Crafternoon

I loved today's crafternoon! Underneath J's house ten women all making stuff - tassles, resin bracelets and rings (incuding fern from the garden but no, not a goer yet, according to C), mosaics, incredibly attention to detail intricate embroidery, random wild knitting.

And then we're off to H's house. Well underneath the house to be more exact. An enormous hessian sack on a pallet filled to bursting with material and memories. There's a mother's dress, a handpainted scarf, a remnant from the old Chinese shop in Walgett, slips, frocks, skirts, vivid orange from the 70's, silk, satin: a treasure trove. They smell damp and musty but a wash and some sunlight and they'll be as good as gold.

You know those times you decide it's time for a change, to make space for new life? H had decided to throw out all this fabric, put it in the bin but now the crafternooners will reinvent the pieces and embellish and continue their stories. Thank you H!

Right in front of me!

Bearded Dragon

On our last ride through the bush I nearly ran over this lizard soaking in some warmth after a few cool days. He (or she?) was pretty focused on that warmth and only moved the slightest bit when I got this close. When we rode off he just stayed there. Ten minutes further on Daryll saw a red bellied black snake. I didn't get to see it because it was so fast, disappearing into a hole at the base of a big river red gum. Daryll said its belly was bright red. We've only ever seen a goanna before in the bush so good to see these other reptiles.

Back Home

HOME. It's a long way from my family home to my present home, but we did it, again! Safe and sound. Two days on the road.

Darling!

Rice Pudding

In Australia in the 50's, especially in the country, rice was for rice pudding. And every night we ate potato. Potato with rissoles, potato with lamb chops, potato with fish fingers.

Now, although being an almost everyday rice eater, I rarely think of rice pud. That is, till I ate Marie's rice pudding. Delicious.

Today I got the recipe. I scribbled it on the back of an envelope while Marie talked.

2 heaped tablespoons of rice
2 dessertspoons of white sugar
1 litre of full cream milk

Place rice in a pyrex dish (no lid needed). Add sugar and milk. Place in the oven and stir fairly often till it simmers.

You can add some nutmeg at the end of cooking. If you're in a hurry you can heat the milk in a jug in the microwave and then add it to the rice. You can also stand your pyrex dish on a tray to prevent spills when you're stirring.

Mmm! Delicious in summer with poached white nectarines.

School Concert Dress Up

Talking to Dad on the phone. Chat about the garden (cherry tomatoes too small and close), plentiful cucumbers, flooding down south and a memory of a school concert. Dad was a cowboy. His cowboy pants and the chaps were made from an old coat of Nannie's. And the feathers for the Indians' headresses? Well if you lived in the country in the 1930's - the backyard chooks, of course.

Nadejda - Youtube

Nadejda Lazarenko was born in Russia. While she was still a child, her family moved to Harbin in China, where her father worked as an engineer. She talks about the hardships faced in Harbin before and during World War II and her impressions on coming to Australia in 1952.

This is a Storylines Q150 digital story. This digital story was made by the State Library of Queensland with funding from the Queensland Government.  It is a legacy of the Q150 celebrations in 2009.

Anzac Day

So Many Stories

I needed a break. Well, thought I did. Quick trip to the shop.

He was sitting in the sun, "Good spot you've got", I said. "Where are you going?' he asked. I told him about needing a break.

And then while the traffic slowed, roared, slowed on that busy road near the traffic lights I listened for the next forty minutes and didn't go anywhere. 

He told me about putting his age up so he could go off to war, follow his brother. About telling his mother. About being captured and imprisoned for four years. Coming home weighing just over six stone. About Anzac Day. This Sunday. Yes, he's going.

You never know sometimes. Never know till you say g'day.

Riverina Easter

Snow peas sown,
Cupboard cleared,
Cake baked,
Family dinner shared,
I leave my home to return home,
Five inches of rain after twelve years,
The grey sky blurs to a soft blue green horizon.

