ICAD 2016 - Week 8

ICAD #50 Paisley

ICAD #51 purple or violet
Purple fingerprints made into balloons

ICAD #52 staircase

ICAD #53 fortune
I was thinking big dollar signs for this one, with glitter. changed my mind and went with fortune telling. Don't ask me what the Ace of Cups means, I have no idea! Ever had your fortune told? I haven't, but I am curious. My extent is reading the stars signs in the local rag. 

ICAD #54 aquarium.
This was a card I prepared a couple of weeks ago. Lime green background with orange blotches. When I looked at it while thinking about this prompt, the orange blotches were asking to be turned into fish.

ICAD #55 Olympics
I am looking forward to the Olympics. I am hoping the Izzy gets to see the gymnastics on the telly, even more so, hoping it is a peaceful Olympic Games. 

ICAD #56 text or texture
I went with texture with this one. I found a scrap of crosstitch fabric, and other bits and bobs from my craft box. I first started crosstitching when I was pregnant with my first. I have several crosstitich samplers framed on the walls that are 25 years old! The one I was doing when he was born is one of those and is so special to me. 

Hedgend Maze, Healesville, Victoria

After not much luck on our train ride to find a picnic spot in Healesville, we ventured here. Brett had heard about this place, Hedgend Maze, from a guy at work.

I wasn't convinced. I had visions of outings he'd planned before, where he earned the nickname Brett Koight from family and friends. You know after that other blundering tour guide, Russell Koight.  Plus he'd pissed me off the night before, and that morning, so I had my "you're just an idiot" pants on.

Initially I had balked at the sixty dollar entry fee. It seemed a lot for a family of four, $15 each, but it is well worth the money. 

I had thought, with out looking too much into it, that it was just a hedge maze, but Hedgend is so much more than that with several different activities to keep everyone busy and happy.

We started with our prepacked picnic, and moved on to the 18 hole mini golf course. This was enjoyed by all. We even came back here before leaving, for another round, the kids loved it so much.

We next moved on to the native maze, which was a short hedged maze with a play fort in the middle. This was any easy one to see where the kids were, and central to the mini golf, the tall hedge maze and fossil dig area.

I was a bit worried about the kids getting lost in the tall cypress hedge maze, but I needn't have. I felt a little lost at times, but the kids were loving it. There was one stage when I was running through with Summer, she was giggling and having so much fun. For just one second there, I felt like I was four again too.

I loved the smell of the freshly clipped cypress. There were several different points of interest within the maze. Like the butterflies on old posts, garden ornaments and little garden beds. 

There were also quotes by famous people, and clues in the way of specific letter at each one, to solve a puzzle at the end.

Butter would not melt....

The fossil dig was two sandpits where the kids could dig and discover. They also liked walking around the area on tree stumps, even the big kids.

The spider web maze was a circle of poles with ropes strung in between. The object was to start at one pole and work your way under and over the other ropes to get to the other side. 
This maze was also popular.

Hedgend is a credit to it's creator and the people who run it, and I admit that I was wrong, we had all got our fifteen dollars worth. From the mini golf alone. Kids under three are free too.

Joining Kylie for #IBOT, I never blog on Tuesdays!!!

Healesville train ride

We were all excited about this trip. As far as us adults we knew we were on a twenty minute trip to a winery, where we were going to have a picnic with hopefully a wine purchase or two.

The kids were excited for the train ride and they were not disappointing. They loved every minute, seeing a mob of kangaroos, going through a tunnel and having the conductor asking for, and punching a triangle hole in their tickets. 

The parents were  not so happy though, because the train did not go to the actual winery. It stopped, due to a broken bridge, the driver changed ends and we railed back to our original destination. Sad face.

We alighted the train, came across a HUGE bloody dog in the station, and worked on finding somewhere else we could enjoy our picnic.

Next time I will make sure to take the seat at the front of the train. The view coming in and out of the tunnel was gorgeous and I couldn't get a great photo of it. 

When the bridge is fixed and the train goes through to the Tarrawarra Winery, I will most definitely take the train ride again someday in the future. I am pretty certain we will be back in Healesville again.

Marvelling at the size of this dog, we were informed that it's only four months old with it's owner remarking, "You should see the mother!"

An InLinkz Link-up

Feeding native birds in Healesville

We've had a busy school holidays. The first weekend was spent away in Adelaide, for Izzy's gymnastics championships. She did really well for her first competition, with a silver ribbon, and three bronzes in vault, floor, bars and beam respectively. 

We had several days at home after that recuperating and catching up on washing.

A week before we'd been having drinks with the neighbours, and before you know it, we had a spontaneous snow trip planned for the second weekend of the holidays. 

I was really looking forward to this weekend, and I was not disappointed at all. Everybody had a fantastic time. 

Our choice of accommodation was the BIG4 Yarra Valley Park Lane Holiday Park in Healesville, Victoria. While we were initially taken aback by the lack of room in our cabin, we settled in well and realised this place was a gem. The park is set in quiet bush land with the most amazing tall trees.

The playground, jumping pillow and BBQ area were steps from our front doors and we could hear nearby Badgers Creek bubbling away beyond that.

The one thing that stood out when we arrived was the greeting from the local bird life. Before we had fully unpacked our car, there were several Rosella perched on our porch, checking out the new occupants.

We got our hands on some wild bird seed (available from reception) and loved the chance to interact with these beautiful birds. 
   

female king parrot

male king parrot

Rosella

Week 29 Bright - #fmy52weeksofmemories