August working bee

Saturday was a beautiful day for a working bee to clean up the school gardens. Not too hot, not too cold - and definitely no rain.

Tim arranged for a load of mulch to be delivered during the week, and after weeding one of the garden beds, the main task was lugging mulch up the hill for spreading over the bed.

No use for wheelbarrows around here - the steps and railings get in the way. It all had to be done the old fashioned way.

One clean, weed-free garden bed.

Tim also arranged for a skip to be delivered so that we wouldn't have our usual problems with carting away weeds and rubbish. Most people expressed a preference for being out on a boat on the water instead of filling this skip with weeds.

After the first garden bed was done, we tackled the embankment on the western boundary again. We managed to do about 1/3 of it last time. We probably did another 1/3 this time.

Everything had to be carted away by hand - and there were plenty of weeds to cart away.

By the end of the afternoon, the skip was full - another satisfying working bee.

New HHHS PC website launched

There's still work to do, but you can find it here.

Next P&C meeting - 7.30pm on Monday 16 Aug 2010.

Money raising ideas

Something completely unconnected with Hunters Hill - but just around the corner at Riverside; a Saturday market. Given the traffic problems at HH, I doubt this would ever work. However, it's worth paying a visit as the stalls are excellent.

The berry farmer - it's been a long time since I've seen strawberries as red as these.

There's only 25 stalls or so - but that's a sufficient quantity. It's not a huge market like Paddington or Glebe, but it doesn't need to be. There is one of everything you could want - so why try to jam in more? There's plenty of room to walk around without being crushed, and plenty of seating if you want to stop and take a break. I was in and out within about half an hour - I got just what I wanted without spending ages crawling from one stand to the next.

You can't do anything these days without having someone running around in a hi-viz vest.

Fantastic cheese - the camembert didn't survive the afternoon.

Every market needs a gourmet bacon and egg roll - preferably with home made tomato relish.

And a freshly made gozleme stand. The coffee machine was out of action when I went past, so I can't comment on that.

Some quiet background music from a talented trio.

Like HH, they don't want dogs on the property. (Kids and dog poo don't match).

But just like HH, there are always dog owners that will ignore the signs.

And like HH, they have a problem with kiddie snack litter.

But apart from that, the markets were top notch. There was plenty of parking, it was easy to get around and the produce on sale was superb. I emptied my wallet in no time. I hope the markets are a success, and that the school makes plenty of money from renting out the grounds. They're open every Saturday from 9am until I can't remember when - I recommend you have a look next weekend.

Working Bee photos - 22 May

The main objective of the day was to clean up the south western corner of the grounds and put in some new plants.

Once the new plants were in the ground and mulched, we had a go at weeding the native garden along the western fence.

We got through maybe 1/4 of the garden in the time left. Half a dozen people and a truck load of mulch should fix this up next time.

Putting in the new plants in amongst the rocks.

The retaining wall behind Tim used to be completely covered in weeds, leaves and muck. It's taken 3 gardening bees to clean it up properly.

Just don't argue - put them wherever Effie said to put them.

"Respect my authoritay"

Putting down layers of new soil and mulch.

Giving the trees a haircut.

The objective of the day - get these in before it rains.

We had about 1/3 the number of volunteers this time, possibly because of the threatening weather. It looked like being a cold, wet and thoroughly miserable day to begin with, but it turned out to be a great day for gardening. Those that turned up half expected the bee to be cut short by the weather, and were pleasantly surprised by how much we achieved.

Next step - a gallon or two of weed killer wouldn't go astray on some of the lawns.

Rock by the River - tickets on sale now

Rock by the River will be held at the school pavilion on Saturday 5th June from 7.30pm to 11.30pm. Don't forget to buy your tickets now - only $10.

Come and shake off the winter blues, mix with your friends, make some new ones and ultimately let your hair down to the beat of some of the best songs of now and then.

Whether you're a toe-tapper, as sing-along-er or a dance floor boogier, it's sure to be......a night to remember!

What's this all about? It's an event for the HH school community and friends - just to get together and have a fun night mid-year. It's not a fundraiser - it's a fun-raiser!

And friends? This could be close friends of yours, ex-HHHS mums and dads, or prospective HHHS mums and dads. The more the merrier!

Will any food or drink be provided? It's BYO drinks, and bring a plate of snack-type food if you want to eat at the event. Supper will be provided later in the evening.

What do I get for my $10 ticket? A night of live entertainment and supper. Bring your ticket to the event on the night for admission. Doors open at 7.30pm.

What is the entertainment? This will be a full night's performance by 'Shock Daze'. The performance will start at around 8.30pm. It's a live and exciting sound that will take you back to your pub-going, band-watching days!

Can I buy tickets for my kids? Only if they are over 18 years old.

For any further questions, please contact HHHS events committee - Lil or Lyn on hhhs.events 'at' gmail.com

Gardening Bee - Sat 22 May from noon until 4pm

We're hoping to plant up near the top rockery area (near the school sign) and weed the native garden bed.

Please bring gloves and any items such as pruning equipment, ground sheets, rakes and spades if you have them easily available.

The last Gardening Bee was a great success with over 20 parents attending at various times throughout the afternoon. Some came for the whole 4 hours, some for only an hour. Every little bit helps - many hands make light work.

Don't forget to put your name on the sign-in sheet when you arrive.

MyZone and student travel pass info from Transport NSW

Trivia Night - Sat 7 August

Location - Hunters Hill High School

Time - 7:00pm, Sat 7 August 2010

Price - tickets $20

Teams - 10 people (we can place you on a table)

Grog - BYO (glasses supplied)

Food - bring a plate to share with your team

Tea, coffee and dessert supplied

Drinks on the balcony 2010

The P&C held "drinks on the balcony" last Friday night. Parents and teachers mingled over a few bevvies and watched the sun set over the Lane Cove River.

The Events Committee, who make all good things happen.

Next P&C meeting will be held on the 3rd Monday in May.

Photos from weekend working bee

Over 20 parents turned up on Saturday afternoon for the first gardening bee of 2010. Most of the work consisted of raking leaves and weeding along part of the school boundary. These areas were complete jungles a few years ago, but a persistent effort by the P&C has seen them brought under control. The turnout was the best we've had in some time, and the extra numbers meant that more rubbish was collected than we could cart away!

Relaxing after 4 hours work in the hot sun.

A project for next time - the western boundary behind the Music Block.

Weeding in the shade - the most sensible option.

Collecting piles of leaves from the southern boundary - the camphor laurels always leave a huge mess behind.

Raking up after the camphor laurels.

Bringing a barrowload of rubbish to the truck for disposal.

Tramping down the load in order to get more in.

One very full truck. Last time, we had a huge skip that we couldn't fill (not enough workers). This time, we could have done with a skip or two!

Men leaning on tools.