Photos of our new home in the Huon Valley, Tasmania…Delightful!

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View of the Huon River from the veranda of our new vacation home. Nice!
It was so cool last night we huddled under two blankets, comfy with the screened windows opened, content to be settled. This time we didn’t bother to bring our luggage upstairs to the main floor, instead of leaving the bags open on the bed in the lower level of the second bedroom, allowing us to run up and down the stairs, for the few items we’ll use over these next 41 days.
Cozy dining area.

As always, it takes a few days to feel settled as we discover where everything is located, how to use locks, appliances, the TV “source” or “input” buttons for  use of the HDMI cord and for the best signal from the Wi-Fi. 

After chatting online with Australia’s primary internet service provider yesterday we’ve figured out the best data plan for our SIM card and hotspot which we’ll use as an adjunct to the house’s slow Wi-Fi connection. I’ll use the hotspot while Tom uses and house signal. Unfortunately, neither works well if we share one of the signals simultaneously.

The living room/lounge area suits our needs. Plus, the sofa is comfortable!

After we uploaded yesterday’s post, we headed to the town of Huonville (see map below), a15 minute drive, to  arrive at the local grocery store, Woolie’s (as Woolworth’s is called in Australia) complete our food shopping. 

The galley kitchen works well for us.  The range is toward the far left, as shown in the next photo below.  Tom’s happy there’s a dishwasher!

Tom usually stays in the car reading a book on his phone while I shop. He gauges how long I’ll be and comes into the market to help to load the items on the conveyor belt. 

In Australia, shoppers must bring their grocery bags or will be charged varying amounts for recyclable bags.  We’ve kept the yellow insulated Costco bag, the Africa cloth bag we purchased in Kenya over three years ago and a smaller insulated bag the owners in Maui left for us as a gift. These same bags have served our shopping needs throughout our travels.

Tom, the perfect French press guy, makes ideal coffee every time. Guess we won’t be using the toaster.

Since arriving two days ago, we’ve spent AU $515, US $389 for groceries but it appears we’ll have enough food to last for more than a week. This may seem to be a substantial amount but included in these items were paper products, bottled water, enough grass-fed meat for over a week, spices, organic produce, and more.

Typically, when we arrive at a new location, our first grocery bill is in this range. However, in the subsequent weeks, the expenditure is considerably less, usually well under AU $265, US $200. 

This spacious master bedroom is located on the main level with a roomy en suite bathroom.

The drive from the house to Huonville was pleasant with the gorgeous scenery along the way, photos of which we’ll share in tomorrow’s post. We can’t wait to go to Hobart tomorrow to take more pictures of this fantastic part of the world.

The laundry room has a washer located next to the master bathroom. There’s a dryer in the garage. We haven’t had a dryer since Trinity Beach, Australia, in June 2015. So, of course, for almost ten months during this period, our laundry was done for us. 

As its turns out, we are located in the town of Geeveston. Here’s a bit of info about this small town with a population of about 1500, from this site:

Geeveston is a small Australian town south of Tasmania on the Huon River, 62 km southwest of Hobart, making it Australia’s most southerly administrative center.

The town takes its name from William Geeves, an English settler who Lady Jane Franklin gave a land grant in the area then known as Lightwood Bottom (after a type of timber prevalent in the area).

The settlement Geeves set up was renamed Geeves Town in 1861, and the name eventually became Geeveston. Geeveston is for local government purposes included in the area of the Huon Valley Council and is part of the division of Franklin for both Australian House of Representatives and Tasmanian House of Assembly electoral purposes. (Continued below).

The master bath fulfills our needs with plenty of fluffy towels, robes, and amenities.

Geeveston is on the Huon Highway and is the gateway to the Hartz Mountains National Park. It is the center of Tasmania’s apple and fruit-growing industry and has also been highly reliant on the timber industry since the late 19th century.

A pulp mill was opened in the town in 1962, and was Geeveston’s largest employer until the plant closed in 1982, devastating the area economically. The Forest & Heritage Centre, a tourist center that details the timber industry’s history in the area, is located in Geeveston.

Although Geeveston is quite a small town, we’re very close to several other small towns:

Image result for map of huon valley tasmania
Zoom in to see Geeveston, located south of Port Huon, shown on this map.
We don’t feel isolated by any means with all of the surrounding riverfront towns, as shown on this map. For example, we can be in the center of Hobart, located in the north of us, on this map in less than 45 minutes.
We’re rather content here. No doubt this is a different experience than Penguin but, isn’t that why we travel anyway?  The opportunity to experience the experiences the vast differences in areas throughout the world proves to be the driving force in our nomadic lifestyle.
The pool is covered, which is easily removed by a cranking device. If it warms up, we’ll use it. More photos of the backyard will follow once it stops raining.
We’ll be back with lots more as we continue to explore this scenic area. Have a lovely day!

Photo from one year ago today, January 18, 2016:

Our ship, the Celebrity Solstice, which we’ll board again in Sydney on March 1, looked huge while docked at the Port of Tauranga, New Zealand. For more details, please click here.

We made it to the Huon Valley…What a place of beauty…What do we look for upon arrival at a new location?

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The scenery in Hobart is breathtaking. We’ll be returning to Hobart in a few days and will share more photos.

Each time we arrive at a new location, we do so with the utmost excitement coupled with a twinge of apprehension. With many factors important to us to attain a reasonable degree of comfort and livability, we often scamper about checking out the most important aspects.

As we drove on Highway 1 in Tasmania to Hobart (then on A6 to the Huon Valley), we were intrigued by the change in the scenery, which was more desert-like than lush greenery.

Some of our expectations may seem petty or even ridiculous, but we’ve easily determined what matters to us after all this time of traveling the world. So, of course, we’ve investigated the likelihood of those expectations before booking the property.

Windmill in another small town.

Regardless of how much research and inquiry we may exercise, there are always surprises, both good and not so good. So what are the items that enhance the depths of our experiences while living on someone else’s property? 

