Happy Valentine’s Day!…A special day for many throughout the world…How are we celebrating this year?…

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A pretty pink rose with Happy Valentine’s Day wishes for all of our readers both today and tomorrow, depending on which side of the International Dateline you’re residing.

As the years of world travel literally fly by, the special occasions and holidays become less important to us. Instead, we focus on the exquisite joys of daily life, simple in their execution and complex in the layers they represent in our world journey.

View from the car while driving on Highway A6 in the Huon Valley.

Valentine’s Day is another of those special occasions that we’ve gradually lost interest in celebrating with gifts, flowers, or lavishly prepared meals. Tonight, we have delicious leftovers, which are quite fine with us.

In our old lives, it was an entirely different scenario. Tom would always come home from work with a big bouquet, an embellished greeting card with handwritten loving words contained therein. 

Apple ripening, ready for the picking.

I’d bake a heart-shaped cake (yes, I had two heart-shaped baking pans), decorated with a loving touch (no, I wasn’t the best at decorating cakes) along with the special dinner, a beautifully wrapped gift, and of course, a card.

Church in a small town.

Around this “holiday” and others (seemingly perpetrated by Hallmark) lie a certain number of expectations. Easily, these types of celebrations may result in a degree of disappointment and heartbreak if one or the other of a couple doesn’t hold up their end of the deal. 

Huumm…another vehicle atop a roof of a fuel station. It must be a trend here in the Huon Valley.

We’re way beyond setting ourselves up for such potential disappointment. Besides, in many parts of the world, particularly less developed countries where we’ve spent considerable periods of time, it’s simply not possible to shop for such items when Valentine’s Day isn’t celebrated worldwide.

Splendid scenery.

As in this statement from The History Channel at: (click the link for the origins of Valentine’s Day:

“Typical Valentine’s Day Greetings    

In addition to the United States, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. In Great Britain, Valentine’s Day began to be popularly celebrated around the 17th century.

By the middle of the 18th, it was common for friends and lovers of all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes, and by 1900 printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology.

Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions when direct expression of one’s feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine’s Day greetings.”

An unusual fishing boat.

As it turns out,  Valentine’s Day, my birthday (February 20th), and our wedding anniversary (March 7th) fall within a three-week period.  Were we to make a fuss over each of these occasions, we’d be in a predicament. 

This fuzzy fruit left us curious. What could it be? Shaped like a pear, fuzzy like a peach. Any suggestions?

A warm embrace, a kiss, and a loving smile are all either of us needs or wants on these otherwise celebratory occasions. Besides, neither of us has any room in our luggage for any superfluous items. Therefore, we strive to keep it “light” in every way possible.

We took this photo through the water-marked window to the end of the dock to find this Black Faced Cormorant. She/he stayed at the end of the dock for a few hours in the rain.

By no means does this diminish our love and devotion to one another, which we revel in each day. How many couples spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week in each other’s company and still adore each other after almost 52 months of traveling the world (and together, almost 26 years)? We’re blessed. We’re grateful.

However you celebrate Valentine’s Day or not, have a loving, fulfilling, and meaningful day!

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

Love comes in many forms. This year ago photo was posted on Valentine’s Day in 2016. For the birth of a new little cria, please click here for the story.

Update on stranded pilot whales in New Zealand…A bit of “this and that”…Balance of Home Hill Winery photos…

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The work and effort to create these perfect rows of grapes are astounding.

The mass stranding of over 600 whales is the largest in New Zealand’s history, as shown from this source:

“More than 600 pilot whales have washed ashore New Zealand’s South Island over the past two days. Officials and volunteers are working to return the ones still alive back to sea, but many have already died or were euthanized because of their injuries.

On the morning of February 10th, more than 400 pilot whales were discovered on a crescent of land on New Zealand’s South Island called Farewell Spit, according to a Department of Conservation news release. Unfortunately, close to 300 of them had already died.

Volunteers with whale rescue organization Project Jonah and DoC officials managed to send 100 or so whales back to sea on February 11th, only to have 20 wash ashore again. The remaining 80 joined another nearby pod and appeared to be safe. However, that second pod then stranded itself on Farewell Spit that evening. The New Zealand Department of Conservation sent out a call for more volunteers, warning that it’s unlikely that they’ll be able to rescue all of the beached whales.”
The beauty of the neat rows of grapes in the vineyard is a breathtaking sight.

Hopefully, over the next few days, more whales will be saved as volunteers continue to work around the clock to assist in helping more back out to sea. 

Over the past almost month since we arrived in the Huon Valley, the weather hasn’t been ideal. In total, there have been about five sunny and warm days, all of which got us out to explore. Unfortunately, the remainder has been rainy, cool, windy, and cloudy, none of which is ideal for photo taking.

Here’s today’s forecast, similar to over these past several days:

“Forecast issued at 5:40 am EDT on Monday 13 February 2017.

Forecast for the rest of Monday
Summary

Max 16C

Shower or two. Wind easing.

Chance of any rain: 50%
South East area

Cloudy. High (80%) chance of showers in the far south, medium (60%) chance elsewhere. Winds west to southwesterly 35 to 55 km/h decreasing to 20 to 30 km/h in the late evening. Daytime maximum temperatures between 11 and 17.

Fire Danger – High

Sun protection recommended from 9:50 am to 5:20 pm, UV Index predicted to reach 9 [Very High].”

Alpacas grazing at the Home Hill Winery in the Huon Valley, Tasmania.

For those only familiar with Fahrenheit, this 16C translates to 60F, which at the highest for the day made for a considerably cool morning with the winds and overcast sky. 

