tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80349496593415928032024-02-20T00:54:30.688-08:00Vintage VignetteJackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.comBlogger284125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-90765028571416226932016-01-04T23:19:00.001-08:002016-01-04T23:21:05.966-08:00Brooklyn New York Nov 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Brooklyn was as gritty as I hoped it would be, although there was a lot of empty blocks with very imaginative graffiti decorating the ugly fences. Gradually I think Brooklyn is losing its old character and being replaced with public housing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This cat looks ferocious, just what you would expect in the hood</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">exterior of our loft apartment. these where garment making factories. I am guessing all these empty blocks would have had similar factories. Would guess they would have been from the 50s and 60s</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">rather dirty and unkept shops here and there</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">public housing looked clean, tidy and well kept.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saw a lot of buildings like this, like something out of the Wild West, very plain, no overhangs, flat and box like. But quite unique and different to anywhere else I have been.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">public housing</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">quaint restaurant that served delicious food, we had several meals here</td></tr>
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<br />Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-84451476774041254722015-12-21T23:52:00.002-08:002015-12-21T23:52:51.177-08:00New York, our gritty New YorkBROOKLYN is where we chose to make home for three nights.<br />
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Rico.</div>
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our charming host, was great company when we where actually at the loft</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the amazing loft, was like staying in an art gallery.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">everywhere I looked something would catch my eye</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">quirky art</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">vintage bits and pieces</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">this was our little shut off area</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kirsty had to take the upstairs bed, no way I would get up and down those stairs in the dark</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the gorgeous Bogart, very handsome boy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">two beautiful old antique velvet chaise's, so unexpected and very comfortable</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking through to the kitchen and bathroom off to the left</td></tr>
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Finally got my laptop fixed so I could share with you, had downloaded my photo's onto here</div>
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Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-22075429313988177792015-11-12T21:49:00.000-08:002015-11-12T21:49:28.742-08:00Albany Workshop 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Last week I taught a series of workshops in beautiful Albany, through Icky Finks. Must say here, those of you living in Albany how lucky you are to have Icky Finks in your area, wish they where in Bunbury or Busselton. Wonderful range of products for artists. I had wonderful classes of eager students ready and willing to go out of their comfort zone and experiment with Golden products. Few hiccups at the beginning but nothing to dampen their creativity. The workshops were held in the Annexe (see below on left) at beautiful Vancouver house, the art centre for Albany I am told. Very lucky here as well.</div>
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First morning I arrived early to get the workshop set up and took the opportunity to take some quick photo's of Vauclause House.</div>
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Had to share this one of a mosaic bench, isn't it creative?</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had to make this photo larger so you could see the wonderful wind towers, these a politician thought where ugly, where is his head at.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L8AZMHiyFfY/VkV0aTF4K1I/AAAAAAAAIcg/NtuWdKA5H1I/s1600/P1070936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L8AZMHiyFfY/VkV0aTF4K1I/AAAAAAAAIcg/NtuWdKA5H1I/s640/P1070936.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you see the creativity going on here in the art journals workshop, was not sure if I would get many to do this workshop and was very pleasantly surprised.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ByPZ0VQvNe8/VkV0pfSqUMI/AAAAAAAAIco/-s5D5xN6gWo/s1600/P1070938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ByPZ0VQvNe8/VkV0pfSqUMI/AAAAAAAAIco/-s5D5xN6gWo/s640/P1070938.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">newly cut and rolled hay, what a wonderful inspiration for a canvas</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2JckFBdAskc/VkV0qY70nKI/AAAAAAAAIcw/cDu4LCNuG5I/s1600/P1070939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2JckFBdAskc/VkV0qY70nKI/AAAAAAAAIcw/cDu4LCNuG5I/s640/P1070939.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">such a beautiful golden colour.</td></tr>
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Saturday week I fly to New York for three nights and then on to Fort Lauderdale, Miami for the Golden GAEP conference. I will be coming back bursting with new ideas and there will be lots of workshop coming up in 2016, have my mojo back yehaaa!!!<br /><br />Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-83507894021675891082015-10-28T01:17:00.001-07:002015-10-28T01:17:53.627-07:00Garden progress<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AQmlT4495P0/VjAm7dfsDUI/AAAAAAAAIaQ/R1_e3zBxF-w/s1600/P1070501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AQmlT4495P0/VjAm7dfsDUI/AAAAAAAAIaQ/R1_e3zBxF-w/s400/P1070501.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">31st December 2014 just after we moved in, Summer to hot to do much</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MCummVhDkkI/VjAm8_uFwSI/AAAAAAAAIaY/_fg8n0NBH8U/s1600/P1070591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MCummVhDkkI/VjAm8_uFwSI/AAAAAAAAIaY/_fg8n0NBH8U/s400/P1070591.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">29th April 2015 putting in retaining walls, nearing Autumn ground still hard</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dA1mMHjROi4/VjAm9UH8aoI/AAAAAAAAIac/whcxOf3N4wY/s1600/P1070866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dA1mMHjROi4/VjAm9UH8aoI/AAAAAAAAIac/whcxOf3N4wY/s400/P1070866.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2nd September 2015 winter ground now soft enough to work.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-00Z7-_y5Ri4/VjAnZVnT4RI/AAAAAAAAIa4/D0zns3c3QIM/s1600/P1070868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-00Z7-_y5Ri4/VjAnZVnT4RI/AAAAAAAAIa4/D0zns3c3QIM/s400/P1070868.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern side of house drainage dug</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O0lF8tqwBcE/VjAnXTmEdoI/AAAAAAAAIao/He2N8bNsiEw/s1600/P1070883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O0lF8tqwBcE/VjAnXTmEdoI/AAAAAAAAIao/He2N8bNsiEw/s400/P1070883.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">22 October 2015 Spring and finally finished. Metal grate drainage along front and side of veranda, blue metal on the paths. We had to drain all water away from the house to prevent damage to the stumps of the house.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">birdhouse back up after some repairs. Step at end of veranda. Roses starting to flower</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern side of house with a retaining wall. In Autumn will do this side of the house with a dry creek bed and trees and shrubs its 4 metres wide but just a wire fence separating us so doesn't feel closed in.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the road looking down the bank the trees here are now growing well, flowering plum and grevillea's for the birds and privacy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J0mkfZvWulk/VjAn8XO9z-I/AAAAAAAAIbY/ZvpyMA6OoyM/s1600/P1070894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J0mkfZvWulk/VjAn8XO9z-I/AAAAAAAAIbY/ZvpyMA6OoyM/s400/P1070894.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark grey concrete slabs along in front of veranda, lovely to sit out here now.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9mUyehqGjZQ/VjA2q3gARMI/AAAAAAAAIbo/w2ClZitNZsk/s1600/P1070919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9mUyehqGjZQ/VjA2q3gARMI/AAAAAAAAIbo/w2ClZitNZsk/s400/P1070919.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out the back looking down on the landing pad (septic tank) geranium cuttings growing well. can you see the Queen Annes lace at back between birdhouse and birdbath and dark pink hollyhock behind birdbath. Just trying to create something pleasant to look down on.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hGQOzXwgt3E/VjAnXsHjlyI/AAAAAAAAIas/FbSFm1arqgE/s1600/P1070875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hGQOzXwgt3E/VjAnXsHjlyI/AAAAAAAAIas/FbSFm1arqgE/s400/P1070875.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and my straw bed vege garden, not much in it yet.<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
