Adelaide Trip - Ilea & Glenn's Wedding - Glover - Sharks - Tattoos

Please excuse the spacing of images - I'm struggling....

OMG - what a handsome highlander!!

Adelaide Trip

Hello all,  We arrived here in a flurry of anticipation. the Girls (Jasmine, Jayden a very mature and newly turned 14  Ilea) and Glenn came to the cabin for coffee/drinks and cake.  

We were all effervescent with anticipation of the wedding and the Glover announcement, and the time seemed to fly from the moment we hit the ground.  

Wednesday we had a leisurely breakfast on the beach with Ilea & Glenn.  Lindsay and I managed to get lost driving to the local mall and laughed our heads off all day.  We (Graham, Ron, Lindsay and I) walked along "our" beach (Moana beach) and had dinner at our place.

Thursday we took a day off and had a little road trip - just us 4. We drove to Second Valley, Victor Harbour with a stop at the Port Elliott Bakery to test the pasties, getting back in time for a big multi family BBQ at Ilea Glenn's where we gathered with the other half of the Canadian Contingency (Ilea's Mom's side) and the Gunn tribe.  Graham presented them with his painting of the beach they were to be married on Maslin Beach

Artist and Bride share a drink

 and Ron and Lindsay presented them with a fabulous silver and gold platter in a Canadian First Nations design.  (sorry due to the incredible shininess we didn't' get a photo)


It was a noisy and fun BBQ, great to catch up - but we left early as Ilea and Glenn were clearly pooped.

Friday we met Jude & Lee (Graham's sister and brother in law) and Glenn for another leisurely breakfast at the beach. We split up and our little group went to visit nephew Stefan and see his lovely chocolate lab pup Max, then into Glenelg to trial the "best paste in Australia” rating a 9 out of 10 on the Graham scale - then raced back for Lindsay and I to do some pre wedding female primping with the gals to ensure we would all looked stunning. Sticky with fresh spray tans, and cautioined to wear only loose clothes for the next 6 hours, Lindsay and I arrived at Jude & Lee's for a dinner party in our especially purchased loose pajamas. I think we may have started a fashion trend.


It was lovely to catch up with Lynn (Lee's sister) before she headed back to England. We were together at Jude & Lee's when we got the call from Rose to let us know the winner of the Glover Prize was an artist called Pople. Well there's no telling what some people think is great, however, we celebrated Graham's success in having his painting make it into the finalists all of us enjoying his success and his moment. Graham and I will head back to Evandale in Tassie on Monday for a look at the Exhibition. 

Waiting for lashes glue to set

WEDDING - The wedding day dawned and we were off.  Lindsay and I to primp with the gals / Graham and Ron off to breakfast with the Groom and his party.  The make up & hair was done, and eyelashes attached in time for Graham's arrival and Lindsay and I were ushered out, as the wedding party got ready. 

Girls  - GET READY!!

Lindsay & Julie are READY

Ron, Lindsay and I (once we finished our own beautification) headed to Maslin beach which 
was beautifully set up with over sized Umbrellas, and a few chairs and carpeting.
































"The Mums" (Glenn's Mom Vicki, Ilea's Mom Madeline, and I) took up our positions at the base of the steps to the beach, to welcome the guests and hand out pebbles for the "Pebble Ceremony" following their exchange of vows. 

Pebble duty

Pebble Ceremony Education

Glenn and his fellows had done a lovely job on the beach. They were waiting anxiously for the event to start.  Glenn was READY!

Glenn's READY!!

Guests arrived, explanations were given re ‘holding the pebbles and transferring good wishes for the bridal couple during the ceremony, later to be tossed into the ocean in a separate ceremony”, young men admonished they were not to be thrown at the groom, pebbles passed out, then it was time for all to turn and look up at the staircase for the bridal party had arrived.  

Here Comes the bride

The bridesmaids glided down the stairway, looking lovely in flowing ivory gowns, a gentle breeze keeping us all cool as we waited a few moments more. A combined sigh filled the air as a handsome highlander (my Graham) and radiantly beautiful and very elegant bride Ilea (looking like a cross between Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly in a stunning white and grey tulle gown) paused for a quiet word between themselves at the top of the steps, then Graham escorted her slowly down to her waiting groom.  Tears could be seen glistening at the edges of many eyes.  Yes mine too.





