Frosty Starts

Freezer-like conditions have prevailed here in Nundle over the last couple of days. We have been rising from toasty warm beds to be greeted by rolling white hills and pale blue skies. The frost is rather picturesque but is also playing major havoc with our pipes! This morning we had to do without both hot and cold water - this simply reinforced how reliant I am on my 7 am cup of coffee and shower to feel human. After chatting to a number of other locals I discovered quite a few of us were condemned to wander through the day in an uncaffinated and unwashed haze. Bring on the warmer weather! I haven't got a photo of the uber frost but thought I would post one taken during the last time it properly snowed in Nundle, transforming the village into something out of a fairytale.

Photos

Yoga shoes

Debra Miller's yoga classes at Murrurundi in the Upper Hunter Valley are so popular that she attracts people from many kilometres away. There are women who travel from Bunnan and Quirindi and today we travelled from Nundle (a 45 minute drive). It is worth it. Debra has such a gentle way that encourages you to have a go and when you are doing something completely wrong she tactfully corrects you. I expect to hurt tomorrow, but for now I'm enjoying my post yoga high and I'll try to make it last for as long as possible.

Bush Dancing Dag

It is so much easier to lure my husband onto the dance floor at a bush dance than any other occasion involving dancing. It is because when it comes to bush dancing every one is equal...as daggy as each other. How appropriate then that the Nundle Playgroup Bush Dance was held at The Dag Sheep Station with music by The Squatters. A girlfriend Kelly summed it up when she said the traditional folk music we danced to is timeless and inspires rollicking. There was much rollicking with parents dancing with children in their arms and children at their feet. Every face I met wore a beaming smile. Thanks John and Belinda of The Dag for a great night.

Something New

It is always refreshing that after 11 years of living in a place you can still discover something new. Today we went on a road trip with a difference, more a Sunday drive (except that it's Monday). We loaded the boys into the truck and explored the dirt forest roads in the range above Nundle. To make it interesting it has been drizzling with rain for a week so there was plenty of mud and water to splash through. A friend had told us about a magic spot by Swamp Creek so we set out to find it. While we didn't have fishing rods with us to lure in a trout as our friend did, we had a thermos of hot stove top coffee and left over birthday cake (Bec Schofield's decadent death by chocolate recipe) served with double cream and blackberry jam. How special. The vibrant green moss was luminous on the deep brown sodden bark of the pines and on the forest floor there was a gallery of fungi (we have to borrow a copy of What Fungi is That? from the Nundle Library so we know which variety to pick next time).
In the mood, we drove along the Two Mile Walk to an orchard planted by gold miners in the late 19th century. We had visited the orchard on foot twice previously, but some 10 years ago, so it was a treat to drive there. Although a little wild, the trees were thriving without a caretaker. Pears, apples, and plums had lost their leaves for winter, but the winter woodbyne was a resplendent gold. I'm about to pour over some albums containing photos of our previous visits, once in snow and in the full bloom of spring, to compare notes.

Warrah Writers' Workshop

Yesterday Megan and I braved the elements to join the Warrah Writers for one of their workshops. In the driving rain we bolted into the sanctuary of the Warrah Community Hall to listen to author Louisa Butler. In total 12 of us did a range of stimulating exercises with Louisa's guidance, concentrating particularly on characterisation and plotting. A number of the Warrah Wrtiers are working on their own manuscripts so found Louisa's advice very helpful. On the way home Megan and I discussed our plans for the next Nundle Writing Retreat workshop and we're feeling really inspired. It is also great fun planning the menu for both Saturday and Sunday. I have been playing around in the kitchen experimenting with tasty new recipes, also managing to master my mother's fabulous pavlova recipe. So pavlova will definitely be on the menu for July! I think homegrown lambshanks might also be order of the day. Will continue to keep you all posted...