The five year plan is on track and looking nice, very satisfying.</div>
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Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-89650878052489998922015-10-22T14:49:00.001-07:002015-10-22T14:56:34.692-07:00days 25 to completion<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IVx3AbohQzU/VilVybFpHoI/AAAAAAAAIZY/9yQsonLrgEs/s1600/L1010249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IVx3AbohQzU/VilVybFpHoI/AAAAAAAAIZY/9yQsonLrgEs/s400/L1010249.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">turned it over and dirtied it up. Not comfortable with those colours.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5E1lZr1jM2Q/VilVyhdSKzI/AAAAAAAAIZc/1_MJ04VoHUk/s1600/L1010250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5E1lZr1jM2Q/VilVyhdSKzI/AAAAAAAAIZc/1_MJ04VoHUk/s400/L1010250.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">take it right back some interesting colours now coming through</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D-fhCMXBQ7s/VilVv60hz_I/AAAAAAAAIZQ/HD7TjqV6MIk/s1600/L1010251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D-fhCMXBQ7s/VilVv60hz_I/AAAAAAAAIZQ/HD7TjqV6MIk/s400/L1010251.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a bit of structure</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gPW9nuA9UKs/VilWLYLrx3I/AAAAAAAAIZo/3dg3TarOi1c/s1600/L1010252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gPW9nuA9UKs/VilWLYLrx3I/AAAAAAAAIZo/3dg3TarOi1c/s400/L1010252.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">division</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NDMlj_Ed5rc/VilWOeINnbI/AAAAAAAAIZw/M902YzdFtM0/s1600/L1010253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NDMlj_Ed5rc/VilWOeINnbI/AAAAAAAAIZw/M902YzdFtM0/s400/L1010253.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a stencil or three</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2p6V2ZnmorM/VilWW-yQrqI/AAAAAAAAIaA/dpFd1iNWANc/s1600/L1010255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2p6V2ZnmorM/VilWW-yQrqI/AAAAAAAAIaA/dpFd1iNWANc/s400/L1010255.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a bit of light<br />
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I have enjoyed this whole exercise, experimenting with shape, form and colour. The best part was just letting go and having no expectation of where I was going with it. I am happy with the end result and would like to get started with another canvas this style. Have to put it aside for a little while, 4 weeks until I go to America. I have three markets and 4 acrylic workshops to do in that time. Although I have all my stock made for the markets there is the time factor of loading the van, unloading and setting stall up, then at the end of the market doing it all over again. It is very tiring, need a day to get over it. The acrylic workshops are over two days and we have to travel down to Albany and stay three nights. There is a lot of prep work involved in workshops, I will need the two weeks left before going away, to recuperate, and do last minute preparations for trip. Will be getting back into painting all inspired from the Golden Acrylic Conference in Miami and lots of goodies to play around with.</div>
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<br />Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-79055030019618835402015-10-21T01:12:00.001-07:002015-10-21T01:12:40.141-07:00days 17 to 24 of 30 day challenge<div style="text-align: center;">
As you can see I keep changing, experimenting with colours and patterns.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VHbxeBQVO_U/VidGFY2VWGI/AAAAAAAAIYQ/Nk9SPBuSNmA/s1600/L1010241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VHbxeBQVO_U/VidGFY2VWGI/AAAAAAAAIYQ/Nk9SPBuSNmA/s400/L1010241.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 17</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xJNDT6XTRfA/VidGFMc1quI/AAAAAAAAIYI/ftQX6crfvx0/s1600/L1010242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xJNDT6XTRfA/VidGFMc1quI/AAAAAAAAIYI/ftQX6crfvx0/s400/L1010242.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 18</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-041ytJBy1ds/VidGFVAWqWI/AAAAAAAAIYM/jE3O-yuT1uU/s1600/L1010243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-041ytJBy1ds/VidGFVAWqWI/AAAAAAAAIYM/jE3O-yuT1uU/s400/L1010243.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 19</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y5D5-P1Vo_k/VidGjROzXQI/AAAAAAAAIYg/lQGuV3I7OWs/s1600/L1010244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y5D5-P1Vo_k/VidGjROzXQI/AAAAAAAAIYg/lQGuV3I7OWs/s400/L1010244.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 20</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A9mawxPiHQc/VidGmna1xEI/AAAAAAAAIYw/jvk8xi3YJDE/s1600/L1010245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A9mawxPiHQc/VidGmna1xEI/AAAAAAAAIYw/jvk8xi3YJDE/s400/L1010245.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 21</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fn8HefRZtYU/VidGlbHQixI/AAAAAAAAIYo/p5fW397cAl0/s1600/L1010246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fn8HefRZtYU/VidGlbHQixI/AAAAAAAAIYo/p5fW397cAl0/s400/L1010246.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 22</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h9Y6T0k8VqM/VidG9w5VzRI/AAAAAAAAIY4/1vaFM1ZPN2s/s1600/L1010247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h9Y6T0k8VqM/VidG9w5VzRI/AAAAAAAAIY4/1vaFM1ZPN2s/s400/L1010247.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 23</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R-nM_U4h64g/VidG-McLJYI/AAAAAAAAIY8/qsfLB4ARIEQ/s1600/L1010248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R-nM_U4h64g/VidG-McLJYI/AAAAAAAAIY8/qsfLB4ARIEQ/s400/L1010248.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 24</td></tr>
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<br />Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-33056782535337134082015-09-28T03:23:00.002-07:002015-09-28T03:23:51.789-07:00week two of the 30 day challenge <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-khnKfdwiEFE/VgiF5WHiJiI/AAAAAAAAIW4/FWXZa5RoU4M/s1600/L1010230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-khnKfdwiEFE/VgiF5WHiJiI/AAAAAAAAIW4/FWXZa5RoU4M/s400/L1010230.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 7</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 8 a bit of graffiti</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 9 bury it</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l9C4ENtoz34/VgiGVwhux8I/AAAAAAAAIXQ/-3RfGHgr8ns/s1600/L1010234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l9C4ENtoz34/VgiGVwhux8I/AAAAAAAAIXQ/-3RfGHgr8ns/s400/L1010234.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 10 tearing back</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 11 seeing what I could find</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 12 trying something different</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 13</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I72rD5tCi3U/VgiGtaCYIGI/AAAAAAAAIXo/CbiOiBj9osM/s1600/L1010238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I72rD5tCi3U/VgiGtaCYIGI/AAAAAAAAIXo/CbiOiBj9osM/s400/L1010238.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 14 </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BG1i1Aymmsk/VgiGtoF4R-I/AAAAAAAAIXs/YPZ85IVouOU/s1600/L1010239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BG1i1Aymmsk/VgiGtoF4R-I/AAAAAAAAIXs/YPZ85IVouOU/s400/L1010239.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 15</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cbHpq_c0gFw/VgiG5-4-JgI/AAAAAAAAIX4/fqzWVDtNFlU/s1600/L1010240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cbHpq_c0gFw/VgiG5-4-JgI/AAAAAAAAIX4/fqzWVDtNFlU/s400/L1010240.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 16 lots of yellow and peeling back need to bury this tomorrow</td></tr>
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It is a challenge and I am trying different techniques and styles, some I am happy to let go.Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-85462855022463985062015-09-17T16:51:00.000-07:002015-09-17T16:51:57.937-07:0030 day canvas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Recently on Facebook, Judy Wise shared a 30 day canvas. The object to keep changing and letting go. I thought it was a challenge I would like to do, I chose a 24 x 36" canvas, just a cheapie from Bunnings, about $23. And got started with no idea where I was going with this. I try not to think to much about what I am going to do, although, sometimes I can see something taking shape and go with that for a while. It is liberating, I have no aim and just go with the flow and see what comes up. </div>
