Are you going to Orford School Fair?

It has been busy, mostly mowing the lawns with a bit of chipping thrown in.  You have to seize the sunny day for these activities, and these have been pretty rare.  The rate at which the grass grows is incredible.  It take 3 battery recharges for me to mow all the grassed areas.

To re-charge my own battery I went to a TSO strings concert at Spring Bay Mill.  I fantasised arriving at The Mill, getting a bean-bag up the front, getting a glass of bubbly, and being in heaven - and that's what happened!

The next Friday I went to a TSO Brass in the Cathedral concert at St Davids in Hobart.  I was so excited at the prospect of hearing Big Brass in the cathedral.  But I did not get so close to heaven this time.  The mistake was mine:  I had imagined being virtually alone in the cathedral and I had confused Gershwin's American in Paris with Rhapsody in Blue.  Still it was an amazing event and I drove home in the dark and fog without seeing a creature on the road.  In fact  I only saw 3 cars on the entire drive home.

The Sunday saw both the Village Market and the annual Seafarers' Memorial and Blessing of the Fleet.  Jill PD and I watched from a distance.  This is a very difficult service for some locals because they have lost relatives at sea.

Boating life went on with reflections playing on the fishing boats

and the Maria Island ferry departing on schedule.

The blessing of the fleet was doubly disappointing - no bronzed Greek gods diving for a crucifix in the water, and the scattered flowers straight from the shop and still in their wrapper.

We were blessed to see The Governor quite close up.

Wednesday night, finally, was The Orford School Fair.  This is a lively community event and Friends of Triabunna Reserves were invited to have a stall.  I am always thankful and stunned by the skills the members bring to our group.  From virtually nothing we created an attractive stall and display space.

Did I think to take a photo?  No, of course not.  But here's our logo.

And here's the Maria Voices with Gina upfront for Big Yellow Taxi - which should perhaps be the anthem for The Friends of Triabunna Reserves.  It's wonderful when you know everyone in the choir.  One day I may join...

Yesterday I spent a cuppla hours at PUBS flogging books.  As usual, the time went very pleasantly.  I got into conversation with a lady who paused talking and said that I really reminded her of Miriam Margoyles.  Meant in the nicest possible way.  I am intrigued by MM but she is 81, a little older than I.  Once people said I reminded them of Felicity Kendall.  I can even remember that.

The garden has been neglected apart from pulling up weeds and mowing grass.  Finally, after about 4 years, I have one gooseberry - which will ripen while I'm away.

At least the lily of the valley and solomon's seal are going to plan, though the l.o.v. does not have much scent.

A little bit of reading.  I ordered this book from the library after my other self, Jackie Morris, mentioned it in her blog.  I was a bit scared to start it because it is about a mermaid caught by brutal men and I thought I would get too angry and hatefilled, but it is a good and very different read.

Finally, I am off to Adelaide this evening.  Two days in Adelaide to visit Mum then a road trip in The Oyster with Pearl to Canberra, via Sandrine in Mildura - all floods permitting.  Return date currently unknown.  I will be away for Halloween so here's a message for you I photographed last time I was in Adelaide.

Fairly random

Things are happening, but not with many photos.

Vivien gave me a tea-towel with one of her designs when she visited recently.  She said some people use them as hand towels, an idea I seized on.  I had 3 others of her work filed away because they were getting too wrecked as tea towels.  All washed now and ready to dry clean hands in the bathroom.

I had some Friends of Triabunna Reserves' business to attend to at Pelican Walk last week.  En route I noticed these tulips in The Honey Lady's garden.  I'm not a great fan of tulips but, en masse and in the evening sunlight, they looked stunning.

Sadly we had a funeral to go to yesterday.  It was held at a funeral home on Rosny Hill.  The view of Bellerive from the carpark is amazing.

I have been doing some serious reading,

and some not so serious reading, although the topics touched on in both are of great importance to me.

I made a pledge to myself some time ago to read all the Charles Dickens books in order.  I reluctantly started The Pickwick Papers out of duty but find I absolutely love it.  It seems to me that there are allusions to events in Jane Austen and Henry Fielding's writing, and probably to dozens of  writers that I don't know.  Social commentary and events occur that become  major themes in later novels.  And also complaints that continue today, eg disgust at the old buildings that are being pulled down and the ugliness of the modern buildings that are replacing them!