25th April - Anzac Day - when we remember them

"At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."

These words are said every Anzac Day across Australia and New Zealand, and wherever Australians and New Zealanders gather for services on 25 April. 
(The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) )

The words come from the poem For the Fallen, written by the English poet and writer Robert Laurence Binyon in mid September 1914, a few weeks after the outbreak of the First World War. It was published in London in The Times on 21 September 1914 and a couple of months later in the "Winnowing Fan; Poems of the Great War" in 1914. 

Below is the fourth stanza of Binyon's poem, which we now know as The Ode. It has been used at commemoration services in Australia since 1921 and is also sung as a hymm.

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."

Every year it seems the crowds at Anzac Day Dawn Services and marches increase as people remember those who went to war and paid the ultimate sacrifice, and those that returned home broken.  Not only at the Australian War Memorial in our capital city Canberra, but at smaller ceremonies and memorials throughout Australia. 

Below you can see one of two remembrance walls at the Australian War Memorial where are recorded on bronze panels the names of 102,000 Australians who have died in conflicts. On one of these two walls you can find the name of your family member and place a poppy beside their name, as we did when we visited. This is the closest we can come to their burial place, so it was a moving experience to be able to do this.

A couple of years ago I set out to find a photo of my father's uncle, my great-uncle, Norman Albert Clayden, who was killed at the age of 19 in the first few days of the Gallipoli campaign in 1915. I am very happy to say that recently I was able to make contact with a distant relative who had two photos of Norman which she sent to me. 

I see Norman looking so proud in these images, and I wonder what were the dreams and aspirations this young man had for his life.  Instead his name is on the Lone Pine Cemetery memorial at Gallipoli with many thousands of others. I do not know if he has a known burial site. The Lone Pine memorial names more than 4,900 Australian and New Zealand servicemen who died at Gallipoli.

My sister and her husband visited Gallipoli several years ago and found Norman's name on the memorial.

  I volunteer one morning a week at our local primary school library. There are many excellent picture books for children about Anzac Day and conflicts where Australian's have served. I found one last week titled "Lone Pine". Written by Susie Brown and Margaret Warner and illustrated by Sebastian Graffaglione, it tells the story of the Gallipoli lone pine, and how a pine cone from the tree was sent home to Australia by Benjamin Smith, an Australian soldier, and how it came to arrive in Canberra. Since then thousands of new trees cultivated from the seeds of trees cultivated from this one pine cone are now planted in memorial gardens and schools all over Australia.  In 1990 a group of Anzac veterans returned to Gallipoli to plant two of these trees.

As I stand with my head bowed and tears on my cheeks in the early morning light at the Anzac Day Dawn service I think of Norman who's life was taken from him at Gallipoli and my husband's uncle, Richard Ramsden, who died in a prisoner of war camp in 1943 in Burma in World War 2 and lies in the Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery in Myanmar. 

I wrote more about these two young men here - Anzac Day 2017
And more about Anzac memorial's here - Anzac Day - we will remember them

For more about Australian Anzac Day traditions, please click here - Anzac Day Traditions
More about the Lone Pine at the Australian War Memorial - Australian War Memorial

Thank you for stopping by today. Do you have someone you remember on Anzac Day?

I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

   
All Seasons
Mosaic Monday 

Our World Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday 

ThroughMy Lens 

Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Travel Photo Thursday 

The Lovin' Life Team over at Deep Fried Fruit
Little Things Thursday

Life in Reflection

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.


If you are a blogger you can link up to Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global right here!



 

Early morning in the wheatbelt, Western Australia

Last week I took you on a camping trip at Kwolyin to the central Western Australian wheatbelt. You can click here if you missed it - Camping in the WA wheatbelt

 The first night of our trip we parked our caravan at my nephew's farm for the night. We could see lightening in the far north east where a storm was raging. We only had a few spits of rain but the power went out on Friday about 5pm and didn't come back on till Sunday evening. 
 Here is a pic I took looking across their front paddock. I didn't have a tripod so I think I did rather well to get some shots. I used a long exposure which luckily caught sheet and fork lightening in the one frame.

The next morning I was up early and still in my pyjamas I put my boots on and went out to the front paddock to take some photos.  The storms had passed us by. 

