Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

On a recent visit to my home town, Townsville in North Queensland, I was really happy and super impressed to discover an arty place I hadn't heard of before...Renegade Handmade.  I visited this delightful  "handmade"  gift shop on a Saturday morning. It was  23 July 2016 - a warm day for Winter. The arcade was abuzz with people indulging in coffee and snacks, shopping at the fresh food market  and browsing and  enjoying  the various trendy and bespoke shops in the arcade. This scene was hardly the Townsville of my childhood and I am embarrassed to admit  that it surprised me that the atmosphere was so cosmopolitan , contemporary and "with-it". I applaud Renegade Handmade for its vision for both the shop and the markets - to offer "opportunities for makers to mix with shoppers in an environment that is supportive and nurturing of handmade."   That nurturing support was obvious - the art was well displayed, presented with style and ...

Home again after ten days in North Queensland, so amidst unpacking, sorting, and washing , I took a few photos this morning of our garden and what a difference ten days makes . Blossoms everywhere and although our garden has been neglected while we've been away, it looks great! In the next post,  I will have photos from the mixed media art course I did in Townsville. Watch this space please.

Here I am in Townsville, in North Queensland. You may have heard the news that a large crocodile was spotted on the Strand ( the foreshores) in Townsville this week. How did I happen to be here still smiling with this huge reptile. Well .... We came up here on Wednesday morning, 4 March to surprise my mother on her 84th birthday. This is a special birthday as this is her year  in the Chinese calendar - the Year of the Ox.  My sister invited our mum  to lunch at a coffee shop near her home, and we "gatecrashed " their lunch. I think she is still getting over the shock, and can't believe that she didn't have any idea that we were coming. Her first words were "How did you get here?" The simple answer, " By plane, Mum."  Amazing that no one else in the family who were all in on the surprise didn't drop any hints whatsoever.  We have had a few lovely days up here - eating out, shopping and gathering more information to help Jim write our family hist...