Sponsors Needed!

You've heard me harp on about baseball and how I'm just about to enter a new season in Division 6

But what I haven't mentioned is the urgent need for sponsors.

Local clubs survive on massive generosity of local sponsors, this helps keep fee's down for players which inturn helps the sport survive and encourage juniors to join without having to pay too much.




The club I joined, East Torrens Baseball Club, is a great club with volunteers that work super hard to make this club work. One of the wives Barb, volunteers most of her weekends to run the canteen - even when none of her family are playing at the time or ground...




 I would love a sponsor to make proud at the end of this season however would be very happy if I could just entice some sponsors to the club to help us out, more money though the club enables us to upgrade facilities, buy better equipment (rather than using broken batting helmets haha), encourage more juniors through the door etc.

Ok I only play in Division 6 but its still a very competitive division regardless how you look at it... We all want one thing, a premiership!

There are different levels of sponsorship that are available, Player Sponsorship, Team Sponsorship or overall club sponsorship.


So, if your apart of a business and think you can be involved with my club via sponsorship please contact me. If you do sponsor the myself or the club from this article, you won't just get great featuring through the club and via our website but I will dedicate a blog article too!

Japanese Maples

 

Japanese Maples are by far my most Favourite trees in the world, every type brings its own unique form and colours to amaze everyone, whether your a grower or just someone who likes looking at them...

I first started a passion for Japanese Maples when i was younger when my mum bought a weeping japanese maple. I can't remember the type but it had a similar leaf form to that of a Viridis however this one had a dark moroon/purple leaf.

Sadly, due to Adelaides poor climate for growing maples this one died during one of our hottest summers on record. I can't remember the date and stuff but it was during the fortnight where Adelaide witnessed days recorded 40 degrees and over for a period of around 8 days straight...

My Japanese Maple in backyard

When i bought our first house my mum as a gift bought me two standard japanese maples, simple variety that can withstand a bit of the sun - these are still going great as you can see in the photo. Stupidly i planted a Chinese Elm right in the middle of the Maples years ago as i thought they weren't going to get much bigger... well they have and now I have the three trees growing super well and giving lovely shade over the summer.







Since then i've added a number of Japanese Maples to my collection, sadly some have died due to our harsh summers, however some, especially the ones I have as Bonsai, are still going strong and look magnificent.

Sango Kaku Maples in my garden

About a year ago I was at Stratco looking at plants and came across these beautiful Red Bark Maples (Sango Kaku) for only $14.95 each... bargain so I bought 3! and look at them now.

Close up of my Sango Kaku

I like to buy most of my Japanese Maples, including the younglings from a grower in Melbourne, for the past few years I have bought a number from him during Winter when the trees are able to be transported without stressing the roots and tree.

The nursery is called "Maples x Mail" and is located at 1870 Healesville-Kinglake Road in Toolangi. Not sure if you remember or are aware but this region is part of the massive bushfire which tore the heart out of Victoria, and the rest of Australia, a few years ago. It was during a big dry spell, fires erupted and the state saw some of the biggest incontainable bushfires they've ever encountered.





Many lives and buildings were lost, Maples x Mail came out ok, alot of its stock were hit hard providing limited stock for sale over that period. The year after they came out strong again and supplied some really nice trees.

My Viridis Weeping Maple

Each year I like to buy atleast one or two Weeping Maples and one Standard, as well as 10-20 younglings. The Weepers and Standard are put into large pots whilst the younglings are either used for new Bonsai ideas or put into pots for later use.

The thing I love the most about Maples x Mail is the price, Standards are only $20 each and Weeping Maples are $25, they are trees up to 1m in height, just the right size to use. The owner will also send up to 5 trees in the one box, postage to South Australia last time only cost me approx $10 for the lot...



The owner really knows his trees and varieties well and takes super care of them so if you are interested check them out on www.maplesxmail.com.au

Japanese Maple Bonsai (approx 4 y.o)

So why Japanese Maples?

Simple, well maybe not, but theres not one thing i love about them theres heaps. Each variety has its own unique aspect about it, whether its differing types of leaf or the colour of the leaf during different times of the year or the colour of its bark.

Ever since i was young i was in awe of their beauty and told myself when older i must have some of my own.

To me it could be the colours, from early Spring to late Autumn - each has its unique colour to wow any garden!








Here are some more photos of my maples, enjoy!




Close up on my Viridis Weeping Maple

My Viridis Weeping Maple approx 6 y.o



 

Jap Maple Bonai's in my nursery

Adelaide - Is it the place to be?

Adelaide, the old sleepy town where nothing really much happens..

This is the saying alot refer to when they think of Adelaide, most of them would be true but alot miss its inner workings and stuff that make us Adelaideians proud to live in this state.

