The challenge of taking a moment...

It is hard to believe that Christmas and summer holidays is upon us and 2014 only a breath away. With the mad dashing associated with last minute organising, seeing friends, collecting family, it can be hard to pause and look back upon the year.

Yet it is important to stop. To be thankful, to appreciate, and to love. How can we see what we have and have achieved if we don't actually take a moment to think about it?

So stop - even if only briefly, and look around you. Smile, breathe, and welcome 2014.

Take care and be safe these holidays. We'll see you in 2014, bigger and brighter than ever.

Coffee - making the most of a special little bean.

There is something truly pleasurable about arriving home to find a delivery of coffee beans, expertly chosen and freshly roasted, waiting on my door step.

Perhaps it is the knowledge that tomorrow I'll be sitting down with a freshly made coffee, its heady aroma gifting me a moment of peace in a hectic day. Such simple things make life that little bit more special!

It could also be the pleasure of having such beautiful coffee sent to me, with me barely raising a finger. I didn't get in the car and make a special trip to the shops or do the madcap 20 minute run around at lunchtime. My secret? I ordered it online.

There's something else though too. I love buying from specialty stores - artisans that care about their craft - small locally owned businesses. I used to buy coffee from the supermarket. It wasn't until I tried beans from a specialty store that I realised what I had been missing.

So what's the difference? Quality. According to many online blogs like coffeegeek, roasted beans have a premium shelf life of around 2 weeks. After that, the quality starts to fade. Bottom line is, not only do you want high quality beans, but you want your coffee beans freshly roasted.

There are a couple of local specialty coffee retailers offering online shopping and home delivery. Tasmanian Coffee Roasters, based in Hobart, and offers lower prices for online shoppers. I recommend you use their online shop to decide your order and then call them on the phone. In Launceston, Ritual Coffee has a coffee club offering members a new roast, delivered on the first Monday of every month. Both offer the highest quali1ty coffee, delivered to your door.

And if you're after tips to store your coffee, Coffeegeek and Wikipedia recommend storing your beans in an airtight or ceramic container in a cool dark place (like a cupboard!). Use the beans within 2 weeks or so, but if you need them longer, try freezing them. If you're using ground coffee, the shelf life is even shorter - so buy in smaller quantities if you like your coffee at its best.

Life's too short for bad coffee. And now you have no excuse.

The special gift of being a mum

Life is funny sometimes. When I look back at life when I was single, or newly married, I wonder how I filled it. It felt busy, rushing around seeing friends, going to dinner, playing sport, sleeping in... How that has changed with 2 beautiful little ones in our lives!

Life is more packed, yet slower. I know that sounds contradictory, but you have to slow down with kids. Time spent talking over breakfast, and packing school lunches, making block towers or reading books before bedtime takes priority over washing, doing the accounts or grocery shopping. That is where it tends to get busy - that mad rush between the kids going to bed and my crashing on the couch at night!

Yet, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love being a mother. Seeing life through the eyes of a child. Feeling their arms wrapped around your neck and kissing you good night. It swells your heart until your body feels like it will burst. Unconditional love and trust.

Being a mum has made me a better person and I have a much better perspective on life. Yet I can't help but worry for them, and every other child I see in the street - are they cold, are they happy, do they feel loved? The rewards of parenthood comes with its burden too!

My 5 year old daughter is more excited about mother's day than I am this year. Each day she tells me something else that I can do this year for Mother's Day 'Mummy, we can sit at the proper dining table and have candles', or 'Mummy, we will give you an extra special cuddle'. Her excitement makes it fun, and makes it much more real. It seems that I have already had my gift for Mother's Day.

Real strength: the power of community

Sometimes it is easy to wonder if there is such a thing as a real community these days.  With 24 hour news, social media and the internet, our own local communities can seem irrelevant.

However, our local communities are not weak, insignificant, or meaningless.  We only need to look at the recent bush fires around Tasmania to see the power of local communities: people giving, volunteering and helping others to get through difficult times.

It is easy to get on board when the news crews are there.  The test is when the news cycle has turned to the next tragedy, the next hot spot, and the rest of the world moves on.

What has really struck me (and made me proud to be a human being!) is seeing the plethora of small, grass roots' efforts to help local bushfire victims.  In my community of Taroona, the local bakery was donating their tips to the bushfire effort, while the Taroona Community Association held a fundraising auction last weekend.

