photos from a special weekend!

Its not often that I post something like this... but when you have just one niece who is without doubt an absolute darling and she happens to wed her beloved in the most magical of circumstances then you will have to forgive me for being an indulgent aunt on this remarkable occasion!

These adorable young boys, aged between 7 and 2, played an important role in a beautiful country afternoon wedding. They walked ahead of the bride into the village hall which was specially decked out for the ceremony. Here they were waiting for the bride to arrive!

The hall was like so many I remember from my own country childhood... wooden floors so well suited to those frequent dance evenings! Love the red curtain backdrop which featured a garland made of sheet music of romantic songs from the 1920's, 30's and 40's... just perfect for this musical couple Lara and Dwight.

Lara's uncle reads a poem.

The atmosphere here was just delightful... all who travelled from the city seemed to particularly enjoy the ambience! The mood was set for a wonderful occasion and afternoon tea was served after the wedding ceremony! Raspberry jelly lamingtons and cucumber sandwiches were just the thing! 

The afternoon started with the 2pm wedding and by 5pm we made our way down a scenic country drive to the home of my nephew Tristan and his wife Renee set on small acreage in a quiet well-treed valley on a ridge looking over to the coast.

Peeking out from under the gorgeous dress are the boots Lara wore... so perfect for the dusty road and grassy walk to the reception area.

I had to snap her running down the road to talk to some people passing by she knew!

Being among the tall Eucalyptus trees just felt so right for this celebration day!

The afternoon light was stunning...

... and the scene was set with the band that Dwight plays in professionally... on stage waiting to greet us as we arrived!

The setting was an old Banana Packing Shed from a time when the land was farmed... a huge old shed with great timber logs for its structure and corrugated iron for roof and walls. For a few months Tristan and his Dad Robert and various others laboured to restore it into a weatherproof and safe site for this special event! It was finished off with curtains made from hession and repurposed old carpet turned over to reveal the hession under-layer.

My sister Jan spent months with notepad and pen with a small but enthusiastic team working through every possible detail which resulted in a spectacular day from beginning to end. The amount of creativity in every part of this venture was evident to all... so little was outsourced ... instead created from scratch wherever possible.

I found myself musing over this gorgeous building and the decor thinking what a stunning site it would make for all kinds of events ... and fantasising about what a great studio it would make! Its rustic form was brought to life with candles and fairy lights strung up everywhere.

The late afternoon sun bathed everything in the most beautiful light and allowed everyone to enjoy the view and notice every detail in the setting. My iPhone images don't really show it at its best.

I was utterly charmed and felt myself to be in some beautiful dream in an idealic spot! 

Later that night after speeches and dinner it was time for the cutting of the cake...

Cupcakes that is... in all kinds of scrumptious flavours!

The bridal bouquet was filled with beautifully scented flowers...

the stage setting

where the bride sang the most stunning rendition of a favourite song of her beloved's ... we were all mesmerised as the moon was rising over the old shed and her voice travelled out into the night!

All I can say is what a beautiful hand-crafted event this was ...every tiny and large gesture added up to make it a most glorious day that wrapped everyone in the mood of joy and celebration!

What more can add than to wish them a truly well-lived life of love, good health, prosperity and creativity! And to say a huge BRAVO to all who participated in making this day so joyful! You did good!

S x

In celebration of Grandmothers from around the world!

Being Mother's Day here this seemed such a fitting post!

At SLATE I read this wonderful post called Celebrating Grandmas and their cuisine from round the World.

Photographer Gabriele Galimberti’s grandmother said something similar to him before one of his many globetrotting work trips. To ensure he had at least one good meal, she prepared for him a dish of ravioli before he departed on one of his adventures.  

“In that occasion I said to my grandma ‘You know, Grandma, there are many other grandmas around the world and most of them are really good cooks,” Galimberti wrote via email. “I'm going to meet them and ask them to cook for me so I can show you that you don't have to be worried for me and the food that I will eat!’ This is the way my project was born!”

The photographer's grandmother Marisa Batini, 80, Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy. Swiss chard and ricotta Ravioli with meat sauce.

Gabriele Galimberti/Riverboom/INSTITUTE

The project, “Delicatessen With Love”, took Galimberti to 58 countries where he photographed grandmothers with both the ingredients and finished signature dishes.

To read the whole article click here and enjoy!

Normita Sambu Arap, 65, Oltepessi (Masaai Mara), Kenya. Mboga and orgali (white corn polenta with vegetables and goat).

Gabriele Galimberti/Riverboom/INSTITUTE

Inara Runtule, 68, Kekava, Latvia. Silke €(herring with potatoes and cottage cheese).

