To Stanley and Back

Yesterday was one of the days when my husband needed to be in Stanley to take a communion service in the little church there. It is always such an encouragement to meet with this little group of worshippers and then to fellowship together over a shared meal after the service.

We left home in sunshine but as we turned up the street the skies were black and before long the highway was unable to be seen! The poor windscreen wipers just couldn't cope. At one stage we even began to aqua-plane, something I had never experienced with my exceedingly careful driver husband ... it just goes to prove that everyone must take care on the roads. Fortunately we arrived safely and, almost unbelievably, in sunshine. The sun stayed around for most of the five hours we were there but as we turned back onto the highway to come home the cloud increased and the sky darkened considerably.

After the service and the meal we spent some time taking photographs ... a shared hobby.

Stanley Wharf

I liked this perspective of the wharf 

Stanley has an old cemetery situated under The Nut

This family grave-site reminded me of the  Communion service we had just had  - it is only by the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary by which we can be cleansed of our sin. I have been saved by His grace and for that I am thankful.

The Nut at Stanley is a famous Tasmanian landmark

What a gentle face

We called into Rocky Cape and even though it was so dark and overcast, the beautiful colours of the coast were still evident

The lighthouse at Table Cape where the daffodils continue to bloom long after the cottages of past lighthouse keeper's have disappeared 

Bulbs are a tangible reminder of the need to die in order to have new life. Praise God that He made the way clear for those who place their hope and trust in Him to have His new life. I hope that you, dear reader, have that joyous knowledge too.

The Wonders of Technology

I have been participating in Camera House's Photo Friday Competition [with no result other than the encouragement of other participants], as well as regularly contributing to, and learning from, CH's Facebook Forum. From there I have been introduced to Helicon where I have learned how to frame my photos, as well as Picasa where I have learned to Collage.

I printed 4 photos late one evening this week at Kmart to see how the framed photos came up and I was more than pleased. They will give added dimension to the cards I make for missions. As someone said on the Forum this week ... I am addicted :-)

It is incredible what one can do in this free programme, but I think I will do the 30 day trial of their more upgraded one after my holidays.

Further examples, not yet printed off are:

The beauty of the Table Cape tulips

Cold, misty winter day

Waratah Falls on a rainy, cold Saturday [3 degrees C]

I am really thrilled with what I can now do.
Yesterday I was advised about collaging on Picasa. I had previously known about it when we did a little bit of experimenting with the students at school [about 8 years ago] but I had forgotten all about it. I made a couple of very quick collages and I will be able to make our family Christmas card/letter so much more interesting this year.

Scenes from Lake Rowallan

Collage in Picasa; border and text in Helicon

I'm still learning, part of being a life-long learner and it is learning that I am thoroughly enjoying!

On ya bike, girl!

Yesterday I did something I never thought I would do ... I went to a bike shop with the intention of seeing if I could ride. Our local shop has a downstairs area that is used by people as they try out bikes. Now, to get to my ripe old age never having been on a bike [except for once when I was about seven or eight and someone held the seat for a few minutes] this was a daunting business. However, I found out that one can learn new tricks when one sets one's mind to it. I spent at least 15 minutes riding. Yes, I did have one fall as I braked for the first time but I did get back on it and the more I did it, the easier it got!

So, my husband and I left the shop with me as the proud owner of a bike and a helmet ... now I can go riding with him as he runs ... see his blog at http://roadrunner7310.blogspot.com

My bike in the hallway after it was delivered last night

Now for the rain to stop so that we can go together on our wonderful walking/running/riding track through the bush and along the shore.

Food for thought

Having always loved to experiment with recipes, I have now been encouraged to create my own by growing vegetables in our backyard and watching the past two seasons of Masterchef.
Last night was one such night!
Our chili plant is still loaded but is beginning to feel the effects of our cold winter despite being protected from the frosts and winds, so I decided to pick a couple to use in a Mexican style sauce to go with our rump steak. To make the sauce I sauteed a green and a red chili, five cloves of one of our remaining garlic bulbs and 3 large mushrooms in some olive oil. I then added a bottle of crushed tomatoes that I'd harvested and bottled in autumn and simmered until it had reduced. It was mildly hot [which is our preference] and certainly added to the scrumptiousness of what would otherwise have been a plain old meat and veg! The accompanying veg were cabbage from our garden and locally grown cauliflower.

