wild weeds too

After a post on this blog many years ago (well before Jasper was even thought of) called Wild weeds about the sweet Alyssum that grows wild in the sand dunes behind Emily bay, I had wanted to revisted with the camera to add Jasper to the story.

At a recent surf school held at Emily bay, Jasper had some time to walk around the dunes with me rather than be in the water with his Dad, brother and sister.

We wandered around the Chimney hill/ Salt house end rather than where the sweet Alyssum grows thickest and were treated to a different kind of weedy surprise.

I dont know the proper name for this plant as we have always called it pussy willow since childhood but it is more like a grass than a willow tree variety.

So unless corrected, I will continue to call it Pussy willow grass.

 

I love tickling the childrens faces and toes with these soft balls of fluff.

Weeds or not, they are just so pretty growing on the dunes.

Friday Favourite~ Pier

Here's is my Friday favourite photo to share with you.

 I'd love it if you'd share your Friday Favourite too, just add a link in the 'comments' below.

chalk art

After the surf school, we headed straight back to the village where there was a chalk art competition as part of The Community arts art iina wilaj (art in the park).

All 3 kids got stuck straight into their drawings. I did one too but didn't want to enter the competition.

Teddy won a $10 sweeties voucher but all the kids did an amazing job.

We are looking forward to this new event in the village become a regular event on the social calendar of Norfolk Island.

surf school at Emily bay

 

On the first day of summer, the Norfolk Island Boardriders association decided to hold a junior boardriders surf school expecting around 20 youngsters around 10 years of age to turn up.

What they didn't expect was the 60 plus kids from 5 years old to teens who all came wanting to learn or develop their board skills.

I have never seen Emily bay resembling Cronulla beach in numbers before. What a great turn out of new junior members of the association.

Norfolk Island always has plenty to offer and surfing and water sports are a great activity to be involved with as we are surrounded by water!

 My kids loved it. We hope they can hone their skills this summer so it wont be long before they can go out surfing with their Dad.

Art inna wilaj

My kids setting up their display outside The Olive

I love art and I love creativity.

Art in the park on Norfolk Island is loads of fun. The community arts society of Norfolk Island organise it most years but sometime are left wanting for a new park space.

Brianna and her Butterfly

I suggested bringing it to town to my favourite group of shops called 'the village'.
It is not that the contents of the shops are my favourites but rather the atmosphere and park like grassy verges lend themselves to art.

I tried to start some markets here years ago, but couldn't so now hold the Summer markets on the verandah at SOUL gallery.

I actually wanted Soul to be in the Village next door to the most popular coffee shop called The Olive, but that wasn't meant to be either.

BUT....The Community arts society agreed with me that it WAS a great place to hold art in the park, all the shop keepers agreed also so art in the park became art in the village which in the Norfolk Island language translates to art inna wilaj.



Teddy and Sienna with their 'rumble in the jungle' garden scene with jungle animals.

Rumble in the jungle is hands on, we hope kids who visit the Olive will play with it.

This year approximately 20 entries are scattered up and down the village street.

I must admit that ours are not our most thoughtful or artistic pieces work but since I suggested it, I knew that I had better come up with 'something'.

Sienna and Teddy being Fletcher and Mauatua. Artwork by Lexi.

Ladybug parade

Pencils with a difference

Alison donated some of her handmade tiles which unfortunately got cracked. We will be lucky to take one home at the end.

The Kelly family all contributed to this lurking octopus

Here is the link to my first art in the park on Norfolk Island



and here is the link to Mary's blog post about Art in the Park 2007 and also Art in the Park 2009

Looking back to 2007 I am sad that we lost all those wire creatures as well as the foot and handprints of our 'babies' as I left for a trip to Sydney and forgot to collect them at the end. They got thrown out  :(
oh well, what can you do but create some more!

Giving Thanks

 

This week Norfolk Island celebrated its traditional Thanksgiving.
Though this one wasn't as traditional as the past...more like starting new traditions.

