Sunday, after a busy Saturday

I had a play with some Gelli printing, out on our deck.
Quietly experimenting on the next phase of prints.

 What a funny jumble, daughter's climbing gear, wet sneakers, and my art equipment. 

 Inking up feathers for printing.

 I have a stash box of feathers, appropriately entitled. 

 Lots of yummy paints.

 Prints dry amongst the harness. 

 These sneakers have been canyoning in the Blue Mountains. 

 Tried out these silicon moulds. 

 A lovely colourful jumble. The deck, and dining table will have to serve as studios for now. 

 Pop art pear, finished now from yesterday's workshop. 

 I quite like the chicken wire shadow on the feather box, apt. 

This almost looks like an abstract painting, it's just the workings of the printing. 

Manly, gallery and Clontarf day out.

I had a lovely day out with an artist buddy, Linda. We went down to Manly
after a short coastal walk from Fairlight. Then the Gallery.

Afterwards a short drive to Clontarf Beach and lunch. Around the corner,
we strolled and sat watching the dogs happily frolicking on the beach and
in the water. Lovely weather.

Bec's Graduation day.

What a wonderful day. Bursting with pride, off to Macquarie University,
for the ceremony to see Bec graduate.

Her boyfriend Mike also graduated, and their friend Ben.

 Some private moments before the ceremony, opportunity for photos. 

 Inside the hall, complete with organ and trumpet player accompanying, 

and  Opera singer Alison Brewer. 

 Getting snapped ourselves (far right second row) a big screen showing the audience.  

 Rebecca gets her reward for all the hard work. 

 The lovely young couple. After the ceremony, inside a stylish marquee.

 Photos next to the lake, Mike's parents Deidre and Victor. 

 Bec stands in with Mike's faculty. Below - the classic shot.

 Our family. (Ben was working nearby in Ryde)

 Our gorgeous girls. 

 A large gathering, and the marquee. 

 The gown returned, and the mortarboard retained. Off to lunch and relax. 

The car park develops.

We have 3 cars if you count mine, Chris' and Bec's. Weekends,
or certain occasions can see two more, of Mike's, Bec's boyfriend's,
or Sam and Gordon's.

The parking police also want to book us, but we bought a property
35 years ago with no off-street parking.

It is a long way to the house for shopping or other goods down, and
garbage, green waste and recycling coming up.

So with Mike and Gordon doing heaps of hard work, the space at the
top level has been cleared to begin this area for parking.

A large Jacaranda has gone and other trees and shrubs. Many were dead,
or exotic weed species like Privet.

The cut logs are going out to the verge for free timber, for local people,
or stacked for friends with fireplaces.

 The jungle to clear. 

 All the weeds imaginable.

 Piles of prunings start to come down. 

 The gradual lopping off the Jacaranda. Bec and Mike used harness and climbing gear. 

 Revealing the sleepers and rocks used for the retaining we put in many years ago. 

 Neatly stacked dead Gum.

 Now we can get to more clearing, sorting and processing the wood.

 Found the Water Meter!

 The sleepers haven't totally rotted, the Creosote must have workded. 

Might use all this for something. 

 Still many piles to mulch or saw, but at least the Mulcher is still working. 

 The old Jacaranda stump, it had got quite tall and thick. Conflicting with 

the power lines and overhanging the cars. It had rot in it too. 

 Found inside the jungle, some lovely old Camelia trees, now pruned and flowering season. 

 So many piles, but there is access to all now. 

With all the rubbishy shrubs, and dead trees and Jacaranda gone, 

we can also appreciate more these magnificent Blue Gums.