There are more, but the point is that none of this would happen without people deciding to do something in their own way.  They’re not screaming about their efforts on the news, on facebook or twitter.  They are just doing it because they care.

This is not to say that Tasmanians are more caring or altruistic than other people.  My family in Queensland has been flooded for the third time this year, and they have also experienced the generosity of spirit of their local community.

What is important is that perhaps it is through these difficult and dark times that we see what we really have, and what is important: community.

Hello Possums - Lyn Long and the Possums playcentre

In the small community of Taroona in Hobart, around 20 kids are buzzing around excitedly.  They are brandishing their latest creations: paintings, a Santa's beard to trim each day in the lead up to Christmas, and self portraits. 

It is a happy place, and it's hard work to get my kids out the door.  My 4 year old loves her weekly trip Possums, and my 2 and half year old can't wait until next year when he can finally start.  I found this baffling at first, as neither of my children have ever been this enthusiastic with daycare.  While they are happy at care, they love Possums. 

Jo, Lyn and Karin

As with so many things, it seems that the answer is people. 

Lyn Long is one of those people.  Having overseen 22 years at Possums Playcentre, she has taught a significant portion of the local community. 

Lyn loves kids, and it shows.  A teacher by training, she spent time in Burnie and then at Fahan girls school. Fahan wasn't necessarily an easy job - teaching religious education on a Friday afternoon to year 10 students - but she loved it.  Perhaps it honed her patience and sense of humour...!

In 1988, a group of parents started the Possums Playcentre as there was no pre-kinder program in the area.  Lyn joined Possums as a teacher two years later, after she'd started her own family.  While Lyn had only intended to stay for a short time, she still hasn't left.  And now she sees the children of the children she taught coming through.

What does Lyn love about children?  'I love their enthusiasm, and love of learning.  Their sense of achievement when they've done something, like hop on one leg, or when they've finished a painting.  Children are so honest, and so giving.  It helps perhaps to have a bit of an inner child too', she says, with a twinkle in her eye!

It is a love to which the children respond.  And this love is reflected throughout all the Possums staff  - in Karin, Jo and Lucy.  These ladies not only bring out the love of learning in children, they inspire the rest of us to be better parents.

For more information on Possums Playcentre, please click here

For the love of food... meet Sirocco South

It's one of those warm, sunny Sunday mornings, when the sun embraces you like a long lost friend. It's only just gone 9am, but the Farm Gate Market in Hobart is already buzzing with people.

Mic Guiliani and son Max are already at their stall, packed with fresh pastas handmade that morning: sauces, sweet cannoli, freshly picked swiss brown mushrooms and wild asparagus.  Their business, Sirocco South, epitomises why farmers markets are booming -they reconnect people with quality local produce and providores.


Mic Guiliani was always going to be involved with food.  With a father from Apulia and a mother from Benevento he grew up cultivating, cooking, preserving and making the most out of local ingredients. One of his enduring memories as a child was walking with his grandmother along the railway lines in regional Victoria, harvesting wild asparagus. Now he takes his own family, using his grandfather's knife, to collect wild asparagus and mushrooms growing in the pine forests in Tasmania.

Mic draws inspiration from traditional recipes, handed down through his family, as well as bringing together modern influences and local produce.  There are dishes like wild rabbit with figs and spices, vegetarian, Moroccan goat or smoky wallaby lasagne, sauces such as the classic ragu, or shiraz, olive and pine nut sauces.  Sirocco South also makes a gluten free beef lasagne.

Sirocco South however, is a family affair.  Jo, Mic's wife, is a chef by trade, and has worked overseas and interstate. She is responsible for the mouth watering cannoli. Despite buying them a number of times, I'm yet to really try them as the kids get to them first!



Ravioli and Cannelloni

Sirocco South is now being sold through a small number of shops around the state: Aproneers, Greens Beach Shop (Launceston), Callington Mill in Oatlands, and Vines and Designs near the Copping Museum.  It seems that a love of cooking and sharing good food, is a great recipe for success.

You can find out more here, or visit them at the Farm Gate Market every Sunday.  Sirocco South will also deliver free of charge for bulk orders over $150 to the Hobart area.

