Leaf Studies

 

 

Camping At Neurum Creek

Nola and I went camping over the weekend at Neurum Creek which is past Woodford.  With all the rain and drizzle and mist, the area is bright green and lush at the moment.

This was my first attempt at putting up a tent by myself - here is proof that I did it!!

The moon was super super bright -

 

and there was lantana EVERYWHERE

 

Whiff of Violets

I quote -  "A slice of fruitcake with black cherries, a whiff of violets and a couple of black olives.  Seductively smooth and so effortlessly consumed."

Creativity

Yes, the stool IS made from what you think it is made from...

Check them out for yourself in the foyer of the Brisbane City Council Library, Brisbane Square.

City Images

Arty light shades,

 

  

street art,

  

wild life, 

  

  

  

  

  

and patterns made by a departing City Cat.

[BTW - all these shots were taken with my phone - Nokia 6700]

Homophone Fun

This sought of thing relieves the boredom of grant writing!

Memory Pouch

Last year the 2QAQ (art quilt) Committee spent some time with Barb Cowan, a brilliant machine quilter.  She generously shared her time and expertise so that we would understand more about what goes into long arm quilting.  We were allowed a little "play" on her machine.  The resulting sample was painted by Sue Dennis - a well known art quilter.  The sample was cut up and  a piece given to each of us on the Committee.

Sooo - this precious piece of fabric was now mine - but what to do with it?

Here is the result - I have only used half of the piece I was given, so making another pouch is in my future.  I love that it has all these memories, and that many hands have been involved....

The Librarian - Quest for the Spear

This is a movie for when you really just want some mindless entertainment.

The library contains a myriad of books as well as lost treasures such as the Ark of the Covenant and Pandora's Box.  The librarian is the super smart custodian who is called on to save the world by stopping the baddies from assembling all parts of the Spear of Destiny.  Hardly any tension and pretty fake fighting scenes, but a bit of harmless low key fun.

King Island

Yesterday afternoon I walked to King Island which is accessible from Wellington Point during low tide.  It's an easy walk across and lots of people, young and old, were out and about enjoying the walk too.

The coral had interesting striations - so much better in real life but here's an attempt to capture the detail via photo...

 

Peanut Butter Cookies

Baking has always been a great love - as you measure and mix your mind is free to wander and think.  This morning I listened to Geraldine Doogue on Radio National - I love her interviews!!

I was all done by 8.30am.  The recipe said to roll the dough into logs and put them in the fridge - I was too impatient for that, so I just rolled out small dough balls and flattened them.  Worked perfectly.  The best thing was that I had everything I needed - no need to shop.  The yield was supposed to be 4 dozen, but I ended up with 5 dozen lovely biscuits.  You've got to be happy with that!!

Another Gallery Visit

I had another trip to APT 6 at GOMA today.  Here are some images from the exhibition -

 

  

  

 

Potato Bake

I was asked to make a potato bake for a barbecue - and it turned out pretty well, considering I made it up as I went along!

Alba

I bought this semi-sweet wine from Kooroombah Vineyard and Lavender farm when I went on a road trip in November.  I have just finished the bottle - yummy!!

Helpless

This has been playing - VERY loudly - on my car stereo.  I just love it...

Beauty is Everywhere

I found this leaf on the ground yesterday.  Symmetry, shading, line (outline and vein tracery), colour, shape, texture - all the elements of a beautiful work of art.

Hidden Capalaba

Not far from the library and the council offices is a little oasis that I think few people use.  It is like a cool and calm grotto...

Wait Until Dark

What an amazing movie!  It has hardly dated at all.  Really, really good performances, believable storyline and tension right to the end.  Audrey Hepburn plays a blind woman, Suzy, whose husband is lured away from home by the baddies.  The baddies are looking for a doll filled with drugs that the husband was given at the last minute when he returned home from Montreal.  There is menace aplenty, and Hepburn's character is smart and feisty.  Don't watch it by yourself on a dark night...

Knitting

I pulled this knitting project from my "to do" basket a couple of days ago and have been working on it madly since then - remember, this is the year of the F.I.N.I.S.H.  It's going to be a baby shawl.  I promised to knit it for a friend waiting for her grandchild to arrive.  Ahem - that child is now one!  Luckily Sue has another grandchild due.  I'm up to the lacy edging, not much more to do now...

Happy Valentine's Day

Chinese New Year

Last night the festivities for Chinese New Year were already underway.  In Fortitude Valley I saw dragons

heard lots of drumming

and was (almost) deafened by the firecrackers.

All good fun.
On the way back to my car  I saw a bin alight

the fire truck got there promptly and the firefighters did what they had to do!

Music and More

The Beez is a group from Berlin.  They were playing on the Queen Street Mall today.  They play a mix of genres, including their own country/middle eastern sound.  I really liked it when the two women sang a German folk song "Alle Vogel Sind Schon Da" which I remember from school!

While I  was in town I walked to Borders and bought Spencer Quinn's latest Bernie and Chet mystery, Thereby Hangs a Tail.  The first in the series - Dog On It - was wonderful.  My review here.  I hope the second one is as good!

On the way to Borders is this amazing building -

I usually park at Southbank - and the view from the bridge is always interesting...

DVDs

The Duchess was marvellous.  A look at the life (and times) of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire. Georgiana was given in marriage to the Duke of Devonshire, a fantastically wealthy older man.  She was a party girl - loving fashion and gambling.  She was charismatic and lent her support in political matters.  He was uncommunicative, had dalliances with lots of women, and even brought one of his illegitimate children to live with them.  As well, he had a continuing relationship with Georgiana's best friend who ended up living with them.  However, when she sought happiness with Charles Grey he cruelly asked her to choose between Grey and her children.  Georgiana eventually bore the Duke a son, which was the main reason for the marriage.
I loved the movie - it was well acted and gave a good insight into the times and the burdens that people at every level of society had to bear.  The costumes were wonderful and the cinematography excellent.

The action mainly takes place in on day, with flashes back and forward.  Rose has been fired from her job in a restaurant.  Jose, the chef, follows Rose and ends up spending the day with her, learning more about her.  She learns about him and his family (his brother owns the restaurant where they both work).  It is a love story with a difference.  Jose is still struggling to deal with a tragedy from many years ago and in Rose he sees an opportunity to redeem himself.  It is a lovely movie - interesting characters, genuine emotion.  Very good.

Heart of Leaves

In my quest to F.I.N.I.S.H. this year I have just completed this cross stitch.

I used one strand of two different threads to give it a more dimensional look.

Focusing Energy

One favourite saying of mine is - where your focus is, there is your energy.  In other words, if you focus on your goals, your energy will follow.

I have just read this post which suggests that instead of asking "what" as in "what am I going to do next" you ask "why" as in "why am I doing this instead of that".  By refocusing your energy to ask why you are doing something you can make better choices to achieve your goals.

New Book Reviews at Our Ms Books

Some book reviews that may be of interest -

Post Office; Charles Bukoski
To Kill a Mockingbird; Harper Lee
Primary Justice; William Bernhardt
The Six Sacred Stones; Matthew Reilly
The Five Greatest Warriors; Matthew Reilly

Life Lesson

It's amazing where I have "aha!" moments (or epiphanies, if you prefer). I play Mahjong solitaire and many, many times see this message:

One day it just caught my attention and I said to myself "yes, I WILL try again" - a metaphor for my life.

Sweet Flowers

These flowers are everywhere at the moment - the scent is heady and sweet.  Mmmmmm...