The Long Way to Perth, Kalgoorlie to Perth via Newdegate

Last weekend, Phil and I took a couple extra days to go see the new grandbaby in Newdegate and then continued to Perth to see the rest of the rellies.

It is a long drive but very interesting and we saw parts of the Wheatbelt that we had not seen before.  We drove west on the Great Eastern Highway and then turned south just past the Yellowdine roadhouse onto a sandy track called the Emu Fence Road.  I love this road because you have wild sand plain country to the east of the road and bits of wheat fields on the west side of the road.  We drove through some sparse rain and were under clouds the whole way.  The Emu Fence Road turns into the Woolicutty Soak Road and makes a bit of a jog west towards Hyden.  Just past Wave Rock at Hyden we turn south again towards Newdegate.  We spent the night at my stepdaughters farm where we experienced the biggest hail storm that I have ever seen.  When we left in the morning we left them in a state of destruction.  The hail clogged up their gutters and the subsequent rainfall came into the house and pulled the ceiling down in the lounge room.  They were on generator power because high winds pulled a power pole down.

From Newdegate we drove west to Lake Grace and then north through Kulin, Corrigin, Quairading and York.  I had always wanted to go to York.  I had heard that it was beautiful and historic.  The photos show the beautiful buildings on the main street.  But I found the main street of Corrigin a much nicer and more friendly place.  Perhaps York is just too close to Perth.  Corrigin is a lively farming town where real working class people frequent.  Everyone seemed to know each other.  I found the Craft and Arts Shop where the local crafters meet and share a cuppa.  I bought a couple really nice hand crocheted items.  Surprisingly I didn't find any shops in York that interested me.

In Perth we had a great time visiting everyone and had a great outing to Kings Park and Fremantle on the Sunday.  It was a magnificent winter day.

Hope you enjoy the following photos:

 This sign posted at the Yellowdine Roadhouse really cracked me up.

View from the top of the world after we turned onto the Emu Fence Road.

Here you can see the fingers of wheat fields to the west of the road. 

See, it really is called the Emu Fence Road!

Hail Storm in Newdegate

Main street in York with the hills (The coastal range) in the background.

How charming is this sign!

Great hotel in York.

York Town Hall

I forgot how beautiful the view is of Perth from Kings Park.

Eucalyptus lined avenue into Kings Park.

I really love these trees.  They are called Lemon scented gums, Eucalyptus citriodora.

View of Downtown Perth, Convention Centre and the foreshore along the Swan River.

Lunch in Fremantle with Freddy the freeloader eyeing my lunch.  I'm having my favorite grilled sardines and greek salad.  Yum!

The Fremantle esplanade is a great place to enjoy a Sunday morning with the entire family.  These are some healthy and majestic Norfolk Island Pines and you can see the famous Esplanade Hotel in the background.

Tapestry Sampler

I never thought I would really ever want to try tapestry weaving.  Although I admire greatly the work of those who do it, I always thought it looked rather boring and tedious.  However, in anticipation of taking a Navajo rug weaving workshop, I decided to try my hand at it.  I made this rather garish sampler following the directions taken from Kirsten Glasbrook's book "Tapestry Weaving."  It is a good little book with some really cute small beginning projects.  The sampler, as you would expect, shows you all the basic techniques.

I already own a tapestry loom but it was too big for such a small project so I went out to the local junk shop and bought a wooden frame.  I removed the glass, the guts and the backing and strung the warp over it.  I used 8/4 rug warp and Lamb's Pride worsted weight for the weft. 

What I learned:  That my 8/4 rug warp was a bit too light for my weft so I have ordered a heavier seine twine to try out on the next one.  I didn't like the fact that you just leave loose ends at the back of the work.  I found that to be messy and untidy.  I think when I take the Navajo weaving class, I will learn how to have a neat surface on both sides.  One of the techniques I was completely hopeless at and will require more practice but otherwise it was an entertaining little project.

Now, what do you suppose I should do with the finished product?  Hide it in my studio!

