Ten Years at the Duckpond

Ten Years at the Duckpond

Years fly by and this book marked ten years since we moved to the home we began building in 2003.
A gathering of the Ashton Clan which moved to Australia in 1956 (my parents, sister and brother)
has expanded, and the next generation is emerging.

I love to photograph my books, but sometimes they just refuse to stand open where I put them
so this time they have been restrained securely on the plate of the scanner!

Once again I return to one of Keith Smith's beautiful bindings.
which I learned from the first of his brilliant instruction books.

The following images will give you a tantalising glimpse of the text pages,
but if you are troubled by an incomplete paragraph on any of these
random pages, feel free to email me for the end of the tale.

This lovely sign was a surprise gift from one of the suppliers of our
recycled/reclaimed timber from which we built the house.

In subsequent years, spuds continued to be the main focus
of Jonni's vegie garden - can't really grumble with that.
He steadfastly refuses to grow anything he won't eat, so his vegie beds
remain unsullied by cauliflower, beetroot and quite a few other items.

Eight years after this book, we are still enjoying hosting house concerts
which to date (July'18) number thirtynine!

I hasten to mention that this photo was taken on my sloping drawing board
after completion of the seating plan for Heidi and Damian's wedding
at Montsalvat on the day after Black Saturday.
The columns were truly dead straight!

Although my platen press and all letterpress equipment has now found
a very suitable new home, I have no regrets over the time I spent coming to grips
with the intricacies of setting and printing metal type.
It allows me to understand a little of how the printing industry worked
not so very many years ago.

Echidnas are not alone as residents in our garden.
For several years we were enchanted by a parade of native swamp rats (rattus lutreolus)
which did rather devastate the garden, but gave me several thousand photos!
Also the satin bowerbird has been a constant presence, moving his bower
to new locations in the garden every few years.

The garden is constantly evolving - not always as I would wish,
but I have learned to accept the inevitable storm disasters
and the results of planting things where they don't really want to grow.

My wonderful garden shed 'The Quackary' doubles as temporary incarceration
for any chicken who dares to go broody.
Two or three days in 'the slammer' and they're happy to mend their inconvenient ways.

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