Kandos – CONVENT AND CHAPEL

The Next Phase – Kandos CWA Takes Off!!!

Published on July 4, 2019 by conventandchapelLeave a comment

Our modest Kandos CWA HQ just off the main street.

I’ve been quiet here for a while. I guess life has settled into a routine – and a good one. It’s been super busy with the wool shop and that’s really satisfying. I’ve also nestled into the local community and made new friends. Life is never boring but I’ve felt there’s been less newsworthy stories to tell… until now!

Our local Kandos Branch of the CWA has been an important factor in settling here. The story goes that the branch had been operating successfully for some time but a few years ago, membership seriously dwindled. To the point where CWA HQ considered closing the branch and selling the building (that they owned) given the associated expense. “No Way!” claimed some emboldened locals and shortly after my arrival, I was handed a membership form and told to join to keep Kandos CWA alive. Gemma was actually made Secretary the first week she came to town. Newbies didn’t stand a chance!

Since then, our local CWA branch has gone from strength to strength, sponsoring our CWA Kandos Gardens Fair, hosting a myriad of social gatherings and recently refurbishing our modest but well-located and much loved CWA home. The renovations have included a commercial kitchen to help locals establish and run micro businesses. Whilst there are preconceptions about the CWA, all groups are different, as is ours. It’s younger, most work and, whilst we’re capable of turning out a half-decent scone, we don’t.

Think of the cakes and pies that will be coming out of this beast of the kitchen!

Our next phase is about to kick off – the Kandos CWA Pop Up Cafe – one day each week when we offer our food to the unsuspecting public in our updated building just off the main drag. Simple meals, home cooked, eat in or take away. The money raised will help us with our fundraising and also support Barnardos, who we are endeavouring to assist with a regional safe house for families who have experienced domestic violence.

Initial discussions amongst CWA members indicate that this will be an interesting and entertaining endeavour. We already have a spectrum of opinions – from those who are pragmatic with “blokes like baked beans” to those with aspirations of becoming the new Nigella. Spruiking for our own reality show has been proposed and I believe one or two members are approaching Kim Kardashian for contract advice. Teabags versus teapots is sure to be on the agenda and the savoury mince has already become a hot topic.

Anyway, life is never boring in Kandos and this looks like it will be a great addition to our community and an opportunity for more locals to engage with our convivial and growing CWA group.

A social hub. Wait until My Kitchen Rules or MasterChef want to film one of their shows here!

Contemplation

Published on January 10, 2019 by conventandchapel3 Comments

There’s been a few quiet weeks here to end 2018 and begin 2019. Just before Christmas my much-loved Mum passed away.

Losing a parent is significant and both of mine have now left in the last few years. As I’ve reached 60, it’s prompted me to take a some time to reflect. For so much of my life, little seemed to change and I appeared to be following a well-mapped route. I’d grown up, married and lived in the same area for decades. I married mid 20’s, had children (the best!) and worked in the same industry with few job changes for 3 decades. There were many aspirations and dreams however dreams were all they appeared to be.

Then lots changed. And quickly. Single. Job change. Tree change. Dramatic swings over the last 10 or so years – ups and downs, but most have also brought opportunities with them.

acp_3151 — Home. I wouldn’t have believed this possible until it actually happened.

Just over five years ago, as part of exploring a long-held dream to live in the country, I stumbled across an old Spanish Mission Convent in Central West NSW. In a town I’d never heard of before – Kandos. Five years later, I’m living here permanently, am part of a warm and welcoming community and spend my working life knitting in my wool shop business.

At times life can be hard and certainly the loss of Mum is one of the hardest. However I was once told to look at my life in three stages:

First 30 years – the growing up years, finding yourself and emerging from childhood and youth to become an adult
30 – 60 – the adult years, marrying, being a mother, work. Predominantly doing for others in dutiful roles
60 onwards – the individual years – a chance to be who you always wanted to be, and at this stage of life, hopefully knowing who that person is. With the value of experience and having fulfilled previous roles (hopefully with an element of success), this is the opportunity to shine personally.

Anyway, that’s the way I choose to look at my next/current phase. I have a wonderful family with my girls, a beautiful home and garden that keeps me active, a thriving business that allows me to work at my passion and a wonderful, vibrant community to be a part of. It’s sad that I can’t share my stories with my parents any more but I’m sure they’re keeping an eye on me from somewhere.