There are many bottles like this keeping us going over winter and spring

Three of my garlic plaits that have hung in my kitchen

The finished sauce 

For dessert I had picked the lillipilli cherries from the Australian native tree we planted two years ago. i made them into a delicious stewed fruit to have with homemade icecream.

Our lillipilli cherries, also known as magenta cherries

Dessert

Altogether, it was a fairly basic meal but one that gave a great deal of satisfaction to both cook and hungry husband!
BUT - while we have plenty to eat, the ability to both grow and preserve food - at this time a famine is gripping the Horn of Africa. I wonder how many in our affluent western world even care?

Joy in the Family

It is just over 9 months since I last put fingers to the keyboard [I was going to write "pen to paper" but that seems rather too anachronistic for a blog, doesn't it?]

In June, my husband and I had the joy of looking after our three grandchildren as their mother was in hospital having safely delivered of our fourth - a beautiful little girl.

Isn't she beautiful?

These days the fathers are encouraged to stay in the hospital with their wives and babies so that the initial bonding is not just between mum and bub.
Meanwhile Nanna and Pa slept on the airbed on the floor and had a wonderful time with the other three, but probably the best time was when we took them to the hospital to see their new sister ... joy abounded!

The youngest two grandchildren

Recently I flew interstate to spend some time with my parents, especially as it was my Mum's 85th birthday. I am so pleased that I was able to have those few days and I thank God for the godly heritage that He gave to me. To listen to my 88 year old Dad lead the pastoral prayers on the Sunday was a joy indeed. Flying back with me was my almost 90 year old mother-in-law who had spent 10 days with us seeing her great-grandchildren and having a play in the snow for the first time in her life ... she was thrilled with both these events!

My husband and I count it a joy to pray daily for our family, a gift to us from God and given back to Him to use wherever and however He wishes. This has meant that our daughter serves Him in a far land and it is 12 months since we last saw her, but just as my Mum and Dad sent us to serve in Africa with their blessing and prayerful support, so we have been enabled to do so with our daughter. 

Choose to love your children, but do not hang onto them, suffocating them. If you, and they, belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, allow them to be all that He wants them to be with no strings attached. You will receive joy!

Peace and Tranquility

On Sunday evening we camped overnight at Lake Rowallan, underneath the bluff and beside the lake, nobody else in sight. The lake changed dramatically and showed once again the creativity of our God. This is how it was when we arrived at 5.00 pm.

Lake Rowallan, Tasmania

Later on, after tea, we watched the last lights fade from the sky and this is what we saw. The light streamed across the lake in paths that reflected the setting light.

About 8.00 p.m

A quiet night, not even disturbed by wildlife, was enjoyed before the increasing lightness of the sky awoke us, not the birds! The reason was the deep mist that lay all around.

Reflections on a misty morning

Going down like flies

During the penultimate week of this short term break from retirement, I have had many of the class sick ... in fact seven were absent today. What a quiet way to end the week - children working efficiently and well, enthusiastically taking on board all that they can, seeking new knowledge and making connections to things already learned! Being a teacher these days might be tougher than when I started but the joys never cease.

A 7 year old said to me today, "Mrs W, what is half an ellipse called?" Of course, I have no idea, but thought that if a semi-circle is half of a circle then a semi-ellipse just might be half an ellipse ... but told him to write 'half an ellipse' just to be on the safe side ;-). Same seven year old also told me that I had left "specialised" off our shape word wall because "A square is a 'specialised' rectangle"! Teaching is a joy ... and a privilege.

My "baby" turned 27 yesterday - his dad and I sang a very croaky "Happy Birthday" over the phone. At times like this Mum misses those to whom I have given birth, but I am privileged to have all bar one of my children living within a four hour drive of us - my heart goes out to all those Mums who have lost a child.

Winter returned with a vengeance last night. The breeze blowing through the slightly opened window is decidedly chilly. The rain has been steady after a massive overnight dumping, but this evening there was an amazing sky - in the east layers of purple black clouds interspersed with layers of orange as the sun was setting in the west but in front of the layered effect were the two ends of a rainbow totally fragmented with the colours of the spectrum decidedly split apart ... eerie but awesome.

The weekend approaches, there is much schoolwork to be done but this evening is a quiet restful one thinking not of work but of those I love in far flung places.