Autumn geometry

(Click on these - they look best big)

Angles and planes

  Curves

Southern Easter

Easter here in southern Australia is autumnal, and the late autumn rains end the bushfire season, bringing green back to the country.

Irena Sibley's children's book "The Easter Bilby" tells this beautifully.

In our family, we replace the chocolate rabbit with a chocolate bilby, hope of renewal and restoration.

Click on this to see the full picture.

Easter and Anzac Day

Easter and Anzac day came close together this year

Making quince jelly, setting up the Easter decorations, thinking about my Mum and my Dad who both came back after overseas service in the Pacific. Thinking about those who did not.

Cooking an Easter yum cha

This Easter we had hot cross buns and choccies but otherwise we were very untraditional.

The youngest decided he wanted a cooking class - and to start off in the advanced section making a yum cha for Easter. His father seized on this enthusiasm and they spent two days cooking. It was a great success.

And while they cooked all Good Friday, I went off and spent the day with friends making traditional quince paste from their many, many baskets of quinces. Their tree is prolific! I have a bowl of fruit to make into quince jelly sometime this week.

Mosaic

 Random mosaics of leaves and nuts and debris from summer lie everywhere now. I find a lot to enjoy.

 

Ballarat seems to have had a liking for public mosaic works. I've been told of a replica of the Queen's crown, which was demolished before I came here. There is the local 'curious' house covered with bits and pieces, the many tiled paths and entrance ways etc. I'm looking out for more since I found this Olympic beauty on a Yacht club wall.

 

Ballan has a fascinating little house and garden that was a cafe/art gallery until recently. Does anyone know of other mosaic work out in public around here? 

Walking the Lake

I stopped walking out and about for a while. I  lost my thermos, ran out of green tea and was overwhelmed with work (and other things). But on Monday I bought this new thermos -  $6 from Aldi!

I made some tea on Thursday and went out around the lake. 

This morning was my fourth walk around Lake Wendouree in four days.

Some swan families are almost grown up

and others are just starting off.

Linton

Linton may well be my favourite town hereabouts. You've got to love a town that loves its dog.

The streets are not long but they are a bit hilly and you can't quite see to the end.

It's small, and all the buildings are just the right size for the town.
The town hall is modest .

The public toilets were built with love, and are always kept spotless.

There are two places I could happily live in here, right on the main street in the centre of town. This front room would make the best study

and I fancy running this pub.

Golden Plains

 I took to the Golden Plains Arts Trail a couple of weeks ago. Lots of artisans/arts people opened their studios and workshops from Linton and Smythesdale through to Teesdale and Meredith and around Dereel and Garibaldi.  The generosity of the people who opened their work spaces for the day made it memorable.

This is the view from the Clyde Park Vineyard

 

I hadn't realised how cramped I was feeling until I sat down here and started to breathe in the space and light.

Neon flowers

As the light gets softer under the clouds and autumn haze I am gathering the brightest colours for my desk.

No need to cool things down now. Soon I may have to start wearing socks and shoes around the house.