Views in the 'Ville

During the end of last week and over the weekend I was enjoying this view.

Summer = stinger time (box jelly fish)

What a way to officially bring in Summer!

Now I wasn't really there for the view, although it is one I enjoy every time. I was there to spend time with family.
Anyone following along in Instagram probably has an idea of what I've been up to lately.

Magnetic Island and the jetty from The Strand.

Mum, Bro S, Sis C and her daughters, and her mother in law, had flown up to visit and sight see. More to visit, really.

Magnetic Island

I hope they had a good time. I know I certainly enjoyed the visit, as crazy as it was. A nearly 16yr old, an 18 month old and a nearly 4 year old certainly kept us on our toes. I can't believe that Bro S is nearly 16, let alone that he is catching us all up in height. And the last time I saw my nieces, little Miss A still hadn't mastered walking. How much they are all growing!

Castle Hill looking over the city.

Fingers crossed it is only a couple of weeks until I see them again. As I keep saying "that is the plan".

The jetty, Magnetic Island and the stinger net up for swimming in.

We kept pretty busy while in Townsville but there were also the relaxing quiet times. I quite possibly tagged along to Kmart as my first spot to visit when I arrived on Thursday. May I just add that it was a better one than any of ours further north, as seems to be the case with most shops, not that I am a real 'shopping' person.

Castle Hill

We managed to get some of the usual sights in that I also usually visit but also tried out a new spot. More on that later, hopefully. Knowing my blogging rates at the moment, who knows.

The port.

Right now I think I am still on the happy high from seeing family, even though I was sad to wave goodbye. 

Do you look forward to family visits?

Are yours as chaotic as ours?

Can you believe how close Christmas is?!!!!

A Saturday Drive

 As the title suggests on Saturday we went for a drive (yep the obvious).
We headed up the Kuranda Range with rainforest hugging it close then kept on going inland through to Mareeba where the land is more open and filled with sugar cane and fruit trees,

We watched the scenery change as we (meaning I) sang along to whatever was on the ipod (Mr Sparky's ipod to be exact and singing to 'whatever' means making up the words to songs I'd never heard as well as the ones I knew).
 

Cane fields nearly ready for or waiting for harvest whizzed on by, well except when we were behind that cane truck that was turning off for the nearby sugar mill.
 

Did you know that sugar cane falling over is a good thing? It means it has high sugar content.

 

The feathery bit sticking up are the cane in flower. When the majority of the crop is in flower it is ready to harvest.

 

Not only was there fully grown cane but newly planted cane with green shoots sprouting, neatly planted in rows that faded into the distance.
 

I love the lines made by crops planted in neat rows.
 

The sugar mill in the distance was working hard with steam rising from its torrent like chimneys.
 

 

The further inland we went the drier the land seemed.
 

Dimbulah saw us turning off the main highway and heading 'bush' over creeks and on not as wide bitumen.
 

 

We then turned off again leaving the bitumen behind, trading it instead for corrugations, the crunch of gravel and dust rising behind us, oh and Mr Sparky driving slooooowwwww taking in the scenery from the confines of 'The Bull Catcher' (my car) with the windows down to take in the dusty fresh air and for photo taking.
 

Honestly it was heaven, dust and all. I didn't realise how much I missed those wide open spaces, the dirt roads, the trees, the dipping creek crossings, cattle grids and the scenery until I caught myself being unable to stop smiling. Freedom.
(The truth is I did know how much, just not quite how much.)
 

 



What a view!

 



Woops forgot the aerial ... some lovely cairns person stole my original so now it doesn't live on my car.



Mr Sparky remembered this tree from when he was a kid.

 



Road closed ... I wonder why?

 



Nothing better than the 'drrrr' crossing a grid.

This was not the end of our Saturday drive but just the beginning. Where did we end up do you think?
(hint: photos are worth 1000 word or in this case have them featured)
I'll be back to you with some more soon