news views clues and reviews

Snippets of Persuasion.

2012-02-14T22:45:00.000-08:00

Reading a Jane Austen novel can be like eating a super rich chocolate cake. You need to stop and savour every little bit. I'm only up to Chapter 3, and already, I have to put the book down and share this gem with you.

The story so far....... Sir Walter Elliot of Kellynch Hall in Somersetshire, baronet, is facing financial ruin. He must either;

a) moderate his flamboyant lifestyle

b) divide and sell part of his estate,

c) lease Kellynch Hall and move somewhere more modest. Perhaps to Bath, rather than London, a much safer place for a gentleman in his predicament:- he might there be important at comparatively little expense.

All three options are to Sir Walter outrageously preposterous.

His equally flamboyant daughter Elizabeth offered a few suggestions. They could;

a) cut back on donations to certain charities

b) not go ahead with the drawing room renovations

c) not send her sister Anne her annual present.

What a girl, all heart.

Mr. Shepard, a civil and cautious lawyer, was pushing for option c) rent the estate. He put forth the idea of doing it in the strictest of secrecy, perhaps to a wealthy naval officer.

Sir Walter expressed his distaste for sailors in no uncertain terms;

I have two strong grounds of objection to it. First, as being the means of bringing persons of obscure birth into undue distinctions, and raising men to honours which their fathers and grandfathers never dreamt of;

and secondly, as it cuts up a man's youth and vigour most horribly; a sailor grows old sooner than any other man; I have observed it all my life. A man is in greater danger in the navy of being insulted by the rise of one whose father, his father might have disdained to speak to, and of becoming prematurely and object of disgust himself, than in any other line.

Goes on to explain how he once mistook a certain Admiral Baldwin for a man in his sixties, when he was only forty.

...the most deplorable looking personage you can imagine, his face the colour of mahogany, rough and rugged to the last degree, all lines and wrinkles, nine grey hairs of a side, and nothing but a dab of powder at top.

...they are all knocked about, and exposed to every climate, and every weather, till they are not fit to be seen. It is a pity they are not knocked on the head at once, before they reach Admiral Baldwin's age.

And I thought it was difficult to secure a good rental property in modern day Melbourne!

What a Handsome Lad......... Thats My Boy!

2012-02-09T23:57:00.000-08:00

When a hulking figure in overalls appeared in the doorway this morning, I nearly jumped out of my skin. First day of TAFE today.

What a fine figure of a young man he makes. I must confess to shedding a quiet tear. He looks so grown up.

Decked out in high vis overalls and steel capped boots the size of motor boats, he is just itching to get dirty.

Thats My Boy!

Fly My Pretty, Fly!

2012-01-29T06:01:00.000-08:00

When one of your babies flies the coup, it can be pretty scary. Emotions running hot and cold........ from both of us.

But some opportunities are just too good to pass up. My first-born decided to defer uni for a year and get a job. And what a job she got. She is now a full time staff member in this fabulous place.

It is an outdoor education centre up in the high country. She is doing a month of intense training, to take groups on adventure hikes.

Adventures include skiing, horse riding, kayaking and the like.

It will be a huge year for her, but I know she will rise to the challange, and love it!

Her own little log cabin.

Some of the residents

Sally the Goat.

She'll be looking after this handsome feller.

This place even has its own scratching post!

The Gear Shed.

The Saddlery.

I gorged myself silly on the fruit in the orchard.

There is always just one more.

Now that is an oven!

A huge thank you to my fabulous brother, Des, who drove us up and back. My car would never have made it.

While the young 'uns were busy on their orientation, we were able to enjoy the ambiance.

Wrap Skirt with a Twist.

2012-01-29T05:17:00.000-08:00

Here is one of the many wrap skirts that I have made from Nicole Mallalieu's fabulous book, You Sew Girl.

This skirt has made a previous blog appearance, on me. But it looks much better on my lovely daughter.

Another Day, Another Adventure.

2012-01-21T17:17:00.000-08:00

This morning I stumbled out of bed in the usual bleary eyed manner. Made a cup of tea and wandered out into the back garden.

Imagine my surprise! The neighbour's lovely old bluestone shed had come to visit.

Pumpkin Time.

2012-01-17T03:06:00.000-08:00

Which one first? Wee B Little or Potimarron?

If you have been reading my blog, you may remember that I went a bit silly with buying seeds from Diggers last spring.

There were so many interesting varieties of all the veges that I love to grow, and some that I hadn't thought of. There were even some that I had never heard of.

So of course I had to try as many as possible. The greenhouse at work was full of my experimental crops. Seedlings were in abundance. Luckily I have an understanding boss. When they were big enough to plant out I had to dig up most of my yard, and make up some extra planter boxes to accommodate them. Carrots are growing in an old bath, capsicums in an old cabinet.....

Friends, family members and pretty much anybody that came within cooeee had excess seedlings thrust upon them. Thanks for your help everyone, hope your gardens are thriving.

There were so many lovely varieties of pumpkins to choose from. But I was strong and only bought four packets of seeds. The miniature varieties are already ripe. Tonight I picked the first one. The choice was, Potimarron or Wee B Little.

The winner was potimarron. A lovely French pumpkin with a delicious chestnuty flavoured flesh. I had a slice with my dinner steamed with a dollop of butter, salt & pepper. It was divine!

Tomorrow I might try this, roasted potimarron


Yep, it really is that colour. No Photoshopping.

My little buddy, Gyppie models for scale.

Jamarch's Menagerie.

2012-01-14T22:14:00.000-08:00

Historical fiction is not for everybody. But I really enjoy a good fictional romp through real events. This one brought to life the characters, lives, sights, sounds and smells of its time.

Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch is an engaging story set in the eighteen hundreds. Jaffy Brown spends his early childhood surviving poverty and street life in London's East End. He lives with his mother in an overcrowded dwelling where they manage a meager existence.

Things change, when eight year old Jaffy chances upon an escaped tiger. Jaffy pats the tiger on the nose and it picks him up in its mouth and carries him a short distance. He is rescued by the owner of the beast, one Charles Jamarch.

Strangely, this part of the novel is actually true. German born Charles Jamrach was a well known dealer of wild animals in London at the time. He would pay sailors to bring him exotic animals from all over the world and sell them to zoos, naturalists and private collectors. And there was an actual Bengal tiger that escaped its enclosure and picked up an eight year old boy who patted its nose. The boy was rescued by Jamarch himself, and was unhurt. There is a statue to commemorate the event in Tobacco Dock in Wapping.

Back to the story, Jamarch gives Jaffy a job where he stays and looks after the animals. He makes friends with another young employee, Tim. The boys, and Tim's twin sister grow up together and Jaffy falls in love with the sister, Ishbel.

At the age of sixteen Jaffy is employed, with Tim by Dan Rymer, an agent for Jamarch. They are to travel on The Essex, a whaling ship to the Dutch East Indies to catch a dragon. I'm assuming that they went to what is now Indonesia to catch a kimodo dragon, the world's largest lizard.

And catch a dragon they do. After that disaster strikes, and as sailors are traditionally a superstitious lot, they blame the dragon. The Essex was a real whaling ship, and the events that happened to both ship and crew are also true.

Project #2 for 2012- Sunroom Make-over

2012-01-12T04:30:00.000-08:00

Do you have a dingy room your house? One that you'd rather not linger in? One that you tend to dump stuff in and forget about?

Well I used to!

That was until a couple of weeks ago when I cracked it and went on a cleaning rampage. My dirty-little-secret room was the sun-room. A room not only full of stuff, but bearing the scars of teenage abuse. Several layers of stickers, posters, photos fastened to the walls with blu-tack, sticky tape, glue etc. Marks in biro, texta, paint.... All manner of substance spilled, dried and crusted over.

I didn't take a 'before' photo, mainly because I was too embarrassed.

So the room was cleared. What didn't go to the op-shop went out in the hard rubbish. The small amount that couldn't be thrown out fitted into three boxes, (would you believe it?) These fitted nicely into the cupboard where some of my fabric used to be pre-studio.

Next step was to add a splash of colour, and what better place to go for that than the miss-tint bin at our local paint shop. After much dilly-dallying I chose 'Gold Dust', but as it was a miss-tint we have renamed it 'gold-dust-gone-wrong'.

My good friend Rob kindly donated some paint that he had in his shed. It was called 'Regency White' and it was fabulous for the trim and the doors.

He also donated a lot of his time and energy helping me with the job. Rob is not only a dab hand at renovating, but a creative and lateral thinker. The result was far better than I had ever envisaged.

And it was fun. What would have been a boring job was filled with crack-ups, belly laughs and silly banter.

And so we scrubbed, filled, sanded, painted........

All was going well, and Ted, a mutual friend, offered us his whiz-bang fancy-pants sander for the tired and grotty old floor. Rob spent a good part of the day on all fours sanding up a storm. I had no idea how stunning the wood was underneath.

Ted gave us his magic recipe for treating floorboards, linseed oil and turps. As you can see, they came up a treat.

For those of you wishing to try this at home, make sure you get Pale Boiled Linseed Oil and Mineral Turps. The ratio is 2 parts L: 1 part T

Re-apply when dry. Give it a good few coats, it really makes a difference.

Sadly we had to pull apart a once glorious Edwardian wardrobe. Not only was it battered and unstable, but it has been sitting in the main walkway for about eleven years.

Then Rob had yet another flash of brilliance. We used the panels to line the wall.

Another magic formula, this time linseed oil, turps and metho was in order. (Same mixture, we just added 1 part metho). We rubbed it down with steel wool and watched in wonder as all the marks and scratches disappeared.

Now it is a room that we can be proud of.

Projects for 2012.

2012-01-10T05:47:00.000-08:00

There is nothing like new fabric and a birthday to kick start the year's projects.

And here is project #1.
From Thea & Sami I scored a gorgeous piece of organic cotton/hemp with a hand printed peacock design. If you are not familiar with Thea's work, please follow the link to her website/blog. Her designs are stunning, and always hand printed on simply delicious natural and eco friendly fabrics.

