We had six people at preserves this week.

We made beetroot relish and had a lovely chat … and coffee and a bikkie while we waited for the relish to cook and thicken.

And … imagine … we could all stand around the kitchen bench to chop And grate. Amazing!

Our jams and preserves group meets on the third Tuesday of the month from 1-3pm. Our next session will be on Tuesday 18 June. We’re thinking about onion jam and marmalade, preserved lemons 🍋 or maybe drying some citrus … 🍊 so, if you have any excess oranges, lemons, cumquats etc. in your garden we’d love to make use of them! Just drop them into the office. Thanks.

And of course … you’re welcome to join in. Let us know you’re interested and we’ll add you to the What’s App group.

Join us for lunch this week on Thursday at 12.30pm. $15. Book in on our website here.

Last week we had potato and leek soup with crusty bread, and cookies and coffee, and immersed ourselves in drawing for an hour.

We started with a piece of broken willow pattern crockery and extended the picture out from it on paper, using markers and pencils.

It was low key and chatty and very relaxing!

This week we’ll be eating a pasta bake and using the easels. Take a break from the every day and come along!

Our AAA Arts group is having a great time on Fridays this term, working together on an outdoor timber sculpture to brighten up our garden beds on the corner.

The project is utilising scrap timber offcuts, and there has been lots of painting, followed by drilling and screwing going on.

It is fabulous to see participants being so creative, learning new skills and gaining confidence to do new things. We’re very fortunate to have great support for this program with Corrado and Hazel volunteering weekly. It makes such a difference to what we can offer activity-wise.

Keep an eye on our gardens over the next few weeks if you are passing by - to admire the results!

With the kitchen all organised, we are getting back to our monthly preserving and jamming activities.

If you like cooking (and talking while you cook!) we’d love you to join us this Tuesday 21 May from 1-3pm for preserves group.

This month we are celebrating autumn and making beetroot relish. If we have time we may also make some preserved lemon.

Bring your apron. We should have everything else here.

Also … if you have excess fruit or veggies growing in your garden we always love donations … we can use them for our community lunches, for preserving and jamming and can also pass them on to the community or the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.

Last year we got a grant from the Community Bank on Queens Parade, and with it we built a playstation - a bit different from the tiny ones on our fence - but just as fun!

This one stands by itself - and it includes doors and peep holes, and features famous art, and little bags of treasures, along with spot the difference games … and more.

We had it out for our end of year market last year, but with our backyard complete it has found a new permanent (or semi-permanent) home under our verandah.

Next time you are here with kids pop and out the back and take a look. It is super creative (thanks Lee)! And provides hours of cute fun.