walkabout .....

I know this is an art blog, but this evening I am going to take you on 'walkabout' around our ten acres. Some of you, my blogging friends, have asked for photos of my home and studio but I thought I would start off this journey, or reveal, with a walk around my secret place - our secret place.  I have only been living here two years so it is a work in progress - and part of my new life.

Before we get here at the bottom of our land, we need to start at the top, behind the house and just behind the garden shed where an 'x' marks the spot.

From here you can wander just a little way along the path before you get caught up in vines.

Though if you head down behind the shed there is a path that will lead you down and across some lawn and newly planted garden, to the beginning of the steps.

You won't know from this photo, but already things look different as plants are maturing.  I am looking forward to the Vulcan magnolia covering the side of the garden shed and the star jasmine falling all over it.

The distance is hazy but all that is the pacific ocean - about half an hours drive.  From inside our hom we look as far south as Redcliffe and up to the north as far as Coolum.  This large rock, now one of many, was brought up here from the bottom of the land.  From this point at the top of the stairs, the house is on the left hand side and my studio is at this level - the home extends two levels above. I will post another time on the home and studio. Or snippets of it ...

Heading down ...

This is the first flight of stairs down from the top ..... you can actually drive around the property too.  The open drain has now been filled with rock and covered so no longer looks so treacherous.

Little bits of interest on the walk down .........

This view of the house is taken between the first and second levels heading down to the bottom of the land.  At this angle is certainly looks as though we live on top of a hill.  Here below is the second level down from the house, where we have our fire pit and picnic area.  Soon grass will cover all this area forming a beautiful glade.

The next few photographs are further down still ...... no stairs now but roadways give access and as we have cleared so much, we are now able to walk in through the forest.  The light down at this level is just delicious.  Even from this level we can look out between the trees and see the ocean.

This photo is at the boundary of our land, leading further down hill onto another property.  It is beautiful to just keep walking as the shadows get deeper and the vines thicker.

Up around the house I have been planting lots of garden and this summer, once the rains come, we will be planting grass everywhere too.  The forest floor is beautiful in its own right though now that we have cleared most of the scrappy undergrowth and revealed the glorious tree trunks falling down to the ground.  I love it here - no need to mess with what nature has given us to enjoy.

And then of course is the long walk back up the hill.