“Lady  ……  Lady  ……  LADY !!  Shirt for you.”  A cotton missile is launched through the open window of my cabin on the 3rd deck of the MS Tulip, our home for 4 nights while cruising down the Nile.

“Good price for you – 1,000 Egyptian Pounds” (approximately $200).

“No thanks.”

Another cotton missile lands on the cabin floor.  “Lady.  Beautiful Egyptian dress for you.”

“Do you have any Egyptian cotton?”

“Of course, lady” and in hurtles a white tablecloth and napkin set, followed by various other articles.  My cabin very soon resembles a stall in the Cairo bazaar.  I started to toss items back to my new friend, Ahmed, standing in the back of a small row boat filled with all manner of wares.  Sadly, my aim is not quite as good as Ahmed’s and one beach towel received a baptising in the blue waters of the Nile.  Not to worry – more beach towels soon landed in the cabin.

“How much for a beach towel?”

“Lady, for you a special price today.  EGP1,000 for two.”

“£1,000?  No – what’s your best price for one?”

“£1,000 for two.”

“No thanks” as I nervously toss them all back to the boat bobbing about 20 feet below.  This ritual went back and forth with my best offer being two for £100.  The deal was clinched and the money popped inside a weighted plastic bag and dropped down to Ahmed in the boat below.  Did I want a beach towel with Nefertiti’s head on it?  Not really – but the experience was priceless!

The following morning, after another wonderful breakfast on board, we were escorted off the ship for our day’s port of call, Edfu, to see the most completely preserved temple in Egypt – the Temple of Edfu which is dedicated to the God Horus, the beautiful Falcon God.  The site is located about 2 km from the wharf so our thoughtful guide organised a horse and carriage ride for our group of 12 – two people per carriage.  I picked the carriage with the pretty bay filly and off we set at a lively trot through the busy streets of the town.  Our driver, Abdula, deftly negotiated the traffic and delivered us safely to the temple.  On alighting from the carriage he told us he would be waiting at the exit point for us when we were ready to return to the ship.

And, sure enough, waiting he was with his patient horse, Azziza.  When we were safely on board, he turned and asked if I would like to drive the horse for a while – “Sure” I said, having previously had a little carriage driving experience.  Experience I may have had on the quiet dirt roads of Canyonleigh, but certainly nothing like this!  As we left the back streets near the temple and approached the busy streets of the town, I handed the reins back to Abdula.  “No”, he said pointing past the madding throng of cars, trucks, people and other animal drawn vehicles towards the port and our ship.  So bravely I continued on trying to steer the trotting Azziza around triple parked cars, neatly between carts pulled by oxen or donkeys and past people dodging the traffic with their baskets laden with goods purchased at the markets.  Whew – the port is in sight and I am happy to relinquish the reins again to Abdula.

Of course there is much more to Egypt than bargaining with hawkers or taking a carriage ride to a temple.  There are so many wonderful things to experience and absolutely amazing sights to see including the magnificent Valley of the Kings, awesome Abu Simbel and, of course, the majestic Pyramids of Giza – but these are all things you will have to see to believe for yourself!

For more information on Egypt or other destinations call in and see Jen, Carol, Denise, Renee and Michele at Moss Vale Cruise & Travel or call on 02 4868 1177.

How about our lost summer?  I know it supposed to warm up sometime in January, but even in December we cranked-up the Rayburn: and I though chopping wood for the year was over!

Which brings me to a funny story about my neighbour Pete … aren’t they always funny? It was late October and we got a bit of a cold-snap. Pete, who tends to get deathly sick and says he’s dying four or five times a year, was dying again.  On a Saturday morning, Pete and his comfort rug were lying (and dying) on the couch watching TV. “I’ll get one of the kids to light a fire to keep me warm” he thought. “Harvey, (not his real name) light your poor old Dad a fire … I’m freezing to death,” Pete yells.  Young Harvey was in a hurry to go to town, so he quickly and dutifully gathered some firewood, loaded the fireplace, lit the fire and ran out the door to the car to head to town.

