Hot Paint

Hi there,
 right it is done!!!!!!!
 I painted the guest rooms a couple of week ago, that was not too bad. Then..... the rest of the house was on the paint agenda. Anyone who has been here, probably understands the task a bit better. We do have a very long veranda and very high ceilings, all to do with that precious airflow and the views into the forest, we love so much. Anyway, this needed painting. I had given it all good clean, thanks to HaRa enviro and efficient cleaning, this is not too bad and best of all it lasts. But furniture has to be moved, necks become stiff, paint was rotten, yes, never had this before, it's not a good thing to happen, when the next paint shop is  2 hours away in Cairns but then they are open on Sundays. The walls and ceilings become too hot to paint in  the middle of the day, so one has to time it, and so on,,,,,,But today I finished the last bit, the really high ceiling over the dining room table and I can share this....I am very glad it is done!!!! Hoorray.Probably puts some of the spiders and geckos out of circulation for a while, no, no, no, I didn't kill them, but they like their own smell better than fresh paint.... Ah yes, and while I was at it, the office and kitchen got a new coat of paint just the same.
Just pumped some water, watered the sorry looking vegie garden, we haven't had much rain here for a number of weeks, adn now it is shower time. Tomorrow we are off to Cairns for the Christmas shopping adventure. How many eskies do we need to take????? Hopefully not everyone else has the same idea.
And then next week is Christmas !!!!
Wishing all of you a great festive season, find all your presents, enjoy them all, the good food, the good times, the cheers and the time off, and get ready for a fantastic New Year in 2013.
Catch you then, stay always happy, healthy and cheerful.
And Good luck to the special friend, who is in the Sydney to Hobart Regatta on Boxing Day.
Yeah.

Epic Solar Elipse

Hi,
 wow, what an experience.
After lots of wind, weather, sudden rain showers and general worry that it maybe dark for 2 minutes in-between tropical down pours, we had the best morning for a solar eclipse one can wish for.
Slow going on Cow Bay Beach, people only arrived shortly before the main event, well one had to be up early... but then it all happened. Equipped with solar viewers, we saw the shadow of the moon slowly covering the sun from top left  and then is became totally dark and then the corona came into view and even the famous diamond ring effect. Amazing. Very dark, ( I wish people wouldn't scream so much though),,simply amazing to see such a special nature event. I am still sort of overwhelmed with it all. That I saw this, here, in Cow Bay. Fabulous. Our guests were very happy with their viewing, being the 3. eclipse they had seen and this one the best, in their opinion. Brian experienced it at home, not seeing the eclipse as such, but the changes in the forest, birds going back into the trees, very much darker than on the beach, and the Boy Cat slinking around making unhappy noises.

Sun rises 14 November 2012

Full solar eclipse at Cow Bay this morning.
How is that....

 

Eclipse viewing on a boat

Hi,
 last minute news:
A friend of ours is offering a charter for the Eclipse happening up here on Wed.14 November 12
From Port Douglas
$ 400/pers
minimum 23 bookings
departure 4.30 am on anchor 5.30 am
return    8.30 am
breakfast included
Contact: marion@cowbayhomestay.com

The idea is that one will have a clearer view from out to sea.
Hopefully everyone who is making the effort to get up that early will have a great view of this eclipse seeing the last one was in 700 somethin...AD. in this area.

Well, I will be on Cow Bay Beach, and the next blog will report on the event.
Have a great day now.
Marion

Experience Christmas on Cow Bay Beach !!!!
You are welcome to book your Christmas this year in the Daintree Rainforest here at Cow Bay Homestay B&B.
 Arrival should be latest on 24. December as the ferry has very limited operating hours on 25. December.Most restaurants and venues are closed for the Christmas Day.
 We start the day with a nice breakfast and then pack up to go to Cow Bay Beach to spend the day lazily in the shade of the trees. Usually we have something with duck, last year it was chinese style duck pancakes; Brian is planning on prawn satays this year, instead of his freshly cooked prawns, and then we will see what else we can have: cheeses, tropical fruits,salads, a mocktail, champagne and .....nuts, fruits, ....
Our guests are welcome to join us of course and just have to arrange for their drinks.When you book your Christmas here, please let us know about food requirements.
 Usually one restaurant is open for traditional  Christmas Lunch,  and then the normal menu at night time.