Yes we don't have theme parks like the Gold Coast and major attractions like Sydney's Opera House and Melbournes MCG but geez, where else in Australia can you live 5 minutes from the city and not be surrounded by a concrete jungle?

Jim Barry Wines - Armagh

Theres alot to love about Adelaide, for me the fact I live 5 minutes from the city and was able to afford it without paying a million dollars for it. Where a Sydneysider would travel an hour and a half to just get to work I can instead travel to one of the best Wine Regions in Australia, The Clare Valley.





Pikes Winery - Clare Valley

I liken Adelaide more so to that of a Sleeping Giant, if you look across the city skyline, infact across alot of the state, you will see a bevy of cranes and construction happening. We have a new state of the art hospital being built, Our famous Adelaide Oval is getting a huge revamp to house AFL football and hopefully some Soccer World Cup games... Progress is happening, soon Adelaide will burst out as a major player in the country.


Areas like where i live are also seeing a whole new lease of life, down the road from me is the train yards, forever a ghost area, it is now a given life again with the introduction of a Bunnings. There is also plans in place to add a new Coles and a K-Mart which is sure to bring in massive business.




Bunnings - Prospect

The introduction of Bunnings is a huge step, really its one of the best shops around and has so much to do. Every weekend i visit there, even if we don't need anything i'll still go to check out plants. I always take my 5 year old who loves tagging along now as every Saturday & Sunday the good folk at Bunnings hold stuff for the kids to do.

Last weekend my little angel came home with a decorated pot base that you can put mozzie repelling candles in - a few weeks before my eldest came with me and made his mum a decorated pot and planted a daisy in there for her.


The introduction of a Kmart and possibly some more little shops will boom this part of town, more jobs, more products to choose from!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the other states aren't great cos thats furtherest from the truth. Gold Coast for example, I would move there in a heart beat, unfortunately the cost and my worry about finding work in the finance industry there has alot to do with us moving up there.

Melbourne is another place I really want to move to, that way, I can see 15+ Richmond games each year instead of the 3 I see only when they play in Adelaide twice and I fly over for a game... But for me Melbourne not as affordable close to the city like I am here in Adelaide, so I'd need to be prepared to travel alot into the city for work.

Travel time is a big factor for me as I have young children aged 5 & 8, I want to spend as much time as I can with them before they grow up and don't want to "hang" with their parents anymore..

One thing I do love is when I catch the bus each day and heading into town, the River Torrens as you cross the bridge is one of the most picturesque in the country. Its the sort of area you could sit and truly relax, block out all of the sounds around you and take in the beauty.

I love participating in the annual Corporate Cup, I'm no runner, nor am I a fitness guru but i'm trying my best... One of the attractions of the cup is the venue, each year we run around the River Torrens.

Recently it helped me capture some of the most beautiful photo's i've taken when a fog which was covering the north eastern side of the city moved over the river and engulfed us with white magic!



But when it comes down to it, affordability is one of the biggest cards Adelaide can offer (besides its beautiful scenery, wineries etc.) Just North of the city you can get yourself a bargain house for just over $500k, drive another 5 minutes North and the price lowers to anywhere between $400k & $500k.

It is also full of older areas which are in the process of being redeveloped, there you can pick up House & Land Packages for $300k - $500k.





So, you can call it what you want but most will agree Adelaide is a fantastic place to live and raise a family!

Local Baseball - Season 2012/2013

For most that know, i play baseball in the summer for my club East Torrens Redsox.

Yes i know, I'm a staunt Seattle Mariner and I play for a Redsox team... funny how things can pan out however around South Australia there aren't any Mariner teams...

Me receiving some chin music against Gawler

Last season our team struggled playing Division 5, mostly because we were severly depleted from the previous season but also we were relying on rookies to fill the side. For most of the year we had atleast 4 rookies playing...

2 of the rookies struggled to go from a cricket background and transition into baseball and unfortunately they are part of the list not returning next year. The other 2 transitioned quite nicely, one finished about 6th in our batting whilst the other one, only played about 4 or 5 games in the end but is a handy defensive player to have.

One of the main issues we had last year was pitching, not taking anything off the effort of our pitchers but we missed the presence of a starting pitcher. All efforts to secure one was lost when we saw two solid pitchers (who could both be pitching in Division 3 above us) move to Division 6 & 7 below us..



My boy catching last year

But, you can't win baseball games alone just with pitching, our bats weren't producing when needed and we ended up losing alot of close games.

In the end we finished only with 3 wins and lost the last game to the last placed team who due to the win jumped above us and we finished with the wooden spoon.

So, 2012/2013 season is upon us. To start with, of the list last year we only have 5 and a half players continuing (Half player as he'll only be able to play part time). We've also arranged to move down a grade to Division 6 to try and be a bit more competitive rather than enduring more losing streaks..

