Southern Cross Creations

An Australian Woman's Journal
about life in remote, rural
Far North Queensland

 

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Southern Cross Creations

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Journal Archive: December 2003

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29 December 2003

No cyclones yet, but plenty of rain, glorious rain. We've received more rain than the normal December average. Yay! Looks like we're into a normal rainfall cycle for the season. Yesterday's rain brought Toy Creek into full flow. I love the sound of a running creek. Trees that looked dead are covered in new green leaves. Our orchids are blooming. Frogs are appearing in the Shed.

Many social gatherings occur in December. I feel that it's a time re-affirm all of our connections. And sometimes we can't, perhaps due to geographical remoteness, unexpected illness or even death. How can we celebrate when we are aware of someone's personal sorrow? I feel that we celebrate in spite of hardship and tragedy. We celebrate because life is a gift. We celebrate because love makes our hearts sing, even after sorrow may have broken it. May the wings of celebration lift your spirits into the New Year.

The last gathering of the year for the Tableland branch of the Cairns & FNQ Spinners, Weavers and Fibrecrafters, took place at Mieke's home although Mieke was unexpectedly unable to be there. Filled to overflowing, Mieke's verandah fairly hummed with spinning wheels, knitting needles and tatting bobbins. Visitors from Cairns included president Christene Shadforth, what a treat. Everyone brought a plate of food to share and the day flew by.

Mieke's table runner of handspun, hand-dyed mohair

 

 

Mieke wove a table runner out of handspun, hand-dyed mohair. She used a tapestry technique in combination with plain weave.


Gillian's silk and linen fabric

 

 

Gillian wove a fabric of silk and linen for a skirt and top.


Mrs. Claus opens her bag of goodies

 

 

No, that's not Mrs. Claus with Santa's bag. That's Betty Davies sharing bits and pieces of mohair from her angora herd. No, I couldn't resist. I brought home more fleece to wash! Jerry promises to help.
Gillian's handwoven belt

 

 

Gillian weaves belts both wide and narrow. She used lively colours in this cotton belt.
Jerry's an old hand at wiring cables

 

Meanwhile, back on the Walsh River, Jerry remembers his wiring skills as he gives Bear a hand making cables. If he gets finished in time, he can warm up and work out at the gym.
Melissa knows how to be cool....

 

I know how to make cables, too. I started making microphone cables for San Francisco rock and roll bands in the '60s. I wore long hair and miniskirts in those days. Now, my hair is turning grey and my eyes aren't as sharp, but I still wear as little as possible at home when it's hot. And I like being home, a lot.

 

Wishing you Holiday Blessings
and a Happy New Year!


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16 December 2003

The termites know the time to add onto their mound. During the dark of the night, they set to work at a feverish pace and the light of day finds them still at work, sealing their damp new roof.

We got welcome rain in early December, lots of rain, 110mm in four hours (4-1/2"). Since then another storm dropped 24mm on us (almost 1"). That means we've now had about 2/3 our normal rainfall and look forward to more.

Within hours of the first rain, we heard frogs croaking in the creek. I don't know where they come from so quickly, considering how dry that creek has been. But that rainy window of opportunity draws them out of somewhere. The next day we saw heaps of frog eggs floating in the billabongs along the course of the not yet flowing creek.

 

Bristle Fly

The dry land is turning green, such an amazing and rapid transformation. Birds celebrate, insects buzz and whir both day and night. This large fly is about as big as the end of my index finger. I think it's a Bristle Fly. We've been using candles instead of electric lights in the evening to reduce the number of insects attracted to the light.


 

Tommy Round-head or a Northern Two-lined Dragon

The lizard above surprised us by sauntering into the house one day. He's either a Tommy Round-head or a Northern Two-lined Dragon. I like the idea of living with Dragons.... We seldom see these lizards although they are more common upriver. This one is about 30cm (1') in length. A little digital magic shows him from two angles, but it's the same lizard. Even Fred the Frilled Neck Lizard reappeared, once near the house and once near our water tank, but no new pix of him. Instead here's a close up of that dragon:

eyed by a dragon


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