Bunny in the Backyard

This little darling turned up in the backyard while I was hanging out the washing . S/he was very cute and very fast. I tried to catch it with grass and tomatoes but there was too much fresh food around to be distracted by my vain attempts. I presume it belongs to a neighbour nearby so I hope it finds its way back home safely.

I just buried a young King parrot that had run foul of a neighbour's Moggy. I try not to put too much food on the birdfeeder because the big Cockatoos spread it everywhere (they are such mucky eaters) and the smaller parrots forage on the ground below - perfect prey for a big fat ginger Tom. Whenever said feline is spotted in the garden a volley of clothespegs, applecores and the odd shoe greets it. One of these days it might get the idea that it is not welcome at our place - especially with its unsocial habits.

On the knitting fron (yes there is one) a lot of progress has been made with various WIPs but the most fun has been had with this pattern. The Bainbridge Scarf. Quick, stylish, economical and a perfect gift for patient teachers of hyperactive lads.
It has enabled me to use up the single skein stash of Eki Riva Baby Cashmere, the Mi Inca Baby Alpaca and the Rooster Almerino DK, all lovely soft yarns. There will probably be a few more on the way.


There has also been a 10th birthday celebrated at Teppanyaki in Double Bay - this is starting to become a bit of a tradition - with the requisite bursts of flame and omelette acrobatics.

Ironfest

Ironfest is always fun. We went late this year - just managed to squeeze in on the last few hours of the three days it ran. Despite this it was well worth it.

The Battle of Lithgow started just as we arrived so we braved the gale force gusts of wind to see the British and the French forces fight it out with cannons and muskets. I think the French force was vastly outnumbered but they fought bravely - right to the last soldier. There was an courageous (one might say foolhardy?) challenge by a French/Maori contingent in the form of a Haka. It was swiftly dealt with by the English but much appreciated by the audience.

Inside, out of the squalls, there was belly dancing, market stalls and art displays. The lad bought an Anvilchick while I made do with a skein of Alpaca from a farm in Little Hartley and a Dichroic Glass pendant from a Glass Artist in Wentworth Falls.


Sadly the weather stopped the Jousting as the horses were spooked by all the wind gusts but I was assured that next year an international contingent of Jousters would feature with combatants from all over the globe.

Driving home we travelled behind the storms as they progressed eastward to the coast. It made a spectacular sight with the clouds banked up above Victoria Pass and the rain falling in huge sheets.
The next day it was cold enough for snow to fall in Blackheath and Bathurst - and for me to realise that quite a jumpers had to be pulled out of the WIP pile in time for winter.

Those Who Forget History Are Doomed to Repeat It

I missed Anzac Day at our park this year - a shame because I find the ceremony very moving and poignant, especially the small local gatherings which have strong connections to the names on the memorial stone.

As I was driving to work that day I listened to Philip Adams talking with author, Peter Ewer and 93 yr old veteran Frank Cox, about a group of Anzacs that I, and probably a lot of other people, never knew existed.

The Forgotten Anzacs were Australian and New Zealand troops that fought in the Second World War under the umbrella of the "Anzac Spirit", in another battle that proved disastrous for the soldiers involved and which reinforces my low opinion of the British Military Command of the time.

"The campaign in Greece turned out to have uncanny parallels to the original Gallipoli operation: both were inspired by Winston Churchill, both were badly planned by British military leaders, and both ended in defeat and evacuation. British bungling at Gallipoli was one thing; but in Greece, Churchill authorised his commanders to leave the Anzacs to their fate if their rescue compromised wider British interests.

Just as Gallipoli provided military academies the world over with lessons in how not to conduct a complex feat of arms, Churchill’s Greek adventure reinforced fundamental lessons in modern warfare — heavy tanks could not be stopped by men armed with rifles, and Stuka dive-bombers would not be deflected by promises of air support from London that were never honoured."

