News & Updates from Vicki Avcin ~ AusCrafts · Page 91

25th April, 100 years ago our Australian and New Zealand troops landed in Gallipoli in the early hours of the morning. One hundred years on as we remember that day and the lives that were lost, not only that day but all those that paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we may have the freedom we have today. ANZAC means Australian and New Zealand Army Corp. There were a lot of services here in on the Fraser Coast.

Dawn Services at various locations all with record numbers.

I was part of the Rural Fire Service crew that attended the service at River Heads. Usually there is no march as it?s a small community, but being the 100th anniversary, the Progress Association decided to have a small march??from the shopping centre, to the Community Hall which just happens to be opposite the shops! We formed up with the classic cars in front (only one arrived), then the Army cadets, followed by the firefighters behind them and followed up with the 3 trucks from River Heads Kingfisher Rural Fire Brigade. Although it was only a short march, down the road and round the corner, people received the march so well that they look like including it again next year. The photo is the First Officer from River Heads Kingfisher brigade and myself going to lay the wreath wreath that I made to be laid from my brigade and River Heads Kingfisher brigade. The cards I?m showcasing are recently added circle cards.

Check out the lovely cards made from them too.

Well who?d have thought at my age, I?d be ?officially? learning how to use a chainsaw!! I knew that chainsaw?s had chains and they cut timber.

I have used one on many occasions. But ask me what a cutter, depth guage, a tie strap, a tang and a working corner was and I?d have looked at you stupid and said ?talk english?.

I got put on the course at the last minute after someoneelse dropped out and now that I?ve done it, I?m glad I did. Rural Fire Service Qld wants as many members trained up to Level 1 and Level 2 operators as they can (the training is optional as to whether you want to do it or not) and are currently putting on courses for the firefighters to do. After the recent cyclone in Yeppon and around the central coast of Queensland, they struggled to get crews as the only people they sent from this area were accredited chainsaw operators.

The deployment of 2 crews that went from this area spent a week doing nothing for 8 hrs a day but cutting and clearing trees that had been brought right down or blown over by TC Marcia. So this little granny pulled on the chaps and earmuffs and was let loose on Day 2 of the course reducing some felled trees to firewood.

Day 1 was all about maintenance and parts and most of all safety with chainsaws.

The photo below was not taken at the course but the following day, as we were all too busy on the day focusing on safety and cutting techniques etc. The guys even dared me to use one of the bigger chainsaws that was there and well, never being one to slack off, I did use it much to their surprise I think!! Promoting my new circle cards.

More will be added so check back soon.

Woohoo!! I?m going to be a Grandma again!! Come September 2015 I will have another grandbaby to spoil and make a fuss of.

This will be number 7. Our son Brad and his wife are expecting their first baby. Will be Brads 3rd child but Jess?s first.

And remember Zoe and Zac that help me (they call me Nanny) with my CUP TV episodes, they will have a little brother or sister. They will find out the sex of the baby in a couple of months rather than wait till he/she is born. My poor hubby though.

He?s going to be dragged around the shops while I go baby shopping! Although I don?t think he?ll mind too much.

He always has input in to things when we do the birthday or Christmas shopping for all our grandkids. Strange but true, when Brads ex was first pregnant, he was feeling nauseous and ill each time with Zoe and Zac before their mothereven knew she was pregnant!

He?s been not well and feeling nauseous for about 4 weeks now unbeknown to us that Jess was pregnant!!

Hopefully now he?ll start feeling better as its past the 3 months mark. So to celebrate I got out my Nanny hair and T shirt (see photo) to help announce it to my friends. These are 2 new Easter designs just added to my page.

Wednesday night 18th February, I was presented with my Diligent and Ethical Standards Medal for my years to the Fire Service.

My husband also received his too.

Big honour for both of us to recognise what we've done. This medal is presented after 10 yrs service and is ?screened? at each step from nomination all the way up to the Commissioner and has to be endorsed at each level. It is to recognise and encourage diligent and ethical service by QFES personnel.

Those nominated for the medal must, in the opinion of the Commissioner, have demonstrated diligent and ethical service and endeavoured to achieve the high standards of work performance and conduct prescribed by the QFES Code of Conduct. QFES stands for Queensland Fire and Emergency Service and is the governing body for emergency services......ie Fire, Police Ambulance etc.

I am with Rural Fire Service Queensland Division part of QFES. As I?ve just completed my 20th year with the Fire Service it is an honour to receive it.

The little bars in the bag are to show the extra years, but I?ve not put them on the medals yet. The cards I?m promoting today are from the new Cream and Saturated designs I have uploaded recently.

When is an echidna not an echidna?

When it?s a Bunya Nut of course!! We often have an echidna that scratches around over near the dam just on dusk but it always scurries off into the trees and bush?s when it hears anyone. Tonight, hubby thought he saw it curled up out on the lawn so he came in to get me and told me to bring the maglight and the camera. We went out and as it was just on dark, it looked like the echidna curled up. So shining the torch on it I managed to get a photo (1).

It didn?t move so I thought I?d try and sneak up and stayed behind another tree in the yard and took another pic (2).

As it still hadn?t moved, I thought I?d try and see how close I could get to it. Only to discover a Bunya Nut (pic 3 & 4).

So much for my echidna!!! Bunya Pines (which actually aren?t ?pine trees?) grow to 30 to 45 metres. The mature Bunya pines fruit prolifically between December and March although they do not bear fruit until the tree is 100yrs old!

The nut cones are huge and heavy (they can weigh up to 10 kgs) and are covered in spikes. They grow up the tree and you really don?t want to be under one when the fruit falls. Nutritionally they are similar to chestnuts, being starchy, not oily.

The nuts (seeds) can be eaten raw when fresh, but it is a lot easier to boil the seed pods to extract the nut.

The nuts can then be roasted, sliced or pureed and used in desserts and savoury dishes and spreads. The nuts can also be milled to a flour and then used in various doughs. We are going to try and cook them and have some ?bush tucker?.

The cards I?m promoting are both recent uploads to cup. Please stop at my page and take a look at the rest of my designs.