HEAT IN THE HOLIDAYS

Happy Unexpected Early Summer to all Australians!

It has been 35-38c here this week, a record for September in the Springtime.

And not a record we are thrilled to achieve...

I keep gazing at my new blue porcelain shell -

inspired by the new curtains...

A pair of rare King Parrots visited.

They are so shy, I had to take my pictures through the screen door, then the sound of the shutter frightened them away. 

Peace

Little Aussie has been here, enjoying the school holidays...

Gladiator Exhibition, Queensland Museum

Little Aussie Gladiator...

Dug the broken sundial out of the plaster block faster than I could take a 'before' picture...

Checking it out in the sunshine to see if it works.
So far, so good.

Lego gladiators in a Lego Colosseum ... 
 disappointed we did not have enough white Lego!

Grow your own Coral kit...

Aussie loves the finished effect -
and painted his own little picture of it.
I think the boy tends towards the abstract....

These Crucifix orchids have gone mad in the heat - 
three weeks ago they were dismal...

'Under the Jacaranda' Godfrey Rivers, QAG

Jacaranda season has arrived, early, and purple is bursting out all over Brisbane.

The new hang of the Australian Collection opens this weekend at QAG.
You will love it..

Have a good weekend
XXXXX

JONQUILS

Greetings from the Red Cardinal nest.

Life has been busy, and Springtime is flying by..

Jonquils have bloomed in our daffodil garden,

and friends came for lunch bringing me a wonderful bouquet, just stunning.

We celebrated Springtime in the garden....

Dad's orchid was duly admired - next year, Six Fronds!

My dear friend D gave me this lovely vintage bowl - 

Springtime Perfection...

It is countdown time: in three month we fly to Canada for Christmas.

The little grandsons are enjoying Fall, when it appears the apples do just that...

Naturally, we are looking for a White Christmas -

Fingers crossed...

I joined a new choir for Ladies of a Certain Age:

Have been to a few rehearsals, and so far, so good.

It's been lovely re-connecting with many friends from my old choir which closed last year.  There is a uniform:  a shirt in a plain, bright colour, worn with black.

I made this from a small length of silk from the stash:

These tiny orchids are stalwarts -
they appear every year, demand no maintenance, and are wired onto a post!

A bit of rain would be nice for all the other plants -
it's been dry for weeks as Summer moves in on us.

Australian wild ducks, on my daily walk..

Irene Entata, Australia, b.1946, Arrernte/Luritja people 'ALBERT AND REX PAINTING' 2003. QAG.

Indigenous artist Irene Entata, lived as a child at Hermannsburg Mission in Central Australia.  In her paintings, she remembers those times fondly and joyously paints the beautiful MacDonnell Ranges and the abundant flora and fauna of the area.

Entata remembers seeing the famous aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira [1902-59] when she was a small child, and here depicts the early years of the Namatjira story.  A veteran of World War 1, artist Rex Battarbee, travelled by camel on a number of expeditions to paint the beauty of the inland.  On his 1936 visit to Hermannsburg he met Namatjira who asked for tuition in watercolour painting, in return offering to act as 'camel boy'.

Namatjira learnt quickly, and in a few years surpassed his teacher.
I will tell his story in another post.  
Entata's painting is very detailed - look at the trees at the bottom centre and left - what appear to be pink flowers are in fact a famous Australian bird, the Galah:

Have a good week.

XXXX