farewell autumn

Hello Winter.

I bade farewell to Autumn in a cute country cabin up in the hills overlooking the ocean last weekend. Oh my!

Although it was Autumn drawing to a close my escape was all about things wintry and warm.

Velvet equine noses and fluffy donkey ears....

Bedraggled chickens amidst a winter moult....

Misty mornings and golden sunsets over the sea....

A gold reflected in the hues of numerous citrus trees for the plucking, heavy with juicy fruit....

Homemade dough and wood fired pizzas, with accompanying red wine of course.

The only sad farewell was in the returning home for now.

But there's plans already to go back and join in some exciting nearby festivities. A pretty big way to celebrate Winter Solstice. Have a look. Can't wait!

I also paid a visit to Friends of the Koala's Inc. while I was down that way. My girl is working on everything *Koala* at the moment.

We had a one on one tour of their centre and facilities.

I can't rave enough about the amazing job these devoted people do with roughly a 50% success rate. With quite pathetic federal and local funding and a few home carers they rely heavily on donations, fundraising and sponsorship to provide medicine, food and shelter to their charges. Really with the fundamental causes of stress and the hideous diseases these little ones are suffering so prolifically today because of *us* (and honestly if you see them for real... it's absolutely heartbreaking)... diseases because of development, habitat destruction, road accidents and dog attacks...we owe it to them to help out.

We were lucky enough to see two little girls come in after 9 months home care to be transitioned at the centre before their release. So much work....such a great story.

Please at least have a look at the website and the amazing work these volunteers do for our unique eucalypt munchers.