The season should be interesting, Our last year Division 6 team went undefeated and took the Premiership, they're moving up to Division 5 and I believe they'll take up where last season finished, not much should change for them and they should continue on their merry winning ways.

A number of players have either moved down from higher grades or re-joined after several years off. So for our team with only 5 and a half players we should be right to pick up 4 or so players and cement ourselves as a threat in the competition.



Me coaching from 1st base, my boys on base.

Still would like one more pitcher just to get where we need to be, sitting in the finals is the aim and I really think we can do it this year, new division, new players and a big thirst.

Last season i had a better year batting than the previous, in 2010/2011 I hit around 0.180 which is the worst in my career. My first ever season i was hitting above 0.500, last year i was back to hitting well and ended up with 0.375 and taking the batting trophy for 2011/2012.

So for me, the heartache of finishing last was softened a little with taking my first ever batting trophy, came 3rd in the Best & Fairest and i reckon played pretty well in my move to 3rd base.

I think i'm fitter this season, have identified where my hitting needs work on and am looking very forward to this season.

We have Scoop returning more likely to the mound again however would be good to have him off 1st base and taking over as pitch relief rathing than having to rely on him starting each week.



Foul ball against Glenelg

Gus is coming off a stellar season taking out the Best & Fairest in 2010/2011 (watch your back Gus...), Gus will more likely move into the catchers role but can rest him a bit more this year at probably Short Stop or 2nd Base as Tom s returning and loves to get behind the plate.


Jarrad will more likely slot back into his Centre Field role, moving into his 2nd season it will be interesting to see how he progresses, just need to work on his fitness hahaha


Todd only played a handful of games last year so this season we'll get him some more gametime and develop as best we can, has good defensive skills so will be handy to use around the ground.

Me batting against Gawler

Myself, well, i hope to stay at 3rd base after moving there from Right Field last year. Can be a bit daunting especially when the ball is travelling super quick at your head, but, i really enjoyed the challenge there and felt i owned the position quite well.

So, pre-season has started, well sort of, being in Div 6 we don't tend to train much, but, season is less than 4 weeks away.

I will try and give updates throughout the season if not weekly then maybe on a fortnightly basis... Hopefully it will be entertaining as we track how our team rises from bottom place last season to where we go this year..

I've added some photos of myself playing but also of my boy who also plays Little League at our club, i was lucky enough to coach him last year also.

The Royal Adelaide Show

The Royal Adelaide Show is currently on and is buzzing the sleepy town of Adelaide.

On Wednesday i decided to bite the bullett and take the family, we took advantage of cheaper tickets by saving $8 on the family pass through our RAA membership, so $48 to get in.

We also decided to pre-book Carny Cash, you can buy $100 worth of this through ticketek for just $80! Thats a massive bargain considering you will easily spend that.

My big gripe about the show is the amount everyone spends, for families its getting harder and harder every year to actually find this affordable. When we did the count back yesterday we easily spent between $500 - $600... for a family of four that is a bit excessive...

When we compare what a family ticket at the theme parks in the Gold Coast cost it really is not fair... I understand though that the carny's need to make money as do the show organisers but surely something needs to be done to ensure the survival and viability of the show for future generations.

For example, make it a set amount for entry and rides. So as an example, instead of say $50 to just gain entry for a family, make it $100 or $120 and give everyone unlimited rides. Your guaranteeing that if people then pay less for the entry and rides then they will feel they can spend more on showbags and food and drinks.

The organisers need to sit back and evaluate whether they can continue to justify the high amounts for both entry, car parking, show rides, food and showbags..

Just to park in the City Parklands is now $12, most of the carny side alley games are between $5 & $10, the average price for one ride is $8..

As an example, our family had 3 rides on one we thoroughlly loved. It fits 3 of us at a time so each turn one of us took turns riding with our two children. At $8 each it was $24 per ride.. I don't know how they can justify $72 for 3 rides, simply cannot fathom this.

There was no lineup for this ride, the ride was never full in the time we either were there or walking by...

So my question is, why not increase the entry fee and make all rides free?

The showbags was a mixed bag for me this year, we told the kids that we would buy them an expensive one (approx $20 - $25) then we will get them a couple of cheap ones each.

We were pleasantly suprised by the way they reacted and stuff and in the end they got a few extras.

Had they been bratty and expect alot of stuff we would have enforced the max rule but in fairness they were absolute angels on the day which shocked me, with so much to see and do and spend on they were alot more restrained than i thought they would be.

Its funny, I always think back to stories my mum would tell me as a kid, now im old and wiser these stories make me laugh as they hit hard now.... Mum used to say back in my day (Don't think she said that but as a child we always start our mimic's of them like this...) showbags used to be given to you at the show, not purchased. Companies used to use the show to promote their products or use the show to announce new products to try... These days we get dodgy little bags with bugger all in them where you would be better off buying them at the shop, or, bags full of plastic toys which break on the way home...


