Hello!

Hello fair readers!  I'm back again.

Yes, I went away for a little while, then took some time to settle back at home.  It was time to refresh, get some sea air and enjoy being together as a family.  The after affects of being away have been wonderful! As in, I'm still feeling fairly relaxed and hope it last at least to the end of October. (smiles!)

Here are some of the things we've been up to:

A whole day was spent at Churchill Island, getting there early for the first exhibition on how to milk a cow, and staying until the whip cracking demonstration and trials were over.  We enjoyed looking through the heritage property, which is connected to Phillip Island.

This stunning peacock followed us about for a bit after we arrived.  Isn't he beautiful?!

Naturally, I HAD to photograph the garden decorations.

A chat with the blacksmith kept Papa busy for a while, whilst Maestro, Mariposa and I checked out the baby animals.  We came back in time to see him make a horseshoe.

Here's the view we had from our picnic table, looking out to Port Phillip Bay in the distance.  It was a lovely warm day with a cool breeze.  I don't think you can see them very well, but a family of ducks waddled past us (on the left) and over to the dam.

Mariposa really enjoyed watching the working dogs demonstration, and then struck up a conversation with the ranger working there.  They're now chatting to each other via emails on how to train dogs and a possible opportunity to do work experience there in a few years.

On a much cooler day, we headed out to The Nobbies to do some seal watching.  They have a great indoor interactive display there now, with heaps of educational information on the rare oceans finds of the area.  (The gift shop was really good, too!!)

This was a fun day, at Amaze'N'Things.  We've been here before, but the children were much younger.

The activities can keep children busy for a few hours.  Some of us even had a go at the vertical drop!
(Noticing that Maestro's not in many photos?  He WAS there, but has become camera shy.)


Of course, if there's a place with lots of chocolate nearby, how can anyone stay away?  Panny's Chocolate Factory was a great place to visit .. so long as you took the time to slowly go through the educational part and read the information on how they make it from the cocoa beans.  If you rush through this to the fun rooms where you can play games to win balls of chocolate, or make your own chocolate swirls, or even have a go at choosing your own chocolate filling (be-it vegemite, raspberry, cola or wasabie), then you'll miss half of the display.

Yes, that reads "Chocolate Mousse".

Of course, we took a night out to watch the Penguin Parade too, as well as a few lovely warm days on the beach.

Thank you for dropping by!