Week 27: Markets for This Week

Wednesday 2nd July
CERES Organic Market

Saturday 5th July
Bundoora Park Farmers' Market
CERES Organic Market
Central Murray Farmers' Market
Daylesford Farmers' Market
Docklands Farmers' Market
East Gippsland Farmers' Market
Growers Market on the Green
Healesville Organic Farmers' Market
Kingston Farmers' Market
Murrabit Markets
South Gippsland Farmers' Market
Sunraysia Farmers' Market
Tatong Farmers' Market
Veg Out St Kilda Farmers' Market

Sunday 6th July
Castlemaine Farmers' Market
Creswick Market at the Mill
Heathmont Farmer's Market

#117 - Vision

The prompt for this week is: vision. You can go lots of different places with this one, so hopefully it will stretch your writing a little! Have a great weekend!

filling a hole

The constant action of the water against the sea walls of Papa Stronsay has caused holes to open up in the concrete, and if nothing is done about it a whole section of wall could fall down. Therefore the community worked yesterday to close up the hole. There were only two periods in the day when the tide was out far enough to enable the work to be carried out, so we had to work swiftly. It was a great success.

The Shutter on the outside of the wall had been set in place while the tide was out in the morning. However the tide was too far in to allow us to put the inside shutter in place, so it had to wait until the late afternoon, when the tide was out once again.


Br. Magdala Maria, C.SS.R. empties bags of cement into the tractor-mounted concrete mixer.


The mixed concrete has to be brought to the wall in wheelbarrows, as the tractor cannot get close enough.


The inner shutter is lowered into position with the JCB…

…and then secured in place by the brothers.


Concrete is poured in the gap between the shuttering.


Br. Wolf Maria, C.SS.R. works on the reinforcing rods.


The fresh concrete is vibrated using this vibrating tool to ensure that it has no air bubbles in it and that it is as compact as possible, to give it maximum strength.


All done. Once the concrete has dried, the shutters can be removed, the hole in the ground covered over and the wall will once again ensure the safety of Papa Stronsay against the never-ending onslaught of the sea.

Our Mother of Perpetual Succour, Star of the Sea,
Pray for us.

Week 26: Markets for This Week

Wednesday 25th June
CERES Organic Market

Saturday 28th June
Ballarat Lakeside Farmers' Market
Berwick/Casey Farmers' Market
CERES Organic Market
Churchill Island Farmers' Market
Essendon Farmers' Market
Healesville Organic Famers' Market
Hume Murray Farmers' Market
Lancefield and District Farmers' Market
Slow Food Farmers' Market
Sorrento Farmers' Market
Traralgon Farmers' Market
Yarraville Farmers' Market

#116 -- Happy Ending

That's the prompt this week: Happy Ending. Maybe you can write a short fable with a happy ending, or you can reimagine a scenario you know of to give it a happy ending you wish it had had. Or, you can just write about "endings." What "endings" are there in life, besides the obvious one? (You can write about that too.)

And for fun, here's a link to some preposterous (and very imaginative) prompts that you will never find here. Bonus points if you do any of them!

Week 25: Markets for This Week

Wednesday 18th June
CERES Organic Market

Saturday 21st June
Bayswater Farmers' Market
Boroondara Farmers' Market
Buninyong Farmers' Market
Carlton Gardens Farmers' Market
Central Murray Farmers' Market
CERES Organic Market
Drouin Farmers' Market
Gasworks Farmers' Market
Healesville Organic Market
Kilmore Highland and Produce Market
Korumburra Farmers Market
Moyhu Farmers' Market
Pearcedale Farmers' Market
Port Fairy Farmers' Market
Sunraysia Farmers' Market
Wellington Farmers' Market

Sunday 22nd June
Tyabb Farmer's Market
Yarra Valley Fresh
Yarrunga Farmers' Market

#115 - Guide

Take this in any way you like! A guide could be a person, place, or thing. It could be a set of instructions for life, for you, for those living with you, or it could be a person who showed you the way somehow. It could be a map, a list, a character, a feeling, an angel, a book, or anything you like!

Week 24: Markets for This Week

Wednesday 11th June
CERES Organic Market

Saturday 14th June
Bendigo Farmers' Market
Cardinia Ranges Farmers' Market
Central Geelong Farmers' Market
CERES Organic Market
Collingwood Farmers' Market
East Doncaster Farmers' Market
Healesville Organic Market
Hume Murray Farmers' Market
Kyneton Farmers' Market
Manningham Community Produce Market
Mont de Lancey Farmers' Market
Mornington Farmers' Market
Shepparton Farmers' Market

Sunday 15th June
Girgarre Farmers' Market
Inverloch Farmers' Market
Sanctuary Lakes Farmers' Market
Seaford Farmers' Market
Talbot Farmers' Market
Yarra Valley Regional Farmers' Market

#114 - My Nights

What do you do at night? At different times in your life, how have you spent your nights? Is there any one night in your memory that stands out for any reason, as the most memorable night of your life?

Write about your nights!

Nine years on

Nine years ago, on the feast of the Queenship of Mary, the Transalpine Redemptorists took possession of Papa Stronsay. Each year, in her honour, we have a procession around the entire Island, begging her to protect us , her children, and this her island from the attacks of men and of the devil. For this reason also, three years ago, Papa Stronsay and everything on it was consecrated to the same Holy Virgin, and this consecration has been renewed each year on the feast of her Queenship. This year God blessed us with beautiful weather, and we proudly bore the images of our Mother and Queen around her island.

(If you 'left click' on any image it will increase its size)

The procession nears the 'minor light' of Papa Stronsay.

The final stretch of the procession took us along the beach. The Orkney Ferry can be seen leaving Stronsay in the background.

Finaly, the image of Our Mother of Perpetual Succour was borne to the chapel, where it was enthroned on the altar, and the consecration of Papa Stronsay to Our Lady was renewed.

Most Holy Mother, continue to guide and bless your poor children who cry out to thee for succour!

Week 23: Markets for This Week

Wednesday 4th June
CERES Organic Market

Saturday 7th June
Bundoora Park Farmers' Market
CERES Organic Market
Central Murray Farmers' Market
Daylesford Farmers' Market
Docklands Farmers' Market
East Gippsland Farmers' Market
Growers Market on the Green
Healesville Organic Farmers' Market
Kingston Farmers' Market
Murrabit Markets
South Gippsland Farmers' Market
Sunraysia Farmers' Market
Tatong Farmers' Market
Veg Out St Kilda Farmers' Market

Sunday 8th June
Aireys Inlet Community Market
Avenel Farmers' Market
Caroline Springs Market
Kangaroo Ground Highland Farmers' Market
Natimuk Farmers' Market
Whitehorse Farmers' Market