Celebrating family & friends................

This has been a week celebrating the achievements of family & friends. I was delighted to receive a phone call from my friend Marea who with her husband Chris is enjoying a “grey gap year” adventure travelling around Australia. Marea was calling from the warmth & sunshine of Broome in WA where she was watching the sunset over the beach!! You can read more of their adventures on their blog.

On Saturday I attended my friend Robyn’s 60^th birthday party. The invitation invited guests to wear fur & riding boots! Now I don’t own riding boots but I did delve deep into my wardrobe to rediscover a fur jacket from my youth. A few hours in the sun and some minor repairs and it was ready to go partying..................

While fur may not politically correct these days, I’d forgotten how luxuriously warm a fur jacket can be on a cold evening. There were a range of fur coats, jackets & collars on show at the party. However the birthday girl left fur and riding boots to the guests - she looked fabulously glamorous in a Grace Kelly style black taffeta & lace dress. It was a great party - a wonderful celebration of family & friendships.

My rabbit fur jacket - circa 1970!

On Sunday it was off to visit my Sydney based sister, Bernadette, and hear more about the upcoming outback flying adventure she and her partner, Vasant, are planning. Recently Bernadette told their story on Radio National’s Life Matters program. It’s an inspiring story - you can hear it here.

I also enjoyed dinner with my lovely Sydney based nieces & their partners and heard all their latest news – fun, work, conferences, and of course babies.................

I’m back home in the Hunter enjoying the good crisp country air and getting on with my creative endeavours and home decorating projects. Until the next patch, K ......................

Sunshine at Long Last..............

We have enjoyed a weekend of glorious winter sunshine after weeks of heavy rain, severe winds & flooding. The Hunter & Paterson Rivers which run through the lower Hunter Valley are swollen with dirty brown water, causing some low level flooding. After attending the local Farmers Market on Saturday I did a spot of flood water sightseeing!

While out and about on Saturday we came upon Closebourne House in Morpeth. Having grown up in the area I know Closebourne House well but was unaware of its history. In 1821 Lieutenant Edward Close, founder of Morpeth, built this beautiful Georgian home & chapel out of locally quarried sandstone. He named his grand home - Closebourne House. From 1848 to 1912 the residence was home to the various Anglican Bishops of Newcastle. Still standing today the house is one of the oldest in mainland Australia.

Closebourne House, circa 1821

The Morpeth area and its surrounding town & villages are rich in history. A long time home to our indigenous people, the first Europeans in the area were a party lead by Lt Col. Paterson who undertook an exploration of the Hunter River in 1801. Paterson named the area Green Hills. In 1821 the land was granted to Lt Edward Close, a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, as a reward for service as Engineer of Public Works at Newcastle. He commenced building Closebourne House and set about establishing a private town which around 1834 took the name Morpeth, originally the name of a town near Newcastle in England. I have a long association with the area as my fathers family has lived in the area since around the mid 1850's.

Thats enough of the history lesson! I'm off to the 2011 Sydney Quilt Show on Wednesday - am looking forward to the delights this annual exhibition always offers. More of the arts & crafts in the next blog! Until then - enjoy the sunshine where ever you are, K..................

Update from the Hunter.....

Hello again – I know it’s been a while between posts but there have been a few “hick-ups” getting connected to broadband in my new location (as ever the wheels at the telecommunication companies move slowly!).

Since my last post I’ve relocated from Sydney to the NSW Hunter Valley. It has been an exciting & exhausting time – packing up (the truly exhausting part....); the big move day on May 2; unpacking and settling into my lovely new home. All boxes are now unpacked, furniture & accessories are still being moved around but are quietly finding their “place” in their new home.

The last of the boxes waiting to be unpacked!

Lemoyne Star quilt - machine pieced & hand quilted in 2005

While I spent my early life in this area I haven’t lived here for many years, so I’m enjoying exploring and getting to know the local area again. The area has a rich history dating back to the early days of white settlement which began in Australia in 1788. Last weekend I visited the Dungog Film Festival. Dungog is a small town nestled in a pretty valley in the lower Hunter and has been home to the Film Festival since its establishment 5 years ago. The Festival was established to celebrate Australian films and increase the appreciation of Australian screen culture and heritage. It is growing in popularity every year.....



Dungog's main street

Its winter here & one thing I had forgotten was how cold this area can be in winter - looks like a good excuse to go shopping for some more winter whollies!!
Until the next post, K .................