Monday, April 1, 2019

THE TIME OF THE BUNNY




Hello there


At last!  We have some cooler, Autumnal weather...
The temps have been down to 13c in the morning, and stay under 30c maximum. 



I can't begin to describe how much joy this brings to my mind and soul, after the Hottest Summer Ever Known, in South East Queensland...


The garden is rejoicing, and in a few days I have managed to coax some flowers into bloom...


Two or three days of rain and storms is enough to bring the green to the land and grass to our brown and beaten lawns..





I have the herb pot in business again, and have bought this little owl to guard things...


from these cheeky chaps.  Just look what they did:


They are not interested in food, just playtime and destruction..



The lorikeets, of course, are the Good Guys, and never attack the plants..


Our spirits revived by the turn in the weather, we Cardinals flew off to The Theatre..


This is the Greek inspired set for a new play, Hydra, by Sue Smith...



It is the story of two of my literary heros, Australian writers George Johnston and Charmian Clift, who left post-war Australia for London, and then the islands of the Aegean where they bought a house and established something of an artistic, bohemian colony.  




George Johnston is well-known to generations of Australian students as the author of the semi-autobiographical My Brother Jack, often described as the Great Australian Novel.


This book was co-written with Clift, during the years on Hydra.
Here are the real-life Johnston and Clift banging away on their typewriters while sampling the local produce..


I always loved Charmian Clift's writing, particularly a newspaper column she wrote after their return to Australian in the 1960s.

Over the past two weeks I re-read her books Mermaid Singing and Peel me a Lotus, in preparation for seeing the play.

Clift shopping on Hydra with son Martin
I was so thrilled when it opened with her words, beautiful evocative descriptions of the sea and the elements in their Hydra paradise.

Anna McGahan as Clift brought her back to life beautifully.



In other news, Happy Milestone Birthday to my cousin J.
This cake, made by her daughter, was as delicious as it is beautiful.

What a lovely afternoon we had.


Her garden is fantastic, full of beautiful orchids and ferns..


Have a beautiful week


XXXX

Meantwhile, over in Canada, the Easter Bunny was seen checking on our grandsons...







24 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. Dear Patricia - I can well imagine how you feel with the pleasant temperatures you are enjoying now, I could happily live with that all the year round.
    Seeing the snow and the bunny reminds me that a Canadian blogger was moaning to me this week that they had just had another snow fall this week.
    There no pleasing any of us where weather is concerned?
    What a lovely cake your cousin's daughter made for her birthday.

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    1. I could happily live with our Autumn/Spring weather all the time too :) It is so good to see some flowers and a bit of rain.
      Canada certainly has had a lot of snow - extremes at both ends of the world. No pleasing us, and they are very tired of trudging through the snow. They will be wishing for a Spring like that in Dorset!

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  3. Are those naughty birds cockatoos? They really did a job on your pot - makes one so mad after all the work, and expense!
    Beautiful cake- must have been hard to cut into it and spoil the design.

    Not familiar with those authors but you make them sound exciting - I will have to look for their books.

    Yes, lovely to see 'gardens rejoicing' from the rains - we are expcting some more tomorrow but as were doing that big heating/cooling project today, tomorrow, and Wed. I'm hoping it will just be light showers!

    Mary -

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    1. Yes, naughty cockatoos. They are also very funny, and can be easily taught to speak.
      Good luck with your big heating/cooling project - you will be set for perfect indoor weather from now on. Hope you garden enjoys the rains, light showers are beautiful.

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  4. Are those naughty birds cockatoos? They really did a job on your pot - makes one so mad after all the work, and expense!
    Beautiful cake- must have been hard to cut into it and spoil the design.

    Not familiar with those authors but you make them sound exciting - I will have to look for their books.

    Yes, lovely to see 'gardens rejoicing' from the rains - we are expcting some more tomorrow but as were doing that big heating/cooling project today, tomorrow, and Wed. I'm hoping it will just be light showers!

    Mary -

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  5. Hi Patricia...
    So lovely to see your beautiful blooms...getting very anxious here for some warmer weather...
    Those birds are rascals...but very pretty....
    Enjoy your week...
    Cheers!
    Linda:o)

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    1. I am sure you are keen for warmer weather, especially as you are such a talented gardener. Your gorgeous Spring must be just around the corner. I was surprised to see the bunny picture in DD's backyard - clearly a lot of snow still hanging about. Cheers.

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  6. Hello Trish, loving the cooler weather too! Your garden blooms are so cheery and those cockles are so very naughty! Glad you enjoyed your visit to the theatre. That is a wonderful looking cake. Happy birthday to your cousin xx

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    1. Hi Michelle, what's not to love about cooler weather?
      The garden perks up just as we do, and I have planted lots of bulbs this weekend. The flowers on the cake were just gorgeous, so much talent. xx

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  7. We are having endless spring rain here but as you say, everything greens up nicely. I kept looking for the bunny as I read through you post... and there it is! In the Canadian snow. Well, a bunny has to do what a bunny has to do. Hope it warms up for him before Easter.

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    1. Ha, those little boy rascals in Ottawa have to be good if the bunny is to call on Easter Sunday :)
      Some April showers and warmer temperatures would be excellent for the Easter break. I am sure they are tired of playing indoors.

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  8. You know Trish, Easter is one of my favorite holidays. I love how it has not gotten commericial yet has stayed a family oriented holiday over a Sunday dinner. I love the sunny longer daylight, the flowers that bloom, the bright pastel colors of Easter, the hard boiled colored eggs (snacks!) and of course, the chocolate! It's a time to also think about how perseverance overcomes adversity, but it's still manages to be mainly a light-hearted, relaxing day.

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    1. Easter in Springtime does sound very attractive. It is not bad over here in Autumn as well. The pastel colours appeal to me too. Also love Easter morning church, a special musical time. Do you have any Springtime blossoms yet?

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  9. Patricia, the birds in your area amaze me every time. These are the loveliest white birds, and you know how I feel about the Lorikeets.....beautiful. Color is coming around, and the flowers are so pretty, especially those orange ones. I love your little owl too. How nice that you got a chance to go to the theatre. Your cousin's birthday cake is fabulous - it looks YUMMY! I love that tea pot hanging in her garden, how sweet. I see you have some Easter stuff out already. I have to do that very coon. What a precious picture of the bunny visiting your grandsons.

    Wishing you wonderful April days, Patricia.

    love, ~Sheri

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    1. Hi Sheri, I am hoping the little owl's big staring eyes can frighten off the big white cockatoos, or at least make them think twice before attacking the parsley. If this fails, I am considering a fake snake! Isn't that teapot something? I loved it, red jewels glittering in the sunlight. Of course, I have put some Easter eggs and bunnies out, just to enjoy them for a few weeks. I know you have special pieces too. Happy April to you.

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  10. The cake is simply stunning! You live in such a wonderful area,lovely photos☺

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  11. I am so glad that your weather has improved and to be honest I am very impressed with nature - after the kind of savage heat you have been experiencing, it is fantastic that the lawns and plants are regenerating. What a lovely cake! Is her daughter a professional pastrycook? It certainly looks like it! