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Chris thank you for showing us a part of your world. I need to read up I guess on Australia as I was surprised with the third photo of the sand. It looks like a desert. I hope they have a ball, I love the outdoors here.
by pennifold
08 Sep 2017
Yes, Toogie, Australia consists of a lot of desert. We have a huge desert which borders South Australia and Western Australia called the Great Victoria Desert - it was named by the explorer Ernest Giles after Queen Victoria - it's the biggest in our country at 348,750 km² (134, 653.128miles)
"Australian Desert Facts - 70% of the Australian mainland is classified as semi-arid, arid or desert; making it the driest inhabited continent on Earth. Only Antarctica is drier." This information is from the internet.
The sand dunes which you see here are on the beach which is only about a 3-5km trip away. The kids went on the bush walk and at the end of it they hit the sand dunes. It's a beautiful are up there and of course everyone has a great time. Love Chris
I'll add the url of The Great Aussie Bush Camp so you can have a look at it.
http://www.bushcamp.com.au/tea-ga...
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173580What a wonderful experience for both teachers and students...a time to remember!
by pennifold
08 Sep 2017
Hi Kim, yes, she said this afternoon. she had a ball but is exhausted and I think re-freshened a cold she had last week. Love Chris
313700Oh such fun. I used to volunteer at a camp especially for kids that had asthma. The kids really enjoyed themselves. What a great memory your daughter is making with these children. How is the new puppy doing? Am I correct in my memory that it was Dana's family that got the puppy?
by pennifold
08 Sep 2017
Yes, it's great fun. They had flying foxes, climbing walls, games and more games. They get to elect the children they think will be good captains and vice captains for next year. Later in Term 4 they have an election and will choose the kids who have been nominated. Yes, it's Dana's family that has the Puppy - he is now 3 months old and as cute as a button - trying to negotiate the stairs in their home and not having much luck coming back up - no trouble going down! He has really short legs.. Love Chris
14619Wow! What a great experience for all! I've always loved the outdoors and what a treat to see more of the Aussie outdoors. Does Dana get to do this retreat every year? And I know you are loving your time with the grands.
by pennifold
08 Sep 2017
Hi Karen, yes as a Stage 3 teacher (Year 5 or 6) she gets to go to camp every year! Yes, it's been great seeing more of the kids this week than usual. Love Chris
168887Oh how I miss teaching when I see these kinds of pictures! Awesome time for the students, Dana and then you too, as you get a bit more time with the grands, enjoy and thank you for sharing them with all of us! Here along the Southern Oregon Coast we have awesome Dunes to play on that would not be in a protected area status. Our favorite spot when growing up was an area you could sled down the dune and there was a lake at the base, so you could enjoy both sand sledding or take a break and cool off from the hill climbing with a cool swim in the lake. Another favorite was hiking through the lush forests around a small lake but you were also right on the edge of the dunes so again hiking the forests, swimming in the lake, fishing, canoeing or play on the dunes all within minutes of each other. We are so blessed to live in such a gorgeous area, both in our growing up years and now continuing for our children and grandchildren to enjoy. I see that same look in Dana's face that tells me she too knows the beauty and blessing of the area that she enjoys and lives in. Teaching the children love of their surroundings helps them to appreciate not just the beauty around them but hopefully will also help them to know ways of how they can help protect those gorgeous areas that hopefully will always be treasured and protected so future generations will also be able to enjoy them. Pam
by pennifold
06 Sep 2017
Thanks Pam, yes, it's up to us to protect these beautiful parks and our flora and fauna. Speaking of which at the moment I'm writing this our Kookaburra is constantly attacking our back sliding doors and windows. I'm hoping he won't hurt himself. I think someone close by either feeds them and he is trying to get our attention, or he has too many hormones rushing through his body and feels there is another bird looking at him! I didn't know our back windows and doors were that clean he he he!. He keeps flying back and forth to the hole in our gum tree as well. I do hope the pair settle down soon to lay their eggs. It's nearly lunchtime here and I'm a bit peckish. We have tradesmen here putting in new doors, so it's a hive of activity. Love Chris
8217Dana is going to be shattered when all the fun ends Looks like they are all having fun and you too on the school run
by pennifold
06 Sep 2017
Hi Caroline, yes, she certainly puts her whole effort into her children. Such a fantastic teacher and every child she has taught just love her. Hope your grands are enjoying their first couple of week at school! Love Chris
114292Oh thanks for a memory of sliding down sand dunes in South Carolina as a little girl, before the state realized it was damaging important structures that helped when storms came. We have home movies of us on the sand dunes, which we used to delight in playing backwards, so that we went uphill and stood up as the sand blew back into place!
by pennifold
06 Sep 2017
It was fun, wasn't it Betsey? I used to do this down at our local beach in Adelaide when I was a wee lass too. We had the Port Noarlunga sand hills and they were so much fun. Love Chris
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