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Sunday, 10 September 2023

A busy month for our city

It is September which means the flowers in our city are blooming and  the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers  has begun. The Carnival runs for the whole month so there is plenty of time for visitors to make the trip up the Toowoomba Range. 


 

Last week a couple of my friends and I visited Laurel Bank Park  which is my favourite park in town. I was in a hurry so didn't go up the viewing platform to see the gardens from above as the theme is spelled out in flowers. 


It is a lovely park with lots of quirky gardens to look at and there is a playground etc. for the children as well. The tulips are already looking stunning and the wisteria arbour is covered in wisteria that is already flowering. Some years it is just coming into flower but obviously we have had some warm days towards the end of winter. 

While in town check out the various cafes and restaurants that are featuring main meals and desserts that are available during the Carnival. One of these is the 2 Birds Cafe just across the road from our main shopping centre, Grand Central. It is under new management as the former owners have retired so call in for a cuppa and support the new owners. The tables have been decoupaged and I just love running my hands over the surface as the lady, who worked on them when decoupage was a popular hobby, did an outstanding job as I did decoupage for a while and know how many coats are done in the final finish. 




Spring has sprung in the garden and all the cliveas are flowering. We have a few different colours including cream, apricot and a darker apricot. 



The daisies are also putting on a show...


...and the one in the above photo was a freebie from the Council as we are entitled to two free plants as year. 

Last weekend a friend and I travelled to Warwick and on the way called in at the Glengallan Homestead
which is just past Allora. I had been there before but my friend hadn't so we went through the homestead which has been mostly renovated. On the bottom floor there is a sign explaining the demise of 'Myrtle' the Moggy Mummy .....




...as the cat was entombed when the floorboards went down in the drawing room...



...poor Myrtle.  

On the first Sunday of the month at the change of the season there are markets held at the homestead. There is a nice cafe there where you can buy a coffee and have a Devonshire Tea and rest. 





As mentioned in my last post I had a lovely holiday at Caloundra and came home to find the possum had found its way into the peas once again despite my closing up the first hole it made so I have just pulled the peas out in disgust. 




A least the possums leave the freesias alone...



...and the azaleas. Thank goodness. 

Do check out the Carnival of Flowers website if you are thinking of visiting our city as there are numerous activities being offered. Enjoy yourself!






5 comments:

  1. I loved seeing the flowers in your garden. What a shame about your peas. We live very close to a bushland and fortunately the possums (if there are any there) seem to like the bush rather than the garden which means I am happily harvesting peas. People further down the hill have trouble with cockatoos biting off their flowers and yet they don't bother my flower garden. They seem happy that I give them a whole tree full of walnuts at the back. Fortunately that is the way things are now, it could change over time.

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  2. We never used to have possums eating our veggies. This is something new this year. The cockatoos eat the macadamia and pecan nuts so that keeps them off the veggies. It is discouraging to get up in the morning and find your veggies gardens wrecked 🫣 Chel

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  3. I once saw a documentary about things placed in old Australian houses to keep witches at bay. One was a single child’s shoe in the attic and the other was a mummified cat under the floor boards! I wonder if Myrtle’s was an accidental mummification or placed there to keep witches and evil spirits away? Poor little thing! Beautiful flowers, always such a stunning display.🖤Jennie

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    1. Jennie, that may have been the case. Poor moggy. Yes the flowers are just beautiful.

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  4. We went last Friday to the flowers and I'm yet to edit and post my photos. We also went to the Heritage Photography Awards which was held at the Art Gallery [Building B] at the University of Southern Queensland. It was very hard to find however if you come in the main street entrance and you see all the flags and stairs go up the stairs and it's on the left. They are on until the 20th October. Two people in my online photography group won prizes. 1st Prize "Taste of Summer" the sprinkers in the yard and the one next to it a woman ironing clothes in B&W. It's free to go and see them.

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