A little baking, animal watching and creativity

I love it when I find a super easy recipe that's delicious.  I made this Easy Lemon Slice yesterday and it's delicious with a cuppa.  The recipe can be found here.  I would add a little more lemon juice to the icing as it's quite stiff.

 

I came across this DVD in the local library "The Ocean's Supermum", a natural history documentary about the Australian sea lion.  It was beautiful and I can tell you, sea lion pups are incredibly cute.

In rather disheartening news, our protest about the McDonalds

development in Tecoma appears to have failed.  During the past week about 50 police were deployed one morning at 4a.m. to secure the site and stop any protesters entering.  The police presence was in addition to security working on behalf of McDonalds.  There is nothing more distressing and intimidating than to see police dressed in semi riot gear.  For goodness sake, what were they expecting.  We are a peaceful community protesting a development by a multinational foreign corporation taking over our beautiful part of the world.   Buildings standing in the way of the development have since been demolished. 

On going for my daily walk with Sophie I discoverd the footpath I usually walk on along Burwood highway was/is closed to pedestrians.  Police and security staff were positioned along the footpath and I was told it was closed for safety reasons.  I think not.  If it was that dangerous, nobody would have been standing there at all, more rigid barriers would have been put in place rather than the thin timber fencing that is currently in use.  To continue my usual route I had to cross two roads with pedestrian lights which is safe.  I then had to walk on the other side of Burwood highway and cross over this busy road without the safety of pedestrian lights.  I was assured by the security guard I would be assisted across the road by the police but no such help was forth coming.  High school and primary school students use this footpath as a safe way to walk home.  I saw today that the footpath has now been totally closed off and boarded over.

We feel totally gutted as a community, we feel sick and disappointed that the only voice that is heard anymore is the one that has the money.  We feel betrayed, bullied and intimidated, our faith in democracy challenged.  Thank you to each and everyone of you who has taken an interest in this story and supported our cause.  Thank you for helping shout out loud that we don't like or agree with what is/has been done.

In bid to calm my distress after my walk, I decided a little creativity was in order.  Over the past year or so I've been collecting free postcards from the local library which advertise all manner of things from cultural performance, education, awareness of social issues and the work of artists.  I based these collage pages loosely on colour themes.

I intend hanging these in a new creative space coming soon to our backyard.  :)

In other creative endeavors, I've entered the world of journaling, a totally new way of creative expression for me and I love it.  There are no rules, even better.  I've started by cutting out images from magazines and going from there.  The brain storming that was going on while doing this was so much fun.  Here are two pages I've completed, I think.

The two pages look better seen together.  I know these first two are quite basic but as I learn more about this genre and learn new techniques, I'm sure they will become more interesting.

The pages currently being worked on.

 

 This is my preferred page so far.  I've lots more work to do on these two pages incorporating stamped and hand drawn images.  I used light water colour washes on the pages before adding other elements.  The flowers in the vase above are an image from a magazine and I've used a black fine line pen to highlight different areas.  It's always a big risk to put your artwork out there.  I hope I haven't bored you all to tears.

 Melbourne is currently experiencing it's worst winters day this year with rain and lots of it, cold and extreme wind, the type that turns you umbrella inside out.  Wishing you all a lovely weekend and better weather than what we are having today.

Anne  xx

Thank you

I would like to say a big thank you to the people who have signed the petition at change.org in regard to stopping a McDonalds development site in my home town/suburb of Tecoma.

This is what was written on the No Maccas in Tecoma facebook page today.

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  "The following media advisory note has just been sent to all media contacts. It is also being distributed via Change.org media channels

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  TECOMA COMMUNITY TO TAKE STORE FIGHT TO MCDONALD’S HEADQUARTERS

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Local mum and five-year old daughter will attempt to deliver 55,000-strong petition to McDonald’s Australia CEO Catriona Noble at her Sydney office; petition is one of the largest in change.org’s history in Australia.

  
  

  A Tecoma mum and her five-year old daughter will tomorrow (Wednesday 31 July) take their community’s fight against a McDonald’s store to the very top - Maccas HQ in Sydney.

  
  

  Erin Downie and her daughter, Mirakye, will attempt to deliver a 55,000 strong change.org petition to McDonalds Australia boss Catriona Noble.

  
  

  The change.org petition has become a lightning rod for community anger over the plans to build a McDonalds store in the idyllic Dandenong Ranges outside Melbourne.

  
  

  
  

  With more than 55,000 signatures, the petition is one of the top ten largest in change.org’s history in Australia.

