Just when Kalimna is writing about turning photos into jigsaws, this comes along.

A Darebin Parklands Map jigsaw!

Buy yours today from Darebin Parklands Association here.

I’m guessing that many of us are extremely familiar with our local streetscapes by now, with neighbourhood walks becoming a familiar part of our daily routine. We loved the rainbow pictures and teddy bears of Lockdown No.1 and now Lockdown No.2 is offering a treasure-trove of front garden creativity waiting to be discovered. The lure of these whimsical treats are proving to be an effective incentive for getting smallish children out of the house and walking or scooting for that all important daily burst of fresh air and exercise.

Here are a few of our recently discovered favourites…

Spoon family on Kellet Street, Northcote

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Forest Fairies, Kennedy Street, Fairfield

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Kindness on corner of Russell and Bank Streets, Northcote

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St Andrew’s Church, Fairfield

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Woodland Fairies, Mitchell Street, Northcote, near Hillside Avenue

We’d love to hear from you about your local neighbourhood treasures to add to the map!

I agree not all the graffiti in our neighbourhood is good (eg. the tagging) … but then there are some pearls.

We’d really like to thank Alphington CWA for donating a stack of masks to Gurwidj Neighbourhood House in Thornbury.

Julie, who runs the North East Neighbourhood House Network (which provides fantastic professional support to all the neighbourhood houses in the corridor from Fitzroy through to Diamond Creek) was speaking with Cindy from Gurwidj, and offered to round up some free masks for her to give out to those in her community who were in need.

Alphington CWA (and Jan in particular), stepped up to help out.

Julie is now also looking to provide free masks for health workers at the Northern Hospital … there is a need for personal masks for staff to wear as they head home. Carlton Learning Centre (another neighbourhood house friend just down the road) is also keen for some masks to distribute into the Carlton flats.

So if anyone loves sewing or is feeling a bit flat and would like to do something for others … here’s a worthy cause! Just let me know. We have a simple pattern that we can share, or you can make your own favourite style, as long as the masks are effective (ie. have 3 layers).

Thanks once again Alphington CWA. What a great group of humans you are! And … aren’t we so lucky to live in such a sharing and caring neighbourhoodly community!

Note: if you still need to BUY a mask, we have them for sale on our website. Only $10. For some reason the shopping cart isn’t working on phones at the minute - I will investigate! but in the mean time - just log in on a computer if you want to make a purchase here. We’ll deliver them to your door!

This week our letter comes from a tennis playing grandma. Find out what she has been doing and how she’s been coping in her letter to you, her fellow lockdowners. 30 copies of the letter are out to collect - if your daily walk takes you past the Alphington milk bar you should grab one from the window to take home and read.

Want to read the rest … pop past the Wingrove Street milk bar opposite Alphington Station.