At the end of another winter, thoughts turn to warmer days, sunshine and walks along the beach. Just a 10 minute drive from us is the peaceful Johnson’s Beach at Penguin. Apparently, it is named after a certain Mr. Johnson who lived at the end of Clerke Street near the beach but he remains a mystery.
A stroll along the shore reveals art installations with a difference, courtesy of the artist in residence, Mother Nature. Magnificent rocks of all shapes and sizes are coloured with myriad earthy hues.
Subtle brush strokes and feathering etch the sand, following the retreating tide.
Smooth vanilla mounds are drizzled with raspberry coulis
and diamonds sparkle on a watercolour background.
Elegant accessories have been discarded flippantly, awaiting a seat at the next salty soiree .
Returning to reality…. Spring isn’t far away and a drive to Penguin for a meander along Johnson’s Beach followed by a leisurely lunch is high on the agenda.
When we first viewed our property (fifteen years ago), we were impressed with the pond and the rather large goldfish inhabitants. Michael landscaped the area with rocks and plants and created a smaller top pond, adding a cascade for completion. It is a lovely, peaceful setting to gaze upon from the kitchen window
but Michael has lamented the ever present algae due, in part, to the lack of water depth and more recently the obvious presence of a leak in the liner.
Deciding on a pre-formed pond rather than replacing the liner, we set about the project we had been procrastinating on for months. The first job was to create easy access by relocating the pot pond and trimming plants.
The pond plants and surrounding rocks were removed to expose the liner
before I donned the appropriate outfit to bucket out the water which Michael diligently distributed around the garden (we were having a very dry summer).
We pulled the old liner out (which did, indeed, have an obvious split)
and tried the new pond for size.
Hoping to not encounter tree roots, the digging commenced.
With periodic fittings, and no underground impediments, the site was ready.
With a trailer load of sand on standby, the base was prepared
and the pond lined with plastic to protect it from the river stones.
Once levelled,
the task of packing the sand around the outside began. Between us, we came up with an ingenious plan to convey the sand into the tight spaces – a funnel made from a chook feed bag and a ring of builders strapping.
It worked brilliantly.
We had been advised to pack some sand, then fill some water and repeat in stages to avoid distortion of the pond shell.
The river stones from the old pond had been saved and I spent some time sorting them
while Michael repotted the plants.
The fish were returned to their new home, along with the plants
The Tasmanian Devil may not fit the ideal impression of cute and cuddly but I think they have a certain appeal. A recent visit to Wings Wildlife Park confirmed my notion and, watching them lazing in the sunshine, I would go as far as saying they are adorable.
The glossy dark fur is marked with a characteristic white stripe across the chest and sometimes across the rump.
The largest carnivorous marsupials in the world, the devils powerful jaws and teeth enable them to devour every scrap of their food, including bones and fur.
The Devil Facial Tumour Disease, first recorded in 1996, decimated the devil population and a large network of captive breeding programmes was established in the early 2000s. The contagious cancers were transmitted through biting during the fierce competition for food. Facial scarring is not unusual from the frenzied activity.
Peace was about to be shattered
as a meerkat impersonator spotted the arrival of lunch.
There is nothing quite like a succulent wallaby leg to elicit the grunts and growls that have earned the Tasmanian Devils their reputation for being aggressive.
They seemed to understand the concept of sharing for a while
before breaking a large enough morsel to enjoy in private.
Early last year we had a few large trees removed and the timber was left in piles for us to turn into firewood. We finally got around to dealing with it this summer with many hours of chainsawing, splitting and stacking (not to mention swearing). Realising there were a further two trees that needed felling, we came up with yet another project to use the enormous pile of mulch that would ensue. The row of trees along the south-eastern boundary of the garden has always been difficult to traverse with the ride-on mower. We mapped out the area to mulch and laid 3-metre pine posts for the edging.
Procuring huge cardboard boxes from the dumpsters at local electrical stores, we laid them flat to repel the weeds. The remaining mulch from last year’s felling was used up first
before more cardboard and a hefty layer from the new pile.
We interspersed our weekend activities with more cutting
and splitting
to clear the way for the new border. The Tree Doctor returned to decimate the final specimen
and we returned to mulching the new border with great fervour.
Alas, the piles of timber waiting for splitting seemed to be never ending
and with one monster left,
a massive effort saw the completion of our odyssey.
It is very rewarding to see the firewood stacked in preparation for coming winters.
A feature has been made of the remaining stump of the once majestic blackwood tree
and the old plough has a new position front and centre.
Japanese food is one of Michael’s favourites, unfortunately it is something of a rarity in Tasmania and so, we relished the opportunity to dine at the highly recommended Ginza Miyako while in Adelaide. The menu is described as a blend of Japanese cuisine with French influence, using fresh South Australian produce to highlight the flavours of Japan with French cooking techniques. For those unable or unwilling to sit on the floor, there is a generous western style seating area. We opted for the traditional style seating, separated from two private function areas by elegant Shoji screens.
We abandoned our shoes at the door where a row of ‘slip-ons’ awaited to wear for the inevitable trip to the bathroom. The attentive ladies, dressed in delicate traditional garb, advised us on our selection of dishes and promptly delivered two flasks of Sake, one warm and one cold.
Beautifully presented entrées arrived on shared platters. Pork Gyoza and Wagyu Beef Carpaccio with citrusy homemade ponzu dressing and umami sesame aioli.
Chicken Karaage, deep fried Japanese style
and a stunningly vibrant Sashimi Platter.
Nearly thirty years ago, I first tasted eel at another Japanese restaurant in Adelaide and was instantly smitten. For main course, I couldn’t resist Unagi Don – grilled eel with yakiniku sauce and delicious accompaniments.
cannonhillchronicles 