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COOROY RAG
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The Heart of the Hinterland
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Scarecrows are coming out to play THE Mary Valley is turning tradition on its ear this year with the annual Scarecrow Festival about to kick off on September 15. While scarecrows are traditionally stuffed straw figures whose purpose is to keep the birds away from the crops, Mary Valley residents want to use the ‘crows to bring visitors to the valley – as many as we can get! The stuffed figures will be popping up on country roads and busy streets for the official festival from September 15-October 28. Anyone can join in but remember that registered scarecrows are the only ones eligible for the judging competition. Registrations open on August 15 and scarecrows should be up on September 15. You can choose to make a traditional ‘crow, or enter something extraordinary in the artistic category. There is also a children’s category for five to 15-year-old scarecrow creators. Coordinator Heinke Butt said about 100 scarecrows were entered in last year’s festival and to encourage more participation, organisers are holding workshops at valley schools to teach the ancient art of making a scarecrow. It’s not as difficult as you may think. You can make a simple “skeleton” from two wooden pieces like broomsticks by binding them together to form a cross. Use a pillowcase or a pumpkin or similar for a head (remember that a pumpkin will shrink over time). Paint a face and put head on the top of the cross. For hands and legs put a shirt over your cross-shaped frame and use gloves for hands or tie the ends of the sleeves so the stuffing will stay inside. Put the pants on and leave enough wood at the bottom of the leg to stake your scarecrow in the ground. Tie the legs. Traditionally stuffing is made of straw or hay, but you can use clothing, plastic bags or even newspapers. Stuff the pants first, tuck the shirt in, button and zip the pants. Tie rope or twine around the waist to act as a belt. Stuff the shirt arms first, then the rest of the torso. Then accessorise to your heart’s content. Find out more by emailing info@scarecrows.org.au or visit www.scarecrows.org.au You can pick up a registration form from the following locations: Conondale Shop, Kenilworth Information Centre, Ridges Shop at Poulson Road, Mary Valley Traders (hardware store) at Imbil, Kandanga Information Centre, Amamoor Shop, and Dagun Railway Station.
September 5, 2012
Not my fave I’M glad spring is here. Maybe now the mice can stay outside and play. I must say that up until the last couple of weeks they’ve been warm and snug and living it up inside the house, cunningly avoiding the traps I have been baiting with all manner of delicacies. (I can’t use Ratsak because of my puppy and his penchant for anything resembling poison). But their luck has run out. A recently runny nose led me to discover that their party drug of choice is Codral cold tablets. A full box of them I had stored in my medicine drawer had been ripped to shreds and, judging by the amount of droppings in that drawer, a pretty wild time was had by all. So off with the cheese and pumpkin seeds and on with the Pseudoephedrine. Expensive, but effective. So I bid farewell to my mice plague just in time to re-stock the medicine drawer with antihistamines, the mainstay of my spring diet. But it’s been a long, cold winter and my battle with hayfever will be a small price to pay to finally straighten up out of that hunched over, arms crossed huddling posture I’ve adopted over the last few months. Hail to the sunshine and balmy weather. So there you have it ... plagues, parties and posture ... Mice on Meth Not my fave!
Next edition: September 26 Booking deadline: September 13 Copy deadline: September 17
September 2nd