Noosa Heads

Sunday, Feb 19

Margot and Jan

I woke up early and had breakfast with Jan and her husband.  Then we headed over to her daughter’s house so I could use her Internet to buy my flight to Sydney.  Then we drove to Margot’s other house for juice and Voga, a strawberry crumpet, on her balcony over looking the green landscape in her backyard.  

I played on her piano and looked around at her china collectables.  It was like a scene from a victorian film.  Then we drove to Noosa Heads Beach.  It’s about an hour away, near Brisbane. 

The scenery along the way was magnificent.  The entire canvas outside my window was painted with a vast array of green- lush grass pastures with lime green sprinkles; dense emerald forests with tall trunks and hanging vines; tree archways framing the road made from curved trunks. Light emerald foliage everywhere.  There were rolling knolls and mountains in the distance.  The ride was simply breathtaking.  I only wish we weren’t in a moving car so I could have taken better pictures. (Gympie must be related to Ireland because they both share the same chlorophyll dominated DNA makeup.) 

The wide expanse of rolling hills was dotted with grazing livestock.  The slender grass along the road swayed back and forth, dancing to the music of wind.  Off in the distance were two mounts.  Each year, the locals have a climbing competition.  The first man to climb up to the top is deemed the “King of the Mountain”.

Margot and me boarding the ferry

Next stop- Noosa River.  We shopped around for a bit and then took the ferry over to the beach.  Jan and Margot were so generous.  They haven’t made me pay for a single thing since I’ve been here, no matter how hard I try to offer my money.

The ferry ride was pleasant. There were several sailboats and dozens of houseboats all along the river.

Noosa River

Once we made it to the other side, we walked over to grab a bite and then head to the beach.  On the sandy shore, the Iron Man Competition had just commenced.  This race includes kayaking and swimming around a number of markers in the open ocean.  The first to return to the beach is crowned the Iron Man.   (Yet another prime example of the male ego itching to compete and pull rank on his fellow Aussie.)  This was rather entertaining to watch.  Their athleticism was impeccable.

Iron Man Competition, Noosa Heads Beach

After the sun started to take its toll on us, we meandered back into town and onto the ferry.  We drove around a tad more, soaking up the scenery.  The sisters showed me where their mother used to live along the river.  Next, we returned to Gympie on a different highway to see more of the gently sloping hills, distant mountains, and green vegetation.  

I couldn't get a picture of this, but by this time, the sun was peering through the clouds, just the way I imagine it will look when Jesus returns.  A far off sheet of rain lay still under a pile of majestic, billowing clouds.  Cumulous clouds piled up and Cirrus clouds streaked across the sky, making a display of the many different forms they can take in one moment.  God was showing off, and I didn’t mind. Every day he paints me a new picture in the sky.  Thank you God, for today’s painting.  What’s planned for tomorrow?  I’ll be on the plane headed for Sydney, so impress me.  I’ll be up close. 

We had dinner at Margot’s house, just down the road.  It was lovely.  We ate in the music room and had crackers and Ginger Ale prior to our main course.  I should serve dinner this way back home.  They prolong the dinner festivities with a lot of chitchat, sitting and enjoying one another’s company.  It isn’t just about eating food here.  They remind me of the original design of communing with one another over a shared meal.  I do this with Mel, Johnny, Thomas, Danielle and the gang on Monday nights back in Texas, so this made me miss them a bit.  But after dinner, I played the piano for them.  I was suddenly dropped into a scene from Pride and Prejudice.  It was nice to entertain using our own devices, rather than the television.  What a splendid evening.