 

From international banker to jewellery maker: the story of Yin Mei Kelly and My Sinfonia

 When Yin Mei Kelly made her first sale at the Woodbridge market, sitting at her little card table beside a vegetable stall, she may not have realised just how far it might take her. Two years later, she is a successful designer maker, selling online and distributing into six boutique stores around the country. After talking to her for an hour however, I'm not surprised at anything!

Born and raised in Singapore, Yin Mei worked as a banker and later, a Manager with Accenture, an international business and IT consulting company. After working on a large banking merger however, where many people lost their jobs, Yin Mei decided it was time to take some time off.

It still seems a long way from a life nestled in the countryside of southern Tasmania!

She laughs that her change in lifestyle took her by surprise too. Planning on a move to Melbourne, she and her husband bought their property while on holiday in Tasmania. 'When I saw the countryside in the Channel area, my jaw just dropped'.

The move to Tasmania has had its challenges. Arriving in mid-July, to a house needing renovations, seems madness for us seasoned locals - let alone for someone who had not experienced a winter before. 'We had one gas heater for 3 weeks, with a director's chair, while we waited for our furniture', Yin Mei reminisces. 'I can laugh about it now!'

Experiencing the seasons, having a garden, pets, the quiet, are all new experiences which Yin Mei has had to learn about. When her friends visit, they marvel at the space, and the children love the animals and lifestyle. She cautions however that while it is quiet, it is busy. Running chooks, lambs, ducks and cats and a vegie garden can be quite demanding!

Yin Mei still tries to visit Singapore each year. 'It is my roots' she says. 'And my parents feed me up, and my friends take me to all their favourite places so it is also a lot of fun!'

But how does a banker end up as a jewellery designer and maker? Watching a lady make jewellery in Richmond proved the inspiration. Yin Mei had never done handicraft before, other than some self-described 'horrible' knitting for scarves. Well, her scarves may be bad, but her jewellery is a delight! 

Delicate, feminine, and inspired by the 1920s, it is easy to see the appeal of Yin Mei’s business, My Sinfonia.  So how does Yin Mei remember her feelings at her first sale that day in Woodbridge?  Relief! 

To visit My Sinfonia and Yin Mei's beautiful range of jewellery, just click here

Vegan life, love and belly dancing... meet Adriana Bellemans

Bellydancing isn't perhaps the most mainstream of dancing past times, but Adriana Bellemans has never been one for mainstream.  She took up belly dancing in Adelaide because she'd always wanted to learn.  When she arrived in Tasmania 21 years ago, she decided to offer classes. 

It was certainly a great conversation starter!
 
Adriana Bellemans is an inspirational lady.  While many of us try to follow our principles (at least most of the time), Adriana really lives them.  This animal lover set up Vegelicious with her partner Kate last Christmas after an opportunity arose at the Island Market.  And despite only being open 6 months, they have already attracted a loyal following and a HOFM award as Hobart's Best Takeway!

Adriana has always enjoyed cooking, especially beautiful vegetarian and vegan food.  She loves it when she is asked what is vegan at Vegelicious, only to tell them that everything is!  'Their eyes nearly pop out of their head!' she laughs. 

Vegelicious offers vegan food for everyone.  Adriana, with Kate's help, makes just about everything themselves.  As a result, everything is fresh and high quality.  The favourites?  Vegan cakes, and brekkie bagels (vegan bacon and scrambled tofu).  And of course, hot chips! It is amazing how many vegans order hot chips, happy knowing that they are not cooked in animal fat (like many takeaway shops).  Even carnivores seek out the Vegelicious hot chips because they taste better...!   
Her big tip for anyone interested in eating more vegetarian food or vegan food?  'If you treat tofu the right way, it can be very tasty.  People make the mistake of tasting it straight from the pack... blurrrgh!  Don't do that - it is very easy to cook with!'

So does she miss anything?  Yes, cheese!  Fortunately Adriana came across a recipe for vegan cheese, kindly shared by a friend who operates a vegan B&B.  You can find the recipe on the Vegelicious facebook page, and we've included it for you below.  And, Adriana can also make you up a tub of vegan fetta to take home on request!

