Wishing you friendship and joy for 2012

photograph by Candice Herne 2011

Handmade wrapping paper for Christmas

One of the highlights this year was helping Rhody with his wrapping paper project. He thoroughly enjoyed creating painterly printed paper in the studio and of course having Mummy's undivided attention. Not only did he enjoy making the paper. But he also had wonderful times at both the Montville Market and the Heavenly Harvest Market were he regularly sold his handmade wrapping paper. Rhody made friends with the Juice lady Sue at the Heavenly Harvest Market. You would find Rhody at every market busily making fabulous experimental Juices side by side with Sue.

At our local Montville market where it all started in the Young Entrepreneurs Corner Rhody made friends with the local children and contributed as a member of a community. He made sure he tipped the musician's, selected seedlings for the vegetable garden; played the hall Piano, made arts and crafts with his friends, worked on the school's stall, ate lots of barbeque breakfasts, pancakes and drank litres of fruit and ginger juice. He learnt how to Juggle, was interviewed by Alistair Mcleod for a Queensland TV show. And survived 6am starts in sometimes cyclonic weather (and I never heard a moan, I might add.) Yes! he loved it all! We always spent way more than we ever earned but we and he gained so much more from the experience than we could possibly have imagined. I am not sure what we may do next year. However when I asked Rhody if he wanted to do his wrapping paper again next year he said Yes without any hesitation. He is in year 2 next year, so if we go ahead I think I will introduce accounting into the process. That will be interesting. We always get lots of feedback from our loyal customers saying their friends loved the paper their present was wrapped in and most would say that they framed it. One person even used it as a table runner. Creative!

So I'll leave you here and wish you all very happy Holidays a safe and joyous festive season and see U in the new year. Candyxx

Rhody's Wrapping Paper goes to Market

Rhody with a bundle of his monotype printed wrapping paper

 Creative monotype Printmaking without a Press using paint made into wrapping paper handmade by Rhody

Rhody set up his stall and took this picture

 Rhody's friends came and supported him at his grand stall opening. Sales were very good on the opening day. There was a run of customers at one stage. I was standing back in absolute awe watching the children interact with each other and the customers. One was looking after the customers, another sorting change and another stocking the table with new rolls of wrapping paper. I consciously kept my distance. They new where I was if they needed help. It was so heart warming watching the children instantly take on roles and sorting it all out themselves, creating synergy and team work. The children are only 6 years old. I want to sincerely thank Judith Sinnamon the Montville Market Organiser, and all of the people that help put the Market together every month. Also thanks to Deb for the yummy savoury polenta pancakes and all the people who bought Rhody's paper. Rhody said he liked 'doing the money'. Rhody is not very clear about currency denominations. However with the help from the customers and his friends he is working it out. I supported and encouraged Rhody in this little project as I thought it was a fun way for him to fully engage and realise his creativity. And a practical way to build self awareness, inner confidence, organisation and communication skills.

Montville market is on the second Saturday of each month. Hope to see you there sometime. Candyxx

Installation at Bunya Dreaming Baroon Pocket Dam, Maleny

Bunya Dreaming-Love Letters to the Universe, Installation Baroon Pocket Dam Maleny, bark, coconut husk, grass and sticks, Candice Herne 2011

I was invited to the Bunya Dreaming by a friend who recieved a message stick. A message stick (commonly called letters) is a form of communication traditionally used by Indigenous Australians. It is usually a solid piece of wood, around 20–30cm in length, etched with angular lines and dots. Traditionally, message sticks were passed between different clans and language groups to establish information and transmit messages. They were often used to invite neighbouring groups to corroborees, set-fights and ball games.

The festival was held on the banks of Baroon Pocket dam in Maleny. The Bunya Dreaming is a chance to hear the stories, reflect on the connection of people to the land and have a bit of fun. For thousands of years, Aboriginal people used to come from far away to gather at Baroon Pocket from December to March. These gatherings were a celebration of Aboriginal culture with politics, sports, justice, dissemination of information, marital arrangements and other social activities taking place. The Bunya tree was so special to the people that there were laws that precluded people harming it in any way. The festival shows that the tree is more than just an icon, it generates understanding of Aboriginal culture, provides a forum for networking and information sharing, and strengthens community partnerships.  Beverley Hand, Bunya Dreaming Coordinator