This may sound warm to our family and friends in ultracold Minnesota and other parts of the country, but for us, having experienced mostly above 80F, 27C for the past four years, it’s very cool to us.

Those chubby cheeks must be filled with grazed grass.

Yesterday, staying in on a rainy day, we couldn’t seem to warm up. So both of us bundled up in socks, long pants, and flannel shirts layered over tee shirts. Unfortunately, my feet never warmed up, and I ended up wrapping them in a blanket.

There is a space heater kept in the bedroom, but we try to acclimate to the temperatures and possible without the use of heat or air-con. Also, we both make every effort to save on power when possible. 

This adorable alpaca approached the fence to check us out.

In most cases, landlords have provided us with discounted rental prices for our long-term stays and the added promotion of their listing through our site. As a result, we pay special attention to keeping the costs of owner-paid utilities under control. 

We’ve yet agreed to pay for utilities for any vacation homes. We feel these costs should be included in the rental. On the few occasions we were asked to pay the costs for utilities at the time of booking, we’ve always “negotiated” the cost of electricity/water/cable TV/Wi-Fi be included in the rent. 

Beautiful rows of grapes.

Last night, when we began watching season four of Game of Thrones, we wrapped ourselves in extra blankets to stay warm. We’d signed up for a one-month free trial of HBO (through Amazon), during which we’ll have watched the entire six seasons of Game of Thrones and season one of The Young Pope. 

By the time the trial ends, we’ll have seen all the episodes, and we’ll cancel the subscription, rejoining sometime in the future after we visit the US during which we won’t have time to watch shows while visiting with family and friends during the combined nine-week stay in both Minnesota and Nevada.

Bottles of wine ready for customers to take home.

Tomorrow, regardless of the weather, we’re heading out for more photos and grocery shopping. With over two weeks remaining until we fly to Sydney for the upcoming cruise, we’re beginning to wind down using the foods we have on hand.

Have a lovely day, stay warm, stay happy.

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

On a drive in the New Zealand countryside, we stumbled upon this Billy Goat tied to a tree. He seems interested when we stopped for the photo. For more photos, please click here.

Our version of a “Happy meal”…Tightening our belts…Visit to a winery…

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Here’s yesterday’s meal: bacon-wrapped, hard-boiled egg stuffed meatloaf made with grass-fed meat; salads with red romaine (cos), celery, carrot, and homemade salad dressing; sliced cucumber sprinkled with Himalayan salt; steamed green beans and broccolini;  oven-roasted zucchini; good-for-gut-bacteria probiotic sauerkraut; and my favorite low carb flaxseed and almond flour muffins topped with grass-fed organic butter. So who says “low carb” dining isn’t healthy?  (The red bottle in the center of the table contains homemade low-carb ketchup).

With a tremendous financial outlay upcoming over these next 12 months, we’ve had to carefully pick and choose as to how we spend our allocated budgetary allowances.

Subsequently, we’d decided to dine out on rare occasions while in both Penguin and the Huon Valley. After all, we’ll be on another cruise in 19 days which consists of “dining out” three times a day (if one so chooses) with generally great meals, all of which are specially prepared for my specific diet.

Our kindly landlords have encourages us to visit the garden anytime we’d like to pick the organic produce. What a treat this has been!

Tom has no trouble finding items he particularly enjoys even with his trimmed back agenda, preferring not to gain the former 4.5 kg, 10 pounds on each cruise. Instead, he’s entirely cut out toast and cereal at breakfast, bread with dinner and a multitude of sweet treats.

Instead of spending a fortune on dining out while in Tasmania, we’d chosen to take advantage of fabulous, readily available grass fed meat, organic vegetables, free range chicken and eggs and fresh caught fish for our home cooked meals.

Sliced cucumber, broccolini and green beans fresh from the garden added so much to our meal as shown below.

This upcoming Friday, February 17th, we are dining out, heading to Willie Smith’s Organic Apple Cider restaurant for dinner and the live entertainment (available only on Friday nights) to celebrate a combination of Valentine’s Day and my birthday.

Since the onset of our travels, we’ve celebrated each occasion separately dining at two distinct locations. However, this year, with our attempt at cutting back, we’ll only celebrate dining in one restaurant, having chosen Willie Smith’s after a recent visit. Please click here if you missed our story and photos.

What was I thinking when I took this lopsided photo of our hard boiled egg stuffed, bacon wrapped low carb meatloaf (made with grass fed beef)? 

After the upcoming dinner at Willie Smith’s, we’ll be sharing food photos, the menu options and pricing for our evening out. So please check back on Saturday, February 18th (the 17th for those on the opposite side of the International Dateline).

Had we not been cutting back to this degree (my idea, not Tom’s.  I’m the budget police) with the upcoming final payment due in November for the pricey Antarctic cruise (see the cost and details of this outrageously expensive expedition at this link), we may have chosen to dine out more frequently.

By-the-bottle, wine to go menu.

When we booked this cruise there was no doubt it would crimp our budget but we were willing to stretch ourselves for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s one of those special events we decided to accomplish while we were still young enough to partake of all of the activities off the ship on the Zodiac boats.

Wine barrel display.

Adding the higher than usual cost of the 24 day cruise beginning on April 22nd from Sydney to Seattle, followed by the equally pricey cruise to Alaska on May 17th when we first arrive in North America before heading to Minnesota to see family, we stretching our budget to the limit. 

Adding the fact that we’ll be living in a hotel for six weeks in Minnesota, dining out for all meals, we expect a much higher monthly expenditure than our usual cost of living in vacation home in various parts of the world.

Locally made dinnerware and glassware.