The Convent Paddock – the cook’s garden – my current project

The Convent on Display

Published on January 17, 2018 by conventandchapel1 Comment

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I purchased the Convent in Kandos over 4 years ago now. Since then, this beautiful building has seen a few changes inside and out. She’s had to become accustomed to being a home to me and has also opened her doors and garden gates each year to the public for various community events.

ACP_2897 Her next big event is the CWA Kandos Gardens Fair on 7 & 8 April and I’m already hard at work getting the garden into shape during some challenging dry seasons. Whilst the timing wasn’t perfect, I organised a photo shoot with the talented Amber Hooper from Amber Creative to take a series of shots to help with promotion (and because I just wanted to have some lovely photos of the Convent).

ACP_3189 These photos were taken at dusk just prior to Christmas and do justice to the Convent and the amazing Kandos surrounds.

Moving here has been such a fantastic experience and I wonder how many others should just take a leap of faith and discover how great a country lifestyle is, particularly in one of the smaller rural communities. Life is still busy and challenging but it’s by choice and with challenges you choose. Living in a community is so different with its own rewards and obligations, unlike in the city or suburbs and certainly focusses your priorities. ACP_3065

Four years on and this is still an adventure that I hope continues for many years to come.

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The End of Winter

Published on September 17, 2017 by conventandchapelLeave a comment

Winter here is harsh. Cold (but rarely snowing), cruel frosts but, this year, unfortunately very little rain. By the end of Winter I start to despair for the garden. It all looks so grey/yellow and bare, with little sign of life or greenery.

This little fella self-seeded and decided to stay. A welcome addition, even if unplanned and in an awkward position.

It’s now nearly four years since I moved here and this year I realised that I’ve been so conditioned to Sydney North Shore gardens that are dominated by evergreens including camellias, azaleas and all-pervading buxus hedges that the yellowness of the landscape here is still a little disturbing. Gardens here are different – more deciduous trees and shrubs, veggie beds and with the frosts, grass will never stay green.

The upside is that Winter is perfect for knitting and has a lot less competition for time, given the garden is dormant. Come Spring, the garden starts to come alive. The last few weeks I’ve been madly pruning – paying a steep price for now having over 100 roses that are doing very well at the Convent. It’s also feeding, watering and mulching time. Water is a problem given I can’t remember the last time we had decent rain fall.

Not so Tortured Filbert will have grassy green leaves soon. I’m enjoying the catkins that just keep dropping longer and longer.

It’s so rewarding to watch plants that seem so lifeless spring back – and certainly reassuring that I haven’t killed them. Many of the plants are now three to four years old and establishing themselves, which is also intriguing to watch, with a few becoming fast favourites. I bought Tortured Filbert as I was fascinated by the name and felt a bit sorry for any plant that could be called that. However he is a stunning little hazelnut specimen with an amazing twisted structure and the cutest catkins that are currently getting longer and longer.

Blue Streak Willow – just lucky with this one that it’s such a beautiful tree. Look at the pussy willows just before it goes into leaf.

Another gorgeous plant is Salix Acutifolia ‘Blue Streak’ that I bought from Lambleys, one of my favourite online nurseries. It came in a tiny tube pot and was originally planted in a garden bed. A year later I needed help to move it – obviously a vigorous plant – and it now sits between the Chapel and Grotto (not many people can use that phrase on their Blog!). It’s just displaying gorgeous little pussy willows at the moment and looks like it will explode into growth soon.

One of the first trees I planted was the somewhat Convent appropriate Judas Tree which always has lovely blossoms and pretty leaf growth. It, too is about to flower. The garden was so bare with no established shade trees so I’ve been keen for the Manchurian Pears to grow. They’ve been reliable and I think this year will hit their straps.

The pair of Wisterias have taken a surprisingly short time to get themselves in shape.

At my last home in Sydney, a neighbour had a wonderful Wisteria that was kept to a standard shape – an ever thickening trunk and heavy weeping strands of flowers. This seemed a perfect option to go under the Convent windows and break up some of the harshness of the exterior. It also seems to be working and the plants are now heavy with buds – although more endless pruning for me to keep it in shape.

Anyway, the knitting is slowing a little although shop hand knit staples (beanies, mitts and scarves) are less in demand, so at this time of the year I try and move towards more detailed lace knitting and always promise myself that I’ll get my Show knitting under control early (never happens!!!).

The two Manchurian Pears that should become prominent in the front yard are just starting to hit their straps.

The Next Phase

Published on August 17, 2017 by conventandchapelLeave a comment

New gates at each end. This is the rear of the property.