I had such a fantastic time! Thankyou!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Bunya Dreaming, Baroon Pocket Dam, Maleny 2011

 showing 2 installations made on the banks

Rhody helped Kim and Christine from Art4place  make their Eagle

It's time to grow up

I don't want to miss a damn thing

It's been a very busy week, my eldest Rhody finished prep yesterday and begins year one next year. The photograph on the left was taken in 2004 of Rod my husband holding Rhody at 2 weeks old and the photograph on the right was taken on Rhody's 6th Birthday this year November 2010. We all know how fast life motors by, however I have really felt it even more since having children. I am sure it is even going to go faster now I have children at school. I tend to live my life like I am on a time limit, like something could happen at any moment to stop my clock. I like this as it continually challenges and pushes me to experience and do things, that are way out of my comfort zone.  So you could say most of the time I am scared. Most of the time these challenges are not big things, however very small.

I quietly turned 40 this year. And to be honest it has been the first time that I have really felt my age. Things are starting to head south, my body is changing shape and I can't get away with eating what I used to without consequences. So since settling into our new home I have had to commit to changing my whole lifestyle. Step by step, I have to change. For my own health, and my families. Nothing that a good therapist can't fix.Carry on shopping. till next week Candyxx

When a 5 year old has the camera

OK from Mt Isa we went spent 2 nights in Emerald where we stayed at my friend Gaye's Place. Gaye was my bride's maid when I got married. We grew up together on the Beach's of North Queensland. It was so good to catch up! We then headed towards Hervey Bay stopping off at Longreach to visit the Qantas (aeroplane) Museum. Rhody took all these pictures along the way. Next going to see Grandpa, Hervey Bay.

photography by Rhody Nash (5)

World Views

we were driving in the car towards a round-a-bout when Rhody Nash (5) says:

the world is like a round-a-bout

photograph by Candice Herne 2009

Big Questions from Little People

My son Rhody and I were walking when he said, Mummy do you tell wishes? What do you mean, I said. Tell people wishes, he said. Oh, I said. I thought about this for a little while. Then I said, Yes then  you may get what you wish for. Later that evening, after dinner, I said, what do you wish for Rhody? He said, for Santa to bring me all the presents.I laughed inside, glad he is still only 5.

Tonight before bed, Rhody and I were snuggling and he said, "you know Mummy, the caravan is like a pouch. My heart sang! We are currently camping in the Flinders Ranges and their are alot of Kangaroos and their Joey's (baby Kangaroos, who live in their Mother's Pouch) free ranging around the camping area.

Lunch Date on the Murray River

Rhody and I had a lunch date at Echuca

We dined on the decks of the EmmyLou a Paddle Steamer, cruising down the Murray River

The trees on this part of the Murray are noticeably struggling

The boiler/power man, he keeps the fire burning, to boil the water to create steam to turn the pistons, that keeps the paddle steamer moving

dreams can come true



Autumn is beauty

Tasmania and Rhody and Suki in a Victorian Yarra Valley vineyards

Tasmania and our Yarra Valley Cousins, Jackson, Gemma the dog Lauchlan and Matilda

Benny the dog,  raking autumn leaves and a Yarra Valley Vineyard

Tasmania

Drawing, what was the best part of your day?

by Rhody 5

our daily evening question over dinner, what was the best part of your day?

Rhody 5 is in Prep and I am home schooling, him. Part of his lesson's is to write what was the best part of his day and draw a picture of it.

I hope everyone had a nice Easter break. We spent Easter camping at Arthur Lake in the Highlands north of Hobart. It was very cold most days, we were thankful for the fire and hot water bottles. We befriended 2 Tasmanian families camping for the long weekend. Rhody and their children spent 4 days exploring and playing hard. It was a welcome break and social time for us, as they gave us the best of Tasmanian hospitality.

Everybody has a story to tell

Kay Henderson with Scallywag, Lakes Entrance 2010, photograph by Candice Herne

The relationship between Rhody, my son and Kay Henderson started at the gate of the garden that surrounded her caravan park shack. Our caravan backed on to her garden fence. Kay showed Rhody around her garden and told him all about her plants. A mutual love for gardens, slugs and worms developed over the two days that we stayed in the park and Rhody and Kay became best friends; pottering away in the garden, talking turkey.