As a dying Pete watched the warming flames grow, all of a sudden there was a huge KAAABOOM! …. soot and ash exploded out of the fire box covering the room and poor dying Pete.  Luckily Harvey (not his real name) had already `done a runner’ for town. In his rush to get going, Harvey left the gas lighter in the fire box after lighting the Jiffy Fire Starters, causing the explosion.  Now, that’s one way to get a dying man up and about quickly!

Have we had a bee exodus?  As all good gardeners know, we need bees to pollinate our fruit and vegies for a summer harvest …. funnily enough, there don’t seem to be many bees around (at time of writing) and I fear that we will struggle to get a tomato crop going this year. We have plenty of flowers growing, so where’s the bees? Just checked my extensive vineyard (all three plants), and there don’t seem to be many bunches of grapes growing.  If you have any hives, let me know so I can borrow one!  Does anyone else have a bee drought?

Well, another Christmas has come and gone – meaningless terms such as `Just what I wanted’ or ‘Oh, you shouldn’t have’ or ‘I know exactly where I will put this’ all have double meanings …… to get even with my two grown children, I give them totally useless gifts (such as stick-mixers) as revenge for twenty plus years of socks and underpants.  I am so easy to buy for: a new tractor, new chainsaw, set of off-road tyres, holiday in Las Vegas – there’s an endless list!  Don’t they get it?

With our deadline for the Chronicle some several days before Christmas Day, I will have to let you know how the Top End Christmas went in the next edition – but I can tell you we have a Top End cricket match organised for after lunch on Christmas Day ….. should be quite a laugh!

Until next time.
Terry Biscoe

Welcome from John & staff at Raine & Horne Moss Vale.

We are proud to confirm that Raine & Horne Moss has averaged a genuine Canyonleigh property sale per month for the last 6 months of 2011. This is a very satisfying result taking into consideration that the last time that the same number of sales was achieved over a similar period was the boom year of 2003, with them being divided up between a number of Southern Highlands Agents operating within the area. We are particularly pleased with our results taking into consideration the overall difficult property market, and the lack of availability of finance which has had negative impact on property sales, particularly in the rural sector. As per the back page of the Chronicle I firmly believe that our background, experience and dedication to the Canyonleigh area combined with a professional approach are our key points of difference in achieving consistent results.

The fact that the Canyonleigh community also has the benefit of a professionally operated, but warm and friendly General Store and strong membership of various community groups puts it well ahead of most rural areas of a similar size. We look to consistently make the above facts clear to potential purchasers who are new to the area.

We find that it leads to a higher level of interest often leading to a final property purchase that is not only suitable and meets their needs, but will improve their overall lifestyle due to the surrounding area and the people that live within it.

We are pleased to confirm that our last sale for the year to a Sydney based purchaser was “Echoleigh” 80 Hawkshill Road, Canyonleigh, which was a very attractive predominately cleared and pastured 100 acre vacant block with good rural improvements including water, fencing and shedding. The property was one of the first lots sold following the original subdivision of “Hawkshill” and at that time featured a private airstrip which was shared between the only two rural properties in the area being “Hawkshill” and “Nandi”. The property was originally listed for sale over 18months ago by a Robertson based agent for an inflated asking price of $625,000.00 which did nothing for the vendors with regard to their desire to achieve a sale within a reasonable time frame. After carrying out an extensive marketing campaign over a prolonged period, which included taking the property to auction in amongst a number of price reductions, we finally sold the property for a little below the final asking price of $465,000.00. In the process of achieving the desired results for the vendors who had owned the property for around 30 years we carried out a significant number of inspections with genuine potential purchasers. On behalf of the staff at Raine & Horne Moss Vale, and local Canyonleigh residents I would like to congratulate the purchaser on his excellent property purchase and welcome him into the community.

If you are considering putting your property on the market in the near future and would like a genuine appraisal to allow it to be sold within a reasonable time frame, please do not hesitate to contact myself or staff.

Have a great day and enjoy Canyonleigh for all that it has to offer including its unique Chronicle.

