10 February 2010

Old and New

One chilly winters day last year (or was it the year before?) I ventured outside to refill the log basket. The roaring fire needed re stoking and the task fell to me. The wood pile, stacked against the house seldom seems to diminish, the logs at the back sitting there for seasons while the front logs come and go with more frequency. Anyway, this winters day, towards the end of the season, the pile was getting a little lower and as I tugged at the dusty, cobwebbed old logs i spied a treasure. A treasure in the real true sense. A jewelery box. Somewhat worse for wear, but mostly intact. Can you imagine my delight! I'm mean, I love this kind of thing! Not forgetting my duty to the fireplace, I added the box to the wood basket and headed inside the house.

The old jewelry box, its hinge now only half working allowed me to open it up to peek inside. Within I discovered old necklaces, earrings, beads and jewels, all from another era. All covered with mud and dust and the patina of time.

This, it turned out, is a tale of ancestors, of a flood, and perhaps a little forgetfulness. I shall leave the story there, for your imagination to take it where it will.

Above you can see an art work I created at the end of last year which includes a brooch from this old jewelry box.

29 January 2010

February

Outside my window today; a glistening harbour and a hundred little yachts marching out across its surface.

January disappeared before I noticed and here I am living in February. Sometimes lately, well most of the time, I feel hours go by in an instant, days melt away rapidly and I am left wondering how to make the clock slow down so I can pause and catch my breath.

I collected these hydrangeas from across the road the other day and they serve well to remind me to get outside and take a walk in the sunshine, to have a moment to just be. The little jug I picked up recently in some Op shop or other. It reminds me of a lovely friend on mine, I think she has a similar one.

24 December 2009

Merry Christmas


Yesterday I bought my first cherries of the season. Cherrries are the most Christamassy of fruit I think. Especially heart shaped cherries.

I have finally, finally tidied up a lot of work and for the first time in ages I can now take a breather. This morning it seems, at last, that the holiday season has begun. Today i'll head into town to finish up my Christmas shopping, while I'm near by I will take a look in The Academy of Fine Arts to see my art hanging there. I'll have coffee with a friend and visit the library. I'll drop off some home-laid-free-range eggs to this years nominated Pavlova maker and then head home to begin preparations for my vegetarian Christmas dish, Tibetan Roast. After that I might pull out some Christmas lights and decorate the window.

Tomorrrow my summer holiday shall begin! Merry Christmas!

I'll be back in January sometime...

02 December 2009

Elderflower

Across the road and down a steep bank, amongst an overgrown garden there blooms an Elder tree. Beautiful, but impossible to reach from above or below. Those little white explosions of scent taunted me as I dreamed of Elderflower Champagne.

Then, oh happy day, amongst a tangle of blackberry, cabbages and chickens, I stumbled upon another Elder tree. Yes!

I plucked some blooms and now have a sweet liquid ready to bottle. I used Jannelle's recipe and will keep the bottles in the shed in case they explode, as apparently can happen.

24 November 2009

Bright Side

I feel the dismal grey sink in through my skin. It tests my spirits, this unfriendly weather. The days of monotonous grey roll on and on with no end in sight. Perhaps it would not have seemed so bad had I not known the glorious easy weather of Australia. Sigh.

Still, The Bright Side throws me little rays of sunshine from time to time.

Bright Sides:

A message received telling me this artwork sold at the North Shore City Art Awards Exhibition (Yay, Thank You)
An evening crafting up a storm with a couple of lovely ladies.
Rhubarb Sour Cream Pie from my Hungry Girls Cookbook
An email accepting my application for a spot at the new Frank Kitts Market (Yay, Thank You)
Unexpecdly receiving a gift voucher for Swonderful
Looking forward to a 'secret weekend' away, planned by my one and only true love Jamie.
Delivering my art to the Acadamy of Fine Arts.


12 November 2009

Sunshine, how I miss you

Im home. Ten days of family, friends, swimming, eating, shopping, lizards, bats, cockatoos, koalas, scrub turkeys, and endless sunshine are over. Vague thoughts of moving to Brisbane are swirling around in my head. The sunshine, the heat, so tempting.