No more walking around the house barefoot. The last two weeks in the sun were our final farewell to summer. The mornings are cold, the slate floors are colder. This fake leopard sits between me and the slate.

Bought this camera a year ago, the third IXUS I’ve owned. It’s the only one to give me any trouble and had to have a new lens in the first couple of months. fortunately covered by the warranty. Been perfect since. Came with me on the big overseas trip last year but it is in this photo project that it has excelled. Neat enough to fit into a pocket or handbag, I have it with me all the time. Thought it deserved recognition for all its hard work to date.

It was so predictable. As we flew south the skies were clear with little cloud for around 1675 kilometres. Right on the edge of Melbourne the cloud cover shut off my view of the ground. When we finally got low enough to get beneath it, the grey and dismal contrast with the last two weeks was stark. However this little bit of colour in my garden today glowed vibrant and undeterred. A good goal for me as we close in on winter.

Slices of bamboo set into resin line the inside of this lovely blue bowl. The outside and edges are lined with a mosaic of coconut shell. It was not only a good match for the colour scheme of our holiday unit but it instantly brought to mind the turquoise waters we paddled through on Hamilton Island and swam in at Lake McKenzie. And its clever use of materials usually thrown away was a bonus.

At the counter waiting to give my breakfast order - a banana split with honey yoghurt, dates, hazelnuts and fresh coconut to be followed by a chai latte. These coffees were put down and I fumbled to get my camera out for a quick snap. Each latte was different and I stood watching them being made long after these two had made their way to table 59.

It was just before sunset. The vista spread out below us had darkened with the cloudy sky. Small plumes of smoke from controlled burns in the bush mixed with the rapidly rising mist in the valleys. It curled around the remnants of ancient volcanoes jutting up towards the sky. Visually stunning, it took my breath away. Sadly, it was impossible to capture well with my camera though I did try. So I have to make do with this photo taken earlier in the day.

A long and satisfying day visiting the World Heritage site of Fraser Island. After we returned to the mainland and before we headed off for a long drive along the beach back to the Noosa River we stopped at Rainbow Beach to see the magical coloured sands. An intricate mixture from black and grey, through to brown and gold,  pinks and white. Stunning.

Followed an enthusiasm today and wound up at the most interesting little observatory on the Sunshine Coast hinterland. The stargazing equipment was most definitely high-tech but the presentation was equally low tech. No matter,  it was fabulous. In a three hour hands-on demonstration we got to see, among other things - Sirus, the jewel box and the rings of Saturn which, in four months time, will disappear from view for eight years. After a couple of hours in the open air we were really happy to cluster beneath this heater while we waited our turn at the telescope.

The pub, in a small country town, was built back in the mid-1800s. The lining boards are on the inside of the frame and the windows have a wonderfully quirky and unique device that allows them to be held open to catch any breeze. It’s clearly been updated over the years and we enjoyed watching the sunset over the nearby mountains as we partook of an early drink and swapped increasingly funny stories. I had to pass the old french doors leading to the bar as I made my way back to the car. My fingers drifted across the old lock. wondering about the many hands that had done the same thing before inserting the key to lock up for the night.

This part of the holiday is over and we await the flight that will return us to the mainland. It has been a very relaxing and we have caught up with a lot of people we only see once a year. There has been eating and drinking, swimming and paddling, shopping and walking. All in balmy temperatures and in a visually stunning environment.