Rosalie's blocks

These were crafted and sent in by Rosalie of Bonnells Bay in NSW. Rosalie was staying in Marysville with her husband, daughter (me - Julie Bell) and grandchildren on the day of the fires and escaped on the road north to Alexandra just as the fires reached the edge of the town.

My photos don't do justice to Mum's embroidery. This depicts the new growth sprouting from the trunk of a gum tree:


Based on this photo I took in Marysville about 6 weeks after the fires:

This one shows the ducks on the lake at Marysville, surrounded by the burnt hills, with a Xanthorrhoea Grass Tree blossoming in the foreground:


It is based on a photo I took when I was first able to return to Marysville, about 5 weeks after the fires. I was there as a volunteer, helping provide meals for the SES and Police. This was about 5 weeks after the fires. Early in the morning, I went out for a walk and saw these ducks on the lake at Marysville. The colours of the burnt hills are reflected in the water ... and it seemed to me the ducks were forming a pattern that reminded me of the Celtic symbol for endurance or eternity.

Here are more sent in by Rosalie:

This is a statue by Bruno Torf, which survived the razing of Kerala Guest House, where our family had stayed on a previous occasion.

Rosalie's square above is based on this photo I took as I walked along the hill overlooking the town of Marysville, where Kerala Guest House is. Looking through the gap of this charred gum tree, you could see the the devastated town below.