So my dear friend Jackie has a birthday in a couple of weeks. For those of you who don't know our girl, she loves cycling and is an amazing writer, story-teller and entertainer. In fact, she is the writer and narrator of this beautiful story. A true tale, brought to life about a young male lyrebird who befriended a woman early last century. Do watch the clip, it really is lovely. And the fabulous music is also played by two good friends, Michael Stewart on piano and Greg O'Leary on fiddle.

But back to the project. What do you give a bike-riding, lyrebird-loving mate? Well how about a bag to wear on the bike. The peacocks translate wonderfully as lyrebirds, (I hope that is ok with you Thea).

I used the Wrap pattern from Nicole Mallalieu which is a great carry all and super-comfy to wear. I teamed the feature fabric with some denim and plain red drill from the stash, and had a bit of fun mixing and matching panels.

Of course I couldn't wait three weeks until her actual birthday, so it was given as a belated Chrissy present.

Le Bag!

Back View

Inside Pocket

Maldon Folk Festival - The Instrument Maker's Exhibition.

2011-10-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

And like good crafts-people everywhere, they have plenty of interesting stuff to share, and are usually up for a chat.

There were some beautiful instruments, and some really quirky stuff as well. My favourite stand was that of Bill Crocker's. Sitting amongst a table full of fiddles, bows, dulcimers etc, he muttered modestly, "oh I'm not really an instrument maker, I just make things for fun."


This one is a fiddle. What type? Apparently it is an experimental fiddle. (My favourite type). It has the standard four strings, as well as four sympathetic strings on either side.

And what instrument collection is complete without a hurdy-gurdy?

Bill had some tools you don't find in every bloke's shed.

A Dulcimer Clamp.


A Plate Thickness Tester. Yep, he invented this one.

Another favourite stand was this one. Cigar Box Guitars!

A demo from the maker.

These are guitars made from cigar boxes. The work of Julian Whittaker. They were invented in the cotton fields of the Delta Region. Apparently the kids would hear the blues being played and make their own instruments. There were plenty of old cigar boxes lying about, so that's what they used. As the players of these fine gadgets moved on to Chicago, and perfected their craft, they became known as DeVille. (Meaning of the city).

As there are not so many empty cigar cases lying about these days, Julian makes his own. On display were some faithful replicas of the originals. And some with deviations and developments, where he has played around with the shape to produce different sounds. The final touches are some fabulous retro stickers from the cigar boxes of the time. Loads of fun.

Julian also makes some mighty fine guitars.

While I was researching the finer points of hurdy-gurdy construction, and tales from the cotton fields, Bruce was having some adventures too. He found a fret-less banjo. Made by Ray Black, you've gotta love his work. I couldn't find a website, but he makes superb banjos and mandolins.

Fret-less banjo.

He didn't want to put this one down. It is an Octave Mandolin, apparently very similar to a Mandola. Kind of a bass mando, as I understand it. Definitely the missing link in Bruce's instrument collection.

Octave Mandolin.

Ray Black with some of his work.

Some other instrument stands. I can't remember this maker's name, but his work was also quite superb. (Must do some further research). He made the Octave Mando, you can see it on the far right.

We found our mate, Ted testing the wares at the same table.

Watching a craftsman at work always makes me smile. Apparently he had an order that he had to have finished.


Its a bit like taking your knitting to work.

Spring Sewing.

2011-10-27T05:32:00.000-07:00

Now that Spring is in full swing, the garden is where you will usually find me. But I have also managed to squeeze in a few days at River Studios. It has been a great opportunity to spruce up my faded and tattered wardrobe.

Here are a few of my new things.

This beret I made with the leftover bits from a skirt. The pattern is from Nicole Mallalieu's Quick Projects Range. Very versatile and easy to make. I'm going to whip up one for every occasion from now on.

And here is the skirt. The pattern for this one is in Nicole Mallalieu's book, that everyone is talking about. It is the Wrap Skirt. Pattern free, great fun to make. You take your measurements, work out some ratios, snip-snip, sew-sew and Voila!

This one I made a bit longer, and used some of my Gorgeous Go Granny fabric from The Curlypops Shop as a feature panel. I've also made another A-Line Skirt featuring Go Granny, just need to take a photo of it.

Here is a shorter, sportier version, that I made for my daughter. Of course it looks much better on her, but she wont stand still long enough for me to photograph her in it.

And you can see my beautiful poppies in the background.

I've Got a Luv-er-ly Bunch of Artichokes.

2011-09-29T20:25:00.000-07:00

Aren't they beautiful? One of the best things about being a gardening junkie is that you get to eat the profits. You also get to hang out with those of a similar mind, and get to eat their profits too. These were planted at work by a colleague, from cuttings supplied by another work-mate. We have all been swapping recipes and living well on the fat of the land. And they were delicious!

The small ones were pan fried in olive oil and garlic, served with lemon juice, (lemon from my sister's tree), cracked pepper and sea salt.

The large ones were used in soup. Best soup ever!

From River Studios.

2011-09-27T07:33:00.000-07:00

While you will find me in the garden, last week and the week before I was nowhere to be seen. That's because I was hiding in studio, indulging in one of my other loves, painting.
And what a lovely project it was. A nice man commissioned me to paint this portrait of his friend, who was giving him one of her horses (the one standing up). With a ten day deadline looming, it was a good excuse to totally throw myself into it.
Dressed in my finest rags, covered from head to toe in paint, I thought of nothing but the project at hand. Any attempts at conversation, by well meaning friends resulted in nothing but incoherent babble. Thanks for your patience guys.
The painting was based on a photo, supplied by the client. However, the swirling patterns of capeweed in the foreground was calling out for extra attention. There is nothing like the real thing.


There is nothing like painting from life.

Voila, the finished product! Now in the hands of its rightful owner.

Poppies are all a-bloom at my house.

2011-09-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

Being of a slightly excessive nature, I can never seem to do things in small doses. From a few packets of seeds, bought enthusiastically last Autumn, grew a very high yield. "Just choose a few and throw the rest out", "be not a slave to your seedling trays" my work mates tried to tell me. Like I would ever do that..........

So I worked for hours in the garden, lovingly planting hundreds of teeny, weeny seedlings.

But the rewards are starting to show. Every day I am greeted with more and more of these little beauties.

Next to flower will be the foxgloves, growing quickly in this warm weather. There were also hollyhocks, but the snails seem to have eaten them all, only three have survived.
Winter vegies are almost at an end, so they're being pulled out to make room for a whole lot of beetroots, carrots, spring onions, leeks, radish, eggplant, tomatoes, corn....................

Go Granny from the Curlypops Shop.

2011-09-21T18:54:00.000-07:00

If you happened to be in the vicinity of the Western Suburbs of Melbourne yesterday, you may well have heard squeals of glee wafting in the air. That was probably me, jumping out of my skin with excitement, because my mail order had arrived.

The latest product, made here in Melbourne by one of our own fabulous designers, Camile Condon of Curlypops. It was also printed here in Melbourne by an amazing new local company, Fankie and Swiss.

It just gets better and better. It is printed on 100% natural fibre, medium weight cotton-canvas, using water based, non-toxic, solvent free inks. And isn't it GORGEOUS!

Although I'm in the middle of an all consuming portrait commission, and my Spring vegie seedlings are screaming at me to get them out of their punnets and into the garden, I couldn't resist playing dress-ups with my already bulging fabric stash. Something this spesh can't be used all at once, I'm thinking feature panels for skirts, bags etc. Anyway, better get up to the studio and finish this painting.

Digging Diggers.

2011-09-01T17:47:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, a friend at work showed me the Diggers Club seed catalogue. (gasp) Be still my beating heart! He was going out to their nursery on the weekend. So of course I gave him a shopping list, which looked more like a ten page document.

It was like Christmas the following week, when the goodies arrived. Good old Loppie even brought in some spare stuff that he had at home.

So now its time to plant them...yay! I have to restrain myself from nicking out to the greenhouse seventeen times a day to check on their progress. Patience Leonie, patience!

Choir Performance - this Saturday, 3 Sept. the Substation.

2011-09-01T05:51:00.000-07:00

Have you heard the Newport Community Choir perform? Have you been to the Substation Artist's Market? Well here's your chance to do both. This Saturday, 3 Sept, we will be performing at the Substation Art Market.

It is an amazing market, with everything being hand-made, and the makers all running the stalls. It also boasts fabulous food and entertainment. It is on the first Saturday of every month, running from 10am to 4pm. 1 Market St. Newport. Right next to Newport Railway Station.

And the choir sound pretty good too.

We will be on stage from 12.00 to 12.30. There will also be, as usual a wonderful mix of other musicians performing throughout the day. If you're in the area on Saturday, come on down and listen.

From Gardening to Bag Making in one Day.

2011-08-29T06:28:00.000-07:00

Today was such a lovely day for gardening. The weeds were thick and plentiful, but came out easily. As they were pulled out, lots of lovely little flowers that have been hiding away all winter revealed themselves. A nice way to spend the day.
And tonight I went to Nicole Mallalieu Design HQ for a fabulous workshop. Tonight's lesson was making straps for bags, belts etc. It was loads of fun and informative as well.
Here's what I made, in cheap and cheerful callico. Now that I'm off my L-Plates, I can try them in nice fabric on a bag.

The stitching is a little bit dodgey on this one, but you get the idea. Also the iron left a bit of a stain on the fabric, ah well, its only the test model.

All in all, I'm feeling a bit too clever by half. Can't wait to make some real ones up now.

The First Signs of Spring!

2011-08-28T19:53:00.000-07:00

Aaaah the first signs of Spring! And look what has popped up.
That must be my cue to get out in the garden and tackle those weeds. Better tie a rope around my leg so I don't get lost.

Oh I do love to sit and sew.

2011-08-21T04:06:00.000-07:00

This week has been a sewing week.... busy in my little cave, whipping up all manner of creations in fabric. Here's what I've been working on.

The first picture features the wrap skirt. This one was made earlier this year, and has been well loved. The pattern is from Nicole Mallaleiu's fabulous new book You Sew Girl!

