April 2025
Dear friends of SpringDale and friends I have yet to meet,
The last 4 weeks have been exciting as I have cooked 5 different batches of the melting moment there are so many things to consider, when creating a biscuit for a competition. Getting the ingredients spot on, using a food processor to combine the ingredients instead of my hands, getting the temperature and cooking time spot on, making the fork marks consistent and avoiding crumbles in the appearance. So biscuit yo-yos in preparation for the Bellarine Show. Who would have thought there could be so many things to consider? It was so much fun honing my skill and getting better with each batch.
If you came into SpringDale during the development phase you might have had a shortbread, melting moment or muffin thrust into and asked to give me feedback. Many people enjoyed this onerous task.
Then there was tending the zucchinis to ensure I still had some to display – keeping water up to them and ensuring they grew but not too much. Finding my potatoes that grew late last year and digging them up from under the pumpkin plants. Picking cherry tomatoes before the birds decided to taste them.
Making Plum jam (from my home-grown plums) and tomato relish, my favourite chocolate cake, lemon and yogurt muffins, mum’s date and plain scones and even plum sauce for the first time. I can hardly believe how much joy creating a tasty treat gives me and then asking others to try, and give feedback can be heartwarming, especially if there are good points to my creation.
Lastly some baby jackets in sewing display. I revived mum’s baby jacket pattern and made a few jackets for some special people and also decided to enter them in the show. It was a busy lead up to the Bellarine Show but it also gave me great joy and satisfaction.
I’m not very good at competitions but trying to improve techniques and learn new skills is very rewarding. Often, we are racing from one activity to the next – its been good to have something creative to work on and I think most people have enjoyed taste testing my attempts. Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback and helped me along this path.
Now I’ll have to start planning for next year’s show – so I’m even better prepared.
Looking forward to the rest of the year and looking forward to seeing you soon at SpringDale or elsewhere.
Yours kindly,
Anne Brackley OAM
Chief Enthusiasm Officer & Coordinator
SpringDale Neighbourhood Centre Inc.
