Sunday, July 27, 2014

GENTLE TIMES


Our grandson, Little Aussie, has been to visit - always a delight!


On Day 1, Aussie brought up the subject of caves.
How long ago cavemen lived in caves,
And who lived in caves now?
And that Aussie has never seen a cave.
And when can we go and see a cave??


Saturday found us here, at the Tamborine Mountain Glow-worm caves,
artificial, man-made caves, created to provide a home for a declining population of these fascinating little sparklers.


Photography was not allowed, but I found these pictures on their web-site.


It was incredibly dark in there, until we got to the glow-worms, but Little Aussie was brave and did not complain.
He appeared to be most impressed by the whole experience.


Near the caves was this pretty lake with fountain and ducks..


And here are the three guys: 
Mr Cardinal, our Sydneysider Son, and Little Aussie:





Back home, we made the usual rustic cake..


and looked around our garden for caves ...


Alas, no satisfactory caves were to be had, 
but Aussie enjoyed playing with the lavender.


My new Peace rose has had its first bloom.
I hope it turns out to be symbolic.

Happy Sunday

XXXX


36 comments:

  1. I think that it is wonderful that you sought out a cave specially for Little Aussie to visit and fulfilled his dreams. That is one of the great joys of being Grandparents.

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    1. Yes, it was a joy Rosemary, and the first time we have been in a position to carry out an interesting request for him. Glow-worms were a bonus!

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  2. What a wonderful time you must be having! I am glad that you didn't find any caves in the garden, as they would make a lot of work, much nicer to have flowers instead! xx

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    1. I tried to convince him that a space between rocks in a rock wall is a cave, but he was having none of it. Caves, apparently, are big places where people could live :) xx

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  3. I wouldnt be surprised if he will always remember going to the glow worm cave. I think I would have done - it looks amazing!

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    1. His memory never ceases to amaze me Jenny, so I think you are probably right - he will remember all about it. I am wondering if we can turn the experience into one of our weird cake efforts on his next visit.

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  4. Oh....looks like you all had a great time!
    How smart are you...finding the caves♥️
    Your grandson is a cutie!
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. Ah, yes, thanks to the internet, the caves were found, and the expedition was organised, Linda. He is a little cutie, and was impressed by it all. Cheers xx

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  5. I bet he had a wonderful time... and he will remember it forever. That's what we're here for isn't it...to provide memories for our grandchildren...its one of my main purposes in life !

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    1. He did enjoy it Janice, and was so excited. Slept all the way home, then looked up and said "I didn't go to sleep"....so funny. Memories for grandchildren, so special to create.

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  6. A glow-worm cave sounds like every child's dream! Your rose is gorgeous, Patricia. It must be getting warmer there now if you have a bloom.

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    1. Warm days, cold mornings here: 2 deg this morning, expected maximum 25/26!! Have to change clothing as the day goes on.

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  7. Oh, what a fun place for a kid to go. I always loved caves when I was little, and me and the neighbor kids use to make dirt forts in the fields behind our house. What a nice picture of the three guys. And I love the picture of Aussie holding the lavender. That cake looks scrumptious, and I wish I had a piece to go with my tea right now. The lake is so pretty near the caves. I'm glad you had a good time with your grandson, Patricia.

    love,
    ~Sheri

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    1. I always enjoy caves too, Sheri. The Jenolan caves west of Sydney are amazing, and we have been to others as well. Unfortunately no interesting cave systems near Brisbane, hence the glow worms. But it was a special treat for him. He is a sweetie, and always loves animals and flowers :) xx

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  8. That cave sounds like a lot of fun! My kids would love it and I think I would too!

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    1. I think your kids would love the glow worms, Jennifer. There are interesting caves and rock formations in your area, too!

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  9. Little Aussie sounds a perfect name for your grandson, I´ve meant to write this so many times.
    You are already experiencing things I too might have waiting for me in the years to come. It is quite different to go to places with a child as a grandparent, not having to worry about tight schedules, being able to concentrate on just the very moment and enjoy it.
    What a delightful post : )!

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    1. Little Aussie is my play on words, Mette, representing his nation as well as his real name. Can you work it out?
      Yes, good times to come for you with your granddaughter. Every stage is interesting, and now we are up to conversations about the world around us. Glad you enjoyed the post :)

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  10. Hello Patricia
    Isn't it wonderful having grandchildren - we get to share many exciting experiences, even ones we didn't have as children!

    Little Aussie is gorgeous - you're lucky have him "on tap" for visits!

    Have you started packing for Paris and Italy? That's part of the excitement for me, the preparation and anticipation... ooh I'm so happy for you.

