Yesterday my sister and I drove to the butchers to buy some sausages. We were delayed. As we got closer a huge cloud of billowing black smoke grew larger and larger and we seemed to be driving right towards it as we neared the butchers. I decided to park the car a way off and get out and walk. 

I take my camera everywhere, even shopping and my reason has always been, "What if a house burns down and I don't have my camera to photograph it." And so when this house burnt down I had my camera with me to photograph it. 

Apparently it was an old deserted shed that some of the homeless slept in, and it is rumored that the fire was lit deliberately. As terrible as it sounds I have always wanted to see and hear a house burning in real life. There was am almost oily smell to the smoke early on, and the crackling of the flames sounded like a piece of loose tarp or thick plastic flapping in a high wind. Like the sound of when a vehicle speeds past with something in plastic wrapping on the back that vibrates in the wind of its passing.

I arrived there at the same time as the fire trucks began arriving. The police took a while longer to arrive so cars continued to drive straight through the smoke that obscured the bridge. Even a mad motorcyclist went through it. 

It did not take the firefighters long to get it all under control though. The bridge made a good vantage point to watch and photograph all the action from. 

 The Argus photographer only got there as the police did. And after most of the flames had got put out, but there was still a lot of smoke for a while after and it looked as if the firefighters were going to let most of the grass on the hillside next to the road just burn itself out.

So our everyday mission of buying sausages turned out to be quite the adventure.

Have you ever seen a house burn down?

Or a bush or grass fire?

I am currently reading Unlikely Hero:The Road to Extraordinary by Duncan Robinson. It is a great book that I would definitely recommend. The thoughts in this post are my words but the idea was from that book.

And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.  And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”  When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” ~ Exodus 3:2-4

The question is this: what was so special about that bush, why did it not burn? The answer is nothing. There was nothing special about that ordinary little bush, nothing except for the fact that God chose it.

Often we seem to think we have to be someone special for God to use us for his glory and his kingdom. The bush did not play a long part in God's plan for rescuing the people of Israel. But it played a very important one. Maybe you are just like that little bush. A perfectly ordinary person, but when chosen by God you could be the start of something truly extraordinary.

Sometimes God call us to step out of our comfort zone. I can't imagine a bush enjoying being burned, at least not really burning, that would kill it. This bush did not get consumed though. We probably don't have to face anything as drastic as facing something that will (as far as we know) kill us. But sometimes we need to say yes to God and be that ordinary little bush that he can work through to do something truly extraordinary.

A While ago I made a pretty candle holder thing. It is quite a easy quick craft that is fun for all ages. I actually ended up making this one after helping my brothers each make one, and theirs looked so nice that I wanted one too!

I have no photos of this event so you shall have to imagine it from my words, and really when it is as dark as the other night, even I can not take a really good photo. 

Motes of hay drift up, hay that has the slightest dampness to it. We leave our places, by the warm fire crackling behind us. We leave the orange glow and settle down on the hay and lean back against another bale. All along the trailer people talk, I am too far away to hear most of what is said. Wordless voices rise high and fall. 

Rumbles of the tractor engine drown out some of the voices. It lurches forward throwing us all sideways and against one another. Red taillights flash, the head lights cut a bright swathe through the grass as we turn and bounce on. We leave the flickering flames behind. Not a trace of their warmth is left. Chords, strummed on strings. Upon one of the topmost bales a shadow sits strumming her guitar. I reach out and touch her as she plays. 

Music wafts through the star spangled night. Overhead the Milky Way stretches, stars glow brighter as we leave other lights behind. The two pointers shine bright, I follow their pointing with my eyes and find the Southern Cross. It shines right overhead in the middle of the misty streak across the heavens, the  Milky Way. I wonder at the vastness of he who names the stars. His Glory is plain if we only but look. 

We rattle past round bales, fences, a dam. Six wallabies start up in surprise as we rumble towards them, fixing them in the tractors headlights. They flee in all directions, we give chase. "Kangaroos" comes the shout, "Look, there!" Voices exclaim, hands point. Some of the wallabies hop along a fence, trying desperately to get away. They bound through the grass and melt into the darkness.

