Thursday 5 February 2009

A VISIT TO THE JAPANESE GARDENS
A couple of weekends ago, my daughter Katrina and I spent a lovely day together, although the weather was a little overcast and drizzly.
We spent most of the morning at some of the various beautiful craft spots at Highfields, just a little North of Toowoomba.
We started at The Danish Flower Art Complex, which would have to have one of the best and most varied supplies of beads and jewellery findings available. Next we stopped at The Chocolate Cottage and then The Quilters Angel at The Village Green Highfields, went across the Highway to Jacaranda Manor where we visited Gottabee Country and completed our day at The USQ (University of Southern Queensland) Japanese Gardens. It was my first visit to these beautiful gardens and we had taken some lunch with us. We were able to have a relaxing time watching the birdlife (ducks and ibis), fish and turtles swimming in the huge lakes, before walking around to admire the spectacular plantings in the gardens. I took quite a few photos, also managing to capture a few of the hundreds of flying foxes that hang from some of the taller trees on the perimeter. I can imagine the Gardens to be a wonderful, calm place to study for the students on campus. I'm looking forward to visiting again, maybe in Springtime.