Beach Shack Renovation Five

There have been a few more improvements to the beach shack, but with it taking time, and it being winter, things seem to be progressing slowly.

Boeuf Bourguignon

As my sister recently mentioned, one of my favourite winter dishes is Boeuf Bourguignon, a rich French beef stew flavoured primarily with red wine, tomato paste and bacon.

It isn't a dish that holds memories of travels to France but instead was just an appealing looking recipe in the first of the French cookbooks I was given. Since then, it gets made every winter, possibly several times over and seems to be thoroughly enjoyed by everyone (it was the recipe my sister decided to make for her Bastille day party this year).

Replication

Photo from Claire

Mum has always loved the fact that when my sister and I first learnt to sew we were never interested in using existing patterns, preferring instead to replicate existing clothes (without pulling that piece to pieces in order to achieve this).

Logically it makes sense really, we had clothes we knew we loved and that fitted us (an increasing problem). So why put in all the time and effort on a pattern you don't actually know you'll like.

I do use patterns now, some of the time, and I think I can say the same for my sister, but there are still times when replicating existing items in one's wardrobe is just the more sensible option.

Years ago now, I acquired from my mother's wardrobe a beautiful mid-calf-length wool skirt. It is rust coloured and of eight gores which flare below the knee. For remaining warm whilst running errands, it is perfect. So perfect in fact that I decided I needed another one, in a dark grey/black.

C.Y.O'Connor Beach

Off South Beach

Being located on the water, Fremantle is a port after all, one of the things I like to do while house sitting in the area is to head down to C.Y.O'Connor Beach to explore the wrecks and memorial, and watch the setting sun.

My first venture down,several years ago now, had been purely accidental; arriving at South Beach an hour before sunset, I didn't feel like hanging around and so rode south, past the cattle slip lanes before climbing over the sand dues and onto the beach. There, about 50 metres off the coast, partially submerged in the waves, is a statue of a man on a horse. It is the memorial to C.Y.O'Connor who committed suicide off this beach in 1902.

O'Connor is one of this state's great engineers. He is responsible for the transformation of Fremantle Harbour into the commercial success it is today and for the pipeline that transported water from the Perth hills to Kalgoorlie to support the growing gold rush.

In Memoriam

My grandfather passed away August 2, 2014, leaving behind two daughters, four grandchildren, one great grandchild and a tonne of memories and stories.

The Porongurups and Drive Home

As we were 'in the area' and had an afternoon at our fingertips we headed towards the Porongurups. 

Researching Lower Kalgan

Common Forest Heath

Having heard of our reason for visiting Albany, our host Jim suggested that we talk to one of his friends Don, a historian of the area.
Discovering that the property in my novel would likely have been an orchard, he suggested we head out in the direction of Lower Kalgan to check out the scenery.

By today's standards Lower Kalgan is about 20 minutes north east of Albany town centre, but 100 years ago, it is likely that it would have taken closer to an hour to make the journey, particularly as it is possible the route was a little less direct than the one we took.

Dawn on the Princess Royal Harbour

I'm not really a dawn person.
I much prefer staying up late into the night reading or writing and then spending the morning curled up in a warm bed, maybe with a purring hot water bottle.

However, with it being the middle of winter and the sun rising after 7 am, and being on holidays, and being surrounded by beautiful scenery and being in Albany to see the scenery, I declared that I wanted to see the sun rise one of the mornings we were in Albany.

Albany Wind Farm

The final stop of our day in the Torndirrup National Park was the Albany Wind Farm. 

However before the hugging and the singing, we decided we needed afternoon tea. 

Torndirrup National Park - Stony Peak

Next stop on our sun drenched tour of the Torndirrup National Park was Stony Peak. 

A location, during the war, for a signal lookout, now it is the perfect place to sit whale spotting or just soak in the beauty of the surrounding landscape. 

In the foreground is an iron nail, remnant from the rock's use as a signal lookout.