Green Thumb

Yesterday, I went to Bunnings, Australia's Home Depot, to buy some more herbs for the garden. We need to replant some Basil, Oregano and Parsley, which we use almost daily. I was a bit disappointed when I arrived at Bunnings and saw that their herb section was bare. The shelves were absolutely empty.

However, I couldn't leave Bunnings empty handed. So, instead of herbs, I bought 3 house plants plus a Golden Jade Succulent and a Gardenia for the outside garden. While we were in the States for those three weeks, a few of our house plants didn't do too well. I've been trying to nurse them back to life for the past month. But, it's been useless. So, I decided to transplant new ones and start fresh.









Even though we're missing a few much needed cooking herbs, our garden is looking nice.

You know that old saying, "be careful what you wish for"? I made a huge mess transplanting the plants. There was soil all over the patio table and tile floor. As I started sweeping up the mess, I had secretly wished that we had an outside water faucet and pressure washer. Well, be careful what you wish for. A little while later, the sky opened up and a torrential downpour started to clean off the patio. However, the BEST way to clean it is to get out in the rain with a push broom and sweep the rain puddles off the patio along with the dirt. This way the patio gets a little scrubbing. So, out I went. As the sky rained down on me and the lightning flashed, I scrubbed the patio clean. What we'll do for a nice looking garden eh?

My Book, Some Bubbly, and the Bridge

I've been to Sydney once before. So, when we arrived yesterday, I knew right where I was headed, The Botanic Gardens. The Gardens are situated overlooking Farm Cove, directly east of The Opera House, The Harbour Bridge and Circular Quay. It's my favorite part of the city.





It's Spring in Australia, and the gardens were in full bloom.



My goal was to make it to the tip of Mrs. Macquarie's Point, said to have the best view of both The Harbour Bridge and The Opera House. I would have to say, I agree. The Garden's were established in 1816 by Governor Macquarie as part of the Governor's Domain. Elizabeth Macquarie, the Governor's wife, used to walk to the point and liked to sit and admire the view of the Harbour. Her husband has his workmen carve a special seat for her.





After walking to the tip of Mrs. Macquaries Point, I plopped myself down on one of the many lawns and read my book for awhile. What a view! I had the city and gardens to my back, Farm Cove in front of me, and The Opera House and Harbour Bridge off to my left.



After reading for awhile, I walked a short distance to the Opera House Cafe. It's a Bar and Grill type restaurant with outside seating at the base of the Opera House stairs. Another place with GREAT views. There, I had my first bubbly of the trip while enjoying the views of the Harbour.



Sydney is quite an active city. In Brisbane, I have never felt like a tourist. I realize that I am a foreigner here, but I've never felt like a typical tourist. In Sydney, it's different. Yesterday, I was surrounded by multiple languages. I heard German, Spanish, Japanese, English, Italian ...just to name a few. And everywhere I looked people were taking just as many pictures as I was with their Nikons and Cannons. I guess this is to be expected when you're in one of the World's Great Cities.

Feeling a Bit Like Spring

I've always enjoyed gardening. There's something about planting a small plant and watching how, over time, it grows and changes that I just love. And it's even better when that plant provides food.

When I first moved to Oz, Ryan and I spent a small fortune buying everything we'd need to plant our patio gardens. We ended up with 3 fruit trees, 2 tomato plants, heaps of herbs and flowers. Unfortunately, our tomato plants didn't survive. We got one small tomato between the two plants. We figured out quickly that Australian summers are NOT the right time to plant tomatoes. So, now that spring is just around the corner, we've decided to give it another go.

Hopefully, this time our tomatoes will survive. Again, we bought two plants ~ one is a Big Beef and the other is a cherry tomato variety.



We also stocked up on some of the herbs that had died off over the winter ~ basil, mint, cilantro and thyme. And planted them along side the herbs that survived the winter ~ oregano, lemon verbena, rosemary, parsley and tarragon.




And I had to have this Snapdragon. We had an extra pot since I killed a house plant, and I knew that our back patio would feel more complete with another plant : )





Now, that that days are getting warmer and our patios are filled with plants again, it's feeling a bit like Spring in Oz.

Dream Home

There's nothing I'd rather be doing on a Sunday afternoon than spending time with my guy. Ryan and I decided to get out and explore our neighborhood. We've driven the main road from our apartment toward East Brisbane lots of times. But, we've never turned off the main road to see what treasures were off the beaten path.

