More Bamboo Products

I guess in part I see more bamboo products because of my interest in bamboo.  Recently I was in Manly Post Office and as I stood in the queue I discovered a display of bamboo puzzles.

I'll have to go back and buy one or two.  They look good - great to have while travelling no doubt as they are so small.  

Bamboo Poles and more

I went for a walk through Masters, at Tingalpa the relatively new DIY entity now setting up around Australia.  I had gone to look at washing machines, but as I enjoy walking through the aisles of such places I went for a wander.

First of all, I was surprised to see racks of bamboo - poles around 6 feet, as thick as a healthy man's arm, and other smaller ones, and there were rolls of finer bamboo which I had seen before in other similar shops which are used for fencing or adding character to boring old timber fences.

As well there were other bamboo products, small fences, lattice, and lots more, as well as the bamboo outdoor torches that are used to repel insects.

I didn't buy anything, but I know where it is.  I was disappointed, but not surprised, to see it was "Made in China."

Bamboo Shark????

Clearly the Bamboo Shark has nothing to do with bamboo the plant, though I suspect they were named because they have similar markings to a variety of bamboo.

I found this video on Youtube.

Beelarong and Networks

I had driven along Wynnum Road dundreds of times and seen the sign to "Beelarong Farm" and assumed that it was a community garden, but never ventured there - ever turned left at the sign.   As it turned out I was to visit the farm,  but it was via an invitation to someone who knew someone that I did.  Networks work very well.

Another Di contacted me.  (Yes, there are many of us, and yes, we do like to call ourselves "Lady Di").  She is one of the committee of the Beelarong Farm, which is a community garden at Morningside, an inner city suburb of Brisbane.

The day I chose to go was a very wet day, and it also was the same day that I was to pick up my new Mitsubishi Lancer from Zupps at Mt Gravatt, from my new friend and super salesman Sherman!  My  old car, my late father's Daihatsu Applause was duly cleaned and emptied (yes, I had no umbrella!), and I headed off to Beelarong to meet Di and the other volunteers.  They had a bamboo that they were concerned about, and I offered to link them with information from one of the Society of Bamboo friends.

Coffee and blueberry muffins for morning tea (must remember that - Wednesday mornings at Beelarong - coffee!) and meeting the other members before the rain eased and we tip toed (so not to walk in the very wet areas) through the grass to the wonderful stand of bamboo, which could well be the variety Oldhammii.  Members are worried that it might take over - but it is the clumping variety and a very healthy specimen.

Healthy Bamboo Shoot - yum, yum, but they are going to measure its growth.

This has grown from a small plant in a pot, to this and the photo does not capture the size - it is VERY tall.  It is the clumping variety and if harvested properly should cause no trouble, though it is shading some plants nearby, which is the issue for them.

After I departed Beelarong I set off to pick up my new car.  Wow.  It is the first new car I have had in some 30 years and it is all mine.  It is wonderful to drive, and I am still learning to use some of the features (radio, cd player etc really), but I am thrilled.

Now I have healthy wheels I can venture further to see more bamboo farms.

Bamboo Wedding Things

On Saturday afternoon I attended a wedding - I was not invited, but took my granddaughter as she knew the bride.  Actually I collected her from primary school years ago - but that is another story.  The bride's mother (with whom I worked at the time) and my daughter became friends, and my daughter and her husband were guests - and I was grandsitting (I don't like saying babysitting as they are no longer babies!).

I was bemused to see so much bamboo at the wedding, as you can see from these photographs.  It was a hot afternoon below the Kangaroo Point cliffs, and guests were handed wonderful parasols to protect them from the burning sun.

The wedding took place under the bamboo arches.  I must say I was pleasantly surprised when I went close to the front (I had been seeking shelter from the sun under the trees at the back of the ceremony) and saw what the frame was.

Awareness of Bamboo

I am certainly no expert, but clearly I know a lot more about bamboo, and its products than I did some months ago, and I enjoy talking about it.  I have found quite a few people who are very enthusiastic bamboo growers and users - and by growers, I mean, home growers.

I met a lady yesterday at an International Women's Day function, who has an ordinary suburban block and loves her bamboo.  I am going to see it soon I hope.

I have had business cards made - which at the moment simply give my name and contact details, as I am waiting to see if I have managed to survive/pass my Master of Arts, and then I will add my qualifications, and details of my blogs on the new cards, and yes, with the bamboo motif that I now have.

The lovely bamboo on it certainly raises interest - it is a great discussion point.  Much better than having my photo on it.

When I was doing some writing about bamboo recently I went back over my blog Adventures of an Australian English teacher, where I reported on many of my adventures in China and South Korea as an "English Teacher" and am surprised by the reports on bamboo.

The other day I found photos of a visit to Longmen and Fuyang in Zhejiang Province, not far from Shaoxing where I was based.  Longmen is an amazing historic town.  It was ancient and in some parts crumbling, but so fascinating.

At Fuyang we visited a bamboo paper making factory - and somewhere in my 'archives' I have the bamboo paper that I collected there, with a bird print on it, that I did in the room as we passed through the museum.

I wonder sometimes if I was destined to be involved with bamboo!

Using a wooden frame the bamboo pulp is collected and lifted from the vat.

The large sheets of bamboo paper are carefully placed on a stainless steel heated wall, to dry out the paper.

Amazing Bamboo Book

I visited a local library the other day - I was helping out a friend who had previously had cardiac surgery and was unable to drive.  I had a 45 minute wait so went to the library.

I found a book called "How-to Bamboo" Simple Instructions and Projects.    Now, I am not planning to make anything - I do not have any tools anyway as I am a house sitter and only take minimal stuff with me.

However, I borrowed the book, as I thought it was interesting, and I could learn something.  It is edited by Paul N Hasluck, and published by Schiffer Publishing Limited, but what I find extraordinary is that the original book was written in 1853!

It is available at Amazon.com