Australia Day in Tribes

The weeks go by so quickly.  We had an almost riotously fun Australia Day award ceremony at the Triabunna Community Hall.  There was only one award.  To Gavan and David, the couple who drove the refurbishment of the Hall and the quality of the now defunct Orford Odeon monthly movies.

We went all out with the decorations.

The energy level was so high my photos are blurry.  Here's the Mayor congratulating Her Royal Highness the Sun Queen on her reading of the Council chosen poem.  Both Judy HRH and I thought the poem was the low point of the ceremony.  Judy delivered it with wit and style but it was one of those blokey paeons to mateship, sport and even the technicolour yawn.  The only references to other than blokes were Cathy Freeman and Dawn Fraser.  A yawn indeed.

Ange Boxall was wonderful as usual.

Then it was Trish from yoga who is a neighbour of David and Gavan's and was a stalwart of the Orford Odeon.

Finally they got their award

and to everyone's surprise, Gavan made the acceptance speech.  Gavan is the invisible technical whiz who handled that side of the Orford Odeon productions and had even set up the Hall for this Australia Day event.  David is the quick witted clown and showman and usual front man.  They were described at some time through the event as 'possibly Triabunna's favourite couple', a tribute to them and the town.
In addition to some clowning from David in the wings, the official photographer provoked huge amusement as he darted around on stage, weaving in and out of the participants in a very self absorbed way.  We were in hysterics.  But I bet his photos are better than mine.

Good times and good works

Many, many years ago I came to Triabunna with friends and waterskied for the first (and only) time - across Spring Bay.  So I was very amused to get this Christmas card from Spanish Rose.

This week I got my Christmas and birthday present from her in the mail.  She had been in England, in Kew Gardens, when she saw these books and said they screamed out my name.  I'm so glad they did.  Last  time we were in St Davids together, Rosa and I went on a foraging course.  Obviously she has never forgotten it!  Possibly due to the nettles I encouraged her to eat.

Just my sort of thing, and I shall read them from cover to cover.  Naturally, they are British based but I have many of these plants in my garden.

Curiously, only last week I went through the pockets of my spray jacket (which doesn't get a lot of wear...) and found my notes from the Welsh forage written on a serviette.  It rained quite a bit that day.

In a totally different botanical adventure, my friend Dot is making kokedama and selling them at the market.  They are very beautiful but I can't help thinking of them more as house decorations than living things.  She is very experimental:

Monday was our 18th Wedding Anniversary.  Steve had given me some beautiful fairy lights for Christmas.  They are attached to a cork and you place them inside a bottle.  So we kitted out some bottles I had nobly emptied, and switched them on.  Great fun.  Above you can see some with banana muffins on a stand in the foreground.

They looked quite speccy around the room but the photo doesn't really get it.  They look more like forlorn chess pieces.

Today I went off to do good works.  This time at the ferry terminal to encourage travellers to Maria Island to pledge to not harass the wildlife.  The wombats, geese and wallabies there are used to visitors, but not used to being marshalled and pursued by selfie sticks!

And I have just finished reading this wonderful book.  It is about the fall of the Jewish fortress of Masada to the Romans.  There is even a Welsh connection.

the carnival is over

The festivities are over and life has returned to its very satisfying routine.  I'm currently reading 3 books:

Dream Days was written before Kenneth Graham had a family of his own, and it is beautiful to slip in and out of when  you feel like being a child again.
I couldn't resist Tales From a Broad.  Some of you may remember my pre-blog missives from Griffith, 'News From a Broad'.  Fran Lebowitz, as you probably know, is a New Yorker.  In this book she chronicles time she and her young family spent living in Singapore in the 1980s.  Her New Yorkiness drives me crazy but her grappling with expat life is amusing, particularly dealing with maids who, Georgia tells me, are now referred to as Helpers.
A Book of Palestine is another jarring book written from the unquestioned superiority of the author but it is fascinating to read about Palestine before the creation of Israel.  I can find no publishing date in the book but this hand written note is telling:

I'm assuming the date is 1915...  I bought all the books (except Grahame's which comes from my Canberra library) at the recent PUBS.  As usual I intended to not buy a thing but 5 hours staffing the stall is a  long time and I sought refuge in the merchandise.  I also whiled away time watching kids and dogs enjoying themselves in the school grounds.

I was there on Thursday and business was not brisk, however over the 2 weeks we made $3450, all of which will be distributed to the community.

Nanna napping

It's rare that I get the sunroom to myself.  Last time I thought I'd try out a nanna nap I became aware of someone standing at the front door.  'Do you want to see Steve about a calendar?' I dreamily asked.  'No', said the voice and I came around enough to realise it was Kyrle, Steve's nephew.  I thought I'd try again today.  This time I was awoken by Steve frantically calling my name.  I leapt up wondering what body part he had severed, but curiously he was asking for the camera.

an echidna

in our very own garden

Doubtless it was as scared as I was dazed and confused.  But how lovely to have him / her at our place.  A few days ago I saw a large lizard.  So happy to share.

Peachy

Yesterday evening we had a live fashion show at The Village.  Such fun

and pretty amazing for our little town.

Afterwards I walked home with Mrs O Henry to collect these delicious peaches from their garden.  Best peaches I've ever eaten.

Marina deBris

Last year before I went to Adelaide, we had the Great Eastcoast Cleanup.  You may remember the photo of me looking Paris-chic with my yellow vest.  We also had this exhibition at the East Coaster Resort.

The works are beautiful and confronting.  Everything is made from rubbish the artist found beachcombing.

I posted these photos while I was watching Rome Unpacked.  As if on cue, one of the presenters said, 'Maybe that's what artists are for:  to see what we don't see.'

2019 so far

H  A  P  P  Y      N  E  W      Y  E  A  R  !  !  !

2018 was a very good year for me and I am reluctant to let it go.  Not so good for some of you though.  So let's move on and see what 2019 brings.

On New Year's Day I looked out of the kitchen window and there was a lady in the caravan park doing Tai Chi.  Auspicious.

On the Wednesday Georgia and I walked from her Murray Street house to The Boathouse Restaurant in Cornelian Bay, both things I've wanted to do for a long, long time.  We walked back via some of the actual boathouses.  Many years ago I desperately wanted to buy one so I could sleep hearing the water lap underneath.

Back home I thought how lovely this artichoke looks.

I finally finished the Cooking with Fernet Branca book and hastily moved on to this Daphne Du Maurier.  Loved it.  As would all you Cornwall-philes.

Another home glimpse that gave me great pleasure.  Dream Days indeed.

Zumba resumed today.  We celebrated with bubbly on Robyn's block.