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What I did find was that for a canvas this size, never have I done this big, you have a lot of freedom but also a lot of canvas to fill. You also use a lot of paint at certain times. I paint first thing each morning before breakfast. You may want to follow my journey</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-15LuGKtTPUg/VftOa28rMdI/AAAAAAAAIWg/E5gJts0Yrvc/s1600/L1010221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-15LuGKtTPUg/VftOa28rMdI/AAAAAAAAIWg/E5gJts0Yrvc/s400/L1010221.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 1</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v53hWm_boL0/VftNtJzbdSI/AAAAAAAAIVw/SVv4GVCM3vQ/s1600/L1010222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v53hWm_boL0/VftNtJzbdSI/AAAAAAAAIVw/SVv4GVCM3vQ/s400/L1010222.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Day 2</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VBEV3jYQ2lY/VftNwFeoGCI/AAAAAAAAIV4/25Lo8-ww-Ho/s1600/L1010224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VBEV3jYQ2lY/VftNwFeoGCI/AAAAAAAAIV4/25Lo8-ww-Ho/s400/L1010224.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 3</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aEtM9SOZTd0/VftN9XqgdUI/AAAAAAAAIWA/KpwvP9ODHOI/s1600/L1010225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aEtM9SOZTd0/VftN9XqgdUI/AAAAAAAAIWA/KpwvP9ODHOI/s400/L1010225.jpg" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Day 4<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nLILPSFwB7Q/VftOEsQxPiI/AAAAAAAAIWQ/F6ziEVv8VMg/s1600/L1010228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nLILPSFwB7Q/VftOEsQxPiI/AAAAAAAAIWQ/F6ziEVv8VMg/s400/L1010228.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 5</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 6</td></tr>
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<br />Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-67210883805269982732015-08-04T17:29:00.001-07:002015-08-04T17:32:46.156-07:00Landscaping the garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Just a couple of weeks (end of December 2014) after we moved into our new home this was our landscape. The ground was dry by this time and extremely hard to dig into. Looking very raw.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CoyURZO3N1U/VcFQRH18WTI/AAAAAAAAITs/oPxA7-qTYbc/s1600/P1070500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CoyURZO3N1U/VcFQRH18WTI/AAAAAAAAITs/oPxA7-qTYbc/s400/P1070500.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FoXraHC3SuM/VcFQS39-X1I/AAAAAAAAIT4/M9kWUC9XPiM/s1600/P1070504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FoXraHC3SuM/VcFQS39-X1I/AAAAAAAAIT4/M9kWUC9XPiM/s400/P1070504.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Out the back the landing strip (septic tank) looks raw as well but the orchard is nice and green. The landing strip is going to be a challenge, thinking of just throwing lots of seeds around and see what happens.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_c9BtWvFqJg/VcFQSl7aS1I/AAAAAAAAIT0/4OdkUCNHSgA/s1600/P1070510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_c9BtWvFqJg/VcFQSl7aS1I/AAAAAAAAIT0/4OdkUCNHSgA/s400/P1070510.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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On advise from the builder we have planted the bank at the front with 3 ornamental plum trees at top and variety of grevilleas (to attract birds and give privacy) and ground cover natives, have to keep them watered through the heat of summer, the theory is that this will hold the bank together in the winter.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QnwC-dZnOLM/VcFQyELzk9I/AAAAAAAAIUM/SujfypAUHzE/s1600/P1070568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QnwC-dZnOLM/VcFQyELzk9I/AAAAAAAAIUM/SujfypAUHzE/s400/P1070568.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Some of the bounty of the orchard, so new at growing our own fruit, lots of trial and error</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NWsTSGQO_E8/VcFRK4bkonI/AAAAAAAAIUc/BaEk6tyutCE/s1600/P1070569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NWsTSGQO_E8/VcFRK4bkonI/AAAAAAAAIUc/BaEk6tyutCE/s400/P1070569.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Two varieties of pear growing</div>
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End of April we began developing the front into a garden. With the help of Kirsty and Peter we have put in sleeper retaining walls, very challenging with large rocks (ended up sitting the back wall on top of rocks) and large tree roots, if you recall we had large trees removed from the front of the property.<br />
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John finished the retainer walls and if you know my John, he is a perfectionist so took twice as long.<br />
He was the builder, muggins the labourer, wheel barrowing rubble from under the house to put behind the back wall for drainage. Was very hard work but rewarding.<br />
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We got to the challenging part at the end of May, digging for garden bed, was full of rock and tree roots. About 4 rocks where huge granite about half metre below ground, took a whole day getting this one out, neighbour lent us heavy duty crow bars, filled it with water to soften the ground, lot of clay so took a while for water to dissipate. It was so heavy we had to use the crow bars to roll it out and to the side. decided to use some of the big ones in the garden as features. Enough smaller ones to do dry creek bed down the side of the house to drain away winter water.</div>
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Reckon if we went another metre down it would be one huge granite plate, but we have enough soil to grow roses and perennials in, no lawns, yeeha!!!<br />
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Finally got this part done, planted a few annuals for a bit of colour, John made this cool step down deck, it was a bit of a challenge on what to put there as not really enough room for steps, the little deck is perfect and matches the veranda.<br />
Sorry for the delay in keeping up to date with the blog lots going on.Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-71123161620397950402015-05-13T15:59:00.001-07:002015-05-13T15:59:27.920-07:00Bird watching<br />
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We have heaps of birds around the house and this little red robin came for a couple of weeks with two females last spring before the house was built, hoping they will come back. Was so excited as I had only ever seen Red Robins on Christmas Cards and was unaware that they are in Australia. This is the reason that we haven't got a cat, as much as I would love one. </div>
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This little guy is a baby red tail cockatoo, he squawked all day from morning till night, was ready to shoot the demanding little bugger<br />
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The neighbours chookpen is on our fence line, they all run up to our side when I go down to the vege garden, they are getting more of my kale and silver beet than we are.<br />
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Through summer we don't see any little birds, all the big birds come in, Pink and Grey Cockatoo's invaded our gum tree down the bottom of the block, this is just a few of them in the tree that we can see ,heaps more in the foliage. Every now and then they all fly out wheel around and back again. Often they swoop down the valley around 4.30 then sleep in this tree when it gets dark.<br />
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A few fly down to the chook house, not game enough to try and pinch the chooks food. The chooks can be quite vicious with other birds and will kill them if they get in their house.</div>
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Got a photo of this lovely Magpie preening in the Sheok near our back verandah, the birds are able to look inside the house from this height. Damn Green parrots would perch here and taunt me, I am now about to swoop down into your orchard and eat your fruit, knowing I would have to rush out the front and then down the back to chase them away. But we have come to a truce now, net those trees that I want the fruit off and they can have the rest.<br />
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Now its Autumn the little birds are coming back, they flit around almost hitting you, they are unafraid of humans. They are loving the grevillea's that are starting to flower on the bank at the front. Spend a lot of time watching them while building the retaining walls recently.Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-21973870249449171182015-05-12T16:47:00.000-07:002015-05-12T16:47:47.906-07:00New challenges are fun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Sorry, I have been so busy that I have neglected my blog. Our journey into our new home has had a few challenges. Not to do with the house itself, but with Electricity and Telephone companies. However we have been in nearly 5 months and had 2 seasons, summer and autumn. Summer has been very long and hot but now it is my favourite season, autumn. Autumn with the lovely deciduous trees turning beautiful shades from yellow to red and many shades in between. We have had a few good falls of rain to soften up the soil and a chance to get started on the gardens, more of that in the next post.</div>
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For our flooring we are trying the very latest paint effects called spilt paint on floorboards, very versatile the pattern just keeps growing, soft on the bare feet walking. Jokes aside son-in-law is so busy up in Perth that he hasn't had time to do the largest area of flooring. However we have two rooms carpeted, the theatre room and one bedroom, so thats a start and there is no rush as each area we get done is a new delight to be enjoyed.<br />
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We don't have a separate kitchen, dining and family area its all one big room, was a bit of a challenge placing furniture but really happy with this layout. Plenty of light (important to short sighted people) and lovely views from the large glass dooors to the back verandah of the nearby hills.<br />