  • View: For us, the most influential aspect of any vacation home is its location and view. On the few occasions where we didn’t have a good view, we were sorely disappointed. 
  • Wi-Fi: This is tricky.  Most vacation home listings state there is Wi-Fi. However, in about 35% of the cases, the signal is inadequate for our purposes. In these cases, we have no choice but to purchase a hotspot device with a SIM card with lots of data, often at high costs.
  • Refrigerator size:  This may not be important for those who’ll stay a short period.  Often staying for as long as three months and cooking most of our meals, this becomes of the utmost importance.
  • The comfort of the bed and bedding.
  • Shower: Showers in vacation properties may be tiny and without shelves for shampoo, soaps, and a razor. 
  • Kitchen gadgets, pots, pans, sharp knives, decent dinnerware, large mixing bowl, and baking pans (if none, we purchase disposable tinfoil pans). Space in cupboards for grocery items (rarely adequate).
  • TV: Is there a TV, and is it new enough to accommodate our HDMI cord? We can manage without a TV, and if the property is nice enough, we’ll forgo it. 
  • Comfortable seating in lounge/living room for posting and leisure periods.
  • Coffee maker or French press and electric teapot.
  • Adequate and easily accessible electrical outlets: We have lots of equipment that requires charging.
  • Screens on at least a few windows: Seldom a reality in many parts of the world.
The scenery changed dramatically as we drove toward the middle of Tasmania, further from the sea.

Although this seems to be a lengthy list, it became inherent in determining the degree of comfort and ease of living that we’d prefer available to us as we travel the world.

Tom stood in front of this giant tree trunk in Campbell Town.

Any one of us could easily make such a list of desired criteria when staying in a hotel for a few nights, let alone a home for weeks or months. Most properties we’ve rented have met most of our expectations. Some have had only a few of our preferred criteria, but somehow, we’ve adapted and still had an excellent experience.

River bridge in Campbell Town.

As for this new location in the Huon Valley in Tasmania, the only concern is the lack of a good Wi-Fi signal. We’re figuring this out with our Australian (Telstra) hotspot and SIM card that we already had in our possession. 

White ducks in the river in Campbell Town.

As soon as we attempted to get online, we discovered it is a necessary adjunct to our connectivity since we can’t access a strong enough signal on the house’s WiFi. Unfortunately, we’ll have to add more data to the SIM card, which can be costly, but at this point, there’s no alternative.

There’s local/state significance in each of the chainsaw carvings.  See the photo with the information.

Otherwise, for our needs, this property is ideal. Yes, as preferred, we’re in a very remote area although it’s only 35 minutes to Hobart, which we’ll visit often. Also, after checking out the nearby towns yesterday, we discovered a fabulous butcher in nearby Geeveston that carries grass-fed beef and lamb and free-range organic chickens.

This document explains the history and the carvings.

The views and local scenery are outstanding. In time, we’ll be sharing many photos of our immediate views and views of the surrounding areas, including some distant locations. 

Each sculpture displayed a sign with information.

Last night, I quickly put together a dinner of pork chops for Tom, lamb chops for me, veg, and salad, and we were content. Tom watched a playoff football game while I prepared the easy dinner. 

Tom suggested a photo displaying all three of these chainsaw sculptures.

Our lovely property owner, Anne, stopped by to ensure we had everything we needed and supplied us with a giant mixing bowl, the only item we were missing.

The Foxhunters Return building in Campbell Town.

The drive from Penguin to Huonville was delightful with perfect weather, gorgeous scenery, low traffic, and decent roads. Unfortunately, we ran into some road construction that slowed us down by 45 minutes, but we weren’t in a hurry. We even had time to stop at a few interesting spots for photos.

The unusual building we encountered on the drive.

We arrived at the house by 3:30 pm and had decided to wait to drive to Woolie’s in Huonville until today for the remainder of the groceries. So as soon as we’ve uploaded today’s post, we’ll head out to shop and check out more of this outstanding area in the Huon Valley.

We’ll be back tomorrow with many more photos and, of course, stories to tell.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, January 17, 2016:

Although we don’t have dress-up clothes for formals nights aboard the ship, we do our best with what we have.  This proved to be an extraordinary night for us.  Please click here for details.

Remaining all new photos of Penguin…Today, on our way to Huonville…Final expenses for Penguin, Tasmania…

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The high iron content in the rocks created this colorful scene.

We’re anxious to get on the road today. So, as a result, today’s post will be to the point. Also, Terry has more guests moving in later today, so the sooner we’re gone, the sooner he’ll be able to prep for their arrival.

The surf has been impressive on many days. Surfing is popular in Tasmania.

We rushed about the house, gathering last-minute items, attempting to leave the house as tidy as possible. I’d packed my clothing on Saturday, leaving out a few items for Sunday and today’s road trip.

Since we don’t have to have our luggage weighed, it was the easiest packing ever, taking only 10 minutes to put the clothing in my one suitcase. This morning I packed our third bag with supplies, shoes, and toiletries which takes a little longer than the clothing bags, especially when we don’t want any liquids to spill.

Check out this surf!

It takes time to put the following expenses together from the various sheets in our Excel spreadsheet to ensure the final numbers we post here match the numbers on the entries in the various spreadsheets. 

Views in Binalong Bay in Tasmania.

We keep miscellaneous expenses on a separate sheet in the workbook and the food, which numbers are transferred to the main sheet at the end of a stay in a vacation home, with separate line items for cruises. It’s hard to explain without seeing it, but it’s working well for us.

In this particular case, we can bring leftover food items with us, so we packed our remaining oversized tinfoil pans with items for the cupboard in the next house with a few perishable items (cheese, butter, etc.). Packed in a cooler bag packed with ice.

Wildflowers growing along the beach.

Below are the total expenses for the six-week period we spent in Penguin, Tasmania. This includes airfare from Sydney (where our 33-night cruise ended). Also, the expense for the rental car includes fuel for the trip from Hobart to Penguin and that which we used while here. 

Neatly planted fruit trees.

