Coast

A quick decision saw us heading to the coast, pre-dawn.

We stopped briefly for a take-away coffee for me from the Braidwood bakery, then off down the mountain to Moruya for breakfast - we were their first customers for the day.

We have a longstanding family connection to Broulee.  It has been a few years since I've been there, but many more for my favourite sister.

Paddling in the ocean.  What could be better?

Crafty preparations

There are a couple of Big Shindigs happening at chez nettie this weekend.  We will celebrate my Dad's 80th birthday and almost all the family is coming - yikes!

Luckily for me, my favourite sister is here to help with the preparations (actually, she came to relax and chill out, but I have put her to work).  We have spent some time getting the outdoors ready for the Shindigs.  Finding tables and seating for so many people was a bit of challenge, but we pulled out some old and cruddy tables from the, cleaned them up and covered one with oilcloth (Kaffe Fassett, no less. Sorry Kaffe)....

...and the other with this gorgeous vintage shower curtain plastic - picked up brand new and unused at... I forget where.  I love the retro stripes.

 We trekked around camping stores and outdoor furniture stores seeking a replacement canvas for my deck chair.  Too hard.  None to be found.  But I think Anna Maria Horner would be proud of the way we used her Volumes design to make our own deck chair seat.  Sister cut, ironed and pinned.  I sewed.  We love it.

(Now, if only my sister would stay, we could do this sort of thing all the time.)

An occasional walk - Goorooyarroo

Being on hols gives one the chance to make spur of the moment decisions on what to do for the morning.  My favourite sister and I had been up since 5-ish. We'd walked the dog, had breakfast, done the shopping for Friday's curry night and so, at 9.30 am, we decided to take a quick outing. 

Perusing my trusty Canberra Nature Parks map, we decided on Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve, out Gungahlin way.  No dogs allowed, so Ms Lily stayed at home to guard the curry ingredients.

Along with the adjacent Mulligans Flat Woodland Reserve, this is one of the largest Yellow Box - Red Gum Grassy Woodland stands in the region.  There are beautiful stands of the Yellow Box and Red Gum as well as fallen timber in parts, then gorgeous open grasslands.  The swathes of kangaroo grass are magnificent (if you like that sort of thing - and I do).

There are hills to climb (or, in our case, sort of partly climb) and pristine dams buzzing with dragonflies.

It turned into a warm morning once those storm clouds dissipated, and my sister and I returned to the car hot, thirsty and happy in each other's company.  (PS  I wish she would stay.)