  
  

  
  

  Details:

  
  

  
  

  When: 9.30am, Wednesday, 31 July, 2013

  
  

  Where: McDonalds HQ, 21 Central Avenue, Thornleigh, NSW.

  
  

  What: Delivery of a 55,000-strong change.org petition to McDonalds CEO Catriona Noble

  
  

  Who: Tecoma mum Erin Downie and her five-year old daughter, Mirakye."

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  In particular I wanted to draw your attention to the statement that "the petition is one of the top ten largest in change.org's history in Australia"  Thank you for contributing.

  
  

  Anne  xx

My weekend

Last week when I was out and about I passed a lovely fruit and vege shop that also sold flowers.  I couldn't resist buying a couple of bunches of daffodils to brighten up the living room.  They are an unusual yellow, almost with lime green tinges.

Progress has been made out in our back yard in preparation for our new project.  The dwarf Pink Lady apple tree and plumbago have been dug up and transplanted.  The potting shed is in it's new position and completely reassembled by my clever hubby.

There's a bit of a slope here so we'll have to terrace the ground inside.

This afternoon I planted some double polyanthus, did some weeding and pruned a hydrangea bush.  There are a few more to do but they will keep for another day.  I was rather tired by the end of the day as yesterday was spent digging out the apple tree and plumbago with hubby's help.  I then went on a long walk with Sophie on a new route which included some very steep hills.  I've a few muscles aching as a result.

 

I had another long walk today about midday to participate in a protest march against the McDonalds development in Tecoma.  There were a huge number of people participating, at least several thousand. I'm so proud of our community, not just Tecoma but people from Belgrave, Belgrave Heights, Belgrave South, Upwey, Selby, Kallista, Sassafras and many others from surrounding areas and down the hill.

Hubby took some photos and I'll share just a few so as not to bore you all to tears with our local issues.

The march started in Belgrave

Proceeding along Burwood highway.

  

And finishing in Tecoma

Wishing you all an enjoyable week,

Anne xx

Tecoma's community protest against the McDonalds development

 Today I took Sophie for a walk as I do most days.  My walk usually takes me up to Burwood Highway and along the way I enjoy this scenes like this.  Just beautiful don't you think?  A beautiful environment is what the Dandenong Ranges is all about.  The adjoining suburbs to Tecoma of Upwey, Belgrave, Belgrave Heights, Belgrave South, Selby, Kallista and Sassafrass are just as lovely.  We live on the edge of the Sherbrooke Forest in the Dandenong Ranges
an area that we wish to keep protected and be able to enjoy for many years to come.

Almost in the centre of this photo you can see the lights of the intersection of Burwood right in the middle of Tecoma.

As I approached the highway, my moments of peace and serenity were interrupted when I saw a man with a placard protesting about the McDonalds development.  He has been banned from protesting close to the McDonalds site as he was involved in a blockade on the day McDonalds started work on site.

 Standing next to the protesting man below is an elderly lady, a grandmother who lives in a unit adjacent to where the McDonalds car park will be, her kitchen window looks onto the car park area.

This is her unit below.  She is so scared as people already come hooning in this car park at night in their cars and with the addition of a 24/7 McDonalds there will most certainly be an increase in these incidents.

You can see from these plans below just how close the development will be to these residential units and how chaotic traffic will be with a drive though facility.

Apparently Tecoma doesn't have any traffic congestion or problems of any sort!  The photos below were taken at 3.00pm just before school pickup time.

Pedestrian and traffic lights at the intersection of Sandals Road and Burwood Highway used heavily at school drop off and pick up time.

The local kindergarten and primary school are diagonally opposite the development site.  Pedestrian traffic assistants are there morning and afternoons to assist with children crossing Sandals Road and Burwood Highway.  Who is going to be assisting children crossing the drive through entry and exit roads at McDonalds?

 

Walls have been barricaded around the development site so we can't see what they are doing.  I climbed on top of a fallen log to take this photo.  Previous to these barriers being put up, there were metal and wire fences to protect the general public from any danger.  Now we can't see what is going on.  There were plovers seen mating in this grassy area recently and many people believe they are/were intending to nest here.  Now we can't see what is going on.  Take a look at this link to learn more, the plovers have their own Facebook page.

Two security guards having a smoke.

Protestors messages written in chalk.

Even Santa doesn't want McDonalds.  This sign is displayed in the property of a house which is opposite the development site.

Two more security guards employed by McDonalds.

Protesters holding placards.  Those people who support the protesters toot their horns as they drive past which is very encouraging to all those holding placards.

Will this view be improved by a big bright garish yellow M?  I think not.

If anyone would like to support our cause to try and stop this development even at this late stage, please visit change.org and sign the petition.