 I love going to the wheatbelt. My mother and father were both born in the wheatbelt and lived there before moving to Perth early in their marriage. My sister married a wheatbelt farmer who she met during her first teaching posting. Although I have never lived there, when we go to the wheatbelt I feel like I have come home. Is there anywhere that makes you feel like that? 

I know the reality of making a living on the land is more difficult than my romantic views of it, but the peace I feel is wonderful. 

Those are green Mulla Mulla wildflowers you can see below left, and the bark of wheatbelt trees on the right. The land was dry and the farmers are waiting for rain to start their seeding. 

   
These are pink and grey galahs. I post about Red tailed black cockatoos a couple of weeks ago.

You might also like -
Peace in a country church

Thank you so much for stopping by. Do you have a favourite place you like to return to? Perhaps you would like to tell us about it in your comments. 
I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

   
All Seasons
Mosaic Monday 

Our World Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday 

ThroughMy Lens 

Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Travel Photo Thursday 

The Lovin' Life Team over at Deep Fried Fruit
Little Things Thursday

Life in Reflection

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

If you are a blogger you can also link up to Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global right here....

Camping out in the Western Australian wheatbelt - Kwolyin free camp

The Western Australian Wheatbelt has very few opportunities for bush camping, but one I can recommend is the Kwolyin campground located on the Bruce Rock-Quairading Road, only seven kilometres west of Shackleton, and 229kms (about 3 hours) east of Perth. And the added bonus is that it is FREE to camp here!

We camped at Kwolyin over the Easter weekend with our family and thoroughly enjoyed being away from the hustle and bustle of Easter in the city.  We hadn't camped here before, but it is a favourite with our son and grandsons as it is close to the rock climbs of Kokerbin Rock.

 The Kwolyin campground was created by the Shire of Bruce Rock on the site of the old Kwolyin townsite in the last few years to replace the former Kokerbin Rock campsite, nine kilometres to the north, which, as locals put it, had been “loved to death”. Since then it has become a very popular campsite particularly on long weekends and school holidays. 

The town was originally named Koarin, but being similar to the pronunciation of another town, Kauring, the name was changed to Kwolyin. Wheat farming began in the area in 1908, the first store in Kwolyin was opened by JB Harris in 1912, and the first town lots were sold in 1913. Lack of water caused growth problems for the town. Its demise was sealed in 1992 when the Kwolyin Hotel was destroyed by fire.  All that remains today is the Catholic Church opened in 1955.

The campsites are scattered through the scrubby bushland on the site of the old football and cricket grounds, and are suitable for tents, caravans and camper trailers. 

There is a large picnic shelter with gas BBQ adjacent to a camp kitchen which is closed in on three sides sheltering gas hotplates, benches and sink with water. The flushing toilets have hand basins and are wheelchair friendly.

The tent area has a picnic shelter, tables, and a wood fired BBQ built by the Bruce Rock Men’s Shed.  Please be aware there are fire bans October to March.  

LOL - just realised this sign below here has the wrong spelling! Should be Kwolyin - yes I checked to be sure! 

 There are also areas suitable for group camping scattered under salmon gums over the former townsite. This is where we chose to camp when we visited at Easter as we were camping with three families, and although we were further away from the facilities, we were very happy with our quiet camp away from the crowded main campsite. 

I love these wheatbelt trees you can see below here - they are a mixture of tall Salmon Gums and the shorter Gimlets. 

 

 There are four relatively easy loop walks accessible from the campsite:

• 1.2km Granite Garden walk (allow 1 hour), 
• 2km Cathedral Rocks walk (allow 2 hours), 
• 2.2km Railway walk (allow 2 hours) which includes a walk along the old railway line and across nearby Coarin Rock. 

• You can also take a stroll around the old town site and learn more of its history from the interpretive signage. Make sure you check out the remains of the old 1930s cricket pitch.

 Please refer to signage about the walks, wear sturdy boots, a hat and sunscreen and carry water with you.  Depending on when you visit, insect repellent and a fly net could be a must!

Walkers are asked to keep to the marked trails to protect the fragile plant communities. An excellent photo board identifying 99 local wildflowers, including orchids, is located at the main BBQ area - a fantastic inclusion for those wanting to identify local wildflowers. During spring you may see fruiting Sandalwood and Quandong trees which were an important food source to early inhabitants. 