''


Time to give the bride away, I can only imagine how hard that must be for a father.  I don't know why there aren't more guns and growls involved in this part of the ceremony.

How can I possibly let go???

Heavy sigh.... OK

Beautiful girls  Jasmine, Krystal, Sara & Bride Ilea

The ceremony was beautiful, vows written by them (typical to their style, they had written in a little humour in each of their vows) and before we knew it, they were married. The ceremony was topped off with the arrival of a piper (our surprise to them) who piped during the pebble ceremony and beach photo sessions. It was magic.  More story after some candid photos at the beach...

Everyone

Bridal Party

Ilea and Cousin Lindsay

Of course Us

Us again - handsome Highlander eh?

Yet again  - Oooch

We had a small break before the reception at the Tapestry winery, in McLarenvale. It was a lovely venue nestled amongst in the vines with servers quietly gliding through the guests, presenting a selection of finger food nibbles all night.  Heartfelt speeches were made, dances had, and everyone enjoyed celebrating their special day

Me, Beautiful Granddaughter Jayden and Graham in Behind

Lindsay, Me, Graham

Look, Fascinators left for us at each table - I'm sure they are...

OK, Interesting and Quaint Australian Custom... I'll do it.  What's a fascinator??

My cousin Lindsay, Ilea, Me (Julie), Graham's sister Jude

Lindsay, Jude, Graham's Mom Helen, Graham's sisters Carolyn & Kath

Lindsay,Julie, Daughter Jasmine, Graham, Graham's sister's Jude, Carolyn

My lovely cousin-in-law Ron and Ilea

Sharing stories about families - Ahhhh so much makes sense now... Ron, Lindsay & our Niece Melissa

Glenn & Ilea - the beginning of their new life together.

Sunday was obviously, a wind down day, very low key - Ilea and Glenn spent a lazy lunch with Glenn's family, then came over to our place for a bbq at our beach cabin with Jas & Jayden.

Packing it up for the Exhibition

Trip to view the GLOVER Exhibition.  Monday Ron and Lindsay enjoyed their day without us - spending it on the beach, while Graham and I made our mad dash back to Evendale in Tassie to attend the Glover Award Exhibition. We arrived in Evandale around 1:45, and sauntered down the main drag to the Gallery.

Graham & Mr Glover

Cake-able offence

It was an interesting moment for him.  There was a tremendous crowd in the gallery, and we lined up to purchase my ticket to get in. We made our way around the gallery admiring the works hanging. Graham's painting was hanging amongst some great talent.  I looked around the corner, and the crowd seemed to shuffle and I saw it hanging there, with a red sold dot. A happy/sad moment.  The painting looked fantastic, they had hung it in the centre on it's own panel, beautifully lit. A proud moment indeed.

Graham and his painting in the Gallery - note the red sold dot.

Taking it all in...after the crowd left.

We enjoyed a few hours wandering around the gallery, chatting with folks. Their comments to Graham about his work were good for our souls. We chuckled when we left a café, and someone surreptitiously took Graham’s photo when prompted – there’s one of the Artists. We strolled around the town, took a last look through the gallery with Graham having a quiet moment or two just before they closed, then back to Adelaide. 

Beach Princess

SHARKS?  Tuesday we decided to enjoy a beach day and relax. We bought a couple of boogie boards, and a sunshade tent and drove onto the beach. (They do that here).  We frolicked in the water on the boogie boards, then relaxed on the beach for a while listening to the waves. Lindsay and I went for another cooling dip, when I spotted something farther out just off from a boat. We paused in water to our knees, and Lindsay moved closer to me as she tried to see it. We waded in a little more, then she saw it. She slid up to me resting her hands on my shoulders as we identified fins sticking out of the water... coming a little closer. I relaxed as I saw 2 fins, and assured her they would be dolphins. Sharks have pointy fins, and wouldn't swim together like that. (I was fairly sure) Hmmmm I thought, had she been poised to push me in and thrash her way through the water to safety? She just laughed when I asked the question. A lot…… During our afternoon at the beach, we'd noticed a plane circling above us, and had heard fire truck sirens…. Or did we????

READY for F.U.N.

When we arrived back at the cabin, we heard the fire sirens again, and our neighbour informed us they were SHARK ALERT sirens being played from the CIRCLING SHARK SPOTTING PLANE - not fire trucks. We jumped in the car with cameras in hand and drove to the Esplanade just in time to see a truck with flashing lights driving up the beach broadcasting - GET OUT OF THE WATER NOW - THERE HAS BEEN A SHARK SIGHTING.  Hmmmm….. I wondered, was it really Dolphins I’d seen earlier??