Here we have much to be thankful for. Being bound by weather which also affects our crops, fishing and general well being, we can certainly be grateful for those good times at the moment.

I am grateful each and everyday, not just at thanksgiving, for my wonderful family.

I am grateful for many, many things and I feel that I am extremely lucky in my life.

This year I have been gifted an opportunity to return to preschool teaching in the coming years which I intend to embrace with all that I have. I am also grateful that I have spent every day with my nearly 3 year old son's life, we have hung out together with every job I have had. This will continue next year as he comes to preschool with me.
I have many other blessings, too many to be thankful for on one day, that is why I am grateful for being so lucky all year round ☺



In case you have missed other years, have a look at the links below.
Marys blog always gives a wonderful sample of life on Norfolk Island
Thanksgiving 2008
Thanksgiving 2007
Thanksgiving 2006

old Digby dog find a patch of dirt in the late afternoon sunshine to age gracefully in.

This year we return to Mary and Bernie's for something new and very special. As I said, it may be the start of new traditions.

The official blessing of Dar Nakamal blong Bernie built on a piece of their woodland at Devonhouse.

Wikipedia tells us

Nakamal

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

A small nakamal on Pentecost Island

A nakamal is a traditional meeting place inVanuatu. A nakamal is found in every significant rural Vanuatu community.
In north and central Vanuatu, the nakamal generally takes the form of a large building, assembled from traditional materials with the help of the entire community, under the direction of a particular chief. Entry to the nakamal is often restricted to men, and the building may be used as a sleeping and living area for unmarried men and boys and for male visitors to the village. Significantly, most nakamals lack a lockable door, indicating that all friendly visitors are welcome, although there may be a low barrier across the entrance to keep out animals.
In southern Vanuatu, a nakamal may be a large, sheltered outdoor space, such as under a banyan tree.
The nakamal may be used for meetings and ceremonies of various kinds, but its main function nowadays is as a place for the preparation and drinking of kava. In urban Vanuatu society the term nakamal is increasingly synonymous with "kava bar".
In New Caledonia nakamal are found throughout the island and also in the Loyalty Islands. They are generally identified by a red light outside the establishment. - when the light is turned on, the nakamal is open for business.

The blessing by Bishop Forsyth

Signs I quickly painted the day before. These were as rough as I allowed myself to paint them

 

Food coming out of the ground oven
 

This nakamal blong Bernie (belongs to Bernie) cleverly uses all natural timbers, palms and rocks found on Norfolk Island. It has been beautifully finished and is a wonderful addition to our multicultural south pacific island.

cutting sugar cane to chew

Sienna bringing the two 2 year olds up for dinner

Liam joins in to help

what a feast! this spread over 3 tables. No one does pot luck like Norfolk Island people.

the kids dining together

Around the nakamal & woodland

Teddy and Ashleigh dine together....but its not a date they assure me.

Our wonderful administrator and his wonderful wife sit inside the nakamal with the Bishop & his wife.

Kim made traffic light jelly...mmmmm

yum



As if we can't eat another thing...then there is the fully laden dessert table.

And a lolly scramble...one lollipop at a time ☺

The children all played really well together all day and night. It was magic.

I look forward to many family gatherings here in the future. I might even sit and play the ukulele next time instead of being a chicken and handing my spares over.

It was a fantastic celebration both of the nakamals blessing and of our own for Thanksgiving day.

I hope you are all as blessed as we are.
 

Friday challenge ~ 3 little piggies

Hello and so sorry for the lack of postings lately.

After 3 weeks in Hawaii then a further unexpected 2 week trip to Sydney has left me with hundreds of blog drafts (many of which are still in my head) yet nothing posted.

Then a good friend of mine here on Norfolk Island challenged me to link up with a Friday favourite photo. I gladly accept this challenge with reminders, you will see me more of my wonderful life appear on this blog.

