Summer daze

Hot

Sleepy

Dog

Monster skin

I like this monster skin chair, created by Joshua Ben Longo of Sew Many Things:

It was painstakingly upholstered in felted cashmere and wool - lovely!

Patience, patience, patience ....

Looking for work

♫ ... in all the wrong places ...? ♪ ♫

 

 

 

 

Our funding application for a summer research project was unsuccessful, so I'm looking for work to tide me over until semester starts at the end of February. Not so keen on the idea of returning to an office job, but I guess it's OK if it's only for 6 weeks or so.

You know I'd rather be doing this:

Just because ...

.

... it's so-o-o-o cheesy!

Little things

Recently I've been thinking a lot about small things that can make a big difference ....

While I was friendly with several neighbours at our last address, it's been wonderful discovering an even greater sense of community in our new street. Just four weeks after we moved in I realised that already knew more than 25 people from our street, most of whom had introduced themselves with words of welcome as I worked out the front, setting up house.

I've felt really at home from the start; as I walk our dog or potter in the garden I can always say hi to someone I know, and it's nice being greeted with cheerful smiles each day.  In the past week various neighbours have given us a bottle of wine, some fresh tomatoes, and a plate of delicious home-baked Greek biscuits (cookies). On Christmas day I opened our letter box to find another unexpected gift ... fresh figs from our next-door neighbours' tree.

This street is fab!

Oh yes - to top off a good week, we enjoyed an added treat today:
when we took Gus swimming at the local waterhole we found some plum trees in an abandoned orchard, fruiting magnificently. The little plums, bursting with sweetness, glowed like Christmas decorations in the warm summer sunshine. I picked several handfuls and skipped with joy at having found a surprise harvest in such an unlikely place.

* sigh! *

Life can be so good when you treasure the small things.

(fig pic from here)

Greetings!

Best wishes everyone, for a safe and happy end to the year.

Baking hot!

..... I'm not quite sure what possessed me to do Christmas baking on a 41° day (106° F) , but yesterday I managed to whip up lots of goodies for my neighbours. I had plans for many more but had to stop when the dough (and I!) started melting.

I bought a new rolling pin 'cause I couldn't find my old one. The manufacturers had labelled it as a 'Movable Stick'. I'm going to call it that from now on..... "Honey!! Have you seen my movable stick?!?! I need to make some more dough and I must find a stick that can be moved!!!".

 

I also printed up some Christmas cards using the stamps I made last year.

 

Tonight we'll have a small family dinner with my sister and mum. It's the first Christmas since my dad died and his absence wrenches my heart. I deeply miss his sparkling humour, his generous spirit and his quietly adventurous stories.

I guess a new year is approaching, and I'm looking forward to finding out what new experiences await me ....

Don't you dare.

(- the choice of unwise men at Christmas)

A pause

With only a couple of days until Christmas, the sewing and baking action in my house has intensified. A quiet coffee break in the afternoon sunshine helps me take stock and plan my next move ...

Oh Joy!

Pretty things, found via Oh Joy!:

- lovely metallic blue bird print from office

- leafy embellishments by anu tuominen

- colourful greeting card cutout kits from Karolin Schnoor

Masterpiece theatre

I just love exploring the countless beautiful, creative ideas that are flourishing out there in blogland ...

Lesley from Words and Eggs pointed me to the Masterpiece Theater by Wilhelm Staehle. I've long been a fan of his "Hi/Bye" greeting card

but I hadn't yet come across his Victorian Emporium or his many other silhouetted gems. Here are a few for your enjoyment:

Monochrome

.... soft greys from our travels: