Lennox Head - we're back!

Upon our first visit to Lennox Head in 2012,  we spent Christmas there.We fell in love with the quiet peaceful village.  Thereafter,  two years in a trot we  returned to it again  and again for a big 70th birthday bash of my sis in law and now in December  to gather for her son's wedding. Lennox Head certainly has many family stories to tell.

Lennox Head is a seaside village in the North Rivers region of NSW, Australia situated on the stretch of  coast  between Byron Bay and Ballina.

Truth be told, I do not swim. Just playing in the water is fun . I guess I really miss out on this aquatic enjoyment. So at Lennox Head, I walk on the beach, climb Lennox  Point and look out at Pat Morton, and watch the waves roll endlessly. The lapping, crashing  and pounding of the waves is music to the ears and looking out from the balcony or sitting on the beach or lawn, one never tires of of the therapeutic effects. The ocean vista is always changing and when evening comes and darkness follows, out in the vast open space it  is pitch black and the waves sends its own rhythmic sounds to us.

Lennox Head is where my sis in law goes to for peace and quiet. It's a kind of retreat,so blissful.  But  the times we have gathered, gosh , it's like what we say, a fish market, with 15 people or more  under one roof! Well, the wedding that we attended had 100 people but the roof stayed intact!

This time round, my hubby and I  made an effort to get  up at 5.44 to catch the sunrise from the bed on the ground floor of the bungalow.

 With droopy eyes, after all the liquor imbibed, we got our cameras out to catch the morning glow. A little cloudy but the sun was up all the same.

So ended  our third visit to Lennox Head after fourteen happy ,memorable days. It seemed like the fun and the eating and drinking would never stop!  The children amongst us gave us much interactive cheer. The adults talked and talked and we got to know each other better with rellies and friends popping by.  The parties prior and after the main event - wedding, of course got us excited and dressed in our finery.  Then came Christmas Eve  lavished with turkey, leg of ham and the full works, all home -cooked by home-grown chefs who happen to be our nephews and even the new bride who cooked goose ( not one but two ) to feed the army of  uncles, aunties  and others in tow!) on Christmas Day.Not forgetting some shopping on Boxing Day in Byron Bay.

So much to say about this holiday which is really special 'coz it started in Melbourne and then onward to lovely Tasmania for a first visit. Finally we ended up in Lennox Head which wound us up as we worked as a team to get the house and things ready for a traditional Indian wedding. All good things must come to an end and here we are back in Kuala Lumpur. Whatever one says, it's still home sweet home. Well, till  good things happen again, in whatever manner.

I can't believe how this year has flown by. And the blog has been rather idle! Well this is to say goodbye 2014 and welcome 2015. Here's wishing  my blogging friends , A Happy New Year. All the best of things to you.

Hail the waves!

Lennox Head is popular with surfers.

The seaweeds washed ashore

 Keeping  watchful eyes on surfers

Surfs coming in 

A peacock fanning out on the beach?

Catching the wind

See me and see my name! I took some time to make those alphabets - as it was mainly seaweeds around me.  My name was made of seagull feathers, a bluebottle, twigs and seaweeds. Just as it was made, a quick click of the camera and the waves came in...

A blob of jellyfish

Here's looking at you! One of the locals, Les  told me it's the skull of a snapper, noting the hump on the head. He reckons  that fella weighed about 10 kg. 

Pincers and what's left of the crab .

Said hello to a local who was strolling with his wife. Got talking about the blue bottle jellyfish. Les sportingly showed me the sting marks left by the bluebottle jellyfish. He had them all over his thighs and hands too. Not bothersome to him!

Les held the bluebottle jellyfish to show me the tail. They were a few washed up the beach .

Whoa, I've landed! The picture was taken from the balcony of the house.

On the boardwalk to Pat Morton lookout

From  Pat Morton  lookout

View from the bed  - Sunrise at Lennox Head

Fun all the way!

My hubby and I had a short break recently  and it was to Hong Kong. Its been ages though a quick visit a couple of years ago, we hopped over from Macau to Kowloon to have a walk around and eat good Chinese food.

