Gee, how time flies, especially when you're having fun visiting trees and going to writing festivals, and generally fitting in as much as possible in the days.
Frankston Botanical Gardens - the Banksias
I couldn't help going back to the gardens twice in the last week, as I had the opportunity, in particular to visit the beautiful banksias which grow up the back of the garden, down at the beach end. It takes a little bit of exploration to find them, but they are well worth the visit. Most seem to be doing okay. There is an older Banksia Serrata that I particularly love, and I had fun getting some close up pics of the flowers and cones in various stages.
Sorrento Writer's Festival - and seeing Helen Garner
In a surprise invitation from my lovely friend (F), I travelled to the Sorrento Writer's festival, where I was able to go to three awesome sessions. The first day was a session featuring writer's of biography, and most wonderfully, a second session of authors who write about trees. In particular, I was excited to hear the author Dave Witty, and I purchased his book, 'What the Trees See', (a wander through Millenia of natural history in Australia), which I am now hanging out to read. I also became aware that there is a genre of nature writing - I had no idea! It seems I will be writing in the genre, and I guess that's an accidental bonus that it's a growing area. On the first day of the festival, I noticed that Helen Garner was speaking. I have recently been reading many of Helen's books and had purchased her three diaries as an absolute must-have. Why? Well, for many years I have wanted to be a writer. Helen's writing has given me the strength to actually, for once, focus on being who I need to be. I put my name on the waiting list and by some miracle, was able to purchase two tickets. So yesterday, I spent an amazing hour at the Sorrento Community Centre, listening to Helen hold a huge audience captivated, speaking about her new book 'The Season', (of course I had to purchase a copy). What a great day - it was well worth the long drive on a rainy day. I also turned it into a fun day out with my partner (S).
The Briars at Mornington - on a VERY rainy day
Next stop on the way back from Sorrento was the Briars. An old hang-out of mine, I used to take my dog to the leash-free park next to it, and also took the kids here when they were a lot younger to explore the park. It was unusually wet, and S was a tad reluctant, but I convinced him to explore the boardwalk area, and we got some nice pictures. I'm definitely going back soon though, in a less-rainy day with the binoculars, because the bird hides are sensational! I revisited a lovely eel in the tourist centre aquarium, I'm fairly certain it would be the same one, as it's quite huge now. In a lucky find, I also picked up two Coastal Banksias and two Drooping Sheoaks for a little project we have going in my daughter and her fiancee's back yard in Seaford - they can live on my back porch until we are ready to plant in spring.
What a great few days! *Image 1: Banksia Serrata, Frankston Botanical Gardens, Image 2: Water drops on branches of coastal paperbark, The Briars, Mt. Martha.
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