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| Picnic point lookout in Toowoomba |
After a busy month of sightseeing in Melbourne, it has been a pleasure to have a change of pace. This month I have been house and dog sitting once more in the lovely city of Toowoomba, Queensland. Its population of about 160,000 falls within my ideal range for a place to live.
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| Bunya pine, a native tree, in a city park. |
Early morning dog walks along quiet residential streets and through green parks provide an abundance of sensory input. Bird life is represented by the distinctive calls of the kookaburra, whipbird, Australian magpie, and various brilliantly feathered parrots.
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| Scarlet rosella. |
Native trees, garden flowers and other botanical specimens amaze with their shapes, sizes and colours. What olfactory delights my canine companion has enjoyed I do not know but mine have included eucalyptus, rose, jasmine and frangipani.
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| The delicately scented frangipani. |
Days to work on my genealogy and family history research and writing. Time to read – outdoors on the patio if I want. Occasional trips to the grocery store. So far so good with driving the car on the other side of the road. I have finally learned to signal/indicate turns with the proper lever instead of turning on the wipers.
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| A field of galahs. |
Social activities with friends I met last year and with new contacts – a family barbecue; drinks in a café by the park; 10-pin bowling; circle dance; a walk in a park with my charge, two other dogs and their human companion.
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| The largest hibiscus flowers I have seen. |
This is my life in Toowoomba in a home away from home where for the present I am not a tourist but just living a typical retirement in a different setting.
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| Paperbark trees at the bird sanctuary. |
