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Saturday 22 September 2012

THE START OF OUR 3 DAY WEEKEND

After heading of 3 hours late we finally arrived at our eldest sons - on the Wee Jasper Road from Yass. As we had to be there by school bus time we didn't stop on the way up but I am definitely stopping on the way into Canberra this morning to take heaps of photos. The scenery up here is spectacular and the natures landscape is breathtaking!! I did take a few photos when we arrived so here they are...
 
 



The old cottage - the homestead currently being used is probably 80 plus years old. So the age of this cottage is any ones guess. I haven't been inside yet but there are apparently layers of newspaper lining the walls dating back to the WWW1 and before..

 
 
and this is the back of the old cottage.Ii think this vine is dead but time will tell as it is still early spring.
 
 
 
 
And this is the entry to the property. My son hates this tree and wants to cut it out. I told him he had no regard for history, he told me I was a 'greenie'. All of the trees on the property have been neglected for so long and it would be expensive to save them. But the fruit trees in the orchard are probably varieties that are not available to buy anymore; and I find it sad that no one has taken the time or interest to look after and preserve them. It is what happens though when a property is under the care of a line of workers. Fortunately the house has been maintained.


The garden is full of little bulbs that have naturalised and pop up everywhere - ixias, bluebells, hyacinths etc.

 
And to finish off ... some wild ducks playing on the damn banks - unfortunately I was just bit too far away to get a closer shot of them.
 
 
 
That's it for today. Now to pack the car again and head into Canberra (I hate large towns let alone cities but if I have to go to a city Canberra is probably the better one to go to!!). We have a family wedding this afternoon. After a stop/start drive to get some more photos!
 







Tuesday 18 September 2012

I Can I Can I Can

Being Tuesday today it was grand son day - 6 months and 4 days old today also!!! So he had something to show ma-ma!!


I can turn over all by myself - and i don't have to stay on my back for anything...nappy changes are an exercise of agility on my behalf now (and let me tell you my agility is not like it was 30 years ago when his daddy was 6 months old). Ruben is also teething - swollen bottom gum, dribbling and runny nose that only a tap can stop.
So looks like the 6th month of our little man's life is going to be a milestone month - he also said 'bub bub' twice today!!

coming from large families has it's good points......and it's bad points. Sometimes you just have to share......especially when it is wet!!


Today was a micold and wet day here. Lady (blue kelpie), Libby(black lab) and Dougal (who knows what breed but we guess lab x kelpie - no relation to Lady and Libby) - would have been inside in front of the fire I think if they could have gotten through the door.


In this box at our front door, sheltered from the rain and wind they remained for duration of the rain!!

Today was a day of relaxation and enjoyment topped by our baby and out pets!!

Wednesday 12 September 2012

REWARDS OF EXHIBITING???

For those of us who enter our produce, craftwork, cooking and hobbies in our local ag shows we know that we get satisfaction of some sort from doing so. It could be because we are supporting our show (there is no pavilion to look through if exhibitors don't enter); the satisfaction of seeing our items on display for the public; receiving the compliments and lovely comments (and that is nice) or just having a prizecard or ribbon that says our work was really good.

Food Product sections not only show the talents of the owners but you so often hear the viewers commenting that they could do that or should have made their surplus fruit into jam etc etc.

Exhibiting can also be educational - this section being a weed section - and yes the exhibitors have been known to nurture a 'weed' to win the first prize!!!! - but it does show the variety of weeds in particular areas and both adults and children both learn what is a weed or isn't from these exhibits!!



Cookery is an often hotly contested section - A Champion ribbon in this section is indeed an honour - and yes many of the country's best cooks are members of the CWA!!!


And our menfolk are just as competitive - entering their fleeces, hay and grain. The look of pride when they see a prize card on their exhibit is priceless - and many a thorough inspection and discussion evolves with their own dissection of what they think is a good or bad exhibit.


Craft sections show a divers range of crafts being executed within the communities. The bag below is a junior exhibitors entry and I loved it.


This beautiful hand felted piece is actually a over skirt to wear over legging - it was a stunning piece of work!


crochet and knitting sections are always quite large - these are two all time favourite crafts that have never really died but are currently in strong revival mode (which we see happen with many 'forgotten crafts')



your local Show really is a 'window' on your local community. have you ever entered your local show. Do you get a lot of satisfaction from doing so? Prizemoney really has no bearing as the cost of making our entries and entering them is never recouped.
If you heven't entered anything in your local show... why not?
I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Tuesday 11 September 2012

DRY AREA PRODUCERS!!!

Today is a glorious spring day here, one that just draws you outside to get your hands dirty in the garden!! But as is normal with our springs the weather can revert to winter with frost overnight. This I am keeping in mind when I look at the produce photos from the Ariah Park Show.
There were eggs and aggs and more eggs - I was gobsmacked at the number of entries. There are generally half a dozen entries, especially at a small town show but the exhibitors outdid themselves on sunday.

 
 
Just a selection of the egg entries .... all colours and all sizes (makes me green with envy and I want to go out and buy a heap of chooks of all different breed - we cannot have poultry because of quarantine rules at the poultry farm my husband works at.


below is a sample of the citrus entries -

 And yes the yellow fingers are a citrus fruit - Buddhas Fingers or fist I bam led to believe!!

The quality of the horticulture entries are usually amazing even though the town is a Dry Area agricultural town


Although probably not as many entries as I have seen previously at this show what was there was outstanding




This arrangement took my eye


And the children's entries as usual were fantastic - the kids just excel with their imaginations and ability!!


