 |
| Upside down Christmas tree exhibited at the Makers Workshop. |
Yesterday morning, after uploading the post, we took advantage of a beautiful sunny day and headed on foot to the local IGA market down the road, a pleasant 15 minutes leisurely walk.
 |
| Papermaking display area. What’s that Christmas tree on the right doing upside down? Check today’s main photo for details. |
I say “leisurely walk” since it’s impossible for us to walk down the cheerful and interesting Main Road in Penguin without stopping to window shop, talking to passing locals and gazing out at the crystal blue sea.
 |
| Beach view on the way to Burnie, Tasmania on the cloudy day we visited Makers Workshop. |
Along the way, we stopped at the Madsen Hotel, a popular spot for tourists to stay in the center of town and met the owner, a former prince of Laos, to arrange a future get together for a tour of his charming boutique hotel after the busy holidays have ended.
 |
| Upon entering the Makers Workshop, a tractor, and hand carved figures above. |
From there, we meandered down the road to the five (or six) aisle market for a few items we needed before embarking on our next weekly shopping trip to Ulverstone. We needed baking soda to use when brushing our teeth, but after checking two markets in town we weren’t able to find any in Penguin. Most likely we’ll find it at Woolies in the next few days.
 |
| Custom made paper rolls at least two meters tall. |
We took a few photos, we checked out the baked goods at the bakery (Tom didn’t buy anything) and we stopped at the pharmacy for a few toiletries. Each stop we made, left us walking out the door, smiling over the friendly and kind shopkeepers and other shoppers, always quick with a genuine hello and words of welcome.
 |
| Paper Mache displays. |
Once back “home,” realizing that Tom does like some downtime, I hesitated to ask if we could jump in the car and drive around the Penguin area to explore neighborhoods we’d yet to see. I gingerly mentioned the prospect anyway and he was thrilled to do so.
 |
| Woodworking… Making musical instruments. |
Moments later, we were perusing neighborhoods, admiring the variety of styles of homes, rarely two looking alike. As charming as Penguin is, there’s nothing “cookie cutter” about it, not its buildings in the center of town, not its homes, and most of all, not in its people.
 |
| Custom made costume jewelry display. |
The only commonalities they share is their pleasing Aussie accents, their inborn friendly personas and their mutual love of their state and town, qualities that couldn’t be more appealing.
 |
| Exquisite handmade violins. |
Ah, would that all citizens of the world felt such innate passion for their homeland and one another. What a world this would be! No doubt, living in Tasmania is far removed from the education we’ve gleaned living in undeveloped countries with a plethora of cultural differences.
 |
| This appeared to be a giant roll of toilet paper when in fact, it was a thick paper. |
However, these resourceful, practical and earth friendly people can teach us so much about their gentle ways. And, its this varied knowledge and experience that rounds out the vast opportunities in ways we never imagined for our continuing personal growth as we carry on in our world travels.
 |
| Potatoes made of wood on display. |
In no time at all, we found ourselves driving into the countryside where one farm after another dotted the landscape of rolling hills, mountain and sea views. We even stopped to take a video of tall grass “rolling” in the wind. We’d never done this in the past. Soon, we’ll post that video.
 |
| A bell, the lower half of a clock. |
Moving grass? Video worthy? Yes! It’s all a part of the adventure of embracing Mother Nature in every way possible. She has so much to offer and we only need stop, take a deep breath, tune our ears to the sounds, our sense of smell to the wafting aromas of the countryside and the never ending sights so pleasing to the eye.
 |
| Attire from another era made in Paper Mache. |
Back later in the afternoon, armed with loads of photos and stories piling up that we’re anxious to share, we attempt to complete where we left off in yesterday’s post with the final photos of our visit to Makers Workshop.
 |
| Gingerbread houses and supplies for sale. |
In the evening, Terry picked us up to take us to Burnie where we collected his sweet mother-in-law Marge and the four of us headed to the Burnie Civic Center where Terry was playing saxophone with the Burnie Concert Band.
 |
| We aren’t sure what these are. Any comments? |
It was a delightful day and evening for which we look forward to sharing many photos of the details along the way; beautiful horses, buying walnuts from a nut farm, sheep munching on trees, homes decorated for Christmas and a concert we’ll always remember.
 |
| Lumber mill on the return drive from Burnie to Penguin. |
A special thank you to all of our new readers from the recent cruise and, all of our new readers from Australia, Tasmania, and Penguin as we see our numbers grow to record breaking heights.
We appreciate each and every one of YOU!
Photo from one year ago today, December 11, 2015:
 |
| The market in the Arts Village in Pacific Harbour, Fiji had only a few items suitable for our diet, but could be ideal for others with lots of “western” snacks, chips, soda and other processed and packaged items. They didn’t sell real butter, only tub margarine, which we don’t eat. For more details, please click here. |