favourite fruit

yipppeeee, feijoa's are in at Coles, not advertising for Coles, but, they do get these delicious little fruits and you have to be quick as after a couple of days they are not worth buying, they go brown in the middle.  Be quick.  I thought I better take my photo before I ate them all, $1.49 each,  enjoy......

A week in New Norcia

The back view of St Gertrudes the former boarding school for girls where we stayed.  Most of us slept on the first floor.  The width of this building on the first floor is like an H at the ends are some rooms and the bathroom, then going all along the middle is two lots of dormitory's with the balcony overlooking the chapel and more dormitory across the end.  Along the front is a covered in veranda with a single line of dormitory and at the back is open veranda with iron lace.

this is my little cubby hole for the week, after I moved beds the first night when I woke up with a bull ant crawling on my cheek, don't know how the little blighter got up to the first floor but I wasn't sharing a bed with him, very lucky he didn't bite me, probably thought I was too tough!!!!

 This is the view looking down the central dorm, there is someone in the big hall where you go into the upstairs balcony of the chapel.

 Looking out from the window in one of the dorm windows below which ran along the front of the building.  Curtains to give you some privacy.

                         Not such a good photo of the chapel as it was quite dark at the time.

 This is the beautiful building where we had our meals, some of us in the photography group explored all over this building taking photo's.  This was the former boys boarding school.

 This little baby was attacked by magpies and damaged his wing, took opportunity of photographing him before Shayne took him to the vet, isn't he so cute.

 this is the very top floor of St Gertrude's the middle is divided into 3 long rooms, 1 a dormitory, but through the door was this below, not so scary in black and white, but there was cobwebs.  A couple of the girls slept up here, brave souls.  Was great for photographs though.

I had such a great time and learnt so much about photography.  New Norcia is a great place for a retreat and they will be back next year.  If you are interested go onto their website to see the great artists they are bringing to Perth. http://fibrearts.jigsy.com/ I am also putting up the photo's I took on my photography blog look here http://jackysphotographs.blogspot.com.au/ if you are interested.  I will post some  photo's of some of the beautiful work done in the other workshops next.

Anzac day in Perth

As the sun set in the West, Let silent contemplation be your offering 

At just after 4 I jumped in the van and drove to Kings Park, mistakenly thinking that most people would have gone home for the public holiday.  hmmmn, wrong, there where still hundreds of people enjoying the balmy day and paying their respects to those who fought for a better world for us all.  I knew I would get some good shots as the sun went down and I wasn't let down.  I would have stayed longer as the light was so wonderful and I was enjoying taking photo's but, I put a chicken in the oven before I left and it was now 5.30, had to get home quick.  Well chicken was slightly done, but still tasted good.  Oh I had to take some of the fabulous boab tree, several years ago this was trucked down from up North, as you can see it has survived and is thriving.  Not the best angle but the only one where it stood out on its own.
We do not forget.....

ANZAC

 

  we will remember them.  Mum back row on right, munitions factory in Petone.

workshop Fibre Forum

Sunday I drive up to New Norcia, about one and half hour away, enrolments start at 2.  I am taking some handmade journals to sell on the trading day.  These ones I made last weekend.

And of course, being this hugely organised person, I decided to make another three this morning, it might have had something to do with the fact I should be doing housework, hmmm, big choice!!!!
Two of the journals, I have made the covers and cut the plain pages up, only requires sewing in the signatures.  The other one requires more painting etc.  I am always doing this, leaving things to the last minute and then becoming inspired to do more, I work better under pressure.
I will try and keep in touch while I am in New Norcia and share with you the awesome photo's I am going to learn to take.

Enjoy your weekend

Jacky

Easter

Happy Easter

this easter I have made my own easter gifts for some special friends, doing this I created something with my own hands, and provided a quality chocolate egg, Lindt my favourite.

Here is how these where made, quick and easy, very vintage and eco friendly................

Materials cellophane bags, cut up egg carton (grey one), thinly cut old text paper, ribbon, a pretty card and a luscious easter egg

Put them in the cello bag in following order, cut egg carton, thinly sliced old text paper separated and scrunched in your hand, drop easter egg on top.  Thread ribbon through pretty card (Paddy you might recognise this), wrap ribbon twice around cello bag then tie in a pretty bow, wella a pretty little easter gift for a special friend....

another idea is to use half an grey egg carton, I cut the lid off you could leave it on and have it sitting up on top.  Add shredded text paper and a snip of old lace.  How simple is this.  I was inspired by the Jeanne d'Arc magazine where i get a lot of my decorating ideas.  See my Artistic Journey blog for details on purchasing this magazine Artistic Journey
Have a wonderful Easter break, if you are travelling, be safe......

Jacky

warehouse wars

Recently we have had a massive hardware outlet opened in Perth, going in opposition to Bunnings.  Masters is part owned by Woolworths and Lowes an American company.  John and I decided to check it out on Saturday, hardware shops are John's idea of heaven, needless to say I don't share the idea, but hey, he comes to the places I want to go to, so fairs fair.  We where very impressed, very neatly laid out, lots of information, easy to follow.  How do they compare to Bunnings, well it will be a long time coming wake up call for them, all the things Masters has prioritised i.e. neatly laid out, easy to follow, plenty of info, staff waiting in every area to assist you, you should have done a long time ago Bunnings.  One thing that really amused me, before I knew of Masters coming to Perth, Bunnings never had air-conditioning in our local warehouse, been there for how many years! sweltered in there in summer, and hello, air-conditioning installed this summer.  I know where I will go by choice.  The gardening section which was so well laid out was inspirational, not only plants but everything to do with gardens.  The home appliances also well laid out, staff very informative on the products.  We have been thinking of replacing our vacuum cleaner, a Dyson, that we have had for years.  The Dyson area was well laid out again, and lots of information and friendly knowledgeable staff.  My evaluation of Masters, I would go back for a vacuum cleaner and some of the garden products but! I would support my local nursery for plants and fertilisers.  A cafe at Masters, would be a good option, as it is so huge, we wandered for a couple of hours before hunger overcome us and we left to go get lunch at a Nursery.

Masters even had this gorgeous Dulux dog, he is enormous, photo doesn't really show how big he is, and so friendly, didn't mind posing for his photo, in the background you can see how clean, light and well laid out Masters is.

I took this photo the other day of this flying insect dragging a bug across the pathway, it was going flat tack.  I have noticed it flying around the area where we keep our bins.  I think it belongs to the wasp family, will send photo to the agriculture dept, I have seen notices asking to report any sightings of European wasps, it may be one of them, it is quite big, about 4 or 5 cms long.

bye for now

Jacky

PS Update from the department of Agriculture

Spider Wasps are very active wasps whose only prey are spiders. The females hunt spiders which they paralyse and transport to burrows. Most species dig their own burrows with some species using existing wasp burrows. There are also species which specialise in stealing prey from other spider wasps. An egg is laid on or near the spider and the developing larva feeds on the spider until it pupates.