Doggy Lesson Learned, Sandringham, Australia

October 1, 2014

Sandringham, Australia 

The dogs were really out of control on this morning's walk.  Miss one day of exercise and it's like starting over.

Yesterday morning we headed for the beach with the dogs, but the wind started blowing so hard that we had to go home.  Trees branches were bending and breaking. My ears were full of sand.  It was unbelievable.  I planned to go back without the dogs to take photos of the whitecaps, but then it started raining.  A warm cup of coffee in the kitchen won out over photos.

Our afternoon at the dog park was cancelled due to the really cold rain.  

Lesson learned.  We'll have to be like the postman - neither rain nor wind nor blowing sand will keep us from our doggy walk!

Note:

There were lots of small broken branches strewn on the sidewalks this morning as a result of yesterday's bad weather.  Maybe we need a doggy treadmill :)

Dog Agility and Jumping Competition, Royal Melbourne Show, Australia

September 29, 2014

Royal Melbourne Show, Melbourne, Australia 

Fly Ball was the first competition we watched.  This is a team competition with four dogs per team.  Each dog jumps over hurdles and at the turn around point grabs a ball to return with and tag the next dog to run.

The athletic ability of the dogs is unbelievable.

And here is the team member who decided to go around, instead of over, the jump.

The smallest dog in this competition and a member of the winning team!

Dog high jump was the second competition we saw.  

As long as the dogs can get their paws to the top of the jump, they can pull themselves up over the top.  It is amazing to see!

A view of the back side of the jump.

One happy dog!

Royal Melbourne Show, Melbourne, Australia

September 29, 2014

Royal Melbourne Show

The Show is like a country fair with 4H competitions and a carnival all rolled into one.

This is a silky chook, trained for petting :)

She is perfectly clean and white, even though her last bath was a full week ago!

I really enjoyed the cow petting area :)

Fairy Floss is Australian for cotton candy

A yummy apple cut into a slinky

The info center is topped by a PIE - only in Australia!

A pulled pork sandwich in Australia includes cabbage, carrot and beet. Beet has shown up in almost everything we've eaten.

Pure Australian Honey - this sample was made from the Red Gum Tree

Toasties are one of Russ's favorite things here!

More entries to follow on dogs, sheep and chain saw sculpture :)

Melbourne Museum, Melbourne, Australia

September 26, 2014

Melbourne Museum

This Pygmy Blue Whale skeleton is awesome!

Russ and the whale

Russ and the Dinosaur exhibit

Artists' rendition of the Australian coat of arms.  The shield bearing badges from each of the six states is supported by a Red  Kangaroo and an Emu.

ML portrait on the moon seat 2014 :)

There was an exhibit which included Micronesia in an out of the way gallery.  It stated that the "crab claw sail" has been adopted all across the Pacific as a symbol of the islanders' life and experience of the sea.

The sails in this exhibition were commissioned from Pacific Islanders in Melbourne.  The sails represent, left to right, Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.

I need to do some research to learn more about this.  The Micronesian sails does not include any graphics that I am familiar with.

cappuccino at the museum cafe tops off the visit

2014 AFL Grand Final, Melbourne, Australia

September 27, 2014

Melbourne, Australia 

Australians' are crazy about "footy", Australian football.  The Premier is equivalent to our Super Bowl.

We watched the game at The Sandy, drank a few local beers and ate fish and chips.

Based on the advise of a t-shirt salesman we met at Victoria Market, we rooted for the underdog, the Hawks.

Hooray, our team won!

Horses - Dressage, Jumping & Harness, Melbourne, Australia

September 20, 2014

Royal Melbourne Show

I wish Tina, my sister's sister in law, was here and could explain everything that is going on.  I just know the horses are beautiful, athletic and incredibly well behaved.

Jumping

I really like this white horse and rider!

A view of the Coca Cola stadium.

Another view of the stadium and pavilion in the background.

Dressage

Harness

Russ asked me to take a lot of photos of the hats for Pat, since she recently attended the Kentucky Derby and had a beautiful hat made for that event!

Done :)