    I'm wondering what quarter of Paris you're staying in.
    In the Marais, is Musee Carnavalet which I know you would love - it is about the history of Paris and one of my favourite places - it has a wonderful courtyard garden too.
    Are you on a tour or travelling independently?

    i hope to hear from you if your get a spare mo!!

    Hugs
    Shane

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    1. Hello Shane, Good point, sharing the experiences we didn't have ourselves! Packing...hmm...mainly only in my head. Can't decide on the balance between hot/cold weather. We are staying in St Germaine, so not far from Marais. I have noted the Musee Carnavalet, which sounds good to me. We travel independently; don't have the stamina for tours :)

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    2. Perfect! Coffee at Cafe de Flore on Boulevard Saint-Germain is always on my list! Have you visited Saint Chapelle before Patricia, if not, I highly recommend it - on Île de la Cité not too far away! Oh I'm so excited for you! My family are on holiday on the Côte d'Azur for two weeks - I'm very envious as it's so cold and wet here.

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    3. Hi Shane, Coffee at Cafe de Flore is high on the list! Yes, we have seen Saint Chapelle and it was all I had dreamed of... Ah the Cote d'Azur sounds so chic!!

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  11. Sounds like a fabulous cave to go to.

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    1. It was a great way to introduce both caves and glow worms to a small child.

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  12. How wonderful that you found a cave to satisfy Little Aussie's curiosity. I'll bet everyone enjoyed the glow worms. I second the hope that your Peace Rose is an indication of things to come.

    Darla

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    1. Let's hope he doesn't come up with something impossible next time!
      Yes, we all enjoyed the pretty glow worms.
      Things are not looking good 'over there' - Peace rose has a big mission!

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  13. It was fun, Val! Now I am working on the idea that we should follow up with baking a glow-worm cave cake next time. Got as far as chocolate cake, carving into a cave somehow, but trying to figure how to do the sparkly glow-worms....

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  14. Such a lovely place to take little Aussie Patricia.
    I remember we had glow.worms in an old tree near our house as a child.. i was fascinated with them.
    It is wonderful that people have taken the time to preserve these wonderful little creatures.
    Little Aussie, is growing fast.
    Lovely to have family time.. Enjoy it all.
    val xxx

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    1. Dear Val, Wow, I have never heard of anyone having glow-worms in a tree, and in their own area. What a delight for a child, especially one who likes fairies. The little guy is growing like a weed, so tall now. We will miss his birthday when travelling :( xxx

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  15. What a wonderful outing for Little Aussie! And glow worms. I never thought about them much but now my curiosity is aroused and I must look them up. Like fireflies, they are fascinating. I recall bits of a song with the words, glow little glow worm, glimmer, glimmer. Now I'm off to look up the song as well. Lovely post. Such a cute grandson!

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    1. Patricia, just had to return to tell you that I looked up glow worms, and lo and behold, found thers a habitat for them right here in my own backyard (well, almost; about 70 miles from me). Dismal Caverns is the only location in North America listed by Wikipedia where one can see them.
      http://www.dismalscanyon.com/dismalites/index.html
      I'm definitely going there for a night tour. The things we learn from our Blogger friends! Than you, thank you!

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    2. The glow worms are lovely to see, just like the starry night sky Sanda. I remember that song now, but had forgotten all about it. Isn't memory a wonderful thing? Now I have looked up the Dismal Caverns, and they look really attractive; I'm sure you would enjoy the night tour. Blogging is wonderful for learning about things, I find that also. btw, when in Alabama we visited the de Soto caverns, another interesting experience. I knew nothing of De Soto, as our school history was completely about the British in North America.

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  16. Hello Patricia,

    One of the most inspiring things about children is the way in which they encourage their elders to explore into the unknown. And, what fun this all sounds to have been. We have to say that we should have been happier to stay above ground whilst the little one explored the caves, but we should have been thrilled to see glow worms!

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    1. Hello Jane and Lance, So true about children, and I am looking forward to his next fanciful suggestion. Who knows where we will go? The glow worms are indeed a thrill, exactly like the starry night in miniature, and really quite beautiful. The caves were really quite small and safe, unlike some I have been to!

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  17. How wonderful that you could satisfy Little Aussie's cave desire in such an enjoyable and interesting way. I've seen glow-worms in the grass here in Normandy once or twice, always when darkness has fallen on a warm summer night. They look so mysterious as they flicker.

    Your Peace rose is beautiful and I'm glad to see that you have lavender as a winter-flowering plant in Queensland. :)

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    1. What an interesting picture you paint, Perpetua: glow-worms in the grass! I thought they could only live in caves...They are a pretty sight. Thank you re the Peace rose, which I hope continues to bloom. The lavender is having a very happy time in our winter, and I am thinking of planting another variety right next to it for contrast. It could however die off in the summer heat. Tricky!

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