Our goal was to walk to Norman Park, a small park about 3 miles east of our apartment, and photograph Old Queenslander Houses along the way. In Australia, there are parks on every corner. So, while walking to Norman Park, we inevitably passed a handful of other parks, as well.

Next to Mowbray Park, we found our dream house. We both noticed the FOR SALE sign at the same time and our bodies naturally shifted the direction we were walking and bee lined straight for the house.



Here it is!! The gorgeous 85 year old Queenslander. It's at the end of a quiet street that dead ends at Mowbray Park, a beautiful park situated on the Brisbane River. Ryan got on his phone and went to the website listed on the FOR SALE sign and that's when we learned.... it's listing price is $1.5 Million. I guess we'll have to keep looking. It was a nice dream while it lasted!

Roma Street Parkland

Yesterday, Ryan and I visited the Roma Street Parklands, an oasis in the heart of the Brisbane CBD (Central Business District). Even though we were only a few feet from the hustle and bustle of the city center, it seemed like we were miles away. The Parkland's spectacular subtropical plant displays are spread over 40 acres. Visitors walk a web of pathways and boardwalks traversing cascading waterways, a misty fern grove, rocky peninsulas, a lakeside meadow and gardens bursting with color.

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.
~John Burroughs

Nature is my medicine.
~Sara Moss-Wolfe

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
~Albert Einstein

Beauty of a Botanic Garden

"Earth laughs in flowers."
Ralph Waldo Emerson


“Just living is not enough... One must have sunshine,
freedom, and a little flower.”
Hans Christian Andersen



"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous."
Aristotle


"A woodland in full color is as awesome as a forest fire, in magnitude at least, but a single tree is like a dancing tongue of flame to warm the heart."
Hal Borland

Six Days in Sydney

One of the perks of Ryan's job is that he occasionally gets to travel. This past week, he needed to travel to Sydney to install a system and train the users. I decided to go with him since, on my first trip here, I only saw the inside of the Sydney Airport.

After checking into the Amora Hotel, we walked a few blocks towards The Rocks in search of dinner. The Rocks is the site of Australia's first settlement. For many years, it had a reputation as a place of brawling, hard drinking, whoring and villainy. The area is now a tourist meca which has an almost medieval feel. We ended up eating at an outdoor restaurant called Peter Doyle's on the Quay overlooking both the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. It was my first taste of Sydney, and it was hard to know which direction to look.

Peter Doyle's is the building on the left


The next day, I had the entire day to explore Sydney alone since Ryan was working. I had my tour book handy and had already mapped out everything I wanted to see. I walked more than four miles that day, but it was worth it because I got to see why Sydney has established itself as one of the world's great cities. I walked along the promenade at Circular Quay (pronounced 'key') watching the ferries and street performers on my way toward the Opera House.

The landward approach to the Opera House


A minutes walk from the steps leading up to the Opera House is the Royal Botanic Garden. These luxuriantly planted 74 acres are one of the oldest Botanic Gardens in the world and the perfect counterpoint to the high-rise buildings and bustle of the city.



After walking through much of the garden, I headed toward the CBD (Central Business District). I had been told that Lindt Chocolate Cafe was a must while in Sydney. I agree. I got an iced mocha and passed several historic sites as I walked towards the many-domed Queen Victoria Building, a cathedral to conspicuous consumption. Needless to say, after spending about 6 hours exploring the city, my day ended with a nap while I waited for Ryan to come home from work.

The Copper Domes of The Queen Victoria Building, a 19th century shopping arcade


My second full day in Sydney was spent on the top of a double-decker bus enjoying the hop on hop off privledges that my ticket allowed. The tour originated at Central Station, continued around Darling Harbour, through The Rocks, Circular Quay, CBD, Kings Cross and The Botanical Gardens stopping at key attractions along the way. I could hop off, take pictures and catch another double decker bus because new buses passed every 15 mintues. It is a great way to see the city.

Looking at Sydney from Darling Harbour


After another long day, we ate the most delicious meal I think I've ever eaten. We had Grilled Baramundi and Grilled Queensland Prawns at Cafe Sydney. Cafe Sydney is an elegant restaurant on the 5th floor of the old Customs House on Circular Quay. It overlooks the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. I highly recommend this restaurant to all who visit.