Biota Street Bop

Last Take Away

20-01-08_1744.jpg
Originally uploaded by paperdaisy

Travelling up to Tamworth we go via Quirindi and Werris Creek. Werris Creek has a wonderful old railway station, an assortment of old and sometimes unoccupied shops and a Chinese 'restaurant' - most of its business being take away as the owner tells me.

20-01-08_1748.jpg
Originally uploaded by paperdaisy

The take away is a funny brick building isolated from the other shops by houses which face the railway line. Outside the shop are some small bright green conifers covered in fresh seeds. The galahs flock to these conifers which are not native to Australia and feast on them. Sometimes there are so many galahs on a tree that the tree bends with their weight.

We get a braised vegetables and fried rice to share and sit down the road from the Chinese take away. We decide that while the take away has an interesting location and the owner is friendly and enjoys a chat that the food is not really up to it. This will be our last meal at the Werris Creek take away. The galahs however are more than content with their dinner and will undoubtedly be returning for many more meals.

Tomato shades

Tomato shades
Originally uploaded by paperdaisy

The 10th of January was so hot Dad rigged up these handy covers to protect his young tomato plants. The next day there was a small storm. We were swimming in the river at the time and it was wonderful to see the rain falling on the river and to smell it. But with a brief show of lightning it was all over.

Hot

Hot
Originally uploaded by paperdaisy

It's so dry the ground is cracking in Dad's back yard. The constant noise of air conditioners as the temperature hits 40 degrees. At night I am startled by the brightness of the stars and lucky enough to see a slow falling meteorite. People say: 'Tomorrow is going to be a shocker.' On TV they say it will be a scorcher. There should be a word for longing for rain.

Perchance to dream?

Perchance to dream?
Originally uploaded by paperdaisy

Seventies motel in Coonabarrabran replete with (slightly) peeling wallpaper, red carpet climbing up the wall, ornate bedhead, two lamps, dripping tap and teabags with little relationship to tea.

Rain!

Rain!
Originally uploaded by paperdaisy

Just north of Uralla we pass through a small but heavy rain shower. Great to see all the creeks full and nearly overflowing.

Emu Gate

Emu Gate
Originally uploaded by paperdaisy

We are heading south to visit my family. This old gate is one of the landmarks on our journey. It is near Uralla in the New England area of New South Wales. One side of the gate features the emus while the other is decorated by kangaroos. Daryll normally points it out as we travel along.

Kiss protocol goodbye

The FAQ is 'How do I address a member of parliament?' Here's the answer for Ms McKew. That's Ms McKew of Bennelong.

Position - Parliamentary Secretary
Envelope - The Hon. Maxine McKew, MP
Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and Childcare
Salutation - Dear Ms McKew
Conclusion - Yours faithfully
How to address orally - Ms McKew

Well oblivious of all the above and swept away by a chance meeting in the street I gave Ms McKew a kiss on the cheek! I'm not given to kissing politicians and in fact I did ask Ms McKew before I gently pecked her - I think it was the ABC factor, this was someone who I'd watched in my lounge room, someone who I felt that I 'knew'. Well Maxine and I are now a little more acquainted - me? I'm the enthusiastic woman in the hot pink shirt.

The Hon. Maxine was in Brisbane to speak about and sign copies of the book 'The Battle for Bennelong - The Adventures of Maxine McKew aged fifty something' and we were a partisan and very joyful audience, eager to hear the story of how Maxine took on the PM who had held Bennelong for thirty three years and won.

The Backpaddock Advent Calendar

You can visit my Advent Calendar here. Broadband recommended.

How many sleeps?

Only sixteen sleeps till Santa comes. Somehow tonight I realised how soon it will be Christmas. When I was a kid I loved Advent calendars, opening each little window, it seemed to take ages before it was Christmas.

Not quite the same but there are some Advent calendars online. Some have been designed so you can't jump ahead and peek. There is the BBC Calendar. Another one I will explore some more and here is another one, St Margaret Mary.

Sleep well! Santa will be here way too soon!