Its easy to understand why we’d have to pick and choose where we spend our money in the interim. Dining out, for us, just isn’t that much of a treat especially considering my special diet. While cruising, the dining becomes more significant for the socializing at meal times than the food.

Many alpaca wool items are for sale at the winery’s gift shop.

When we visited the Home Hill Winery and discovered their upcoming special event as shown on their website, it was tempting to participate. However, spending at least AU 200, US $154 for the meal for two held little interest for us especially when we’ll have dined out the previous evening at Willie Smith’s as mentioned above.

Instead, we wandered through the winery taking photos at our leisure, reveling in the pretty scenery and their herd of alpacas, generally having our usual pleasant experience.

Diners can watch the chefs at work from the shown rear wall.

As an award winning winery, they produce wines offered at many Tasmanian and Australian establishments. Here a comment about their wine production from their website:

Dining outdoors on a sunny day is appealing at the lovely home Hill winery.

“The vineyard was planted out in 1992 with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sylvaner grapes. The grey loam, high-clay soil and reliable rainfall provide excellent growing conditions for these varieties.

The Huon Valley sits on the same degree of latitude as Bordeaux in France (albeit forty-three degrees south of the equator rather than not. As a result, these regions share a similar climate, with winters featuring fog, frost, snow, and an abundance of spring rain. This allows for the slow ripening of fruit during warm months and the perfect conditions for excellent climate wine to be produced.”

Indoor dining area at Home Hill Winery in Ranalagh, Tasmania.

Of course, a highlight of our visit was the opportunity for us to see their alpacas. They offer a wide selection of products made with the fleece of these beloved animals. 

There’s an option to dine outdoors away from other diners.

The alpacas didn’t approach us as readily as when in New Zealand, most likely due to unfamiliarity of a constant flow of visitors. We easily recall how shy and hesitant the NZ alpacas were when we first arrived.

It was ironic to be up close with alpacas when it was a year ago we were living among them in New Zealand, an experience we’ll always treasure.

When all is said and done, we’re happy with our decisions for future travels and don’t ever feel we’re sacrificing quality of life. On the contrary, even on quiet days like today (Sunday), we find ourselves embracing every moment as a special gift.

May your day quiet day be special as well.

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

One year ago we responded to a request from readers as to our favorite places to visit thus far in our world travels. We posted this photo of the Treasury in Petra, Jordan after a very long, hot walk. Click here for one of two posts. This sight made us gasp with our hearts pounding wildly, less from the walk, more from sheer joy! For that post with more favorite location’s photos, please click here.

Pilot whales stranded on New Zealand beach…The kindness of humanity prevails…One year ago, quite a predicament..

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Volunteers attending to stranded whales in New Zealand, 10 February 2017
Volunteers worked hard to save some of the pilot whales stranded in Farewell Spit in New Zealand.  (Not our photo).

We continually hear of all the horrible things happening in the world. Yet, it only takes a sorrowful event to remind us how humans rally for one another and wildlife in times of need and sorrow.

So has been the case over the past few days when more than 400 pilot whales were stranded in shallow water in Farewell Spit on New Zealand’s South Island. Volunteers, including locals in this small community and visitors from all over the country, traveled to this distant location to aid the surviving whales back out to sea.

Over 300 whales died during the stranding. Many assume it’s some mass suicide for reasons unknown by the scientific community in the wake of this disaster. But that seems unlikely. 

It’s in our nature as humans and animals to survive the elements and life itself. But, unfortunately, a mass suicide sounds more like a conspiracy theory spurred on by sensationalism-seeking media when it might make a more “enticing” story.

More than 400 pilot whales stranded themselves on a New Zealand beach on the evening of Thursday February 9.
Hundreds of whales were stranded on the beach. (Not our photo).

Bottom line, for whatever unknown reasons this massive event transpired, hundreds of concerned volunteers made their way to the beach to aid in an often futile attempt to save as many as possible.

According to records, this event has transpired in this same location over the years and occurs in other parts of the world from time to time. There are endless theories on why these sad events occur, but none is definitive.

After researching multiple news reports on this event, many varying in the story in one manner or another (duh!), I found this more scientific article that may shed some light on the topic.  Please click here for details.

Certainly, I’m no wildlife (or sea life) expert but wouldn’t it make sense that since whales and dolphins tend to swim in pods, it may be a navigational error or misjudgment. 

Huge team gathers at Farewell Spit to rescue stranded whales.
A huge team of rescuers gathers for instructions as to how to aid the whales. Click here for the rest of this story from the NZ media source. (Not our photo).

Not even the most sophisticated navigational systems marine life can possess are immune from making bad decisions or getting caught in a bad scenario, such as the low tide anomalies of this area and other areas where this repeatedly occurs throughout the world. 

Like humans, wildlife is hardly exempt from becoming entrenched in precarious situations over which they have little or no control.  Perhaps, this is the case with these whales in this area when this event has transpired over and over throughout the years.

The theory that they’re all sick and dying sounds peculiar as well.  Surely, in any large group of living beings, some will always be sick and dying. But, on the other hand, whales and dolphins tend to “follow the pack” and may have become caught up in following lesser numbers who were injured, caught in nets, sick, and dying, and choose to beach themselves when they can no longer swim.

In any case, my opinions are irrelevant. The facts remain that this is a sad situation over which we humans have little opportunity or willingness to change. Its human existence on the earth here again, over which we have little control. Surely, these events have occurred since the beginning of life on our planet.

We’ll continue to stay updated on the progress of these dedicated rescuers and the outcome for the remaining precious animals. But, human or animal, we all have the right to a place in this world and must rally for one another in times of need.

Be well.

