I've had a wonderful few months been to Kiama to the Southern Cross quilters yearly retreat. I do enjoy going to these retreats they are always such fun.
This year it was held in Kiama New South Wales what a beautiful spot.
I was very fortunate to be able to do a class with Merelyn Pearce who this week won Best of Show at the Sydney Quilt Show. She was a wonderful sharing teacher. Here is the link to the winning quilt. http://www.quiltersguildnsw/quiltshow.com/
While on Sydney I also made the bus trip to Rookwood cemetery where one ofmy great grandfather's is buried. It was such a hot day hunting for graves what not the best decision. Anway here is a photo of how packed the cemetery is and the grave where my great grandfather Edward Arthur is buried in an unmarked grave with his sister.
No visit to Sydney is complete to me without a wonder around circular quay it is such a beautiful spot and yummy pizza for lunch.
I came home for 10 days then off to The Quilting Symposium in Queenstown I decided to drive down as I wanted to do some family history research at the same time.
I was lucky as my hubby drove down with me to Dunedin flew home then flew back down to Queenstown to meet me after the symposium so I didn't have a long drive on my own.
Our first stop was Oamaru what a pretty town we were able to fill in the morning wondering around waiting for their little family history centre to open. There wasn't much there on my great uncle he had been fostered by a family there and I was hoping to find a bit more information which I didn't but as he was killed in WW1 there was a cross with his name on it in Memorial Drive. It was amazing how many young men were killed from a smallish place like Oamaru and what a great memorial to them all. It was very sad though looking for his cross there was so many and lots of families lost more than one son.
The good news was even though I didn't find out what the relationship was to the family that fostered him I did discover he was a much loved member of their family.
Next stop Dunedin, I was born in Dunedin and haven't been back for many years not as an adult anyway. I meet a cousin I hadn't seen since we were children and that was interesting we found lots to talk about. Her mother was my mothers sister who died in her early 30's. By this time we had moved to Hastings in the North Island and sort of lost contact which is very sad as I discovered my cousin did not have a very happy time after her mother died.
After that I went to Gore I was lucky enough to stay with my friend Jackie. I was hoping to find out some information on anoither great grandfather , I'm not too sure when he moved there from Dipton but I know my grandfather grew up in Gore. The house is still standing how lucky was that.
I loved Southland what a beautiful part of the country. Certainly going back again.
Had to add these photo's Dipton memorial hall and Dipton cemetery where the family are buried. Dipton was a small town in lovely country side. The cemetery was in a lovely quiet location with lots of birds chirping away.
And then the reason I went down to the South Island Queenstown Symposium.
Queenstown was just beautiful as it was autumn and all the leaves were turning and falling off the trees.
I did 2 classes there, one with Noeline Johnston tumbling blocks the photo was the class sample. And a portrait class with Jocelyn Leath from Western Australia. They both were wonderful tutors and I learnt a lot from both of them. Need to finish what I Started in class
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In my next post I'll show you what I have been making in the 4 months of no blogging.