 

Sunbirds are gone

HI All,
 we have been watching the building of the nest since June and that took some time. The birds did dissappear for a couple of days, and I thought they may have gone elsewhere, but returned to breed and sitting on eggs and feeding chicks, and ...now the are gone. Always without any great announcement, I just noticed not having seen them.
Maybe this year we get lucky and they have a 2. sitting so to speak. With the nest being right on the deck, it is amusing to watch them all day long.

This is how the sun birds started with the nest building, we usually have these ropes to hang banana bunches to ripen
 
And they nearly done or getting in and out during nesting.

Enjoy your day, Marion
 

a little warmer

Hi  Reader!!!!
Finally it is a little warmer. We had a fantastic cold winter, down to 10 C but always lovely 25 C and blue skies. 4 rainy days and guests during that time still wanted to stay longer.... I was impressed. We had our youngest guest in August, in the company of her family who made sure she was happy at all times. Too cute. Brian is busy building the new veranda on the Garden House. A lovely WWOOFer renovated our old silky oak side board, brought up all the way from our house in Rockhampton, and transformed something I really wanted to put on the dump into something beautiful, now sitting in the B&B in prime position.An old wardrobe, equally despised by me, is nearly done and seems to be hoop or kauri pine, stunning. We will use it for blankets. I am still a little breathless with the business of it all, but love it just the same. But I am rushing off again to do some office wrk, that is right behind.
Photos in the next blog??? YES
Take care. Marion

Orange Shrimp Plant

Hi,

This very pretty and striking plant has been the mystery in the garden for some years. My friend Coral gave me a lot of plants some years ago, when we redesigned the garden, and as it goes with busy collectors of plants she didn't know the name of this plant, suspecting that she and her friend probably liked it 'somewhere' and took a cutting.
Fortunatly one of our guests recently tracked down the name:
Its formal name is Aphelandra Sinclairinia or Coral Aphelandra and its
common name is Orange Shrimp Plant.
I love the name, it somehow it very fitting. Orange Shrimp Plant, is easily planted by taking cuttings and sticking them inot the wet ground beginning of the wet season. It starts flowering around June, this year in May and keeps going until the rains start. It is more a bush than a tree, and easliy maintained.
So, there. Mystery solved. Many thanks.

Ruhrpott Goodies

Hi, this is for the Germans, who understand Ruhrpott Talk. We received a parcel in the mail from 2 Fantastic visitors, who understood our love for Knoedel= Dumplings. Since we can make most things, even pasta, but have no luck with Knoedel, we love goodies send to us from Germany, which these 2 lovely people did. With this greeting on the card:
" ineifervonnetgefecht
habbichdichtrotzdemnichvergessen "
Schoen, nich !!!!!
Have a lovely day.
Marion

Gertrud revealed

HI,

 Python named 'Gertrud ' was a feature back in January and now we can reveal how fantastic she looked. Thanks you for sending the photos in, much appreciated. Of course 'Heidrun' enjoys her beauty sleep during these rather cold but sunny winter months, back on deck in summer!

Schoenen Guten Tag,
 die Website ist ja auch in Deutsch uebersetzt, und auf dieser Seite Holznutzung
 http://www.cowbayhomestay.com/timber-de.html
muss man entweder etwas warten 1-2 Sekunden bis der deutsche Text uebersetzt wird oder einfach rechts klicken und dann uebersetzten lassen. Brian wird sicher gerne Fragen beantworten, wenn Sie hier zu Besuch kommen.Erstmal viel Spass beim Lesen. Marion

News !!!!!!!
So, after all this time, I finally got it all together for the websdesigner to do his magic, and here is the new website www.cowbayhomestay.com check it out !!!!!
It is Monday and before I go to cut the herbs for delivery and become busy in other areas here, I better show you this photo, which has been taken in Cape Tribulation recently. Now we know !!!
Got to run. More in July.
Marion

Good morning!!
 May is nearly over and we had lovely guests, who all had a 'good' mix of weather, employing umbrellas and not being put off by clouds and wind. It is warm; even though it hasn't been the perfect beach weather, but walking and exploring and beach combing is always good. We are having fun with our new inherited ride on mower and working in the garden. Much more energy when it is cooler and enjoying every day.Birds are very busy in the last 3-4 days, with Rainbow Lorikeets and lots of noisy Cockatoos, dashing in and out of palm trees. Little kingfisher this morning and someone discovered a very haphazard nest of a pigeon up the road. So here is to a fabulous June and .....there will be weather !!!!!

