Another Country Diary
After a while these diary entries, go to the
archive.
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28 November '05 |
 Moths,
butterflies grasshoppers, midges, bush flies, blow flies - the air is
full of them. Not all as pretty as this one. It reminds me of the design
of Navajo rugs.
Maybe I'll have it made up as a
tie
(it's ok, that's a joke. I'm a T-shirt man). In the process of looking
up those links I learnt about
Pendelton blankets. Still being
made. I like
Google. |
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26 November '05 |
 Grey
rainy days, and the roses in the house next door glow in the view from
my bedroom window. I can almost forgive the metal fence. |
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25 November '05 |
 In
our second issue of the
Regional Food
magazine we mentioned that there were a lot of changes since we'd closed
the copy for press (we were tight for money and couldn't really justify
the updates). We suggested that everyone check the online version of
the Guide as usual as that is where we can correct errors and keep
information updated. One of those errors I regret is that we said The
Old Stone House B&B had closed. when it hadn't. Owners Geof and Caroline
Banbury were closed when I called to check (twice) but only because they
were taking a holiday.
I also listened to local gossip lamenting "What a shame that we are
losing our best B&B's with Toni and Miles and closing
Elmslea Homestead
and now The Old Stone House". The mistake embarrassed me of course
and I immediately tried to minimise what damage that might cause to the
Banbury's. I printed a few hundred errata slips and put them in as many
copies as I could in the region's newsagents. We printed apologies in
the Braidwood and Bungendore papers, put up notices and immediately put
a
correction online on our website.
What made the closing seem true was that when we went to all the
websites for B&Bs, the website link for The Old Stone House wasn't
online. I looked up the latest B&B book and the website link was printed
there (and in the edition before) but no website.
Along with apologising personally to Geoff and Caroline, the website was
something I could immediately offer. So I built them a simple website
based on their brochure and some photographs I took, and offered to host
it for free on our Regional Food web server. Now when people click on
the links online or enter it from the brochure and business cards were it has
been mentioned for years, they'll find it.
Have a look. The building, gardens and interior are very beautiful.
And tell your friends who are coming to stay that it's a fabulous place.
 We
also updated the web Guide with details of Bardy's, the cafe run
by Marg and Rod in the old rural fire brigade shed. This conversion into artists studios, gallery and cafe
by potter Rick Beviss and jeweller Simon Fairweather, is a lovely addition to the town.
 There
is a small outside deck for catching some early or late season sun...
 ...
and full length glass doors to open when it's hot.
 You
can see Rick's pottery studio through large windows that give him some
privacy and cut the noise, but still let you watch as he works, and
allow him
to check out visitors.
 His
business partner Simon Fairweather (left) as well as being an artist,
jeweller, gold and silversmith is an Olympic archer.
I'm sure it's not just me becoming aware of it, but Bungendore's best
artists seem to be cutting through the town's reputation as being a place
of not so good craft shops and 'weekend tourist' galleries. If you look at
the Bungendore Info list, with additions like Xanthe Gay's X- Gallery
and the new Bungendore Fine Art gallery there's some real quality in a
sea of tacky gift shops.
Simon was making great necklace and bracelet designs using these small
silver ants, intricate and modern with the animism from Nature as a
plus. He'll have some on display soon at Bardy's so visit and have a
look.
And one or two of Rod's coffees. They're good too. |
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23 November '05 |
 On
the way to Gundaroo there is this sign and an honesty box beside some
bags of sheep poo. |
 While
driving copies of the magazine around I went back out to Brindabella
Hills to leave copies with Faye and Roger Harris. If there's a favourite
view in the ACT, the one from their winery is mine. |
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22 November '05 |
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 You'll
have noticed that it's hay cutting time. There's grass chopped flat in
rows in paddocks all around. Timing has been a bit tricky because of the pattern
of showers. A few dry days are needed before baling.
 The
old square bales are a novelty now and I keep meaning to photograph
some before they're all gone. Maybe next year will be too late. |
 John
and Moya (Shortis
and Simpson) invited us to their new Christmas show The Three
Scrooges (with Peter J Casey). I've been trying to take photographs
for them of each new performance in exchange for our invites. It seems
to work and I've realised that the result is a whole lot better when I
attend the rehearsals and can walk around changing angles,
 even
getting them to repeat something that's good.
Musically I thought this one was great, one of their best. Jan was
feeling low having a hard time at work and I suggested she come to the
rehearsal with me after work. She felt a lot better and and cheered up,
so thank you John, Moya and Peter.
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19 November '05 |
 Still
there's fabulous clouds and reasons to stop while driving. |
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17 November '05 |
 The
late afternoon sun has been backlighting the pots on the well in our
yard. I took some photographs last night and when I looked at them
onscreen I noticed that
they were all out of focus. I'd been swapping my computer working
spectacles with my outside world ones and had set the eyepiece wrong.
I've been running on manual focus
 because
the automatic is playing up and I can't afford to get it fixed. It all
looked so pretty that I took them again next day.
I
like my back yard. And it's all so green! |
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13 November '05 |
 The
rain has softened the landscape with lots of grass and filled the dams,
it's looking very bucolic rural. I drove out Mill Post Lane and looking
back at Bungendore and the heavily watered Canturf paddocks just blended
in instead of being a small round green oasis. |
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5 November '05 |
 Today
I drove early to Sydney and coming up to our only Bungendore roundabout,
against a black sky, the sign and blossom were hit by some watery early
sunshine. I then bolted for the city and spent all day glad that I'd
stopped for just a few minutes to appreciate it.
Life can get so rushed that beautiful things sometimes have to grab you
by the throat (or eyes) and smack you awake. Morning Fred (wack!).
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4 November '05 |
Driving along the highway to Sydney and back, I've watched as this pine
plantation outside Bowral was stripped and chipped. In the middle of it
was a hill with some gum trees perched on top, and they were left by the
machines. I
drove past it a few days thinking how absurd it looked then one day,
with fast moving clouds casting
 large shadows I finally
stopped and took some photographs. No tricks here, just lighting by God
in a playful mood.
She, he, it does that a lot.
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2 November '05 |
 These
aliens in clouds of dust are removing the asbestos sheet verandah roof on the
Bungendore Police station. There were layers that seemed to go back to
wood shingles and the posts were rotting as well. Roped off like a crime
scene, it took a few days but
there are now new posts and a lighter roof which looks smart on one of
the town's best historic buildings.
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Fred
Harden
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