The book takes you on a journey, with many fun and rewarding projects. Each project teaches new skills, and has you sewing like a pro in no time. I'm really loving the pattern free clothing section. Its like oragami meets sewing! Having fun experimenting with some cowl neck tops, photos to come.....

The wrap skirt is definitely the favourite so far. I've made it up in all manner of fabrics, as birthday presents for various girlfriends. I also made a shorter version for my leggy teenage daughter.
It is my all-time favourite item of clothing. (Well maybe I love the boots more, but the skirt comes close).
The fabric is the most divine hand printed organic linen, from Thea & Sami.
Thea's range of fabrics, homewares and clothing is to die for. Do check our her website.

So what have I made this week. Well there is the beret. The pattern is from Nicole Mallalieu's Quick and Easy range. It really is very quick and easy to make, and it looks amazing.

The fabric is another gorgeous piece of linen. An offcut I scored about seventeen years ago. I'd just dropped in to visit my sister in her studio with toddler and newborn in tow. The gloss of new motherhood took a backseat when I spied the scrap box of one of her neighbours. It was just overflowing with drool-worthy fabrics in reasonable sized pieces. All that could be seen of me were my feet, disappearing into the box. After rolling around in it for a while, and then remembering the kids, and then apologising to their aunt and all her studio mates, I collected quite a stash. And with little ones to sew for, it didn't matter that they were in small pieces.

I was pretty excited about the beret. It was looking fantastic, until it was finished and tried it on. Unfortunately, now that my hair has turned a lovely shade of silver, browns and tans don't really suit me any more. Luckily my gorgeous red-haired friend, Christine looked stunning in it. She didn't want to be photographed today, but will send some pics later.

And finaly, the Fedora. Another pattern from Nicole Mallalieu's fabulous range. This is the first attempt. Its a little bit wonky, but I'm pretty happy with it. As it also looked better on Christine, she got two hats today. The lemon tree was more willing to be photographed, so you'll have to wait to see how lovely my friend looks.

There are a few other projects bubbling away, stay tuned...............

Edith's Lyrebird.

2011-07-21T21:36:00.000-07:00

Here is a beautiful film I would like to share. It was written and narrated by the fabulous Jackie Kerin.

Based on a true story about a woman befriended a young male lyrebird. The music is stunning, played by two of our local talented musicians, Greg O'Leary and Michael Stewart.

From River Studios- Pattern Testing Nicole Mallalieu's New A-Line Skirt.

2011-07-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

While I've been neglecting blogland of late, other creative ventures have been happening. I've been on a bit of a painting binge, (a nice place to be,> I'll post some pics soon).
But today I have been pattern testing.
Nicole Mallalieu of Nicole Mallalieu Design is about to release a fabulous new skirt pattern. All going well, it should be ready for the Melbourne Quilters Fair. Stay tuned.
This is the first draft. I really like it. Its a great shape, comfy and flattering. Super easy to make, clear instructions with diagrams.
As with all Nikki's patterns, there are tips and hints to improve your sewing skills. It makes the job easier and you learn to sew like a pro as you go. (say that three times quickly).
There is plenty of room for variation, as well as helpful advice on how to add your own bits. I added the panels at the front, but you can add whatever you like. Let your own imagination run wild, go on I dare you.
Nikki has made up a stack of these fabulous skirts, check them out here.

If you happen wander down Newport way...

2011-06-30T20:10:00.000-07:00

If you happen wander down Newport way, you will notice a flurry of activity. Excitement is in the air. We're all madly putting the finishing touches on our various contributions to the Newport Folk Festival. We've rehearsed everything that is rehearsable, venues are tidied up, workshops are prepared, equipment is borrowed and tested. We've stocked up on berocca...
Now we can all breathe a deep breath, before we march off like troopers to put on the best festival ever!

P.S. Don't miss the Choirs Festival on Sunday.

Home Again, Home Again............

2011-06-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

Ahh...... A day off. Time to take a breath.
Well I can't complain that life is ever dull. Last week's adventure was a trek to Sydney. I worked at the Quilt and Craft Convention, helping my sister, Nikki on her stall.
In the days leading up, it appeared that the planets were misaligned, and the forces that be just didn't want us to go. They even sent a volcanic ash cloud to stop us flying up there. What they didn't reckon on was our genetic pre-disposition to sheer bloody-mindedness and blind optimism.
We trained and bused it up there. Amongst our hiccups were lost credit cards, and all means of communication being cut off. Poor Nikki had to set up the whole thing by herself. Back in Melbourne I waded through queues at the airport, railway station and eventually bus depot, working through every possible way of getting to Sydney.
All's well that ends well, and end well it did. When you are selling a fabulous product, you don't have to work too hard at it. It was such a joy to be able to introduce Nicole Mallalieu Designs to a whole new audience. The stock sold like crazy, we had to courier more up, and call on the help of some fantastic Sydney girls, Cass and Peta.

They jumped straight in and worked like troopers.
By Friday, when I left them, the ash cloud had cleared, (phew). It was a nice smooth flight home.
The kids coped admirably well without me. The house is still standing, the pets are all alive...
And look what popped up while I was gone, brand new baby broad beans, awwwwwwww.

Sweet Bird Of Youth.

2011-06-12T18:43:00.000-07:00

While a nice snappy modern novel is fabulous, revisiting the classics something I love to do. And what could be better than catching up with Tennessee Williams now and again.
Sweet Bird Of Youth is the tragic tale of Chance Wayne, a talented, good looking young man, with his eye on stardom. He finds work as a gigilo to aging starlets, hoping to kick start his own career. His taste for flamboyance and excess soon take their toll.
With his latest employer, the wealthy Princess Kosmonopolis, he secretly returns to St Cloud, his home town in the south. Here we uncover the scandal and heartbreak and that sent Chance on the path to self destruction.
Desperate to win back his youth and his first love, Heavenly Finley, he realises that it is all too late. Just like the aging princess, he is past his prime.
A short, sharp play that skewers so much, in just 111 pages.

Awwww........ baby turnips, delicious as they are cute.

2011-06-12T18:06:00.000-07:00

My back yard is a turnip farm.

In the excitement of Autumn plantings, I put in two packets of turnip seeds, early purple and swedes. That resulted in about 600 seedlings in the two seed trays.

It surprized me to find that not everyone shares my enthusiasm for turnips. I managed to find homes for about seventeen of them.

Being of a frugal nature, I just couldn't throw them away. As there are so many of them, we have made an early start on eating them. Fabulous, roasted, in stir fries, mashed in with the potatoes......
These are the early purples, the swedes are not quite ready yet.

Blogging again.

2011-06-09T05:55:00.000-07:00

It seems like forever since I last wrote on this blog. Struggling with a very slow and unco-operative computer has made it quite difficult.
The garden has undergone a complete make-over. The front yard is looking very bad-haircut at the moment, but will soon be a spectacular mass of flowers.

In the maddness of it all, I forgot to take photos. Fortunately, I have an old photo of another such venture. The wee girl in the background is now a leggy nineteen year old.

The back yard is now a turnip farm. Yes I planted two packets of seeds, and got about 600 seedlings! I managed to find homes for about 17 of them. Being of a frugal nature I had to plow up the back yard and plant them all. There are also broccoli, cabbage, boc-choy, and some left overs from other plantings, silverbeet, rhubarb, rocket, parsley. Even some of my hardy eggplants are hanging in there.

The pumkins are all gone now, when I pulled the last of them out, there were nineteen of these babies left. We've eaten our way through a lot, and given heaps away. We are down to the last three.
We've also eaten our way through several large buckets of artichokes, carrots, eggplants, tomatoes, capsicum, chilli............
So that's the end of the summer stuff, and its onward and upward to the winter fare.

Kamishibai Boo-boo.

2011-05-10T05:15:00.000-07:00

A while ago I completed a set of story cards for Jackie Kerin, for her Kamishibai box, made by Ted Smith, master craftsman. It was the story of the Princess and the Pea.
The project was finished, cards are out in the world now. I had patted them on the head and called them a success. Jackie has been telling the tale to young and old, from various kindergartens to the Williamstown Literature Festival. I was feeling a bit too clever by half.
That was until this morning. Jackie had a gig at Everlasting Books, Yarraville. She was showing the cards to Dharma, the lovely proprietress...............

Was Dharma the first one to notice? Were people just being polite? Did anyone else notice that the prince has six fingers?

You would think I would have noticed while I was drawing it!

Not sure what to do, do I;
a) re-draw the whole thing?
b) leave it as a 'spot the boo-boo' thing?
c) claim it was a statement about the Royal Family?

Any suggestions?

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-07T19:38:00.000-07:00

A big Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful women in my life. Thanks for all your support in good times and bad. Thanks for all the laughs, hugs and slaps over the head when I've needed them. (Metaphorical slaps of course).
And a huge thank you to my own gorgeous Mum. Mother of eight, grandmother of thirteen, and now a great-grandmother. On a miniscule budget she fed and clothed us all. This pint sized lady was a tower of strength.
A fabulous cook, years ahead of her time she could cater for any crowd. Skilled in drawing the best from the farm, garden, chooks and the shops. Any windfall gain, like the lovely fish she is holding in the photo, would have been cooked up into something really special.
An op-shopper before it was fashionable, she fitted us all out in the very best. She encouraged us all individually with what we were good at. That often included having a kitchen full of kids making candles, scones or whatever. She refereed our fights and praised our efforts. My kids share these memories. Going to Granny's was always a treat.
Mum is still with us, but now in the advanced stages of dementia. It has been devastating for all of us. I miss her so much every day. But I am so lucky to have had her in my life. In conversations with my siblings, it seems to be a common theme that we hear her voice, say things that she would say etc. I see her face when I look in the mirror.
What an amazing life!

Canberra National Folk Festival.

2011-05-03T02:24:00.000-07:00

Arrrgh!!! This computer is so slow, and it keeps freezing and eating my writing!!! This posting was for over a week ago. It seems like forever now. And its refusing to load most of the photos. Anyway, I've written it now so I hope you all enjoy it out there in blogland. I will try to upload more pics when possible.