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My studio is off this room and nice and roomy, will give you photo's later as still not sorted out.<br />
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Doorways here lead to theatre room, passage and my greatest achievement a large walk in pantry, just love it.<br />
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John's man cave the theatre room and below looking back into the kitchen</div>
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We are so happy with our new home, the layout works really well for us. We are taking our time and gradually putting up our artwork, learning how to put hooks into gyprock after only having brick walls is a whole new ball game. John is really enjoying being more involved in doing all this, in the past because he was working and usually we moved in a weekend he had little time to do this.Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-57425952404226074682014-12-30T23:30:00.001-08:002014-12-30T23:30:58.298-08:00The year that was in Donnybrook 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
We have been in Donnybrook a year now and do not regret our decision to move out of Perth into a small country town. Donnybrook has ticked all the boxes for us. It has been a jam packed year moving house twice, never again, have decided I hate moving, I am a typical cancer. John had his surgery and has fully recovered and not looked back, certain things he cannot do ie lifting heavy things but healthwise he is great. My health is also great but then I have Johnson genes ie peasant stock. We have rented this lovely old house below for a year and have now got living in an old house out of my system, quite happy to have the mod cons now, also don't regret living in this quirky old cottage with its bountiful birds and even the skinks that lived under the house in summer and in the roof for winter. We where constantly amused by the cattle in the paddock outside the kitchen window. Now we see them across the highway on the hills.</div>
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Building our own home without a mortgage was amazing, loved making the payments when they became due knowing it was our money paying for it. We where under $5,000 over budget but we made informed decisions to get the heat pump hot water and extra on electric fittings. Our new home is not large 113 sq metres living and 26 sq metres under roof garage. We got everything we wanted, compromised on some things like building underneath. Now we are living in the house we can build under later if we want. Decided we didnt need extra bedrooms, toilets and bathrooms and we are quite happy with what we have. I walk down the hallway and glance in the bathroom and feel like pinching myself, this is ours. The parts I love the most are the bathroom, and of course the lovely pantry, the back and front verandahs, the wide hallway, the spacious kitchen (don't need a family room or lounge) hell I love the lot. <br />
I even like the fact everything wasn't finished when we moved in (still not) its like a whole new appreciation each something gets finished, like finally getting the power on after 10 days and we could get rid of all the extension cords snaking across the floor, and I could cook in the oven. Then getting the gas bottles and discovering how to use the elements. Going from view above to view below.<br />
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and from this above to this below ( a new challenge, wait and see what I plan to do with it) will eventually look amazing.<br />
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We still have doors to paint, floor covering to be done and ongoing gardens to landscape, which will not be started until well after summer, that ground is like rock now. I have made a token effort and hung some artwork discovered removable picture strips and hooks. Still have heaps of boxes to unpack but they will wait until floor covering has been done.<div>
Thank you for following me on our building journey and will keep you up to date with living in the country and my garden efforts.</div>
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I wish you all the very best for 2015. Some family and friends have had a terrible year and I hope 2015 is kinder to you and those who had a good year hope that continues. Be kind to each other, treat those less fortunate with respect and understanding, be the very best you, you can, peace and happiness </div>
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From Down in the valley</div>
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Jacky</div>
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xoxo<br /><br /></div>
Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-85526077556179246682014-12-26T21:29:00.001-08:002014-12-26T21:29:38.789-08:00Christmas in the New Home Down in the valley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our first Christmas in our new home after moving in on the 10th December we finally got there. Above is my only attempt at Christmas decorations.<br />
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Julian Burgess owner of Southern Built Homes and Aaron the everything man who did so much extra for us. We are so grateful to SBH for building our dream home and their team of contractors who never made us feel like a nuisance (I am sure we where at times) and never hesitated to explain things to us.This gratitude was not extended to Western Power who took 10 days after moving in to connect our power. We got quite creative stepping over power cords zigzagging on the floor.</div>
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The lovely Jenny who worked in the SBH's shop and was always so helpful.<br />
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Our first Christmas here was relaxed and laid back. No table settings or Christmas decorations. Both daughters and all their families joined us for lunch, 15 altogether, most driving down from Perth that morning and staying the night. Lunch was at 3 oclock so we didn't feel like tea. Our lovely new neighbors invited us over for breakfast with other neighbors which was really lovely to be included and made to feel so welcome. A wonderful Christmas day.<br />
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The great grandkids had a good time, can you see the men out on the verandah with a row of empty corona's. A few of us took the little ones down to the Donnybrook fun park after lunch to walk of our lunch and their energy. The back verandah got a good workout later that night with about 10 of us out there enjoying the evening breeze, proved strong and stable.<br />
We still have work to do, ie painting doors, floor coverings and in autumn the gardens a new challenge and one I am looking forward to.<br />
Sorry I didn't get to wish you a merry Christmas but I do wish you all a wonderful, exciting and full of adventure New Year. Enjoy the holidays and if you are on the roads stay safe.<br />
Best Wishes<br />
JackyJackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-13057084953916072142014-12-14T05:16:00.002-08:002014-12-14T05:16:54.736-08:00challenges of building in the country<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
One of the challenges we have faced building in the country is a septic tank. The shire was very pedantic insisting on leach drains going 9 metres, consequently, as there are other regulations i.e. 3 metre from boundary, 1.5 metres from house leaving no option other than going into the orchard. Also the leach drains cannot slope down.</div>
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Chris the installer started digging, these machines are amazing the way they rotate around and balance when you are sure it will tip up but Chris had full control. It would have been much easier for him if it had been done before the house was built.<br />
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Four apricot trees had to come out, but we still have two and thats more than enough when the blimey parrots leave you no fruit, not even waiting until they ripen. Netting will definitely be going up next year.<br />
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Just like a fox terrier with a rat, shook the tree to death and out it came.</div>
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All this had to go down the back, the big round ones was virtually rolled from side to side, being to heavy for the machine to carry.<br />
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Balanceing act dropping it in the hole and making sure it was level.</div>
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Two of these babies, bit of overkill for 2 person house.</div>
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And the leach drains stretch out like runways. Shire took time coming to inspect then insisted all soil between the two be taken out and a metre each side, tricky business!<br />
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As they have to be level and our block is sloping they are below ground closest to the house and when covered ended up a metre above ground.<br />
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And the end result, challenge is to cover, looks like a burial ground, I am thinking of growing creepers around the sloped sides. Under the soil there is 6 truckloads of sand.<br />
