We work with wood and its wonderful

Was carting out stuff in anticipation of renovations yesterday and had to cut up some satin box ( like it suggests -you can sleep on it and just playing with it is cool and its oh so white in colour ( eg we make kids hammers  out of it )  that I had retrieved from a gully years ago in the old Volvo . The original piece would have been be too big to use at home,  but its a joy,  like so many of our woods,  to remind us of how things are made new every day .

Here's another wood we have lots of  .Blackwood with fiddleback - Maton the guitar makers still take some from our comrades locally.

Might not seem much of a photo ( outside our Creative Living Centre ) but it contains the statistical significance of the ages - the way our rainforests regenerate ! In a previous post , I had the top down view of these two plants showing how you can hardly see through them from the top ( they thrive in the deep dark valleys of the southern fall of the Otways ). Juvenile leaves ( shown in previous ) do amazing things in some species ! If you get the chance to go to our most popular walk on the Great Ocean Road ( Mait's Rest ) there is a huge Blackwood tree at the waterfall whose roots start growing above your head .( you literally stand under it ) A Fern not only gave it a leg up,  but a real heads up . Not bad for a mere plant and a mere competitor .
More on 
http://swearthnews.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/leaves-in-low-light-rainforest.html

One of our best inventions

Is the silage maker. Don't let your grass clipping simply rot away. Sequester them. Use them to feed the animals around your home in the lean times. Delicious and nutritious. Click here . If you want to know more about why sequestering is better than rotting the materials OR if you want detailed specifications on how to make your very own high quality silage ---contact the Centre.

Toys and toy repairs are OUR speciality

 We recently completed  this dolls house for grandchildren of a mother who died unexpectedly before being able to finish it herself . 







Tractor bucket needed new bearing lift mechanism

 New toys being built recently

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Before and After

 Participants and members of the CLC have used our extensive design software resources to plan buildings and playground improvements - plans being  needed for approval .


Here the great artwork by an early workskills artist is being preserved by the pergola .

 Sandpit for the playgroup  was proposed to include 2 wood cypress tree stumps carved into poop deck and front boom with plastic masts and rope sail line

Fertilizer boxes, Herb gardens and brilliant floor planning and execution

Kevin and  Graeme  have recently helped set up new fertilizer boxes for the garden and herb garden boxes for the disabled . Months earlier they carried out excellent planning and execution of floor changes . Others who would rather their names were not mentioned , repainted and decorated the hall - now popular for community singing .

Thanks fellas

Garden plots and great herbs are available from Colac's first community garden

Dave does a great job keeping things going in the garden.
Like participants before him , mulch is a speciality

During the year we lost Dave who participated in the Pathways program and contributed significantly over many years , always making himself available for maintenance jobs.


Hope you got to see his paintings which were on display in the hall
This character of Colac and our congregation will be missed .

What's not happening

Well  quite a bit is still happening.. You will be lucky to find a clamp for your work
but ....due to family and writing commitments I am doing less
- not updating this site as much as I should
-The blokes group has gone weekly and to a new venue with lots  more funding - though we still have plans for more shed visits.
-Pathways has stopped providing the  service for woodwork and craftwork on Mondays due to funding / personel issues ,( recently lost Dave who contributed significantly around the property ) .

-Woodwork program under WFD  is still  operating Tuesdays and Thursdays ( noticed the amount of sawdust?)
- Dave is still busy in the garden and on grounds
- A few other people who help lots like Kevin and Graeme are not presently working on site . Haven't they done a great job on the floors for example.
- Walking  craft  and counselling still use the house . See the calendar
- We have done a review of the activities on site ( now out on DVD )
-COMING UP  Preparations  are  being made to launch the reading room in April .

If you live in the area please drop in, pick some herbs for tea , or give a us a ring and join in 

Community projects completed

Back seats for the Guidehall

Reusing and Recycling the Red Bins

thanksfor the fun for kids

good silage mate

Boys loved basketball

Potmovers were the most popular

ladder makes compaction possible

Garden cart becomes billycart only when needed


Also we produced a basketball hoop and kids slide for the show .Thanks to all those who offered us bins .
Those of you who want to recycle those red bins might like to consider some options listed HERE. We are hoping , in conjunction with the Shire, to reuse many of those not wanted,( rather than completely recycle the materials), for a wide variety of local projects, including some really fun things for the big and little boys amongst us HERE (only a few listed on the website at present).

What's new in Winter ?

Well if you need to keep warm and keep fit- there are some great energetic exercise classes in the hall run by Nat .( In the lounge while the election is on )
Pat has espaliered the apples and pears ( on the workshop wall) in the backyard so if want to do same with yours, take note .
Is it time to prune? Yes for most things except peaches apricots and nectarines- summer or autumn or better.

In the garden there is a space for you

Well just for the moment- if you are quick!. Dave has been doing a great job pulling weeds and setting up the beds for planting. See Judy if you would like a spot - for a small contribution --we water you weed ---(your plot).
Phil and the boys have set up an excellent trellis wall to add to the growing enthusiasm for berries, building on the good work of Paul in adding many more horticultural elements to the garden last year .These herbs in boxes are another of Paul's initiatives.
Grab some while you are here next time .