Morning walk..

I have begun walking each morning to try and shift some of my spare tyre and at the end of my walk I say hello to this statue at the Buderim Craft Cottage....I really like it...

This lady holds up the sky or the rain or the sun, whatever is happening...

..next time I need to copy out what this is for...info on the plaque of course, which I have read but have also forgotten..

New journal

This is the handmade journal that I've kept for myself..I love playing around with old tapestries from the op shops...I have begun cutting random pieces out and just gluing them down..it works really well as they don't unravel at all..and the colours are often quite rich and varied.

Some of the pages I have started...at this stage I am mostly collaging with old pics and bits and pieces...I have no idea where most of these pages are headed but I don't really care either...I am truly enjoying the process...

Some photos of friends and family are sneaking in too...

Children's book pages used as wings...so cute..

Summer Rain..

Last post was about the heat and now it is raining and raining and its much cooler...we live on Buderim hill and the tv towers are up in the clouds today. It is a wet cold day perfect for snuggling up with a book and a cuppa...I have a cup of tea and the tennis is on...we are very cosy in here after spending an hour or so at the gym...and then buying a couple of Aussie pies at the bakery afterwards..sort of defeats the purpose of the gym as they are definitely not diet food..but yuuummy...

I am having my tea in a big beautiful mug from T2 which was a chrissie prezzie from Trudy two christmasses ago...it is a gorgeous sky blue with old fashioned pink roses along the inner rim...very feminine.

Well since I began writing this I have ventured out..I needed my raincoat, pretty umbrella, (thanks again Trudes) and my gumboots...there weren't many people out walking funnily enough but I loved it...cool and fresh and NOT HOT...I really don't enjoy the heat in our Australian summers so these cooler times are great.

The top pic is from our balcony...normally this view, past the trees in the garden, is of the ocean and in front of that all the housing down below us, but as you can see on days like this there is nothing to see....

Summer heat

First of all the photos from Sunday: You can see how excited we are about the walk..our incentive was knowing that at the end we would be heading off for a counter lunch..which is lunch at the local pub. Always good in Australia. (I needed to cover all my top part up after having the biopsy for skin cancer...scared the life out of me...)

About halfway along the walk...we didn't realize how far we needed to go to complete it...otherwise there wouldn't be so much glee...

34oC is our expected top temp today...I don't really mind it as long as I'm not out in the sun...I don't like air-conditioning but it really does get too hot inside without it...I have been out cleaning out the garage this morning and sorting a box of art materials...(read: junk..)..tipped out the spiders and saved what I really think I will use..(although probably won't) and the rest went into the garbage. It also seems to be the day to go through my clothing and toss out all the things which just hang around waiting for me to get a bit slimmer or taller..?? It feels good to sort out occasionally...for some reason going back to Canada has been on my mind even though it is 3 months away...maybe as it is a new year I'm thinking about it more. I have the feeling that I need to finish off any works in progress in my art, and not think about buying any more vintage books or paper etc to use...as it will all need to be stored anyway..Having said that, Laura asked me if I would like 2 bags of small canvasses and I had to say Yes! I have been selling some work out at Rosebed Street Gallery and they asked me again to take some out there yesterday so hopefully that will continue until I leave.

My goals this year are to speak up for myself more...so watch out...and to get fitter...I'm sore from the gym but will head back there this afternoon...I went on a 4km walk on Sunday with a group of friends which was fun but too hot..we started late in the morning...However I feel really good for having done it.

I am also feeling pretty grateful for my life at the moment as my close friend goes through a lot of pain and suffering with her cancer treatment...and I'm very grateful for my gorgeous kids and my friends...I know some people who don't have any contact with their children at all...

Woodford Folk Festival..

Looking down at the crowd watching the blues artists..

The people sitting on the ground are building onto the little pile of rocks in the centre..don't know what it is called but apparently by the end of the festival it is really high from everyone adding to it all week...they must bring rocks from home..lol..

Me, Zoe, Alex and my nephew Josh and his girlfriend Sarah..this is the 3rd year they have camped at the festival all week..obviously they love it..

Relaxing on the grass in front of the big tent listening to Colin Hay from Men at Work...

Al on stage in the children's tent...this band was fun...

And the Gubbi Gubbi dancers..we have seen them a couple of times now and really like them..the little boy was so cute..he was very conscientious about getting the steps of the dance correct...

These tiles met us as we arrived...aern't they gorgeous?