Surfing at Torguay, Voctoria

The sun came out ---finally! Surf looked good. Got the boards and headed for Danger Point at Surf Beach, Torguay, Vicotria. The sidewalks of this beach town are edged with white pointer fins!

Would you rather be a Kangaroo or a Koala?

Boys discuss the advantages of being a koala - sleeping 20 of the 24 hours a day. Jim thinks he'd rather be a kangaroo!

When it rains we go horseback riding!

Brrr- cold Christmas Day in Australia

Dashing Through the Snow and Hail!
We are here for the lowest temperature on record for Christmas Day in Victoria, Australia

On Dec 21, 2006 we met our son, Fraser, at the Adelaide Airport. It was July 21, 2006 that Fraser dropped us off at Logan Airport in Boston to start on our world wide adventure - exactly five months!

Fraser and his friend, Scott, are on winter break from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont. They came to celebrate Christmas, New Year’s, to enjoy some sun and warm summer weather down here in the Southern Hemisphere. We’d told them how hot it’s been here – about 100F and very dry. Australia was actually suffering from lack of rain, driest stretch of weather they’ve had in a long time. We probably had only 5 rainy days in 5 months! We told them to be prepared for very hot weather. We made plans to be surfing at Apollo Bay for Christmas day.

However, since Fras and Scott arrived, it’s been raining! Fras and Scott describe the weather as “buschleague” – chilly, cloudy, rainy, windy, grey, unpleasant, depressing, and say; “Seriously, Vermont’s weather is more pleasant”.
Scott says; “It’s been raining every single day. I’m gonna ask the Australian Government for a refund.”
Fras says: “These are some of the worst days, but I refuse to bust out the pants.”

We have had splashes of sunshine when we walked along West Beach in Robe, SA and got a glimpse of The Blue Lake in Mount Gambier, SA. We learned how to cook snintzel and decided prawns are better warm than cold in Port Fairy. We wrote cinquain poems as we made our way along the Great Ocean Road. Along the stretch of 100 miles -From Port Fairy to Apollo Bay- we stopped to see the amazing beautiful wave sculpted coastline.


Bay of Islands
Spectacular Magnificent
Smashing Awe- inspiring Howling
Turquoise water contrast purple sky
Windy

Bay of Martyrs
Eroded excitement
Exhilarating lashing enlivening
Peek through hole in sandstone
Deathly

Grotto
Tranquil peaceful
Clearing soothing foaming
Still water reflects rocks
Sacred

London Bridge
Separated dropped
Rolling eroding disappearing
Sun shines on our photo
Fallen down

Twelve Apostles
Extreme empty
Raining shivering running
Might get pneumonia here
Icebergs


Christmas Eve was raining, cold, windy, but we had a warm reception at the Apollo Bay Youth Hostel. We cooked a delicious lamb dinner – mango-avocado salad, sautéed green beans, potatoes. During dinner in the spacious open glass walled kitchen, we enjoyed a Christmas Eve RAINBOW out over Apollo Bay.

After dinner we opened the green box from Ant Dot! Great snacks for our rousing card game of “Oh Hell!” Love the Australian black licorice.

Christmas Day – alternated between some sun, pouring showers and HAIL!
The boys went for a run in the morning – came back soaked!
We dashed through wind and rain into the church for nice carol singing during Christmas Day Mass at “Mary, Star of the Sea” church.
We meandered around the little town, stopped at the Nautigals Café to check e-mails – could only receive – but looked out the window to see large balls of hail dancing on the bright blue picnic tables. We visited the beaches & rock cliffs, took a hike to Shelley Beach. Santa brought the boys a baseball and bat so had the ceremonial Christmas Day baseball game through the extreme wind. The sun kept trying to break through the GALE.

We enjoyed“good old Australian sausage sizzle” for the in-house guests at the hostel with our hosts Jonathan and Marjon – nice to chat with people form all over the world on Christmas Day.

Later we had our Christmas dinner – steak –broccoli-potato with a nice white wine which Fraser brought all the way from Paris –Marquis de Chasse Bordeaux Sauvignon Semillon. The kitchen was full of people – a group from China cooking up an amazing feast – a bunch from India – a few from the UK – one from Ireland and us.

The night wind

Said the night wind to the little lamb
Do you see what I see
Way up in the sky little lamb
Do you see what I see
A star, a star
Dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kiteWith a tail as big as a kite

Said the little lamb to the shepard boy
Do you hear what I hear
Ringing through the sky shepard boy
Do you hear what I hear
A song, a song
High above the treeWith a voice as big as the sea
With a voice as big as the sea

Said the shepard boy to the mighty king
Do you know what I know
In your palace wall mighty king
Do you know what I know
A child, a child
Shivers in the cold
Let us bring him silver and gold
Let us bring him silver and gold

Said the king to the people everywhere
Listen to what I say
Pray for peace people everywhere
Listen to what I say
The child, the child
Sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light

The child, the child
Sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light

Large Lobster for Christmas Eve anyone?

Lobster is our traditional Christmas Eve dinner at Centre Farm back in Massachusetts. Wrapped in tinfoil and grilled on the BBQ! My family - usually 25 or so - always gathers round a big table with pliers and pickers to enjoy a lobster feast before having a Yankee Swap. Everyone loves lobster!
How about this Australian one?