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

Ironically, one year ago (after today’s whale story in NZ), we lived on an alpaca farm in NZ when this situation occurred in the paddock in the backyard. Luckily, it turned out OK for the alpacas. We laughed over this once we realized they were both doing well after figuring out how to untangle themselves. For more on this story, please click here.

Visit to Dover, Tasmania…Uncertainty in filling gaps in the itinerary…Worrisome?

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Turkeys crossing the road.

As we drove through the foreshore of Dover, Tasmania, it felt as if we could be in an oceanfront town in the world, even in the US. The only difference on a sunny day was the lack of traffic, sunbathers on the beach, and vendors pushing passersby to partake of their offerings.

“Hey, you guys!  Wait for me!”

From the web: “Dover is the southernmost town of its size in Australia, located on the western shores towards the southern end of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, south of the Huon Valley, southwest of Hobart, located on the head of Port Esperance in Tasmania.”

  After looking online, we couldn’t find the motivation for the name of this little town.  Any comments from locals? We veered off the main road to Police Point to find a few farms and turkeys walking on the road.

We’d heard about Dover from the butcher in Geeveston, who recommended we make a point of visiting the scenic ocean town. We weren’t disappointed. Our love for the sea is the driving force behind most planning in building our itinerary year after year.

Cattle on a hill seeking respite from the sun under the shade of a tree.

Now, as we review the upcoming itinerary, we’re well aware of a few holes we need to begin thinking about. (Please click here if you’ve missed our most recently posted itinerary because we’ve moved down the page a few lines since we posted it).

The word “foreshore” in Australian speak refers simply to ocean frontage/beach.

The most imminent gap is the month-long gap in Buenos Aires, Argentina, beginning on Tom’s birthday on December 23, 2017, a mere 10 months from now. 

Sailboats moored in the bay in Dover, Tasmania.

Continuing for a period of one month, we haven’t yet decided how we’ll spend that month in Argentina as we peruse several possibilities. However, it appears the cost of vacation/holiday homes is high in this city, and its surrounding areas inspiring us may remain open-minded as to our options.

The tide was low as we drove through the town of Dover.

Based on the upcoming Antarctica cruise at the end of this one month beginning on January 23, 2018, and its outrageous cost, we must steer ourselves into a somewhat economical budget-friendly mode of living. We’re still researching.

Pier in Dover.

As for the gaps following the Antarctic cruise, we’ll be flying from South America to South Africa to begin a period of time yet undetermined. Where we’ll stay, there is also “up in the air” when Louise, our friend and past property manager, has promised to find us an ideal scenario in Marloth Park/Kruger National Park.

Pier in Southport, Tasmania.

Once we arrive in South Africa next February with no definitive plans booked for the future, we’ll begin to explore various expeditions we’ve long to experience while on the continent, such as the gorillas in Rwanda, Victoria Falls, and more safaris.

Occasionally, we discuss these particular gaps in our itinerary, but with plenty of time to pin down accommodations and activities for Africa, it’s more of a concern to begin searching for options in Buenos Aires.

More of these exquisite white sand beaches in Dover as well as in Southport.

Today, cloudy and foggy, we’re staying put while taking care of some business-related tasks, making another great meal (with a few photos for tomorrow), and contemplating plans for the future. 

See you soon!

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

Surfing and kayaking are popular in both New Zealand, Australia, and of course, Tasmania.  For more photos, please click here.

Southport Tasmania…Australia’s southern most settlement…Getting my act together every morning…

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This adorable coffee shop in Southport made us laugh. It appears to be a diving bell!

Our road trip of a few days ago left us with dozens of photos we’re excited to share over these next several days. Having had to opportunity to head south on a sunny day, we later realized it was the perfect day for such an outing when the weather has been windy, rainy, and cloudy since then.

Entering Southport, we spotted this sign, “Australia’s Southernmost Pub!” Southport is Australia’s southernmost settlement, closest to Antarctica.

In reviewing a map, Southport doesn’t appear to be the most southerly point of Tasmania, as shown in this map below:

However, in researching online, we noticed many comments repeatedly, stating that Southport is the most southerly “settlement” or town in Australia. So, for a frame of reference, we’re currently living in Forbes Bay, aka Castle Forbes Bay, shown north on the red marked highway.

“Southport, Tasmania (from this site)

Australia’s southernmost town

Southport is known as Australia’s southernmost settlement. It is now little more than a quiet holiday retreat and, looking at the shacks and small shops, it is hard to imagine that in the early 1800’s it was Tasmania’s second-largest town, and it was proposed as the capital of the colony. Then, it was a bustling and dynamic convict station, whaling station, timber town, and international port exporting timber to Europe. The modern appeal of the town lies in its away-from-it-all sleepiness. It is known for its excellent recreational fishing, and the journey to Roaring Beach and Lady Bay rewards the traveler with beautiful white sand beaches and bull kelp near the rocky headlands.”
Arriving in Southport, Tasmania, we couldn’t believe the brightness of the white sand beaches.

The roads to make it to Southport were paved for easy driving, although we observed that driving further may have required the use of some unpaved rock-covered roads. 

Driving a rental car while responsible for rock damage, we often decide to avoid rock-covered roads for long distances, which may have been the case in heading further down to Cockle Creek and/or South East Cape.

With little use of the beaches in this cool part of Australia, the beaches are pristine as they may have been thousands of years ago.

We’re hoping to head to Bruny Island on the day of my birthday (February 20th),  a portion of which will require a 15-minute ferry ride. However, if it’s a rainy or cloudy day, we already have a backup plan for an indoor venue near Hobart. We’ll get back to you on this.

