Nimmitabel: A Work in Progress: Bluesy Yukeles and bargain fruit trees 22 & 23 June 2013

Everyone loves a party, especially me, and we were invited to one in Kingower. How could we refuse? So, I was back here for the 3rd weekend in a row, and loving it. Justin accompanied me also, as he is also quite partial to a party.

We arrived before lunchtime, and scored a few of Jim's famous pies for lunch - delicious with big chunks of meat.

And yes, it's early Winter, but it's not all bleak as a couple of the jonquils are in flower

sunny jonquils

Given that I was making pizzas again for dinner, I thought Justin coiuld do with some better light than the wind up torches, so I got an extension cord & lamp and voila, he even had enough light to read by while getting the oven ready.

reading by electric lamp light #1

reading by electric lamp light #2

moon rising

The pizzas were delicious :-

ate one, took one home

And yes, it was getting cold, both outside and inside the house. Before leaving for the party I had also made some more feijoa jam, and was well rugged up doing so

posing for the camera with my loaf pan full of jam

concentration - very hot jam!

So we left around 7.30 or so, well equipped for the cold. I think I had about 5 layers of clothes on, plus I brought another 2 jackets. To be honest I don't know if I could have got them on, as I was already feeling a bit Michellin man - hard to bend the arms etc. I also brought a couple of bottles of wine, a cork screw, glasses, some soft drink for me (I was driving, but I would have some wine too), a couple of fold up chairs, gloves, and a head torch. We were ready!

Justin drove carefully, as although it was well after dusk, you couldn't be too careful with kangaroos. The car alerted us to the fact that there was a "snow warning" and that it was 3.5 degrees!

The party was in full swing when we got there, lots of people standing around the now diminished bonfire. The pile of wood had looked so huge a few weeks ago when we dropped in on Damien and Nicole, now it was squat and spread out, but luckily still warm.

It was tricky trying to identify people we knew as they were similalry rugged up. Damien emerged and said hello, and then we also saw June & Arleen from Blanche Barkly, Miley & David the Americans, and Terry etc.

roaring bonfire with the stage in the background

looking back onto the fire with people standing in front of it (look how dark it is!)

So we stood around and chatted, enjoyed the heat from the fire, and enjoyed the 7 piece Bendigo Yukele band which was playing under the marquee. They were great, and played any type of music as long as it was blues, they even had the good grace to joke around despite the fact that their fingers must have been freezing.

Yukele band #1

Yukele band #2

Yukele band #3

Justin enjoying the Yukele band

There were also a couple of separate fire braziers to keep us warm

warming hands

The yukele band had about 1 hours worth of material, and then the guy (Peter Gavin) in the Russian fur hat played a solo guitar act. He was terrific and had a very distinctive, expressive voice.

guitar solo #1

guitar solo #2

Justin & David enjoying the music

I've also attempted a first by inserting a small video clip that Justin took of Peter singing - with his mobile. I hope it works in this blog....

We also had a solo set by a 17yo who had the rock star look and an accompanying smoky, rock star voice

Kingower Idol?

Anway, we had a great time, and left around 12.30. This time the car warned us that it was 0.5 degrees!!! Once again no kangaroos, and a frosty Sunday morning, which I managed to sleep into for a while (for once!).

Thought we should get some work done this weekend, Justin had suggested replacing those dead fruit trees in the orchard. I called up Rodney who I'd met last December at the Inglewood Alive weekend. W boughtg 4 x fruit trees from him for the bargain price of $10 each. A Royal Gala apple, a Pink Lady apple, a nectarine, and an apricot tree. And yes, it was much easier digging the holes for them than for the olive trees.

We walked down the road with the wheelbarrow to pick up the 2 larger trees - as they wouldn't fit in the car.