Vegan Fetta
courtesy of Nikki from Bed and Broccoli 
250 g block of tofu (Nikki uses Blue Lotus, Adriana uses the Firm King Land brand )
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
3 tablespoons herbed vinegar (plain also works)
1 tablespoon of miso powder (or 1 small sachet)
½ teaspoon salt
2 cloves of garlic, whole & smashed (Or use crushed garlic)

Drain tofu. Cut into cubes or crumble. Don’t crumble it too fine or it will become mush! Mix all ingredients together and pour over tofu. Marinate in the fridge for at least a day. A couple of days is best. But I have done this in the morning and cooked with it that night when in a hurry. Store in the fridge with olive oil."

 

Adriana also adds chilli and fresh rosemary and has also used miso paste. Like Nikki - Adriana is yet to work out how long this will keep as it hasn't lasted more than 3 days before it's gone!

You can find information about Vegelicious in the Your Market Place business directory, or visit them at their Vegelicious facebook page.

A dog's best friend - a chat with Cathy Craw, Welfare Manager Hobart Dogs' Home

Cathy Craw was one of those lucky kids. Growing up in Kingston, her family had a property in beautiful Kaoota with lots of animals: ducks and chooks, a Shetland pony and then a Welsh pony.  There was one pet however that Cathy always wanted but didn't have.... a dog.  Since then however, Cathy has made up for lost time!

First, it was bringing strays home from the Kingston area, and finding them new homes.  Then it was taking dogs into her apartment in Singapore and socialising them; and fostering dogs in the United States when her husband and two children moved there from Singapore.  Her time with the fostering program in America would later provide invaluable experience for her return to Australia.

When the family returned to Tasmania, Cathy got involved with the Hobart Dogs' home as a volunteer dog walker.  Her role expanded to dog masseur, when she did completed a pet massage course in Victoria to help rehabilitate her own dog, and she needed to build her practical hours! 

She was soon working 1 day a week as a fundraising coordinator, when the Dogs' Home secured a grant to start a fostering program.  'I'd been talking so long about the fostering program, they told me that I should set it up'.  So, she quit her job and took it on.  That was 3 years ago, and the Dogs' Home now has over 100 foster carers across the south and north west of Tasmania. 

The foster program puts dogs with a carer for a short time, typically 8-10 weeks.  It may help them socialise, recover from surgery, or just give them a break.  It also means that the Dogs' Home can care for even more dogs. 

Cathy's greatest reward?  Seeing a dog, that has lost hope, regain hope and trust.  Seeing a dog start a new life.  That is priceless.

Not surprisingly, Cathy and her family have 2 dogs at home.  They also however have 2 fish which Cathy rescued from a stall at Salamanca.  'The fish were almost belly up, and I wasn't sure whether they'd survive,' she says. It sounds like Cathy's compassion for animals is universal. 

The Dogs' Homes of Tasmania
The Dogs' Home has centres in Devonport, Burnie and Hobart, and they all have dogs looking for a new home. 

When you adopt a dog from the Dogs' Home, you save two dogs - one that comes home with you, and one new dog that can be looked after by the Dogs' Home.

How you can help:
Each centre relies upon the assistance of dedicated volunteers: dog walking, dog washing, administration, or assisting with events.  If you are interested, please do not hesitate to contact the Dogs' Home near you.  They would also welcome donations of towels, blankets, toys and treats for their dogs.  For more information, check out their profile on Your Market Place:  Dogs' Homes of Tasmania

Break a leg... Sara Cooper's passion for developing Tasmanian actors

A neck injury would usually mark the end of a career.  Finished.  Done.  Game Over.  For Sara Cooper however, it marked the start of a new direction and business.  One which has created opportunities for young Tasmanian performers with a love or interest in acting. 

Acting was always going to figure in Sara's life.  Born to parents who met and fell in love on the stage in England, Sara moved with her family to Tasmania when she was six.  She studied drama at Rosny College, a year behind Essie Davis and John X, and is a qualified infant and drama teacher. 
Her own career has been multifaceted: show productions in Tasmania, study at the John Bolton Theatre School and various acting jobs in Melbourne, including 'My Brother Jack' alongside William McInnes.  After falling pregnant, Sara and her partner moved back to Hobart to be closer to family.  She laughs when remembering her audition for the Botanical Gardens Theatre shows at 9 months pregnant with a 12 pound baby.  Not only did she get the job, she did 120 shows with a 3 month old!

