Cute huh? We can’t wait for these to be installed in our garden! We’re thinking our little community clusters might go in front of our new ramp.

Stories from isolation … we’re a doggy neighbourhood so we couldn’t leave the fur babies out!

Even though some things are opening, many of us are being cautious right? Personally I am seeing my sister and her family, and have been back at work a bit, talking to people mainly outside … but that’s the extent of my socialising. I’m taking it slow, and still looking for ways to connect that aren’t all in person.

So I am keen to share these ideas. About singing and ukulele online. Because I suspect some things may take quite a while to come back as face to face options. And some things are actually working really well online.

Thanks Kathy, for taking the time to share your story and for putting this list together for us!

Kathy says,

The Northcote based choir that I usually sing with is meeting via Zoom and this works well for us because we are an established group.

Other options are many and varied for anyone that just wants to join in a singalong.

• I’m currently enjoying a Toronto based duo called Choir! Choir! Choir! who host Choir!ntine singalongs (today's was 80's dance hits) They run at 10am Mondays (8pm Sunday night Toronto time).

• An Australian based singing opportunity is The Massive Singlet. Stephen Taberner has run choirs in Melbourne for many years and is now offering this range of singing experiences (some for kids as well as adults and some including ukelele). You need to register ahead of time for each one and some sell out quickly.

• If you'd like to add some ukelele to your singing experience, a couple that runs many choirs and ukelele orchestras from Newcastle NSW is now using Zoom to connect with both current and new members. they are called The Sum of The Parts (Music). I can highly recommend their teaching style, having joined with them in the good old days of physical get togethers. They are Jane and Mark. This link is to their home page that has a great video overview of what they do. This second link takes you straight to their Zoom tutorials.

So, enjoy an endorphin rush without needing to  leave home - or get some friends together now that we can gather in small indoor groups and have a group experience with music.

How good are dumplings? Really, REALLY good. So warm, soft and comforting - just what we all need right now, no?

We came across this new online dumpling-making workshop from Alphington local, and dumpling-making expert, Angie and had to share. For more information visit The Humble Dumpling (such a great name!).

Get together with your friends, family, and even your workmates in groups of 2-16 people, and, via Zoom, learn how to make pork, chicken or vegetarian dumplings from scratch in two hours from the comfort of your own kitchen. 

If anyone wants to send us any dumplings they’ve perfected, we are more than happy to sample and provide feedback…

I recently received a little note from local Brian, who also happens to one of my favourite ex-colleagues. We worked together in what used to be the Department of Natural Resources and Environment - along with half of the population of Alphington and Fairfield I think!

This is what he wrote …

This might be of interest to some of the good folk in the Alphington Community Centre community. It is an online Diploma of Sustainable Living that is offered by the University of Tasmania. As I understand it people can do the whole thing or just a one off unit, eg. there is one unit on backyard biodiversity which sounds really interesting I reckon.

Here’s the link to the backyard biodiversity subject, that then takes you to the broader course.

Thanks Brian!

Here’s a picture of him with his Highly Commended certificate from last year’s Alphington Show. He whittled those spoons - some from the trees in his garden - aren’t they ace!

Reduce, reuse, recycle … it’s hard rubbish month in Darebin!

Hi it’s Leanne here.

Today is another oversharing post from me.

Because Darebin hard rubbish is on, and it is my favourite time of the year. Hands down! As far as I am concerned it’s a month of good vibes everywhere - as the whole suburb turns into one giant free op shop!

So I am going to share a list with you … my most favourite hard rubbish finds. So you can possibly be proud that you put those things out for display on the nature strip so nicely that I picked them up!

Because it’s everyone’s aim right, with anything still in good nick, to set it out nicely so that someone collects it … there’s nothing more depressing in the whole world to me than hearing that crushing truck crushing good things that someone could have collected … oh it nearly makes me cry!

Anyway, the list of the things I am proud to have rescued from the nasty truck include:

• The pigeon hole shelves in my lounge room

• The drawers in my bedroom

• The standard lamp in my lounge room

• My bike

• My bentwood kitchen chairs

• My hall table

• The wool rug in my dining room

• The kilim rug in my hall

• My Webber Q (amazing right?)

• The antique desk in my studio

And the list goes on and on. My 3 matching garden tables, my teak garden chairs, the slide in the garden, the rusty old laundry trolley under our clothes line that adds character to our garden … and all my vintage washing baskets.

When the kids were little I found sandpit toys, bikes and boogie boards.

Whatever you need, in whatever life stage you are at … you can find it in hard rubbish. I swear it’s true! Some nice old Fowlers jars for vases? A new armchair? I wish you good luck for the upcoming fun. I’ll see you out there.