MY SOUL IS FED BY NEEDLE AND THREAD
....ohh and pencils and paper

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

The Port of Echuca

We have spent a very nice 2 1/2 days here in the Port of Echuca. We have been awoken each morning to a chorus of Magpies with the odd screech from a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo flying overhead. We have taken lovely walks together along the Murray on this path and not met another soul...except the abundant bird life.
Wattle is blooming everywhere as are other little sweet natives...
and I am not sure what this is but it was so delicate...
Yesterday we went for a rather 'frosty' cruise on a paddle steamer up the Murray on the "Pride of the Murray". These steamers used to ferry all manner of goods up and down the river all the way to Goolwa S.A. which is the mouth of the Murray and we are really excited to say "been there" lol.
 They are currently doing renovations to the Port. Here are some of the other Steamers on the river.
We saw so many of the River Red Gums just holding on precariously to the bank and I found it amazing they hadn't already toppled in. We were not sure if recent floods are responsible or not.
Of course you have to take a photo of the paddle wheel from on the boat...
We warmed up considerably after a wonderful lunch at the Echuca Hotel. Chicken and Mushroom Pot pie with vegies for Mr R. and Roast Pork with the lot for me (even cauli in yummy white sauce). After energy was restored and we had thawed out I set out to find a Patchwork Shop which seems to be the best kept secret in Victoria. After being directed over and over to a particular place whose hours didn't suit us I had almost given up when up a side street I espied South Fabrics and took a peek.
I had a nice chat with the lady on duty and came away with a couple of French General fat quarters...
and meterage of Double Chocolat for my hexie quilt borders.
Isn't it pretty. I am definitely having a 'red moment' lately with fabrics. I apologise if there is a lovely quilting shop other than this one here but I could not find it. Sorry!
Today we just poked around the lovely little shops and looked and admired the heritage buildings. Gary did some boy stuff like visit the Holden Museum which he enjoyed. We were disappointed to find the Beer Can shed closed today so that will have to wait for another visit. We had lunch here..
Thank goodness we are walking a lot because I am completely giving into my affection for Victoria's Coffee and Hot Chocolates (with marshmallows of course). We came home with a loaf of Dan Kelly's Damper...
Couldn't resist...we are having it with the lovely homemade vegie soup I put in the slow cooker this morning before we went out ( I hate cooking so I was very impressed with myself) so you see it is not all bad.
I thought I would leave you with a couple of piccies I have taken here. I have taken so many I won't bore you with them all....does anyone else loved gnarled old bark on trees or is my husband right and I just need seeing to by a professional...
Down by the river near where we have been staying.

This one is just so iconic of the landscape next to the river.
Some feathery down which has floated down from a ducks nest high in a tree and caught in the bushes below. Nothing sinsiter I checked out the nest (with resident duck I have to tell you) and it was full of fluffy, feathery down...the blue bin is protecting new native seedlings
I love this plant that seems to be in every ones gardens down here...love to know what it is????
Lastly some more wattle....yes boring I know but I love it.
That's it folks until where ever we land next time.
Blessings Michelle xx

20 comments:

  1. Its me again Michelle, sorry you the Beer Can museum was not open. The purple flower is a Hardenbergia, its a native creeper,& was shrub of the year in 2009, so my label says!!! Thanks for sharing lovely photos, I grew up in Tongala just outside Echuca & love the river. Annette

    ReplyDelete
  2. oh you have had such a wonderful time and love your pics,hope it is a bit warmer for you tomorrow.xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi,the little purple flower also comes in plain white and a pink with white but the purple is also my favorite.I also love the old bark on trees as well as old knarled & twisted dead trees,my family thinks I,m nuts but some of them are beautiful!Hope you both enjoy the rest of your holiday

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a delightful post! I love seeing every little detail, from the riverboat to the bark on the tree. Thanks so much for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ahh my old haunting grounds. The quilt shop you are looking for is right across the road and along a couple of shops from the photo you have taken there of the Beachworth Bakery Car!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Better take that last comment back because I have just goggled it and cant find it :(

    ReplyDelete
  7. The other Annette is right with the purple plant being a Hardenbergia or as we called it when I was a kid, Native Sarsparilla - it was just, well, everywhere. The delicate orangey one looks like Egg and Bacon Plant. I take photos of weird bark and odd leaves and peculiar petals so you are so not alone.
    South Fabrics is awesome...so much to see, so little time! but you can't go wrong with some lovely French Generals following you home. I suspect the one you were being directed to is now run out of her house across the river in Moama and isn't open all the time. If you are coming down the Northern Hwy and so through Rochester there is a shop there...
    Enjoy travelling to your next landing...

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love Echuca and the Grand lady - The Murray River. So much history in this Port! And so many things to see around the town also. And beautiful photos of the native flora!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Loving the travel stories! We haven't been to Echuca for many years, but I remember it as being a really nice town. Anything from Beechworth Bakery is good.....yummo......

    ReplyDelete
  10. Aren't those paddle steamers great! Looks like you're having a lovely time. Hope that damper tasted as good as it looks! Nice fabrics too.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Lovely photos Michelle, and nice to add some fabric purchases. Grew up surrounded by bush like that so love it

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for the tour , I'm loving it and it's nice and warm here. Nothing wrong with you, I love gnarled tree trunks as well. I like to photograph them, but I never show them....maybe I will now!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Echuca is just steeped in history and is such a beautiful little river town.

    Loving seeing your fabric acquisitions...red is one of my favourite colours!

    ReplyDelete
  14. such a lovely post and I do enjoy how other bloggers help with names of plants etc... wonderful.... it's a beautiful spot ... I think we both need help, I also like bark... maybe we are 'barking mad..... oh that is bad!
    Hugz

    ReplyDelete
  15. Sounds like you went to the same patchwork shop in Echuca that I visited on our travels. It was very nice. I'm very impressed with the slow cooking, well done you. Sharyn:)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Never boring Michelle. I love that area too... and have some wonderful memories of it! Enjoy your next port of call! :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. So pleased to see the frosty starts to the day have not dampened your enthusiasm. Great time to be there, too, without the crowds. Love the fabric and the yummy bread.

    ReplyDelete
  18. You are experiencing what will probably be our last burst of winter so it is really cold. At least it is a good excuse for hearty food to warm you up. That lovely purple plant is harderbergia. It is often sold under the name Happy Wanderer so maybe its a good one to reflect your trip. It also comes in a white version which is not so vigorous.

    ReplyDelete
  19. The shots are amazing.
    Love the fabric.....can't wait to see it made up....
    Keep it all coming..enjoying it so much. Take care.xo

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking the time to comment. It makes my day and lets me know I am not talking to myself. Please leave your email address with your comment if you are a not a blogger so I can personally thank you or pop back to the comments later.