We apologize for today’s late posting. Unlike me, I’m got out of sync with my familiar routine and fell behind in preparing the post promptly. Oddly,  I never feel stressed or pressured to prepare the day’s post. 

Wherever we drove along the beach, the scenes were breathtaking.

Every morning, regardless of where we are in the world, I awake with the intent that once I’m showered and dressed for the day, I’ll sit down at my laptop with news on the TV in the background to begin preparing the day’s post. Most days, this transpires seamlessly.

On travel days when we’re leaving early in the morning, I usually prepare the morning’s post the prior day to be automatically uploaded at our usual time, around 11 am (our time).

More spotless white sand beaches.

On occasion, when boarding a cruise ship, we won’t post in the morning; instead, of preparing and uploading the post after we’re checked in and settled into our cabin. In those cases, I’ll post a short notification earlier in the day, alerting our readers that the day’s post will be six or more hours later than usual, barring any Wi-Fi issues we may encounter.

Undoubtedly, this is a huge commitment, one we both take seriously. If it weren’t for our dedicated worldwide readers, this task could be daunting.  Instead, rarely struggling with the prospect of the work required to prepare the post, we take upon the task with joy and our own sense of dedication.

Mountains at a distance.

We can easily watch the ticker for the number of readers we’ve had since the onset of our site, now well over 500,000 as of a few days ago and the activity hour by hour, day by day, month by month. This has a magical way of spurring us on, knowing somewhere in the world at any given moment, someone is reading our posts.

This morning was one of those days when I was preoccupied, lounging in bed reading news on Tom’s phone (the shipment hadn’t arrived yet with my new phone) until almost 9:00 am. Then, finally, I jumped out of bed, anxious to get the day going. 

Pelican Island Conservation Area off the coast in Southport.

I was planning on making a multi-step meal with several side dishes requiring excessive chopping, dicing, and measuring for a new recipe. I needed to “get the show on the road.”

Failing to sit down until 9:30 am to begin the post after getting some of the chopping out of the way, now after 12:00 pm, I’ve finally got a good handle on the post. 

Sandbars peeking through the sea at low tide.

Not only must we contemplate a topic somehow related to our travels (in most cases), but I must also go through hundreds of recent photos to select those befitting the day’s post (not always related to the written topic). 

At times, a photo may need a bit of editing, although we make every effort to share them exactly as taken. However, if the scene is worth it, I may use an editing app to remove power lines or obstructions.

This reminded us of the spot where we sunbathed in Kauai, meeting a wonderful couple, Vicki and Jerry, with whom we had a great day.  Please click here for details.

Posting 365 days a year is not a chore. On the contrary, it’s a labor of love every day as I begin with Tom near assist with research, fact-checking, and final edits (no, we’re not perfect at this, nor will we ever be). 

Knowing YOU are out there, reading our often insignificant ramblings over a variety of “this and “that” motivates and fuels us to continue on each step of the way. Thank you, dear readers. YOU mean the world to us!

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

Nine baby alpacas, although it appears there are eight. Can you find the ninth? For more photos of our glorious time spent in NZ, please click here.

Road trip to more exquisite scenery…Tasmania never disappoints…Brain chemistry…

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Guess this little farm grows peas and makes teddy bears. This is so Tasmanian, a bit of humor in everything they do!

If we were to rewrite our goals of long term world travel it may go like this: “Ambitious home-free and stuff-free retired couple traveling the world to explore the simple life in the countryside, nature, wildlife, traditions, culture and people.”

That doesn’t necessarily mean that we haven’t reveled in visiting some of the most beautiful big cities in the world. On the contrary, we’ve loved the diversity of our experiences thus far across the globe.

Here is a dam near the town of Geeveston.

Even a few less favorite locations have taught us to embrace alternate lifestyles, varying religious beliefs and cultural traditions far removed from the original reality from whence we came.

Isn’t traveling all about putting ourselves in locations that illicit an emotional or spiritual response whether its the profound experience of walking along the beach on the Indian Ocean or traversing through the souks in the Medina in Marrakech? 

Once we arrived in Dover, we were able to see the Tasman Sea once again.

After all this time its easy for us to clearly determine what really “trips our trigger,” (no pun intended). I often tell Tom how it feels as if I’ve been injected with  a drug providing profound sensation of “peacefulness and happiness” when we see wildlife, beautiful scenery or cultural events.

“They” say (whoever “they” are) that endorphins are released effecting our brain chemistry when we visualize something that appeals to us. That’s not to say that a sugar-coated jelly doughnut won’t also illicit a similar response from me, or a plain cake doughnut for Tom (his favorite). It’s all relative. We love what we love.

I was driving through the tiny town of Dover with a population of approximately 1000.

That’s not intended to diminish the value of any visual stimuli.  It’s simply how we humans are wired. If seeing wildlife and scenery triggered the release of saliva and gastric juices, we’d be slobbering messes. 

Although Tom is less inclined to express his responses to such triggers (its a guy thing) I practically fall out of the car trying to get out of the low slung passenger seat in the little rental car to stand to take a photo or two.

What a perfect day it was for a road trip!

Yesterday, although we didn’t have an opportunity to see much wildlife except for a few choice sightings as shown in photos over these next several days, we were catapulted into another realm when we embarked on yet another road trip in exquisite Tasmania.

A few readers have written to us privately saying they’re considering a visit to Tasmania after our many posts since December 3, 2016 when we arrived in this veritable paradise (by our standards).

However, we must caution travelers that if big city life, significant nightlife, and the hum of activity are most appealing, Tasmania may not be the place for you. 

