Twenty four little hours. The first photo was taken from Old Squally again and is one of my favorite views of the homestead because it gives a sense of how alone we are out here in the Bass Strait. I also love how Hogan Island seems to float above the water.

Temperature has dropped and wind is gusting to 70 mph. That has kept a couple of work parties at bay. Now they may arrive next week. Time will tell. One boat is hunkered down in Winter Cove. I am keeping busy mostly indoors. I have done all I can to protect the garden. Today I will rinse off sea spray and harvest some veggies for tonight. Yesterday I made croissants and let me tell you, they were delicious. The technique is pretty easy, sweet bread dough, then work in a stick of butter and keep rolling it out and folding it in. But it takes about five hours. The house smelled like a Paris bakery and they tasted as good as they smelled. I posted a picture on 300 meals. On other fronts I keep knitting at night and weaving when I can during the day. I will have to post a picture of the chess set we found here. Someone carved all the pieces and made Cape Barren Geese for knights. Someone else with lots of indoor time. Tim won.

The second photo preceded one recent weather front.

I get to spend lots of time looking at the sky and clouds. They change constantly as weather systems move through. We had thick fog the other day, sometimes completely closing off our view from the cottage, and obscuring the lighthouse. It didn’t stop a couple of boats from traveling here on their way north to warmer weather. The night brought a spectacular lightening show. We turned off our movie and walked outside to watch it light the whole sky west of Dover Island – until the rain came. Much better than what was on the tube.

Not spending time with technology has freed up a lot of time to just let the mind wander. And off it goes.

He confessed this morning the real reason he likes these remote gigs is because I become a devoted cook. I even wear an apron in the kitchen.

I have read a lot of books so far but have got the most out of Artisan five minute bread. With the same bread dough I have made rustic bread, naan, pizza, donuts, and caramelized sticky buns. Just take a lump of dough out of the fridge.

Today was an inspired cooking day. I made a batch of ginger ale, sticky buns, apple tartlets and pretzels. Better keep up the activity.

Yesterday Tim had me doing road and trail work. Today is a mowing day.

Most importantly my little grandson made it safely through minor surgery. It’s never minor when they are little. I have been up since 03:00 so I could keep in touch.

Barn Hill, right next to the compound, continues to be one of my favorite walks. It’s a tossup between it and Old Squally for the views they offer. Tim likes to look off the cliff edges while I remain inland. I couldn’t help noticing this raptor rock.

The dolphins have been at play in Garden Cove. New birds are appearing. We have a flock of dusty wood swallows enjoying themselves and silver eyes play in the bird bath. There’s a new singer here as well but I haven’t been able to ID it. No more Cape Barren Goose murders at the moment, two down as far as we know. I continue to cook up a storm. My latest experiment was crackers and they came out pretty well. Next up will be pretzels.

The veggie garden continues to produce. I have the first few broccoli florets. We continue to have heaps of tomatoes. The greens are holding up and my delicate seedlings are coming along. Something chewed the leaves off my beetroot. It’s always something here in paradise.

We opened and aired the lighthouse today. I walked up in the morning and Tim closed it in the afternoon. This fantail accompanied me for at least a quarter mile, flitting in front of me, catching bugs on the fly. What a delight. Especially since my walk began with a gruesome discovery. One of the Cape Barren Geese was murdered and beheaded! Tim thinks we should lock the doors.

Stuck on an island with you! Well not stuck exactly, but we are not going anywhere soon.

Weather is turning a bit cooler is windy but still lovely. One visitor asked how we liked the wind. Much better on land than on a boat thank you very much. We only have to deal with downed trees and branches. Even when it howls, we have a safe shelter. The animals don’t even seem to notice.

The geese still yodel to one another from outside our bedroom window in the middle of the night despite Tim’s barricade. I sometimes sleep right through it.

The garden is keeping me busy. Still with heaps of tomatoes, zucchini are slowing down. Something has been eating my corn!! Now we only have five ears left. It looks like a possum may have gotten in. I have set a live trap for it, baited with a young ear of corn, and a couple of rat traps because I saw one scurrying around the other day. I feel like Chevy Chase in Caddyshack, hello Mr. Possum, it’s only me… I’ll try to avoid blowing the whole place up in my attempt to clear it of vermin.

Days fly by. We have already been here for one month! Food stores seem to be holding up. Yesterday was a mad baking day: pie crust, biscotti, granola, English muffins and … tomato soup. I had a bowl with fresh English muffins and homemade ginger ale for lunch and it warmed my soul.

Sunset looked like a fire in the sky the other night. The colors just kept shifting more beautifully until night fell.