Bush mouse vs Beach mouse

I grew up in the bush. A small town in rural South Australia. There was a mill, a train station, a deli, a pub, several stores, a cop shop, a school and a bank. There's not much there anymore, you'd be lucky to trip over a tumbleweed. A couple of humble shops and the school remain.

It's landscape is warm and familiar, it welcomes me with open arms. Mighty gum trees, green fields and grassy roadsides.

Childhood memories flow like lava, I long for those days again. Playing in the front yard with log truck rumbling past, my brothers and sisters pumping our arms for a horn blow. Dad playing Boche down the road with the other Europeans immigrants, underneath grapevine covered greens. The smell of freshly cut pine filling the air from the timber mill.

I am torn between the bush and the coastline I now live near, although I didn't go that far. I am still only thirty kays from where I grew up. The beach is closer.

I spent a lot of my school holidays by our local beaches. Gran and Grandpa lived in Southend, their house was only a sandhill's walk away from dipping my toes in the water, or filling a bucket with shells.

The air is crisp, the waves calming. I remember many nights laying in bed listening to the waves ebb and flow on the beach. I could not tell you how many times I was nipped on the foot by a skittish crab while paddling in the surf.

I learnt how to fish on it's jetty. Cray boats scattered the bay, bringing in their catch and rolling it in on steel carts along rail lines. 

Not too much has changed here since I was a kid, mainly the people. The beach has been eroded away by huge winter seas, but I still enjoy spending the day along it's sandy shores. These days I'm a lot more sun wise, no more blistered red shoulders, that would stick to the sheets at night, skin peeling off the following week.

I am calmed by the whispering waves, as they take my cares out to sea. I take in the fresh air, deep into my lungs and expel the negative. 

Both the bush and the beach hold a special place in my heart, though I don't think I could ever life too far from the beach now. I would miss feeling the sand between my toes. 

Are you a bush mouse or a beach mouse?

Joining Denyse for #lifethisweek

An InLinkz Link-up

Passionate about protecting the Limestone Coast

Passion is a word that's been bandied around a lot lately, and I can totally see why. 

We've been in Robe over the weekend. I've been dead quiet on the social web, because no wifi, well not any free wifi anyway. Isn't that a bummer.

I just think wonderful small towns like this would benefit from having a free wifi hotspot. Imagine that free wifi as free advertising for the towns seaside charm, great dining and shopping. It equals tourists, economy boosting visitors to the fabulous Limestone Coast.

 Maybe it's just me being miffed, that I can't afford the extra costs to run my phone on wifi when I'm not at home. 

On Saturday we came across a gathering of locals and community leaders, the first in South Australia, to declare their community 'gasfield free'. A stand against unconventional gas mining and fracking in the Limestone Coast. 

A man stood, quite emotional, as he spoke. He was passionate. Passionate about keeping our area fracking free. Passionate about his community. 

We need passionate people. Passionate people are leaders. Passionate people get things done. They make noise. They share their passion, until other people start to care, to become passionate too. 

I love our coastline. It is fabulous. 

I love our farmlands. They are fabulous, precious. Beautiful. 

I love this land of ours. I do believe it is worth protecting from contamination. It is worth protecting for our future generations, locals and visitors alike,  of our gorgeous part of the world. 

Have you heard of the 'Lock the gate' campaign?

...ooOoo...

An InLinkz Link-up

Port Fairy folkie 2014

Ginger and Tonic, 4 girls sing acapella with a difference

Good one Dad, perfect toy...NOT! It mysteriously went missing when we got back to the caravan. Sssshh, it's still in the cupboard under the fridge.

No there's not dirt on your screen, just Izzys head.

We had a right royal crack up at Summer on this one. She's a little goer and loved every minute, even holding up the line on her way up.

Street performers

One of the many buskers

More markets than you could poke a stick at, no, really, there was shiploads!

Hopkins River Mouth and Logans Beach - Warrnambool

During our holiday in Warrnambool, we spent a morning at the Hopkins River Mouth and Logans Beach.

From May to October, Southern Right Whales come to play, give birth and nurse their calves. But right now, it's our playground. 

The beach in the background is absolutely packed with the Victorian Nippers championships.

This bush was up at the toilets/carpark. It had white butterflies all over it.

Australia Day breakfast at Beachport

We've been caravaning by the sea this long weekend. It's back home today, then Izzy starts her first full kindy year tomorrow! 

On Sunday, I attended my first Australia Day breakfast ever, in Beachport. The breaky was delicious, it's a credit to the Beachport Lions Club and the perfect example that volunteers make the world go round.

Standing, singing and listening to the crowd sing the national anthem was awesome, followed by the presentation. I'll be sure not to miss another Australia Day breakfast if I can help it, just for the food alone!

How did you celebrate Australia Day?

Elaine Donaldson, receiving her Australia Day award.
An impressive young lady, Rachel Smith, won the young Australian of the year award,
and The Beachport Duck Race won the event of the year.

Mmmm, bacon!

Only in my country

My place in time #94

This is definitely something you will not see in any other country. The yellow and black sign with an australian native animal on it. I'm am not entirely sure, but the yellow and black diamond sign may be an australian only thing as well. 

Kangaroos grazing on the side of the road is a common sight in the early morning and pre-evening in our part of the country. Hence the most common sight as roadkill on the road side also. 

Towards Beachport there is wombat signs, and over the border into Victoria towards Portland, koala signs.

It comes as no surprise then to see these animals as respective roadkill in these areas. I was quite shocked the first time I saw a dead koala laying on the side of the road near Portland. Hubby informed me, he saw quite a few koalas trying to cross the road while rumbling along in his truck, not much match for a poor old koala.