Southern Cross Creations

An Australian Woman's Journal
about life in remote, rural
Far North Queensland

Saturday,17 May 2003

In April Cameron celebrated his 30th birthday, playing drums with Red Rover and enjoying a special performance by Razi and her bellydancers friends. Click on Cameron's photo to open a new window and see more party pix.
Weather changes keep taking us by surprise. Friday morning the rain gauge contained 44.5mm (almost 2")! Very welcome indeed. No rain or clouds last night to obscure the beautiful full moon. The temperature dropped to 10 C. We sipped coffee this morning next to our first fire of the season.

You may notice my new menu item (on the left) called Memories. The first piece, Pickin' Cotton, is based on a childhood memory which I confirmed with my brother Bob and Aunt Edith who also provided the family photo. Picking cotton is back-breaking work and doesn't make for pleasant memories. This story describes a time before vast amounts of human labour gave way to mechanical labour in the California farm fields. A time when children were valued for their contributions. A time that has faded, like an old photograph.

15 May 2003

The Wet Season is past and we begin preparations for work on part of our roof. The Shed will become our temporary living space once work gets underway. You can see our rainwater tank behind the Shed in the photo.What a chore to clear the Shed of its jumbled what-not! But that's almost done. Fitting ourselves into the Shed's small space may be tricky. We've moved in the drumcarder and the computer desk. That gives you a clue about our priorities!

Those nearby grevillea blossoms attract a variety of birds - rainbow lorikeets, noisy friar birds, blue-faced honey eaters, rosellas - as well as possums and sugar gliders.

We noticed a Little Red Flying Fox licking nectar there recently, a very unusual sight. That grevillea tree leans into a cedar tree and we think the flying fox spent the day roosting in the cedar's upper branches. About dusk he clambered down for a quick snack of grevillea nectar before flying off to engage in more serious foraging. If you click on the bat image, you will open a new window to visit the Tolga Bat Rescue and Research Inc for more information on flying foxes.

Jerry and I have lived on our property for 13 years, the longest time either of us has lived in one place. Moving to the Shed provides the perfect opportunity to deal with accumulated clutter. If I don't write very often in the next month or so, it will be because I'm immersed in more sorting, packing, moving, looking for something I've packed away, or maybe I'm busy holding the ladder.

Fibrecrafters met last week at Ann's home, thanks to her generous offer during a spell of wind and misty weather. She had a fire going and a ready kettle for tea and coffee. Everyone puzzled over a strange, regular sound outdoors until Ann explained it was the neighbour's device for scaring birds from his orchard of custard apples. Laughter ensued and relief washed over new arrivals convinced their car had developed a worrisome new noise.

Shelley and her daughter investigated the digital camera and practised by taking photos of the broomstick crocheted shawl below which Shelley made using her handspun, 100% mohair yarn produced from one of Betty Davis' Torino Stud fleeces.

Marilyn showed us her sample of Nuno Felt. The fibres are felted onto a backing of fine fabric, cotton in this sample, which becomes crinkled during the process. The detail inset below shows this effect where the cotton backing is folded to the front.

When I last saw Fred the Frilled Lizard (a couple of weeks ago), he watched me from a nearby tree trunk as I loaded up the washing machine. You might notice the water tap on the tree trunk below him, for size comparison.

Another hawkmoth came visiting and his colours continue to delight me.

The hawk moth's colour, texture and curving lines in this close-up suggest a tapestry.