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The earthworks guy did a wonderful job and he excavated the front area ready for retaining next winter or spring. Will need to make sure no water seeps through from up the hill, I am hoping no water. Lot of bare dirt, my feet are constantly dirty whenever I do anything outside.<br />
Challenge number two is that we have been in the house for a week and only have one power socket on the pole at the boundary with leads all over the floor. But we have risen to the challenge manage to get the heat pump hot water going so we can now shower, do a couple of loads of washing, become quite creative cooking meals in the electric frypan all the time hoping we are not overloading the switch. Maybe tomorrow they will connect the power to the house, you cannot rush Western Power.<br />
Monday morning we had five different contractors finishing off and the removalist truck arriving at 12.15 to move all our big furniture, we did the rest, and all the time trying to sort out Western Power, chaotic is an understatement.<br />
However we are now able to start sorting ourselves out in our lovely new home which has everything I always wanted large walk in pantry, large walk in shower, big country style kitchen, John has his theatre room and I have my studio, downstairs studio will have to wait for a while. Love sitting out on the back verandah watching the world go by. We are learning to be patient and not stress the small stuff. It will all get done eventually.<br />
I cannot believe it is Christmas in eleven days, have eleven coming down to stay for a few days for Christmas and haven't even thought about Christmas dinner, it will be fun though having them all stay for a while.<br />
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The one room that is finished, the bathroom, walk in shower at the far end under the window is great.<br />
Hope you are all enjoying the preparations for christmas, fortunately I made most of my presents so haven't had to go near the shops. Happy hunting for the perfect presents and your preparations are stress free.<br />
JackyJackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-11874438225025553402014-11-15T01:37:00.001-08:002014-11-15T01:37:45.550-08:00House nearly finishedSpring has arrived in the valley and I have picked lots of bunches of roses and lilac from the house where we are renting. I have never grown lilacs and have got a cutting growing at the house.<br />
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We are totally over house painting, after painting all the outside, all but the roof, thank god for colorbond. We have been painting the inside for weeks, working around workmen, but we are so grateful that they have allowed us to do this. Project homes do not allow you in the house until it has been completed. We have enjoyed the process also, because we are retired, we are able to be at the house every day and watched different tradesmen doing their bit. Have a renewed respect for building contractors, they work so hard, no lunch breaks eat as they work. They have done a wonderful job and we are very lucky. We have 9 foot ceilings throughout and beautiful skirting boards in all rooms including the garage. Never had skirting boards in any of our other houses, always an extra cost.<br />
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Boards being painted in the garage.</div>
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John painting in the passage, he is so fussy, we are total opposites, we drive each other crazy, he wants a perfect job and I just want to get it done.<br />
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So over stepping over all this timber, but all part of the process, just got to work around it.<br />
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Kitchen cabinets going in, exciting things happening now most of the timber gone from the floor in this room.<br />
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And this is Kane who is responsible for getting rid of all that timber for door frames, shelving and skirting boards, only took him 3 days plus an hours drive each way each day, long days.<br />
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Kitchen cupboards waiting for dishwasher and stove. Tiling started should be finished end of next week. Have gone for a neutral palette, looks fresh and clean, just needs all my clutter to make it look like home. Poor John he would have it minimalist, just rolls his eyes. Havent got a photo of my studio, that is more creative in a butter colour.<br />
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My dream pantry almost Johns bedroom. Have got a trolley to bring stuff out as needed.<br />
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Bathroom with shower across the width of the room, no door just a screen. Dark stuff is scree, like a cement mix which is used on wooden floors.<br />
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Close up of the kitchen counters, I wanted something that looked like concrete and just fell in love with this one that looks like stone, always a bit nervous until you see it all come together, just going from little samples is a challenge but worked out beautiful and the kitchen cupboard doors have the effect of tounge and grove. Have black pendant lights over benches and will have black utensil racks to break up all that white. Also having some of my old stuff just to mess it up a bit and make it more interesting. John rolls eyes again!!!<br />
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This is the view from the back verandah now, the hills are getting brown. Can you see the black cows on the hill, love seeing the cattle. Just a countrygirl at heart. The road below is the South West highway and is entertaining watching all the traffic, from grey nomads in their caravans to logging trucks and everything in between passing through.<br />
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Heres whats happening in the orchard, seems like we have lemons all year round, I have to find something to do with them. Will look up the recipe for Limoncello when I unpack. We have two lemon trees and a lime.<br />
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Six different varieties of plums, just as well as we like plums, we have six apricots but the parrots got all ten apricots off one tree and only one other has fruit on it.<br />
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I planted two raspberry bushes and we have had some fruit off it, you have got to be quick as the birds like these too. have another berry a bit like a cross of blackberry and boysenberry, we have had a few off that too. Its so nice to have fruit out of your orchard.<br />
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The vege bins are doing well, I have tomatoes not far off ripe, but the white butterfly has anhilated the kale and broccolini. Will need to net them when I have time to keep the butterfly out. The pumpkins have come up from the vege scraps that I buried in them. Will let them go this year.<br />
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One only peach not sure what sort but for a small tree has plenty on. No nectarines, so will plant some white ones and white peaches.<br />
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This is fascinating to me, I have never grown pears before and this tree has a good crop, have six pear trees two of which are Nashi. Need to find out what and when to spray them for fruit fly as last year we couldnt eat them, full of fruit fly.<br />
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Not a great photo but had to share, this is my favourite plum tree, a prune plum and i got buckets of it last year and freezed heaps they where beautiful.<br />
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Down in the orchard this rose had gone wild, absolutely huge and it took John days to cut it back, and I gave it the word that it better be good or it will be getting the total chop, and now look at. Have to work out a way to build a structure for it to climb over as it is sending long runners across the ground.<br />
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I built this wig wam type structure next to the rose for the wisteria to grow up, has dried seed pods and leaves and long strings of silk torn ribbon to make it look pretty. Now it is almost covered with the wisteria twisted around all the poles. At one time the roses and wisteria formed an archway, would be nice to be able to form that again.<div>
If you have read this far, thanks for sticking with me, such a journey and not long to go now. Two weeks until completion, electrician, plumber to finish off, garage door and septic tank to be installed. Son in law Anthony to do all the floor coverings, I know we will have the very best job from him, and then we should be able to move in, moving again is daunting but will be the last time as we have got a beautiful home and no mortgage this time, yeeha!!!! We have had help in the painting mostly Peter, Kirsty and Jack and we are grateful to be able to call in return favours. </div>
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Catch you later, hopefully not such a long break.</div>
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love</div>
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Jacky<br /><br /></div>
Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-1641649050939200592014-10-18T01:16:00.002-07:002014-10-18T01:17:42.860-07:00House progress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I cannot believe I havent updated for nearly a month, time has gone so fast, we have been so busy and the house has progressed at amazing speed. Our completion date is 27th November only a little over 5 weeks, yeeks, still so much to do. To save money this couple of 70 year old pensioners have decided to do all the painting and all this week we have been working our butts off to get the exterior painted while the scaffolding is still set up, and this 5ft 1inch dame has to use all her leg muscles to climb up and down about 10 times a day onto the scaffolding, the bottom ramps are about 3 feet off the ground nearest to the front going to 2 metres at the back, takes me back to my days of playing the first game of netball of the season without training, boy those thigh muscles where screaming for a couple of days, but, soldiered on. Bit scary up on the top ramp out the back looking down, thank goodness that one has hand rails. The first day I must of cracked my head on the rafters 20 times until I worked out to stand back a bit before standing upright. If I did this for too long I would have a permanent stoop from bending all the time to avoid hitting my head.<br />
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Scott the head of the building team (what a great group of boys) doing business on the top of the roof, I swear he is like a mountain goat, and there is no getting away from the phone these days.<br />
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John surveying the workmanship, think he enjoys doing this each day, think he was impressed how quickly and efficiently things where done, went like clockwork. It was a great day seeing the decking done on the verandahs.<br />
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You may not be able to see it but all the rafters have been painted with two coats of paint, one great thing was that with the new Solver paint you don't undercoat or seal, saves so much time. Pete, son-in-law turned up yesterday on his day off and got up and painted the gables on the roof, we where worrying about how we where going to get them done, we where certainly not up to climbing up and painting over 6 metres above the ground at the back, or the front for that matter, we where so grateful. We are paying another pensioner to help us with the painting of the rafters, while I painted all the walls, only one coat so far and not the front, hope to get the exterior finished by the end of next week. Did you notice the lack of building materials on the ground, all the left over material is under the house so it can be used for studio at a later date, thought might as well as we have paid for it.<br />
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Wetting the roof with the building structure team Tom, Trent and Scott. These three boys, seem so young to me, travelled over an hour each way each day starting at 7 am each day. They finished up on Wednesday, miss seeing them each day. Yes I did bribe them with cake but there favourite was the savoury bacon, cheese and onion pinwheels.</div>
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Electrician and plumbers where in week before last laying cables and pipes and come back later to do the rest. It has been great for us as we have been involved in each process and being country builders they are happy to see us, when we built in Perth once it was at lock up stage we couldn't get in and also we where working and could only go around when they weren't working.<br />
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Gyprock guy started Friday week ago, we have a new appreciation for how hard these guys work, no morning or afternoon tea breaks and only stop long enough to eat their lunch before getting back to work. The plasterer didnt even stop just ate while he worked. He has another week to go then the doors and all the fittings are done, cabinets, lights and plumbing finished. I think we will be able to start painting inside once the gyprocking is finished. Dad would be proud of us I think.<br />
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The other evening these white cockatoo's swooped into the tree at the house we are renting, something they like up there.</div>
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It is beautiful down south in spring, blossoms all along the highway where a lot of the fruit orchards are. This lovely little tree in our orchard is a mass of white blossoms, somewhat later than the other trees. It is a lovely prune plum and we where lucky enough to get heaps off it last season. Its very green down south reminiscent of our homeland.</div>
Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-85645032172524512012014-09-26T21:28:00.003-07:002014-09-26T21:28:56.540-07:00Framework all up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Framework was up in a few days, came all prefabricated so builders just more or less had to nail it together. This is the biggest part of the budget at $70k.</div>
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Rear view at the stage where they are waiting for the scaffolding to go up as it is rather high up on the roof at the back.</div>
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John surveying his territory from the kitchen/dining/family area. Looking out through the space for the sliding doors with verandah behind it.<br />
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Views from the verandah at the back, overlooking the hills, at the bottom of the orchard is the South West Highway.</div>
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Scaffolding starting to go up.</div>
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Scaffolding waiting to be assembled. Cladding on front bedroom. Garage is on the left.</div>
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Its spring down in the valley and typical of spring last Saturday was 32 deg and Sunday it poured rain all day and has continued off and on all week. Produce from the orchard, have picked a few big bunches of daffodils.</div>
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Have a great weekend</div>
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Jacky</div>
<br />Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-85314078909178847812014-09-22T18:58:00.005-07:002014-09-22T18:58:54.949-07:00Great Grandmother<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week we spent two days up in Perth. Had a lovely barbecue tea with Jo and all her family. It was noisy, exuberent and just lovely, reminded me of when I was a kid. I never realised that we where such a noisy family until Karen a cousin, said, she loved coming to stay with us for that reason. Was great to see Jessica and her little family there too. Above is my four generations of my female line with nana Jo, mum Jessica and great granddaughter Amelia who just wasn't going to crack a smile. </div>
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All the great grandchildren. Jaidyn pulling a face in front and Jo holding Mason who is thinking 'What the heck is my crazy brother doing'. Looking forward to being a Great great grandmother. And just to not confuse the kids I am super nana. The little ones are so full of energy, its hard to keep up, but love them dearly, and with 4 aunts, fortunately, I don't have to.Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-34410846680859429252014-09-06T21:11:00.000-07:002014-09-06T21:11:38.293-07:00Its Spring down in the valley and things are starting to move<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Spring is here in the valley and snapped this photo of a little wild rabbit outside the window at 9 am, thought it was a bit late for him to be out in the open. I know they are a pest, but, oh they are so cute.</div>
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Before spring, a last minute hoorraa Friday week ago it rained and it rained and we had floods, water everywhere, great excitement. Reminded me of when we where kids dad would take us to see the flooded rivers in New Zealand.<br />
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Getting lots of blossoms in the orchard, I put breadcrumbs in the bird feeder, not sure who eats it but its gone when we go back the next day, hoping its birds and not encouraging possums.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GWLr_Fv9f-w/VAvR8piolcI/AAAAAAAAICE/qQPLL6RSJR0/s1600/P1070234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GWLr_Fv9f-w/VAvR8piolcI/AAAAAAAAICE/qQPLL6RSJR0/s1600/P1070234.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
Daffodils all coming out in the orchard, the jonquils are finished now. The previous owners planted straight rows between the fruit trees, you may see them in the foreground on the left, now I know what they are will dig up and spread around the orchard in clumps next autumn.<br />
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Biggest exciting news is the house has been started. Above you can see the pad for the garage has been laid, this took a few days. Timber has arrived for poles, floor joists and flooring.<br />
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Looking from the orchard you can see the brickwork used to build the pad level with the house.<br />
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Poles all up and waiting to be levelled off, this was the day before the storm hit and had to wait a few days for the water to drain out of the holes.<br />
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Putting on the floor joists. Starting to see the layout, and the surrounding land for gardens, love planning that.<br />
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Prefabricated walls and roof panels arrive, $70,000 worth, these should go up very quickly, the hardiplank for the outside walls is also there.<br />
