Contributions

Although this blog was started so that the Goldie and BrisVegas fam damily could keep up with Pop, it has spread a little wider to some very dedicated and supportive readers. One of those is Millie. Now as we all know, Millie is avidly interested in everying! She very kindly sent these photos through this morning of her daughter Katie's block and has also allowed them to be uploaded. I attach her email...

Morning
I know you lika look orn a photo so I se attach a few I tek yesterday … ‘Lake Walden’ is the pond at Harpers Road (dars thing we se name et. The Rose apple tree is at Harpers Road … plenty, plenty stories from a sullun about dar Rose Apple tree …. Our new weir over at ‘Ida’s Back Valley’ (dars thing KT se name dar back paddock) ….. Poppa tulla me we orta put a trout in dar weir en haw a Trout Fishing trips…. KT could start a River cruises commencen from dar bridge ‘Daun Da Worta’ moosa down to Cockpit.
Oh the goode fo see all dem worta abaut … I know how soon we gwena be complainen ‘how dry’ J


This photo is Lake Walden. Millie asked if I wanted a photo of her swimming in it, but I graciously declined. There are no words.......




Check this out! Doesn't it look fantastic. I want an invite to a summer soiree! Tea lights and little cakes.

This is the Roseapple tree that Millie is referring to. Lord only knows what she means. If anyone has stories, please let me or Millie know.

It's raining, it's pouring, I wish I was snoring...

The rain bucketed down with gay abandon, soaking through all layers and drumming on the roof. Kingston looked magnificent as I drove to work but my camera was sitting high and dry on my desk, so this afternoon I decided to do a little camera scouting for the blog. Hetieh.

This above and the next three photos were taken from the road leading to Munna's, looking up the valley towards the dam. Already much of the water has drained away since this morning, but you can still get a pretty good idea. I have to say that although I just loved, sloshing around in the mud and slush, my new boots didn't like it that much.



These are of the creek running into Emily Bay. Unfortunately it was raining again, and the shots not only look blurred, but you can't really see the power behind the water as it gushed down the channels.



Love this one. Again on the bridge leading to Munna's and looking toward Government House. As you can see the pinetree has it's little feeties in the water. Don't think it will like that very much.

This was taken from the entrance to the Legislative Assembly. It doesn't really show the extent of the water, but to do that I would have to go inside, get the key, walk out into the rain, unlock the main building, walk upstairs, take photo....you get the drift. I took it from the entrance! Again. Not blurry. It's raining.

This is the creek from the Flagstaff turn of, running towards Kingston. I am really kicking myself that I didn't have my camera this morning.

Looking across the common towards Emily Bay from up on the driveway.

The convict bridge down on the road at the Flagstaff turnoff. The water, although lessened, is still flying through. The ducks and geese are having a fantastic time.


Looking towards Wentworth's Cottage at the Lions Club. Again it doesn't really clearly show the extent of the water, but it's still a fine shot.

Now these were taken on Bounty Street or Bligh Street or whatever they call it, the one leading to Slaughter. This morning the road was totally underwater. Shall I whinge again that I didn't have my camera?

Anyway people, it gives you some idea of the water that's been blessing us of late. Oh have to tell you a tale about Dad. I have picked him up for lunch and we were around Burnt Pine outside the Orb when a man and two ladies walked past. One of the women was saying "..Have you seen Kingston? I've never seen rain like this on Norfolk..". Dad, sitting in the car said, "Wael Brad, den yu naewa bin ya lornga naf!"
Excellent!

Mugs, Mugs, Mugs

Hah. I am certainly NOT talking about the photo!

Linda Chips has been waiting an age for me to get some photos of my paintings to her, to check out how they would look on mugs. Naturally, it's taken some time. Probably two years!!! Anyway, Cristina Rose had some of her seascapes put onto mugs and they look great! That moved me. Lou called in to Soul on Sunday and took a photo of the long frangipani canvas and voila!

Linda called in this afternoon with a mug. Isn't it fabulous. I am so, so happy. I think it looks great and the two lovely ladies in the photo agreed. Sharyn is smiling like an idiot because she knows that everything these days is viewed on whether or not it is "blog worthy". This is certainly blog worthy. It is wonderful. I am delighted. God is in his heaven and all's well with the world. Huge ta's Linda. It looks fabulous.

Please. Have a closer look. After much consultation (among the three of us, each of which knows everything) we've decided to add "Gaye Evans Norfolk Island" to the painting in a colour that will match and complement. Linda is onto this as I write. Wats daa thing? Watch this space!

On the warpath re paint

Last Saturday at Soul it rained all day and it was so grey and miserable I decided to walk across the road and check out how Soul looked. It looked as grey and miserable as I felt as it had been pouring for two or three days. Imagine my surprise when I saw in one of the gutters, bright blue paint.

Now in my opinion for paint to be so bright and blue in three days of rain, it must be pretty strong. In that case, why is it emptying straight into the street, to wash downhill to the dam and eventually into Emily Bay. Not happy jan

I've been advised that paint brushes were being rinsed!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE OLIVE .. Hip Hip Hooray

Wow! Naomi has been here a whole year. She's been running the Olive a whole year. Absolutely EVERYONE knows her. It's as if she's been here forever. Now, one wonders, is that a good thing or does that mean.......

Hey well done Naomi. Here she is with a fresh batch of florentines, just out of the oven. One of them was rude enough to say that my timing is perfect. No, not one of the florentines, one of the three Olivettes. They're ~ yes, the florentines ~ are just ready for presentation on the counter and I turn up. Hah. That my friends, is a talent!

A photo of Sharyn and Naomi both trying desperately to look angelic. S'not woikin goils!