The cost for the rental car was considerably more than we’ve paid in many other locations, greatly impacting the total figures. Also, groceries were higher than usual, especially when we’d purchased expensive cheese we had shipped to us from a Tasmanian dairy farm. 

Over the holidays, we purchased some pricier foods as special treats, including filet Mignon, jumbo prawns, and scallops, all throwing off the usual lower costs. However, we didn’t eat out much due to the difficulty in ordering meals befitting my dietary restrictions, which has always been a little tougher to accomplish in Australia. 

Not only are there gorgeous white sand beaches in Tasmania, but there are also many rocky shorelines.

The “tips and miscellaneous” category included some clothing we purchased, toiletries, and various products from the pharmacy.  As shown, there was no cost for the excellent WiFi Terry provided with the availability of 200 gigs of data usage per month. 

In total, we’re not disappointed by these totals. But, of course, Australia is more expensive than some other parts of the world. Still, it’s a tradeoff with the quality of the experiences, wildlife, scenery, and, most of all, its people, some of the warmest and friendliest on the planet.

Expense US Dollar Australian
Dollar
Vacation Rental  $   3,143.80  $  4,228.38
re   $      241.68  $     325.06
Hotel (St. Helens)  $      133.33  $     180.00
Taxi  $      100.72  $     135.47
Rental Car  $   2,642.77  $  3,554.50
Wi-Fi  $           0  $          0
Groceries  $   1,470.65  $   1,978.01
Dining Out  $         84.21  $      113.26
Tours  $         34.17  $        45.96
Tips & Miscellaneous  $       523.45  $      704.03
Total  $   8,374.78  $ 11,264.67
Average
Monthly Cost		  $   5,789.38  $   7,786.66
Avg. Daily
Cost – 44 days		  $      190.36  $       256.02

Usually, when we’re leaving a location, we’ll post favorite photos.  However, based on this short period in Penguin, we’ll save those for our final post when we leave Tasmania, which will include the Huon Valley favorites as well.

The statue we passed on the drive from Hobart to Penguin.

Instead, today, we’re posting photos we’d yet to share from our original road trip from Hobart to Penguin and more photos we’d taken while in Penguin. There were too many photos to share as we posted each day with the continual flow of new stories and adventures we encountered in this wonderful area.

White sand beaches are commonly found in Tasmania.

Will we return to Penguin someday? No doubt, we’d love to. But, as always, the reality remains that we still have a lot of worlds to see. So it’s a stretch that we’re returning to Marloth Park next year, coupled with the serious intent of traveling to other African countries to observe more exciting wildlife and scenery.

A special thanks to Terry for his conscientious attention to every detail to ensure a phenomenal experience we’ll always treasure.  We’ve “friended” one another on Facebook and look forward to staying in touch for many years to come, as we have with most of our past landlords/property owners.

This cove view was taken in Burnie, Tasmania.

If you’re looking for a fabulous place to stay in Penguin Tasmania, please click here to reach Terry. We have no doubt he’ll be happy to provide you with the same amazing experience.

Entering the city limits of Penguin.

Goodbye, Penguin. Hello Huon Valley! We’ll be back tomorrow from our new home located on the banks of the Huon River!

Thanks to all of our new and long-time readers for sharing this special six weeks with us.

The charm of this town celebrating its fairy penguins is whimsical.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, January 16, 2016:

The men’s Nautica store on the ship had nothing that appealed to Tom, although he liked this brand name in our old lives.  For more cruise photos, please click here.

In less than 24 hours, we’re on the move again…Huon Valley, here we come!…All new photos….

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Could this scenery be more beautiful?

While uploading today’s first-time-posted photos, I couldn’t help but gasp once again over the beauty of Tasmania. All of today’s photos were taken no more than a 45-minute drive from Penguin.

There’s nothing like a blue sky to enhance a scenic view.

At times we’re asked why we don’t take more long road trips while living in a particular area for an extended period. We’ll often spew the same answer, “Why leave when there’s so much surrounding us that we have little motivation to leave?”

Homes and farms scattered throughout the countryside.

Although this isn’t always the case and, we have taken many road trips (and even stayed overnight in many cases), Penguin has certainly proven our point. We’d only need to jump into the car to drive a short distance to discover the scenery as we’ve shown here today.

We’ve never had to drive the same country road twice to encounter more breathtaking scenes in most instances. Frequently spotting a variety of bodies of water, the ocean at a distance, the rolling hills, the vegetation-covered mountains, the farmhouses scattered throughout the lush greenery, and an array of animals prompted us to stop to admire the views.

The lush greenery, trees, and hills enhance this pond view.

With no shoulders on the narrow country roads finding a place to stop has been a challenge. But, Tom, creative and determined to assist in photo taking, always finds a spot to pull over with the utmost caution in mind. But, unfortunately, the winding hilly roads present a hazard when stopping.

River in the farmland.

In reviewing the photos, we’ve posted and those that remain, it appears that we’ve spent more time exploring Penguin and its surrounding areas than we have in many other parts of the world.

Tom, chewing on his floss pick while enjoying the view.

There’s no doubt that the cooler weather has been instrumental in part in our relaxed perusal of Penguin. However, over these past 51 months, we’ve lived in hot, humid tropical climates (except for New Zealand last year), which has definitely decreased our desire to get out more often.

Flowers blooming along the railroad tracks across the street from us.

Constantly sweating in hot, humid climates without air con certainly reduces one’s energy level and motivation. Although some vacation homes have air con in the bedrooms, which we’ve used at night, none have had full house AC, and, as conscientious renters, if it did, we’d avoid using it to save on energy costs.

Plus, we’ve spent considerable time outdoors in many locations, preferring not to be stuck indoors with windows closed. Unfortunately, few properties have screens on the windows, and we’d had to deal with flies, bees, mosquitoes, and other flying insects daily.

A house tucked away in the vegetation.