Winter has been a good time to let the garden rest and get on with lots of knitting for the shop. However it’s starting to warm up and Spring isn’t far away. Priorities are about to change!

Internal access from the Convent block through a small gate set in the privet hedge.

Over the past year I’ve been cleaning up the block next door, or “the paddock” as it’s more commonly referred to. I have just over half an acre of land that the Convent sits on and also own the quarter acre next door which has just been a rough block up until now. I’ve had it cleared of the old scrub and last week fencing and gates went up, so now it’s time to start doing some work.

The land is pretty rough – shale and clay, so I’ll be taking my time building up the soil and planting gradually. So far I’ve started at one end – lots of cardboard getting put down and mulch going on top. Given it’s pruning time, lots of light pruning and leaves are making their way to the other side of the galvanised fence. First cab off the rank is potatoes. Last year I had huge success with some substantial “no dig” beds of potatoes layered with straw mulch and a sprinkling of Dynamic Lifter. This year I have the advantage of horse poo courtesy of Poppy the horse down the road.

Some rockery beds are already in place at the front of the block from decades ago – now sans tyre plantings.

Either end of the block will be some pretties – I have roses on order that should be OK. Some of the block has some rockery work in place that should work well for the rose and perennial beds but the balance of the paddock will mainly be produce. Some bordering for veggie beds will take place shortly.

Desiree, Sebago and Dutch Cream potatoes doing multiple duties – food, breaking up and enriching soil.

The photos look pretty bleak and colourless – it’s been a very dry Winter with harsh frosts – this will green up in no time with better weather and a little TLC. Anyway, this will keep me going for quite some time.

Gates at the front of the property – the views are stunning.

Another Special Weekend at the Convent

Published on April 13, 2017April 13, 2017 by conventandchapelLeave a comment

Teen’s McCarthy used the Grotto as the setting to her Bush Mary performance

It’s been so long since I’ve written a post. That doesn’t mean I’ve been quiet – just the opposite. What with the shop, the garden, local activities and managing the shop website and personal and commercial Facebook pages (oh, and Instagram), unfortunately the blog seems to fall behind, which is a pity given I can provide more detail and photos here than quick grabs on the other mediums.

Anyway, the last few months have been dominated BY the garden, particularly getting it in good condition for Cementa17, our biannual contemporary arts festival that uses the Convent as a venue, the shop which takes up lots of time, and Show knitting.

Last weekend was Cementa17 with over 40 contemporary artists displaying their works all around our small town. Thousands of people are attracted to the town over 4 days and nights of exhibitions and entertainment.

The Convent is one of the venues used for artists and this year we made the most of having so many visitors by also hosting lunch and Devonshire teas in the garden to raise funds for Kandos CWA.

Two artists exhibited – a performance of the Bush Mary’s by Teena McCarthy and a ceramics display by Paris Norton.

The garden comes up well in Autumn, which is also the time we have our local Garden Fair, the year between Cementa’s, and made a great location for those wishing to have a quiet moment sitting in the garden treating themselves to tea and scones with jam and cream.

Many thanks to all those who volunteered so willingly and gave their time to help out. It was a great weekend.

Spring Has Sprung

Published on October 15, 2016 by conventandchapelLeave a comment

The two standard wisterias under the front windows seem to have settled in well.

The front circular bed changes with seasons. For now it’s dominated by Ranunculus. Later the new roses will shine and then the white Cosmos will fill it out.

Well at least I hope it has. Winter has taken its time departing (not that I’m complaining as a wool shop owner!) but it would be nice for the rain to ease off, winds die down and sun to show its face.

Every Convent should have a Judas Tree and this lovely plant has always been reliable.

The last week has shown some promise and the garden is starting to respond, although it seems the grass always responds first and is badly in need of mowing. This is the third year here permanently and about four years since I first set my eyes on the Convent and discovered Kandos. It’s also the first year where I can see the plants doing what I had hoped they would. Roses are bursting with growth, some of the plants that had struggled seem to have found their feet, vacant spaces are beginning to fill, trees are beginning to fill out and climbers are, well, starting their climbing journey.

These are just the first touches of colour coming into the garden and I’m anticipating some great displays through Spring, Summer and Autumn. With expanded veg patches, I’m also hoping to be well fed by my garden – the chooks are certainly enjoying spinach at the moment and rewarding me with lots of eggs.

I have some more plants to put in and I’m eager to play with my water plants with my new fishpond, which is yet to have fish introduced to it.

Let’s hope the weather is now on the improve (not that I mind regular rain) and the garden continues to flourish.