The tractor and its heavy load rattle away to into the darkness. Back to the fire, back to warmth. As we go voices are raised in song from the rear of the trailer. As those in the middle can't make out the words we begin our own. Song, laughter, hay, starry skies, a beautiful memory, a beautiful world, a great God.

Well it appears I have been nominated for another blogger award by His Princess over at Growing Up Country. So I have more questions to answer yet again. Not that I dislike questions at all... but I'm dreading when I get to the end of this and have to nominate someone. This appears to be slightly different to the Sunshine award I got a while ago.... there are less questions and no rules. Though possibly I could not nominate anyone as I don't see anywhere that It says I have to. Again there seems to be no particular reason for this award... but supposedly it is again along the same lines of my blog being in interesting.... or at least existing.

Ah speaking of existing I know who I can nominate... Milk Maid... wait that is not what she is called..... I just have that name stuck in my head... tis Dairy Maid otherwise known as Lecheria Criada. I nominate you Dairy Maid. It never said how many people one had to nominate either so I shall chose one.  If I nominate anyone else Alice, Zach and Sarah who Jane has nominated won't have anyone to nominate. So just you Lecheria Criada. Now to answer the questions.

Favorite book?
The Bible, without the message it contains life would be pointless. 

If you could play any character in any book or movie who would you be?
Since characters have such precarious lives that could be destroyed on an authors whim.. I'm not entirely sure. They also seem to have it quite tough, it often seems the tougher they have it the better the book. But that word PLAY, what is that alluding to? Play their part in a play? Well if so I would be a nobody... the most nobody person possible. Otherwise I would have to perform in-front of others and that is something that I do not have the slightest wish to do. At all.  

Most disliked Hollywood figure?
This is very easy, none... Don't get me wrong, the only reason I say none is because I don't know any. Even if I do know some... do I? I couldn't care less what they do, I couldn't be bothered knowing who they were so I could dislike them.

Pit fire or BBQ?
I think it would be nicer to be burned alive in a pit fire, as a BBQ would take to long. I'd also tie a bag of gunpowder around my neck, that would make dying much quicker to. Currently though I am not in the mood to kill myself, so neither.

Note: I have just been reading about people being burned alive at the stake.

Which would make a better wood-carrier ah well if 'wood-carrier' is a kenning it could be either. A pit fire could be a 'wood-carrier' or a 'wood-eater' or 'flame-grower'. In most cases a BBQ would not be a 'wood-carrier' but our old one is, well the base of it has been turned into a wood trolley. So both, but the fire pit more so. And if you don't know what in the world I'm talking about, bad luck. (try looking up what a kenning is)

Least favorite school subject?
Maths. Notice that in the fire.... *grins* that is a maths book cover.... and all our fires this year have been started with pages of maths books! What's more my old maths books. Ah what a pretty sight!

What time is it?
When I am writing this it is 10:18 here in this part of NSW Australia. But I am not planing on publishing this today (because the home school inspector is going to look at my blog)... so what time is it as you read this that I wrote this, Yesterday. Though if you take your time finding this then the day before yesterday... or even yesteryear, depending on when you read this. 

It a moment, one moment in time, one precious moment I have been given by my creator. I thank him for them all, for I not not how long these moments for me will last.

If you had five minutes to get out of your house before it collapsed, what three things would you grab?
Well lets assume it was burning, because Jane had set the blinds on fire with the flaming toast. That was quite a sight.... sadly I was not there to take a photo of it though because I was outside with my camera. So there is a fire in the kitchen. I already have my camera. lets also assume I can't put the fire out. Or maybe we haven't tried yet, bu it is already really big. I would grab the NAS drive (which has all our computer files on it) And then go into my room which wouldn't yet be on fire and get some of my old diaries or art books.... and maybe my quilt. 

Why assume burning.... because God said he would never again cover the whole world with a flood..... and we are not low enough for a local flood. And earthquakes are also rather unlikely around here..... unless the mines decide to dig under our house.... or bring their open cut mines any closer.... their exploding does rather shake the ground but hopefully not that much!