In Penguin, the exterior doors have screens, and there’s a screened window in the living room. So with most days and nights cool, we’ve been comfortable. Also, surprisingly there haven’t been many flying insects here, although we’ve seen several ominous-looking spiders in the house.

Cattle grazing.  Grass-fed meat is commonly found in Tasmania.

As we relocate to the Huon River, where the house is located directly on the river, we anticipate many more insects. However, it reviewing the listing for the property, it appears there are screens there. Wonderful!

Horses in the paddock.

Don’t get me wrong…I’m over any unreasonable fears or apprehension about insects. Africa cured me of that! But it’s annoying to have ants and flies in the kitchen while cooking and dining, which was outrageous in the four months we spent in both Fiji and Bali. 

Train tracks at the beach across from our vacation home.

In Bali, every evening while dining, we constantly had to fight off the flies to keep them off of our food. Even the geckos came out while we had dined to take advantage of the hundreds of flies for their dinner. However, once the meals were over, the flies were tolerable, although still present.

Colorful poppies growing wild.

In Penguin, we’ve had to swat no more than eight or nine flies indoors during the entire six-week stay. What can I say? It’s been easy here, comparable to how easy it was in New Zealand one year ago. 

Hazy day country view.

Of course, cruises are also ultra-easy, especially when we have no cleaning, cooking, or need to make the bed. Tom, a bigger fan of cruising than I (although I do love it), especially likes not making the bed and doing the dishes. Likewise, I revel in not having to chop and dice since I have little interest in cooking these days.

Flowing river in Gunns Plains.

Today, we’ll finish most of the packing, which won’t take much time. Tom’s currently watching the US NFL football playoff games on TV. Then, I’ll finish washing the refrigerator and gathering items throughout the house, and…tomorrow, we’ll be on our way.

Enjoy the day!

Photo from one year ago today, January 15, 2016:

The shore is Akaroa, New Zealand. At that point, the cruise was ending in a few days, and we’d be living in New Zealand for three months. For more photos, please click here.

The Penguin Market, a popular Sunday event…Winding down with two days until departure…

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Last evening’s rainbow over the ocean.  Looking carefully, Tom spotted a second lighter rainbow to the far left, difficult to see in this photo.

Our sightseeing and exploration of Penguin have ended. No more trips to the market. No more drives to the countryside except for the upcoming five-hour drive in two days to Huonville, where we’ll spend the next six weeks.

The Sunday only Penguin Market surprised us when we’d assumed it was a typical farmers market.

As we recall the wide array of experiences we’ve had in Penguin, we can’t stop smiling over the quality of the exceptional six-week stay in this quaint and charming small town. 

There are a few tiny vegetable kiosks tucked away from the main shopping areas. Primarily, this market is about antiques and arts and crafts-type goods for sale from local artisans and vendors.  This display consisted of a variety of rocks and semi-precious stones.

Yes, I’m tired of using “quaint” and “charming” to describe Penguin, but there aren’t many other appropriate words in the English language to depict this special and unique area. 

Many displays were beautifully presented.

From the thesaurus, “quaint” synonyms are as follows:

quaint

kwānt/
adjective
  1. attractively unusual or old-fashioned.

    synonyms: picturesque, charming, sweet, attractive, old-fashioned, old-world, cunning;

     
Handmade baby booties and socks.

“Charming” is described as follows:

charm·ing
ˈCHärmiNG/
adjective
  1. pleasant or attractive.

    synonyms: delightful, pleasing, pleasant, agreeable, likable, endearing, lovely, lovable, adorable, appealing, attractive, good-looking, prepossessing; More

     
    • (of a person or manner) polite, friendly, and likable.
Local artists perform live music in a courtyard area.

After spending many years of my life as owner/broker of a real estate company, I was often stumped in describing certain houses in advertising mediums, avoiding the use of these two seemingly perfect words. 

Mosaic shop.

Few towns we’ve visited in our travels best bespeak these two words more than Penguin. Sure, we could have referred to it as  “picturesque,” which it undoubtedly is, but that word would have become tiresome even more quickly.

At first glance, these doughnuts whet our appetites only to discover they are handmade soaps.

The word “whimsical” could have described the Penguin-related décor evident throughout the town, as we’ve shown in many photos. But, that description ends there when one comes to know its friendly citizens, its simple and slow-paced style of life, and resident’s commitment to maintaining a healthful and environmentally friendly community.

This cake was the same as above…soaps, at AU 15, US $11.25 a slice. Yum!

As shown in today’s photos, the easy-paced Sunday Penguin Market further illustrates this town’s uncomplicated and pleasing persona with handmade crafts, treasured antiques, and items from throughout the world, presenting a diverse sampling of products that may appeal to locals and visitors alike.

Many of the shops offer handmade crafts crocheted and knitted crafts.

As we begin to wrap up our usual pre-packing tasks such as scanning receipts, using remaining perishable foods on hand, preparing the total expenses to be presented online in two days, we find ourselves feeling a tinge of sadness to be leaving Penguin.

One shop’s theme centered around Teddy Bear dolls, furniture, and clothing.

But, in our usual style, we’ll breeze through the prep and the packing. Then, by Monday morning (it’s Saturday here today), we’ll be out the door enthusiastically anticipating the next leg in our journey as we embark on a scenic journey through Tasmania, perhaps encountering more quaint and charming towns along the way.

May the simple things in life bring you joy and fulfillment!

Photo from one year ago today, January 14, 2016:

Knox Church is a notable building in Dunedin, New Zealand. It houses the city’s second Presbyterian congregation and is the city’s largest church of any denomination. For more photos from the one year ago post, please click here.

Wow!…An interesting visit to the home of a local collector…Three days and counting…

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Brett has spent the past 40 years building his beer memorabilia collection.

On January 9th, we received the following email from Brett Allison, a neighbor of Terry’s whom we’d yet to meet. Upon reading the following email, it was easy to assume that such a collection could be modest or consist of boxes of empty beer cans along with a few other items.

