getting away for few days...

  

  

Its been 16 months since I left my previous home of 8 years by the sea on the Central NSW coastline of  OZ at Newcastle. Time to go visit old friends and walk along the coast and see my favourite spots again. I'll have to take my camera as i just realised how few photos I have of this place which is actually very photogenic! Its sure to be a busy time... better get packing!

nourish me lives up to its promise!

This is the image that headed the previous blog of Lucinda's at Nourish Me. Sincethe beginning I sense that there has been a consistency to the lovely,  earthy tone of her blog. When I emailed to seek permission to post some of her wonderful images she explained that her training and interest in drawing has been diverted to working with film cameras in recent years. Given my own interest in cooking and food that comes from the earth largely unadulterated I was immediately drawn to the honesty of her photographs of simple foods like fruits, vegetables, grains and so on. The care and soulfulness is all there...a quiet beauty that is easily lost in overly contrived food styling.

This is not contrived...this is a visual and written celebration of everyday bounty that really is quite precious!

beetroot and lemon broth ...in a lovely copper pot. Love the sublime colour in this image!

'right beneath my childhood bedroom window' was the caption with this one from Lucinda's flickr site.

mushroom close up

old window pane...a kind of bubble glass captures the light astonishingly well!

an egg cracked open...exquisite!  Reading this blog left me wanting to head straight to the kitchen. Great recipes too I must add. Thanks  for the inspiration Lucinda!

and the corn is as high as an elephant's eye...

image from Bliss post: july 21

Yolanda Heuzen describes herself as  "Garden writer, garden and interior designer and translator, gardening in heavy clay in Zone 8 and digging it!"

If you go look at her blog Bliss you will discover you are in for a treat and probably a spot of fun. She's a bit of a fan of "our" Hugh (Jackman that is !) I guess if your'e not that into gardens, good food, Hugh, photos of her gorgeous dogs and eclectic posts then this is not the blog for you. Me...well i'm a fan!

image from 7th of July post: Heatwave

quite curious and certainly enchanting!

THE FABULOUS GARLANDS

SOPHIE CUVELIER

For me ...it is almost beyond words looking at this amazing blog...this lettuce leaf sums it up for me. take an quite ordinary thing, place it somewhere neither predictable or unprecdictable, in some way we dont anticipate and...click...image taken! I feel my mind shifting as I trawl this blog...so curious...bravo Sophie Cuvelier!

out for a walk...

a walk in my neighbourhood takes me past old and new places...but I am most partial to the older Brisbane homes which feel so right for the climate. The top house is probably less characteristic in that it does not have open verandahs or much garden surrounding the house...but it is across the road from an extremely popular park and picnic spot. Below it is this second white house in a suburb of many white houses. Not so many have such an imposing staircase leading to the front door though! This verandah was meant for afternoon teas with china tea cups. Sadly there were no signs of life when I have walked past!

a little afternoon tea...

just found this photo I took a week ago on a Sunday walk by the Brisbane River at South Bank. We spied this lovely little Cupcake & Tea Shop, so I chose a pot of  Lavender and Earl Grey Tea to go with my Berry delicious cupcake...actually it had a much better name which I've forgotten now. I do prefer my tea in a pretty fine china tea cup ... but we really just loved those little cakes!

"Botanique" at Mt Cootha Botanical Gardens, Brisbane

this image is from a previous event held at the Mt Cootha Botanical Gardens featuring wearable art made by artists from around the Brisbane region.

Bettina is actually heading up organisation for this wonderful event on in October. She can often be found at the Gardens in her role as a guide. We met

 recently when I participated as a volunteer in the 'Seeds for Life'  project at Mt Cootha.

Artists living in the Brisbane region of Australia whose work includes or extends to Wearable Art are being invited to get in touch with organisers of this year's "Botanique" exhibition and parade to be held in mid October. 31st of August is the date for final entries...so make contact this week with the lovely Bettina Palmer-  artonlegs@hotmail.com to find out more. It is a great showcase for textile designers, fabric artists and the Botanical Garden setting. Besides the catwalk in the Japanese Garden there is a bazaar over several days which is well suited to those who may design original accessories, jewellery and such.