East Shores Gladstone Qld Australia

I have just spent almost two weeks visiting my grandchildren in Gladstone. There is a change in Gladstone, this place is such a working mans town although I was amazed how many women are wearing the heavy boots & grey & yellow shirts....... The town is growing very fast not only on the water, the housing estates are popping up everywhere, the population is growing' the town has began to grow with the people......

a city that's never still....

one of the views while enjoying my coffee from Spinnakers Park!

view from the look out!

remember this one kiddies no smoking!

on a clear day you can see you can see for ever!

on my next visit will/might be able to go on board?

But the best prosperity of Gladstone has to go to East Shores, to see the children having so much fun in the new water park & play area is wonderful so hats of to Port Corporation well done you! My only concern is that my grandchildren would rather visit the water park than go visit Noni.....  

This old town' a working town' thank goodness someone had the vision & to realized that this town needs more family friendly places to visit, to keep mum & dad, children & families  happy & have fun together after all it's the community that is the heart of any town, and this town's community work hard & often long hours. East Shores, Spinnaker Park is the start of something new to a town that never sleep's & as Frank Sinatra would sing my kinda of town Chicago is' Gladstone is not quite ready for Johnny Farnham singing my kinda of town....But the improvement is amazing & has already brought a lot of joy specially to the children' & the children are the future of Gladstone.....

Pamela Barber : Born in 1956 ....tonight is my last few minutes be...

Pamela Barber : Born in 1956 ....tonight is my last few minutes be...: Born in 1956 ....tonight is my last few minutes before I turn 58 ....its been a ruff, odd, funny, sad, happy,weird, shite, loving, miserabl...

Born in 1956 ....tonight is my last few minutes before I turn 58 ....its been a ruff, odd, funny, sad, happy,weird, shite, loving, miserable, unhappy 'happy kind a year. But in saying that I would like to say I am very very grateful for being 57 thanks for the memories good & bad Happy & sad its time to say on your bike......

 I have a wonderful friend who is in remission for cancer while visiting recently she said to me I used to think oh another birthday I am feeling old, she said now I think' I hope I make it to another birthday. And that really make's you think about life!

So here's to me turning ''58'' I hope wonderful joy & happiness great health & laughter comes my way with a little of all the every day ups & downs a little stress a little worry & life is good LIFE IS VERY GOOD!

No face lift yet! no boob job yet!no belly tuck! I am going to grow old gracefully! well until I win the lotto then every think will need replacing!

 So my friends enjoy your birthdays as I will tomorrow with a glass of red humming  as Leonard Cohen  sings dance me to the end of time ''boy will I dance!

Pamela Barber : For the LoVe of Valentines & Kim Kardashian

Pamela Barber : For the LoVe of Valentines & Kim Kardashian: For the LoVe of Love,congratulation Kim Kardashian and all the other brides to be around the world we wish you Love and happiness and ...

Pamela Barber : Beautiful Betsy & her rustic metal Fine Art Museum...

Pamela Barber : Beautiful Betsy & her rustic metal Fine Art Museum...:  One hot sunny Sunday we were taken on an incredible      journey!  I myself had never been four wheel driving that alone was an ex...

Beautiful Betsy & her rustic metal Fine Art Museum

 One hot sunny Sunday we were taken on an incredible      journey!

 I myself had never been four wheel driving that alone was an experience' scary & fun at the same time.The trip would be around 80 k's from Gladstone to visit a World War 11B-24d Bomber aircraft that crashed tragically in the wilderness hillside of Kroombit Tops national Park way back in 1945. It was a trip My husband & I still talk about every now & again. Thank's kids for a very ''special'' day......

  The road had a lot to be desired, at one point my daughter & I got out of car & walked a little ahead to check on the road' as you can see it's really is in the middle of nowhere & I imagine you could only get there by four wheel drive on the other hand ''what do I know about car's.......

We finally arrived, only to find we had to walk a short walk to find  ''Beautiful Betsy'' it was a very hot afternoon!

    ''And there she was'

  In the middle of rugged wilderness' half a silver twisted plane with one wing resting between some very tall trees' shimmery  silver, that same silver shinning through the bush that alerted the Ranger some 49 years after it crashed. 

That day was the 2nd of August 1994 The Park Ranger Mark Roe spotted  the slight glint of silver shinning though rugged mountain bush land the 'Sun in all it 's glory' did all it could that day to help those young men finally RIP 

 

On the 26 February 1945 Beautiful Betsy went missing.

Beautiful Betsy' was was on  a regular flight from Darwin to Brisbane in stormy weather transporting men & supplies.

So very surreal...... 

walking around the site you can't help but feel you are on a movie location

Or a rustic metal fine art museum

many many large & small pieces of metal from the plane are scattered some distance from Betsy... 

The bush setting around Beautiful Betsy goes on & on for ever, its truly nature at it's cruelest and yet most beautiful......... 

As we walked around there was a feeling of great sorrow' there were eight young men' six Americans & two British who's lives were taken from them to soon, The heartache they left behind for their loved one's. The not knowing what happened to their men all those year's ago!

Officer Roy Cannon was to marry his Australian sweetheart Daphne. As I stood reading this plaque with sadness '  I wondered about Daphne & hoped that though it all & with terrible heartache & unbelievable grief, That in time somehow some where she manged to have a nice life.....