As soon as we entered Brett’s home to find this circular entryway, we anticipated something interesting and unusual was on the horizon. We weren’t disappointed.
We walked past this hallway to the stairway to the lower level to see his massive collection.

“Hi, I’m from Penguin, and I know Terry Owens. I actually live near opposite his place.  I’m a collector of breweriana and I was wondering if you were interested in viewing it. Its a rather large collection of anything to do with beer.. plus I have travelled extensively in Australia and over seas so I’m always interested in hearing what other people’s views are … I’m home tomorrow, (I have another collector calling at 9.30 am tomorrow they should be on their way by mid-afternoon),Wednesday and Thursday then I go to Hobart for the Australian “convention” which we have in January each year at a different state.. looking forward to your reply , cheers Brett Allison.”

As soon as we entered Brett’s lower level our mouths were agape in sheer wonder over his extensive collection of beer-related memorabilia called “breweriana.”  Who knew such a hobby even existed?
His collection of breweriana includes hundreds of tap handle knobs neatly organized and displayed in his handmade glass cabinets.

After word was out that we were sharing stories of various local businesses, we were all over the opportunity to highlight one more business as our time in Penguin dwindled down to less than a week.

There are literally thousands of empty beer cans, drained from the bottom to preserve the integrity of the flip tops.

We planned to arrive at Brett’s home between 1:00 and 2:00 pm.  However, the short drive and ease of finding Brett’s house (nothing is hard to find in Penguin) led us to believe we’d be in and out in no time and on our way back to our vacation home in time to prepare an early dinner, after a quick stop at the local market for a few items. 

He has a wide array of draft beer handle knobs.

Upon entering Brett’s home, he directed us to the ground floor level, after we’d walked up a flight of stairs to enter at his front door.

Many homes in Australia have what we from Minnesota consider a basement when in fact they are ground-level areas with the living areas above. In many cases, this allows for “tuck under” garages, work and storage spaces.

Tom was thoroughly enjoying this collection, although he’s not an avid beer drinker. It’s a guy thing. I found it particularly interesting due to Brett’s organizational skills and the vast nature of the collection.

As we entered this area, our mouths were agape at what we saw before us…a collection like none other we’d ever seen or imagined.  We were both in awe of the professional manner of Brett’s vast collection and organizational skills.

Every wall in the ground level of his home was highlighting his enormous collection.

Not only was his collection neatly displayed but he’d handmade most of the cabinetry displaying his priced collection. Immediately, he and Tom embarked on a lengthy discussion of beer, breweriana and of course, beer drinking in general.

His collection consists almost entirely of beer memorabilia from Australia.

Brett offered us beer, but we both graciously declined. I don’t drink beer (due to the hops derived from wheat), and Tom only drinks beer on rare occasions 

An enthusiastic and experienced world traveler, Brett often travels to “can” shows throughout Australia and the world.
Adding to the unique collection, the ceilings were decorated with beer-inspired serving trays.

Other than that one night, we joined Terry, Fran, and Gerard for happy hour at the Renaessance Café (click here for the post from that evening). In contrast, in Penguin and one other evening during which we sat on the front veranda sipping wine, neither of us has had any alcohol during our time here in Penguin.

Brett built these innovative folding cabinets in the past year o accommodate his growing collection and protect the cans from fading as the sun filters in from a skylight.

We’d had our fair share of complimentary alcoholic drinks on the previous 33-night cruise circumventing Australia and most likely won’t drink anything again until the next cruise beginning on March 1, 2017. 

These cabinets can be fully opened or displayed, as shown in this photo.

Expecting we’d stay at Brett’s home for a short period, I literally had to drag Tom out the door when we needed to be on our way and, to let Brett get back to the remainder of his day and evening.

A variety of toy beer trucks and service vehicles.
The beer cans were displayed with the precision befitting a library, organized, categorized with finite detail.

Needless to say, we had an exciting education on a topic we’d never anticipated we’d encounter in our world travels, breweriana. Thank you, Brett for sharing some of your beer collecting stories along with your vast experience in world travel.

Beer tapper and handle located in the bar area near his hundred signs.

Funny, it was almost a year ago when we were living in New Zealand that we encountered AmeriCARna (yep, spelled corrected) and traveled to a small town to see a collection of antique American cars. (Please click here for that post). Who knows what we’ll encounter in our travels? There are always pleasant surprises!

Tap handles and tap tops.

Have a glorious day!

Photo from one year ago today, January 13, 2016:

A ship sailed its way through Doubtful Sound in New Zealand. Unfortunately, it was a dreary day, but we all enjoyed the scenery anyway. For more photos, please click here.

Final photos from Mount Gnomon Farm…Four days and counting…

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A pond located on Mount Gnomon Farm.

Yesterday, we had a most interesting tour of a Penguin resident’s home which we’re excited to share in tomorrow’s post. You won’t believe our photos of one of the most unusual collections we’ve ever seen. Please check back!

A variety of flowers are grown throughout the farm.

Today will be a laid-back day to include a walk down Main Road to the local market for roasted chicken, washing and hanging a few loads of laundry, and preparing the final expenses for our six weeks in Penguin, sadly ending in a mere four days.

Mount Gnomon Farm is surrounded by lush green hills.

There’s no doubt in our minds that our stay in Penguin has been abundant in experience and fulfilling in so many ways some of which is shown in today’s photos from our recent visit to Mount Gnomon Farm. Tom has said that of all the places we’ve lived, Penguin would be the first he’d consider if we ever decided to settle for an extended period.

A spot to relax and enjoy the views.

That’s not to say we’re considering “settling down.” We’re not.  Early on in our travels, we promised ourselves and each other to keep an open mind for possibilities when we either can’t continue to travel due to health concerns or, in the unthinkable prospect of us tiring of living this life.

The entrance to the restaurant where seasonal dining is open to the public. Click here for dates and details.

Tiring of living this life? How could we when we’re “living a dream,” a dream neither of us ever knew we had until it actually began and it became a reality? Now, as we look back we realize why neither of us had ever imagined such a life in our retirement years.