If you tackle the rocks you will be rewarded with views like you see below over the surrounding grain paddocks.

From Kwolyin it is an easy day trip to Kokerbin Rock, only nine kilometres to the north. Covering nine hectares, Kokerbin Rock is the third largest monolith in Australia and was described in 1863 by early explorer Henry Maxwell Lefroy during his search for agricultural land east of York. Bush walkers will enjoy exploring this 122 metre high rock, caves, woodland and historic sites. A track skirts the base of the rock and it is worth walking to the top to enjoy the 360 degree panoramic views of the surrounding grain and sheep country. 

 Granite outcrops, like Kokerbin, are a feature of the central Wheatbelt. Kokerbin and nearby Mt Sterling and Mt Caroline were important cultural traditional sites for the Noongar aboriginal people both ceremonially and as a resource for food, water and stone. They believe that the granite outcrops in this area were created by the coils of the great serpent, Moulack. Granite outcrops were used by early explorers, surveyors and sandalwood cutters to camp, take their bearings and water their horses.  Granite from the rocks provided building materials and the rocks were often the site of social events. A community annual Boxing Day picnic commencing in 1911 was held at Kokerbin Rock. These rocks are still popular for picnics and rock exploring. 

Kokerbin Rock

 With less than 10% of the Wheatbelt’s original native vegetation remaining, nature reserves and granite outcrops like Kokerbin and Coarin Rock provide a valuable habitat for wildlife and flora.  Their boulder formations, sheoak, sandalwood and eucalypt woodlands are home to a rich diversity of plant species and wildlife including echidnas and the threatened black-flanked rock wallaby - Petrogale lateralis. 

The sixty kilometre Granite Way drive trail makes a good day trip from Kwolyin and includes Kokerbin Rock, Mt Stirling and Mt Caroline, all of which have picnic areas. Mt Stirling and Mt Caroline were named by explorer Ensign Dale in 1830. 

There was time also on our long weekend for a little bush cricket and an Easter egg hunt.

 Basic supplies can be purchased at Shackleton, where you can see Australia’s smallest bank. Operating between the 1930s and 1997, this three by four metre weatherboard building was used as an aircraft observation post during World War 2.  For a great meal at reasonable prices visit the Shackleton District Club, open Tuesday to Sunday 5pm till 8pm. 

Free camping at Kwolyin makes this a great spot to stop if you are travelling through the central Wheatbelt. Kwolyin is a part of the Granite Way self drive tour - you can click here for a brochure - Australia's Golden Outback

Where is it?: 7kms west of Shackleton on the Bruce Rock-Quairading Road, 39km east of Quairading, 33km south of Kellerberrin and the Great Eastern Highway, and 229kms east of Perth.

Facilities: Flushing toilet with wash basin (recommend you bring your own toilet paper), camp kitchen with gas hotplates and sink, picnic tables and shelter, gas BBQ, rubbish bins, information shelter.
Rates: Free
Pets: Dogs allowed on leash.
Campfires: Prohibited October to March. Please bring your own firewood.
Best time to visit: Autumn, winter and spring.

Walks: Please refer to the information board for distances, estimated walk times and degree of difficulty. 

For more information on the area:  www.brucerock.wa.gov.au

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.  

You might also like:
Western Australian central wheatbelt 
Camp food - camping at WA's granite outcrops 
Exploring the Western Australian wheatbelt 
Bruce Rock Caravan Park 

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Acorn Banksia

   
All Seasons
Mosaic Monday 

Our World Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday 

ThroughMy Lens 

Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Travel Photo Thursday 

The Lovin' Life Team over at Deep Fried Fruit
Little Things Thursday

Life in Reflection

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

If you are a blogger you can also link your blog to Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global.

Red-tailed Black Cockatoos

I am having a little break from blogging this week as we have been away camping with family in the Western Australian wheatbelt over the four-day Easter break, and I'm still catching up. But I thought I might just share these few images of red-tailed black cockatoos on my family's farm in the wheatbelt.

I have found it is rather difficult to capture a pic showing the red tail, which you can only see when they are flying, so I was reasonably happy with these pics. 

and a little video

 These photos below I took in a bird park last year. Unfortunately caged birds, but you can see the detail of the red-tailed black cockatoo more closely.