Here lies another challenge though. I take thousands of photos each week, so how do I chose just one to post?
Well this weeks photo came from a tiny moment within a whole wonderful day that deserves its very own blog post. I guess that is what this challenge will do the most will be to generate a lot more posts each week from looking through my photos.
Though time challenged myself, I find it hard to say no to anything and I like to show you all how lucky I am to live on Norfolk Island.

So.....here is my Friday Favourite

This is the link to view my friends wonderful blog and her Friday favourites.
Norfolk Exposure

40 things about me

40 things about me

 

1. when I grow up, I never want to grow up.
 
2. A song I would write about my life? Sunshine and lollipops by Lesley Gore.
 
3. Favourite Cd's would be Marvin the Album by Frente followed by Aquarium by Aqua...what can I say, I like quirky.
 
4. Most romantic song ever 'With you' from the musical Pippin. Also Longer (John Bowles sang the version we played at our wedding 17 years ago).
 
5. I worked at Maccas, I think I started at the base wage which was $3.04 an hour. I still have my blue nylon 80's uniform and name tag too.
 
6. I did a manufacturing jewellery apprenticeship when I left school.
 
7. My favourite scents are Coconut, Vanilla, fresh Lemon blossom,  and honey.
 
8. I love the flower sweet alyssum growing in every nook and cranny for its sweet scent of rich honey.
 
9. Something I can watch over and over Anne of Green Gables and any Jane Austin, especially Pride and prejudice. (Ironically, these books are often found on my bedside table also).
 
10. What I listen to on my ipod. Glee.
11. Favourite show on TV GLEE followed closely by better homes and gardens (I used to LOVE watching Burke's Backyard, even as a teenager) I don't watch very much TV but like watching my kids as they watch funny shows, horrible histories is one of their favourites.
12. I dislike scary or violent movies, dislike messy toothpaste anywhere & people smacking chewing gum in my face.
13. I have been a vegetarian for about 15 years (why?) I am a sensitive soul, I love animals and also witnessed an unfortunate roasted rabbit coming out of the oven at a friends house when I was about 10, lets just say I never wanted to eat animals again.
14. My favourite family holiday destinations were 7 mile beach at Gerroa/Gerringong plus Hawaii and also Norfolk Island.
15. My first acting experience was in a few drama class plays then 'The Loudest Whisper' at Cronulla arts theatre at age 13.
16. I LOVE performing in Musicals. My first musical was Godspell with Miranda musical society at age 16. My favourite is Pippin which I have done 3 times. I met my husband Brandt while performing in Anything goes in 1991 and we were engaged a month later.
17. I love watching Musicals. As a child my favourites were always the Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire MGM musicals. I also liked Audrey Hepburn movies. Singing in the rain, Calamity Jane and 7 Brides for 7 brothers still remain my favourites.
18. I am happy with my clutter, I know it is out of control. I am always writing creative  lists and hate throwing out all my little bits of paper. I still have letters filed away in storage that were passed to me in class dating back from 1986 (they are in a very organised alphabetised folder that is bulging) Chances are if you ever wrote me letters, I have kept them.
19. I avoid housework, its the only way I fit everything else in my busy life in :)
20. I love being an Auntie 12 times over but wished I lived closer.
21. I would do anything for a friend in need.
22. I love taking off on a plane, but never sleep the night before I do.
23. Actually I don't sleep much anyway...too much to do, life is too short. hehehe so am I.
24. I am 5ft tall.
25. I am the youngest of 5 kids. I have an awesome family and love them all.
26. The numbers of my birthday day, month and year all add up to 9.
27. Bubbles is my poison of choice, I don't like wine, but enjoy an occasional port. Also a Baileys Milo is a much preferred choice on a cold night.
28. I had 2 childhood imaginary friends, one was called Rogger, he was a lumberjack and resembled Glenn Shorrock. The other when I was in kindergarten was called Angela Bumface, she was rude and was allowed to be naughty and swear. She was based on a naughty girl in year 6 called Angela.
29. My favourite colour is RAINBOWS!
30. what would I take to a desert island? my family and my camera (and Dora the explorer, she can solve any problem and get home from anywhere in the world with her amazing backpack).
31. I love freshly made ice cream, especially coconut or liquorice. But have had a brand new ice cream maker in the cupboard for 6 months without attempting it myself.
32. If I could change anything about my life it would definitely be living closer to my family and friends, that is all. Anything else that can be changed, I do.
33. And I would get a dog right now if the right one came along.
34. I sign my paintings as Cristina Rose as I was engaged when I began painting at age 19 so was in between last names. They are my first 2 given names
35. I love my name now, though as a kid I preferred Tina to avoid being called Chris or Christine. I changed my name constantly in year 1 to be simply Kim, then I got exotic and called my self Cristy plip plop, fruity brown Abba, leaf, Pineapple, fire engine etc and my family have NEVER let me forget it.  * note don't automatically put an 'H' in my name, you lose brownie points and I may revert back to one of my colourful names. My family just called me Zany Lyle. 
36. My last born son was born at the same hospital that both Brandt and I were born in except that it has been rebuilt now.
37. I am addicted to taking photos, I don't want to miss a moment of this great life!
38. I have always felt like I am the luckiest person alive!
39. What in life matters to me the most? Family.
40. One word that describes me.........BUBBLY.