 A pond on the farm.

Prior to commencing on my way of eating five and a half years ago, the chronic pain I suffered from a horrible spinal condition prevented us from traveling much at all. As a result, when we considered retirement options, it never included world travel. 

One had to look carefully to find this pig in the mud.

During those many years, it was a challenge for me to fly on a plane for a few hours, let alone for the day-long (or longer) flights, layovers, and excessive periods of time we’ve spent in airports over these past four-plus years.

A duck tucked away in her nest.

For us, my recovery was nothing short of a miracle.  Only three months after drastically changing my diet in 2011, I was pain-free, albeit shocked that what I’d previously considered a healthy diet was leaving me in a constant state of pain. 

Note the recently birthed piglets white bands like their mom. There are several breeds of pigs at the farm.

Don’t get me wrong…eliminating most of the foods I loved along with my then passion for cooking, wasn’t an easy undertaking. The concept of never again having a breakfast including a toasted whole wheat bagel with jelly, a bowl of steel-cut oatmeal with raisins along a small plate of fresh fruit was beyond my realm of reality. 

We arrived at Mount Gnomon Farm on a perfect day as piglets were born such as these, only in the past hour.

Five and a half years later, I haven’t as much as taking a spoonful of any of the above while I continue to reap the benefits of a sugar-free, grain-free, starch-free, and chemical-free way of eating. 

Various breeds of grass-fed cattle lounged comfortably on a sunny day.

Now, it’s easy when I consider what we have (and I mean “we”) in place of those types of food, in place of my former passion for cooking… a life rich in experience, adventure, and mobility. Sure, from time to time, we fall prey to setbacks, such as the injury to my spine in June in the pool in Bali which took five months to heal. No diet will make one exempt from the pain of an injury.

Cattle and sheep are rotated to other paddocks as the grass regenerates.

However, it did heal and I’ve returned to my former state of zero back pain. And, on occasion, like most of the over 60-year-old population, we have illnesses, aches and pains, toothaches, and other medical maladies that may or may not require medical care. 

Regardless of how hard one may try to maintain a degree of good health with appropriate food, plenty of movement and exercise, restful sleep, and a positive and enriching state of mind with as little stress as possible, we still may have periods of time when we aren’t at our best. 

The sheep were so friendly they approached the fence to be petted.

In a few days, we continue on to the next leg in our journey. Our goal is to never feel a sense of urgency to see more of the world.  Instead, we choose to travel at a pace that provides us with the optimum of joy, purpose, and pleasure while sharing it with special people we meet along the way, in special places along our path.

Thanks to all of our friends/readers who “travel” this journey with us. You mean the world to us!

Photo from one year ago today, January 12, 2016:

It was cold one year ago when our shop sailed through Milford Sound in New Zealand, prompting us to wear long-sleeve safari shirts with jeans, the warmest we’d dressed since  Vancouver in September 2014. It was a cloudy, hazy day but the scenery was beautiful. For more photos, please click here.

A visit to a pig farm and seasonal gourmet restaurant in the Penguin countryside…Pigs in the mud video…Mount Gnomon Farm…

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Pigs doing their thing at Mount Gnomon Farm…in the mud!
I’ve often used the expression, “Happy as a pig in the mud.” Now I grasp the full significance of this expression!

We’d contacted Guy Robinson, owner of Mount Gnomon Farm, in December, hoping to have an opportunity to visit his farm during our six weeks in Penguin. We’d yet to visit a pig farm, and with our curiosity about pigs, this seemed like a perfect day’s outing.

Mount Gnomon Farm is located less than a 15-minute drive from the center of Penguin.

Communicating back and forth on Facebook chat over the holidays, Guy suggested we come by after the first year when things settled down during their busy holiday season.

During certain periods of the year, Mount Gnomon Restaurant serves gourmet meals. Check their website here for dates and special events. In addition, a highly skilled chef will often stay at the farm to cook for special events and during the holiday season.

Not only is the farm’s restaurant opened on weekends and for special events over the holiday season, but often, throughout the year, it’s opened for special events, music festivals, and the opportunity for the public to purchase bacon, pork, lamb, beef, and produce. Please check their Facebook page for events by searching: Mount Gnomon Farm.

Volunteers, often animal studies students, come from all over the world to assist at the farm through various international work/visa programs. The temporary caravans are available in a pinch when there is an overflow volunteer on site. The owner, Guy Robertson, works hard to ensure the flow of volunteers and the overall management of the farm.

The magic of this special agricultural environment was evident in the time we spent speaking to Guy and later on during a lengthy tour with his volunteers. His goal is to create a sustainable, environmentally friendly, and thought-provoking farm for the public’s enjoyment, including children who can learn so much from the nuances of farm life.

This sow was in labor in a small shed of which there are many for the birthing process. Seeing these piglets only minutes after birth was quite an experience.

With many plans and dreams for the future, Guy’s compassion and interest for his animals, volunteers, paid workers, and visitors is evident in everything he does. 

Born only minutes earlier, it was interesting to see this piglet looking at us. We were among the first humans he/she may have seen.

Coming off a hectic holiday season and a recent trip out of town, it was obvious Guy needed some quiet time to relax and unwind. So his considerate and fast learning volunteers took over after we chatted with Guy when Sam and Danielle, both students, took us on the tour of the farm.

He/she still had remnants of afterbirth on his/her little face.

With plenty of flies, bees, and dust surrounding us, added to the pungent smells one encounters at a farm, we felt right at home. In our almost 51 months of world travel, we’ve had plenty of opportunities to interact with animals in their habitat when in the wild, in our own backyard, or such facilities as a farm.

More piglet born in the past few hours.

We managed just fine, feeling more at ease in this type of environment than we do in a shopping mall. I often joke that both of us must have “agricultural genes” in our respective DNA, inspiring our interest in barnyard animals and farming.

This huge male was watching over the activities in the mud hole.

Tom’s mother and father grew up on farms that perhaps have influenced him. And for me and the rest of us, surely many of our ancestors lived on and worked on farms for their own sustenance if not with the intent of earning a living.

