Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for 2021

Merry Christmas Pittsworth Qld to EVERYONE.

What a year 2021 has turned out to be.

So, since our last blog, Darryl has built an above ground garden in the back yard and it contains 5 tons of garden soil.  

 

 

We have had two crops of baby beets, unlimited crops of silverbeet, carrots and spring onions and not long started harvesting tomatoes. We have had little gem lettuces and currently have bell peppers and capsicums growing.  There are some pumpkin plants coming up and a couple of chilli plants also.

I have had a little success with growing dahlias from seed.  The photo on the packet had ball shaped dahlias but the ones that grew were quite small and flat.

  

  

I have joined the Dahlia Society and a member from Toowoomba is going to come out in the new year and advise us on the best place to plant the dahlias for 2021.

Our dear friend, Gloria, gave us a whole lot of Irises and they were planted in August.  Unfortunately the very hot weather and the hot winds, have played havoc with them and they seem to have demised.  I have been told to 'not give up on them yet', so will leave the dead leaves where they currently are and hope that they re-sprout in the coming weeks.

We have a beautifully fragrant deep red rose on the front fence and unfortunately, the hot winds have played havoc with the flowers here also.  

  

The very small rose near the house has plenty of foliage but as yet, has not produced buds or flowered.

We have had amazing succulent plants in the garden, which unfortunately succumbed to the hot weather and winds in early December.  

 

 

The carob tree, in the yard next door, provides lots of filtered light along our northern boundary and the succulents in pots, are flourishing there.  We have been told that the tree is 150 years old.

 Darryl is planning a succulent garden for this area.

We have been making some small changes within the home and are settling in well.

I am getting back into my sewing and attempting to use up my fabric stash [that has been in storage for the past 7 years] and participate in the Sew Creative TM [Tamborine Mountain] on the last Sunday of each month.  I am also enjoying going to the Pittsworth Crafty Quilters of a Tuesday and am learning lots of different sewing techniques.  I am also learning to sew with vinyl [various varieties] and waxed fabrics.  I am also learning to make different types of bags - all functional but some hold more personal items or utensils and equipment for weaving or sewing.

 this is the Japanese Wedding panel and was sent to me by my Penfriend, Yoko, about 20 years ago.  I have finally layered it, quilted it and it is hanging above our bed.

 I was also busy like many others and making masks for family and friends.

  This is the quilt that I made our dear friend.Another quilt I have made.

 My first attempt at making a clutch purse.

 a small tray made for Darryl for his chair-side table to put his 'things' in.

  A collection of coffee clutches.

 ' Sew together bag'  made with my dear friend Anne-Marie

 A pouch made for my friend, Sarah, who helped me with the Waybarra Mawang [Weaving all Together] classes at the State School.

next is my latest bag - the Crafter's Caddy [pattern by Little Moo Designs].

 

 

I have also attended a 'Resin' workshop for a young lady - Maddy - who is just starting her own business called 'Drippy'.  https://drippy.com.au/

 

It is a long and quite messy process but the trays at the end are lovely.  Once you have put your resin on, you have to leave it to set for 24 hours before you move it.  Thankfully our hostess, Anne-Marie, has an area where that is possible.

I have also joined the Pittsworth History Centre and the Pioneer village and do my day or two each month.  They are a great bunch of people who volunteer to be at the village open it up when needed.  The village is open Thursday and Friday from 10am to 1pm and then on Sunday from 10am to 2pm.

The village also takes bookings for special events and will be open on January 26th for the Citizens of the Year presentations.

I continued with my Wiradjuri language course via Microsoft Teams program on my computer and in November I was able to travel to Dubbo to attend the Graduation ceremony.  I was also able to present my 'major' project to all the dignitaries and have been told that it will be hung in the main foyer of the Yarradamarra Education Centre at TAFE Dubbo.

My major was a woven replica of the logo of the Western Districts TAFE - which is an Echidna.

 

As part of this 'major' I also had to produce a PowerPoint presentation with audio in language [which was presented at the graduation ceremony] and also produced two Student Guides to enable students to do their own weaving by following the written and pictorial instructions.

