Today I went to Jimboomba! Don’t you just love that name? It has to be Australia – doesn’t it? Perhaps I like it particularly because my son is called Jim, although he prefers to be called James (but only by strangers). Talking of strangers, I am no stranger to Jimboomba; in fact, my sister, Mary, and I spent a week there last year, though not at the same place I visited this morning. We found it a little too bushy and snake-ridden for our liking as a holiday destination but it is a great place for a day trip, especially if you love horses or you enjoy the wide open spaces without having to travel too far from civilization.

Oddly enough, my doctor and his wife (back home in England), for whom I painted the mural inside the American “Air Streak” caravan last spring, have a daughter with a young family who live in Jimboomba; and today I delivered some presents from Mum and Dad. I had thought I would stay an hour or less but I was made so welcome that I spent most of the day with them – and even went to the equestrian training paddocks where Ellie’s partner, Anthony (pronounced with the “h” – as we Aussies tend to do), was busy training riders and horses how to jump fences.

To be honest with you, I am not really much of a horsewoman (or at all really); nevertheless, I tried to show a bit of interest in the horse talk, and there was plenty of it. Hence, now rather tired, I will let the photographs speak for themselves…

I would like to tell you about something remarkable called “Cloud Shooting”, but you will have to wait until tomorrow because I am going to bed.