A neck injury while touring for Terrapin, forced a change in direction.  Sara's passion for acting and desire to create opportunities for local acting talent led to the creation of Cooper Screen Academy.  It links young performaers with professionals in the industry - and develops skills and confidence so our young actors can maximise their opportunities. 

At least once a year, Sara will bring accomplished actors to Hobart so people can learn from them directly.  Tim Pocock, who starred with Hugh Jackman in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, will be in Hobart on 23 June; another actor with an established TV career will be coming down later this year.

It's a formula paying dividends for her students.  Over the last 2 years, 85 successful castings have come from Cooper Screen Academy students.  One past student is studying in Hollywood, another in London.  One has an agent in Sydney, while others are involved in advertising, such as the 'Save a Mainlander' tourism campaign. 'I now have people coming directly to the Academy to source people', she says.  No small accolade.

So why does Sara Cooper love acting? The challenge and the change. 'You never feel like you've completely nailed it', says Sara. 'It is such a challenge, and let's face it, it is always changing because you get to play different roles. I don't think I could stand having a 9-5 job'.  Thank goodness she doesn't.  Sara has much more important work to do.

Cooper Screen Academy, together with Village Cinemas is running a Q&A with Tim Pocock star of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Dance Academy and Home and Away, as well as workshops and a free Win Breakfast with Tim at Gold Class competition on 23-24 June.

To register, visit their profile on Your Market Place at:

http://www.yourmarketplace.com.au/local-business-detail.php?business_id=701

or visit www.cooperscreenacademy.com

Talent. Art. Passion. Meet Josie Allyson Birchall

There may have been some who thought Josie Allyson Birchall was brave when she left a good job as a graphic designer to start a Diploma of Contemporary Art. Josie Allyson Birchall however believes that if you have a dream, then you've got to hold onto it and go for it.

From the way that her paintings seem to forge a connection with people, we are fortunate that she took that different path! At a group exhibition in November last year at the Mill Providore and Gallery, Josie sold six of her seven paintings - and her following continues to grow.

Josie's style may be described as a little quirky and original. Reflecting her own experiences and emotions, each piece is also personal. Josie likes her paintings to have their own story or narrative, and she often includes little clues or symbols for interpretation. In the end however Josie paints for herself first. 'I don't know if I could capture the essence and emotion if I was just painting for someone else' says Josie.

It was almost by accident that Josie got into painting; she actually majored in printmaking in her TAFE Diploma and only dabbled in painting. From there however, with the encouragement of one of her teachers, Josie moved to painting as her chosen medium.

So how did it feel when you sold your first painting? 'It was such a buzz' laughs Josie. My first painting was sold before the opening night of a group exhibition. It was so satisfying to know that people were responding to my painting, willing to go with something a little risky'.

Not surprisingly, in the future Josie would like to paint full time and live near the coast. 'It is something I've always had a strong feeling about; wanting to be near the water and paint'. Sounds like a worthy ambition to me.

If you'd like to see some more of Josie's incredible range of work, you can see her profile at Your Market Place:

You can also visit her FaceBook page on:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/josie.allyson.birchall.artist

50 jobs in 50 days: Whitelion helping young Tasmanians

Man, it was a blustery Tasmanian spring day today! The wind however didn't get the better of the Premier's sense of humour, nor did it dampen Whitelion's enthusiasm about their new venture. 50 jobs in 50 days aims to help young Tasmanians who are in desperate need of a fresh start to life, and someone to give them a go.

The launch was really inspiring today, for many reasons. Not just because Whitelion is investing in young people who otherwise risk being left behind, but because of the community supporting their project: local businesses,the Police Commissioner Darren Hine, the Premier of Tasmania Lara Giddings and other local and state politicians were all there. Toll, who is corporate sponsor of Whitelion, even listed 2 jobs as part of their commitment to the project.

50 jobs in 50 days, promoted by Whitelion, is all about improving lives - for our troubled youth and our community. This is so important when you consider that, unfortunately, not all young people have good role models or a stable environment to help them navigate life's challenges.

Whitelion help people get their life on track. They help the young person prepare themselves for work, find and source employment, and then provide intensive support and mentoring to both the young person and their employers.

So, if you are an employer and willing to take on someone who needs a go, or if you'd like more information, go to http://www.50jobsin50days.com/ or call Barb Walters on 0467 50 5627.