December 28, 2024

Origami Christmas Tree Class #2

This class was so fun and missed by quite a few enthusiastic friends, that they asked me to teach again. So, I solicited a few key helpers, and we did round two! We had a couple who were paper folding challenged. They didn't like it when I crumbled their first efforts up and gave them a new sheet of paper to start over, but we worked through it!!! Lots of Laughs!!!



Class participants left to right, bottom row: Clare, Kelly, Delia and Tom.

Back Row: Cindy, Angel, Me, Jimbo, Wendy, Lauren, Terry, Christy and Gary. 


Note: I asked the group if I could hold onto some of their trees until later that night, to use in my room as decorations for the Christmas Cabin Crawl, and they said I was just using them for cheap labor, and they were going to unionize! 

MAGNETIC ISLAND - KOALA'S

By Patricia Patrick • February 15, 2026
We got up at 6:45am to get to National Park Forts Walk trail in the hope of seeing koalas . Prior walkers mark trails with tree branches pointing in the direction of their sighting and we were luck enough to see 3 markers in our first hour of hiking. It is so stinking hot and humid the success we had made it bearable. The koala population on the island started with 20 brought over in 1930, to escape fur hunters. Today, the island boast 800 to 1000, and they are so cute and drowsy. They need 20 hours of sleep a day! The early morning is when they are the most active.

MAGNETIC ISLAND, AUSTRALIA

By Patricia Patrick • February 14, 2026
Just off the coast of Townsville, Australia is a special little island (that used to be part of mainland, hundreds of thousands years ago). The island was formed by molten granite that was pushed to the earth's surface with volcanic force.Over time the volcanic overlay weathered away leaving an extraordinary landscape of rounded domes and boulders, many as big as a house and spectcularly perched. Over Seventy Percent of the center of the Island is a National Park. There is lots of wildlife here too - koalas, rock wallabies, snakes & birds.

CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA

By Patricia Patrick • February 14, 2026
This is my third time in CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA and I really enjoy how walkable, clean and charming it is. The waterfront esplanade and lagoon area is a nice walk day or night. We had 2 nights here in the waterfront Shangri La Marina Hotel while waiting for the Ship to arrive and then 2 additional days in Port.