Gabriele Galimberti/Riverboom/INSTITUTE

Fifi Makhmer, 62, Cairo, Egypt. Kuoshry (pasta, rice and legumes pie).

Gabriele Galimberti/Riverboom/INSTITUTE

Maria Luz Fedric, 53, Cayman Islands. Honduran Iguana with rice and beans.

Gabriele Galimberti/Riverboom/INSTITUTE

Julia Enaigua, 71, La Paz, Bolivia. Queso Humacha (vegetables and fresh cheese soup).

Gabriele Galimberti/Riverboom/INSTITUTE

Read more on RiverBoom Here.

Read more on Gabriele Galimberte. 

Another theme from his website I found interesting is this one on Couch-surfing:

MY COUCH IS YOUR COUCH

Stories of 100 couchsurfers around the world

CouchSurfing is the act of trading hospitality, practiced by the over 2 million members of the CouchSurfing network present in 230 countries worldwide. A CouchSurfer will stay at the host’s house for a day or more, depending on the arrangement made between the host and the guest. CouchSurfers contact each other through the organization’s nonprofit website, which exists in 33 languages and boasts 20 million hits a day. The movement began in San Francisco in 2003, merging a utopian idea of a better world with the web 2.0.

CouchSurfing was created in order to allow everyone to travel and share the widest possible range of cultural experiences. CouchSurfing is always free, as one of the few rules is that money cannot be exchanged between members. It has become a truly global phenomenon, with couches available in more than 70,000 cities around the world, from Antarctica to northern Alaska, from Tehran to Washington, from the Maldives to Timbuktu.

Riverboom’s Gabriele Galimberti traveled around the world with CouchSurfing for more than a year in order to discover this young, diverse, multicultural, multiracial global community. He has CouchSurfed on all the five continents and has hosted dozens of CouchSurfers in his house in Tuscany. He has slept on a bed worthy of a 5-star hotel in a fairytale villa in Texas and in a room ten square meters in Sichuan, which he shared with 3 generations of a Chinese farmer family. In Ukraine he was hosted by a couple that welcomed him naked, informing him they are “house nudists” and in Botswana by a young man training to become an evangelical pastor. CouchSurfing gives rise to stories of sharing, of friendship and sometimes even of love. Most of all, CouchSurfing provides a way to get to know places and people in a more profound manner and that, after all, is the true essence of travel.

In 2005 contemplating 2 weeks travel in NZ, I found out about Couch-surfing. I didn't sign on but was fascinated. During the trip I ended up staying in the beautiful area west of Auckland with wonderful people through old family connections. Already acquainted this still was a bit like couch-surfing in that it was such an informal arrangement and with people I didn't really know. In the end it turned out to be a truly delightful experience and I stayed 5 days, longer than expected.

My hosts lived in this beautiful region in a place called Titirangi, overlooking Western Port. Taken exploring one day by Marina, a gorgeous woman of Tongan background, we went along the coast road to Piha where the views were spectacular and the experience memorable. 

During my stay I'd hired a car so was able to go in to the city where I remember at the Auckland Gallery seeing work by Colin McCahon, a painter I had long admired for his ferocious take on life and personal journey as an artist as well as powerful canvases. One of the McCahon works was painted on a cupboard door from his kitchen in a Titirangi house where he evidently lived for some time.

Titirangi was a place that really spoke to me and I left there with some regret as if some part of me desperately wanted to stay! 

Needless to say this home stay with a welcoming family was the highlight of my journey. There is something about hospitality and experiencing how others live in their homes that brings so much more life to travelling, especially when travelling alone!

When in London in late 2011 I used a Home-stay organisation suggested to me by lovely blogger friend Mlle Paradis to find accommodation for my 3 different London stints between travels outside of the city. 

Not only were all three homes well appointed and very appealing, their owners were wonderful characters and the first host, Suzanne I must say went completely out of her way for me when I arrived exhausted and not so well. This is her kitchen below. I was utterly charmed... and it was wonderful hearing her stories from her Drama School days with the likes of Anthony Hopkins in her year.

I stayed also with Hilary who'd recently served as Mayor of Chiswick, was still on the council there and readily offered  glimpses into other's worlds outside my own preoccupations.

These were brief visits and the last stay was over two weeks with a couple who let out a few rooms. 

All guests were so busy seeing london I never ran into them but the fact the three stays were in the one district of London, namely around Chiswick, meant that I gained some familiarity with this lovely location, was next to public transport staying in excellent accommodation with hosts happy to help out, and not far from Kew Gardens, all in such pleasant surroundings.

Because this was a working and research trip I liked being able to return to a comfortable home atmosphere. And it was ridiculously the far cheaper options for such quality digs!