View of the Huon River while driving south.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, Hobart is loaded with tourist attractions, lively entertainment and shopping. But, it may be less vibrant than some big cities when citizens enjoy evenings at their homes cooking outdoors with family and friends. 

There is a plethora of water sport activities, tours to islands and hiking to please the most serious of adventurers;  helicopter rides, zip-lining, bungee jumping and white water rafting. But, we find these types of activities are available in most countries in one form or another. 

River running through the town.

The slower pace and lack of hustle and bustle in Tasmania may be ideal for the traveler seeking a respite from the stresses of daily life in a big metropolitan area. But, if quiet repose is not on your radar for at least part of each day, this may not be the best vacation/holiday spot for everyone. Then again, each potential location appeals to travelers for a variety of reasons.

W cannot partake in sport-like activities with my delicate spinal condition and have naturally gravitated toward the things I can do, as we’ve shared in our posts, day after day. We certainly haven’t been lacking in exceptional experiences, have we?

White sand beach in Dover, Tasmania.

Tom, my devoted and loyal companion and love, who’d easily partake in more adventurous activities has found an appreciation for nature and wildlife that parallels my own. He, too, can spot a creature or scene from afar that may easily inspire a stop on the road to capture his discovery.

Today and over the next several days, we’ll be posting photos of the road trip to the most southerly settlement in Australia, closest to Antarctica. Wow! We certainly appreciate the scenery and countryside in Tasmania.

May your day present you with the pure sense of joy from your surroundings whatever they may be!

Photo from one year ago today, February 8, 2017:

This alpaca, Amber Rose, who’d recently given birth, often looked at me through the kitchen window while I was preparing meals, at times pressing her nose on the glass. So funny!  For more photos of life on an alpaca farm, please click here.

What a fabulous Super Bowl game and fabulous dinner to boot!..Final car show photos and recipes…

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After parking the car, we walked across the road to the Geeveston Wheels in the Park event to spot this antique truck atop the petrol station.

What a fabulous Super Bowl game! Shortly before halftime, we were practically nodding off only to be totally reenergized by Lady Gaga’s extraordinary performance, and then the magic began to happen. We’re hoping those of you who also watched the game enjoyed it as well. Riveting!

After the game ended, I finished making what proved to be a somewhat time-consuming recipe. But, the extra time and effort were worth every moment when we bit into our first bites of these superb low-carb chicken-filled “pastries.” 

This ’48 Chevy Fleetmaster was made the year I was born.

With few recipes providing us with a “bread-like” feel in our mouths, this certainly hit the spot. Although not as fabulous as a wheat-based puff pastry or homemade pie crust dough, we both moaned in delight throughout the entire meal.

We added a big salad with red romaine (cos) lettuce, red onion, diced celery, and a small portion of diced carrots, tossing it before serving with our favorite homemade salad dressing:

Jess’s Low Carb Homemade Salad Dressing
2 T full-fat mayonnaise (homemade if possible)
2 T full-fat sour cream
sweetener of your choice to taste
Add pink Himalayan salt to salad before serving

It could be a ’58 to ’62 Corvette.

I usually make a huge jar of the above dressing since we have a salad with dinner, varying the ingredients. We make coleslaw using this same dressing that we’ve mentioned in past posts from time to time.

For those willing to spend about an hour in the kitchen, here’s the main course recipe I found online. If you have difficulty copying and pasting this recipe to your recipe file, please email me to send it to you via a PDF :

Low Carb Costco
Chicken Bake – Grain Free

40 minute cook time

Yields 3 chicken bakes

Dough
Ingredients
8 oz shredded mozzarella
2 oz cream cheese
1 egg  (the dough mixes more easily if it is room temperature)
1/3 cup almond flour
1/3 cup coconut flour

1/3 cup ground golden flax

Filling
Ingredients:
2 cups chicken, shredded or cubed
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup bacon crumbles
2 T  sour cream
·2 T mayo
·1 tsp garlic powder
·1/2 tsp salt
Topping
Ingredients
½ egg beaten white

Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions:

1. preheat oven to 350F, 178C.

2. Place mozzarella cheese and 2 ounces of cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for one minute. Stir. Microwave 30 seconds. Stir. At this point, all the cheese should be melted. Microwave 30 more seconds until uniform and gloopy (it should look like cheese fondue at this point). Mix in the egg and baking mix. You will need to dump it onto wax paper and knead it by hand to incorporate the ingredients thoroughly, or you can do this in a food processor with the dough blade.

3. Press or roll into a large rectangle on a piece of parchment paper. It helps to use wet hands or cover the top with the second piece of parchment. Cut the dough into 3 rectangles.

4.  Combine all the ingredients for the filling. Divide the filling between them. Gently pull the sides up and around the filling pressing the seams together to stay closed. Brush with the egg white and sprinkle with the parmesan.

5.   Bake on a pizza stone or baking sheet with parchment (baking paper) for 40-50 minutes until golden brown.

This appears to be a ’60 Cadillac.

Rather than make appetizers for Super Bowl Sunday, I decided on this recipe as a special early dinner we had an hour after the game ended. So I doubled the recipe to make enough for three meals, wrapping the four extras carefully in parchment paper to store in the refrigerator. 

I’d considered freezing the four extra “bakes,” but after eating last night’s portion, we both agreed two more dinners of the same would be quite enjoyable. As for this recipe being a remake of a Costco item, I’m at a loss. We haven’t been to a Costco store since Hawaii in 2014.

This sharp ’57 Buick has some fancy hubcaps, as shown below.