What a week! Fun and festivities coming at you from every angle!
A simple walk to the shops could involve dodging Morris Dancers all a-jingle, leaping about through the crowd, hankies flapping in the breeze. Or you could be led Pied Piper style into a nearby tent by some fabulous tune.

Workshops galore! Ever wanted to learn Appalacian Clogging? How about Broom Building? Choir, Percussion, Dance, Yoga, all manner of Arts and Crafts from Blacksmithing to Oragami. Brush up on your Fiddle Skills, learn some Swing Guitar, improve on the Bits Between your Songs or maybe Stage Craft is your thing.

Buskers, busking at every turn. Acrobats performing deadly acts, street performers, giant seagulls pinching your chips, little kids trying out their newly learned skills, groups of teenagers having a sing-along with their favourite tunes, an assortment of choirs, dance troups, poets and musos. Even the Newport Bush Orchestra strutted their stuff and drew a crowd.

And speaking of NBO, you could catch us everyday at 2pm at the Stockman's Camp. It was a fantastic gig.

There was plenty of eye candy at the instrument makers exhibition . We got to drool over some beautiful, hand made instruments. You could chat to the makers themselves about the finer points of constructing their wares. They even let us play them.

A huge circus tent dominated centre arena. This hosted a variety of shows, including a late night Not For Kids Kid's Show. We were treated to some acts of absurdity by balloon blowers, contortionists and the like. Plenty of ooohs and ahhhhs and ouches coming from the audience.
The session bar was just a bit too much fun. A huge human soup of all kinds of people, sporting every concievable instrument. Dancers leaping about, singers singing. Too many of us made the tragic error of going for one last quick stroll through on the way to bed. You would be dragged into the maddness, and before you knew it, you would be performing solos to an appreciative, but slightly sozzled audience, dancing on tables etc. until they threw you out at the crack of dawn. And then you had to find your way through a sea of tents, tripping over guy ropes, making lots of apologies, (sometimes to the people that you woke up, sometimes to lamp posts).
Then you had to chip the icicles off your tent, quickly put on every piece of clothing that you own and get into bed. Those Camberra nights are freezing.

It was all great fun. The best bit of all for me was the comeradie. There were plenty of Newport Folkies at the festival, and in true NFFC style we soon constructed a small community. Some of my favourite moments were sitting around the camp site, sharing food, a cuppa, a bottle of wine, a conversation and some music. I had so many belly laughs that my ribs were aching.

We Cut the Giant Pumkin!

2011-04-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

A while ago at work, a giant pumkin was harvested. We, as they say, Here 'tis! Looks a bit like a brontesaurus steak, doesn't itI took home just one slither, even though there is still a pumkin plague in my back yard. (Never could knock back a freebie). That slither has made three meals so far, and there is still a bit left.

Kamishibai Story Cards.

2011-04-06T21:40:00.000-07:00

We're all very excited in this part of the world. I have just completed my part in a shared project. My friend, Jackie Kerin, storyteller, had this beautiful Kamishibai box made by our mutual friend, Ted, master-craftsman. Kamishibai is a Japanese word for Paper Theatre. Traditionally sweet sellers would travel from town to town on bicycles, with these boxes attached. They would throw sweets on to the streets and call out to the children to tell stories. They would usually finish the story on a 'cliff-hanger' so that the children would look forward to their next visit. The box opens out to make a miniature theatre. A series of story cards are placed inside. They are pulled out and placed at the back as the story progresses. And my part in the project? I got to illustrate the wonderful Hans Andersen story of The Princess And The Pea. We've tested them on various kids, and also various big kids. We have been given the thumbs-up by all. Here are some of the cards.

Jackie has also illustrated some cards herself. These are of her own stories, the tall Aussie tales of Split-Dog. I think she has a few other artists cooking up some goodies, too. Stay tuned.........

Some Exciting New Workshops and Classes.

2011-04-01T06:41:00.001-07:00

Nicole Mallaieu has just released her new catalogue of all her latest courses and workshops. There really are some fabulous offers, so be sure to check them out. But Wait......... There's More.......... I'm running one of them.

Read all about it here.

It is a six week, comprehensive course that will have you drawing like a pro in no time.

Edible Art.

2011-03-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

Ahh harvest time. A gardener's greatest reward. These hot little numbers look fabulous on my lime green kitchen wall. They will keep for up to a year like this. All it took was a needle and cotton to thread them together.

Newport Lakes Bush Dance.

2011-03-24T00:17:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday's bush dance at Newport Lakes was a fabulous affair. A fun time was had by all.

Highlights for me were the wonderful acts performed by some of our talented locals.

Working as a team to put on a great show. Having a laugh on stage. Putting our musical skills to use. Watching people enjoy themselves, dancing and having fun.

Storytellers Jackie Kerin and Dave Davies.

Some extremely talented younsters. And quite possibly the tallest and the smallest fiddlers in the world,
on stage together!

We already knew that the big feller can play. He is, of course the inimitable Greg O'Leary. His little mate also did a stirling job. Michael Stewart accompanied them on keyboard, and the whole show held us all spellbound

After the show, our lovely Swedish girl, Annette plied us all with shots of schnapps. As is her custom.

We all went home exhausted, but happy. Another splendid event brought to you by the Newport Folk Club.

Artichokes- Three for a Dollar.

2011-03-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

When I mentioned to a friend that I had put two Jerusalem Artichokes tubers into the garden, she hastily told me to take them out. Put them in a pot, and a big one! They will take over.

Oh that's fine, plenty of room in my small, suburban back yard.

Well, look how big they grew! All from two small tubers.

The tall boy wouldn't pose for a photo. Apparently he's sick of being used as blog fodder. And sick of being used for height reference. So his lovely friend Hannah hopped in, as well as my own beautiful daughter.

Anyway, the girls are both quite tall, and much prettier than the young feller. Much better models all round. I really should have had less sons and more daughters.

Only joking, of course. I love my boys to bits. They are both quite sweet in their own way.

Its Pumkin Time!

2011-03-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin vines have been growing every where at my place. Up the trees, over the shed......... There are even whole pumkins hanging from branches.
So we have been living on a staple diet of pumkin soup and home made bread.
Some things you just never get tired of.

Bush Dance at Newport Lakes.

2011-03-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, 20 March, the Newport Fiddle and Folk Club are holding their annual bush dance at Newport Lakes. It will run from 4-7pm.

It is always a fabulous event, in a glorious setting. If you haven't already been to Newport Lakes, you must go. The site of an old quarry that has been re-vegetated, it makes a perfect natural ampitheatre. You would swear you out in the bush, when in fact you are in downtown Newport.

As you can see, we have been practising our fingers to the bone. We're all very excited about it, so come along and join us. Bring a picnic, a blanket or fold up chair and your dancing shoes. Enjoy the ambience, listen to the music of Newport Bush Orchestra and some other fabulous local entertainers.
There will be face painting for the kids. Loads of fun for the whole family. Hope to see you there.

Open Stage, March 2011

2011-03-15T05:09:00.000-07:00

Newport Folk Club's monthly Open Stage night went swimmingly. We met some new performers, and enjoyed their music. It was a great mix of regulars, newcomers and a few people trying out new stuff.

Simon kicked off the evening with a selection of his own songs.

Next came Sile (that's pronounced Shiela, there is a squiggly thing in her name, but I don't know how to make the computer do it). This lovely girl, originally from Ireland, now from Fairfield, sang us some of her own songs and one by her Mum.

Alan got the place rocking with Summertime Blues, Love Potion Number 9 and then ditched his guitar for a uke for his next number.

Gordon and Bill played us some beautiful instrumentals.

Zerafina gobsmacked us all with her amazing voice and original songs.

Dave treated us to some Hamlet.

Next was Kayde, followed by Nam, with their fabulous original songs.

Leonie, Rob and Alan did a few numbers and then Chris and Christine arrived on their home made Indian.

Chris tinkled the ivories for us and then they rode off into the sunset.

Michael ended the evening with a few of his favourites.

All in all, a mighty fine evening.

You never can tell how your day will turn out.

2011-03-12T02:12:00.000-08:00

Just when a fairly mundane day at work was about to end....................
For those of you who don't know, I work at an indigenous nursery. We share the horticulture department with a local high school.
So last Thursday, twenty minutes before knock-off time........
The two horticulture teachers, Doug and Loppie, came in grinning impishly. They wanted to borrow the nursery's trolley. Well, I'm a bit possesive about 'my' trolley, so I wanted to know why.
To pick a giant pumpkin.
Ok, two grown men, dancing about, giggling like schoolgirls, on a mission to pick a giant pumkin.
Sure boys. This I had to see.

I will never doubt again.

Then I asked Doug to grant me three wishes.

Kamishibai Box.

2011-03-04T03:36:00.000-08:00

What is a Kamishibai Box? Funny you should ask.

Kamishibai, in Japanese, means Paper Theatre. And these amazing contraptions are a traditional means of story telling.

A small, portable wooden box that opens out to become a theatre. A3 sized cards are placed inside, illustrating a story. The story teller moves the cards from front to back as the story progresses.
My dear friend Jackie Kerin (story teller, writer, musician and nursery buddy) is the proud owner of this one.

Beautiful, isn't it? To see the genuine article just takes your breath away.

It was researched, designed and lovingly constructed by our mutual friend Ted, the master craftsman.

You can read more about this Kamishibai here.

Jackie has already taken it out on its maiden voyage and entertained us all at the Newport Fiddle and Folk Club. She had us all spell-bound with the first story from her own series, Tales of Split-Dog.

Jackie illustrated the cards herself, and did a sterling job. She has comissioned some more story cards to be made by various artists. I have been working on a more traditional tale. Stay tuned!

Whatever Happened To That Girl?

2011-02-18T04:47:00.002-08:00

Look what I found in the studio move. Sorry about the John Lennon glasses, but it was 1989 after all.

Some have said that it is actually my seventeen year old son in a wig. But no, it is Leonie at twenty-five. And for those of you who didn't know me then, that was my real hair colour.