Whilst there and wanting to make a quick trip to Paris, in my search I looked into Air Bnb which I was not familiar with and didn't take up in the end. Since then its seems to have become an increasingly popular option of travellers keen to find something less predictable and more homelike.

If you've not heard of it take a peek. When looking at what's available in my city I came across the home of a designer I met through facebook who lives somewhere really delightful and is offering accommodation that I would recommend to friends to take up... in part for the location and style of the Queendlander house... and in equal part for the lovely hosts. 

Travelling alone this becomes a wonderful option because the room costs when solo are the killer part of travel expenses often. And where once a back-packers destination might have seemed the exciting option those years are long gone!

Like with anything we can get lucky or have an experience we don't wish to remember... but that's life and I for one will likely continue to seek out the alternative options that come with positive ratings.

If your coming to Brisbane this could be your bathroom at one inner city option:

this bathroom opens on the pool and the bedroom.

                                                                      The sitting room next to the pool.

Worth exploring to see what comes up... there is a lot of variation on what is being offered and the role played by hosts... but where there are extensive reviews one can glean various things.

Well... this post started in praise of grandmothers and ends with something of a celebration of newer versions of hospitality ... but the themes are not so very removed really. 

From our Mothers and Grandmothers we learn about hospitality and sharing in all its most varied forms... shaped, or perhaps not, by cultural traditions and other influences.

What has come to you that defines your values around hospitality and sharing 'home' with others I wonder?

Have a good week wont you!

S

"Día del Amor y la Amistad" Day of Love and Friendship

Latin American countries I read celebrate Valentine's  day  as the day of love and friendship. Quite fitting I think... In Guatemala it is known as the "Día del Cariño" (Day of the Affection).


In Slovenia, a proverb says that "St Valentine brings the keys of roots," so on February 14, plants and flowers start to grow.  Valentine's Day has been celebrated as the day when the first work in the vineyards and in the fields commences. It is also said that birds propose to each other or marry on that day.

In Pakistan the Jamaat-e-Islami political party has called for the banning of the holiday.^[65] Despite this, the celebration is increasingly popular^[65] and the florists expect to sell great amount of flowers, especially red roses.^[72]

In most of South America the Día del amor y la amistad and the Amigo secreto ("Secret friend") are quite popular and usually celebrated together on the 14 of February (one exception is Colombia, where it is celebrated every third Saturday of September). The latter consists of randomly assigning to each participant a recipient who is to be given an anonymous gift (similar to the Christmas tradition of Secret Santa).


Looking at the cultural and historical variations is quite fascinating ... of these cards below from former times I think the letter to Susanna is the one I covet.


Alas ... no-one penned me an epistle like this one so full of genuine devotion (well the print is so tiny who knows what is being said!) ... instead a few random heart-ful messages came via Twitter!!!
Such is life!
Actually it was a wonderful day ... up early ... bike ride to a fav cafe... reading the papers, thinking time.. an excellent meeting later on full of project possibilities... dentist ... oh yes that brought the mood down... came out with a numb nose, cheek and an eyelid that was quite twittery. Anyway things got better again! 
Started thinking about a trip north in the autummn months. And managed to get a lot done!


So ... which of these would you covet? Or not! 

Handwritten Valentine poem "To Susanna", (Cork, Ireland dated Valentine's Day, 1850).

St Valentine's Day card, embossed and printed in colour, with silk panel and printed message "My Dearest Miss, I send thee a kiss", addressed to Miss Jenny Lane [or Lowe, or Love] of Crostwight Hall, Smallburgh, Norfolk, and inscribed on the reverse "Good Morrow Valentine"

Unusual seascape Valentine, date unknown but probably pre-1900

Postcard by Nister, circa 1900

Richard Felton Outcault (January 14, 1863-September 25, 1928), Buster Brown

Scan of a Valentine greeting card circa 1920.

A pop-up Valentine, circa 1920, measuring 2" x 2 1/2".

Anthropomorphic Valentine, circa 1940-1950

 Wishing you all a happy "day of the Affection!"

celebrating the year...

a favourite image

This image was the lead in to a section on the work of the Seed Lab of the just published 'homage to the seed' book discussed in the previous post.
Last night we had a wonderful evening of celebration at the exhibition opening at the Herbarium. It was the ideal opportunity to celebrate the work of the local chapter of the Millennium Seed Bank Project in Brisbane.
Quiet, largely hidden work that was brought into the light for a brief while... and also over the year at the homage blog! The sense of occasion and ambience was set by a quite wonderful introduction from the Head of the Gardens' Rosss McKinnon. His wide-ranging talk was very focusing and made it all the more easy to come along and add some thoughts after that! Im something of a believer in setting the scene with well chosen thoughts... it brings people together and can energise the space somehow leading to stronger connection.