John Jeffcoat & staff
Raine & Horne Moss Vale
4869 1222 or 0418 221 999

The Fifth Elephant
By Terri Pratchett
Corgi, London, 2008

I’ve reviewed works by both these writers before and I must admit that both of them are among my favourites. Both are highly absurd and highly real at the same time. If you an cope with different dimensions, dwarves, ogres, etc., both these writers manage to move freely in a fantasy that is reality because both seem to understand people. The Fifth Elephant is the 24th in the Discworld series and each stands on its own, so any would be as enjoyable. What binds Fforde and Pratchett is their humour – don’t look for a serious read with either. But humour can have a serious side to it too! Fforde and Pratchett see the humour of life whatever form it takes and likewise can the reader. Both writers are enjoyable whatever the work if the reader treats the subject with the same irreverence. Don’t look for side -splitting laughter from either but those sniggers are constant.

Lesley Baker

Focussing on the village of Kinglake, 65km from Melbourne, the book is divided into 2 sections and is both structurally well assembled and fluently written.

Part 1 deals with Jane’s tree change and the terror of the devastating fires of “Black Saturday”, 7 February, 2009. Generally recounted in the first person the terror of the fire is told by the author in the historic present tense and we are carried along by that urgency and fearfulness. The chapter The Day After continues with a slight lessening of tension and the The Longest Week then settles into an historic mood.

Part  II deals with the post traumatic period to the point of their return to a big red barn as a temporary dwelling, pending rebuilding. Of course much has been written generally of such stress. But little if anything of the environmental trauma; the loss of landscape and sounds and the indignity of being labelled a “Dangerous Property” or even a following, miserably wet and cold autumn and winter.

This is “one woman’s story”. It is absorbing reading and gives a valuable insight into issues which could affect Canyonleigh. Kinglake had catastrophic fire to the west at Whittlesea and eastwardly at Marysville and although well served in its village by the SES and the Country Fire Authority the main road wound through heavily timbered country. This book should stir us to be positive about property protection and our Fire Survival Plan.

Moreover, it is an easy read for aging eyes. Highly recommended!

Cyril Turner

This book and others are available at the General Store for borrowing.

For more information on how to write your Fire Survival Plan visit WWW.RFS.NSW.GOV.AU, or ring Frances Crown on 48789 272 to organise a one day training.

I don’t want to write about a posse of proposed power stations.  I want to tell you instead about the artists that have shared a love of this place, about their works being not only art, but historical records of landscapes. I want to talk about Conrad Martens, Sir Thomas Mitchell ( yes, the surveyor) and  Leonard Long OAM, the 100 year old artist, who ought to be one of Australia’s living national treasures.

I want to talk about the Wollondilly River valley and about the Wollondilly Gorge. I want to paint a word picture, for I’m not a deft hand with a brush.  I want to talk about Canyonleigh, Arthursleigh, and Lockyersleigh,  – there, see, add a ‘leigh’ to it and it already sounds softer,  more romantic and a bit ye olde worlde.

Do you ever wonder what your little piece of the world looked like in the past?  These days there’s digital photos and prior to that there was film. Before that there were glass photographic plates.   But it’s landscape art that often captured snapshots of views, vistas, and everyday scenes, a painted history.  Landscape artists sketched or painted the scene they saw before them, often the scenery they loved.  A good photo captures but a moment in time and space, a painted landscape can capture and reproduce the ‘feel’ of a place.
English born Conrad Martens (1801-1878) spent two years as official artist on board the Beagle with Charles Darwin. He visited several countries and arrived in Sydney in April 1835, married Jane Brackenbury Carter in 1837, and lived the rest of his life in Sydney at his home ‘Rockleigh Grange’ (there’s that  ‘leigh’ again)  on acreage on the North Shore.
Travelling and painting throughout the colony of New South Wales, his works include local subjects ‘View on the Wollondilly Arthursleigh’  1836, ‘The Ford, Arthursleigh’  1836,  ‘Gibraltar Rocks, Arthursleigh’ 1839, and several others.  Dark foreground, a framing tree or rock or too, and distant views of mountains or mansions was the formulaic composition of the time, and his works rarely showed hard work or man-made ugliness, but his art is still a record of the landscape, that is the landform, the vegetation, and any structures or agriculture.

