Musings

Apples, Cherries, and Toby the Cat

I still find it difficult to believe that I have an apple tree and a cherry tree in the garden. How wonderful is that? Last year they were still settling in, so we saw no fruit but this year, well, there are tons of baby buds, so I have my fingers crossed that they'll make it ...

Apple buds!!

and baby cherries :)

I thought I had managed to kill of last year's Lily-of-the-Valleys, but they seem to have travelled well in their little bus, and here they are all green and waiting to bud forth.

I had to add a photo of Toby the cat, who has found his summer perch as King-of-our-little-castle. Cheers!

 

Garden Birds, Bees, Blossoms & Buds

The garden is a joy at the moment. Everything is springing to life and I have my fingers crossed that we don't encounter unexpected frosty nights.

So I had to share. The first photograph is of the birds who are daily enjoying the seed balls I have up on the tree. Not sure if you can see them too clearly, can you count them? The rest of the photos are of bees, blossoms and baby buds from the cherry tree, apple tree, lemon, strawberry and tomato plants.

 

Summer Living & Animal Friends

Just a few images of our outdoor summer living and the friends we meet on our walks ...

We're having a bit of a 'false summer' here with temperatures up to 26 degrees. Enjoying it while it lasts! Cheers.

Star Jasmine & Market Stalls

Planted last year, the star jasmine is now full of gorgeously scented small flowers, and the strawberries behind it are showing off what temptingly red fruit is left after my snack. It's hot. I've an old friend staying over and we've just had a lovely shady lunch in the village and I'm ready for my siesta.

Here are photos of some of the stalls at the Friday markets. Enjoy.

  
 

Strawberries & Roses

I have a guest over, so the first thing we did was go shopping for food and she bought a huge box of strawberries. We're still making our way through them. Delicious.

I'm still trying to balance work and Real Life. It's not easy dragging myself away from the computer but the brilliant sunshine helps, so I've spent a bit of time puttering about in the garden. Here's a shot of my new peach coloured roses:

And my new finds from the local supermarket:

Aren't they quite gorgeous? Dented, aged, adorable. They'll be replanted with herbs soon and I'll tuck them into corners in the garden.

I love warm weather, I'm a hot-weather person (unlike my sister who would be comfortable living in Alaska!) and thrive in it. As I walk around the garden and watch the plants unfurl and bloom, everything within me responds with great joy. The winter hermit-self is preparing to emerge into the bright world ... well, at least the dogs will appreciate the daily walks. Cheers!

First Outdoor Lunch

I started last week off with a cold, tucked under a blanket on the sofa, a blank mind and magazines and the menagerie for company. Not happy.

Then two days later we had visitors and the sun was out and it was gorgeous. Healed by good company and the lovely weather, I turned into a semi-Domestic Goddess (extremely unusual to say the least) and produced a lateish lunch that, for the first time this year, we enjoyed out in the garden. Simple: roast chicken, salad, brown rice, liberally sprinkled with sunlight. Glorious.

Please excuse the already-chopped into chicken, as I of course thought of taking photographs only after it was sliced into. Still, it turned out quite delicious and the meal thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing, so much so that the visitors decided to remain for an extra night. Perhaps the weather was more to blame for that.

I did try to take the rest of the week off in order to do absolutely nothing and allow inspiration to somehow seep through, but ended up working after all. I may have to face the fact that I'm addicted ... to my art, online stores, zazzle ... yes, work. Am hoping to find a way of balancing it with Real Life -- not sure yet if it's at all possible, but will update as new discoveries, if any, are made. Cheers.

Spring Blossoms & Bees

 
This is what we are seeing on our walks. Almond blossoms and buzzing bees.

 

Over the winter I bought an apple tree and a cherry tree. Last week they came alive:

It's that time of the year. Gorgeous.

My life this past year has been full. I am far too embarassed to note the amount of time that has passed since I last blogged. No excuse really. Except that work has been thoroughly enjoyable but extremely time-consuming. Still, I do have to finally look around me and notice that the sun is out and bright, the breeze is cool as opposed to icy, and that birds are chirping and bees are buzzing ...

So this post is a short reintroduction and re-emergence into personal cyberspace. To anyone who might still be reading this, cheers!