With the entrée, salad, and a big bowl of fresh cooked green beans, it was a fabulous meal. Often, I’ll prepare a more time-consuming recipe when preparing a sufficient amount to last for three meals. Neither of us has any aversion to repeats, and in some cases, we immediately freeze the leftovers for other occasions.

Actually, we liked it so much; we’re both looking forward to today’s encore. We continue with intermittent fasting, eating only one meal in 24 hours with no snacks. This filling dinner easily kept us fill through the evening.

Bullet spinner hubcaps on a classic ’57 Buick.

We dine early in the day to allow food to digest long before bed, and, an important point, our portions are no larger than one would have at the main meal if also having breakfast and lunch. 

During the remaining periods of the day and evening, neither of us suffers any hunger pangs. For us, eating a low-carb, grain, sugar, and starch-free diet keeps our appetites at a minimum—no insulin spikes…no hunger.

In Australia, classic cars are referred to as “special Interest Vehicles.”

No doubt, this routine will change when we board the next cruise in 22 days. After that, we’ll return to dining twice a day, breakfast and dinner, twice more for socialization than the extra meal.

Today, the cleaner arrives soon at 11:00 am, when we’ll be off for the day for some sightseeing on this cool but gloriously sunny day. We’ll be back tomorrow with more new photos.

Be well. Be happy. Enjoy the day!

Photo from one year ago today, February 6, 2016:

This clever seating nook and appropriate narrow table brought visions of “tea time” to mind during our visit to the historic Plas Mawr home in New Plymouth, New Zealand, one year ago. Please click here for more photos.

Geeveston Wheels in the Park..Car show in Tasmania!

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This vehicle looked like an old farm truck. See the sign below for the details.
The sign was in front of the above old truck.

When quickly passing a road sign that read: “February 1st, Sunday, Geeveston Car Show,” we ended up going to Geeveston on February 1st. Once we arrived days ago to discover the sign meant the first Sunday in February, we decided to return yesterday on the actual day of the show, Sunday in this part of the world.

Ford from the late ’30s?

The cloudy and overcast skies as seen in our photos didn’t keep us from enjoying the day at Geeveston Wheels in the Park annual car show. The only difficulty we experienced was the fact that many cars didn’t have signage explaining the year they were made which made it a little tricky posting our photos.

Delivery van from the ’30s. Check out those ominous-looking clouds!

After going through the plethora of photos we shot, we decided to post half today and the balance tomorrow, especially for our classic car aficionados. So if classic cars aren’t your thing, bear with us. This will be over soon.

In Australia, this car is called a Ford Falcon. In the US, it’s referred to as a Ranchero.

Ironically, it was one year ago this month that we attended AmeriCarna in New Zealand. Click this link for details with additional photos following for a few days as well. See below photo from that show in New Zealand in February 2106.

Tom was enthused when he spotted this Minnesota State Trooper car at AmeriCarna last February. Click here for more photos.

It may not be so ironic after all these two car shows in two different countries occurred in February. It’s summer in this part of the world, a logical time of the year to plan such events during warmer weather.

We weren’t quite sure. Could this be a ’31 Dodge?

We were surprised by the size of the crowd, and the number of motorcycles, parked next to the displayed cars. The beer booth was busy while the smell of burgers wafted through the air. 

We could hear the motorcycles zooming down the highway after we returned to our vacation home. This is because so many bikers attended the show.
Regardless of the cloudy day, it was truly a festive occasion in Tasmania with classic cars and trucks from all over the state.  Many owners were from distant locations on the opposite side of the island. The enthusiasm was riveting.
Old Volkswagen with sun visor.

We’d wish we’d been able to get the year and make of all the cars for our photos but with many cars were unattended by their owners. We did the best we could. Tom has always enjoyed looking at classic cars but doesn’t necessarily know every make and model.

These tiny European cars looked a lot smaller in person. 

As for today’s Super Bowl Sunday (it’s Monday here), the game is started as I write here now. If the Minnesota Viking team was playing I’d be glued to the TV with Tom. But, instead, mostly I’m intrigued over the prospect of Tom Brady breaking the “win” record.

Chevy Fleetmaster circa ’48.

As for Tom, who’s an avid Minnesota Vikings fan, he has no qualms about getting into today’s game. We’re thrilled it’s live on TV here, beginning at 10:00 am. The Australian news showed fans at Super Bowl parties in bars all over the continent, including Tasmania.

Pontiac Firebird, ’67 or ’68.

At times, we’re surprised at how much influence the US has in other parts of the world as they adopt certain traditions, styles, philosophies and more. In most countries we visit, it really doesn’t feel as if we’re so far away. Even Australian news includes considerable stories we’d hear in the US. (Of course, including “fake news” and bias).

Not sure on this one.  Maybe early 30’s with suicide doors.

In our old lives, we often held parties, making a wide array special foods including my annual football shaped cheeseball and a German Chocolate football-shaped cake with stitches and all. Those days are behind us now. No cake for us. No party for us.

I thought this was cute.

But we’re content.  I’m busy with laundry and making a special dinner. Recently, with the availability of many items we use, I’d decided to try a new recipe once a week. With our restricted diet, it’s easy to get caught up in repeating the same dishes over and over. As a result, we’ve adopted a few new favorites.

We’d have store-bought cooked, roasted chickens twice a week to cut down on the cooking in past locations. Then, adding a salad and cooked vegetables, we’d have a great meal. 

The owner explained this was a ’42 Plymouth, unusual in its era due to World War II.

In Tasmania, although many grocery stores carry free-range organic roasted chickens, they’re all stuffed with bread dressing, which doesn’t work for us. Removing the dressing isn’t enough to avoid contamination of the gluten.

For those of you watching and celebrating the Super Bowl, have an enjoyable day! We have no doubt we’ll enjoy ours as well!