Surveyor General, explorer, and writer Major Thomas Mitchell (later Sir Thomas) was also a competent artist. His pencil sketches in his field books and notebooks include landscapes, portraits of Aboriginal people, and illustrations of animals, artefacts and even fossil bones.  Mitchell’s journals refer to his 1828 survey of the area, and the Wollondilly River and gorge thus: “The channel of the Wollondilly continues open and accessible for a few miles lower down than this (Towrang, Lockyersleigh), but after it is joined by the Uringalla near Arthursleigh it sinks immediately into a deep ravine and is no longer accessible as above, the country to the westward of it being exceedingly wild and broken.” His sketch of a view west from Mt Jellore near Mittagong gives a graphic impression of the daunting nature of the country faced by the colonists.

Born in 1911 and growing up in Mittagong, Leonard Long painted his first painting at 16. He worked in Bowral before marrying and moving to Nowra in 1934.  Known for his Eastern Australian river landscapes, it’s no surprise that the Wollondilly, Wingecarribee and Shoalhaven are amongst his subjects.   His works include ‘The Hills of Canyonleigh, Wombeyan’ 1959, ‘Smoking Hills Wollondilly Valley at Bullio’ 1983, ‘Tugalong’ 1950, ‘Valley of the Wollondilly’ 1980, and ‘Wollondilly Gorge’.

The importance of the Wollondilly River valley as part of our cultural history was recognised and celebrated by those who took part in the one off Great River Walk in 2000. The project aimed to walk the entire length of the river system from its source near Goulburn through the Hawkesbury Nepean system to the sea.

It’s not just beautiful – as we know, it’s truly special and ‘globally significant.’  I’m of course talking about our place in the corridor known as the Great Eastern Ranges initiative which is about protecting and restoring ecological connectivity on a local, regional and national scale, to link the Blue Mountains and Nattai National Parks in our north to the Morton National Park in our south.

There are a number of National Parks and Reserves in this area including Bangadilly National Park, Tarlo River National Park on the Cookbundoon Range to our west, Wollondilly Nature Reserve to our north, and Joadja Nature Reserve to our north east.
In good news for the environment, a number of new reserves have been created and additions made to existing National Parks and Reserves in the area. They appeared in the NSW government gazette on 13 August 2010. The additions will help to preserve habitat for native flora and fauna, as well as reserving more pieces of the corridor.  Wollondilly Nature Reserve now includes the 109 hectare section of land known as Tom’s Island.  The 368 hectare Kerrawary Nature Reserve was also created.

Kerrawary Nature Reserve is on the western bank of the Wollondilly River at Big Hill/Kerrawary, west of the Nandi Rd area of Canyonleigh.  The Wollondilly River on its eastern boundary is partly rocky riverine gorge.  Although the reserve was previously used for limited grazing, its tree cover remains largely intact.  It’s a significant area of habitat for animals and birds including threatened species such as the koala, brush-tailed rock wallaby, spot tail quoll, glossy black cockatoos and gang-gang, diamond firetails, powerful owls and regent honeyeater.

A high voltage electricity transmission line crosses the Kerrawary Nature Reserve, and the reserve is less than 1.5 kilometres from the proposed footprint of Origin Energy’s Kerrawary Power Station.  Interestingly, Kerrawary Nature Reserve is not mentioned in the text of the Preliminary Environmental Assessment for the proposed Kerrawary Power Station, nor is it shown on mapping in that document. The PEA for the proposed Bannaby power station also didn’t mention it or map it, despite listing other National Parks and Reserves in the region.

The Department of Planning didn’t mention the Nature Reserve either when it issued the Director General’s Requirements for the Kerrawary Power Station.   I’m not quite sure how it’s possible for all of these organisations to miss a 900 acre nature reserve.  So come on guys, lift your game.

If our landscape is of such beauty and grandeur that renowned artists have put it on canvas or board, if our place in the world is more than just good looking landscape, but also history, as well as the future of a functional and essential living corridor, then ought we not seek to preserve those things for future generations?

You can email me:  jenny279@tpg.com.au

Should the lands around your home, sheds and living areas pose a potential bush fire threat, your local fire brigade can be of assistance with a controlled hazard reduction.  In our area, we only have the opportunity to do a controlled burn during Autumn due to koala activity in Spring.

Please contact our Captain Mark Pearson (Ph 0437 049 207) or Snr Deputy Captain Brett Bannerman (48 789 272) to discuss your needs.