I dont have much to add here now... today was the breathing out day after  so much busy-ness... a steady stream of visitors and conversations... the weekend will be more intense... but having caught my breath that will be good!

Thank you to those who contacted me about the book... reception at the Herbarium has been just delightful too... and has added an enriching layer to the year! Its so easy for an artist to end up working alone ... so there was such pleasure last night in having made really positive, valuable and complex connections over the year that have covered some significant ground and kept unfolding!
After the previous year or two of enormous change and challenge it was just great getting my teeth stuck into something this year that was immensely fulfilling and enlivening and will continue to evolve. The  timely nature of this project allowed for things that had been slowly coming to life over a very long time to really have their chance to be expressed!
That does feel good!

well....best be off...a few emails to catch up on soon...
S x

all lit up...

Turning 80 requires a memorable cake... and so it was when pastry chef friend Vanda arrived pre-party with her best creation for the very excited Olivia...

...who loved the fact her birthday cake was a strikingly large cappuccino in a very pretty floral cup which had people lining up to view. As we'd already dined on a wonderfully rich dark chocolate flan nobody was urging for the cake to be cut...instead it was posed with for many a photo and taken home for next day indulgence!

...inside was a wonderful italian style trifle - Sunday visitors were the lucky one's to try the birthday cake! Half was saved for a special tea party tomorrow ...at 80 one must definitely make one's party last a few days!

Olivia at dinner describing the size of her cake perhaps?

A beautiful book on the artisans behind the scenes at the Moscow State Circus - a gift from a lovely friend. The most appreciated gift of all was the attendance of her friends and family ... all of whom made it such a memorable evening!

My mother belongs to the generation who has offered without question a lot of community service and

neighbourliness. The evening celebrated all these layers of involvement with others and was a heartwarming and delightful occasion. It was great to see people showing their affection from different parts of her long, well-lived life.

events, events and more events....

I dont know about you but there seems to be a lot on at the moment. Someone said to me the other day that when you live in a hot, humid climate it makes sense to load everything on to the calendar at this time of year... its our winter...there are few holidays this time of year and so it is the time when things get very busy...and why not!
Before I tell you about these (local) events I am going to quickly find and post some images that appealed to me this week and you will see why!


...first up...I am going to come along with Mlle Paradis next time she goes to this place....













anyone else coming for the trip? Im not going to tell you where it is...go look here! She has a lot more wonderful places to take us up her sleeve!

....and after that exertion ....

how about this....




or even better really...for all those books waiting to be read.... the perfect spot...




these images come from Robyn at the lovely garden rooms. Pop over now and see more on this delightful (For me just now - escapist) theme!
This window reverie image made my heart leap...perhaps it reminded me of a wonderful home I had in Melbourne over 15 years ago now...or maybe just the aesthetic of absolute rightness about the parts that make this stunning whole - its the kind of beauty I adore in spaces... I want to be there... even though I dont know where is!

OK..now that I have gotten that part of the post out of the way....get ready to write in your diaries.... if any of you reading this actually live in this same city as me... its social calendar time!

I just looked up the website and it is fabulous.... not only that ... I have a CD of music by this musician that I love and have often had classes draw to it so I am really, really disappointed that I have a dinner to attend this friday night when this wonderful show will be on at the Botanic gardens for the World Wildlife Fund.  w:   www.linseypollak.com 

The Extinction Room

The Extinction Room is a solo music performance piece by Linsey Pollak. It is a sound  piece creating music from the sounds of endangered & extinct animals. In this performance of approximately 45 minutes,  the audience will wear blindfolds  and be taken on a journey into the Extinction Room….. a sound archive of endangered  and extinct species …… the calls of animals that no longer exist……or may soon not  exist. These sounds cry out to us in perhaps a more immediate and emotive way than  words can describe. They are a cry from the animals that share and have shared this  planet with us. This is an audio Library of loss, of despair AND of HOPE…….because  we can do something about it if we act NOW This is a solo performance using live looping (a process using real time instantaneous  recording of each layer of music) playing an Electronic wind instrument that plays  the  sound samples of animal calls. All the sounds used are animal calls and nothing has  been pre-recorded……it’s all being created as you listen. NEXT:

and last but not least:

If you pop over to my studio blog you can read much more on this and the venue... This is opening on June 18th and I will fill you in again before then... I am artist no: 4 in the pick-a-box. This will be a lot of fun so come along you Bris-based people...I'll see you there!

PS still painting but enjoying the process... 10 artists over `10 days... very doable!
caio,
S x