Not only are there pigs at Mount Gnomon but also sheep and cattle.

Mount Gnomon Farm sells a portion of their products to some restaurants, with the remainder being sold to customers who either call to place orders or visit the farm during their “open” dates throughout the year. 

To place an order or inquire:

Phone:  0448 067 779

Email – info@mountgnomonfarm.com.au (please note sometimes it takes us a few days to respond to emails)

Snail mail – PO Box 320, Penguin, Tasmania, 7316

Farm address – 886 Ironcliffe Rd, Penguin, Tasmania, 7316

A mom and her growing young lounging in the shade on a warm sunny day.

As we wandered through the often muddy clay soil through the farm, we had the opportunity to see the birthing sheds with laboring sows under cover from the heat of the sun. 

Even a small mud hole gathers a crowd.

Under their own volition, the sows enter the sheds when delivery is imminent. The hay bed and enclosed space provide the perfect environment for giving birth. 

These cattle are friendly, allowing us to enter the paddock.

To be able to witness this firsthand gave us the same sense of joy and wonder we’d experienced only a year ago while living on the alpaca farm in New Plymouth, New Zealand. Please click here for details. (If you scroll through our archives for February 2016, numerous posts on alpacas give birth).

These scenes made us “squeal” with delight, especially when we heard the pigs squealing over their individual right to occupy the mud hole. Check our video above to see and hear!

As we walked through the farm, we observed sheep, pigs, and cattle in any of the 15 paddocks with various chickens and ducks wandering about near the houses, barns, and sheds at various points on the almost 100-acre farm.

More cattle checking us out.

From Guy’s website:
“I am a passionate Tasmanian farmer who wants to share a love of farming, food, music, and our region with you. We want to reconnect families with their food and local producers.

In 2009, I bought 35 hectares of beautiful red dirt behind the seaside village of Penguin in northwest Tasmania.  (Continued below).

A lot of pigs.  There can be as many as 400 pigs at any given time at Mount Gnomon Farm.

It was just going to be a hobby farm, but somehow, it became a pretty serious free-range pig farm over a couple of years. Finally, the cows and sheep arrived, and now a restaurant and butchery are sitting in our front paddock overlooking 1,000 cider trees.

We’re on the menu of some of Australia’s and Tassie’s best restaurants. We visit farmers’ markets across Tasmania, selling our fresh pork, beef, lamb, and hand-crafted small. If you go to a food, art, or music festival, you’ll see us there serving flavorsome, meaty dishes. (Continued below).

Sam, a student volunteer, working at the farm, and another student Danielle, provided us with quite a tour. Thanks to both of them for their assistance!

We run the farm with the help of a fabulous team of locals and international volunteers. We hope you really enjoy your Mount Gnomon Farm experience – whether it’s eating our food at a festival or spending time at the farm.”

Raspberries growing in the extensive garden. Many other crops. are grown in fields.

When the tour ended, we began the dusty long walk back to the car. Our shoes were covered in dust, manure, and mud. When we returned to our vacation home, we shook and cleaned them off with paper towels and threw both pairs in the washer, leaving them to dry outdoors.

The farm has an enormous garden with produce and flowers in abundance.

Visiting Mount Gnomon Farm will surely remain in our repertoire of worthwhile and memorable experiences for many years to come.  Over the next few days, we’ll be posting additional scenery photos from the farm we wouldn’t want our readers to miss.

Thanks to Guy Robinson and his staff for the fabulous tour!

May you have a day filled with wonderful adventures!

Photo from one year ago today, January 11, 2016:

This is my entrée for four nights aboard the ship, seafood on a bed of cooked cabbage and vegetables. The chef is always willing to accommodate my way of eating. For more details, please click here.

Six days and counting…Photos galore!…

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Regardless of the roads we take to explore the area; we’ve never been disappointed. This scene reminded us of what one may find in a painting.

Leaving Penguin in six days will be relatively easy in many ways.  We won’t have to be concerned about leftover nonperishable foods.  We can take what remains with us.

Beautiful farmland.

We won’t have to weigh our luggage or pack as neatly as usual when flying or boarding a cruise. We’ll save those concerns for March 1st (50 days from today) when we’ll fly to Sydney to board yet another cruise.

A pond nestles among the rolling hills.

The five-hour drive to the Huon Valley will hopefully be as pleasurable as driving through the countryside when we arrived in Hobart on December 3rd, taking two leisurely days to make our way to Penguin. But, this time, we’ll do it in one day.

Organized and neat plantings on a farm.

Hobart is actually a less than four-hour drive from Penguin, as Terry explained yesterday. However, the new vacation home is another 45 minutes beyond the capital city. We’ll certainly take plenty of photos along the way, sharing them for many days to come.

A view down a ravine.

We still have hundreds of photos we’ve yet to post, with hundreds more on the horizon over these next 50 days, including a few outings we have planned for the remainder of this week.

River flowing along the rocky riverbank.

As mentioned above, leaving Penguin will be easy based on organizing and packing requirements. However, there another aspect that’s causing us a degree of apprehension. We’ve loved it here. It will be hard to leave.

The bright blue sea of Tasmania never fails to impress.

There’s no doubt that our new friend and landlord Terry has tremendously added to our experience in Penguin. This house (click here for the listing) has been ideal for us with its well-equipped kitchen, comfortable dining room, living room, three bedrooms, and neatly trimmed grounds.

Three Sisters Reserve on the road to Ulverstone.

We prefer a three-bedroom house when possible, although if necessary we’re fine with one bedroom. But, having a bedroom for sleeping and two additional bedrooms allowing us to keep our luggage lying open on the bed(s) with everything available is quite a nice perk. This prevents us from having to unpack entirely and also to repack with great ease.

There are 8222 islands within the maritime border of Australia.

Then, of course, the views have been breathtaking. So as I sit here now in the living room on the comfy leather sofa, I need only look out the front windows for an exquisite view of the sea.