Sweet tea or lemon aid?
Is the stickiest? Probably lemonade.... At least in my experience.... but I would suggest drinking them and not pouring them allover yourself, though if you do wish to do that tell me first so I can come and take photos of you doing it.

But again why 'lemon aid' in my experience it is called 'lemonade'.
Possibly this mysterious 'lemon aid' is not at all sticky and is something to aid in getting lemons off trees..... Tis possible, so definitely that 'lemon aid' because I highly doubt that sweet tea would be any help in getting lemons of trees.

Favorite Summer food?
Something cool, that I like the taste of.

And as I was just about to publish this I saw that Zach had done a post and nominated everyone on his blog radar.... so it appears I have more questions to answer..... and it shall be a while longer before I post this, so here goes. Actually I like answering questions. and as I hadn't published this yet.... I wasn't sure if I was exempt, the answers just wont be as long.

How often do you blog as opposed to how often do you think you should blog. 
Well I think I blog quite enough.... if I blogged more than I do I would have to do a post a day! As it seems I am doing at the moment....or two yesterday...

What is your personal favorite use of computers (Research, Design, Punching, etc.)
Research... and design. I do not enjoy punching computers, but it does at times become necessary...or seems almost so.

What is your Favorite Book series apart from Rangers Apprentice, Lord of the Rings, Narnia, The Space Trilogy (By C.S Lewis)
(I almost put an '.etc' there....)
Well you have removed two of my favourite writers and one that is quite high on the list out of posibility, but there is another. STEPHEN R LAWHEAD! but which series of his.... either the Pendragon Cycle or the King Raven trilogy. 

Do you have a favorite pen/pencil?
One that works...

If So, why is it your favorite?
Well a pen that does not work is rather useless... I give those to Jane.... not sure why she wants all the dead pens but anyway.

What is the time you normally wake up (If it is before 6:00am, you get a bonus question: "HOW ON EARTH DO YOU DO IT?")
Well in winter I wake up and feel cold and try think of any possibly excuse for not getting up.... it is normally about 6:40 that I run out of excuses. But in summer somewhere between 5 and 6..... I wouldn't want to miss any of those beautiful cool morning hours! As to how I do it when it is not cold I just get up..... and am awake.

What is your favorite activity?
Taking photos..... playing with photos.... reading.. ah but that was favourite so I suppose it would be something to do with photos.

Do you have draws under your desk, and if you do, would you be able to live without them?
No I just have a spot under my desk for putting shoes... socks... my bag and camera paraphernalia... camera bag and reflector (home made) 


Insanity Personality Test: You see some one do a triple back flip. Would you describe it as 'cool' or 'that person has a deathwish'?
 I personally have no wish to do such a thing... in some ways cool and I admire their ability.... but that person has a deathwish certainly comes to mind.

Oh and now I suppose I have to think of some questions to ask... So here are your questions Lecheria Criada.

~What is your favourite accessory? (scarves, necklaces, earrings, bracelets ect.)
~What colour are your eyes?
~Would you rather die by water or fire?
~What would you name a dun coloured horse if you had a chance to name it.
~Do you like sports?
~Are you looking forward to the end of the world?
~Do you like nick names?
~May I call you Milk Maid?
~Are you sick of answering questions?
~What is your favourite sort of hat?

I have decided..... the old watermark has been succeeded, replaced, supersede, overthrown, supplanted, displaced, removed, unseated, thrown into the dungeon... Ok that was rather strange. Yes I have decided on using the new watermark. All those things didn't really happen to it, what really happened is that it has retired. Now it shall live in a grand palace and teach the little watermarks how to behave. *glances sideways* like how to sit on a photo...... and never move....

Now to the jars part. ( I have got over my craziness) Someone mentioned something to me about milk bottles and the sunlight shining through them and how it looked as if a candle burned inside it. I thought yes that would make a good photo, but bottles don't look very pretty.  So I improved on it. "looked as if a candle burned inside it" well why not have a candle burning inside it!