Porch Swing

When Sheree and Ian left Norfolk they gave Dad an beautiful wooden porch swing, with green canvas cover. It has been under the trees in the front of Dad's house, since they went to Brisbane

Right here, under a large avocado tree, and among the palms and other native plants. Check out the front post. It's whalebone. Half of the lower jawbone, cut in half from the late 1950's when Norfolk Island housed a whaling station.

Maybe two car lengths away from the front verandah, but close enough to see what's going on along Collins Head Road, and who's turning into 'Lorilea'

That is, until the other day when he must have thought that it's time to move it. So when we visited at lunchtime. He's somehow dragged it ~ and it's darned heavy ~ along to the front steps near the verandah. There he was, sitting in the sunshine, looking very pleased with himself. Es true you Dad.

I'm a klutz

Evidently to look at the comments, all you have to do is click on "COMMENTS" at the bottom on the post! Did you know that? No, I didn't either. This new technology is a wonderful thing. Ef uni ai noe wathen fe duu!

I owe, I owe, it's off to work I go......

Like the rhyme and rythmn of the song of the Seven Little Dwarfs, I too went to work this morning, and then off to training this afternoon.

Here we all are, mental activity at peak, dextrous fingers itching to burn rubber, waiting impatiently to work out the why's and wherefore's of what and when.

When suddenly the peace was shattered by a visit from the Royal Australian Air Force. Absolutely huge Hercules came taxi-ing down the runway. I didn't have the presence of mind to take a photo then, but I was lucky enough to take these three as it was taxi-ing out again.

As you can see, it's absolutely massive.

I remembered that Duane had flown out the day he was born. A medical crew had flown in from Cambodia and just before landing at Richmond, had received instructions to fly on to Norfolk Island to transit a new born Babe to Children's Hospital, Camperdown. He was five weeks premature and so tiny his head could fit into a teacup and his father's wedding ring could be worn as a bracelet. If they could see him now!

Ef Uni, Ef Uni....

Please please somebody help me! I would PAY money for someone to show me how to make the comments VISIBLE. They are worth their weight in gold. Particularly the one asking whether I received written authorisation to enter God's Country to take photos of Henny's Lake!

Henny's Lake

After my attempts at watercolours, I'm now going to move on and paint some amazing watercolour skies over Henny's Lake. Alma informs me that only those from Cascade can truly paint her beauty. It's something about it being in the skin. Now. Let us pause. Who lives in Cascade? hahahahahahahahahahahahah

I'll have to check which picture is the bestest. I myself am from Ball Bay, so naturally there's no way I would be able to discern such a thing.

Boeth luk d siem tu mii. Gat eni defrenz. Kaina luk simes wan padl.

It's a lazy afternoon, and I know a place that's quiet...

...cept for daisies running riot, and the gentle cod keeps moving upstream.......as we dream... An old poem by Rod McKuen which says everything about a lazy Sunday on Norfolk. Beautiful sunshine, beautiful earth, beautiful sky, beautiful people. I just love it.

Here's a pic of John and Chester. As you can see, they are very busy people.

Dad sits in quiet contemplation, enjoying the pure Norfolk Island sunshine and wondering when the cup of coffee might arrive and whether it will be accompanied by a biscuit

Chester wants to show us his ferocious teeth so John's helping him to do so.

Chester then says to John "You are a poor and pitiful creature, but I will tolerate you"

...and during it all, Rozzie works and works and works like Rindercella.

Chelsea's telling fibbers

Chelsea just left a comment saying that Sarah's photos have made her want to naawi. What a fib! She was recently home for at least three weeks en naewa gu naawi wanz. Caught out Chel. Those little untrue tales will surely trip us up! Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we manage to deceive. What did you think of Meses Giet en Meses Renols. What naughty letl stopouts anieh.

August must be the month for Visiting

The other evening when lying in my trunkle bed, all prepared to watch Better Homes and Gardens on Teev, I heard an almighty ruccus outside. Large vehicles, loud noices, unimaginable chaos. Yep. Messes Gate and Messes Reynolds!

Now you might think that Maree isn't actually looking the best that you've ever seen her

and Karenne is definately up to some kind of mischief

The simple truth is, that after ordering Butterscotch Blitz and Bailey's, the two of them forgot to go home. These photos were taken at 2.50 am when, after hours and hours of my pleading for them to go home, the two of them finally decided that they had homes to go to!!!

Visiting Artist and watercolour sessions

Whilst working at Soul last week a gentleman on a pushbike called in for a chat. Turns out, he paints in oils, acrylics and anything else that comes along, and has brought watercolours with him as they're more portable. Bob Ashe is visiting Norfolk again, with his wife Kaye so being one to strike while the iron is hot, I invited him to Flagstaff to try and show me some points. I've tried watercolour but it doesn't love me very much.

Bob sitting in the dining room, watching as I make a huge mess.

Here you may be able to see his paintings behind him on the window sill. An amazing painting of the huge Morton Bay Figs out near Norfolk Blue.

An exercise using different effects, and Philip Island being used as my muse. Again. Huge thanks to Bob for his patience. Hopefully I'll be uploading some stunning watercolours in the future. (Don't hold your breath though).

Visiting the Puppies

During the last week, the baby Mishka decided that it would be a good idea to call down to Ball Bay and visit Mother Dakota. It was actually fantastic to see the two of them meet again, and the delight they had in each other.

The humans were really soppy but all round, it was a great visit.

Honey called over from next door and visited also.

Mikel sat on the step to keep an eye on things as sometimes they can get just a little too boisterous. Puppy training school is ongoing and Sarah is coming along nicely.

Sharing is caring kiddies