 Graduands from Certificate 2 and Certificate 1.

 With our Graduation 2020 Covid-19 Masks

 With Auntie Iris Reid, who will be putting the weaving up in the main foyer of the Yarradamarra Centre.

I was also a participant in the inaugural Indigenous Artisans Market in Toowoomba and it was a very special and amazing day.  Networking with fellow artisans was brilliant.  The organisers are hoping to have more markets throughout 2021 - so everyone is now madly attempting to work more product to make them even more successful.

 

Darryl and I are currently in Wagga Wagga visiting family and keeping an ear on what is happening with the current Covid-19 Cluster in the Northern Beaches area of Sydney.  We have just applied for our re-entry passes into Queensland - so fingers crossed we will be back in Pittsworth about the 3rd of January 2021.

May EVERYONE have a safe and Happy Christmas and may 2021 be a far better year for all of us.

Where has the year gone????????

 Welll.....

It appears that the year has flown by.  With Covid-19 impacting everyone.

When I was really ill in August 2019, the decision was made that we would begin the process of looking for a new homebase.  We began looking in earnest in about November of 2019m and found a lovely place in January 2020.  We were given notification in late February that the owner had agreed to our offer and he had completed some items that the Solicitors wanted completed before the sale could go ahead.

In February, I travelled to Dubbo to begin my Wiradjuri Language Course.  The week there was wonderful and I really enjoyed my time.  The block in March was cancelled due to Covid-19 so we decided to visit family instead.

In March we were in Wagga Wagga visiting family when Covid-19 was going wild and the states were saying they were going to close their borders.  We had been out with our sister-in-law Wendy for a great day up near Tumut, and that night the Prime Minister was saying that we were going into restrictions and Queensland and New South Wales were going to close their borders.  We decided that we would travel back to Queensland, to actually be in the state on the date we were to get the keys to our new home.

So we arrived back in Queensland 6 hours before NSW was due to close their borders and nearly 24 hours before the Queensland borders closed.  We double checked with the health authorities in Goondiwindi before we went any further.  We then made our way to Pittsworth and set up camp in their caravan park.  We were on a large site and well away from everyone and were able to 'isolate' ourselves for the 10 days that we were there.  We got the keys on the 1st April and moved the van to the house yard on 3rd April.

On the 2nd April we travelled to the storage locker in Loganholme to unlock it for the removalists.  They then told us to head back to the house and they would sweep out the locker before they left.  They arrived at the house and put all our belongings in the double garage and off they went.

We then lived in the van beside the house whilst we got the electricity etc double checked and we painted the inside of the house.  It is a 1910 chamfer-board cottage with 10 foot VJ walls inside.  A cute cottage and big enough for us.  Over the past months we have been getting the house and yard as we would like it.  There has been no rush as we haven't been able to travel anywhere because of restrictions.

In late April, I began to do an on-line course in the Wiradjuri Language, which I am enjoying thoroughly.  I am hoping that we will be able to go back to face-to-face blocks again next year.

In July I joined the Pittsworth Crafty Quilters group.  A wonderful set of ladies and we have been changing attendance as per the restrictions on gatherings imposed by the Government.  

All our children and grand-children now live in Toowoomba, so we are only about 1/2 hour from them.

We catch up frequently when we go to Toowoomba.  We are also keeping in touch with our close friends in the area and attempt to meet up when we can.

Darryl has re-joined the RSL and has been attending the Men's shed also.  It is great seeing him getting out and chatting with other men.

We are hoping to go away for a short trip in the van soon, but it will all depend on our commitments with the weaving group, quilting group and Men's shed.  

That doesn't seem like much for the past 7 months but it is all at this time.

We are settling into the home and the community and loving the country community.

8June 2017 and onwards..

8 June onwards

We have had a very busy time over the past 6 months.

We have had several times where we have helped our friends by caretaking their small property at Groomsville out near Crows Nest in Qld.  This has been a very nice rural setting and still enabled us to visit the Grandchildren in Toowoomba. 

