Thanks to everyone who came op shopping with us on Tuesday. We dodged the rain showers (mostly) and had a lovely time in Abbotsford visiting two op shops. We also stopped for Vietnamese for lunch on Victoria Street. Everyone bought something - Linda bought a footstool (which was tricky to carry around), Marie-Louise a dress, Monica some tea … and I can’t remember what the others got (I bought 2 jumpers and a long sleeve t-shirt).

Thanks to Clifton Hill/North Fitzroy Community Bank for supporting this adventure - it was really inspiring to go op shopping on public transport. Truly. So relaxing.

This last week it has been great to usher in spring - whilst Thursday felt like the depths of winter, Friday was sunshiny and lovely … and it was amazing to spend time in the garden! It is looking so fantastic and Clare and Corrado and Jenny - and everyone else who comes along on Fridays and contributes should be super proud. The wicking beds out the front, along with the delivery of fogo compost that we spread around, have transformed the bed outside our fence. Thanks to Yarra Council for helping us purchase the beds and for delivering the compost for free. On Friday Clare picked a huge amount of produce (our bokchoy was about to go to seed) and so we have lots of lovely home-grown vegetables ready for cooking this coming week.

Speaking of coming up this week we have all the usual things - our food programs, line dancing, book clubs, choir, music lessons, sound healing - along with two exciting workshops on the weekend. Weaving with Corrin starting up for a 6 week course (book in here) and Spoonmaking with Maylei - a one-day workshop (book in here).

We hope to see you at ACC soon.

Cheers Leanne

Last week we had a packed house for Garden the Plate, where we cooked vegetarian Indian dishes - they were really yummy. We had a pea raita, eggplant in coconut and a dry cauliflower curry, with basmati rice. It was excellent.

This week we are making okonomyaki (Japanese vegetable pancakes) - shining a light on cabbage. And we will make some teriyaki prawns and rice as well. Yum. Cooking starts at 11.30am. It usually takes about an hour for the cooking and then we sit down together to eat our creations … and finish up at 1pm. Book in on our website if you are coming along so we can judge numbers.

On Tuesday we have our Op Shop Adventure - you’ll find the details and the booking link the post below. We’d love you to come along. Last time was lots of fun - it was great to see what others were looking for and to compare bargains!

On Wednesday we have our 1st Wednesday Book Club here at night …and the two book clubs on Thursday (day and night). It is now the time of the year for book clubs to choose their reads for next year which is always a bit exciting! Darebin Libraries purchase new sets of books each year to try to ensure that book groups get variety year in and year out.

Speaking of Darebin Libraries, we have a little interactive community thing called Due Back up at Fairfield Library for Adult Learners Week. If you pass the library or an in the library please take a minute or two to fill in a card - a recommendation from you of a ‘book that stayed with you’ and a quick note about something you learnt from it There are some photos in the post below.

Corrin in starting up her Learn to Weave course in the Community Shed from this coming Saturday - if you are interested there are still spots available. It runs from 10am-1pm for 6 weeks and you will learn to weave and make something beautiful in the process - a scarf or the like. Here is he link to find out more and book in.

We also have Maylei back teaching a Spoon Making (whittling) for a one day workshop on Saturday 13 September from 9am-3pm. You can find out more in the post below.

Of course we have our Community Morning on Friday - a great chance for a chat inside or out (Clare will be busy in the garden with Jenny and Corrado and our garden is looking super with all their love and care) followed by lunch at 12pm.

We’d love to see you.

Cheers Leanne

Adult Learners Week is here … and our nostalgic interactive community arts piece is now at Fairfield Library.

Lee installed it on Thursday afternoon and when I popped in Friday after work one of the librarians was stamping up and filling in a card - so I asked if I could take her photo.

The whole thing is pretty groovy and fun (Lee is a visual design wiz!) and we hope you take a minute or two to fill in a card yourself if you are there … your name, a book that is memorable and has ‘stayed with you’ and a description of what it was you learnt from it!

Happy adult learning! Both libraries and neighbourhood houses are a great place for it (in different ways).

Maylei is back - teaching a short course on Saturday 13 September in whittling, specifically spoon making. The workshop runs from 9am-3pm.

This is a hands on workshop to teach you the steps and the tools to make your own spoon.

It is designed for beginners and will go through safe use of the tools and techniques for carving.

All wood and materials are provided. You can find out more and book in on humantix.

https://events.humanitix.com/spoon-making-with-maylei

Join us for an arty weekend! We’re looking forward to the upcoming Winter Arts Salon exhibition!

Works will arrive by 3pm on Thursday 21 August … and we’ll start hanging … the exhibition will open on 22 August - Friday night at 5pm. We already have more than 30 artist entries including people we know and also some new participants - so it is going to be great!

The exhibition will be open all weekend - Saturday and Sunday from 10am-3pm.

Put it in your diary and come along!