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Thursday the flooring started going down, two thirds finished at the end of the day on Friday, fortunately they covered it all with black plastic as more rain arrived through the night.<br />
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Friday I spent the day turning the soil along the western boundary and planted cuttings and some shrubs, I am hoping the wood chip mulch will loosen the soil up and I believe I need to add dolomite and lime. Next job.<br />
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The view from the orchard of the house with half flooring done, John was pruning the fruit trees, did a great job as he has never done it before, we also got some pelletised organic chicken manure spread all around the orchard, so should be well watered in.<br />
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It has been up and down as to wether we could build a studio and garden storage underneath and as you can see from John standing checking out the workmanship, there will be plenty of room. We will be in denial this week as we will be without the van for 4 or 5 days, hell, I can walk down there, about 10 minutes walk and good exercise.<br />
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<br />And finally the roses are starting to bloom, picked this lovely lavendar one out of the garden just to share with you.<br />
Hope you all had a lovely Fathers Day weekend.<br />
cheers<br />
JackyJackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-48463754780973500792014-08-20T00:57:00.000-07:002014-08-20T00:57:03.460-07:00Nannup in the South West<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last friday John and I took to the road our destination, Nannup Garden Festival. I just fell in love with Nannup, such a progressive little town. It was a lovely day, took us about an hour to get there, through beautiful natural bush. Nannup is a timber town and most of the buildings are built of timber which reminded me of home. How cool are these patchwork quilts hanging out on the line with yards and yards of bunting, lot of work in there.<br />
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This is a Nannup tiger, extinct now but they did have them here. Carved out of timber.<br />
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yarn bombed bicycle outside the quilt house</div>
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lots of yummy places to eat and this lovely shady hideaway</div>
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guess who, waiting patiently enjoying the sun, a lonely little petunia in a tulip patch</div>
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Just one block back from the main street, this old tractor sitting in the weeds</div>
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Nannup also has a musical festival in this beautiful park where there is a stage and beautiful covered buildings to get out of the sun, they have lights in them so would be quite magical listening to the music </div>
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they have these amazing carved totems at the entrance to the park, must of been about 8 towering above us</div>
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the tulips where stunning in raised garden beds all around the town.</div>
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Had to add these guinea fowls, such amazing markings which unfortunately I didn't capture.<br />
<br />Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-71911727474737536022014-08-17T02:41:00.001-07:002014-08-17T02:41:51.591-07:00Special gift for a special boy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After quite a few years gathering materials for this special present I made this for my son last christmas. Raymon has been battling with cancer and then the after effects of the radiation treatment which is still ongoing.<br />
This art journal is made in an old army steel lined case which I think was made for water bottles. I love how the fabric on the outside and in is all faded and marked showing it was used for a purpose and one can imagine if it could talk it would have a lot of stories to tell. Across the bottom is a belt of used artillery shells, attached to the right side a used bullet, dog tag and small bottle of sand found in the pocket of the old army jacket i cut up and used on the inside pages, the sand suggests the African desert. . On the left is the 8th army star which my dad fought with in El Alamain and an army photo of my dad on the truck. One of the pages has the New Zealand badge with his dog tag number. Tied in the lid is letters he sent back home mostly to his sister as the ones he sent my mum got lost when we moved around, also another photo in the camp. The pages inside have his army photos taken when he served in the 2nd WW. 1939 to 1943. Following are the pages inside the case. I made them in a concertina style using string to join. The pages are displayed on an old english flag, which I cut up and included into the book.<br />
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Alex you might be interested in this of your uncle Ray</div>
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Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-71399303596616538582014-08-17T00:03:00.000-07:002014-08-17T00:03:00.301-07:00House started at long last<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is where we have been doing all the work on our vegetable gardens. Vege bins dug down into the ground, all filled up with part wood chip from the trees cut down (would cost way to much to fill with soil) and topped up with Mumbullup Garden soil which is very rich, will keep topping it up with this as it breaks down below. Our pallet table and $1 chairs from the tip where we sit for morning tea or lunch. Just to the right of the photo you can see the shadow of my Bug Palace, more on that in another post.<br />
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Blossoms coming out on one of the old Apricot trees which may have to come out as it may be in the way of the septic tank. Apparently it flowers each year but no fruit the other Apricot tree next to it has stopped flowering (maybe dead) so no polination. Will plant some more if we have to take these out. Have room for about 10 new fruit trees in the orchard, what fun choosing them aye!<br />
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A few of the old trees have a lot of this lovely lichen covering the branches, look lovely in a vase.<br />
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Builders sign at top of the block. John cut all the long grass down before this photo was taken so the builders can see better where to put the poles. in the foreground is the view we will have from the back verandah about 2 metres above ground.<br />
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Right, most important thing, the dunny is here so building can start. Earth mover digging out the pad for the garage which is part of the house. Will keep you up to date.Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-63025392821743515422014-07-19T06:51:00.000-07:002014-07-19T06:51:18.360-07:00Winter down in the valley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Winter has finally arrived down in our lovely valley in the South West of Western Australia. Lovely foggy mornings herald in lovely sunny days with a bite in the breeze.<br />
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Blood is stirring in the two bulls, don't want to be friends at the moment, doesn't help that the cows are in the paddock across the road. Very entertaining lots of pushing and shoving, then they get up the energy to be a bit more serious and push and shove becomes a little bit more, this went on for hours then decided it was a better idea to go back to eating grass, so lazy.<br />
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Sun rising in the west<br />
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And of course all that pushing and shoving takes a lot out of you, this big boy was resting right next to our boundary fence.<br />
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Was time to buy the gumboots, love my gumboots, good heavy duty ones.<br />
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With the winter came the rain, this is after a couple of days solid rain, a little bit of flooding.<br />
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Can you see the steps on the far side of the river, they lead down to what they call a basketweave bridge. Which is a lot of rocks contained in diamond wire to hold them in place and a concrete path on top, so under all that water is my bridge where I usually cross on my morning walks, the river is running very fast. So walking across is curtailed for a while.<br />
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For the first time we can see the river in amongst the trees from the back where we rent and down the bank, we are in no danger of being flooded although if it came up high enough we wouldn't be able to get across the bridge into town. Lots of water lying around too, but it went down quite fast the next day.<br />
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silly chooks in next doors chook run, have to all squeeze into the same hole, keep us entertained when working on the block.<br />
