I didn’t go this year but have been in the past and use it mainly as a photo opportunity these days. Although once my grandson has grown a little more I daresay we’ll go with him and his parents to the show – that will be fun.

You can find out full details about the Royal Melbourne Show here.

Pictures from the 2009 Show.

So, what makes this lady think she can walk her dog at Lysterfield Lake Park this afternoon?  We saw her walk through the conservation area with her friends as well.

She gets the big thumbs down award!

If you know her, please tell her. And if she still doesn’t believe it, how about pointing her to these regulations.  It’s the second major point on the list.

By the way, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen people at the park or the beach at the park with dogs. Granted most of the time they are on leashes, but that still doesn’t make it alright. If a Park Ranger sees you with a dog, you may get a hefty fine for the privilege.

I’ve recently been working on a series of Christmas cards that reflect the region in which I live. They’ll soon be available for order and will also be on show for sale at this coming week’s Kallista Market which is in the Dandenong Ranges.

Apart from the Tulips on display, they have other gardens with Ranunculus, Daffodils, Pansies, Azaeleas and a mass of other flowers to look at. Very colourful. There are food stalls with all sorts of foods, some with Dutch leanings. There was a couple singing when I was there, playing the grand piano and a cello but other times I’ve been they’ve had dutch music, bands and all sorts of other people performing.  The staff are in Dutch outfits – not sure how they walk in those clogs all day.

This gives you a slight idea of what I saw today. School holidays are coming up and it will be a great place to take children to play and wander around.

Whether or not you follow the footy (and it seems to be a religion here in Melbourne) almost everyone wants to know who the winner is and you can often catch my husband and I watching the last quarter on TV if we’re not out doing something else.  Kind of depends on the weather.

I have no idea who might be playing in the finals, perhaps someone can enlighten me in a comment below. And I know that it is usually the last weekend in September but sometimes the first weekend in October.  Seems 1st October is it this year, one of our daughters has a wedding anniversary that day.

If you’re visiting Melbourne during that time and want to book tickets, you might get lucky by visiting this site.

I first went to the Tulip Festival about 2 years ago with a somewhat pregnant daughter.  I loved it and went back again last year, twice, so I could have some time on my own with my camera in tow.

A friend recently gave my husband and me Tulips in a pot – they were in flower already.  A picture of one of them is below, bathed in early morning sunlight on our front verandah. We have tulips planted but they haven’t flowered yet. The daffodils are out though, as are the jonquils.

These are just some of the views I got yesterday.

1. Walkers and rider on the wall

2. The mist is starting to disappear as the sun rises

3. Young kangaroo. There are many in the park.

4. Grey Heron

5. The sun has dissipated most of the mist

One of the most popular attractions is the Puffing Billy steam train.  A favourite with both kids and adults, it is a great half day or full day event.  You can catch the train from Belgrave to Emerald Lake and stay there for a picnic, or walk around the lake, or stay in the kiosk for a meal.  Or you can travel further to Gembrook and wander the street there, looking at the various stores, before catching the train back to Belgrave.

Belgrave also offers a lot to view. The main street is lined with lots of interesting shops and many, many cafes or all sorts of types of food.

The Puffing Billy on the historic Trestle Bridge

Emerald Lake Park

A Vintage car on display in Gembrook

Photography Exhibition  

10 May—5 June

If you enjoy nature photography then the photos of Kathie Thomas will interest you. A winner of Bendigo Bank’s 2011 Calendar Photography Competition, Kathie will share more of her images at:

Kallista Tea Rooms, 103 Monbulk Road, Kallista.

Official opening:
6-9pm 13th May.

All welcome.

Please note: the Tearooms are closed on Wednesdays.