PROGRESS

WELL, AFTER SUSAN AND SEAN'S VISIT i had jen and rob come from thurs to sunday the following weekend.  

We started off with a morning walk on the island in perfect weather

in front of one of the huge old redgums that came down after the
fire on the island about eighteen months ago

We repotted and loaded up most of the remaining large plants and pots into their station wagon.  also carried out some larger items of furniture i couldn't manage, things to get rid of.

Bill Wheeldon came with his ute and trailer to look over what i had to give away and insisted on paying a small price for everything he took.  he brought his 'buying book' and listed everything. 

      missed getting a photo of the full load driving out the gate - magnificent!!

 all fine so bill and rob set to loading up and i joined jenny where she was doing what she does best, lighting a fire.  we burned the old rotting cane chairs that have starred in so many sunrise photos. they made another fine photo as they became a brilliant inferno - a conflagration :0)

When we checked on the boys they'd completely loaded up the ute and trailer to the gunnels, bill took EVERYTHING except one sad white plastic chair and the futon.  $200 cash - i would've paid him to take it.  

jen, rob and i sat around the fire and burned the rest of the junk then heaped up the coals for a bbq tea.  the weather's been perfect, chilly nights and clear sunny days, no wind at all.   We stayed till after dark, a lovely night and a very satisfying day.

GONE - my last visitors from down south until sunny comes to accompany me on the drive down to indented head.

that was a great visit :0)

not impressed! the white faced heron
minus his elegant neck and beak

All the young pelicans are gathering down at the fallen trees and feeding in a beautifully balletic display of syncronised swimming.  watching them every day this week i'm amazed at the way they perform everything in unison.

almost finished etta's colourful jacket and now will knit a matching hat, knitting is a wonderful way to unwind after days of still packing, cleaning, chucking and just getting my head around what else needs doing.

 A BEAUTIFUL FULL MOON - the last i'll see from here.  talking to sister jen yesterday she said it had been a super moon, huge and golden as it rose from the horizon.  i missed that and only saw it higher, still beautiful and reflected in the water at the lock

beautiful western sky as well

I CALLED INTO ARTS MILDURA's new space in Langtree Ave and the lovely sonja showed me around. the space is great and i'm so pleased to see all my unwanted furniture put to such good use

I'M SURROUNDED!!

BOXES BOXES EVERYWHERE!!  Susan and Sean are here, we've been beavering away since they got here on thursday afternoon and it's been great.  they've bubble wrapped almost all the work on the walls and in the studio, got down all the things from cupboards and shelves that are high up to save my shoulder some work.  filled up the back of the spacious van with stacks of my biggest plants and pots and been great company at the same time.   it's sunday morning now, they'll be leaving before lunch with an overnight stay in St Arnaud in the way home.

when i got home from the post office on thursday morning i found this huge round loaf of beautiful fresh sourdough bread left by glenis in thanks for the lemons i had given her.  it was absolutely superb and perfect with the vege/lamb soup i'd made for dinner

 

  sonja came out with her friend dean and they've taken a lot of furniture from the airbnb and the big solid tables and sheets of glass  to set up the print studio in mildura.  Arts Mildura now has the etching press from the Art Vault and now it's all set up with my furniture in the old Ishka building.  feels good to leave it there.  

as i cleaned up susan and sean's room after moving out all the furniture for sonja and dean, there were delights by the shovel load behind it all.  eek!!

all the white furniture is now in the arts mildura print studio - it'll be great for Mildura to have this access to printmaking again. 

these solid old tables are so much more useful here.  i can make do with folding tables with my sheets of super thick pool glass on top

Sean's cleaned up the whole carport and put all the unwanted outdoor furniture and shelving in one big group to give away or take to the tip.   I feel i can manage now - it's three weeks till sunny gets here for the weekend before monday's move on july 4.  cupboards are mostly empty except the kitchen, the studio is half gone. 

Last night we made the most of the sunset, sat out until dark under a very 

starry sky