It is strange that I clearly remember this photo being taken, and yet I barely recognise myself.

Open Stage, Feb 2011

2011-02-12T04:26:00.000-08:00

Our second regular Folk Club gig for the year went swimmingly. Loads of local talent graced the stage of the Community Hall, along with a new voice.
In the brave first position we had the pictured young man. He opened the night with gusto and two original songs. Next was our very own Bill. Warm and engaging, with a fabulous voice.

Next was our very own Bill. Warm and engaging, with a fabulous voice.
Alan wheeled out his usual style and panache, with some excellent tunes. (Including a Dylan number, always an perfect choice).

Ted held us all captive with his mighty fine finger-pickin' and humour. My feet start dancing of their own accord when Ted takes the stage.

Raymond knocked us all sideways with his acapella performance. He followed with an original and then a traditional Scottish song.

Phil also treated us to three of his original songs. Great voice!

It just wouldn't be a folk club night if we didn't hear at least one of Dave's bush ballads. When Dave takes the stage you can just step back in time and smell the gum trees.

We stopped for a short break, dining on home made bread, hommus, cheese and home grown tomatoes.We exchanged chook raising stories and gardening tips. I think some people were talking about music too. With full bellies we waddled back into the hall.

Newcomer Shane jumped in boots and all. He had us all at hello. The whole room was singing along, breaking out into harmonies and stamping our feet.

Simon sang us three of his original songs. Nice guitar work.

After that Bruce was hijacked and dragged up onto the stage to support yours truly. Didn't get any photos as I was sweating over a hot guitar. Bruce's amazing guitar/mandolin/banjo work didn't go un-noticed. While he was up there strutting his stuff Rob jumped on board. Rob's oh-so-low bass voice had us all a-quiver. He hit some notes that were so low that we couldn't even hear them. However some dogs were getting amorous outside as a result.

And as if that wasn't enough, Greg J finished off the evenings with tales of his recent trip to South America, through to the Galapagus Islands. (is that how you spell it?)He did some show and tell, and played for us the pictured instrument. Sorry Greg, can you help me here? Can't remember its name. But it was most impressive.My favourite of his exhibits was a goat's tonails shaker. And I checked, it really is made of goats tonails! It makes the most beautiful chime. Unfortunately my camera battery died, so I didn't get a photo, but it was gorgeous!
We all left the hall on a high note. A great start to 2011.

Choir at Yarraville Festival.

2011-02-10T21:37:00.000-08:00

If you haven't been to the Yarraville Festival
before, try and make it along. There will be loads of fun for everyone. It is a fabulous showcase of all the amazing talent that we have here in the West.

And speaking of which, The Newport Community Choir will be strutting our stuff. At 12.00 on the Orange stage. That will be in Ballarat St. just outside the Sun Theatre.

We have been practicing madly, singing ourselves hoarse and learning our parts. We think we sound pretty damn good, but come along and judge for yourself.
After our spot, I have to make a mad dash back to Newport for Life Drawing. But hang around, there are lots of fabulous acts.

Watch out for the Gypsy Djangos, they'll knock your socks off!

Ragusa

2011-02-10T19:05:00.000-08:00

And so the musical year begins. The first of our regular Folk Club events began last night with Ragusa. (A new Croatian eatery in Williamstown, hosting ambience and delicious food). Held on the second Thursday of every month, this is a good one to mark in your calendar, it is always a fabulous evening.

Last night we were treated to the fancy fingerpickin' antics of the internationally acclaimed, Nick Charles. And what a show it was! One MSG, (male solo guitarist), held the room spellbound.

Nick was supported by the fabulous stage antics of the Tin Pan Cowboys. (and cowgirl). Western Swing and then some. The gobsmacking voices of Danny O'Connell and Melissa, supported by the mellow tones of Steve Martin on double bass, mando man himself, Bruce Williams, the guru of sound, Greg O'Leary on fiddle, and the man who makes it all happen, Michael Stuart on guitar.

Apologies for the less than dynamic photos. Due to the lovely ambient lighting of Ragusa I couldn't get many decent photos. I had to use an old one of the Cowboys.

Agapanthus.

2011-02-06T04:37:00.000-08:00

A visit to my parents today gave me the opportunity to catch up with my sister. We were able to chat, while her five-year-old ran around and explored the garden. As we were engrossed in conversation, the wee-one flitted in and out, bringing interesting things that she had found.

She was very excited about a cactus needle that she had pulled out of the mother ship, without injury. It could be used for sewing, we were told. Next came some agapantha straps, which could be used as fabric, and some fragrant diosma, it would make great thread.

'Mummy, Can you make a cat out of these? We could give it to Leonie!' As you can see, her Mum rose suitably to the challenge.

Do you like him? I've called him Agapanthus!

What are you reading? The Blood Of Others.

2011-02-04T04:51:00.001-08:00

The Blood Of Others. Simone de Beauvoir.

This is one of those books that stays with you, and calls you back to read again and again. The book in the picture is my own well thumbed copy. Downloading a clean snazzy cover from the internet just wouldn't do it justice. I even left the price tag on, look how much I paid for it.

It begins and ends with our heroine, Helene on her death-bed. Mortally wounded, with a bullet to the lungs, her friends can do nothing but sit with her. Her ex-lover, Jean Blomart, riddled with guilt, relives the whole tale.

We are taken back to pre World War 2 Paris. We meet a very young and lively Helene. Engaged to the well meaning and principled Paul. Self centred and impulsive, as the young often are, Helene soon bores of him. When she follows Paul into his political activities, she meets and falls in love with Jean.

Jean is from a comfortable background, but chose to take the side of the worker. Guilt has haunted our hero all his life, it is the root of all his motivation. His links with the communist party alienated his father, who had made his fortune in the printing trade. Despite ill feelings, Jean chose to stay in the family business, and use it for political advantage.

Jean is always torn. He tries to escape his background, but knows that he can easily return. He nurses the regret that he has betrayed his parents. He wants to love, and does not want to hurt Helene, but cannot return her intense feelings. He is strangely detatched from emotion, putting all his energy into political causes.

Helene's journey is different. The self-centred adolescent we first meet soon grows up. As war breaks out and people all around her become displaced, she finds her strength and learns compassion.

Meanwhile German troops have occupied Paris. Small underground activist groups are seeing the need to unite and get organised. Nobody is sure who they can trust, or what to believe in.

'War could bring about the fall of Fascism, could we stand with our arms folded, beside blood-bespattered Spain, beside the pogroms that defiled Germany, and the brown tide which was rolling toward Austria? ...........I was ashamed, but shame was no argument; the moans of the wounded on the shell-torn and bloody battlefields filled me with pitiless horror. Beyond the Pyrenees, the workers of Spain fell beneath the Fascist bullets - but could I redeem their blood at the price of French lives, at the price of a single life which was not my own life? Jews died like flies in concentration camps, but had I the right to exchange their dead bodies for the innocent bodies of French peasants? I could pay with my body, with my blood, but the remainder of mankind was no coin for my use;'

When their affair is over, Jean throws himself into his work. His contacts, leadership skills and ingenuity makes him indispensible in the underground. Here, once again, Jean finds himself torn. His own life cannot be risked, and yet he must send loyal followers and friends out on dangerous missions. Jean is forced to gamble with the blood of others.

Helene tries to get on with her life, although everything is turned on its head. She even forms a brief aliance with a German soldier. As things get ugly in Paris, Helene feels compromised and stops seeing the soldier.

Jews are rounded up. Helene watches in horror as friends and neighbours are taken prisoner by the Germans. Other political friends disappear. She takes her dear friend Yvonne, a Jewess, into hiding. Now she must turn to Jean for help. In smuggling Yvonne out of the country, Helene finds that she can help others as well. She offers her services and continues to work for the underground. And now we are back to the bullet-in-the lungs scene.

A rich and satisfying novel.

Thanks Ted.

2011-02-03T18:40:00.001-08:00

1. A man in his shed, a match made in heaven.
2 & 3. My fabulous new frames.

A few months ago Ted, a musical friend mentioned that he had a whole lot of cabinet doors in his shed that could be used as picture frames. Given that I'm always up for an adventure and can never knock back a freebie, the answer was, of course "Yes Please!"

It wasn't until I saw them that it became clear what a prize I was being given.

The wood is stunning. Ted, the master craftsman sanded and tweaked them so that glass and backing can easily slot in. Just add art.

Auction Winner!

2011-01-26T05:02:00.000-08:00

We have a winner for the Qld. Flood Appeal Auctions. Peter is now the proud owner of both paintings. Thank you to all who supported the auction, and congratulations to Peter.

Where Would I Be Without My Mates?

2011-01-23T05:14:00.000-08:00

Day one of moving into the studio went without a hitch. My dear friends Glen and Stephanie turned up with a trailer.

The three of us worked like a well oiled machine, loading up their trailer, their car and my teeny weeney, but surprisingly roomy Hyundai.

Bruce and Rob met us at the studio, and we all tramped up and down the stairs...............so many stairs....................

It turns out there was a slight hitch. When we picked up the keys and found out that the elevator wont be in until April. And we are on the second floor of a very large old warehouse. But we were so excited about our new studio that we didn't want to dampen our spirits. So we went to Plan B. Leave the two industrial sewing machines. We'll move them in April, along with a few other heavy bits of furniture.

Pic. 1. the studio at the end of day one.

Pic. 2. the boys going up the stairs. As you can see they did a sterling job, they really did move mountains. Girl-power was also in full force. Steph and I were hot on their heels. Between us all, we did a pretty impressive days work.

Pic. 3. and 4. were not taken today but two weeks ago. I had to mention my brother Des, who came along on his day-off to help me to collect some key pieces of furniture from our sister Nikki, who was also moving studios. That was also a huge job, that involved four flights of stairs.

Amongst my best mates, I am proud to say that many of them are family members. Particularly the two just mentioned.

A huge thank you to all you guys. I am blessed to have so many wonderful friends.

Studio At Last!

2011-01-22T04:54:00.000-08:00

It has finally happened! It felt like the time would never come. But here it is! Pictured here is my new studio, and my friend and now studio buddy, Dagmara, of Wild Wildgoose Books. Do we look excited?