My attempt at that failed. Then I thought water would distort and reflect the light and make it look better and I could have the candle behind the jar. Then I thought, why not three jars! Numbers like three and five are appealing to the eye so I found some more jars. I hoped that the fire ban didn't extend to trying to light matches outside. It took a lot of trying. A slight breeze blew around but the match box and matches were dodgy. They would spark, light and go out or the match sticks would break. Eventually I got one candle lit and used it to light the others.

Volla I got pretty cool looking photos!

And see they have the new watermark on them.

I just had trouble keeping the candles alight when a puff of wind came along.

I did have to relight them a few times. But I think the photos turned out looking very interesting.

We are all ok now. We were ok but we were rather scared. Wait I shall start at the beginning. Mummy had gone into town. 

I lay on my bed reading systematic theology (suppose I shall have to get back to that soon) when Alice ran in. She started babbling unintelligible sentences. I caught a few words though; smoke, outside, where is Jane and boys. I got the last part, I had heard Jane and the boys in the granny flat (small house next to ours). Then what she said started to sink in and my heart started to race. A fire outside, smoke, not just little bits of smoke. I looked past the partially drawn curtains, clouds of white and blue smoke floated past. We ran to the lounge room, out the window were our trees and behind them smoke. 

The phone rang. Alice picked it up. Our neighbour two houses up and directly in the path of the smoke said something along the lines of. "Can you see the fire out there, we have called the fire brigade." and some other stuff. "And I think your mum is about to get home." Thank God! We were running to make sure the boys and Jane were where we thought they were when the car drove in. Mum had come back, but the fire still burned. 

 I'm just so glad Mummy got back when she did.  I got my camera.We got out hoses and joiners, then dragged the hose over the road and Mummy started to squirt the burning grass. Fire jeeps and fire trucks started arriving. The neighbours across from us all ready had a hose on the fire. 

Mummy the fire fighter

We could see the power line that had started it. Apparently the closest across the road neighbours had been talking on the phone when their power went out. They went outside and saw the fire as it started and called the fire brigade as well as the neighbours whose paddock the fire started in and whose house it now raced towards. 

The grass in that front paddock is mown so it only burned slowly (at least slowly for a grass fire). We eventually had about five big fire trucks and a few small Jeeps and lots of other cars, including the police and ambulance, there. A lot considering the amount of fires everywhere.

We found out that cockatoos had started the fire as I said in a previous post they chew on anything! And power lines are a sort of anything. The winds made the line snap but it wouldn't have is those cockatoos hadn't chewed it first.

Then Jane and I packed up the hoses, in the process we got our hands, arms and legs covered in ash. We put them back near the our power line that the birds like to sit on. The fire fighters walked around and managed to find the exact place the fire started! Then the man from the Argus turned up, rather too late. Now there are people outside replacing the power lines. 

Hot winds come in from the west

Smokey haze across the sky

Obscuring the hills from view

Smoke stings torchering the eye

Heat beating down from the sun

Rippling up from the ground

Pressing, thickening the air

Heat coming from all around

The sun is now high over

Passing in its long slow arc

Billowing smoke in the south

Starting with only one spark

Black shadows start from nothing

Longer they begin to grow

Creeping along the dry ground

All movement seeming so slow

Will the heat ever decrease?

How long shall its presence stay?

Will it depart for the night

but to return the next day?

Wait

Is that the east wind stirring?

I shall ask for it to be

For the east wind brings coolness

Coolness drawn out of the sea

It brings up clouds from the east

To cover the sinking sun

It whispers amongst the trees

Just before the day is done

Along with it comes a smell

That sends all the frogs to sing

The hope and expectation

Of rain, that wondrous thing

The heat is gone for a time

For a while we are all-right

It is just that bit cooler

We have relief in the night

The moon is red from all the smoke in the air.
Red is the colour that gets past the smoke and reflects back from the moon.

Maths is the way to Mentally Abuse The Human Species. Well I think it is anyway. I have some good news though there is now one less maths book, it has passed away. Its former human specimen, who was subjected to its torture, was my sister Alice, but now it is no longer alive!!! It is dead, deceased, gone, departed, passed away, gone west, it is lifeless! The only bit left is its bones picked clean of those white sheets full of black symbols on them! Those pages are being used to light the fire!