I took so much delight over those days watching Rhody interact with this elderly lady; so interested, curious, and caring. It was magical to see such a bond ignite.

“I could have spent the next month with him.” Kay said. “You don’t want to leave him here?”

I don’t think she was joking.

Kay Henderson has lived in or near Lakes Entrance all her life. A mother of five children and 19 grand and great-grand children, Kay has lived in caravan for the past three years.
“I have another house,” she says.
“Do you rent it out?” I ask.
“No,” she said. “I also have a mobile home which is parked at a friends place. We are planning to travel.”
As she talks Kay sorts through brochures, booklets and flyers of tourist information she thinks I might need while visiting Victoria.

Kay shares her caravan palace with a gentleman, Spot and two dogs Scally Wag and Lady. When I first met Spot I asked if this was his wife’s or Mother’s home. I couldn’t clearly tell if he was related to Kay in some way, as he appears to be considerably younger than her. Spot was once a Truck driver – it was the many large photographs of trucks in the home that triggered my curiosity, so I asked about them. He said he drove years ago and loved it. As the conversation flowed, I quizzed Kay about their relationship and she answered amusingly that they were still trying to work that one out.
“We look after each other when we are ill,” she said. “Spot has had a few heart attacks and now starts his day with the dogs taking him for a walk down the beach.”
That’s all she said.
It still left me wondering. However later down the track when I got out my camera to take some pictures Spot commented that he might give her a little cuddle. May be she is a cougar after all?

Kay breeds tiger slugs and has a worm farm in her living room.
She proudly showed us her tiger slug collection of five years. She pats them adoringly and tells me they eat the snails that eat the orchids.
“Do you have orchids?” I ask.
“No,” she says. “Just the tiger slugs.”
Her passion for wildlife doesn’t end there. On one side of the house she has bird feeders, which the local pink and grey galahs seem to visit en-masse regularly. She says she can just about tame any animal; although she hasn’t yet been able to tame a Tasmanian Devil. I smile and nod. She tells me stories about the once baby lizards under her house that are now quite big and how she has trained them.

“I’ve been feeding them snails and now when they want more food they put out empty snail shells for me.”

Kay shows me around her garden, sprouting out all the names like she is on a Gardening Australia quiz show.

“You know my friends and I raised $70,000 for the RSPCA to build a cattery here in Lakes Entrance. And we still haven’t got a cattery and we don’t know where the money is. I potted plants and sold them one of my friends complains that the plant I sold her didn’t grow. She even put blood and bone on it.” I smile and nod.

She fondly recalls the time her son rode his bike to school only to stop on the way to pick up a turtle with a cracked shell. She asks, “Do you know the best way to fix a Turtle’s cracked shell?”
“No not yet, please tell me”, I say.
“Fill the crack with tacky candle wax. Then the shell can grow back together.” – (I know nothing about veterinary science, so please speak to your vet before you try this one at home!)
She said that it happened quite a bit and she ended up having a pond full of turtles with waxy cracks.

At the end of two days our brief encounter was over and it was time to go and put ourselves out in the world for another adventure to find us. Spot and Kay were quite sad that we were leaving and often said how much they were going to miss Rhody.

As a Mother I wish for my children to have special bonds with people who are as interested in life and the living as Kay is; someone who is not bothered by children’s enquiring minds, hundreds of questions, and cheeky hands and fingers wanting to touch everything; someone who is gentle, patient and firm and who understands they are vulnerable little souls eager to explore the world around them. That’s my wish as a mother.

Now I know why people paint landscapes

We took the chair lift up to the top of Thredbo slopes today, to do a 6km walk to Mt Koscioszko, Lookout. Hopefully I will be able to spell Koscioszko after these posts. I've spelt it different everytime I have typed it. After a few tantrums the children finally relaxed and enjoyed the walk up. The landscape of these mountains is so beautiful I wish I could capture just how stunning it really is. Streams, and wildflowers everywhere. Their are 24 different species of plants that are not found anywhere in the world. I could imagine this would be a landscape gardeners paradise very inspiring, the landscape itself has many mini landscapes in itself perfect for the back garden. Large rocks and boulders with flowering ground covers squeezed into the perfect spaces. The ground covers species must be abundant their is so many beautiful varieties. And the bonus a patch of snow to play in. This is the first time the children have seen snow, very exciting. I'm loving the snowy Mountains. I want to paint fields of wildflowers.
p.s. Rod wants me to let everyone know that the first photo is by him and it is copywrited, ha!

