KOALA CAPERS

In earlier posts I have mentioned that we have the privilege of living in a rural setting, surrounded by tall gum trees. These gums are a great attraction to the local koalas, and we often see them or hear them growling nearby. When this happens I race out with my camera and try to capture them, as in these pictures.

However, over the last month we have come across them in a few different locations, and I managed to catch these on camera too.

ENCOUNTER 1
We were driving up our track (which is 1km long) to get to the public road.  Suddenly, ahead of us a koala appeared and ran across the track. Martin stopped the car and I followed the little chap, who wasn't terribly cooperative about having his picture taken, but nonetheless I got this one.

ENCOUNTER 2
We started on our way again, but only about 20 metres further up the track on the left bank sat another koala.

This koala was one of the prettiest I have seen, beautifully marked, and with no visible battle scars, and he/she was very happy to pose for me.

About 2 hours later, on our return home, this koala was still in the same area, but this time was not so sociable and climbed up the nearest tree to escape this nosy human.

ENCOUNTER 3

 Our third koala encounter was last weekend, when I was heading down to our vegie patch. Imagine my surprise when I came across this little fellow - a juvenile - on the ground near our house fence.


He was intent on getting over the fence but was thwarted by the barbed wire on the top.

Martin took charge of the camera, and I tried to guide him to a safe area without success. I even tried to lean logs against the fence so that he could climb to safety, but to no avail. He was not impressed with my attempts to help.

Finally he decided to give up this method of escape, and climbed one of our trees. Thankfully, when I checked later he was nowhere to be found, so obviously he had worked something out!

HELLO - LONG TIME NO SEE!

Hello again - it's been so long since my last post that you must have thought I'd left cyberspace for  good -apologies for my long absence to friends and visitors to this blog. Much has happened to prevent my fingers dancing across the laptop keyboard, but by far the most significant is the sudden loss of my dear brother Steve Robinson.

When we lose someone we love, other priorities in our lives lose their importance. But it was a blessing that Martin and I were in Victoria for the Woodend Teddy Bear Show at the time of Steve's death. We were able to drive from Woodend to Morwell that day to be with his daughter, Alma, and to grieve with her and Steve's friends.

Steve in his younger days

Steve will be sorely missed by all who knew him - he was a beautiful man.

Our last photo of Steve

I want to thank my 'beary' friends at the Woodend Teddy Bear Show for their support and kindness, especially our dear friends, Claire and John Evans, who looked after my critters until we were able to return to the show.

This was another blessing - to have the comfort of friends around us, and to enjoy the opportunity of sharing our mutual love of teddy bears with visitors to this special show, before returning to Morwell.

Some of my critters found new homes at the show, and say farewell here.

BARE BEAR

MANNING

RODNEY

BENJI 

PANDA PERFECTION

I LOVE PANDAS! I am captivated by them,  and love watching them on TV, looking at picture books about them, and of course I love making pandas, too.

 
So imagine my excitement when I heard that pandas were coming to Adelaide Zoo!
 
I first went to see them in April last year, but last Saturday a group from our teddy bear club (Bears and Friends) visited the  Zoo, with the prime purpose of spending more time with the resident pandas, Wang Wang (male) and Funi (female).




Wang Wang and Funi have been at Adelaide Zoo since late 2009, and we are fortunate indeed to have such easy access to these beautiful animals.

If you are in Adelaide, don't miss the opportunity to visit them, but make sure you go early (9.30am) because by late morning Wang Wang and Funi retire to a glass fronted enclosure for a rest, and you may not see them in action later in the day.

Watching the pandas in action, I felt like a kid who had been given the best present ever.

I could rave on about the Adelaide pandas for hours, but pictures say it much better, so I hope you enjoy a few of the hundreds we took.

ONKAPARINGA DOLL AND TEDDY SHOW

My friend Kay Schulz (Kay's Kids) and I shared a table at the Onkaparinga Doll and Teddy Show held in Port Noarlunga (South Australia) two weekends ago.

It was a lovely opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new ones, and also to stock up on bearmaking goodies.  

Our critters enjoyed their time at the show too, chatting with each other and with visitors to our table. Some even found new homes.

Kay is a very clever lady, and not only makes lovely bears but other pretty things, such as the very elegant pincushions pictured  below.

If you would like to see more, Wilbur will show you around the show. Wilbur at Kay's Kids

COMPETITION ENTRIES

Best Bear in Show

 

SAY HELLO TO SAN-SHU AND MEI-LI

Well, they've taken their time, but these two little pandas are finally ready to say hello to the world.

SAN-SHU AND MEI-LI

MEI-LI (Beautiful, charming)

Mei-Li (meaning beautiful or charming) is a contented little girl, and hasn't given her mother any trouble so far.

San-Shu, however, is another story - he is full of mischief and I have to keep an eye on him constantly!

SAN-SHU

Both pandas are made of black and white Schulte mohair, and have black and textured grey leather paw and foot pads. Their eyes are deluxe English glass, with ultrasuede highlights, they have embroidered noses, and sculpted facial features. I have used a Copic pen to shade the eye area. They are 29cm tall.

Mei-Li and San-Shu are available for adoption at AUD$170.00 each (or AUD$330.00 for the pair) plus insurance and postal costs. If you would like more information, please email me at kayzyscritters@gmail.com

MORE BIRDS - OF ANOTHER FEATHER!

My long-time friend, Janice, has been enjoying her first tentative steps coaching canvas into life.  Her paintings are acrylic on canvas and she has just completed her second and third paintings, namely Erika Emu and Osmon Ostrich.

Erika

Janice is very talented,  designing and making just about anything crafty or artistic. She always thought it would be great to be able to paint, so this year decided to try her hand at this art form.


Erika Emu - a very precocious bird at only one month old.  I think she can probably be a bit of a scallywag and may need a close eye kept on her! 

Eric

Eric (Erika's brother - strong family resemblance, don't you think!) is enjoying hanging around with one of Janice's daughters.  Eric is proud to be the first ever of Janice's painting creations and has left her astounded from day one!









Osmon Ostrich - quite another story.  Osmon hasn't quite worked out what's what in this world yet, but still, he is fairly sharp for being less than a week old (at time of photograph).

Osmon

Birds, Birds, Birds!

Sulphur-crested cockatoos in full flight

The bird life at our place is amazing - we are blessed, and know it. 

Galah - so cheeky!

At any time of the day, we can walk out into the yard, or look out of a window, and see the constant activity of our feathered friends.

New Holland Honeyeaters

They seem to ignore our presence, and go about their business, flitting to and fro so quickly that my camera has a hard time capturing their activity.

Female Blue Wren

Wattle bird

Occasionally, though, I catch them sitting still for long enough to take a picture, so here are a few I've managed to grab.

Sulphur-crested cockatoos (I love 'em!)

I hope you enjoy them, too.