Welcome to Ridgy-Didge!

Ridgy-Didge is Australian colloquial for 'just right' or rather 'fair dinkum!'

When we bought the property over 7 years ago, it only had a number and no name. It needed a name as the place certainly has a personality. Well, it sits on a ridge with a grand view northwards to the Bunya Mountains, so what could be more 'all right' than sitting on the veranda with that view, whilst you have your breakfast or in the evenings with a glass of Australian wine? Or even watching the amazing stars at night or the tail-end of a storm as the lightning flashs in the vaste banks of clouds. Or maybe seeing a pair of Wedge-tail eagles as they soar in circles in the high thermals of the vasteness of the azure sky?

This house is a 100 year old Queenslander cottage. Quite small and unpretentious, but it has a gentle atmosphere and we have had many friends and family members come to stay and have enjoyed the peace and quiet of the place.

Thursday 20 March 2008

Easter time.



Happy Easter to any one reading this over this week end. I still find it difficult with the festivals in different seasons to what I am used to in the U.K. Easter in early autumn doesn't ring of "new life or beginnings" as Springtime offers! But the weather is warm and it's beautifully calm and peaceful today, which is Good Friday; and not hot enough to melt Easter eggs. I am making Hot Cross buns, so there is a delightful cinnamon smell in the air! We will eat them for 'Morning Tea, ' or ' Smoko' as it is called in the country! There are still lots of flowers out, including the plumbago and lots of red gladioli. Also the roses are reviving which is lovelyWe have a delightful tree called a Lilli Pilli. This has pretty fluffy cream flowers (without petals) and then pretty pink-red berries. I will add some pictures

Saturday 1 March 2008

Autumn


Summer is over as yesterday was the first day of autumn, well, officially. It hasn't been much of a summer by Aussie standards.
Yesterday evening I went with some friends to see ' Romeo and Juliet' acted in Queen's Park, Toowoomba. Every year they have a Shakespeare in the Park. We took our supper and bottles of wine. It was most enjoyable, especially as it was such a beautiful evening. The sky changed from blue to pearly grey as the sun set behind the trees; then to purple as the last birds fly over, Honey eaters, Gullahs and a few budgerigars. And the silhouettes of the magnificently sculptural Camphor Laurels stood out in the spotlights. There didn't seem to be any mossies about either, so it was very good.
This mornign I thought there was a different smell outside of the house. It wasn't unpleasant,butfamiliar and I couldn't place it. Going out-side to look about I realised it was from 2 big wattle trees that were in flower. A mass of pale lemon blossoms frothing over the trees. As they are the same as the mimosa family, you can understand what the distinctive scent was like.