Ladies Night

This term the Anglican Church organized the combined women's event, with the theme of 'Stories' and how God works through all situations. Exmouth Christian Fellowship hosted the evening, as the Anglican Church doesn't have a church building (yet).

All of the Anglican ladies brought something to share for supper that had personal significance to them- I brought pecan pie. I remember the big, shady, tall pecan trees that grow everywhere in Texas- picking up two likely looking ones and cracking them together, picking out the 'meat' and choosing more.

December so Far

Carols by Starlight in Exmouth last weekend...




And some Christmas baking and decorating. The caravan is a bit cramped for projects like this, so I am not sure I'll do it again until we get the house in January!




The cookies had to be small to fit into the mugs we were giving the staff for Christmas. I think the stars are my favorites- I've decided they are brittle sea stars.


I had to decorate this cookie with toothpicks! So I only made one for each person on staff... at least they recognized what they were.

Thanksgiving

Dave and I celebrated Thanksgiving with the 17-30 Bible Study (the study for people aged 17-30). Everyone brought something, and we did some readings and sharing in-between parts of the meal. Some friends opened up their home for us, and very kindly let us use their new, spacious outdoor setting. Thanks!

The recipe for pecan pie came from my Dad's "Joy of Cooking" cookbook. He gave it to me before I moved to Australia- it has been worth the weight of bringing it over!

I also made pumpkin pies. We had cole slaw, corn on the cob, bread rolls, stuffing, turkey roasts, and even more stuff I can't remember.

I haven't cooked a whole turkey before, and I wasn't about to try! The turkey roasts turned out beautifully.

Here's the twelve of us (minus me, as I was trying to get the photo) enjoying the dinner.

I like Saturdays

Saturdays are good mornings for me, very peaceful. Since Dave has Sundays and Mondays off, Saturday is a 'work' day for me, too.

It starts with a trip into town to do laundry. Since we live on a fish farm near the ocean, we have heaps of salt water but have to generate our own fresh water (reverse osmosis, aka the desalinator). But not enough fresh water to do laundry.

I pop the laundry into the machines. This week it was three loads, we didn't get home from our travels until Monday. Most weeks it is four or five loads.

Then I wander down to "The Shed," or "Mrs. Mac's." The only op shop in town. Most clothes for $1. Since I teach art, I get a lot of my clothes there! (And I have found some great bargains as well). Mrs. McCloud was there today. She's the town treasure. Next to visit is the library, the post office, and then back to the laundromat to put the laundry in the dryers.

While I am waiting for the laundry to dry, I do a bit of shopping, and get something to drink while I read my library book in the laundromat. I usually see lots of people I know, and during tourist season I meet many new people.

I fold all my laundry fresh out of the dryer, bring it home, and put it away. Folded piles of clean laundry is a pleasant sight, folding doesn't feel boring but peaceful and purposeful. Who would have thought?

So beginning to end it is just two and a half hours, and I end up with clean folded laundry, new library books, op shop treasures, some groceries, and a definite sense of accomplishment.

Trip to Perth

Before Matt & Kat's wedding. In Sue's dress, in Evelyn's pearls. My new shoes, though (which you can't see).

Myself, and Amy and Christine.

Dave, at King's Park, before the wedding reception. He looks good in his suit!

Dave and our new nephew James. Aren't they both adorable?

James and myself. He had the angry eyebrows that morning.

Three Weddings and a Baby

In a week and a half we're making the trip down to Perth. Another fourteen hours in the car, but worth it for what's awaiting us in Perth...

three weddings we are eager to attend (one of which I'm a bridesmaid for)...
hens nights and bucks nights...
and a baby. Our little nephew. He isn't born yet but we'll meet him soon.

I've been working on a gift for one of these events.

It is something I've never tried before.

I'm not going to post the whole thing, as the gift hasn't yet been given. Just snippets to show what I am excited about.

Have you figured out what it is yet?

Have you guessed who it might be for?

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Bronson and Mi-kyung Visit

Curious fish.

Bronson and Mi-kyung at Oyster Stacks.


Mi-Kyung and Bronson enjoyed sea kayaking off of Pebble Beach. This isn't necessarily how you are supposed to kayak.

Our visit to the gorges on Charles Knife Road. Mi-kyung is 'saving' me from falling!

We like having a camera that takes good movement shots. It means a lot of jumping up and down, though. Careful inspection will show that someone, who shall remain nameless, was edited out of the photo- mainly because she was at the gorilla-esque stage of about to jump... knees bent, hands down by knees, shoulders hunched...

More jumping.

Bronson and Mi-kyung.

Yarn, Yarn, and some thread

This weekend I struck art teacher gold- for $27 I wound up with four crates of yarn in various textures, colours, and thicknesses. There were even a few knitting and crocheting needles tucked here and there. Some I saved for myself- I am hoping to knit hot water bottle covers for Dave's grandma to sell at the craft stall at her church. I reckon hot water bottle covers will be easier than the fiddly lacy sticky tissue box covers I tried to make last time! The rest are being donated to the classroom. Yay!

A Whale of a Tail

Its a hard job but someone has to do it!

Last week I met Dave and the rest of the staff at the Marina. They had been fishing for cobia and picked me up at the boat ramp.
They hadn't seen many cobia. They caught a few fish.

But the whales were putting on a bit of a show.

They were having a good look at us.

We were looking at them!

A nice way to spend an afternoon...

it is all part of a day's work!

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY( Sunday 13th September)...

Outside my window... is a sunshiny day. I've spent the afternoon enjoying lunch outside with friends.

I am thinking... of school tomorrow. I will be relief teaching in a year 1 class.

I am thankful for... the ladies in the church who have such a variety of talents and personalities. We are preparing for a progressive dinner with the other two churches in Exmouth- the Catholic Church and the Community Church. ECC is hosting the pre-dinner nibblies, then our Anglican church has the mains, and the Catholic church has dessert. The theme is "The way, the truth, and the life" and ties in with the Jesus, All About Life media campaign.

From the kitchen... Summer Berry Tart! It turned out quite well. I made it for lunch today. The oven is still undercooking things- but I am getting better at it!

I am wearing... A dusky rose coloured singlet with beads around the neckline and denim capris. This morning I woke up and announced to my husband that I was going to wear a summery dress- and I did, for church, and got lots of complements.

I am going... bike riding with my hubby this afternoon.

I am reading... not much at the moment.

I am hoping... for many things.

I am hearing... the wind whistling constantly around the farm.

Around the house... is a stimpson's python, again. I haven't seen it today, though.

A few plans for the rest of the week: teaching! It is week 9 of term, so we will be wrapping up the art projects we have been working on.

Snorkelling with Meredith

Snorkelling at South Mandu, Exmouth, with Meredith.

Me!

Me and Meredith!

Meredith!

(I'm wondering why I didn't post any pictures of the fish?)

Meredith and I whale watching in Albany. Meredith has some great photos from the cruise.

Gnomesville!

Far off the beaten path, somewhere in country WA, there is a roundabout. And just behind that roundabout....

Gnomesville.
Thousands of gnomes. Puns of gnomes. Quotes of gnomes.

Collections of gnomes.

Definitely random. Loved it!

Meredith's Trip: Possums, Ngili Cave, Fremantle

Possums (3 in this photo) entertaining us in Busselton.

Ngili Cave.

Ngili Cave.


Fremantle Prison Tunnel Tour gear. Highly recommended- the tour was great fun!

View of Fremantle from the Round House.