The family have just had to move rental homes as the owner of the one they were in, wanted to renovate and sell.  They are now in a slightly smaller home but it has a much better yard for the children and “Bob” the kelpie.  The cats are settling in.  We were really lucky as Ben was able to come up and helped with the loading of the heavy stuff onto the truck and after two loads the family were moved in.  Beck has been spending the last week, unpacking boxes and getting them settled in.  The new house is less than a kilometre from the other house and the children can still go to their current school.

Miss 11 (I am using the monikers that their Mum would prefer, as she says the children can make their own cyber imprint when they are old enough) Graduated from grade 6 this week and is off to High School in the New Year.  She has had a great year participating in the schools Indigenous Dance Group and performing on many important local occasions.  She hopes to be involved with the High School group also.

Master 9 did exceptionally well in the schools swimming carnival with achieving AGE Champion.  Bec said that considering he does NOT regularly swim, he did very well with breaking 4 of the school swim records.  He loves to play Soccer and participated in the inter-school competition held in term 3.

Master 4 has thoroughly enjoyed his time in Pre-school and has loved the Introduction to Prep in term 4.  He is getting excited about going to the same school as Master 9 next year.  All these young children are growing tall and will soon out-do Nanna.  Nothing new in those stakes.

Mister Bradley is doing his Bakery Apprenticeship through Woolworths and is awaiting the apprenticeship assessors to come out and do his on-site work assessment, so that he can move up to Second Year.  He is living with his Uncle Ben in Eagleby as it is closer to his work place.

Ben is still with Woolies and is at the Victoria Point store.  He and Brad have plans for travelling overseas in 2019.  Will let you know more details as this progresses.

Bec is continuing with her Teaching Degree and hopes to complete it at the end of 2019.  She loves doing the 'prac' component and gets very good reviews from her preceptors.

Darryl and I are continuing to travel in the van between caretaking bookings.  We really do love caring for this small acreage.  

We still haven’t decided on a FINAL place to reside – so until we find THAT special place, we will continue to do what we are doing.

I have just finished  two weeks of teaching year 6’ers some weaving.  The school has asked me to come back next year on a weekly basis to instruct some grade 4,5 and 6 students for the first half of the year.  We will decide about the rest of the year after that.

I also did a day instruction to the members of the Toowoomba Spinners, Weavers and Dyers group which was well received.  Some of the ladies would like me to go back next year.

Last week I informed people that I have started a Facebook ‘Shop’ for my weaving.  This was at a suggestion from Bec and many other people, so that I can sell my weaving instead of just hoarding it in the van. The Facebook page is:- Barb’s Weaving  with the hashtag @barbsweavingsite  as I photograph more items for sale I will post them. 

We are off to Port Macquarie in January to visit family and then on to Taree to visit Darryl’s family.  We will also stay with our great friend in Grafton before returning for some more Caretaking.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.

future plans ??!!!!!????

Well ---- We finally got the van weights sorted - took van and paperwork into the government office (in the one period when it wasn't raining :) ) and are now just waiting for the new rego papers to arrive with the new weights on it.   YAY...
Have mananged to cull some of the items that went back in and now we are planning our next adventure. YIPEE!!!
Tomorrow we will be travelling to Jimboomba for an afternoon tea for young Max's 5th Birthday.  Then we will return on Saturday for the family Afternoon tea/BBQ.
We will be home for Easter and then we will start touring QLD, YAY.
First stop will be Nanango - visiting our dear friend Gary and his lovely lady Lisa.  Not sure how long we will camp there for - at this stage.  More than a night or two though.  Darryl needs a good catch up :)

We may then be back at the end of April to help Ben make the plane to NZ and then collect him on the homeward journey also.
We then hope to go up to Bundaberg to see my half-sister Heather and her family and hopefully catch up with a friend at Biggenden.  That is for starters.  We then have friends at Kilcoy and friends at Buderim and friends at Hervey Bay........  Never know where we will end up !!!
We have to be home again for a Week in June (three birthdays to celebrate and get the Tax in) and then we will travel again.