We had a little BBQ at Ilea and Glenn's that evening, sharing the adventures of the last couple of days, then an early night.


TATTOO's  We had planned to go snorkelling on Wednesday, but due to a mass sleep in until 9:30, yesterday's shark sighting and a turn in the weather, we met Ilea and Glenn for yet another breakfast on the beach, and somehow the conversation turned to Tattoos. Challenges went out and were met, and we all piled into cars and headed to the McLarenvale to the Tattoo Kings tattoo parlour. 

It doesn't hurt - It doesn't hurt....

He's so cute, he can make it as big as he wants... 

 Lindsay refreshed and enhanced her ladybug tattoo Graham refreshed the Siamese fighting fish on his instep (which he got 34 years ago - Most of you would recall the "Great Kahuna-Huna" surfing story).  You can imagine our surprise when we got to the parlour when Glenn said he was going to have a tattoo as well.  

big girls blouse??

Nope! He DID it!!

What a romantic! He had his wedding date put on his wedding ring finger. We were all suitably impressed, never mind that part of the 3 flaked off later.... It was great fun watching those being tattooed have the work done.




We had to leave immediately to make it to the other side of town for dinner with Graham's mom Helen at sister Kath’s. There was brother-in-law Ian and their kid's & families.  A terrific storm had been brewing all day, with winds picking up and black clouds spiralling (Look out Toto). The heavens opened and a torrential rain fell minutes after we arrived. The noise of the rainfall was deafening under the pergola reminding me of many a Tropical Rainstorm in Townsville.  We enjoyed meeting Joel's partner Lauren and the next generation of the family, with Danun and Kelly's kids keeping us all entertained. Stefan and Max didn't make it, so we were glad we'd seen them last week.  We had a lovely meal, and a lively enjoyable visit, and all too soon it was time to drive back down south to our cabin. We were pleased it hadn't blown away or leaked during the storm.

At this point we moved into wind down mode for this section of the holiday - there's never enough time to see everyone you want to, or do everything but I suppose that's what keeps you coming back, and how you entice folks to come and visit you. Thursday was laundry and packing, a leisurely tappa's lunch at Jude & Lee's with the girls and Glenn. We went for Chinese food with the kids, and Glenn’s mom Vicki & brother Scott, then watched (and heckled) Glenn’s game of indoor cricket. We left early as we were clearly affecting his game, but he looked great to us!

Friday – the first day of our next adventure…..  ROAD TRIP

Glover Prize Finalist

Blog

BIG NEWS the painting Graham submitted to the Glover Prize competition was accepted as a finalist - check the website he's number 33 (it's alphabetically listed). This is HUGE. The Glover is Australia's most prestigious landscape prize and to make it into the finals is quite a feat. Also impressive is making it into the finals on his first submission!!

He found out at work when one of his colleagues came into the coffee room as asked him  "Your Graham Sanders right - not Saunders?"  "What do you know about the Glover prize?"  Graham looked at her and asked - "what do YOU know about the Glover prize?" and she smiled and said. "I know you need to look at their web site".  She had been checking the site as her husband had also put an entry in. His entry made the finals too.

Graham went to his desk and checked the website, when he saw his name on the list of finalists, his hands started shaking as he struggled to absorb the enormity of what he was looking at. Three independent judges each experts in their fields, had judged his painting worthy of being in the finals. What an honour. He was a delightful mess for the rest of the day. Not being able to concentrate on anything. He wasn't truly convinced it was real until his letter arrived a couple of days later.  He floated for a week, saying it all seemed a bit surreal. One of his colleagues pointed out he's on a list with some very impressive talent including an artist who's won the Archibald. We both commented it was a shame it was that his Dad and my Mom weren’t here to share in the excitement. It's been quite an emotional roller coaster.

The exhibition opening and winner announcement is at the “by invitation only” cocktail party, which is on the 9th March. This is the moment one waits their whole life for, the opportunity to rub shoulders with one’s peers and revel in knowledge your lifetime of artistic efforts is appreciated.

