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...

 

 

** With each passing week it is feeling more and more like autumn, which is a relief since Indian Summers are frustratingly common. The mornings are cool and bright, the afternoon shadows long and the evenings are notably chilly. The autumn equinox (Mabon) passed on Thursday so now the days are becoming shorter and shorter.

 

** We are still receiving the odd hotter day (or two) every week where the daytime temperature will suddenly soar to the mid-30s (*C), but a series of much cooler days generally follows. We had thunderstorms and 2mm of rain fall in the early hours of Thursday morning; the lightning was so bright and the thunder so loud we would wake with the arrival of each new storm, of which there were 4 between the hours of 2am and 5am. These came from the same front that spawned the tornadoes in rural Victoria.

 

** During the summer months we live on a lot of salads and fresh fruit, but now that the weather is cooling we are craving roasts, fresh breads and soups. If you've not tried this recipe for roasted vegetable soup then you must: It is absolutely delish and an autumn/winter favourite in our house.

 

** Had a lovely book haul this week with the arrival of an order I placed prior to my birthday, plus the surprise arrival of a belated birthday gift from the lovely Nicki. I've already read one, am halfway through another and I'm itching to get to the final two. I look forward to the days when it is cold enough to sit by the fire and simply immerse myself in a book for hours on end.

 

** Bailey-dog is enjoying the cooler days also. Every morning I find him soaking up the sun's rays on the back deck, a look of perfect contentment on his sweet spoodle face.

 

 

I hope your week was just as pleasant?

The Week in Pictures...

** The week started as summer with hot days and humid nights, but by week's end it had morphed into autumn with cool, breezey days, bright orange sunsets and damp, dewey nights. Today it was only 11*C at 7.30am, a temperature we've not seen for at least four months and its sudden arrival gave us goosebumps. But that is what's so great about autumn: After months of seemingly endless heat you don't mind a bit of chill.

 

** We are eating the last of the summer fruits and veg (that which didn't die in the heat) whilst the weather forecast for the coming week only has one day above 35*C. Hopefully this means summer is well and truly drawing to a close for at least another 7 or 8 months, and we don't end up with an Indian Summer in May like we did last year. We pray for abundant, rejuvinating autumnal rains.

 

** Bailey-dog had his last "summer cut" this week. From now until next summer he'll only need a trim every 6 weeks or so. He's super cute all the time, but even more so with a bit of curl.

 

** Autumn has me unpacking my stampers and inks and decorating all sorts of items in the red, yellow, orange and brown of autumn leaves. This month I am taking part in the Love Notes Postcard Project and sent out my first postcard on Friday to J in Melbourne.

 

** I continue with the mail art, although this week I had to undertake a shopping trip to stock up on pens as I was officially penless. I think I've bought enough to last the next two months, but I have a terrible habit of scattering my pens throughout the house and then forgetting where I've put them, so when I need them I don't know where they are.

 

** I've been quiet on the blog these past couple weeks whilst I work on a novel critique and complete assignments for my editing course. I have many things to write about but just struggle to find the time at the minute, but I'm hoping the critique will be finished by the middle of this week. That should free up some time.

 

** Oh, and Happy Saint Patrick's Day! I hope your day is wonderfully green.



The Week in Pictures...

** Although it was a busy week with much to pass the time, there is only one thing you need to know: IT RAINED. It fell non-stop from 8am until 8pm on Wednesday. Nothing torrential, just 20mm or so, but it was absolute bliss regardless. We opened all the windows and doors and let the fresh, cool breeze flow through the house and enjoyed the sound of raindrops on our hot tin roof.



The Week in Pictures...

 

 

** This week was all about fruit: Nectarines, figs, rockmelon, plums and peaches. I've had them all! I have a basket of white figs in the fridge, kindly donated by my mum, and I am trying to decide whether I should stew them so they can be enjoyed with baked custard, or simply make some jam (only the best jam in the world, I should add). That is, of course, assuming I don't eat them all first because I can't help but grab a handful everytime I go to the fridge.

 

** It was another week of H-O-T and I think Bailey-dog is as fed up with the scorching summer weather as I am. To keep himself entertained, Bailey has taken to spying on the dog across the road: She's only a puppy and gets into the greatest mischief. Every now and then she'll trot over to our place to say hello, which puts Bailey into a right tither!

