Sunday, February 10, 2013

THE INAUGURAL HILL END-TAMBAROORA FARMER'S MARKET!

We piled out of yoga on Saturday to find the bench outside the hall transformed into a cornucopia of FRESH produce.


It was a veritable feeding frenzy!

True story!


Our dilapidated bench gets a VEGETABLE makeover
That's Rebecca on the left and Kim Deacon on the right!  

Rebecca Thompson must have been up with the owls to have picked, bundled, banded, and packed all the goodness she had to sell.



The perfume of the Basil made us swoon!

She had
Carrots, the size of fingers, bunched, into crisp fists. 
Bouquets of the sweetest Basil. 
A basket of Snow Peas, crisp green bombs,  
full of pop and flavour.  
Jumbles of Zucchini and Cucumber that were
frankly 
of erotic proportions! 
Jars of Apricot and Plum preserve, prettily labelled and presented...




This abundance comes via her, her husband Dave Thompson (Thommo) and the vegetable patch itself (which I intend to do a story on soon).

These babies went so quickly... I had to make do snapping the basket half-full...

There is an idea, among some people, that organic produce is pitted, gnawed, nibbled, bruised and over-priced

Not so here. 

Rebecca and Dave's produce is so pretty. 


Clearly the garden relies on the cycle of life!

The garden is a place where all things come to find their place and do their job!

 And the prices are great!

Just as important was the feeling of community and excitement created by Rebecca's foray into the world of Village commerce.

What will be there next Saturday???
Tomatoes? Potatoes? Corn? Peach Jam??
Bec is thinking of sending out an email on Fridays listing what she has available.

Swing by AFTER 10am to check it out...
(Please don't disturb the yoga class...)

Is it true what they say?

 "FROM LITTLE THINGS BIG THINGS GROW!"


Many thanks Rebecca and Dave. 

Hmmm. Maybe I could flog off a few jars of my lemon-curd! 
Might pay for that dress I'm lusting after...




Tuesday, January 08, 2013

BEAUTY IN AN EVIL DAY!


TODAY IS THE HOTTEST DAY IN THE UNIVERSE!!! 

TODAY... 

MY CACTUS DECIDED TO DO THIS!




HOPING IT'S AN OMEN THAT BEAUTY WILL WIN 

KEEP SAFE





Sunday, January 06, 2013

Has the RED BIKINI been working out in Hill End?????

ARE THE RUMOURS TRUE???

 Is the secret to Helen Mirrin's wonderful upper body tone 

due to rolling up fire hoses 

at the Hill End Fire Shed??????

Is that the Connie dam in the background?

I know 
from  past experience 
that pulling hoses
and generally
just 
playing around with them,  
is a FABULOUS upper body work-out!!! 

WOMEN FIRE-FIGHTERS 

DO NOT HAVE BAT WINGS!!!

 Could this be a job for the 

KARAYOGIS???

WTF  IS A KARAYOGI????

KARAYOGI  (ˌkarēˈyōkē) A yoga practitioner who works to a tape. 


We have some high risk weather approaching. 

SATURDAY

IS WORTH KEEPING AN EYE ON...

OUR BRIGADE IS ONLY AS STRONG AS THE PEOPLE WHO GET BEHIND IT. 

Combine a work-out with some community spirit. 
Come down to the Fire-Shed and lend a hand!!!

 








Friday, January 04, 2013

"Long-Point Fire"????? What about Hill End???

View from "Bald Hill"
 Hill End
New Year's Day 2013

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT?

A fire started 2kms south of the Long Point Crossing on New Year's Eve. This is down on the Macquarie River. It's steep, inaccessible country. The Western Advocate reported the fire front as being 15 kilometres west of Hill End. This is all very well for crows but our tankers have, close to a 40 minute drive, just to get to the fire ground!

And that's just the start!

The RFS list the affected area as 475 hectares. Water bombers, heavy equipment and back-burning have, and are being used, in an on-going effort to bring the fire under control.  NSW Rural Fire Services, Canobolas Zone manager, David Hoadley said on WIN television, last night (3/1/2013), that they were hoping to have the fire "Under Control" sometime this afternoon.  

The fire has been contained to the Western side of the river. There were two spot fires which jumped the river on New New's Day. These were extinguished by Hill End and Out-of-Town crews. 

It has been a busy, hot, dangerous time for everyone who has helped.


THANKS!
The RFS declared the fire as "Under Control" At 4.15 today (Friday 4th of January)

CAN WE ALL GO BACK TO GUZZLING CHAMPAGNE AND WATCHING THE CRICKET NOW PLEASE?????


That's an interesting question. 
One that only you can answer. 

The local media have listed the fire, primarily as a Long-Point, Mullian Creek and Orange fire. 
The Western Advocate did report the fire on the 2 and 3rd of January from our side of the river.

http://www.westernadvocate.com.au/story/1214266/helicopters-fighting-hill-end-fire


THE WEATHER FORECAST HAS SOME GOOD AND NOT SO GOOD ASPECTS


Very High temperatures are predicted over the next week. However winds are predicted to be, predominately, North, nor'east.

http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/charts/msl_36hr_forecast_bw.shtml

The winds are with us!!! 

Phew!


But this could change..... 

The RFS list the fire as the Long-Point Fire... Updates can be found here...