An arrangement in an egg cup...


Well that is it for today... thinking I might go outside for an couple of hours - my grand daughter is coming out to pot some more cuttings for her soon to be market stall (we have 5shopping bags of geranium, pelargonium and lavender cuttings .......I am thinking that I might be lucky and get some for my own garden!!!

Monday 10 September 2012

SHOWTIME:

Spent all of yesterday at the Ariah Park Centenary Show. As I was judging 2 sections in the pavilion I had to be over there by 9am - so it was an early rise for myself and fellow judges - we were travelling together.
It was the Centenary Show and the community supported it really well. The pavilion was choc -a-block full of exhibits.
One of sections I was judging was the recycled items section which I sharing the photos of today.

The iconic aussie hat made from old tin - I suspect it would probably be a bit hot to wear!! And the Steel Bra.... well that would probably be as comfortable as the old time chastity belt was but it is a good talking point and brought a lot of comments and giggles!!


There were several classes in this section - Metal, wood and plastic. The emu was a favourite as well as the redgum coffee table. The 2 stools were made from half a trye topped with a wood.


Wire flowers would look great in my garden, and the wine cabinet was superb!! The cabinet in the lower photo was the champion exhibit - the doors on the stove fron actually opened into the cabinet. The stove was restored superbly.

 
 
A simple recycling effort - chair on wheels and old chairs painted up with a timer attached as time out chairs (plus a message telling the time outer to think about what they and do and mum loves them. 
 


A metal butterfly for your garden and although not in the competition the outside wood heater took my eye also - it was set up near the bbq area for the night show.

 
Just incase you really like these items here thay are again (and because my blog is playing up and I cannot remove it or delete it!!)  I have heaps more photos of the show which I will share with you in following blogs.
We had our lunch in the luncheon pavilion and it was superb - a plate with 3 meets and salad and no room to fit any more; and caramel tart and cream - country cooks are the best!!!


Friday 7 September 2012

Little Entrepreneur!!!!

i have also been busy every afternoon this week with my 8yr old granddaughter potting up cuttings for her market stall.

 
 
karah just loves helping set up at markets and of course checking out all the other stalls!!! She wants to buy a motor bike and a pool but has to save the money herself.... Soooooo...... ma-ma offered to help her get a plant stall going so she can earn some money too.
 
 
 
The two photos are a sample of our toils every afternoon after school. She managed to get over 100 succulents and geranium cuttings potted. This afternoon because it was too windy we went into her nanny's (great grandmother) and collected some ore empty pots and 4 shopping bags of cuttings!!!!!! guess we will be going potty all this week too!!
Of course she expects them to be ready to sell next week also. Life is a learning curve and a slow one at that sometimes!! 6 weeks and she has it marked on her calendar already!!


SPRING... is here...
I am back on board after 3 weeks of the dreaded flu plus a gastric virus with it during the last week. And there I was thinking how good it was that I hadn't had any of the virus' doing the rounds in town!!! One should never get to cocky!!


This is the first sign that spring isn't far away in these parts - the wattle trees start to bloom, this one is in my back garden and has been blooming like this for over a month - this photo doesn't do it justice at all.


Our Mulberry Tree is coming alive - it would be about 60 yrs old - it was here for many years before we bought the property - busy watering it so it fruits up really well ....mmmmmmmm.. mulbery jam and pies, fresh mulberries, purple stained mouths and fingers and clothes!!

This week I have been busy pulling out, planting and pruning!! Lettuce, Broccoli, Blueberry bush, Bay tree, Strawberries are just some of what has gone in. Heaps more to go when I have finished preparing all the beds - some new and some refurbished.


After of 6 years of waiting this pile of rubbish was removed from my garden into the paddock next to it (because it is easier to access with the ute than the garde!). And it only took him haf an hour!. I have now finished planting trees in that bed and mulched it!

 
 
The front garden (all trees and shrubs - some newly planted, some have been in for a couple of years) with the large bales of straw waiting to be spread as mulch.
 
 
 
This is one of my favourite bushes in the garden - the native Emu bush - it is about to get a big trim as it has fallen flat!
 
 
 
A whole days work to get this garden bed cleaned up and planted! The roses are about a third of the size thahey were before I attacked them but you couldsn't see them because of the WEEDS!!!. More dirt brought in to top up the bed, and some geraniums and petunias planted also. Plus some sunflower seeds at the back. Still have to remove the rubbish and weeds that was pulled out - tomorrow will do for that job. 
 
 
 
One pile of pruning from one part of the garden. Most of the rose clippings were bagged up and sent into my daughters 2 pet goats - special treat as they do love them so!!
 

 
 
The extent of my crafting over the last 3 weeks - washed and dries wheat to remove dust etc and started making heat packs for my market stall.
 
In my spare time this week I have been busy taking photos of my market stall products for a SPRING FLING market sale tonight on facebook. I sell Outback Pampering products as well as my craft and have 2 facebook pages. Products from both are all in the sale and if you are interested you can find the album on https://www.facebook.com/pages/Natural-Indulgence.
 

 
That is it for this week. I am looking forward to attending the Ariah Park Show on Sunday where I will be judging handcrafts. I love going to small Ag Shows. The communities always pull together and make a wonderful event. I will be sure to take lots of photos and be back with a report on Sunday night!