Frank Cox was one of those soldiers and spent 3 yrs as a prisoner of war after he and thousands of other troops were left on the island to fend for themselves. Despite his very advanced age he tells his story with a clarity and sureness of memory that I envy.

The Late Night Live episode is still available on line and is well worth a listen.

Bmos

Here is Bmos, one of the Ensemble of performers in Moving Target - a wonderful, loud, physical collaberation with Malthouse Theatre that's just finished in the Studio. It wasn't a difficult show for me - I had an hour between Cue 1 and cue 2, - but the 6 actors were really worked hard. Lots of running and lifting and bashing against walls.

"The children's game of hide and seek has rarely been so physical, rough, exhausting and repetitive. The improvisational skills and breakneck intensity of Moving Target make for a wildly unpredictable, strangely unsettling experience." Bryce Hallett, SMH

The plywood box set was designed to take the punishment and accentuate the sound and movement but it had a few worried managers fussing around it, concerned about Risk Management. That's ironic because part of the underlying themes, which were many and complex, was the modern obsession with risk and potential threats and "Being Alert".

Bmos is the sibling of Amos who unfortunately didn't last the season - he was regularly thrown across the stage and had pillows stuffed over him.
I loved the action of this play - the lights and sound matched the physical intensity and the first half, though seemingly unintelligible, had me laughing every time.

In this production I saw some great lighting with LED washes (intense, quick colour) and discovered M83 Car Terror. Played LOUD it makes the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, playing a nice bit of Strauss in the Concert Hall, ring up and complain.
Noisy bloody neighbours!

The Birds are Back in Town.

I know Cockatoos are engaging creatures - they can charm the birdseed right out of your hand - but like a bunch of unruly teenagers once you invite them into your home they put their feet up on the furniture and start trashing the place. We were warned several times of their bad habits but had to learn the hard way. We were a bit late in putting out the food so they gave the newly built hand rail a good chew - just to teach us a lesson.

Consequently they have been banished back to the bird feeder and if more than 4 congregate they get sent off. This gives the King Parrots and Crimson Rosellas a chance and they've been showing their appreciation by paying us a closer visit.


It could be they are also admiring all the wonderful work on the new verandah. This handsome King Parrot checked out the post, the steps and the cane chair one afternoon and invied a mate along for a stickybeak as well.



There has been much wonderful work been done on The Back Steps as shown by the before and after shots - in best Backyard Blitz style.
The strange outward opening door from the kitchen has finally been blocked off (much better for the Feng Shui apparently) and the steps have been moved to the verandah. A spot of paint here and there and the transformation is complete - provided the Cockies don't come calling.

My Beautiful Bag

This is my wonderful bag created for me by Trudi of Knitting and Chocolate fame. It was part of a Ravelry swap mentioned earlier and I was so swept up with trying to create the best bag for my Swapee that the fact that I was going to get one almost slipped my mind. That made getting a big brown box in the mail all the better - especially when it cried 'Exterminate' as I placed it on the counter. I knew I was in for a treat!

The bag itself is felted and wonderfully lined with a heap of useful pockets. The lovely scroll work, inspired by a medieval post I had made early, flows into the sturdy handles which are also lined. Note the little green LED torch on the right side! The bag is big enough to take tools, notebook, diary, ipod and knitting, and I've already been using it daily. I don't lose my little coin purse so often now because it has a dedicated storage soace.

But wait! There's more!
A talking Dalek Chocolate Easter Egg, Merino et Soi yarn, chocolate Bilbies, a book and stitch markers. One spoilt knitter I am.

The egg has been eaten but its voice box is destined for this knitted Dalek pattern - maybe for next year's Easter Show?

Inspired to Dye

This is the result of a brief experimentation with some kettle dying I did a few nights ago. The yarn was from Virgina Farm Woolworks and I originally bought it to try out colouring with Kool_Aid in a microwave. The resulting mix of Yellow, Red and Purple was pretty average and the whole process of Glad wrapping and zapping I found to be fiddly and messy.