Thank you so much.

Anne  xx

McDonalds is not welcome in Tecoma!

McDonalds of the fast food chain wants to build a resturant (sorry, I can't even think of McDonalds qualifying as a restaurant) in our small community in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne.  People come up here to enjoy the forest, the wildlife, visit beautiful gardens and picnic grounds, get married in one of the many wonderful wedding venues, take a ride on Puffing Billy and if they want refreshments, there are many wonderful cafes and restaurants to cater for their every need.  It is a totally inappropriate development for the area and what the Dandenong Ranges represents.

The local council voted no to the McDonalds planning application after the community was consulted and voted no to such a development.  The site is opposite a kindergarten, primary school and not far from a local high school.  The site is also adjacent to a two lane main highway which currently has  huge traffic issues as a result of four lanes converging into two about 200 metres from the site.  Of course McDonalds wants a drive through facility.  Can you imagine evening peak hour, four lanes converging into two, people wanting to go into drive through resulting in even a greater back up of traffic?

After McDonalds found out their planning application had been rejected by council (a democratically made decision), they went to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal - VCAT and had council decision overturned which is why our community is outraged.  There is a lot more I could say about the many reasons why McDonalds is not needed or wanted here in our beautiful community but rather than that, if you are interested in our plight, the following links give information about our very real problem.  I would ask if you would consider signing the petition at www.change.org/burgeroff opposing the McDonalds development and visiting www.burgeroff.org and https://www.facebook.com/pages/NO-McDonalds-in-The-Dandenong-Ranges/220419864641673?hc_location=stream to understand the full story.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post and take an interest in the right of a community to stop a development we believe will have a detrimental impact on our beautiful part of the world.

Anne

The Hay Shed

Last night I went with my brother to The Hay Shed.  The Hay Shed is a venue built by my cousin for the express purpose of providing music entertainment for the local community.  The shed has been built in a paddock on his farm and he has installed toilets (proper ones not porta loos), has an area set up for food catering and serving drinks.  An incredible amount of money, time and effort has gone into the planning and the facilities.   The sound system is amazing and the lights operated by my other cousin add a wonderful atmosphere.

The music last night was Country style which is not my favourite but it was on opportunity to see my cousin's venue and experience music under the stars.  The night was perfect, balmy and only later in the evening did a cool wind spring up but it wasn't unpleasant.

These photos were taken about 6.45pm in the evening.

The Hay Shed, the performing area.   The green area on the ground is for dancing or if rock bands are playing, the mosh pit.  I love the way old farm implements have been used to decorate and add atmosphere.

The sound and light tower.  My two cousins were up there last night with my nephew assisting.

 

To the left is the catering area.  I had a hot lamb roll, delicious.

This is in the back area.  Some people bring their own chairs although chairs and tables are provided.  The big gum trees in the background are lit up at night.

Three bands played.  First a local group and two bands from Perth.  The second band was very ordinary in my opinion but the third band, the Renegades were outstanding.  They played good country rock with a mix of cover songs that everyone knew and some of their own material.  They got people up and dancing with good music, encouraged crowd participation and were the hit of the night.

The Renegades

Crowd participation.  The lady on the far left in the yellow top is a local parliamentarian.

The cousin who built the Hay Shed is in his own band of which my nephew is also a member.  The band is Fullnoise and they play covers of really cool rock songs.  My cousin plays guitar and was invited to play a couple of songs with the Renegades.

My cousin is the hairy bloke with the mullet hairstyle, sunnys on his head in the middle of the other two fellas playing guitar.

During the last part of the show, I was invited up to the sound and light box to get a birds eye view and check out all the gear the fellas were operating.

Just a small portion of the equipment used for sound and lights.

Another view form the sound/light box looking west toward the huge car parking area and camping ground.  Yes there are facilities for camping.

When I previously visited Western Australia in late November, 2012, Fullnoise had a concert at The Hay Shed in conjunction with cover bands for the Blues Brothers and the Beatles.  I missed that one as the weather was terrible.  Last year The Hay Shed had concerts featuring a pipe band and a swing band from Kalamunda, a suburb of Perth and a Bachelors and Spinster Ball.  My cousin also organised a Carols by Candlelight concert in December which involved some Perth performers who feature in one of the main Carols nights in Perth.

Hats off to my cousin for providing such a wonderful venue where the local and surrounding communities can enjoy music.  I didn't mention that he (my cousin) is also an electrician so the whole place is extremely well lit.   I hope you enjoyed hearing about the difference one person can make, someone with a dream, a dream that has become a reality.

Anne  xx