Catching Up

Time to get blogging and catch up with everyone! The kids are back at school now and the weather has been stormy with the humidity climbing every time the sun tries to peek out from the clouds. Jess the Border Collie and I have been going for nice long walks, but have had to cancel a couple due to the torrential rain we've had lately. Dams are filling up nicely though. Max and I have been enjoying evenings sitting on the front porch after dinner by citronella candlelight. Soon Autumn will chase us inside again, so we are making the most of it.

Cleaning out my garage a couple of weeks ago launched me into serious Spring Cleaning mode. I have managed to find more stuff to throw/give away, the latest being our old BBQ which finally gave up the ghost on Sunday. I've been washing curtains, cleaning windows, moving furniture, organising cupboards, sweeping and dusting. Thanks to all the rain the garden has been growing before our very eyes and so lots of pruning, weeding and mowing, potting up plants that have sprouted seemingly out of nowhere. Today I planted some succulents in a trough style pot which hangs from a wall on our deck. I have not been able to grow anything successfully in this spot but I am hopeful that these tough little guys will make it.

When I let myself stop for a cup of camomile and spearmint tea, I have been dipping into a fantastic book from my favourite genre 'magical realism', called 'Sun Dog' by Monique Roffey. It's about a young, pale-skinned, red-haired man raised in a hippie commune, who works in a delicatessen in London. He begins to develop a frost and sprout buds on his body. One Amazon reviewer calls it "A glorious collision of the mundane and the supernatural". The descriptions of all the gorgeous deli food - the fresh breads, cheeses flown in from France, sausages from Italy, olives, caviar, pickles and jams - has had my stomach rumbling and longing for a picnic basket to put all this lovely food into! The writing is superbly sensual and I'm loving the characters.

I have a painting going at present but have been too busy to give it my full attention this week. Rain is forecast again tomorrow so it might be a good day to stay inside and paint. Happiness is..... :)