Full credit to my wife and kids as we arrived at the show at 11.30am, we finally got home at 7.45pm, spent, but had an awesome time...

So, hopefully an organiser reads this and everyones thoughts over twitter, facebook and the www. something needs to be done, its becoming unaffordable and the danger is families will start going less and won't spend as much. If you sit down properly with the carnies, the food companies and nut out a fair deal for everyone im sure it can work out best for all.

A set price for entry including rides needs to be achieved or we run the risk of either the show not running as long as it currently does or only the rich will go and eventually the show will die off.




The show is a great day, not just for the kids but adults too, lets start promoting it as it should be, a great day, not let it be drawn down as the most expensive thing to do...

Its not just showbags and rides, its about letting the kids learn also, city kids take for granted what happens in the country and how food is processed, its events like this that help the learn and prosper from the experience.

One of Adelaides Gems - The Coffee Barun

I would like to share with you what i refer to as one of Adelaides Gem businesses.

The Coffee Barun which is situated on Main North Road in Sefton Park is the business, for me its one of the greatest cafe's around. The owners, Mark & Kate Barun know everything there is to know about coffee and have taken their business from the humble beginnings of selling coffee beans at the Pooraka Flea Market, to establishing their first shop just metres where their current one stands today.

Ok, I am a little biased in my opinions as i have known them for some years now, their eldest daughter used to go to child care with my eldest boy and they were the best of friends for some time.

So, lets discuss business, why are they so good?

Simple, for one to sell coffee, one must understand everything there is to know about coffee, a true barista. This sums Mark up perfectly.


Ever since i've known the Baruns, i've known them as the guru's in coffee. Mark sources specialty coffee of the highest quality, nothing less. I have never seen someone so passionate about coffee before, for me its something that comes easy - coffee is made before my eyes and i make zero effort to get the coffee... for Mark, its not as easy and cut and dry as that.


He sources the best, roasts them himself and on my recent visit was doing some interesting work with what i'm sure looked like a bunsen burner and sciencey looking glasses...

My wife and I had the day off today so we decided to head there for breakfast, here is the Barun Breakfast which we order each time we go there. Eggs made how you like them (for me it has to be poached....) generous amount of bacon, stunning beef sausages from an award winning maker in Adelaide, tomato, hashbrown and a beautiful mushroom all served on sliced foccacia.


As usual the breakfast does the job, beautiful fresh produce all super tasty. To compliment, we also enjoy a large cappucino of Marks finest brew.

 

So, if your a coffee enthusiast or know absolutely nothing about coffee like me, then do yourself a favour and visit The Coffee Barun, located on 217-219 Main North Road, Sefton Park. They also have a website too you can visit: www.thecoffeebarun.com

Trent Cotchin - The Future of Tigerland

Trent Cotchin to me is how i would want my junior players model themselves on for their development.

 

Trent epitimises the hard work ethic and using your footy brain rather than getting caught up as a midfielder that just tags other good players out.

His work rate and team ethic is one i haven't seen at Richmond for some time. I remember one game i watched with my son, Trent was off the half back and ran past another player to receive a handball, he then short passed it across half back and continued to run past and receive another handball, he handballed it up to another player whilst they manouvered around the opposition.

Any other player would have stopped there and caught their breath, not Trent Cotchin, he continued to the opposite wing and created space to then receive the ball back and eventually deliver into the forward line for the new Coleman medalist Jack Riewoldt to get onto.

That one passage of play is what caught my eye the most about Trent and why i have such a huge respect for him, his effort across that half back is something he does game in game out, not just in that area but all over the ground.

Funny the games he has off form and not as much of an impact he still manages 30 touches...

Richmond right now are on the cusp of breaking the finals drought, its no wonder supporters like myself are so passionate and excited for the future and the present.

This year we missed by just a few games, yet i count atleast 6-8 games we lost by under 2 goals, atleast 4-6 of those were in last few minutes...

We have the players to really break this drought and make a real impact on our future, just one finals appearance will do so much for this club, not just to finally taste finals, this will catapult us into a sense of what we've been yearning for... This isn't just for the players, i'm talking the club in general, supporters, administration, players etc..

Players like Trent are what Finals & Brownlow dreams are made of, he thoroughly deserved his Richmond Best & Fairest and I can see he will win many more in the years to come, Get around him too for Brownlow this year, if he doesn't win it like i think he will, it will come in the next few years.

Should Trent take over the Captaincy from Chris Newman who just recently announced he is stepping down from the captains role, Absolutely, Trent is the ideal captain, yes concerns are his age only currently being 22, however he is far more mature in his years than most give credit for. Everytime he enters the training grounds or the ground on gameday he enters with team in mind, not individual growth, team.


I can't wait to watch him over the next ten years as he is what will drive our success.

(Photos courtesy of Herald Sun & The Age)