Ahhh April

Hello,
 after being cut off with landslides north of Cairns, rivers flooding and  rain bucketing,  the skies cleared last week and.....we have the most fantastic weather.
Last night 18 degrees at night for Cairns, meaning it was cooler here in the rainforest, but how good are blue skies, starry nights, a moon to admire, a little breeze, flat ocean and everything looking just stunning.
Got the doonas on the beds, the gardens done and expecting Easter guests, who should be able to enjoy themselves here in the Daintree:
 go oon  walks, swim in the creeks and jungle surf, taste fantastic new exotic fruits, explore the Great Barrier Reef , swim with turtles, or just relax and look forward to great dinners at local restaurant, or how about some sea kayaking off Cow Bay Beach......
The sunbirds are coming in to feed on the haliconia flowers in the house..... no idea what makes them do that , but it is cute to watch them.
Recent guests took great delight in jumping around in our freshwater creek, after a brisk walk around the boundary.
Right: we are ready after our summer break !!!!

The Great Barrier Reef

Hi,
here is another little insight : this is FNQ down under and amongst it all.
Love it.
Marion
a new TV series about the Barrier Reef, I hope our new TVservice will have it on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPqDfoWx6fQ&feature=player_embedded

1.March 2012

Good afternoon,
finally some rain and the creek is rushing in the background inviting fitter swimmers than myself to keep up in the current; still good fun to go in and cool off though, and there are more pools now than before. Always changing.
Guests in February enjoyed good weather and extended kayak trips with plenty of turtles to admire.

Here in Daintree, in Cow Bay and Cape Tribulation   we are busy preparing for our season later in the year with workshops and other tourism activities, encouring visitors to stay and discover this fantastic part of Far North Queensland--Australia--
The pagoda plants bring great red colour dots into the green background--garden-- and attract Cairns Birdwing butterflies, not as many as last year, but back to their usual size.
Right now: sunshine, blue sky, a plan to go to the beach, what will we cook tonight? Just bought the Womans Weekly pressure cooker book, fantastic recipes.....watch out waistline...
Have a great day and enjoy.
Marion

Hot tip in February

HI,
 this is a great link for all the animal lovers, nature enthusiasts and any one else interested.
By the way: Cow  Bay and Cape Tribulation are the 'secret ' destinations for dugongs, whales,dolphins, turtles, reef, snorkelling, and best of all :bird and butterflies !

http://www.queenslandholidays.com.au/experiences/natural-encounters/animal-encounters/seasonal-calendar.cfm?cmpid=1143

Enjoy
Marion

Hot tip in February

HI,
 this is a great link for all the animal lovers, nature enthusiasts and any one else interested.
By the way: Cow  Bay and Cape Tribulation are the 'secret' destinations for dugongs, dolphins, turtles reef and snorkelling, and best of all bird and butterflies

Helga, the amethestyne python

Hi,
 we have a new resident next to the path at the house, turning up mid morning to excite guests as they leave for their daily adventure here in the Daintree Rainforest or taking the luggage to the car.
One guest named it/her/him??? Helga the other day. Providing great photo opportunities as Helga just seems to lay around on a cover of palm fronds. Not even sunning itself.
We have enjoyed fabulous weather for January, even cool at night time and blue sky and calm seas. The creeks are just perfect, clear and running over stones, but watch out...the water can be cool.
Here at the B&B we have had great guests this month, and they all loved their  'we t' season visit up in the north, because it is less crowded than down south.
The sun bird babies on the deck have taken off into the wild.
The other birds are more or less noisy, feeding on different trees during the day or early in the mornings, with the sulfur crested cockatoos making most of the racket and performing aerial acrobatics over the big garden next door.
And have a look at this hibiscus. My favourite this year.