Letting go....

My gorgeous girl leaves next week to fly away with her man Tommy to go and live in Europe for a few years...I will really miss her...she and I are wonderful friends and that makes me really happy and grateful but of course sad too as I'm not sure when I will see her again. Don and I plan to go over and visit them in Holland next year so hopefully that will come about. Trudes is coming up here for a few days before she goes and we will go to Brissie for their farewell party on the weekend...so its not happening quite yet. I do get teary every now and then though and need to remind myself of what a good thing they are doing for themselves and what a great adventure they are about to embark upon...

I have been following lots of art blogs lately finding so much to inspire me with my art. I was really brave this week and entered a piece in an exhibition at a small and beautiful art gallery where I took a few classes recently. It is called Rosebed St Gallery in Eudlo and the link to their website is on my favourites list of blogs here. I had decided that I would not pre-judge my piece but had to enter it as I've never done this before. So I sent it off on Monday then realized that I was actually a day late but they accepted it anyway...all the artists will be notified next week of acceptance or not. For me it is the fact that I'm having a go and if it is accepted that will be another matter. I don't expect anything. The photo above is a detail...I made 2 hearts of barbed wire..rusted..with a recycled fabric vine and embroidered details and ribbon roses wrapping them...the theme was 'Resilience' and mine was surrounding the inner strength of the human heart and nature...Don helped me with the name which is 'Wounded Heart'.

This is a photo Trudy took in our place a few months ago...a couple of old jars with flowers sitting on my red cedar table...which I will be selling hopefully soon...I have decided my furniture needs to go as storing it while we are in Canada doesn't make much sense..I have let go of these things emotionally now and know it is a good thing. And Canada is full of cute old furniture which I am going to buy...not all of it maybe but something!!

Magical Monday...my good life..

Typical Aussie dam...smallish manmade...this was a very quiet peaceful spot at the nursery

Sandra laughing as usual...she finds life funny....

Leonie contemplating a blade of grass...we had a perfect sunny afternoon...

Looking very ladylike...

And us in the restaurant...Sandra not wanting this photo...she gave in gracefully though...

I spent Sunday at the Suitcase Rummage sale again with Trudes in Brisbane. It was her last one before she heads off overseas to travel and live for a while so she had lots of clothing and books and things to get rid of. It was a big market this time in terms of stallholders but we were able to grab a good spot on one of the benches which we think is better than down on the ground...it seems to make it easier for people to go through everything and is a little bit more inviting when they don't have to be bending down to ground level. Trudy sold at least half of what she took so that was excellent...it was another interesting market day with all the shopping crowd...I love it as the fashions are so out there...not really fashions as such more peoples' individuality coming out which I enjoy a lot more.

Monday I travelled home by train which I also love...the Sunshine Coast part of the trip is through the bush and past pineapple farms and some of the Glasshouse Mountains - gorgeous. Don picked me up and we headed home for a while before I took off again to Yandina, about 20 minutes north by car. I was meeting Leonie and Sandra for lunch at Fairhill Nursery, out in the country at the end of a little winding road.

The nursery itself is huge and full of birds singing in the trees. I was early so chatted to the nursery man about what a beautiful place it was to work in and he told me that the birds come down each afternoon and swim and wash in the big bird bath out in the centre of the nursery. They will build their nests in some of the bigger plants necessitating signs to let customers know that for a while those plants are not for sale.

After lunch we walked through the gardens and around the dam to sit on a bench and lie in the sun for an hour or so. Lots of talking happened of course and laughter too.

Sandra hates having her photo taken so the formal photo of the 3 of us has her with eyes closed...but I was able to snap a couple of cute pics of her later. Leonie thinks photos are overrated so just ignored me I think...at least she smiled for the camera...

My life is still pretty good.

Canada Day

Well a few people here knew about Canada Day, especially after we told them! We didn't have any fireworks here just a quiet nite with a friend over for dinner but we thought about you Canada...xoxo