 

 

 

 

turning 7

 

Sienna

How old are you? 6, nearly turning 7

What happens when you turn 7? I get a cake.

What will be different about you? I will be older and taller, even taller than Dad.

Is there anything you will be able to do better when you are 7? I will be able to write better and do my work better.

What can 7 year olds do? Ride a big bike with a bike stand and maybe get to school earlier.

What do you want to be when you grow up? A vet and an artist. When I am a teenager I want to be a babysitter.

What hobbies do you have? Singing and dressing up with makeup, pretending to be a vet, playing football, painting and craft.

What games do you like to play? Mini golf and ponopoly (monopoly)

What is on your birthday wishlist? A mother cat with 10 kittens, Lego friends, Olivias house and Mia and the vet.

Where is your favourite place on Norfolk Island? Mini golf.

What is your favourite breakfast? Weetbix & brown sugar

What is your favourite lunch? Salad sandwich

What is your favourite dinner? Spiral pasta with cheese and tomato sauce

What is your favourite dessert? Ice cream with chocolate on it and sprinkles

 

What type of Pet would you like? I already told you…A mother cat with 10 kittens.

What would you call them? Sweetie, belle, sharky, tiger, milly and molly.

 

 

Ozone Friendly

Brandt and my first 'baby' was a 5 week old bullmastif/Rhodesian ridgeback/ rottweiler cross puppy that was rejected by his mother.

He was born 20 years ago today.

Our little baby red rotty was supposed to be an outside builders dog, but he was sooo cute he soon became a bed buddy.
I am sorry that I don't have any puppy photos of him with us here on the island to share on this post.

6 months after we got engaged, Brandt had tragically lost his beloved dog BA. When he found out about this puppy he said yes straight away.
It didn't take long for him to become our big red rotty and he took up most of the bed!

Ozone became our full time companion, he went EVERYWHERE with us. I often drove around with him in my yellow VW bug and even took him to work with me.

We took him to Tasmania one Christmas, he came to Noosa for our honeymoon and many more trips.
He appeared at my Nana's place up the road for a cup of tea and toast every Tuesday and Thursday and the odd Saturdays. We loved him to bits!

On his 10th birthday 10 years ago, my preschool class had a doggy birthday for him with cake ,candles and dress ups.

Sadly he passed away 9 years ago while I was in hospital with my newborn baby Teddy.
I am so sad they never got to meet. My last moments spent with him while I was in labour, he was a good hugging partner through the night. Brandt and I are still heartbroken, we know we need another dog and we hope the right one will come along for our children to love and cherish soon.

I miss you Ozy, Thanks for being the best buddy to us for almost 11 years.