… just if we had waited much longer to leave, we may just have been snowed in. That would have been really hard to take.

We had to take our luggage down to the car, which we had had to leave in the car park, after we were unable to get back to our cabin after dinner, I don't think my little car was enjoying the weather.

On our first trip down Mum was really happy to see a Potoroo, before we left.

The small lake outside of the lodge.

Had a wonderful complimentary breakfast, such variety, and so so so much food. Even George enjoyed, especially his coffee…

Then he adjourned to the lodge to write a short letter home.

Before entertaining the gathered crowd…

Snow photo of the countryside.

On our way to Hobart, we stopped off in both Ross and Oatlands, both historic towns. We were looking in a shop window which was closed for the day, they had some 'tin' animal cutouts, and I said to Mum, 'Look at that German Shepherd cutout, it is so well done' Her reply, 'I like the real one better.'

Was devasted to see this shop was also closed L

Shoes as promised, the toes are actually more red, and the most important thing, they were on sale... half price! And one of the most comfortable shoes I have ever brought.

And George I have now found out, has a shoe fetish.

Big day today, visited the Cadbury factory in Claremont, Hobart, photos on other camera, it was hard to take, all that chocolate, and at factory prices. We also visited two dairy goat studs, tomorrow Salamanca Markets, lookout Hobart here we come.

Talk later, LiBBiE in Oz

And This Little Pig said Holiday Post 3 and Cow-Day-Wednesday

Ok it's CowDay Wednesday, and yes I managed to take some cow photos, say hello to some Tasmanian Cows!

Now today is my birthday, or at least for the next hour-ish, so for my birthday, I wanted to go to Cradle Mountain Lodge, and hopefully see snow, we stopped for lunch on the way at a lovely little town called Sheffield which is known for it's street murals. I went off to the toilet, and when I came back my dear cousin Lynda, had everyone in the pub sing me happy birthday.

Well Lynda, you know what they say, Payback in a… doesn't she look lovely with this pink plaid polar fleece shirt!

This is one of the photos of our cabin, George in front of the fire. George say's no more red wine by the way, and yes he is old enough to drink, and no drinking and driving.

The drive was beautiful, and I saw snow for the first time, it is amazing, the higher we got the more snow we saw… funny that :D

We found snow amazing, and really not all that cold, we built our first snowman.

Snow goat…

Even got Mum to come out and have her photo taken in the snow and with the snow goat.

Then we started tracking the wildlife of cradle mountain, this is me tracking 'Lynda'

And then we found footprints of a potoroo.

Then we had this cute little kangaroo, come out to meet us.

Followed by his friend the crow.

On the way back from dinner, which was superb, I forgot my camera, so I will have to get the meal photos of Lynda, we found a wombat on the side of one of the walkways, so I ducked back and took some photos.

Took loads of photos today… over 200, and look forward to taking many more tomorrow. The moss and lichens growing on the trees, rocks, ground is amazing. So lots lots lots more photos to come.

Oh brought myself a fab pair of shoes today, will photograph later, they are divine.

Talk soon, LiBBiE in Oz

And This Little Pig said Holidays Day 2

Yes Day 2 was yesterday, but we had a big day, and we are currently sitting in McDonalds (free wifi) having a hot chocolate, at the start of our day. We are off to Latrobe today, yes again, but this time with my cousin Lynda and aunt Ann. We are going to do the antique, second hand shops, cheese factory, raspberry farm, and most importantly CHOCOLATE factory.

Yesterday we did a lot of driving, didn't get to take many photos, but here is our day in a very quick nut shell.
 
Yonover Dairy Goat Cheese

Bridestowe Lavender Farm

Pyengana Cheese Factory - Cow cheese, sorry didn't take any photos of cheese shop

The cows on the hill a Pyengana

St Helens on the east coast of Tasmania

Last but not least we went out for dinner last night, and George really enjoyed the red wine.

Well that's it we have to run will post later tonight I hope.

Seeya soon LiBBiE in Oz

And This Little Pig said Holidays

Well G'day everyone, I know I have been gone for over a month, but have been planning big!!! My first holiday in over 15 years!!!!

And will be making up for my absence big time in this posting.

Every August I go home to the family farm, to help Mum with kidding out the Dairy Goat herd. Well this year Mum and I are at the current moment on holidays.

Meah is with a good friend, Sue for some reason the rest of my family believe she is spoilt rotten, and refused to have her L Sue has a Labrador, a Labradoodle, and a Labrador cross Nova Scotia Duck Troll Retrieving Dog (that’s a mouth full) She is having a wonderful time, being thoroughly spoilt. Sue is also taking care of the cats, calling in and seeing them everyday at home, feeding and checking their food.

Podge, is with my hairdresser, and her 13 month old Mini Dachshund, and is adjusting well, and thinks my hairdresser's partner is the most wonderful man in the world, and seeing she has had nothing to do with men, this has been a real surprise to everyone.

Evie and Quincy have gone home to the farm, and are being taken care of by family, who are obviously under a false impression that they are not spoilt. They will learn the error of this assumption.

Now finally onto the holiday, we are currently in Tasmania, sorry don't have a map, but if you have ever seen Oz on a map there is an smaller triangle shaped island at the bottom, well this is Tassie.

We decided to drive and take the 'big' ferry across.

So we left the farm in Tamworth, NSW on Friday morning the July 8, here is the speedo on my car… what a fluke.

We traveled just past Dubbo before stopping for lunch, which Mum had cooked overnight in the slow cooker.

Don't tell Mum I snapped this photo of her :D

Also that little bit of bright green in the photo is our traveling companion George the Green Sheep.

We stayed the night in Narrandera NSW, which is on the banks of the Murrumbidgee which means 'big water' in the Wiradjuri Aboriginal language. Just under nine hours of driving.

The next morning (Saturday July 9) we set off for Melbourne VIC to catch the ship, but did have one fun stop at the 'Big Strawberry' where George had his photo taken. Then because we had plenty of time, we detoured to Bendigo, stopping in at the Bendigo Woollen Mill, brought some beautiful pure wools to knit, will have to grab a photo at some time.

Then on to Melbourne, arrived around 5pm, the day involved around six hours of driving.

So wandered off to take some photos before we lost all the light, this is the little pier off to the side the terminal.

Mum on the wharf, again we won't tell her I was using her as a model, and yes it really was cold.

Our 'ferry-boat-ship' to Tasmania, the Spirit of Tasmania II.

In the queue waiting to get on the Spirit, the view out to the city of Melbourne.

George on his bunk in our cabin, and lets just say that George was not the only one who was left a little green. Four to five metre waves, that 12 to 15 feet, lots of awful wind, then they had to have a second attempt at getting into the river at Devonport. We were supposed to disembark at 6.30am, and we got off the boat at 7.45am. Here's hoping the trip home will be smoother.

We had breakfast with friends in Morierty, before going into Latrobe to the Chocolate Festival. I must say we were terribly disappointed, it was not at all like we expected and we had been so looking forward to going, but it got us out on solid ground and we walked off some of that 15 hours of driving time, getting the kinks out to the legs.

So here I am in our motel in Launceston, bone tired, with George hogging the bed, Mum sound asleep, I am about to follow her, doing a long overdue blog update, watching the Tour de France, and all things considered enjoying the start of our holiday. Better day tomorrow :-)

Will keep you all posted, and sorry I won't have much time to check up on blogs…. I am on holidays… HOLIDAYS!!!

LiBBiE in Oz (way downunder in Oz)