Since being away, our family has expanded , with 2 new Great Grandchildren, being born in the last month. A trip into Spotlight, for wool was in order so I could knit a couple of jackets for the new arrivals.
The day I went into Northam, I met this cute little fellow, in the shopping centre. With Easter only a few days away, Mary and I went to a luncheon in the old convent in Dalwallinu. It has been renovated beautifully and now is a B and B and function centre.
Nice to have a chat with the local ladies, nice food and a good fundraiser for homeless women. I even won a raffle prize. No… not the dog !!
This is Oliver, Mary’s dog, he is just a gorgeous boy. I have become quite attached to him, and he was happy to go for a drive with me to Dally one day, when I was helping Mary.
Just a pic of some Parrots, in the park, that took my eye, looked like rain, but it didn’t. This area has an average annual rainfall of 300mm, hard to believe, as it is not unusual to have this amount in one day over East. So hot and very dry, however the nights are starting to cool down as we approach Easter. We had decided to head for the hills over Easter, with no desire to compete with holiday makers on the coast. Mary and Steve also needed a break so we got together, planned, packed up and headed out on the Thursday evening. We only drove for an hour or so, then pulled up in Wilki, A grain storage yard, complete with weighbridge! And to our surprise we are not overloaded.
Good Friday 2019
Next morning we stopped at Bonnie Rock, before checking out the huge Beringbooding Rock. It is the largest rock water storage in Australia.
There were a few campers out here already, we didn’t intend setting up here, so just did a rock walk. We all agreed that it is more interesting and spectacular than the renowned Wave Rock, at Hyden WA. Hope you like some of my Photos.
We spent a couple of hrs here, climbing around and finally making it to the top.
Again the rock walls built around the edge to catch the water, is a tribute to the early settlers . I love the natural gardens that have formed in the rock hollows.
Amazing how some of the smaller rocks have fallen down and are just clinging to the edge. Makes me wonder what would happen to them in an earthquake.
The view from the top was good, as was the phone service, obviously ! Been there done that and worth doing. Next to find a camp spot for the night.
We arrived in Perth to unload, around 4hrs later. Hundreds of ducks, very fat ducks, gather around the grain storage plant, eating the spilled grain, after the trucks have unloaded.
After unloading in Perth, we picked up a load of fertiliser from Fremantle, and headed back in the peak hour traffic, not a fun time, however I soon relaxed as the sun set behind us and enjoyed seeing the paddocks of fire, burning the stubble, shame we couldn’t stop to take photos, as it is an amazing site. 
This is a photo I took a few days later, of the wind rows being burnt during the day. Nothing spectacular but it shows how they clean up, before planting again soon.
These first few are taken around the little township of Green Hills. Most of these little towns have only the pubs still trading. One of our favourite is Watheroo Station.
The rail side of the station, is in a state of disrepair, but the front has been made into a lovely pub and diner, serving great meals. Another drive was to the Watheroo caves, a good view from on top of the rocks. 
No we didn’t climb down into the cave. 
A bit of fun with the camera, and still some wildflowers around,
and a windmill near Dalwallinu 
We weren’t back in Kalanni long, and I experienced my first storm on the road. And was it a good one, birds went crazy, and I headed for the amenities block, decided it would be safer there, than getting blown around in the van.! 
When it was over and I opened the door of the amenities, the water was up to the top of the step.
All good was with van. But the park was flooded. The view of the sunsets from the park, are quite spectacular most evenings. 
Time for a break and a cuppa, back soon with more of our time in the wheatbelt.
We had a couple of very hot days,and by thursday afternoon as the sun went down the thunder and lightning started. I was out trying to get some photos, when I noticed the red glow, thought it was still the sun setting at first, then it become more evident that a fire had started. 
In the end it spread over 300 hectares and farmers losing $ 3.6 million in crops. Thankfully no homes were lost. Over 15 fires started that night from lightning, and no rain to put them out.! A couple of long days for Chris, with farmers in a rush to get their grain off the paddocks. Then it was Friday pizza night at the Kennel and drinks with a few of the other drivers in town. A few laughs and a lot of truck talk, I am the only woman there, as the drivers are mainly from out of town. Our drive on Sunday went north out around Xantippe
There is a water hole in the granite rocks built in 1904, for the men constructing the rabbit proof fence back then. Over 2 metres deep, as Chris checked with a piece of wire he found.
From there to more granite rocks protruding above ground, hence the name of Petrudor Rocks.
Boys and their toys,… lucky i didn’t have to use this. And no I didn’t check it out either.
On the way home we called into Dalwallinu for a cuppa, then took the back road home, going around paddocks and along bush tracks, yes more flowers, seems I can’t get enough of natures garden. Here is some photos I took with my phone, as some stupid woman left the camera in the van. Hope you like flowers as much as I do. The bush is in full bloom at the moment. This Post will catch me up to date with what I have taken so far. Now been away for 9 months. 
Lastly a twin wheel, windmill just out of Kalannie. not sure what the idea is for this, other than two heads are better than one. !!
There must of been about 25 women there, some dressed for the occasion, others not as much. I hadn’t taken into account functions like this when I packed the van back in February. So only have one casual dress with me. No fascinator !
The event was held in the community hall, no TV there, but we all gathered into an office and watched it on a TV there. I think the sweeps were run by the PandC. No TAB facilities around here, not even a Club !
A bit of fun and certainly didn’t feel out of place, in fact everyone was very friendly and I came away having thoroughly enjoyed the day, all was not lost on the horses as I was invited to another luncheon for seniors week. If only they would control the flys, I would be happy to stay here longer than the harvest season as planned. I went for a walk on a couple of occasions, to take photos, but have now given that a miss, due to the flys not respecting my personal space. ! Some wildflowers, but not worth battling the flys over. Hate them.
Ok so i’ll just have to get game and venture out in the car….Alone.. 
My first trip was to go up to the nearest town Dalwallinu, 50 km away.
No traffic, maybe seen 2 cars on way in. It is a bigger town than Kalannie, even has an IGA. We also came through here back in August, when we did the wildflowers. On the way back I stopped to take some photos of the landscape,
Mostly salt flats, some lakes, and acres and acres of grain crops ready to be harvested.
That evening we had a storm, not much rain, but lightening, from all directions, that lit up the sky.
By Saturday it was still storming and a whole 6 ml of rain was enough to halt cartage and so Chris had a couple of days off. Of cause not good for the farmers. but we were able to go and have a look around the salt flats and lake area.
Just love taking photos to show natural beauty, of what really is very good for nothing land. Beauty is all around if you want to look for it.! 
Farming in this harsh environment, the farmers need to have a good sense of humour, which we were able to see on our drive
The only place for an evening meal out is the Bulldogs football kennel, where you have the choice of frozen pizza, or a packet of Smiths chips. we had pizza. 
Time flies when you’re having fun. Sundays seem to be a R and R day in town, so that’s what we did, except to go for a short walk up to the shop. They don’t make chai lattes, but they make the best old school, strawberry milk shakes, which went down well on the way home… and there went the first week of living in a small country town.
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