Winter Tomatoes

This post is to remind us that our garden has behaved strangely this year. Our couple of tomatoe plants have not stopped 'fruiting' this year and our so called 'winter' is two thirds through. Tomatoes are a summer crop so this seems to reflect a change in the 'mind' of our garden, in particular the tomatoe plants... that things are being flipped on their heads. Apart from the concern, we are happy to keep picking them.

Speedboat Craft

This week's woodcraft at Whittlesea was simple speedboats. The assembly was very simple and after making them the students went on to other creations, which is all good in Peter's eyes. Some students are still using too much glue. That component takes a long while to learn but many are getting there.

Recycling Club

Peter has been helping form another club at the school. This one is 'out and about' the school grounds with the task of collecting waste, especially plastic waste. This was a student initiative and has been a greate encouragement to Principal and staff. To help this club gain momentum and interest with their peers, Peter provided a bit of simple garment construction out of 8 metres of yellow fluoro fabric to make ten vests. That was definitely the cheapest way to get fests and they were made to size. Peter decided that after ten, new members to the club would have to go without. It has been a good start and the club has grown to six (above) and soon there won't be a single piece of litter anywhere about the school!

Free Build at Whittlesea

Peter is yet to make real 'kits' this term. Instead he has been thinning out his timber stocks at home and providing them, ripped and docked to managable lengths, for the kids to create with. This has turned out very well with the older kids who have made some large constructions. The younger ones took it in their stride. There has been plenty of real learning going on as a result.

Beach Walk

Wind behind beach ahead, water glimmering calling to join

Dogs upon dogs everywhere, freely running and panting

Water rolling, rolling gently forward, wetting naked feet

Cold steps, shoes under arm, letting water bite and splash

Hello black dog looming past unknown, and round again dripping

Raising black thoughts long past long forgotten like the wind

Walked like this before, once again deep in mind and heart

Water foaming, gentle rolling and bubbling, return them to mind

Dogs of every kind, happy white dogs and black, chasing a ball

Running back with it to chase it again, across the glossy surface

Cold water stinging, bare feet not caring, striding forth, thinking

Onward forever onward, not catching up, giving up, turning around

Headland goal too far to reach, turn now and face the wind

How constant it is, gently caressing, lessening each step

Keep walking not letting it win, any other choice but acceptance

Feelings grow stockpiled as memories heap unrelenting 

Walking easy, thinking, seeing pictures to take, retracing each step

Black dog close yet far in a mix of positive and negative swings

Like wet seaweed scattered about the sand in random expression

Ending in collection and recollection, in love and compassion

Many walkers with memories a-rolling with gentle surf a-braking

Taking or leaving with wind lifting resolve to whole new levels

Thoughts past with others present like wet sand over cold feet

Grey sea windswept clouds, solitary thoughts offering more 

Now the walk is done, occasions opened and memories touched

Feelings exposed, wounds remembered, times long gone

Consume them now with a warming and thawing, easing toes

Fish, chips and breaking sun saying, enough, soak me and eat 

A poem by Peter after our walk on Fisherman's Beach Torquay.