... on a garden update.

For a while there it seemed like nothing was happening... and now look!

The zucchinis are well on their way to proving right their claim that "one plant can feed an entire postcode." The silverbeet is doing MUCH better than it looks because... well, we keep eating it. Too-thickly-planted garlic could become an issue but I didn't expect them all to survive, and the shelling peas along the back have put out their first tendrils reaching upwards for their wire support.

I have three pots of blueberries, one of which has already developed some convincing-looking fruit. How sweet are these blueberry flowers? That ant thinks so too.

The spuds... oh boy. That first lot I put in are already bursting out of the top of their bags! I've learned something along the way about growing potatoes in bags... to be careful about adding more soil/compost as the plants grow. I covered over some of the smaller shoots (thinking they'd push their way through) and they just rotted. Luckily I was harbouring a suspicion that I'd put too many spuds in each bag, so it could be for the best! I think the casualties were the red ones, so I've planted more, and they've just come up. Sweet reddish shoots!

 ... and the marigolds are for the bugs! Oh happy garden!

... on discovering new places.

I'm an epic early-morning walker. By that I mean that I like to get into my hiking boots and stride off for the sort of long walk that sees me coming home sweaty, hungry, and satisfied that I've been out into the world for a bit. Over the past few weeks I've been scoping out the new (to me) local area for some good routes, and I'm pleased to report that I've found some... oh yes!

This first place is a path that runs along a ridge high above the Brisbane River. It sits beside a road bordered on one side by one of those bushy sustainable-eco types of housing developments, and has a gravelly path that reminds me of Girraween National Park, my favourite camping destination.

If I feel up to the climb on the way back up I can take a steep bush track that zig-zags down to The Rocks Riverside Park. It's an old concrete works and incorporates lots of old industrial stuff into the design. One of my favourite parts is the old jetty which has these grates that you can look through down to the river, and is teeming with chittering swallows who zoom in between the pylons to their nests underneath.

I'm delighted that the river is within range, and just the other day I found another bit that I like a lot. There's this odd little pocket of rurality in Oxley. It has horses in paddocks, a dam with a cloud of mist often arising from it, and even a farm stall selling garlic, eggs and tomatoes on Fridays. I can walk down a hill past an area of rainforesty bush listening to whip-birds calling, say hello to the horses and stop by the river awhile, which always looks beautiful in the early part of the day.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's walk already.

... on cat things.

I've been feeling rather catless of late. It's been some time since my lovely Kubrick used up the last of her nine lives, and I had resolved not to get another cat until I was living in a house suitable for keeping a cat inside. I've shared a house with an outdoor cat ever since I can remember, and although I did love that grassy smell that their fur takes on from being outside, I certainly didn't like the volume of birds and reptiles and little creatures that were brought into the house as a result. On one memorable occasion Kubrick strutted proudly into the room with a furious tree snake wrapped tightly around her head!

Now that things are moving along promisingly in the inside-cat-friendly department, I'm finding that my thoughts have been turning catwards. Initially-random browsing on Etsy has taken on a decidedly feline theme, and as a result, recently something lovely appeared at my door.

Images courtesy vaivanat.etsy.com 

This lovely grey cat bed was hand felted in Lithuania by VaivaNat, who makes all sorts of beautiful things from felt, including brooches and scarves and incredible animal-eared hats. I wished that she could have included her cat in with the parcel - the cat is called Maia, by the way.

It's simply a beautifully made thing, and I can thoroughly recommend. You might like to visit Vaiva's shop. There are some lovely photos of her in action at her felting studio here.

...

There was a Featured Seller on Etsy who really caught my eye a few weeks ago. Laura at le animalé makes miniature animal totems, jewellery and moleskine notebooks. You can also send her photographs of your pet and she will sculpt you a custom animal... which I did. I sent her some shots of Kubrick, we exchanged some emails discussing a potential pose, and I've been waiting with bated breath ever since.

Then yesterday, look what appeared on Laura's blog.

Images courtesy leanimale.com

I have to say, as soon as I scrolled down and saw that little wave in the tail, I knew that Laura had done a fabulous job. She has captured the essence of Kubrick perfectly! One of the things that I miss the most about Kuber was the way she would greet me when I came home. As soon as she heard me she would come out from whatever bush she'd been napping under, and walk towards me with her tail held high, the tip waving slightly from side to side with each step. She would delicately pick her way through the long grass and miaow every now and then. So lovely to come home to!


Now, I'll have this beautiful thing to remind me. The parcel hasn't arrived yet but I know I'm going to be delighted!

... on a little more painting.

My box of paints has been sitting out on my table for a few weeks now. Every so often my Prussian Blue will call out to me, and I'll paint some more clouds.

Then I accidently dripped some water on a fresh pageful of blue, which made a nice cloudy thing all by itself. I added rain.

Clouds, rain, Prussian blue and my new favourite: an old tube of Oxide of Chromium gouache - all very good for the soul.

... on things that are good for the soul.

A box of chickens came to live with me on the weekend. These four bustling swishing ladies with their feathers that come right down to the ground and make them look like they are wearing long full skirts are absolutely entrancing, even more so when they trot about and occasionally trip over their own feathered feet.
I could sit and watch them all afternoon!