The rating "ADVICE" means
A fire has started.
There is no immediate danger.
Stay up to date in case the situation


There is also  radio, internet and television....

AND LET'S NOT FORGET  THE GOOD OL' BUSH TELEGRAPH??

More fun than email???

It's not possible for all of us to whiz around in Orange Tankers dressed up to the nines in parakeet-yellow taking the heat!!! 

No, be we can have a fire plan...



Here's a link for anyone interested
http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/file_system/attachments/State08/Attachment_20091022_79833C89.pdf

OMG!!! A MESSAGE FROM OUR BRIGADE

Hi Karin,
Good to see info about the fire and some good advice.
The HE&DVBB has been called out 7 times (2 were false alarms) in the past month.
A few dedicated members have attended all of these. 
Not everyone can be on the frontline but there are many important jobs that can be done to support those who are.
For instance – manning radios and telephones at the Station, organising food and drinks,
 restocking eskies, refuelling, rewatering and cleaning vehicles when they return to station,
taking fuel drums and damaged tyres to Bathurst to be filled and fixed, cleaning station  toilets.
These are all the jobs that our members are doing after they have been fire fighting.
This is our backyard, so get on board, become a member and support your brigade.



Regards,
Gaye Shanahan
Secretary/Treasurer
Active Member
  

  



VOLUNTEER BUSHFIRE BRIGADE
Corner Moores Lane & High Street
Hill End NSW 2850
Phone 02 6337 8239
Email rfs@hillend.net
Brigade No. 16009

A 19 year old man, recovering from burns, in Orange Base Hospital,  will be assisting police with their enquires. 

Did anyone mention fireworks???

A man has now been charged.

http://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/story/1217550/man-charged-with-long-point-fire/

Have a Happy and Safe  New Year!  

Many thanks to Matt Probert Photography for the photo "Bush Telegraph, Congo, 1933".
Thanks to the RFS photographer for the shot on the bush-fire survival plan brochure.


Tuesday, November 06, 2012

NOW IT'S A NEW BLOODY SUPER HIGHWAY!!!

YESTERDAY... A NEW SOLAR SYSTEM 

see post "Saturday, October, 20, 2012"

TODAY....

A NEW BLOODY SUPER HIGHWAY...!!!!


My husband, Michael Ramsden (artist and voluptuary) and I returned from our daily walk to find a NEW ROAD had been laid in our absence.

We'd only been gone 90 minutes!!!!

Aren't road workers" meant to be slack-abouts???
Doesn't "road-making" entail sitting around millions of dollars of heavy machinery drinking tea and eating sandwiches??
Isn't the term "road worker" (snigger, snigger) a synonym for "shovel-prop" and "bludger"??


God Damn it, 
Isn't "Road-Worker" 
one of the World's 
GREAT OXYMORONS??



Not so!

THESE GUYS ROCKED!!!


Clearly things are happening
HERE
in Tambaroora!!

Let's review the facts

A New Solar System is created in Tambaroora.
Following close on its heels
we have
The creation of a  New Superhighway.

Are the two events linked???


Is this an opportunity for a conspiracy theory? 

Does it have the seeds of a vicious rumour?

You bet it does!

...watch this space...



Many thanks to thebryceisright.net for the photo of the construction crew. 
The second photo "Burmese and Chinese labourers using hand tools to reopen the Burma Road in southwest China, 1944" is reproduced via the US Library of Congress
All text KMR

Thursday, November 01, 2012

"I WORE SUEDE SHOES!!!!"



Shocking confessions rock small 
community

A long-time Hill End and resident admits... 

"I walked to the edge of decency and...
JUMPED!

In a scandalous series of revelations a Hill End "aficionado" confessed, not just to purchasing suede shoes but to wearing them. The aforementioned shoes wore bought, and worn, in the olden days when when a sophisticated series of codes were used to advertise and excite darker human hungers.

"I am NOT gay!" 

Yeah. Right!

So what's with the long time "companion"

Is this just the tip of the iceberg???
We know who you are!!!

What next??

RED TIES...??

GREEN CARNATIONS...?

Watch this space...

Hang on...
OMG!!
My husband, Michael Ramsden, wears suede-shoes!!!


This publication would like to thank Virginia Jones for permission to use her photograph.  The image can be found at http://paristhroughmylens.blogspot.com
Many thanks Virginia

  
















Saturday, October 20, 2012

Hill End may have its new MASTER PLAN

But TAMBAROORA has a 
new 
SOLAR SYSTEM!!!!


OMG! We're all going to die!!!!!
What new forms of alien life will be seen hanging around Tambaroora's hot-spot "The Chimney"???
Read on!!!

In a world first, Tambaroora hosted the creation of a new Solar System this week. 

It was poetic
It was beautiful
It was overdue
it was damned bloody useful!!!

AND

it ALL happened behind

THIS DOOR!!

It looks banal, it looks innocuous but

let's face it...

IT'S CROOKED

What lies behind?

Is it...

the Andromeda Galaxy?







NO....

...IT'S THE 

HYDROMETER GALAXY..




Thanks to our new solar-system
WE NOW HAVE POWER!!!


Light
Computers
Running water...!!


Thanks Robert and Jake from Central West Solar!!
www.centralwestsolar.com.au/