The gorgeous colour is from a deep enamel pot mix of Landscape Kingfisher left on the stove on a rolling simmer - a few rinses later and this rich hue resulted. I had heard that Kingfisher is a difficult colour to make fast so I made sure all the dye was exhausted before taking the yarn out.

I think there may be more skeins heading for this pot and the lad wants to tie-dye a few t-shirts while I'm there!

Looking at the Chooks

The next best thing about the Easter Show besides the Craft are the animals.

We were rained out of the Woodchopping so we sought shelter in the Poultry Shed. That's where I met this beautiful breed of Chook known as Laced Wyandottes. I didn't think a hen could look this pretty.

Some of the more exotic poultry breeds with poofy hairdos and strange protuberance were a bit too much but these fat colourful girls caught my eye.

There was also sheep shearing for the kids, both machine and hand,



three little piggies and a few more,


corn,





cows and








gentle fairground rides (as different from the ear-splitting, in-your-face carny kingdom at the other end of the Show.

Going to the Show

We went to the Easter Show yesterday. We bought our tickets from the Post Office a few days before, checked out online which show bags to buy and took all our own food and drink. It still cost us over $100 for the day which is why it's not an annual event.

My main aim was the Craft section to see how Captain Underpants was faring in his Creative Knitting category - as I expected he didn't win any ribbons but he did stand out among the nice Cardigans and Sweaters.





As is traditional we went to the CWA for Scones and Tea, bought some of their preserves (no Plum Jam left but I did get some Quince Jelly) and then checked out the baking and cake decorations.




The displays were mouth-watering, entertaining and magical.








I'm still at a loss as to the criteria and standards for judging - among the knitted categories they seem to be a well-kept secret known only to those who have been initiated but that won't stop me from trying again next year. Subtlely subversive is my motto.

Bliss

The garden is coming inside - the traditional built-in sunroom of our fibro cottage has been replaced by an open verandaha that brings air and light into the rooms it once enclosed.

The process has been gradual as work commitments and weather allow but the difference is wonderful. A fence has yet to be put up but in the meantime I enjoy the uninterrupted view through the doors and down the garden.

I've mostly been an observer of all the hard work that's gone into this process but I appreciate the skill and commitment that has broken down the barrier between inside and outside space.


While all the hard labour was going on the background I tried to gain some leeway on the Bag Swap I entered in Ravelry. As I don't really trust my sewing skills I've been making a test lining out of calico to make sure it will fit. The postal deadline is only a week away but I don't want to rush this project.

The past two weeks busy-ness has finally slowed down but it seems to have taken its toll on my brain. I knitted a full 6 inches of a new project only to find that I was making a mobius strip. You'd think that 5mm needles and bulky wool would make a twist in circular knitting obvious but I did it twice. I do like this soy/wool mix rich colours of this yarn but the Hourglass Sweater and the Moda Vera Mousse is having a little respite until I get my brain back.

Perhaps a few hours sitting amongst the greenery will help achieve this.

The 306K

This is the favourite of my many Singer sewing machines - it is in full working order and has just finished seaming up the lounge curtains.

It's not a pretty machine and it has obviously seen a lot of action in its working life. All the shiny enamel has been worn away and the timber veneer is paper thin but the motor purrs like a kitten and the shuttle action is smooth as silk.

The action of this machine is so simple and straightforward that I think it would easily match the output of a modern counterpart. It brings to mind the comparison audiophiles make between the warmth of analog valve amplifiers and the clinical sound of modern digital equipment.

This lovely machine reminds me of the big old Steam Engines of my youth and it has a similar warm smell of oil and metal once it gets into its stride. I can't remember exactly where I got this robust workhorse but it came with some valuable additions - lots of strange and wonderful attachments and full set of Bakelite stitch templates.

I've not had an opportunity to use the Ruffler, the Foot Hemmer, the Multi-Slotted Binder, the Edge Stitcher or the Shirrer but it's nice to know they're there if I ever require them.