Contact us now should you require the RFS to stage a hazard reduction in Autumn

Even though there have been no major fire incidents in 2011, the brigade has been busy with a number of activities and grant applications.  We have nearly completed the overhead rapid fill system in our shed which will dramatically reduce the time it takes to refill our fire trucks with water in times of emergency.  We have also repaired the guttering and downpipes on the shed and plumbed all this into the water tanks giving us 100,000 litres of storage at the shed. Successful grant applications to the Rural Fire Service Association and the Goulburn-Mulwarre Trust has enabled us to receive much-needed equipment for the brigade.  These  include a hi-pressure water cleaner to assist with cleaning the trucks, a new fridge to chill water and keep ice frozen and a wet and dry vacuum cleaner.

We also staged a Community Information Day at the Canyonleigh Store in late September to assist and discuss local residents Fire Plans. Of course, we can’t forget the national recognition the brigade, and in particular Frances Crown, received for the innovative women’s training program.

Thanks, also, to the many people who generously donated money to the Brigade over the past year which has enabled us to purchase office equipment and supplies, weather monitoring devices, new radio equipment, fittings enabling us to adapt from any size BSP fitting to our Storz fittings, hand tools to assist us in plumbing into farm and home water systems and a fourth drip torch for the Cat 1 truck.

CALLING NEW MEMBERS:
We are in need of new members to keep our Brigade viable.
Over the past few years a number of Brigade members have moved away from the area or retired.

To ensure that our bush fire brigade remains an effective force we need new members – whether you are a permanent resident or not.

We provide full training, ongoing courses (with national accreditation) and an opportunity to make new friends and acquaintances.

If you are interested, please contact Brett Bannerman.

Most evenings, I walk down into the valley, on a route that I’m guessing is about 3km. I used to take Dot the wonderdog, but she’s old and arthritic now, and won’t come, so I put on headphones, listen to a podcast or audio book, and stride off on my own. It’s often pitch dark by the time I get to go, so I also wear a head torch just in case. Most of the time there is plenty of light, even starlight is bright enough.

I didn’t know where the camera was set-up, so the first time I came across it, on a dark night, it scared the bejesus out of me. It lit up in a starburst of red LEDs, and for a second or two until I realised what it was, I was completely thrown. If it took a picture of me, it would have shown a wide-eyed, mouth-open ‘what the…?’ expression. And then I got to thinking, what sort of fun could you have with this?

Imagine the camera owner retrieving it, and idly flicking through the pictures. Kangaroo, wombat, emu, another kangaroo, deer, wombat, Ku Klux Klan member,… whoa! With a little creative costuming, and maybe help from some friends, the possibilities are endless. What picture would have the most dramatic effect?

In The Australian recently, there was an article about a guy in Adelaide who bought a Chewbacca outfit from the States, and wore it to an anime conference. There’s a great photo of him in costume, buying a cuppa from a coffee cart outside the conference- see http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/adelaide-5000/story-e6frg8h6-1226220629722.

What if you were doing the kangaroo, kangaroo, wombat thing, and up came a photo of Chewbacca? Or a Knight in shining armour, or Santa Claus? An alien spaceship?
Think of the fun you could have with stuffed animals. Kangaroo, wombat, wallaby, Kodiak bear? Moose? A flock of Emperor penguins?

You could cover the camera and erect an elaborate set, then whip away the cover to take a staged shot. How about a murder scene, with a oily, moustachioed roué holding a pale Pearl White type by the throat, poised to stab her mercilessly? Or a complete dinner party for twelve, with candelabra, a champagne cork in full flight, and hints of nefarious activity under the table.

Imagine you had the resources of the Mythbusters team- kangaroo, kangaroo, wombat, 747 landing gear.

Or you could just hack into the camera and insert the photo of choice. A Maldives sunset? An encroaching lava flow? Porn? The possibilities are endless, and fun.

This discovery was crucially important as it was thought previously that the condition was an illness which developed.  On further investigation this is easily understood as there can be a variety of symptoms, which means many people progress through life unaware they are a coeliac.

Being a coeliac means that your immune system is sensitive to GLUTEN for life.