Frequently used train tracks run along the beach for many miles/kilometers.

Each day over the past week, as the temperatures have warmed, sitting on the front veranda for a healthy dose of Vitamin D has been a thoroughly delightful experience in itself. 

With the narrow road and sidewalk in front of the property, between us and the beach, a fairly steady stream of walkers and runners pass by, never failing to wave, say hello, or belt out a hearty “gaday!”

A park bench donated by the Ulysses Club with their motto, “Grow Old Disgracefully!”

Then, there’s been Terry, our personal tour guide, social director, and public relations rep, who’s gone over-the-top to ensure we’ve had an exceptional experience.

Low tide at a rocky beach.

Although not required by us, Terry stops by every few days to either work around the yard or stop to see how we’re doing. He’s very respectful of our privacy and is so with all his tenants. But, early on, he picked up on the fact that we’ve loved his visits. He’s quite an amazing guy! 

A peek through the trees to low tide.

It’s through his kind and conscientious efforts that we’ve seen as much as we have, met as many people as he directed our way, and learned as much about Penguin and its surrounding areas in these short six weeks, soon coming to an end.

Today, we’re off on an interesting tour of a countryside facility we’ll be excited to share in tomorrow’s post with more to come over the next several days.

Be well. Be happy. Please check back tomorrow.

Photo from one year ago today, January 10, 2016:

View from the ship of a monument in Hobart where we’ll be heading in six days. For more photos from the ship one year ago, please click here.

Birds of Tasmania…Seal on the beach …Adorable seal story from Devonport, Tasmania…

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Yesterday, friend and landlord Terry took this photo of a seal lounging on Sisters Beach.
Great shot of the seal checking you out Terry!

Yesterday afternoon, Terry emailed these two seal photos he’d taken on a visit to Sister’s Beach, a distance from Penguin. I misunderstood him and thought he’d seen the seal at Three Sisters Reserve, a short distance from our vacation home.

A baby emu.
Adult emus.

Later in the day, we jumped in the car to drive to the area I thought he’d seen the seal, hardly expecting to see it. We assumed that most likely as the tide had gone out, so had the seal. By the time we arrived, it was high tide and our hopes were dashed. No seal.  Today, I discovered that it was Sisters Beach, not Three Sisters.  We’d gone to the wrong beach.

The cockatoo, commonly seen in the wild.  In Trinity Beach in 2015, we saw them everywhere in large flocks.

Instead, we still revel in Terry’s photos presenting them for our animal lovers out there in cyberspace. Speaking of our readers, two things transpired on our site yesterday; one, for the first time ever, Australia topped the list of countries over the usual number one spot being held by the US over other worldwide readers; two, we almost topped our highest 24 hour readership.

This colorful pheasant refused to turn its head for the photo.  Finally, I gave up trying.

Thanks to all of our Australian readers for visiting us here! We so appreciate your participation! We aren’t able to determine where in Australia they’re reading, only that they enter through somewhere in the continent, including Tasmania and other islands. Your enthusiasm means the world to us!

Black swan.

As for today’s bird photos, we apologize for the less-than-perfect shots. It was a sunny day and I had trouble focusing in the bright sun with our limited equipment. Also, the majority of the birds were enclosed in fine mesh fencing making it extremely difficult to get the kind of shots we’d have preferred.

These birds appeared similar to the Helmeted Guinea Fowls were similar to those in our yard in South Africa.

While researching seals on the beach in Tasmania, I stumbled across this adorable seal story in a Tasmanian media source published this past July. For the full story, please click here.

For the story:

‘Sammy’ the seal found in Devonport cemetery toilet block relocated closer to the ocean

By Laura Beavis
Updated
Sammy the seal in a cage Photo: Sammy was locked in the toilet block before relocation. (Supplied: Devonport Council)  (Not our photo).
“A 120-kilogram seal has been released close to the ocean after being caught napping in a cemetery toilet on Tasmania’s northwest coast.

The male Australian fur seal was found asleep in a cubicle in the female toilets at the Mersey Vale Lawn Cemetery in Devonport on Tuesday.

The council’s Karina Moore said she initially thought it was a joke when a council works crew emailed her about the seal they dubbed “Sammy”.

She said the unusual animal encounter had attracted a lot of attention on the council’s Facebook page.

“It’s been one of those positive stories that we’ve had a lot of fun with, but we know that that animal’s been really safe and looked after by everybody,” she said.

Wildlife biologist Rachel Alderman said Parks and Wildlife officers sedated the seal in the toilet block while they prepared to move it.

“The officers were able to shut the door to the cubicle and keep it contained, which reduced potential issues for the seal and people, so you couldn’t have asked for a better result, really,” she said, “We try to intervene as little as possible, but obviously, in this case, the seal posed a potential risk to itself to get back to the water. It was possibly going to have to cross a road or encounter all sorts of other objects, and also human safety is a concern as well.”

She said the seal probably swam up nearby Horsehead Creek, and it was not unusual for seals to make their way into cities and towns in Tasmania.
“They’re a really abundant species all around Tasmania, particularly in the Bass Strait, and we’ve had them turn up in Cataract Gorge, paddocks, people’s backyards, and now we can add a toilet block in a cemetery to the list.”

The seal was released at a nearby beach.”

Australian Magpie
Today, in order to be out of the way, we’re heading to Ulverstone to purchase a few items while the house is being cleaned. This morning, Tom began watching two more US NFL playoff football games which started at 5:05 am.
Wish we could have taken a better photo of this colorful bird.
One week from today, we’ll be on our way to the Huon Valley for the second half of our three-month stay on the beautiful island of Tasmania. This first half has been glorious and we expect the second half to be equally enjoyable.
Have a beautiful day! It’s sunny and gorgeous here once again today!

Photo from one year ago today, January 9, 2016:

We attended the nightly show with Jane and Rob, our new Aussie friends, whom we’d met aboard Celebrity Solstice. The prior day the ship had docked in Tasmania. For more details, please click here.