All that is left!

For maths I do Maths Online. No I do not do just any maths online I do Maths Online. Maths Online is the sort of maths online that I do. If you didn’t get that don’t worry because I couldn’t get the home school inspector to get the fact that I did Maths Online, not a different sort of maths program thing online. It is maths so therefore it is maths. So I dislike it, which probably is because I do not like struggling to do things and also it is maths and I don’t like maths, (probably a case of circular reasoning but I don’t care) I am yet to be convinced that maths actually has a point and is logical, well some of it has a point but there are lots of bits that really do seem pointless. One of the things about my maths that sets despair into my heart (not exactly, but is sounds cool) is when I am printing out the page I have to do for that day and then the printer sucks the page back in! NNOOOOO!!! which means I have to do two pages. I want to grab the paper and stop the printer from taking it back.

While talking about the fire (In the first paragraph) I will warn you it is also slightly dangerous. It dislikes being contained and restrained to the black boxes in people’s houses. So it occasionally tries to escape. It has twice this winter smoked us out of the room, but it must have realized that trying that way doesn’t work.  This time it made its move a little while after tea, I had gone to put another log on the fire, the one I got from on top of the wood box was heavy I could only just hold it with one hand. The weight caused me to drop it rather heavily onto the logs already in the fire. They, seeing the door open and given just enough of a thump to get them moving leaped out of the fire. Well a few small bits of burning charcoal did. I thought they had not got any further than the hearth. I closed the fire door, took off the gloves. Then I smelt something, the smell of burning. One piece of charcoal had managed to not only get off the hearth but also had got off it the side without the mat and was now chewing on the carpet. I picked it up, funnily enough it was hot and I dropped it back onto the carpet. Then I picked/flicked it up onto the hearth. The carpet had got rather melted/black. Luckily, after I scraped the burnt bits away the carpet looked nearly normal, just slightly brown.

Last night we had our annual bonfire. We spent the last few days getting ready and making sure we had enough food, (sausages, marshmallows, lemonade, potatoes and bread). Daddy piled up the bonfire, we collected sticks that could be potential trip hazards. We also had a fairly fruitless search for marshmallow sticks. The sticks we found were either too short (your face burns up) or the ends were way to fat.....about as fat as a marshmallow....Strangely enough it is difficult to get marshmallows on those ones. Then I thought why can’t we make them pointy with pocket knives! So Alice and I found a few fat ended sticks and turned them into pointy sticks with the aid of pocket knives. Hoses were set up so they reached the bonfire (we had to use them). And tables and food, drink, cups etc. were taken down. I took the big HOT saucepan down with the sausages we had boiled (so they would BBQ faster) in it.

Then everyone arrived. Well two of the families did, the other one arrived later. One of those families was the one that belongs to Fanvedhil and Zicmak. This year the wind was blowing form the west which is very unusual..... actually it has never blown from that way before, it had always been from the east. The possums (which in Australia we like!) probably found it rather hot in the big gum tree that the fire’s heat and smoke were going towards.

The first flames were small but soon the fire roared and flames engulfed the whole pile. Everyone moved back, away from the searing heat. The fire soon died down a little because a lot of what it was burning was smaller stuff. Everyone talked together and then we had sausages. After sausages came spotlight, well not spotlight but a game that is similar to it and back to base (which is similar to 44 home). Everyone hid and then everyone came out of hiding and tried to get back to the base (a chair) without being spotted and having their name called. It was rather amusing when whoever was in couldn’t remember your name and you managed to get to the chair before they remembered. Then the process was repeated. Note: when running towards a chair in the dark is not a good idea to misjudge distances, otherwise some part of you will very likely come into contact with the chair or something else, at high speed.