We got the keys yesterday.

That's me in the red, sporting my brand new lime green Homy Peds, that I found at the op shop yesterday. Sometimes life just gets better and better.

Typo.

2011-01-20T23:36:00.000-08:00

Apologies for my blog post before. Monica had actually bid $90, not $80 for #1 Marissa.

A New Leader!

2011-01-20T20:23:00.001-08:00

Peter is now in the lead, he's offered $200 for both paintings. Thanks Peter.

Only Three Sleeps to Go!

2011-01-20T18:49:00.000-08:00

Only three sleeps to go until the auction is finished.

The bidding so far is at;

#1 Marissa $90, with Monica in front.

#2 Pheobe $55, with Nikki in the lead.

Click on the pink umbrella at the side to read about the auction. There are all sorts of amazing items up for grabs.

Today's auction report.

2011-01-18T19:16:00.000-08:00

Keep those bids coming in.

#1 Marissa is up to $80 now, with Jayne out in front.

#2 Phoebe is sitting on $55, with Nikki in the lead.

Only five days left to go in the Qld Flood Appeal Auctions. 100% of the profits go to The Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal.

There have been loads of new items added. Check them out here on the Qld Flood Appeal Auctions master list.

The Auction So Far.

2011-01-18T06:04:00.000-08:00

Only six days left to go in the Qld Flood Appeal Auctions. 100% of the profits go to The Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal. There have been loads of new items added. Check them out here on the Qld Flood Appeal Auctions master list.

The bids on my two paintings so far are;

#1 Marissa $60 with Monica in the lead.

#2 Phoebe $55 with Nikki in front.

You can still bid here, or you can bid on some of the other fabulous items at Qld Flood Appeal Auctions.

Raffle.

2011-01-17T04:44:00.002-08:00

Here's a raffle not to be missed! For just a $5 donation, you could win this fabulous, original Nicole Mallalieu laptop bag.

For more pic of all the amazing pockets and bits and bobs inside, click on the link.

Simply make a $5 donation to the Qld Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal and leave your donation reciept number here.

Item #2 for Qld Flood Appeal Auction.

2011-01-16T18:12:00.000-08:00

Here is the second item up for the Qld Flood Appeal Auctions. Also one of the last two in the series, and my favourite. This one is called Pheobe.

It is an oil on canvas stretched over a wooden frame. 40x40cm.

The bidding for this one also starts at the crazy low price of $50.

For details of the Auction, please read the previous article. Or click on the umbrella on the side.

This is a fabulous program, please support if. The Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal recieves 100% of the profits, and I will also personally cover the cost of postage. If you would like to own one of these original paintings, all you have to do is bid. If you know someone who may be interested, please forward these articles to them.

There are many other fabulous articles up for auction. Why not click on the umbrella and have a look at the master list. All of these have been donated by the wonderfully creative online art and craft communities. The Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal recieves 100% of the profits for all of these items.

And remeber, all auctions finish on Monday 24 January. So be quick and Good Luck!

Happy bidding.

Qld Flood Appeal Auctions.

2011-01-16T16:38:00.000-08:00

In support of the Qld Flood Appeal Auctions, I am running two Auctions. They are the last two remaining in a series of paintings of burlesque dancers, called Lead Light Dancers. The others in the series are now in the hands of private collectors. (Ironically, these are my two favourite from the series. Maybe I was less keen to sell them).

The first is called Marissa. It is an oil on canvas, 45x48cm, stretched on a wooden frame.

The bidding starts at the absolute, rock bottom price of $50. Do I hear 50?

So how does it work?

option a) You can bid here on my blog. Just click on the comments button below. Anyone can leave a message, but if you are not a blogger, it will come through as annonymous, so be sure to leave me some contact details.

option b) Email me at leoniekervin@gmail.com

The winner donates the amount they would pay to the Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal. You then email me the recipt number of your donation, and I will post you the painting. I will personally cover the cost of postage.

Please support this worthy appeal. I would also urge you to click on the pink umbrella that you see on the side. There is the master list of all the fabulous items up for auction.

And be quick, the auctions all end on Monday 24 January.

Good Luck!

Mystery Solved! It's a Comprosma Hawk Moth.

2011-01-15T03:04:00.000-08:00

That was quick! There is always someone out there who knows exactly what you were wondering.

Rachel, of four wise monkeys

had and answer for me. It's a Comprosma Hawk Moth.

Rachel is a blogging buddy of Nicole Mallalieu, at You Sew Girl.

Thanks Rachel, I've been enjoying your blog and am following it now. And thanks to Nikki for taking the question to a wider audience.

Is That a Moth or a Mouse?

2011-01-14T04:16:00.001-08:00

After all the bitey insects that have been invading our house lately, this one is almost warm and fuzzy.

This handsome feller turned up in my daughter's bedroom. At first she though that there was a helicopter flying around in her room.

She caught him with a glass and a Christmas card. He sat still just long enough for me to get these two shots. Then his wings started to vibrate.

We put the glass back over him and took him outside. You'll be pleased to know that he flew off happily into the night. In fact I'm almost sure he turned back and waved.

Do we have any insectologists out there in blogland who can ID our little friend. Have we discovered a rare sub-species? a flying mammal? A winged numbat? or is he just a common house moth?

In any case it is lovely to know that even though the kids are big, synical teenagers now, they still take delight in something so small.

Oh and I managed to fix it so that anyone can leave a message now, not just fellow bloggers. So if you know anything about the microverse, please leave a message or email me. I'm dying to know what he is.

Defeated Again!

2011-01-13T04:14:00.001-08:00

While I was bragging at work about my super-sized sunflowers, my boss mentioned that his partner had grown a bumper crop too. He had to nick back to fix a runnaway downpipe, and measured them while he was there. Three metres tall! I had to go and see them for myself. And here they are.

These are not even the Giant variety. They are the multi-headed ones, that don't usually grow very big at all. And they haven't flowered yet!

My tallest measured in at 214cm, (just over 7ft). Ok, so I grew the third biggest sunnies in the world.
Here are some shots with Sandra and Richard. I was also blown away by the echinaceas. Not sure if you can see how big they are, but they're just gorgeous.

Australia Day

2011-01-12T23:34:00.000-08:00

We are one, but we are many and from all the lands on Earth we come. We share a dream, and speak with one voice. I am, You are. WE ARE AUSTRALIAN. To all my fellow AUSTRALIANS, may I suggest, that, the Australia Day Celebrations, fireworks etc..... be just converted into money. and just give it to Queensland , will still BBQ with friends and family. Please copy and paste to as many people you can. .xx

Starting This Saturday.

2011-01-12T04:49:00.001-08:00

We're back again on Saturday. Time to dust of the art supplies and get drawing. Hope to see you at the hall.

Look What I Dug Up For Dinner.

2011-01-10T03:31:00.000-08:00

And picked some greens on the side.

The proof of the pudding was when I left the room for a minute before serving dinner. Came back to find teenage daughter shovelling mashed potatoes out of the saucepan into her mouth. 'Oh My God, Mum, these potatoes are amazing! These are the best you've ever made!'
I did manage to pry the saucepan out of her hands and salvage a small portion each for the rest of the family.

New studio!

2011-01-09T03:55:00.000-08:00

Here is my New Studio! As of next Monday, I will be working from the River Studios, Footscray/West Melbourne. Sharing my space with Dagmara of Wildgoose Books. We will be on the third floor, as shown in the first picture. The place is now partitioned off into work areas, and they aim to accomodate seventy-five artists. It is a very exciting new project by the City of Melbourne.

Short stories

2011-01-08T03:41:00.001-08:00

Click below for

A quirky short story about sunflowers, by the fabulous writer Jackie Kerin.

Sunflowers are taking over my life!

2011-01-08T03:17:00.000-08:00

Its becoming an obsession! This morning I was dreaming that somebody pulled them all out during the night and I woke in a cold sweat. I ran around the back of the house to check. Phew, they were still there.
And speaking of my sunnies, they seem to have grown again. We'll catch up to Karin's Russian/Canadian sunflowers yet.

The six-foot lad is refusing to be photographed now, as he thinks I'm just using him for blog-fodder. Now what would make him think that?
However, he did agree to one faceless photo.

So you can see how far above his head the flowers are growing.

For a great short story on Sunflowers, click on the link below.

http://jackiekerinsstories.blogspot.com/2010/07/1-sunflower-and-other-tales.html

My Other Favourite.

2011-01-04T02:56:00.000-08:00

My other favourite present was a card from my dear friend Rob. It contained a certificate for a new flyscreen.
So he and the young feller went off to Bunnings on a mesh, nails and wood buying mission.
After a lot of bashing hammering and balancing on chairs while doing said bashing etc....

A New Flyscreen!

And look at the neat corners! Apparently our next job is to fill the nail holes and splash on another coat of paint.

If you look at the very first picture on this blog, you will see the state of the old flyscreen on my kitchen window. What a luxury it is not to be eaten alive by mosquitoes every night.

Thanks Rob, you're a gem.

Survived Another Christmas.

2011-01-04T02:37:00.000-08:00

When it comes to the festive season, I must confess to being a bit of a grump. Bah humbug and all that! And this was one that I really wasn't looking forward to. Surprisingly not only did I get through it, but actually enjoyed it.
And I got two standout presents that I just had to share with you. Here is the first one.
My daughter gave me this fabulous diary. Based on a favourite Little Golden Book that I actually had as a kid. She was so excited about her find that she gave it to me a week early.
Thanks honey, I love it!

Pssst......... Check This Out!

2011-01-01T15:33:00.000-08:00

Just got word that Nicole Mallalieu is offering 25% discounts for her holiday workshops. Do hurry, as places are limited. Click on the link below and read all about it.

http://nicolemdesign.blogspot.com/2011/01/super-duper-holiday-workshop-special.html

Workshops for 2011.