View from Cafe Sydney


The following day, we took a ferry to the Toronga Zoo. It's a 15 minute ferry ride across the harbour to the zoo, and the ride takes you from the city to lush bush within minutes. In fact, when we arrived at the ferry landing Ryan pointed toward the hillside and informed me that we had arrived at the zoo. I could see nothing more than the canopy of the tropical forest. It's a beautiful zoo set in the middle of the harbour with panoramic views from every direction. We've been to three other zoos in Oz, so we were expecting to see many of the same animals. I was excited to learn that, unlike the other zoos, Toronga Zoo is home to penguins. I was especially excited when I got to the penguin enclosure and saw fairy penguins ~ the smallest penguins in the world and my favorite!! We spent most of the day exploring the zoo and learning more about all of the animals that call Australia home.

The view of the zoo from the ferry landing


Fairy Penguin


Saturday was our last full day in Sydney and we spent the day at Manly Beach, where the art of surfing originated in Australia in 1915. It's a 30 minute ferry ride to where the harbour meets the Pacific Ocean. Lined with shops, take-away stands, cafes and pubs a broad concourse called The Corso channels you from the ferry landing to the curving sandy beach. Ryan and I laid in the sand and were lulled into a comatose state by the rush of the waves in our ears and the warm sun on our faces. It was a beautiful afternoon. We watched the surfers and sunbathers for awhile, and then walked to get one of our favorite treats ~ Gelato.

Where the harbour opens to the Pacific


Manly Beach


Sunday Morning was spent at the Rocks Market eating breakfast and watching the tourists be fascinated by what the vendors had to offer. We had met a man from NY traveling with his two daughters the night before. They had just finished the Bridge Climb and were celebrating by having a beer. Since they were flying home to the US the next morning, they were going to be unable to use their tickets to the Bridge Tower that they had recieved after the Bridge Climb and were nice enough to give them to us. After breakfast, we headed to the stone tower and climbed the 200 steps up to the lookout. We got our last look at Sydney from here before heading to the airport and flying an hour back to Brisbane. It was a fantastic trip. The city is not only beautiful, but also rich with history. I can definately see why Sydney is one of the world's great cities.

The Opera House seen from the Bridge Tower


The Rocks on the right
Circular Quay to the left
and the city in the background


Standing on top of the Bridge Tower looking at the Harbour Bridge


To see more pictures... you can go to my photos on my FB page and click on the Sydney folder

Herb Garden and Pot Pies

We had another productive day in Oz yesterday. Ryan and I had bought several Tuscan style planters, soil, drainage rocks, and compost over the past week. However, we were only able to find live herb plants online. That is, until yesterday. On the way home from our beach trip the other day, we had spotted three fairly large garden centers within blocks of eachother. We stopped at one of them that day and bought a few planters. Yesterday, we decided to visit the other two nurseries. The second one is a gardener's dream! It not only has the most abundant indoor, outdoor and edible plant selection we've seen, but also a huge section with unique garden decor. It is definately a one stop place for someone who is designing an outdoor living space. As we meandered through each section, I kept saying, "this is my new favorite store in Australia". And I plan on taking my sister when she visits in August. We have been doing a lot of cooking and many of the recipes have called for cilantro. However, finding fresh cilantro in the grocery stores is near impossible. We were happy to find both cilantro (called coriander in Oz) and Italian parsley in addition to many, many other herbs. We've already placed on order online for about 8 other herb varieties and are waiting for them to be delivered, so we only bought those two herbs plus two tomato plants, a purple variety and a variety similar to the vine ripe ones you see in the grocery stores in the states. So, yesterday afternoon was spent on the patio planting our first tomato/herb garden. Thankfully, the plants seem to have transplanted well and aren't looking too shocked. We are looking forward to the day when we can use our own herbs when we are cooking.

Our tomato/herb garden


Ryan tending to his first tomato/herb garden


Speaking of cooking, any one who visits Australia will soon learn that Australians are HUGE pie fans. I'm not talking about your grandmother's sweet fruit pies. I'm talking about savory meat pies. You will find a multitude of varieties and there are even pie restaurants like our delis back home, where you can get individual sized pies in any combination of flavors you can imagine. In the afternoon, there are a few cooking shows that we have been watching. A few days ago, it seemed like they were talking to us. We had mentioned craving a pie, and that day the chefs were preparing pies! Needless to say, we started a list of ingredients that we would need. And yesterday evening after planting the veggie/herb garden, we made our first pie. It was a basic chicken pot pie, but it was delicious! Ryan BBQed the chicken before I cubed it added it to the filling, and it made for one smoky flavored pot pie. I've always said that the true test of whether a man enjoys a meal isn't whether or not he clears his plate. Instead, it's whether or not he goes back for seconds. With that in mind, Operation Pot Pie was a success. My guy went back for seconds!

Our first homemade pie in Australia