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Son in law Peter made me these beaut vege beds out of old corragated iron, they where a little bit high so we dug a trench and dropped them down in. Half filled with mulch from trees we had cut down and mulched. Beds way to big to buy in soil to fill them. Directors chairs I got from the dump for a dollar each for necessary breaks. In the background is the South West Highway and the railway line that hasn't been in use for about ten years. The conifers on the back fence are likely to cack it due to some disease they get here, so thanks to a birthday present from my sister I have planted a claret ash and liquid amber trees and have some wattle ready to plant on the fence line so if and when they go we will still have some privacy and in autumn I will be able to enjoy the beautiful autumn leaves from my back veranda.<br />
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Mulch is all spread out and the garden along the fence line in the orchard will be planted with shrubs for all the little birds as it makes them feel safe to flit in and out of the branches. Now that we have moved all the mulch and soil it is time to turn the soil and incorporate the mulch through before planting shrubs. Will wait before pruning fruit trees until I know what I am doing.<br />
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Have planted lots of bulbs throughout the orchard and this is my favourite the dainty snowdrop. As you can see we have a lot of soursop or as I know sourgrass that we used to chew on as kids, has yellow flowers. Yesterday was lovely and sunny, John took his whipper snipper and chopped it all down. I dont want to use roundup or any other chemicals, think if we keep cutting it down before it flowers we might get rid of it.<br />
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The reason I won't have a cat here is because of the beautiful birdlife. Can you see the beautiful robin redbreast. I thought you only got them in England like you see on Christmas cards, but no, we have one in our orchard along with several females whose breasts are more of an apricot colour. There are many tiny birds, blue wrens, silver eyes, fan tails, willy wagtails the only ones I can name and it would be such a shame to have a cat kill them, so, no cats. Can you see the pallets up the top, have started lugging them down to the bottom of the block and stacking most of them one on top of the other, I am making a place for the native bees to make a home. You push in small branches, pinecones etc and face them a certain way and the native bees will make their nests in it. Apparently native bees make solitary homes. This way they will pollinate my garden, neat aye. I will make an A frame of two and using shade cloth make shapes to grow strawberries in then the fruit will hang down the sides instead of the ground where the snails and slugs get them before I get a chance. Next is to make some lower beds to grown my raspberries and logan berry in so they don't get away from me.<div>
Well its been busy here down in the valley, enjoying working on the block. We are waiting for our house plans to be approved which should be in a couple of weeks and then the house will be started, how exciting is that, aye.</div>
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Well this has been a marathon catch up on my blog. I buy my wifi internet by the month and if I havent used it up I lose it, tomorrow is my last day and I have $15 left so here I am at 20 to 9 in the cold trying to get the most out of it.</div>
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Hope you are all well and enjoying the lovely winter weather, feel so much more like doing things in winter, it is energising.</div>
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love to all</div>
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Jacky<br /><br /></div>
Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-76725547617854067452014-07-13T20:09:00.000-07:002014-07-13T20:12:48.780-07:00Display at Art Geo Busselton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The history of this wonderful building, the Old Court house and Jail is fascinating in itself. This is one of the open cells, note the rings on the wall and the wood flagstones on the floor. At least the prisoners in this cell had company and a view of sorts.<br />
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Walking down the long passage with the cells on the left, would have been freezing in the winter and sweltering in the summer.<br />
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Stretching out your arms your could touch both side walls at once, window is too high to see out. This cell has been lined with timber so the prisoner could not scratch his way out of the limestone walls. Tin in the corner would be the toilet so you would sleep with it next to your face unless you slept the other way around. Nowhere for the smell to go, pretty barbaric in those times.<br />
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There are about 6 rooms of varying size for exhibiting art, looking through these two you can see down to the cells. See how thick the walls are in the window sill.<br />
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Down a couple of steps into the space we had for our exhibition, Robins rag rugs hang on the wall.<br />
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Glass showcases where perfect for my book art, preventing them from being handled. More of Robins beautiful rugs in vibrant colours. One of Claires mosaic birdhouse on the window sill.<br />
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Claires beautiful mosaic teapots, Robins art rugs, isn't that one with the cockatoo's truly amazing, and my art journals that where for sale.<br />
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It was a lovely experience and we got a lot of positive comments on our first exhibition, was good advertising.Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8034949659341592803.post-17018457809073768242014-05-26T23:27:00.001-07:002014-05-26T23:27:19.838-07:00Exhibition at Art Geo in BusseltonWhew, just made it. My goal was to make 4 art books for the exhibition at Art Geo in Busselton, setting up tomorrow. When I agreed to participate with my lovely partners in crime Robin and Claire I knew it could be a bit tricky getting new work done. However, what with the changing date of Johns surgery (a month sooner) then getting sick myself it became a bit of a challenge, but there you go, got there. I always find I work better under pressure.<br />
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I am exhibiting 5 of my older art books and of course these are not for sale. My aim is to share my bespoke books as an art form and also collating memorabilia, family photos etc in a creative medium to leave to future generations. Something made by hand using tactile objects and not computor generated.<br />
Not that I have any objections to technology being used for art. The world has become so fast I have to wonder what I can leave to my family that will have meaning and share their heritage.<br />
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The largest of the books has a lovely worn leather cover with vintage lace covering the handbound spine. Quite heavy and about 3 inches thick.<br />
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Lovely old worn velvet, a big book also, faded elegance. One does wonder whose hands have fondled these old photo album covers.<br />
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I loved the embosed pattern and old faded blue covers, This was off a collectors book I just changed its purpose.<br />
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About half the size of the others but no less precious. I have collected these old photo albums over a period of time, mostly bought on ebay and at a considerable cost, but you get what you pay for. The most time consuming part of making these art books is selecting and collating a miriad of papers. I like to use only good quality papers, Rives BFK a french 300gsm watercolour paper for its flexibility and strength, easy to fold and just a gorgeous colour. I have also used printed papers that I have also collected over time, makes a difference and I try to colour co ordinate these.</div>
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The exhibition starts on Thursday this week and goes for two weeks. I will also be holding a workshop on the 28th June following the exhibition. The building the exhibition is being held is the old courthouse and jail still intact. I am looking forward to having a better look around tomorrow when we go to set up. The workshop is in what they call the Fodder room a purpose room designed for workshops, this is at the back of the garden square next to the building where we are exhibiting and there are a 4 or 5 artist in resident little shops where you can see the artists work and see them working, what a lovely concept. I am planning on being at the exhibition on the 2nd Saturday to discuss my art books and show the interiors that are not on display.</div>
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Long weekend this weekend I believe, fancy a run down to Busselton in the wonderful South West or come down the following weekend on Saturday morning would love to see you.</div>
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I am not doing any paintings for this exhibition, going with my first love and passion. Once I got started I found it just flowed. Where as with painting I am not so confident.</div>
Jackyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02275860095309949319noreply@blogger.com1