Captain Underpants

This is what is keeping me occupied when I'm not doing mad hours at work. The deadline for delivery to the Sydney Royal Easter Show is the end of this week and Captain Underpants Mark 11 is still missing a goofy smile and a red cape.

If I had bothered to read the entry form several months ago I would have noticed the category I applied for was "Creative Knitting: of Original Design". Captain Underpants Mark 1 did not fulfill this criteria because it was someone else's pattern. I could have entered him into the "Soft Toys; class 202" section but this was several pages on, past the "Slipcast Ceramics" and "Mosaics" sections. Bleedin' obvious.

Nil Desperandum as they say, so rather than forfeit my $10.00 entry fee I set to and made my own Original Design. The body is knitted flat with a back seam and the limbs are a combination of i-cord and Double Knitting. Some parts are not as neat as I would like but as I'm not planning on winning any prizes with this fellow I'll let it stand. His entry is a mild protest against the clowns and toilet roll cover dolls that seem to make up the vast majority of knitting at the Easter Show.

One of these days the permitted entries may be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st Century and ipod covers and funky handbags will be allowed to see the light.

Big

Big Bird;

This is what greets us in the morning with a big sqawking complain if we don't put some seed out quick enough

Big Mushroom;

A big patch of Horse Mushrooms growing in the front garden because of all the recent rain - large but tasteless.

Big Boats:

The QE2 crosses paths with the Queen Victoria this afternoon so we all stop work to check it out..

Big Day:

Another 0700 til 2300 working day. Put in the Ornette Coleman Quintet, then take it out.

Amazing Jazz but a tiring day.

Big Mistake:

Got a new wireless router because the old one died (probably a lightning strike) and then forget to put on a password - wondered why all my Data Allowance got sucked up so no blogging until I got it back.
Live and learn.

Love and other bruises

Happy Valentines day - without the hype and pink hearts. I only realised what day it was when I saw a van selling roses parked on the M4. Anyone stopping on the freeway with B-Double's speeding past at 110k must be desperate.

This is Romeo and Juliet from the Shakespeare Place sculpture opposite the Mitchell Library. It's an island also surrounded by roads or "an isolated wasteland between on and off ramps of the Cahill Expressway." Nicely put. It is an interesting monument to explore if you are willing to negotiate the traffic.

Yesterday was an historic occasion that has been recorded and written about in many media - I watched Kevin Rudd's historic speech and applauded his Government's prompt resolution of an outstanding wrong.


Yesterday was also the 30th anniversary of the Hilton Bombing.

February 13th, 1978; I was on a bus travelling to work in a Sandwich bar in the CBD. I didn't understand the enormity of the event at the time - it just meant that I got to work late because my bus was held up. I had been in the city for 2 weeks and was heading back to Dunedin the following week to finish my final year at Otago Varsity. Coming to Sydney was a good way to make a bit of money to fund that year and to experience life in the big city.

Several years later I worked as a Guide for the Opera House (among many jobs I've held in this place) with Rosamund Dallow-Smith. I didn't know then that she had been on the street at the time and had narrowly missed being injured herself. I also didn't know that "it was the Hilton Hotel bombing that finally led to the formation of the Australian Federal Police on October 19, 1979."

The cause of the bombing was never satisfactorily resolved and resulted in the arrest and subsequent acquittal of several members of the Ananda Marga sect - an easy target.

"There was a lot of rumour and innuendo going around at the time we were on the scene. The strongest being that ASIO had stuffed up. It was common comment around at the time that ASIO had in fact planted the device and planned to find it for whatever purpose, but the garbage men were early that morning. " Keith Burley

Today I was very pleased to read; "a new plaque will be unveiled in Sydney's George Street today at the site of a bomb blast outside the Hilton Hotel 30 years ago that marked Australia's entry into the age of terrorism" or the age of Conspiracy.