 You can find out more about red-tailed black cockatoos here - Australian Museum

 What did you do over Easter. I hope it was a peaceful happy time for you and your family. Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

   
All Seasons
Mosaic Monday 

Our World Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday 

ThroughMy Lens 

Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Travel Photo Thursday 

The Lovin' Life Team over at Deep Fried Fruit
Little Things Thursday

Life in Reflection

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

If you are a blogger you can also link your blog to Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global. 

Chocca lotta

It's beginning to feel a bit like Easter around here with Easter eggs and Hot Cross Buns in the shops (well actually they have been in the shops for weeks!), so today I decided to share with you a Chocolate Tart recipe I made a few years ago, and have just searched for again. I haven't made them since, but I think I will have to as they were delicious!

 The recipe says only 20 minutes prep time, but it took me longer than this. So allow 1 hour preparation, 30 minutes chilling, and 35 minutes to cook. 

Here's the recipe: (from Woolworths Fresh magazine, July 2012)
Chocolate Tarts

1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
125g butter, chopped
2 eggs
2 pears, peeled, cored, thinly sliced 
2/3 cup cream
200g dark cooking chocolate, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons roughly chopped roasted hazelnuts

 Process flour and cocoa in a food processor for 30 seconds. Add butter and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 1 egg and process until mixture comes together.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide dough into 6 even portions and form into balls. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease 6 individual loose bottom fluted flan tins (approx 8cm x 2.5cm deep). 

On a lightly floured surface roll each piece of dough out until 3mm thick. Press into pans and trim off any excess dough. Place plans onto a large baking tray. Line each with baking paper and fill with baking beans or dried beans (not that I bother to do this). Bake tart shells for 10 minutes. Remove beads and paper. Bake for 5 minutes more or until pastry is just cooked. Set tarts aside to cool.

Arrange pear slices into each pastry shell. Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until small bubbles form around edge. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until melted and mixture is smooth. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining egg. 

Pour mixture over pears and sprinkle nuts on top. Bake for 15 minutes or until mixture is just set. Stand for 5 minutes before removing from pans. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or cold. 

Sit back and enjoy the compliments. 

If that sounds just a little bit like too much work when you are trying to have a relaxing Easter too, try this recipe instead. 

I've often made a quick chocolate self saucing pudding in winter, but this one is cooked in individual dishes. Have you ever made the one made in a mug in the microwave? I haven't. 

Quick Chocolate Self-Saucing Puddings (recipe from Woolworths Fresh magazine, June 2011)

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 30 minutes. Makes 4-8 depending on the size of your pots. 

125g margarine, melted
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
2 cups self-raising flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1 cup milk
3/4 cup caster sugar, extra
2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons icing sugar
thick cream or ice cream to serve 

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease 8 x 1 1/4 cup capacity ramekins or ovenproof dishes. Stand dishes in a large roasting pan. Whisk melted butter, sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Sift flour and half the cocoa over mixture. Add milk and whisk until smooth. Divided evenly between prepared dishes.

Place remaining cocoa and extra sugar in a bowl. Slowly add boiling water, stirring constantly until well combined. Pour cocoa mixture gently over each pudding. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan until water comes half way up the sides of the pudding dishes. 

Bake for 30 minute or until puddings are cooked when tested in the centre with a skewer. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with a dollop of thick cream or ice cream. 

Here is a pic - they shrunk back from the sides of the dishes when they came out of the oven and started to cool. 

 PS - I had a question about caster sugar which is readily available in Australia, but might not be in your country, or might be called something else. Here is an explanation I found - What is caster sugar and does it make a difference in baking?

Thank you so much for stopping by. If you celebrate Easter I wish you a safe and happy one. Do you have a favourite chocolate recipe? Perhaps you would like to tell us about it in your comments. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.  

You might also like:
Winter days and an energy bar recipe 
Making and photographing blueberry pancakes
Melting moments and hydrangeas in my garden

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

   
All Seasons
Mosaic Monday 

Our World Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday 

ThroughMy Lens 

Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Travel Photo Thursday 

The Lovin' Life Team over at Deep Fried Fruit
Little Things Thursday

Life in Reflection

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

If you are a blogger you can also link your blog to Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global.