Easter Camping--Great Victoria Desert

We went camping over the long weekend with some friends.  Our itinerary took us north of Kalgoorlie to Jeedamya Station where we camped the first night and were hit with gales and sheets of rain that blew one tent away.
Day two we proceeded to Leonora where we turned east and drove to Laverton.  North of Laverton we linked up with the Great Central Highway which runs all the way across the continent to Winton in Queensland.  We drove north east stopping to investigate a Bower Bird's Nest and some rock holes along the way (gnamma holes).  At Tjikurla Roadhouse we fueled up for the last time before going off the main road.  And we camped in a borrow pit just past the roadhouse.
Day three we turned east along the 27th parralel following a dirt track called Parralel road #2.  This road undulated over sand banks and into drainage lines and then up onto rock plateaus until we reached the Connie Sue Highway which runs due north and south.  We were hoping to go into Waterfall gorge and Sydney Yeo Chasm but found that the tracks were sign posted by the Aboriginal Community that we were not allowed to enter.  We reread our transit permits and realized that we should have asked for permission to enter.  Other members of our party had been this way before and there were no restrictions at that time so we didn't think to organize it.  That was a bit of a disappointment.  We traveled south on the Connie Sue past Hann's tabletop and Ryan's Bluff.  Phil found us a great camping site under the big Marble Gums.  The sunset was beautiful.  Day 4 we continued south to Neal's Junction stopping off at Point Sandercock where we found middens of the lesser Stick Nest Rat who is now extinct.  I lost my beloved Norwegian knife there including the leather sheath! On to Point Lillian, these are rock outcrops that we call Breakaways.  There are shallow caves under the lip of the hard weather resistant rock and great views of the country from the top.  At Neale's Junction the Connie Sue crossed the Anne Beadell Highway (another dirt track).  There is a sign post there that has all points marked on it.  "Coober Pedy 600 miles" to the east.  I would love to do that some day.  We turned back west towards Laverton and camped for the night at Bishop Riley's Pulpit.
Day 5 was back to Laverton via Lake Yeo Homestead, Yamana Homestead, Point Sunday and White Cliffs station and then home.    We covered all up 1825 kilometers!  It is great that there are still places in the world where you can drive, not see another vehicle for days and camp wherever you like.

Not sure how to tip this upright.  Rain puddles at Jeedamya Stations.

The Convoy!  Phil and I took the lead so we could radio the others about plants along the way.

Beautiful Sunset under the Marble Gums.

Billies on the Fire.

Point Sandercock

Bush Shower at Lake Yeo Homestead and Nature Reserve

It was a great trip.  We hope to do more in the future.  I hope you enjoy these photos and let me wish all the Mum's out there a Happy Mother's Day!

Paula's Sweet Chilli Sauce

I'm thinking one of the good things about having a blog is that I can put my best recipes on here.  The one's that people keep asking me for.  Instead of asking everytime and me having to write it out on a scrap of paper, you can just get it here any time.

My stepson has asked for another jar of my chilli sauce so it reminded me that everyone likes this recipe.

Phil used to judge the local flower show.  His payment over the years as mystery judge was to receive a jar of chilli sauce from one of the organizers.  I had never had this kind of chilli sauce before.  It is good on cold meats and hamburgers.  I also put it on my chillie mussels when I cook them.  In the US Chillie sauce is more often a hot meat sauce that we put on hotdogs.  This is completely different. I set out to try to copy the flower show sauce.  I am sure that mine is probably not even close but it tastes just as good.  Mine works out to be in the medium to medium-hot range.  You can put in fewer chillies if you want it less spicey.

Ingredients:
16 hot chillies (2 inch in length)  adjust to desired heat
1 regular sized tin of diced tomatoes (1 3/4 cups)
one large onion
1 large apple, cored
1/4 cup sultanas or raisins
8 cloves of garlic
2cups of vinegar (cider vinegar or malt vinegar is best)
2 cups of sugar
1/4 tsp each of allspice, cloves, coriander, celery seed
1 tsp each of paprika and dried mustard
salt and pepper
squirt of soy sauce
squirt of fish sauce

I blend all the chunky ingredients in a blender in batches.  Then put the lot in a stock kettle.  Bring to a boil and put on the hood fan as the fumes will be potent.  Let simmer until the desired thickness.  I bottle it in sterilized jars and vacuum seal them.  This will last at least a year, if you don't eat it all first.