Winner announced, and celebration completed, the next day the exhibition opens to the public (the 10th March) and is available for viewing until the 13th.The down side to this wonderful honour? It occurs the night before Ilea's wedding, when we'll be in Adelaide. I became "tigress wife" determined we could attend both wonderful events. I organising flights and accommodation, no easy challenge as Evenadale is booked out with the comment most often heard
       “We have nothing available, That’s the weekend of “The Glover” you know.”

After spinning my tale, husband in the finals, just found out – flying back –etc. etc. a lovely woman gave me her Mother's number. Although we wished we could fly back the same night, the best I could do was have us fly over on the 9th in time for the cocktail party then back at 6:00 am the next day. The morning of Ilea's wedding day. OOOhhhh living on the edge, but I got it organised. Whew, all done and dusted.

Or was it?  After the excitement of believing we could attend both momentous events, and several days of thinking it through, Graham decided he didn't want to miss any of the magic of his daughter's wedding. So, back into organisation mode. Deep breath - When cancelling the room at "Mom's” she seemed horrified.
     “But what if you win?” she asked.

     “We’ll come and collect the prize on the 12th” I said cheerily.

I had insisted we fly back for a day to celebrate his acceptance in the exhibition, viewing his painting hanging amongst those of his peers, safely a couple of days after the wedding. After all, we'd already paid for the flights, and I believe this personal milestone for him, is one not to be missed.  It's just a pity it's all happening on the one weekend.

Today Feb 17th – Well, we've delivering the painting. It was a weird surreal feeling to do it. I am sad to see the painting go as to me the subtle blending of colours he's used in his mountain scape is an amazing rendition of nature. I can only imagine what he could be going through in his head and heart at this time. After all, the entree must be available for sale at the exhibition, so he’s really saying goodbye.

Time seemed to be out of sync as we drove there, like everything was in slow motion. However soon enough we arrived, and it seemed like the Universe smiled at us as the rain had eased as we drove North. This must be a good omen right? Delivering the painting without having to worry about the rain?

We were delighted to note how charming the village of Evendale is. Tiny cottages on narrow tree lined streets, all very picturesque. Glover banners adorning the streets. How exciting. We dropped the painting at the Antiques Shop, which for me was a bit anticlimactic as the woman behind the counter wasn't particularly friendly or chatty, actually seeming rather uninterested in the whole thing. She told Graham to take his painting upstairs where he rested it against the wall with the others already there. We went back down the stairs and out the door.  Kind of felt flat to me.  However, we kept our feeling of subdued excitement, and drove on to where the exhibition is to be held, wandered around the statue of John Glover then headed home.

I wondered if I was driving Graham crazy as I made him pose for photos. First as he packaged it up, then as we delivered it, by the banner, then the statue.  I think they would have gotten along, maybe that's an omen eh?

Now it’s up to fate and the judges. (And the people of course for the people’s choice) Fingers crossed.

Australia Day Pizza Extravaganza

We made it through our Pizza Day Extravaganza held on Australia day, with no loss of life or limbs. Woo Hoo!! We had 33 people, 14 of them children. Everyone had fun, and yes for us it was a lot of work, but good for us too.

Our garden is flattened, as kids swarmed over bushes like ants over a cream bun at a picnic, but it will recover.  The chef hats and moustache kit Graham got for Christmas was a huge success with both Adults and Kids.  

We bought coits and hookey to help keep the kids entertained, and Tim and Lucy brought a cricket set, which was great! Although the prep started early in the day, we were ready to go from Noon and the last folks left at 6:00. The nice thing about pizza entertaining, is the tidy up isn't huge. I made 8 batches of dough in the morning, chopped and set out ingredients, and roasted the veggies, while Graham did the wood chopping, fire starting, lawn mowing and set up. We figured we made around 27 pizza's all up.  We had - ham, motza, parmesan, herbs, roasted red pepper, red pepper, garlic, tomato, wood fire roasted pumpkin, zucchinni and sweet potato, salami, sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, olives and fresh basil.  we also made desert pizzas with marshmallows, fruit, chocolate chips and coconut cream. Yum.

We tidied up and hit the couch for a well deserved sleep in front of the TV. (including Elwood).

 

Bonsai

Honestly, we were just looking for a bit of that Bonsai wire, as Graham has been talking about making my Rosemay bush into a Bonsai for about a year. It's been in a pot and calling to him.

I saw some such advertisement for a Bonsai shop up Mount Wellington way, so we headed out on Saturday, rolling it in with a stop at the Bush Bakery. (Yum!!)