A lifelong adherence to a gluten free diet allows the body to function normally and the problems that incur with a coeliac do not reappear.  The foods that need to be avoided are wheat, rye, barley and oats.  Tapioca can also cause a reaction for some people.

Coeliacs are not to be confused with someone who has a wheat allergy.

With the festive season in full fling, let us spare a thought for those unfortunate to not enjoy good health or who have a special dietary problem.  This is a time for sharing and caring for family, friends and strangers.  So whether you are a coeliac, or in the best of health try this decadent and oh so heavenly, Chocolate Torta.  I guarantee you will have more than one piece!

For a festive occasion you can double the quantity and use a larger spring form pan, 26 or 28cm. Extend the cooking time until the cake responds to the touch test.

Here is a cake that your memory will record…….

200g dark chocolate.  The best you can afford.
4 eggs separated. I always use 70g eggs.
175g caster sugar.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
250g ground almonds.
200g butter, melted and cooled until tepid.   Don’t substitute margarine.
Icing sugar.

Grease and line a 24cm spring form pan and preheat oven to 180c.
Melt the chocolate gently.
Separate eggs.
Beat the eggs with castor sugar and vanilla until the mixture is pale and thick.
Fold in the chocolate, ground almonds and melted butter.
Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until they form soft peaks.
Then fold into the chocolate mixture.  Spoon into the prepared tin.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until just firm to the touch.

The cake will have risen.  Remove from oven and cool in the tin.

It will flatten a little.   Remove from spring form and dust with icing sugar if liked.    To serve, cut your Torta into small wedges.

Serves 10.

This Torta is brilliant with coffee.  Invite a friend to share in the NEW YEAR.

Judithe McKindley

NOTE:  Judithe took on the job of the writing the cooking column in May 2007. Sadly this is Judithe’s last column and with it there is a HUGE thank you from all of us. Judithe, your stories, research and recipes have been a delight, we’ll miss you. – Ed.

We also open our windows and doors, plan barbeques, and picnics as we venture outside.

Celebrated from antiquity EGGS have been the symbol of fertility, creation and new life.

There are many legends and superstitions regarding eggs and one you might like to try is to bury fresh eggs in the garden, or at the edge of your paddocks to guard against lightning, hail, and to protect beehives!  Through the millennia eggs have been thought as Spring time food, but today they have become an essential ingredient in all our culinary traditions. Eggs are unique in that they contain nearly every nutrient known to be essential to humans. The reason for this is they are a total life support for the developing chick.   There are many ways to use eggs from ornamentation to quiche.   Instead of a predictable quiche a delectable alternative is a traditional Savoury Easter Pie from Liguria, Italy, known as Torta Pasqualina.

INGREDIENTS:
500 grams spinach leaves
3 baby globe artichokes, fresh or bottled
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil from Canyonleigh
7 eggs
¾ cup (90 grams) freshly grated parmesan
220 grams fresh ricotta
2 Tablespoons freshly chopped marjoram (oregano can be substituted)
2 Tablespoons freshly chopped borage (continental parsley can be substituted)
Salt and pepper.
1 packet of Antoniou filo pastry (18 sheets) found at supermarkets in the chilled section, not frozen.
1 egg yolk plus 1 Tablespoon water.
Extra virgin olive oil.

METHOD:
Cook fresh artichokes in boiling water until just tender.  If using bottled artichokes drain well. Coarsely chop spinach leaves and slice the artichokes.  Sauté spinach and artichokes in a large non stick frying pan with the olive oil until spinach is just wilted.  Mix in one egg, the parmesan, ricotta and fresh herbs, salt and pepper.   Put aside to cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 180C. Lightly oil a 23cm spring form pan. Stack nine sheets of filo pastry, brushing each sheet with the extra olive oil over the base and sides of the spring form pan.  Add the vegetable ricotta mix and make 6 hollows in it. Break an egg into each of the hollows and cover with the rest of the pastry sheets, brushing each with oil as before.  Brush the top of the pie with the yolk and water mix.
Bake in preheated oven for approx. one hour, until golden brown. Can be served hot or cold, which makes the pie the perfect picnic treat. Serve with your favourite French or Italian salad.

BUON APPETITO – Judithe McKindley