On the Grapevine - meet Kim Carter

With her two children Ruby and Liam, she moved from Melbourne to Numurkah 17 years ago to be closer to family.

While trained in drama and the performing arts, there was very little opportunity to earn an income in a small country town.

So, after working at many different jobs, Kim made the decision to study a degree in teaching.

In Melbourne, Kim was a costume maker for South Melbourne Costumes and worked on several shows at the Malthouse Theatre.

Joining Numurkah Singers not long after moving to town, Kim began costume making and proved to be a valuable addition to the company being a dab hand at all aspects of theatre.

Today, Kim teaches art and music to Years 7-12 at St Mary of the Angels Secondary College in Nathalia, but a car accident involving Ruby forced her to take leave last year.

Ruby, a talented artist and guitar teacher, suffered serious injuries.

“It was a transformative event, which was to affect us all,” Kim said.

Ruby has worked so hard to regain mobility down one side of her body and today the 20-year-old works at The Grain Store Gallery one day each week assisting the curator, while she continues to work hard in the hope of becoming the person that she was before the accident.

Ruby has continued with her drawing and, together with Kim, the pair has designed and written a book entitled Bees and Beekeeping.

While Kim has written the narrative, Ruby is the illustrator and the book is designed to assist in educating young children on the behaviour and care of bees and their hives.

It is quite delightful and worth buying and, at a cost of $16, the kids would love it.

If you would like a copy, phone Kim on 0431 596 464.

Why a book about bees you ask?

Well, that is another aspect of Kim and her amazing life.

Moving in next door to a chap who was a beekeeper, Kim soon became fascinated and ultimately developed a passion for these hardworking pollinators of which there are approximately 2000 species in Australia.

While a chance meeting at home saw her meet future partner Bernie Cook and learning he had a long history with bees, it was to prove a great match as the couple are now heavily involved in the bee keeping industry as mentors and educators through their business ‘The Art of Bee-ing’.

Kim has been a registered beekeeper for the past five years and now has 25 hives of mostly Ligurian bees, which are of a docile temperament.

She also conducts beekeeping education at the Numurkah Learning Centre with beginner courses and wax and wrap workshops, while Bernie is the local ambassador for Flow Hives where beekeepers can harvest honey without opening the hive.

Artistic talents run in the family and Kim’s children, Liam, 22, and Ruby, are both creative musicians who studied sound engineering and have formed their own bands and collaboratively write their own music.

Liam formed a band entitled ‘Delirious’ with three other Cobram men.

While Ruby is a lead singer and base player in two bands Royal Jelly and the Murks comprised mostly of teachers, who write their own songs.

As if Kim isn’t busy enough, she also enjoys another activity, picking oranges at a Cobram East citrus orchard.

“I love it. Working outside, it’s refreshing and I work for and with some amazing people.”

We’re back

There were happy smiles on the faces of Cobram Rotarians last week when they held their first actual dinner meeting in three months.

Members and guests joined together in fellowship amid great humour, relieved to be out doing normal activities.

It has been a challenging start for Ellie Stephens as president particularly with Zoom meetings, which haven’t always been successful due to technology issues.

However, Ellie with great positivity is looking eagerly ahead to what Rotary could do in the community in the next 12 months.

The dinner meeting was held at Gasworks and manager Sasha Parish enjoyed an entertaining interview-style chat with Ellie.

Rotarian Kate Jamieson gave an insight into the fantastic work done by Cobram Community House and her role as chair of the committee of management.

With renewed enthusiasm, the Rotarians will be putting their energies into several projects over the coming months and look forward to involving the community.

Oops, where did the ball go?

Away for the weekend at a friend’s holiday home in the bush, keen soccer enthusiasts and father and son, set up a game on a lovely flat piece of grass with goal posts (a small tree and a golf flag).

The game was going well between the competitive duo when a rather forceful kick by dad saw the ball head for the back of the property and to their amazement, disappear.

“Where did it go dad?”

“That’s weird, let’s go and have a look.”

This they did and found a large deep hole and peering in found the ball was right at the bottom in a small amount of water, while they could see it, getting it out just might be somewhat difficult.

It appears it had landed in a wombat burrow, (minus the wombat at the time) and the pair found a long handled shovel to help reach the ball.

It was not an easy task as the ball kept falling off the shovel.

But determination won through and the pair ultimately recovered their ball, but not without dad getting somewhat muddied from his efforts.

Is there a moral to this story?

Always play sport on the correct playing surface and always take your overalls and wet weather gear wherever you go.

Brothers enjoy a special treat

Soccer loving brothers Jacob and Zavier Latina enjoyed a special treat last week while out with mum.

The siblings attend Cobram Anglican Grammar School, Jacob, 9, is in Year 3, while Zavier, 6, is a proud preppy.

While they enjoyed the holidays they are very glad to be back at school this week with their friends.