In my home.

This painting was an attempt at a traditional subject (teacups and saucers) using a modern method...I had a lot of fun with it. Its actually a lot more colourful but difficult to get a good photo.

I have an 'altar' at the front door...it is intended to protect the people in this home and I have this angel above, the small buddhist statue in front of her from Thailand via Trudy and Tom and a large wooden Buddha which was my mum and dads' and must be about 50 years old...will post a photo of him soon. Also on the altar is this little doll from Japan I have had since I was a girl...It is also a repository for any natural elements I find out in the world...eg rocks, leaves, seedpods etc. I have a feather tree in place at the moment.

And my birthday roses from Don. I love them...

Beach Treasures

I scrounged along the beach the other day and found these little treasures...above are some spines from a sea urchin...I have never seen so many in one place. I plan to sew them into embroideries...I like the sound they make when the knock together...very 'shelley' and sort of bell-like.

Some more embroidery bits and pieces...all ready with holes to attach them.

A shell I had to have and heart rocks all along the beach...

These are little rounded bits of coral I think, with funny markings...they remind me of game markers of some sort.And I took these photos with my new birthday camera!! It is great and I love it.

Trudy's last stay before flying away...

Here she is in bed...the last morning here...I love spoiling my kids and breckie in bed is one of the ways I can do that when they stay. We had the nicest couple of days... pizza nite at Al and Zoe's and lunch with Al on Tuesday and then all of us together that afternoon at home..although poor old Zoe was unwell...but new shoes from Alex may have helped her mood..He bought them while we went shopping for books for Trudes for the plane. When Trudy finally left here on Wednesday morning I said that we were only saying goodbye until Brisbane which was her initial destination..but still cried. I will certainly miss both Trudes and Tom but I'm also pretty excited for them and proud that they would have the courage to leave their jobs and pack everything up and sell up and head off on such a huge adventure. And next year we hope to visit from Canada. So again life is pretty good..

Pizza nite at Al and Zoes'....

Al and Zoe's cute little flat...Alex relaxing before making homemade pizzas..including the bases...they are not visible in this pic but there were 2 bowls of pizza dough rising in the doorway in the sun all afternoon.....

These were growing out the back near the clothesline...and they needed to be inside..in an old jar...

The homemade pasta sauce by Erin...decorated with an edible flower...so pretty! The flower was a broccoli blossom...

And Al holding the other jar of sauce...with the nasturtium flower peeping out.

Hard at work in his kitchen..he made 8 pizzas and we ate them all...

Sophia, Zoe and Trudy deep in conversation and ignoring the camera...

Some of the finished product...it must have been later in the nite as they are still on the plate...no photos of Don, me or Erin...oh well...it was a fun nite...very relaxed.