Have I told you how much I love you?

Rhody, 5 Christmas Day 2009, wearing Suki's Sunny's

We had a very quite and cool Christmas 15 degrees and rain. Santa found his way up to the Snowy Mountains, Mt Kosciusko, Australia. It was a very pleasant change from the sweltering heat of 40 degrees of Queensland. I can't remember a time when we cooked Roast turkey with all the trimmings. Rod the Head Chef (he used to be a Chef as well), cooked our Turkey Breast and Vegetables in a camp oven on the barbeque, straight on the flame. It was delicious. The children loved their Santa gifts. However Rhody was most disappointed not to be able to test out his Amazing! Fly Gun, as it rained all day. Rod says, "Where do the flies go when it rains?" good title for a book.

There was lots of snuggles through out the day, listening to the rain, singing songs and making up silly words to our favourite ABC kids music. Reading our new Christmas book, Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French. A lovely tale about a cheeky Wombat called Mothball.

Rhody mentioned it was the best Christmas ever and followed with "have I told you, how much I love you?" "No", I said. Rhody then said, "I love you as big as the universe with a pipe through it, love to love"

Now that's big Love!

What's the worst thing about your day?

Last night during Rhody's bedtime routine of book and snuggles, I asked him, 'what was the best part of his day?'.

He said, 'being with you and Daddy'.

He asked me what was mine and I said,' flying the kite on the beach'.

Their was silence and snuggles for a little while.................. and then Rhody asked, 'what was the worst thing about your day'?

I thought about it for awhile and said, 'hmmmm I don't know'. I asked him back, 'what was yours'? he said , 'hmmm I don't know'. He then asked me again, 'what was the worst thing about your day'? 'I had a great day', I said.

'The worst thing about my day was not swimming at the beach, it was too cold', Rhody said.

I found this little conversation very interesting and a wonderful insight into how my little man's brain thinks. It also occured to me, how we create meanings for words by our experiences and feelings.

The perfect cup of tea

Tea maker: Excuse Me Sir's. 'Would you like a cup of tea?'

Sir's: Yes please

Tea maker: Well check it on here (a folder, paper and pen)

Sir's working away on computer
5 or so minutes pass..........................................

Tea maker: Your tea is ready Sir's, please check here, (tick the last tea entry), I boiled the kettle, and even used a tea cloth to move it.

Sir's: conscious now and alerted by the thought of boiling kettle and 4 year old moving it, but did not show any sign of panic. Does it have milk?

Tea Maker: yes, come and get it

Sir's: ecstatic at the thought, and her heart is overflowing with joy and wonder for the tea maker, Could this be real?

Sir's: walks to the kitchen and sees a coffee cup sitting relaxed, and muddy with a dainty string flopping down the side, what a wonderful taste.

Thinking of Sandra

Kinetic sculpture by Rhody Nash (4) Connect Power to the house

Rhody made this yesterday. It kept on falling down and he persistantly kept putting it back together. Until finally he was exhausted and said Mum just hold this. I obliged ( always the apprentice). It fell down a few more times. Hold it Mum, Hold it.

I asked, What is this called Rhody? I don't know, he said.
Well stand back and have a look? How did you feel when making it?
Rhody said, power up. I took some photo's, he came over and said "perfect pair" Again I asked, what is it called then? Rhody said "Connect power to the house"

This little bit of play made me think of my friend, Kinetic Sculptor Sandra Landolt who had to go home to Switzerland. She is just about to become a mother. I think I will email her tonight to see how she is.

We can not achieve anything alone

Morning Inspiration. The following is what happened this morning.

Rhody (4): Mummy come and have a look at this. Close your eyes. Da Daaa! A "Colourful Cubby House" I made it! Daddy helped a little bit.

Rhody (4) with a little help from Daddy

Very Special Gifts

Check out these very special gifts Aunty Julia my sister gave to Rhody my son.

Gift 1

Gift 2

The Farmer, his sheep and his cow

by Rhody Nash (4)

I was so proud of my little man today. He made these collage's, all by himself out of scrap bits of felt and cardboard.