I am now in Hamilton,New South Wales at Anne's Glory Box where I have held three days of classes.  The students were terrific and really gave it their all.

At the same time Gloria McKinnon held the Great Quilt Hanging on Beaumont Street and over one hundred quilts were displayed along the street.  In spite of a rainy start it was a huge success and everyone agrees it added to the Anzac ( Memorial Day) weekend.


Husband and relatives really do come in handy and a special thanks goes out to Don, Ernest, Max and Mathew for their dawn assault on Beaumont street.  They got all the quilts up in a terrible rain storm and driving winds.

Lorraine Moran, editor of Australian Patchwork and Quilting
www.expresspublications.com.au was down to Anne's Glory Box to judge the Anzac Quilt contest...you can look up the winner on Anne's Glory box web site.  It was good to catch up with Lorraine as I used to teach for her on the Gold Coast in the early days but now it is all through email.

A special thank you to my weekend class who dropped everything to help take down the quilts before the next cloud burst. In their class photo, Gloria Mckinnon is in the back third from the left.

If you have never heard of Anne's Glory box you are really missing something.It is a treasure of quilting and needlework supplies and I really reccommend a visit. Right next to the shop is a marvelous antique market and up and down the street are wonderful eating establishments and shops. You can also visit her web sight at www.annesglorybox.com.au
Ernest and I had lots of adventures before we got to Anne's Glory Box. Our time in Warrnambool went far too quickly and thanks to Di Pettigrews most generous offer of her beautiful little fisherman's cottage we were cosy and comfortable.

Di and I spent a wonderful morning at Shelly Beach where we found lots of beautiful sea shells and I managed to shoot off two roles of film.

The highlight was to go to the Break Waters to watch the race horses being excercised in the sea.  It was a foggy morning and I could not stop taking pictures of the horses being pulled behind the rowboats for their morning swim. A few horses were ridden in the water and some chest high.

I remember years ago walking along this beach in the early morning fog and hearing the eerie hoofbeats of a galloping horse. I barely had time to leap for my life when a jockey and horse raced by.  I was stunned and really frightend by the whole experience and had quite a story to tell Di when I got back to the cottage.

All the locals take it for granted here and think is is quite amusing when the odd tourist gets a fright on the beach.  Di and I both agree that it is better to sit on the lawn of the Fishtails' retaurant and sip cappauchino while watching the horse exercises.

While Di was home we all went out to visit Helen Ulmann, the widow of Robert Ulman.

It was a bitter sweet visit as we have not been back since wildlife artist, Robert Ulmann died two years ago.  Through admiration and aquisition of his art work we became friends.  he was a national Australian treasure and one of the wittiest men I have ever known....also one of the naughtiest and that was his charm.  He taught me that art is 90% work and 10% talentand I have taken that motto to heart.

A lovely surprise was the chance to meet their only child Justine who is also an artist.  Helen, a marvelous photographer in her own right, has kept Roberts' studio as he left it. I am glad that Ernest was with me.  On his last visit, Robert painted his portrait and it now hangs in our family room.  We purchased a small painting of beetles from Justine and will hang it beside her fathers' painting of a kingfisher...Robert would get a chuckle out of that.

Our holiday in Warrnambool gave me the chance to catch up with Barbara Posey a student and good friend.  She was busy coordinating the Embroiderers'Guild three day show and we got to see the show.  I am not prejudice but I think Barbaras' cottage piece was one of the outstanding things in the show.  She made it for her partner Pauline for her fiftieth birthday and managed to keep it a surprise.

We made a visit out to see them at their cottage in Koroit. If you think Warrnambool is Irish just wait til you visit Koroit!  It is on the way to Port Fairy just off the Killarny junction!  These two lovely people live in a beautiful cottage with a menagerie of pet chickens,cats, dogs, sheep and a pony.

We have promised to return for a stay in their guest house which is nestled in the back garden.

Just two days after Di's departure, it was time for us to leave and we had to say goodby to Toby.  We cannot say thankyou enough for our stay at the cottage and all the lovely laughter and visits.

A four hour train ride got us back to Melbourne in time for John Hose's birthday party. What a marvelous celebration it was too.  Annie and Peter Riseborough went with us and added to the merriment. It was wonderful to meet Johns' family and friends and to be included.  John married us several years ago and has been a dear friend ever since.  It was good to see Leo again and to meet Don Hose, the older brother. The jokes and teasing flew fast and furious and for the first time ever Peter had to admit that he had met his match with the Hose Brothers!! He was shot down in flames but with a smile on his face. John is seated next to Ernest. Leo is in the front, left corner and Don is next to his wife in the right hand, back corner.

The next morning it was off to the post office with excess stuff to be mailed home and goodbyes to the Riseboroughs. I owe them so many days of hospitality and I really want to have them visit us in La Veta, Colorado.  There is a rumor of a July visit.  Ernest and I will keep our fingers crossed.

During our visit to Anne's Glory Box, Helen Dafter came by for a visit.  Helen writes books on needlework and is a beautiful stitcher.  You can visit her at www.helendafter.com.au  She specializes in hand dyed silk ribbons and threads and needle work supplies.

The high light of my Aussie tour was the visit by my adopted sons, Bill Lober and Peter Weller.  These two wonderful men have been part of my life for 16 years now and we share a lot of history.  It seems just like yesterday the boys (Jason, Peter and Bill) were together skiiing in Colorado or surfing in New South Wales.

Peter is still single but Bill is happily married to Kessie and has two beautiful litle kids, my beloved little Ellen and wee Willy.

Ernest was very fortunate as he got to spend a day with Bill and Kes in the Hunter Valley wine country.  Peter picked me up after class and whisked me off to Kessie's sisters home where everyone gathered for fish n'chips and lots of laughter and hugs and lots of stories and more hugs.  It just went by way too fast and we havemade a vow to meet each other up at Bill's next year for a whole week.  My dream is that Maddy and Jason can be there too!

I must say good bye as we are leaving in the morning.  Gloria and Don had to leave early today for the Brisbane Stitches and Craft Show and we are here with Gloria's sister Lorna and her husband Max.  They will take us to the airport in the morning for our flight up to Sydney. My two month tour will soon be over and it just flew by!  How I love this country and the people.They remind me a lot of the Canadians and perhaps that is why I feel so at home here. I just know that it feels like coming home when ever I visit and I hope to keep visiting til I
can no longer travel.

Take care and my next news letter will be from Los Angeles.

Love Always,     Judith

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