The place we thought it was... it wasn't. However the manager called the fellow who owned it, (it was a new place down the road) so a phone call later and the shop owner arrived, opened his shop and we started to wander. The shop is only open 1 weekend a month, and it had been last weekend, however, as luck would have it, there was a bonsai workshop on Sunday, if we wanted to come there were 2 spots available.

Poor Elwood, Thursday, Graham boot camp day - Graham was away in Melaluca for work. Friday when at least I should have been around - I was at work to give a little presentation and attend a retirement farewell at noon. Sunday wasn't looking good weather wise, and his training ground would have been swamp land so the course was a good option for me, not so good for Elwood.

Graham had already decided to do a little landscape in Herbs, so we popped into the local plant spot, picked up some interesting herbs on Saturday on the way home, and Sunday arrived ready to be creative.

This is supposed to be a Zen like experience, much like a mediation. You visualise what you want your Bonsai to be like and make it happen.

Graham was positively in his element, with happiness and creativity radiating from his pours like the sun breaking through on a cloudy day.

Originally when I decided I would go, I thought I would do a little landscape with a couple of rocks, some gravel and a bit of moss and maybe a little grass, but after watching the instuctor I was inspired to do a plant.

He took a plant like this

And with apparent ease turned it into this...

I wandered out to the plant area and it started. I could feel my hair rising, my shoulders tighten and my stress levels rise and all I was doing at that point was trying to pick a plant!  In Tasmanian style, the weather had turned from the cool and sunny morning which we arrived in, to pelting near freezing rain. All this in the time it took the instructor to give us the run down on the history and the 'therory'.  PJ, a fellow I used to work with was at the course, and we were the only 2 to linger in the pouring freezing rain trying to decide which plant "spoke" to us. With hands so frozen I could barely hold the pot, I made my final selection. A plant so twisty and turney that it intrigued me. I was torn between the fantastically textured trunks of the Bull Pine, the bulbous bottoms of the Banskia, and the interesting look of the Billy Pine, but ended up with a prostrate Tasmanian Wattle.

My twisty turney plant


After running my hands under hot water, and cuddling a hot cup of coffee, I took my miniature rake and chipped away at the dirt "looking for the roots"as instructed.  As it turns out, my plant didn't have any hidden twisted gems of roots, so  it was time to start cutting and shaping.

The instructor's plant had 'little gems of roots" just under the dirt.

I looked around the room at the happy hum of creativity reverberating around me. One woman was on her second bonsai for Goodness sake. Smiles and satisfied nodds were everywhere, and I was standing there shuffling from foot to foot, unsure where to start trimming.

Does this look relaxed?

Finally I picked a branch, moved my cutters to the join, turned my head and snipped. I looked back, ready to feel inspired, but it didn't look much different to me.  My strategy became clip and look, clip and look and soon I was wondering if I'd have a huge pile of off cuts, and only a naked twig left starkly standing in my pot.

I must have looked as unsure as I felt as the instructor took me outside for inspiration. I went outside about 3 times during my clipping.

Graham was contentedly working away on his own landscape - it was fantastic, and I looked on at his miniature wonderland, fully expecting a tiny deer or elves to wander out from behind a rock.  See Graham's project evolve....

The beginning - obviously a vision there....

A man happily at work

I look on in wonder....

My eyes moved around the room. PJ had confidently taken a huge tree and snipped it into a fantastic Zen like shape. All around the room amazing Bonsai's were appearing with apparent ease! Why was I the only one sweating??

My next job was selecting a pot.  Tall to accomodate the hanging branches?  Or long to accomodate the branches I extending out sideways? Decorated, or plain? For Goodness Sakes - I'm a LIBRA - I don't do decisions well.  However, after much to'ing and fro'ing and agonising - I went rectangular, plain and low, and worked in a little bit of landscaping. My tree placed as if it was on a hill, some artfully placed rocks to look like bolders, a bit of mossy lawn, then I went all out and put in a tiny path of flat rocks winding down the hill.....

In the end, my plant did slowly reveal it's gentle curves to me.

I wired up a few branches to keep the genly curves, and this is what I ended up with.

My piece at home.

It was surprsing to me how differnt and fantastic the different bonsai's of the day were, but one thing was clear, there is a hidden artist in all of us.

Graham's piece at home.