I went on a Corporate holiday and knew that  in the company of  60 other people, we would be doing things differently. So we left our whims and fancies behind. Guess what, we had fun all the way!

  Nothing cheerier than this!

LET Us out! We are innocent!!

Ready? Yes, for Mickey's PhilharMagic

Hardly a distraction!

Action!  ... so visit Hong Kong  and find our why the city never sleeps!.....

Rubbed  much gold on meself. So much richer than before!

Who is happier?? 

Just signed off an important document to David Cameron ! Oh well, Pres Obama was my witness.

How does one show a bright sparky light bulb moment??

English tea, of course!

Ready for a flick from Ip Man.

No skirt lift . This will do!

 I tried but couldn't wreck them bars :(

Our dog Buffy.

It's been over a year since our faithful Robbie breathed his last. His docile, loveable character left a void.  Patiently, we looked for another pet dog to call our own.  The children  made enquiries for an Alsatian through several sources including vets.

One day in June there was an air of excitement when we made our way to a house to look into a litter of  pups. After all the search, imagine finding  Buffy was right under our noses; I mean in the same neighbourhood!

The owner/ breeder happily showed off the litter. What a light-hearted feeling it was to see the puppies, all so cuddlesome  and lively.

Out of the five in the litter, only two had not found owners. Buffy caught our attention. We played with her and when we left our hearts were there.Later in the evening, hubby and son  went back to claim her  with a deposit. She came to us  three weeks later after all the jabs had been given,

Meanwhile I swung into action. The kennel that belonged to dear Robbie needed a clean-up. I bought a can of paint from ACE hardware, scrubbed the kennel and when dry, two coats of fresh paint was an early welcome to Buffy. The door which had gone rusty was replaced by  a carpenter and days late, Buffy arrived in style - flanked by my daughter and son in a BMW! I greeted her and she was dribbling with saliva . She behaved admirably, didn't bark, ever so polite! Her tail wagged and she got more hugs. This is home, I said.

It's been four weeks since that day for our new member of the family.  Bond first and train later, was the advice we got . Buffy goes for short walks in the morning . She looks forward to her two meals of  Royal Canin, a bone to chew weekly, the odd treats  and  the frolic and tickles!

The story so far.  - she's growing fast. There's an increase of two inches in height and weighs in at 18 kg.

Trainer showing us the litter.  Can you spot Buffy ? 

A hug, please?

Ready for a command

Well by the side of the trainer

Cutesy

Resting after the mini demo

New home - a hand me down from Robbie. Still good after previous three pet dogs.

On the driveway

Son putting Buffy to the paces

All of four months

 

Kuala Lumpur Orchid and Bonsai Show

I paid a quick visit to the recent Kuala Lumpur Orchid and Bonsai Show. The idea was to lug home some lovely orchids at prices I could afford. Nothing extraordinary happened and I bought some dendrobiums with a tight watch on my budget. Yes, me hubby  would really like to hear that! There wasn't much to attract in the way of orchids though their splashes of colour drew me  to have a closer look.

Though I do not cultivate bonsai trees , I did  2 rounds viewing the exhibits, a painstaking  form of horticulture . And that's where I lack patience, not to mention skill. Whoever says gardening is all about rushing into achieving beauty? Sculpting  and aiming for an aesthetic appeal  and the uniqueness takes skill. The gardener who was pruning ever so delicately  at a bonsai plant  proved a point or two.

The bonsai beauties standing apart from each other makes the admirer pause and wonder. I've seen them in nurseries all clumped together  and to the novice eyes like mine, their beauty is lost.

For now, the dendrobiums add happy colour to my plants . Just checking on them the snails have not made the pots their home!

Tight clusters and splashes of yellow.

Phalaenopsis  display

Pink welcome

I like the shape

Elegance

What a cascade! 

Beauty in starkness

Sail away

How long did it take to achieve the look?

Another bonsai beauty .  

Twisting to fame and fortune?

This huge canopy  was a big surprise to me. Looks like I haven't been around the Lake Garden for sometime.

Manicure time 

I bought  the common orchids 

Didn't have to drag myself to my car. This shuttle relieved me  of my load.