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year……..

In South Australia we have watched the vineyards surrounding Adelaide with curiosity over the past five months. We arrived in the southern hemisphere’s winter and saw row upon row of brown, leafless vines stretching away over the green hills. Slowly, as the spring arrived, leaf buds began to open and tendrils began to emerge. Tiny clusters of flowers soon followed as the dry summer edged closer. Soon small green berries were visible hanging from the lush green growth. The surrounding hills and grasses meanwhile began to turn golden brown giving even more contrast to the vineyards green. We can only imagine the fall and the yellowing of all these vines to expose the magnificent array of fruit ready to be picked. Chardonnay, Viognier, Semillon, Shiraz, Cabernet Savignon, Savignon Blanc and others destined for the crushers, fermenters, vats, casks, and bottles. Some wines are best young while others need to mellow with age.

We have had the pleasure this year to meet many new people and start new friendships since we left home. We will continue to build these friendships as the last five months of our stay progresses. This has enriched our lives like a new season’s growth on the vines. In the meantime we realize all the more clearly how much our family and old friends, mean to us. We appreciate all the letters, cards, e-mails, and skype conversations with all of you that help us stay connected. Like those winter vines, we know that we will soon be back and will watch a new season of growth as we see our old friends and family again.

At this Christmas time of year we want to send our best wishes and happy new year’s cheers to all our new and old friends and especially to all our family. Love, Jim and Lea

Be sure to keep checking our blog for further updates as we travel with Fraser & Scott around the Great Ocean Raod, on to Tasmania and back through our beloved Grampians.
If you have time, look through the archives, too!

Christmas in Australia

Christmas in Australia does not feel like Christmas at all - summer weather - no family (yet). Do you hear what I hear? Outdoor carol singing is popular. They love Jingle Bells. We gathered with 30,000 people by the Torrens River one hot evening for “carols by candlelight.” Do you see what I see? pine trees? Gum trees, palm trees, and roses… falala! Where are the bows of holly andWhat does this holiday mean? Celebrate baby Jesus’ birth. Do you know what I know? I don’t think so. Not sure about it this year. Do we have it all wrong with the snowy Christmas carols and sleigh bells ringing? The actual event, the birth of the babe, was in an arid climate.

Our ceramic nativity set at home is a desert scene. Palm trees and sandstone surround the stable. Mary and Joseph figurines lean over baby Jesus in the manger. Fraser’s name came up at the Sacred Heart Christmas raffle when he was just 3 years old. I remember the chuckles as everyone in the hall watched Fraser’s small arms reach up to take the prize. Father Bullock was shaking his head with that warm wonderful smile. This scene etched in our memory, makes us realize the love of Christmas is eternal when you keep the story alive. Fraser, Xan and Keara set up that manger scene each year. The shepherds and wise men wear white chips from hours of little fingers arranging and acting out various versions. What does the story mean to them now?
A church inspires a bond of fellowship and holds you to a place. Sacred Heart Parish, Gloucester was closed due to the horrific child abuse scandal in the Boston Archdiocese shattering our community traditions. This was part of why we felt free to take a sabbatical in Australia. Our kids left for college, our dog of 14 years passed on, and our sacred Sunday ritual of coffee and donuts after the 8:15 Mass vanished. Changes can be freeing, but usually involve sacrifice.
Yesterday at a South Australian winery, we met the vineyard dog, “Rodney”. A curly coated retriever, like our “Mocha”, he resembles a black sheep. Patting his wiry liver colored coat and connecting with his gentle eyes grounded me. You are attached to the stories of your youth. What you cherish helps determine the meaning of your continued journey.

Keara is finishing her architecture degree in Oregon. She and Gus enjoyed being Santa’s elves aboard the Polar Express again this year. Fraser and a friend from St. Michael’s College join us here for a traveling holiday to Tasmania. Xan’s new job in Cambridge means he lives at home in Gloucester. Maybe Xan will find the ceramic nativity set, maybe not. The electric light bulb shining from behind the stable always intrigued Xan as a kid……
Do you know what I know? Xan, Keara, and Fraser are discovering their interpretation of the story Jim and I shared with them.

Listen to what I say! Pray for Peace people everywhere…The Child… The Child sleeping in the night will bring us goodness and light….
Pondering these questions, living in a renovated 1850s sandstone stable, waiting for Fraser to arrive, even missing all I know and love, Christmas in Australia is beginning to feel like Christmas after all!

We hope you hear interesting messages from the night wind in 2007.
Merry Christmas! Love, Lea and Jim

Interesting Australian Christmas Trees

Merry Christmas from Australia!

Sailing in South Australia

Ever since we sailed aboard the tallship, Regina Maris, we've loved the ole' sea shanty "Bound for South Australia". Sailing had to be part of our South Australian experience. We weren't here very long before Jim found some great sailing opportunities. He loves racing J24s with friends at the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia in Northaven. Here we are aboard "Jumpin' Jack Flash" on his birthday winning the race! Usually about a dozen boats show up for a very competitive time.

Today, Dec 10, 2006 Jim and "Jumpin' Jack Flash" took 2nd Place in the South Australian State J24 Chanpionships.