 

** A big shout out to everyone sending letters this month! InCoWriMo is in full swing and although I'm not participating myself (I think it's quite obvious I don't really need to dedicate a month to sending mail), I am making a concerted effort to catch up on my correspondence instead. But I really enjoy seeing what everyone else is sending, so if you are participating in InCoWriMo please leave a comment and link to your place on the web - I'd love to follow your progress.

 

 

The Week in Pictures...

 

 

** It was a pretty uneventful week, despite the burst of cooler weather.

 

** I reorganised and sorted and cleaned.

 

** I came down with an ear infection. I could put up with the fever, the lethargy and the general ickiness, but I could not handle the pain. I didn't complete any of the mail art pieces I started because I spent most of my time on the lounge watching nothings on television and feeling sorry for myself.

 

** I finished one fantastic book and started another.

 

** I whittled away an afternoon in the kitchen after an electricity blackout (hurray for gas cooking!) and made tomato soup, herb foccacia, and preserved eggplant in oil.

 

** Shane had work in Port Germein so the Bailey-dog and I tagged along and went for a splash on the beach. The tide was out - perfect for a certain Spoodle that cannot swim, although he still managed to dive head-first into one of the creeks (estuary?) after misjudging its depth. He got a mouthful of sea water and splashed his way back to the bank. Funniest thing I ever saw.

 

 

The Week in Pictures...

 

** I traded cupcakes for a bathroom reno. Ha! I wish! Although, I did make plenty of butterfly cupcakes whilst the tradies were here. Those babies go down a treat.

 

** I found some stewed quandongs in the freezer (last year's pick) so I took them out and made Wild Peach Pie. As I was feeling generous I let Shane and his mum also have a piece each. I ate the rest.

 

** I took my first bubblebath in four years, although I didn't pick the best day: It was humid and I found sitting in a steaming bath to be a little suffocating after about 20 minutes. On the upside, the water didn't go cold!

 

** It was stupidly hot the past week and looks to repeat the week ahead. At this stage the BoM is predicting we'll be celebrating sweating Christmas Day in style with temperatures in the mid-40s (degrees Celsius) and possible thunderstorms. I'd much rather be snowed in.

 

** Sign that it's almost Christmas #1: The agapanthus have begun to bloom!

Sign that it's almost Christmas #2: Apricots on the tree, almost ripe enough to pick but not quite. Give it a few days (this is what I keep telling myself despite the fact that I'm so impatient I've been eating them half green. They still taste pretty amazing, though).

 

** One of the great things about having a garden is pretty little surprises like venturing down to the vegie patch and finding the leeks (which didn't grow big enough to pick) in flower.

 

How was your week?

The Week in Pictures...

** This week started hot and ended hot. I had hoped it'd be another few weeks before we'd be subjected to the persistent heat, but clearly Summer has other ideas. When the heat reaches its peak you will find us inside. In the dark. With the air conditioning on. I always find the first string of consecutive hot days to be particularly exhausting and it can take me a few weeks to adjust, and whilst I can get used to it I simply cannot, ever, enjoy it. That's right, people: I think summer sucks the big one.

 

 ** The heat does provide the perfect opportunity to catch up on all those little inside tasks that tend to be put on the backburner whilst the weather is pleasant and days can be spent outside, in the garden. I cannot wile away the daylight hours watching television, though, as it makes me feel unproductive, so instead I've been getting in a bit of reading, which does not make me feel unproductive at all.

 

** Bailey-dog doesn't much like the hot days, either. If the mornings are cool enough I'll open the doors and windows to let the breeze flow through and Bailey will take his place at the front door, keeping a keen eye on the neighbours and any passersby.

 

** Despite the hot weather, Shane and his dad decided to get started on the bathroom renovations. For the moment the room has its bones laid bare but tomorrow will get a new skin. It's messy work, time-consuming and inconvenient. It doesn't help when the local freight company loses the last shipment of goods, either, but I'll leave that story for another day - perhaps the day when there is a happy ending.

 

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** If you are a particularly perceptive person you would have noticed that there is now a link called Shop at the top of my blog, under the banner. You see, this week I decided to open my very own Etsy store of original photography. Nothing flashy, but at present listings include landscape photographic prints and postcards. I didn't want to make a big fuss about it because it is very much a small deal, but at the same time I figure I should mention it, even if it is just in passing. Whilst I don't expect it to be the enterprise of the century, I'll be absolutely over the moon if something sells. Also, if you are an Etsy seller or buyer please feel free to add me to your Circle - I'd really appreciate it.