Making Some Improvements

Published on August 24, 2016 by conventandchapelLeave a comment

I’ve wanted a good stove since first (before) moving to the country and am really happy with this.

A smart looking sink and taps – off white cupboards and pale grey granite bench tops

It’s coming on 3 years (in November) since I moved here permanently. Prior to taking up residence, the Convent had a refresh with new paint and the flooring updated with either polished boards or carpet. Other than furnishings, I haven’t done much else (other than a total garden overhaul), so I thought it time to move onto the next phase of home improvements.

Still needs plastering and painting but no more overhead cupboards and also incorporates the next room.

The island bench in what was the dining room.

I’ve been grappling with the kitchen since I first came here given it was a small galley at the front of the house and I wanted to accommodate a good sized stove. Another challenge was that although the Convent is large, it was never built for entertaining, so I don’t have a larger room when I have more than a few people over. With a few tweaks reorganising rooms, the result has worked well and I now have a large open modern kitchen and a great extra entertaining/living room which is also now my dining room.

The period lighting has greatly improved the ambience of the Conve

Couldn’t resist this antique light fitting for the vestibule

I’d always known that I’d have to tackle the electricals at some point, given some parts dated back to 1930. The Convent lights mainly consisted of bulbs in bayonets in the ceiling or fluoro tubes, so updating the lighting has also been on my list. August ended up being kitchen, electrical and lighting month so there’s been a heap of activity. Not all has gone smoothly (or is finished) and I still need to get some plastering and touch up painting done but otherwise I’m really happy with the results and the Convent has improved significantly in appearance (and safety).

And I get a new living room that incorporates my dining table

The bedrooms all have period style frosted bowls on chains

Still lots more on the list including the dreaded bathroom makeover, however after managing the last set of renovations, I’m more confident in tackling the next phase.

Cobwebs in the Garden

Published on April 10, 2016 by conventandchapelLeave a comment

Fluidity in Zauberball Tropical Fish glowed in the privet hedge.

Last weekend we had our CWA Kandos Gardens Fair, with the Convent gardens being open to the public. Of course, we couldn’t let the weekend go by without including some of our knitting. We used the occasion to display some of our lacework around the garden to catch the eye of visiting garden enthusiasts.

Birds on Bikes made a great display with this shawl

Some of our most recent work is still on its way back from the Sydney Royal Agricultural Show but we had enough to decorate the grounds. Our cream lace shawls, which are our best Show pieces hung outside the Chapel verandah, Kerry Blue was inside the Grotto, a vibrant Fluidity in Zauberball Tropical Fish peeped through a gap in the privet hedge, our Doodlers hang proudly from the side verandah, the sculpture birds held up a glorious maroon lace triangular shawl and the angel looked suitably draped.

A great week for the Convent garden and we think our shawls added a little to the colour and texture of the garden.

Doodlers displaying themselves on a verandah

Costa at the Convent

Published on April 6, 2016April 6, 2016 by conventandchapelLeave a comment

Costa chowing down on some Zucchini Slice

One of the special moments at the CWA Kandos Gardens Fair was a visit from Costa Georgiadis, in fact, two) from ABC’s Gardening Australia. We knew the Gardens Fair would be a very special event with him as a guest but his impact on visitors far surpassed expectations. As did the man himself. What a gracious, enthusiastic, engaging and energetic person!

Costa having a chat with Gemma in The Cloisters

Costa had asked to visit the local schools as part of his visit which was a wonderful experience for the school children and hopefully will leave a permanent mark on the area. For the weekend, he tirelessly visited gardens, engaged with visitors and made himself available constantly.

We were fortunate to have Costa visit us for lunch on Saturday where we gave him a short break from the many people who had built up both for a feed and to see Costa at the Convent. He made sure he spoke to all the volunteers and has a great skill for remembering names. He seemed to love the Convent and it’s surrounds (although I think he was equally gracious with all garden owners and guests) and on Sunday unexpectedly brought his Dad back for lunch and a quieter sit in The Cloisters on a day that was a little slower paced.

Watching him with his Dad was a little bittersweet given my own Dad passed away last year and I had such hopes of he and Mum spending time with me at the Convent. It was great that he took his Dad on a guided tour of the garden but I had moments of concern with the wheelchair in the spongy grass!

During their visit, a wonderful ukulele group sang and played in the Chapel – Costa raced in and took a video which he later placed on Instagram which was a thrill.

All in all, a great weekend and we’re still buzzing from it. Costa certainly made a difference and we’d have him back any day.