2011-01-01T03:54:00.000-08:00

A Big Happy New Year to all!!!
And 2011 promises to be a beauty, with loads of fabulous things in store.
Well I'm pretty excited about a lot of up-coming events, so watch this space. There's bound to be one for you. In fact I'm really excited, because Nicole Mallalieu has moved her business to an all new studio. It has an amazing work room, which of course means, more workshops!

If you are not familiar, please click on the link and look at Nicole's website, you'll be glad you did. Aclaimed both locally and internationally as a sewing expert, she has a lot to offer. Also an experienced teacher, her workshops are fun, informative and inspiring. From the absolute beginner to the experienced seamstress, there is a class for you.
If you are a beginner, you really must have a look at this. https://www.nicolemdesign.com.au/shop/workshops-and-classes/2437-absolute-beginners-intensive-sewing-course.html
It’s a huge jump-start for anyone wanting to learn how to sew. You will learn the basics of sewing in a fun and informal setting, and have something fabulous to take home, made by you!
'I can honestly say that I’ve seen extraordinary results from people who have done this course with me before' Nicole Mallalieu.
Whatever your level of competence, you will find an exciting class to suit. I'm pretty handy with the sewing machine myself, thanks to Nicole's guidance. There is also a wonderful range of products for sale on the website. A huge range of easy to follow patterns, her own designs. They all include helpful tips and instructions. Each pattern can be altered in many ways to create your own range of products.
But Wait......... There's More................... (gasp) Nicole is about to launch a book! Can't wait! Again, I say, watch this space. I'll post more details soon.
I've already test driven one of the patterns for that one, and made myself, my daughter and most of my girlfriends snazzy wrap around skirts. I'll put some pics in of those soon.
Do yourself a favour and check out the website, you're sure to find loads of things you'll love.

Sunflower Envy

2011-01-01T03:27:00.000-08:00

Well I thought I'd grown the biggest sunflowers in the world, but I stand defeated. Karin, a Canadian friend of mine, who now lives in Melbourne, sent me this. These were Russian sunflowers, grown from a packet of seeds that she bought at the supermarket. They were living on a farm in Canada at the time. Needless to say, they made the newspapers.
Karin is a local artist with some fabulous work. She runs workshops and exhibits regularly. Follow the links and read all about her.

Will Ya Look At The Size Of These!

2010-12-30T02:46:00.000-08:00

Apologies for banging on about my garden, but how about these sunflowers! As a point of comparison I have lined up the usual suspects, my very tall son, brother and nephew.
We also have our first flower of the season on show, right next to the shoulder of the gangly youth.
Ok I might post some more pics when they are all in flower. The sunnies that is, not the boys.

What are you reading?

2010-12-27T03:55:00.000-08:00

England's Mistress. The Infamous Life of Emma Hamilton, by Kate Williams. Set in a time when few women of any social standing had any power at all. One woman rose from grinding poverty to incredible wealth and fame, and became the mistress of Lord Nelson.
Born Amy Lyon in 1765, in Ness, a coal mining district about twelve miles from Liverpool. Life was grim, especially for girls. In fact, when food was short, the youngest girl in the family wasn't fed, as she was considered least important. As food was short most of the time, many didn't survive their childhood.
Most in her situation suffered severely from malnutrition. If they survived, were left with bone deformities, rotting teeth and other dreadful health problems. Amy was tall, strikingly beautiful with good teeth. She enjoyed robust health for most of her life.
At the age of twelve, as a domestic servant in London, her high spirits and cheekiness soon had her thrown out onto the street. Her only option from there was prostitution. Still in her early teens and beautiful, she rose in a few years to being one of London's highest paid courtisans.
Along the way she also worked for James Graham, entrepreneur, sex therapist, showman and London's most celebrated quack doctor, in his Temple of Health. Graham put on extravagant shows with fireworks, smoke, lush and exotic surroundings and scantily clad beautiful girls. He managed to fleece the fashionable wealthy of a lot of money. She learned many useful skills from this job.
From Madame Kelly's famous brothel, at the age of fifteen she was then taken as a mistress by the spoiled young squire, Sir Harry Fetherstonhaugh. When she became pregnant he disowned her and she was taken in by the less glamorous Charles Grenville.
A mother at seventeen, she was never able to live with her daughter, Emma.
As an artists model, she soon became the darling of many painters, particularly George Romney. Her style was loose fitting, Grecan style dresses, flat comfortable shoes and her hair loosely tied. The tightly corsetted women of the time soon followed her lead, and she became a fashion icon.
When Grenville tired of her, he gave her as a gift to his uncle, Sir William Hamilton. Hamilton fell in love and eventually married her, despite protests from family and associates. Marrying outside his class put him at serious risk of losing his position and his inheritance.
They lived in Naples for many years, where Sir William was ambassador to the royal family. Here Emma first performed her dance 'the Attitudes'. She was a regular at the palace and a close friend of Maria Carolina, Queen of Naples.
This worked well for a number of years until she met and fell in love with Lord Horatio Nelson. And thats where it starts to get interesting.

Reviews of this book range, and Kate Williams has been criticised widely for creating a soap opera, exaggerating and making a starlet out of her subject. Whether or not this is true, it is still a great read.
It is also an insight into what life was like in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century, particularly for women. From the grinding poverty of the people, to the gluttinous wealth and extravagance of the aristocrats and royals.
-The social climbing and the fickleness of position, women born into wealth could loose everything if a male benefactor died, or she fell out of favour. The same was true of second sons etc. Securing a good marraige was about all you could do.
-The bizarre James Graham, I'm going to Google him.
-The politics of the time, no, better not start.
This book was written as a documentary. It was researched by such means as town records, newspapers and the many surviving letters that were written by and to her. Also the author seems to be a bit of an eighteenth century-phile. I enjoyed the journey of discovering all of this almost as much as the actual story.

Its Been a Good Year For Beans.

2010-12-27T03:45:00.000-08:00

Harvest Time! The garden is paying out big time!

Some Of Our Other Pics.

2010-12-23T18:01:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the shots we took on our photographic rampage. From the top; Mother/Daughter portrait, Cat Girl, Cat Girl Crouching, and Paparazzi.

Ageing Disgracefully.

2010-12-23T05:35:00.000-08:00

A well meaning friend sent an email using the term, (wince, wince) Gracefully Grey. Well I almost broke out and dyed my hair florescent screaming pink there and then. Ouch!

After a couple of days worth of sulking I decided to take another look at the profile shot. Ok, maybe it is a bit Mumsy. So I've changed it.

The kids and I have been having some fun with the camera. Hopefully you will see how much fun I have been having with my new hair. Here are some of our shots.

Quote of the Week.

2010-12-22T01:59:00.001-08:00

Quote of the week goes to my lanky teenage son. That's him dancing on the roof with the knee out of his jeans.
This morning he had me filling out forms for a hike he wants to go on. I was running late for work, and suggested that his sister could help him post it. He snorted most indignantly, "Why do I need her to help me post a letter............... Oh wait, will I need stamps and shit?"
Lucky he's got looks.

School Holidays.

2010-12-21T03:28:00.000-08:00

It is really nice, now that the kids are big. They are more independent, need less care and can pursue their own interests.
Sounds great, doesn't it? Well what that means is that they take up more space, make more noise and they smell. Sorry kids, you know I love you.
It is lovely to not have to wake up semi-comatose bods at the crack of dawn, make lunch and send them on their way. But the price is that they sleep until midday and wont go to bed the following night, and on it goes.
And the mess.........................
It is only a small house, and they seem to take it all up. One is in the kitchen, radio blaring, cooking bacon and eggs. You don't want to go in there. One is in the lounge room, telly screaming so loud that the walls are thumping. One is on the computer, which is in my bedroom, playing scream-o 'music'. So that leaves me with the bathroom, the laundry and the loo. Lucky I like gardening.

The Fruits of My Labour.

2010-12-18T17:39:00.000-08:00

Slowly, a few each day, my tomatos are ripening. The cherry toms are first, small, sweet and full of flavour. The larger varieties are on their way, can't wait!
Home grown cherry tomatoes, on home made bread, lightly toasted, real butter, sea salt and cracked pepper. Yuuuummmmmmmmm.....................

One More Sleep To Go!

2010-12-18T02:11:00.000-08:00

Its countdown time. All the work we have put in for the last six weeks is coming together. Newport Folk Club, Newport Community Choir, Willin Wimmin and a selection of local musicians and singers have banded together to bring you Carols at the Substation.

For the last two weeks we have all spent Friday evenings crammed into the Scout Hall. We've tweaked and rehearsed to within an inch of our lives, going home to dream of crotchets, demi-semi-quavers and large, looming conductors batons.
We've learned songs in 15th Century Latin and South African. We've also re-learned some traditional Chrissy Carols. We're all feeling a bit clever, and just itching to perform.

The show starts at 7.30 sharp, and ends at 9pm. No mush, no fuss, no long, indulgent speeches. Just good, wholesome entertainment. Cost is just a gold coin donation. Hope to see you there, at our own fabulous Substation, 1 Market St. Newport.

R.I.P. Carlo

2010-12-14T14:14:00.000-08:00

Its been a bit of a sad time for us. Last night our old cat passed away.

He moved himself in with us twelve years ago. We're not sure if he was and adolescent or just really malnourished, but he soon bulked up into a big, handsome boy.

He aged gracefully into a tough, grumpy old thing. It was just a few weeks ago we noticed that something was wrong. An infection on his toungue was causing him problems and he couldn't eat or groom himself properly. He was wasting away and putting goo all over himself.

It turns out that he had a tumour on his tongue. It was pretty nasty, and so we decided to be strong and let him go.

I like to think that he is up on a big, comfy couch in the sky somewhere now. Anyway, we will definitely miss him.

Dye No More.

2010-12-13T02:22:00.000-08:00

Well I've finally done it! I've gone grey. No more dyes, nasty chemicals, dermatitis of the scalp, no more racing to cover re-growth.

My good friend Michel, (artist, photographer, life model and hairdresser extraordinaire) has been walking me through the process, and today he lopped of the last of the dyed bits.

And I like it! It is surprisingly kind to my middle aged face. People keep saying that it makes me look younger. Go figure.
Grey is the New Black.

