The Week in Pictures...

 

 

 

** At the start of the week we ventured out to a friend's property in search of firewood, and to get us out of the house for a few hours. It was sunny but the breeze was a little on the cool side. The land was barren - not a blade of grass. Normally at this time of year we would expect to see a gentle carpet of new green across the landscape, but this year the rains have been few and far between. However, we've our fingers crossed that with a negative Indian Ocean Dipole developing we'll be seeing an increase in the rainfall over the coming months.

 

** We did, however, get two full days of rain this week. In the end we received about 25mm in total, enough to sprout weeds rights through the garden and to rejuvenate the lawn. In the past two weeks the average daily temperature has also dropped by about 10 degrees Celsius, and the nights are slipping down to around 5 degrees with dew. But the fire is alight and inside the cottage it is toasty warm. It is my favourite time of year, perfect for snuggling under blankets with a hot cup of tea and a good book.

 

** The mail art project continues, which I dabble with in the evenings. I've developed an annoying habit of leaving things only half finished, which is why I tend not to have pictures to share every week. I'm focusing on catching up with my letter-writing at the moment, as in the past few weeks I have fallen terribly behind. The mountain of mail on my desk would be daunting even to the most seasoned correspondent, but I'll get there. Eventually.

 

The Week in Pictures...

 

** The seasons finally made a shift this week: Grey skies, a sprinkling of rain, cool cold southerly breezes, and damp, crisp mornings. It is my favourite weather. Such a shame there seems to be less of it every year.

** Bailey-dog had a haircut. I'm hoping he won't require another until the end of July. I find it's kind of mean to take away his insulation mid-winter.

** It was cold enough that we actually had to light the fire (combustion heating) to warm the house (and ourselves) back up. Nothing heats an old stone building like a raging fire. It's blissfully cosy. But of course there's no gradual changing of the seasons here, it just kind of happens. Like, overnight. It catches me by surprise each and every time.

** I've no pictures, but I spent the weekend sat by said fire, absorbed in the glittery wonderland of Eurovision (and nothing else). May would be incomplete without such cheesy pop classics. Did anyone else watch? Vote? Did your favourite song come out on top? I rooted for Ireland this year.




The Week in Pictures...

 

 

 ** Summer: It's like a houseguest that has outstayed its welcome.

Autumn: Missed the memo about turning up this year.

And I am so ready for it to be winter already, and yet the warm days continue. This past week drained every last ounce of energy I had left. It was simply too hot for May. And I had hay fever - in May. Then I was left disappointed by the promise of rain that never came to fruition. It's enough to send a girl batty.

 

** When you spend a lot of time, energy and money in trying to create a garden retreat for yourself in your own backyard, only to have it shrivel up and die, you kind of lose all motivation to do anything about it. Or, at least, that's how I've been feeling about our garden for the past four months, but this week I finally found the courage to pull out some books on growing Australian natives, because that's the only option we have left in order to avoid the dustbowl.

 

** We are still getting the odd eggplant in the veggie patch, which is now mostly overgrown with plants I've let go to seed. As soon as the eggplant stop producing, everything is getting ripped out so that I can start again. I suspect it shall be very therapeutic.

 

** I've spent a lot of my spare time lately escaping into the wonderful world of fiction. Books. Movies. TV. Make-believe is awesome.

 

** And for the first time in three weeks I sat down and made mail art that didn't end up in the bin. I'm putting it down to my brand new alphabet stampers, which I made Shane hunt for in BigW when he was there earlier in the week. I love them. The boy did good.

 

 

365 Mail Art Project: Weeks 29, 30 & 31

You'll have to forgive me.

For the past three weeks I've been completely oblivious to everything except Veronica Mars.

It's just one of those things that completely sucks me in and consumes all my time, each and every time I watch it.

If you've not seen it, you should.

 

But now, some mail art:

 

 

#108 of 365:

Queen Lizzie for Laura in Australia (soon to be England)...

 

 

#109 of 365:

A little teapot for Rusty in the USA...

 

 

#110 of 365:

Hey! Claire in Wales...

 

 

#111 of 365:

For Isabelle in Mexico...

 

 

#112 of 365:

And traversing the globe with Raquel in Sweden.