Sunday markets at Windsor

Had a lovely relaxing morning at the Windsor markets. There's lots of great reasons to include it on your 'to do' list - one being that Windsor has the best fish and chips in Sydney! Just look out for the talkative parrot outside...

There's so much happening, with live music over at the pub and the amazing shire horses clopping past. That would be interesting, to dine in the restaurant as you tour around the area.

Windsor is home to a real working water-wheel that the kids like to stand and watch just at the top of the mall.

Time for a hot chocolate....

...and so to the shopping - ahhh, someone has to do it! I recommend starting at the English lolly shop, all my favourites here.

- and onto the markets. Some great stalls, from dolls houses, to home-made soap (the best in Sydney - super-size bars; if you can't make it to the markets get your supply from 'Backyard Abundance').

Organic fruit and vegetables..

..and lots of homemade preserves.

A great way to spend a Sunday morning, especially with the lovely sunshine we've been having just lately in Sydney.

Working with Wood Show, Sydney

This was the show we intended going to last week but someone got the date wrong! Good news for me 'cause we ended up at the Stitches & Craft show instead. Even though I'm not a Woodworker (although I did work for the 'Australian Woodworking magazine for 6 years!) we all had a great day out and saw some really interesting stuff. Enjoy the pics.

This cute little cottage makes you want to take up carving!

This was an interesting display on Country Chairmaking - demonstrating the use of a handmade lathe. Beautiful chairs; an ordinary item that we take for granted becomes an art form when it's been handcrafted by a skilled craftsperson. Less is definately more...

Now for something really special. There was a fascinating bloke by the name of Ray Faull, who has created this miniature woodworking shed. He encouraged folks to pick up the tiny tools and even try them out - each one was an exact replica and actually worked! The attention to detail was incredible; and the entire project was an exact replica of his father's own woodworking shop. The following pics are all of Ray's masterpiece.

It was all you could do to stand and stare in awe...

The show is on every year at Moore Park (near Fox studio's) around mid-June.

Folk 'n Blues

I knew I'd be wasting my breath trying to get them to give me a go with their magnificent flying machines; 'girls germs' and all that, so I came home to do some guitar practice - just started having lessons with a very inspiring teacher and folk musician, Nigel Foote. He's got a fascinating biography on his website - well worth a read.

I can now play 'happy birthday', 'silent night', 'house of the rising sun' and 'a-soulin' with the melody and base; - To quote Nigel from his biography '1963-64 Went to Peter, Paul & Mary concert at Rushcutter's Bay, Sydney. Hooked! Gave up the piano... fell in love with Mary!' They played a brilliant version of 'a-soulin' at the concert which he's given me on cassette; and although I'm playing it much slower it really feels like you're getting somewhere with it; chillin' out and having fun all at the same time, even after just a few lessons. Practising certainly isn't a chore as I remember piano used to be in my younger days.

*#$^LUNA PARK@#**

We went along to the 'Friday Night Lunacy' at Luna Park - Sydney last week. Awesome fun!!Whats awesome about it is the old & the new combined - part's of it - like 'Coney Island' are unchanged from the 1930's when it first opened to the public. And the setting - right next to Sydney Harbour is spectacular.

Some great photo opportunities....

Sydney really is a stunning City.... well, it is when you only visit it once every couple of years!!

Dan and I went on the ferris wheel and enjoyed the best views of the harbour.

The Old and the New...

Coney Island is the original old-fashioned fun house, and the kids had just as much fun in here as on all the new rides (... except I don't know why they kept saying to me 'this is so cool mum... can't believe this is all they had when you were young...) !! Hello - the 1930's!!!
So that's why they made me go on all the new rides - they wanted me to know what I'd been missing out on...

Don't you just hate those girls walking around with big buff boyfriends and the biggest stuffed toys of all... well they didn't have 'hook-a-duck' so I couldn't impress the kids...

Right - those new rides I mentioned; this was one of them. I tried escaping at the last minute but to no avail. We weren't even strapped in - just standing up holding onto these bars infront of us; no worries though, we were pinned in place due to the centrifugal force.... I think some of these ride designers were recruited from the special forces - 'we have ways to make you talk' unit. OK...feeling slightly queasy by now... but only 4 more hours to go...

We're just working out who's birthday it is next so we can go back and do it all over again......!!

Aaahh, me hearties..

...twas a wonderful afternoon at the movies, with a bucketful of popcorn treasure..

'n Cap'n Jack Sparrow, Will Turner and shiver me timbers (literally..its turned really cold)..all dem pirates. Twas good entertainment from Disney for sure... savvy?!