Then I went and got some of the marshmallow sticks. On the way back I tripped over the hose just in one of the spots where it joined to another, and it burst, which was nice...... The problem with liking to have ones marshmallow done just right is it involves patience and being quite close to the fire. The fire had died down a lot but it still gave off considerable heat. To get the perfect balance between the distances is difficult. Some others just flamed their marshmallows or undercooked them or burnt them, but a few of us are more particular. I tried using combinations of scarves and hands or my arm to shield my face and eyes but one needs to be able to see what ones marshmallow is doing. Also one needs their hands to hold the stick to keep the marshmallow (why do they give them such long names? I’m getting sick of typing it every time) out of the ashes.

The art of roasting marshmallows 

At some stage during the evening Daddy got the potatoes out of the fire and some people, who for some reason actually like potatoes, ate them. We talked again and the family belonging to Fanvedhil and Zicmak had to go. Then I realized we had forgotten the sparklers!!! Surely no one can ever get too old for sparklers. I finally got to try an idea I had been planning for a while.

This was the outcome.

Soon other people became tired and headed home. We stayed and cleaned up and then sat and watched the glowing embers of the fire until it got rather late. Then we went up to the house and to bed, our clothes and hair, smelling strongly of smoke.

The reason I took so long to do this post is that My Dad, Alice and I spent this morning searching the bush for a friend’s 9yo (I think) boy who had run away at six O’clock that morning. It was quite exciting and he was eventually found by about the only person in the group who didn’t have everyone else’s phone numbers and was on a motor bike so had to start walking the boy back. The police (who were also out looking for the boy) found them walking down the road. It was quite fun walking around in the bush looking for a boy in cameo clothes with a bow (to shoot rabbits with). We found lots to laugh about afterwards.  The other people looking were mostly from our church but there were others too and at the end when the boy had been found and everyone got back together before we all went our separate ways again we parked the cars three deep. We were the last to go and one of the last to get back so our car looked quite funny parked where it was.

The car is parked 

The other reason that this took so long is that my brothers were, much to my annoyance on the computer when we got back home. I had started to have computer withdrawals by the time they had finished. 

Recently I have made some cushions out of material I have been given as a present and some I got second hand. 

I realized that sewing zips on is much more difficult than it looks. And when it involves pining well pins and fingers...........

I made two that were identical (sort of), then made another with four strips, groups of three is more pleasing to the eye so I made three. 

The mottled red strips on the third cushion is the same material I used for the backs of the cushions.

 They will match the quilt that I will hopefully finish one day........I don’t really know what I'm meant to do with it next.......the Quilt........ but it looks nice......

Note: The Quilt or at least the top of what will be the quilt was put on my bed for the photo...... sadly it doesn't live there.....not yet anyway.


Totally unrelated to above but I just thought I'd mention, for those who enjoyed reading (or at least got some interest out of it) my blog post on The Smoking Dragon Of The Fire. It happened yet again. Sadly I was not present though. Instead I happened to be engrossed in a book In my room. I was interrupted by mummy who sent us to get some fans to try and blow smoke out of the room. 
For those who read this and do not know what I am talking about you will have to read my other post The Smoking Dragon Of The Fire.

It was quite a normal evening I was sitting at the computer. It was Alice’s turn to make tea so the girls were in the kitchen, Daddy was next me and Mummy was lighting the fire. But the fire didn’t want to go. The smell of smoke drifted over to us, we turned around. Thick grey smoke was curling out of the door of the fireplace. Mummy tried banging the door and flapping, it didn’t work.  We thought it should smoke itself out soon but instead the smoke came rushing out faster. Dad and I got up I stood wondering what to do and Daddy tried banging the door too, and closing it but the smoke only got thicker and was filling the room. Mummy and I rescued the washing that was drying (getting nicely smoked) inside. Then I ran to get a jug of water and my camera. Mummy closed doors of the room and went and got some water sprayers. One of my brothers tripped over and started howling. I opened the door to outside to let air in. Then Jane and I went and got some fans to blow the smoke away.

It was pretty exciting and funny and probably didn’t quite happen in that order, but it all happened quite fast. Now the air is only slightly smokey and the fire is going well. The theory is that the soot had built up around the chimney and got heavy and fallen down onto the baffle and over time had mostly blocked the way up the chimney, so the smoke had to come out somewhere.