Exhausted but Content

The above photo was taken on one of the rare moments in Kuala Lumpur (KL for those of you not in the know) where I was able to actually sit still and breathe while waiting for friends to join me for a coffee. Just before a dental appointment if I remember correctly.

It's been chaotic. It's always good to return home, especially to see the family and friends I've missed, but two weeks just isn't enough time in which to catch up AND run around to complete all the chores and errands on my Malaysian To-Do list.

Here are photos of my mum's garden ... more inspiration for my senses and drawings. I didn't have any time in KL to pick up pencils so had to wait till I got back to France and, here, I was finally able to flick through the photos and get some badly needed therapy with the heliconia drawing I eventually produced.

Of course I arrived back in a state of complete exhaustion and then promptly caught a cold. I hate being sick, so am fighting a losing battle with my body as it's insisting I get some rest and stop working. I may eventually have to listen! It is good to be back home in France where the colours may be less vibrant but the air is full of soft, clear light. Now, what should I draw next? ...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR
to Everyone!

I'm finally getting a chance to lie back and relax and do absolutely nothing today: my Christmas wish! I've done so much the past few weeks I can barely believe it's done, or almost :) Most of my furniture, clothing and clutter is gone, either to wonderful friends who will give them a new home or to charity stores. It was difficult to let go of certain things but it eventually became a relief, I feel so much lighter.

I've booked my ticket, travel for the dogs, shipping for the few things I have left to take with me ... and am now looking for rentals in France so that I can settle in and explore once I get there. I have wonderful friends helping me out -- I wouldn't be able to do it without them, or at least it would be far far more difficult and stressful without their help. They are my angels, truly.

Back here my garden is going completely wild as I have disgracefully ignored it for the last few weeks, but it insists on keeping busy and today, for the second time, I picked tons of green and purple beans, tomatoes and huge yellow and 'black' zucchinis as well as the couple of eggplants (or aubergines if you wish!) that I've taken a photograph of as I'm planning to draw them later today. It's far easier to draw from a photograph as then I have no problem with moving shadows and light!

And some wonderful, uplifting and encouraging news: The Northern Rivers Writers' Centre, where I've been volunteering since I first arrived in Byron Bay almost two years ago (oh my, almost exactly two years how time flies) have published this in their latest newsletter:

I feel so incredibly honoured I'm pretty speechless. I have so enjoyed working at the Centre, they are all such lovely people that it was more fun than anything else helping out with whatever was on hand, and it's such a shame that I have to leave. Thank you Kaley, Jeni, Susie, Bek, Jill and Muriel!

And to top it off, one of my ATCs was featured at ATC Quarterly, a lovely magazine for the creative artists who work in the ATC format. How cool is that? It's the cake ATC on the very bottom left-hand corner.

All this would already make for a lovely Christmas, but I have also been asked for the image of one of my illustrations, "Femme Fatale" (look for it toward the bottom of the page), to be featured on a new and cool website featuring Marlene Dietrich, a true honour as am surrounded by some excellent artists. Thank you Nick!

I couldn't have asked for a better way of saying goodbye to 2007. I am counting my blessings furiously. I've worked hard this year and am proud to say that I think I've improved at my art though there's still huge room for improvement, and that is my resolution for the coming year: to keep working and learning and experiencing Art and Life at its best and worst!

Wishing all of you a FANTASTIC NEW YEAR!

In the garden

Today was clean-up day at home. Time to get the dust and mess that seems to accumulate much too rapidly, out and away. It's wonderful having a clean house ... all that scrubbing leads to a clean mind. We did the deck too and I took advantage of the as-yet cool weather to get out into the garden and do a huge trim and clear. Ron was here earlier in the morning to mow the front and back and it looked completely different, so green and sweet. I tackled the dead leaves and branches on the veggies and ended up having to get a basket from indoors to place all the fruits of my labour into ... tomatoes, beetroot (white), zucchini (including two that had turned large enough to be called marrows), beans and mild banana chillies. The cucumbers are still too small. Best catch of the day was the watermelons. Naturally they decided to ripen all at the same time so we now have three huge ones. Here are the photos:

It's just so utterly satisfying to pick vegetables from the garden that has been tended to so lovingly for months. Yummy, we're already discussing how to cook everything though I think the next-door neighbours are going to get some of those zucchini and a watermelon tomorrow! I apologise for boring those who just aren't interested in gardening -- now excuse me while I decide which veggies to cook up for dinner!