What are you reading?

2010-12-11T20:35:00.000-08:00

Here's a fabulous blog that you may not know about. Jackie Kerin's Stories: the long and the short. Do yourself a favour and follow the link.

No matter if you're an absolute literary junkie, or you just like something to read on the train, there is something for you.

Jackie is a published author. Her stories are all beautifully crafted and set at a snappy pace. They range in theme from the gritty and twisted to the insightful and heart warming.

This talented lady also writes children's books.

Carols at the Substation.

2010-12-11T19:30:00.000-08:00

We're almost ready for the big event! The second annual Carols at the Substation. Sunday, 19 December, 7.30-9.30pm. A brain-child of Michael Stuart, president of the Newport Folk Club, it is a showcase of all the amazing local talent. It is also a celebration of our wonderful local community.
We've all been slaving over hot music sheets. Newport Community Choir (Nchoir) has teamed with the fabulous women's choir, Willin Women.
Under the expert direction of WW's Jennifer Lund, and Nchoir's Alan Davies, we have put together a great show.
But it doesn't stop there. Michael has put together an orchestra. We all got together for a rehearsal on Friday in the Scout Hall. I took some pictures, quite a crew eh?
There are some solo performances, from some of our local talent, including Georgina Stuart and the fabulous Melissa.

Hosted by the dashing Simon Kerr, it is an evening not to be missed. It starts at 7.30 on the dot, no fuss, no speaches. It also finishes on the dot at 9.30. Cost is just a gold coin donation.

Hope to see you there.

Ragusa

2010-12-11T17:46:00.000-08:00

When a local creperie and music venue in Williamstown closed down recently, it was a sad day indeed. A beautiful old building, including the old Seaman's Mission Chapel as a function room. The Newport Folk Club hosts a monthly gig there, with a range of fabulous acts.
Well, never fear, all is not lost. The new owners are keen to keep it running. They even let us in for last month's gig a day before they were officially opened.

So the venue is now a Croatian resaurant called Ragusa. It has a whole new look, but they have maintained the charm of the old chapel. The staff are lovely, and the food is amazing, and well priced. They are at 139 Nelson Place, Williamstown. I would highly recommend that you pay them a visit.

Our final gig for the year, last Thursday, was an open mic night. Always fun, and you never know what to expect. I even got up onstage myself. You can see me in the first photo backing up the Sultan of String himself, Bruce Williams. Well I was just bashing out the chords, but it was fun. (But I did make the shirt he was wearing, we're all good at something, aren't we?)

It was a fabulous evening. Other acts included, in order of photos;

Ted Smith and his fancy fingerpicking. He treated us to the Phone Song and I 'Aint Got the Blues.

Rob Richmond, Bruce Williams and myself with I Guess it Doesn't Matter Any More, Just Because and Cluck Ol' Hen.

Dave Isom with a some bush ballads and a sea ballad.

Greg Hammond with some original and inspiring songs.

Mira on the piano accordian played us, The Shadow of Your Smile.

Simon Kerr also played us some of his original songs.

Chrisitine McDonald sang Cry Me a River, in her amazing tenor voice, backed by Mira on accordian.

Simon Leverton had us all spellbound with Nine Pound Hammer, Farewell to the Gold and Canadeeio.

Bill Field sang us Mark Knopfler's Why Worry, and Luka Bloom's City of Chicago. He was warm and entertaining, and drew us in like flies to honey. I later found out that it was his first solo, on stage performance. Great job, Bill!

Also Bruce Williams gobsmacked us all with Police Dog Blues and some instrumentals on guitar.

We'll be back in 2011 from February, with some more fantastic music, stay tuned.

Who Threw Magic Beans Out My Window Last Night?

2010-12-09T20:59:00.000-08:00

Everything has quadrupled in size! Such crazy weather.

Bitey things from the nursery.

2010-12-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

Acacia Paradoxa-Common names, Hedge Wattle, Kangaroo Thorn, Prickley Wattle.

Most members of the Acacia family leave me feeling warm and fuzzy. These ones bite!

As you can see from the baby photos, there is something very 'Little Shop of Horrors' about them.

A large shrub, grows from 2 to 4 metres high.

Once declared a noxious weed by farmers, they are now being replanted. Their dense foliage and prickles make it an inpenetrable hedge. (If you want to prune it use very thick gloves). It is an excellent wind break, and a safe haven for small birds, lizards etc.

Also great for keeping the kids of the garden. They'll only tackle it once, but you might want to keep some tweezers on hand. Could also deter prowlers if planted along the fence line.

When in flower, it is covered in pretty yellow balls, and butter wouldn't melt in its mouth.

Another example of our fabulous local indigenous flora.

What are you reading?

2010-12-06T03:49:00.000-08:00

The Name of the Rose. Umberto eco
This little gem has been sitting in the book shelf for about fifteen years. It has followed me in a few house moves. Now that I've finally started it........well its a rippin' good read, don't know why it took me so long.
An historical murder mystery, set in an Italian Benedictine Monastry in the year 1327.
Franciscan Friar, William of Baskerville and his young Benedictine novice Adso of Melk are sent to investigate a mysterious death. After his arrival more strange deaths occur.
There are other mysteries to solve. The monastry's well stocked library, renowned throughout Europe, is closely guarded. To borrow a book, a monk must choose from a list. He then applies to the librarian, along with an explaination of why he wants the book. The librarian makes a decision, often consulting his senior, before the monk can read his book.
The library is an inpenetrable labrynth, and the filing system is legible only to the librarian. (Sounds a bit like my house). The entrance is closely guarded, but there must be a secret door somewhere...............but where?
Although he is a man of religion, Brother William uses logic and deduction. He loves science, and even owns a pair of spectacles, a fairly recent invention. He must be careful who sees him wearing these, as he may be accused of witchcraft. It is a time of Inquisitors, fear of the antichrist and black magic. Brother William is constantly debating such themes as, 'is laughter evil?' with Jorge of Burgos, and elderly, blind monk.
I have a sneaking suspicion that we will meet the Inquisition later in the book, but I'm not up to that bit yet. If you've already read it, don't spoil it for me.
Narrator is Adso of Melk, in retrospect, as an old man. A Medieval whodunnit, full of intrigue, and of the horrors, the hypocracies and the mysteries of the time.

My Latest Obsession

2010-12-02T16:44:00.000-08:00

Although I used to enjoy cooking, years of catering for a fussy family has killed the joy in it for me. Many food allergies, a vegetarian daughter and two highly carnivorous sons, are just a few of my ongoing problems.

A while ago my sister lent me a book about Artisan Bread Making. And now I'm hooked! I make up a huge bowl of dough (about five minutes work), and keep it in the fridge. You cut off what you need for the day and pop it in a very hot oven for half an hour. The result is amazing. Its looks and tastes like something you would buy from a boutique bakery, without the cost. The dough will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge, but at my place it is lucky to last two days.

Its a hit at any social gathering, and a fabulous after school/work snack. Last nights guests gobbled up their loaf faster than anticipated. No problem, I just cooked another one before their eyes. I felt like a goddess, feeding the multitutes.

Of course that means that I'm using a lot of flour. The organic shop in Yarraville, Plump, has been keeping me supplied with a fantastic biodynamic flour from Queensland. They have been ordering me a 12.5kg bag every few weeks. Sometimes I wonder if I'm not a bit compulsive obsessive.

Oh the Birds and the Bees and the Broccoli Trees

2010-12-01T20:56:00.000-08:00

Melaleuca are in full flower around our place at the moment. My six-foot-fourteen-year-old thinks they look like giant broccoli. I love how kids make you see things through new eyes.

She's a Chip of the Old Block

2010-12-01T05:46:00.000-08:00

Well we're pretty busy at our place, getting ready for visitors. I left the party girl to do the dishes, while I vacuumed.

She does the housework the same way I do.

Visitors! Visitors!

2010-12-01T05:23:00.000-08:00

We're having company tomorrow, so everybody in the house has to wash, no exceptions.

We don't normally bath the cat, but he seems to have an infection in his mouth and can't clean himself properly. He's quite frail and infirm, so he didn't put up too much of a fight. Well, he did get a few good ones in. Not so long ago he would have clawed us to ribbons.

We're going to the vet on Friday. Hopefully he can be fixed with antibiotics.

from the nursery

2010-11-30T04:33:00.000-08:00

Although I don't like to play favourites at the nursery, these handsome fellers are pretty special. Allocasuarina verticulata. Or their common name, the Sheoak.
The mature tree in the last photo is three years old. They grow a lot bigger, but I have kept it pruned. I have planted so many trees in the garden, that bonsai is the only answer.
When it is windy they make a wonderful wooshing noise.
Apparently there was a Sheoak forest in the area where Melbourne's Yarraville and Footscray are now. The trees didn't last long once the white-fellers arrived, as they are known to make excellent fire wood. The original trees are long gone, and any that have been planted in this area are from seeds gathered mainly from the Taylors Creek and Flemington areas.

Because Life is Just Too Rich and Full........

2010-11-29T04:49:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new blog, started because, well......... life is just too rich and full to limit yourself to just one.

Between all the ups and downs of maintaining something resembling a status quo, I have managed to cram in an outrageous lot of hobbies and interests. On the way I have gained skills and met some wonderful people who I am proud to call friends. Although I'm always living on the bones of my backside, life is rich.

This old computer is very slow. Have you ever noticed that everything in your life seems to reach an end at around the same time. The washing machine sounds like a helicopter, and shakes the house when its on spin cycle. The fridge moans in sympathy, as the milk curdles after three days. The vacuum cleaner went out with the last hard rubbish collection. The cat is blind, the dog is deaf, and both require pet food for seniors. They wander aimlessly about the house in a daze bumping into things. And do you think I can get another summer out of these venitian blinds?
You will notice that the mesh flyscreen has been torn to ribbons. That was done by my two cats flinging themselves against it, poor desperate little moggies. Now the house is neither fly-proof or cat-proof.

The car has been towed by the RACV four times in as many months. But anyway, moan as I will, it doesn't really matter when you can do stuff that makes you happy.