Photo from one year ago today, February 6, 2016:

One year ago we visited this historic home in New Plymouth, New Zealand, Plas Mawr, owned by June, a lovely woman we met at the grocery store. It was built in 1913 by renowned New Zealand architect James Chapman-Taylor. For more photos, please click here.

A surprising visit to a popular local point of interest…Thinking about pesticides..Bees and worms…

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It was Saturday (yesterday) when we stopped by, but it wasn’t busy. Very few venues are overly busy in this quiet laid back area.

After the rain settled down and the clouds began to waft away, we were chomping at the bit to get out. Deciding to make it a dual-purpose trip, we included the weekly shopping, albeit a few days earlier than necessary, and to include some sightseeing on the same sunny day.

The sign on the highway to the Huon Valley Visitor Centre and The Honey Pot.

With a plan in mind to visit a few popular spots, afterward, we didn’t hesitate to drive with nowhere in mind after having visited those few venues on our “to do” list. We love the surprises we encounter when driving aimlessly on country roads.

This particular visitor center has many more interesting items than some we visited in the past.

One of the attractions we were anxious to see was the Huon Valley Visitor Centre. Of course, one wouldn’t think a visitors centre wouldn’t be all that interesting, but with this particular centre, regarded as one of the more interesting to visit, we weren’t disappointed.

The center offers these services and more:

Services Offered:

  • Free Information

  • Itinerary planning

  • Booking service for attractions, accommodation, tours, and cruises

  • Local knowledge

  • Maps and brochures

  • National Park Passes

  • Gift Shop with Souvenirs, local crafts, and products

  • Free WiFi

  • Free parking on site

  • Toilets on site

  • Baby Change Facilities on site

After reading reviews at Trip Advisor and discovering this center is listed as #4 of 12 Things to Do in the Huon Valley, we weren’t at all surprised when we entered the property to find a wealth of interesting products, services, and the popular Honey Pot, located at the rear of the shop.

Stuffed wombat, koala, and other popular Australian critters. 

No more than a minute after we entered, a rep approached us, asking if she could assist us. We explained we were interested in browsing and taking some photos if they didn’t mind. Of course, they were delighted to comply.

Hand-carved wood guitar.

Upon entering any facility, we usually ask permission to take photos, and we’re seldom refused, especially in Australia. However, on occasion, due to religious beliefs, we have been asked not to take photos. 

A stuffed Tasmanian Devil and others.

Recently, at Australia Day celebrations in Franklin, a vendor snapped at us when I took a quick shot. At that point, I’d taken one photo of his handmade product display and promptly deleted it. I suppose some makers of specific products fear others will copy their designs. When refused, we politely apologize, accepting their choice, never making a fuss or negative comment.

At first glance, we thought these were baguettes, big and small, when in fact, they were rolling pins. 

After we perused the many interesting items in the shop and collected some free brochures for future outings, we moseyed to the back of the store to the somewhat separate Honey Pot shop where everything “bee” was on display, including an actual live honeycomb as shown below.

An enclosed honeycomb is located in the shop.

Tom asked the salesperson if the devastating loss in the number of bees is as big an issue in Australia as in the US.  She explained that the manufacturers of their products actually ship bees to the US. Who knew?

Surely, with the US as the second-highest user of the world’s pesticides, it’s no wonder the bee population is dwindling.  Hopefully, soon, “they” will accept this reality and make some changes.

Per this chart depicting the world’s use of pesticides, it’s easy to see this is a dire situation:

Top Pesticide Consuming Countries Of The World

Rank Country Annual Pesticide Consumption (millions of kilograms)
1 China 1,806
2 United States 386
3 Argentina 265
4 Thailand 87
5 Brazil 76
6 Italy 63
7 France 62
8 Canada 54
9 Japan 52
10 India 40

A few years ago, the US was the highest user of pesticides, but recently China has topped the list. For more information, please click here. Oh, I could go nuts on this topic, but I won’t since, let’s face it, it’s political more than anything. 

Located in the rear of the Visitor Centre, the Honey Pot is an adorable “honey” themed shop. Of course, neither of us uses honey due to the sugar content, but it was fun to see.

As stated in a post a few days ago, we attempt to avoid making a political stance on our site. It’s not always easy to stay mum on these topics, but not everyone shares similar views. Our goal here is to stay as neutral as possible on these topics. 

However, after shopping at the health food stores and farmers’ markets, nothing pleases me more than to find insects in our produce. This is an obvious sign that few pesticides are used in farming, especially when the insects are near the outer leaves or exterior of the produce.

Bee-inspired products.

Yesterday, after our road trip and excursions (more coming later), I did grocery shopping, purchasing three zucchini packages. Upon returning home, I began to thoroughly wash each of the zucchini along without other purchases. 

Cute bee products for sale.

The ugliest worm was attached to the backside of one of the zucchini. Happily, I washed it off, never hesitating to use my fingers to flick it off. This reminded me of a most outrageous worm I found on a head of lettuce in Madeira in 2014. Here’s the photo I took at the time and the link.

I didn’t grab the camera quickly enough to take the photo when this worm actually picked up its head and looked at me. So I picked it up and placed him/her outside in the grass.

Today, with clouds rolling back in over this area after a sunny start to the day, we’ll soon head back to Geeveston to see the annual event we’ll share in tomorrow’s post.

Have a beautiful day filled with sunshine in your heart.

Photo from one year ago today, February 5, 2016:

Tom, standing outside Taylor Dental Practice in New Plymouth, New Zealand, where he had his problematic molar pulled.  For more details, including the cost, please click here.