As sad as it all was. There truly was a real feeling for me anyhow' that Beautiful Betsy (although an American plane) is at peace lying in  beautiful Australian bush-land. Among huge  tall gum trees that now protect her.The sun that warms her' the rain that keeps her shinny, The wildlife that rest beside  her.
THE BIRD'S THAT SING TO Beautiful Betsy

Pamela Barber : Artist ''Margaret Olley'' and Me?

Pamela Barber : Artist ''Margaret Olley'' and Me?: Turns out that the late Margaret Olley and I have a lot in common we both had/have a LoVe of house hold clutter/treasures & object...

Pamela Barber : Vera Wang and Princess Bobo

Pamela Barber : Vera Wang and Princess Bobo: My daughter asked me 'mum' can we have a wedding reception at home I was delighted to say the most.......As our girl had been wit...

Vera Wang and Princess Bobo

My daughter asked me 'mum' can we have a wedding reception at home I was delighted to say the most.......As our girl had been with her partner for fifteen years & have two beautiful children, this wedding was going to be filled with love, babies, children&fun!

we had only three months to get ready, out side needed a paint job' concrete paint check! grass cut check!flowers in bloom' in the mean time my very clever daughter had made so many crazy lovable wedding y things that made her day extra wonderful, like these pompoms her & the boys had such a huge laugh making them' some very funny shapes I tell you .......twinkling fairy lights, good music,great food and so much laughter.....................  

My girls husband to be' cut these little cake toppers & painted them' very impressed wonderful job 'Chad'. They went on to daughter's home made gluten free wedding cake...... ps taste deli-shes ssssssssss not one piece left family and friend were amazed how wonderful Bobo's cooking is....takes after her mum!!!!!!

mummy & daddies baby girl looked to LoVeLy in her vintage dress, with flowers mummy lovingly stitched  on the day before and these little silver shoes !....

photo of baby shoes on mummy's wedding dress!

and baby wings!

a perfect day .....

And what a handsome little man in his black waistcoat' gleaming white shirt black long pants & yes these orange (converse) very dapper!  Such a big boy....& never dropped the wedding rings.......

arrr made with love by mum (me)haahaaa I made to many (ring chusions) flowers added by bride to be ........beautiful

darling daughter' the lolly/sweets table what a fantastic idea the children the big kids' old kids we loved it so very much funny thing as I am writing this blog guess what I have next to me yep a cuppa coffee and left over chocolate the ones that crackle in your mouth orrrr yummy..so anyone out there getting married don't forget the lolly table huge success!

Princess for a princess 

More fun ways to make your day special not so silly to make your own decorations we all loved them ....

Bobo you looked stunning and a beautiful lovely bride have to say you had a smile on your face that to your parents came across you were extremely happy your father and I was proud we wish you all the happiness in the world....... 

Emm was that the look of a girl with her 'FAVORITE' shoes on !

There were the first to go heheeeee.......

the wedding tree every body had such fun....you had ink & you left your finger print on the tree of life...... 

bouquet of LoVe .....Perfect way to end a perfect day.

Pamela Barber : Artist ''Margaret Olley'' and Me?

Pamela Barber : Artist ''Margaret Olley'' and Me?: Turns out that the late Margaret Olley and I have a lot in common we both had/have a LoVe of house hold clutter/treasures & object...

Artist ''Margaret Olley'' and Me?

Turns out that the late Margaret Olley and I have a lot in common we both had/have a LoVe of house hold clutter/treasures & objects d'art ! can you see the resemblance!  Bric-a-brac galore' in my case ready to be photographed  in Margaret s  hat factory ready to be painted.........

So see my grown children its not hoarding' its ART! as Margaret had paintbrushes & paint I have my camera, tripod,lenses and many many cluttered ''things'' that I love & that give me inspiration & happiness!

I know I even hang pictures on the wall that nobody can see ''but I can see it  when I put my coffee down on the little table and that reminds me I  don't have as many tables as darling Margaret had!

Call me Mrs Flower pot ok potty dotty more like it !

 I have collected junky treasure's for ever'  many times I bring in broken junk but 'we' fix it & Like my Chinese Empress who lost her head a bit of glue & all new again priceless! 

              Can you see my sons' sneaky fingers' honestly!

 So you see my husband' I have been telling you for ages you are married to a true artist ''no not a ''nutta' an Artist! so when I say I can not cook dinner to night because I am an artist or I say so' dear you have no clean washing because you are married to an artist, and when the house becomes so cluttered you can no longer find ME remember like Margaret we are both ''wonderful'' Artist! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Like Margaret' I have a great LoVe OF flowers' I cant get enough of them!

So thank you darling' Margaret' Olley  for giving me inspiration to Love what I do & enjoy my cluttered lounge/studio take thousands of more photos  & fill my home with flowers & LoVe  & to live till I am 88/100 & enjoy my life more than 'ever'............Pamela

ps have a great week every one !  

margaret Olley photo & her house photo taken by Jack Tran/Australian                                                                                                     Recreation of late painter's house/studio by Gold Coast -based Alder Constructions

Margret Olley........ story Jenny Rogers......  gold coast bulletin..............
Tweed Regional Gallery at Murwilliumbar Australia