Painting for the Soul

I haven't really done much painting, or very often. I thoroughly enjoy it, but I suppose it has always seemed to take a lot of space, set up and clean up, so I never get stuck in.

Part of the therapeutic process has been doing some painting - so I bought supplies, and used some of Mum's and the process has been very worth while. I think I will try to figure out a way to take some paints away with me where ever I go. There is something wonderful about putting (smearing, swooshing, gliding, dotting...) the texture of the viscose paint on to the texture of the paper, blending colour and creating or expressing something that way.

Knitting also continues, but I have noticed the difference between knitting therapy and paint therapy - the knitting as I do it is not as expressive as the painting. Excellent to have two mediums to use.

Sabbatical

Life has always been busy, but things have begun to get the better of me; emotionally and mentally, so I am taking a short sabbatical down south with Mum, and seeing a lady who might be able to get me back on track.



I spent a few days in Tassie before shooting back over here to the West, so I have some snaps to share form those days. I think I have spent more time on planes and in airports over the last few days than ever before! I return to work after the usual R&R time off, so it is mainly the next 5 days or so that I will be spending trying to sort myself out and get some direction and clarity. It makes me feel sick in my stomach, and I wish I could just wink out of existence rather than deal with these issues - isn't that an awful realisation to make of oneself - but there it is, and I can't so I'm going to be facing them and trying to sort things out this week.

1x1

Work is being awful - I can hardly stand it

Thankfully I am very muche njoying this knit - even if I only knit for half an hour on the bus each way in the morning, from camp out to site. In the mornings I use a headtorch to see (since we're off and away at 5am) so I can still utilise that time.

From the Air

I am still away at work, and still flat out - so there is little crafting to report, and no nice snaps to share.



I think I may have blogged these before - but especially the top one is so interesting with the painted colours of the Pilbara. The photo below is of Tasmania; so green!

I love taking snaps from the plane as we land or take off - once the seatbelt sign has been switched off of course...

colour - a quick post

So much colour* in the world!

This stunning flower is from a banana passionfruit. What a magnificent plant; so magical!


The beautiful rambling cottage garden outside Mum and Dad's accommodation provided much by way of colour, scent, and payground for the bees(both bumble bees and regular variety)!


And this fellow shows that not only flowers and plants provide glorious colours. Sunny is only a bubby, and soon he/she (gender not yet determined!) will have a vivd full plumage, gorgeous!

*For those international readers - I am not poorly educated; down here in Oz, it is 'colour' not 'color' :)

Walking by the River

We spent a lovely late afternoon walking along a nearby river. It has been very well set up with wonderful paths and foot bridges.

The 6km loop took us about 2 hours, pacing ourselves as Mum is still affected by the arthritis in her feet. We stopped here and there to admire a paritcular plant or nice spot along the path.


See the fabulous baordwalk on the other side of the river? Super fun - you walk down one side of the river for 3km, cross over a traffic bridge then walk back along the other baordwalk

We were hoping to see a platypus for Mum and Dad, and had high hopes since Skoot saw TWO last time he walked here. Alas, no little furry beaked critters popped their heads up out of the drink.


Another lovely outing spent with my loved ones in gorgeous surroundings :)

Garden Photos

A few snaps taken from our wee garden in the last few days before I flew out:

It is so interesting to see produce GROW in a garden - I hadn't realised it beofre but I never really thought about how some plants grow - brussel sprouts for example. So cute with their wee little sprouts by the main stalk. Determined and unstoppable cabbage moths have been munching down though, so it remains to be seen how many burssel sprouts we actually manage to harvest!


A gorgeous little flower - I don't know what this plant actually is though. Any ideas? The boy s have planted it some time but left the pot unmarked....? Very mysterious!


Magic beans!


Oooohh I love the full, juicy lanterns of the cape gooseberry :) All the berry plants have gone nuts lately with huge long tendrils snaking out across the garden from their pots - intrepid adventurers looking for new ground!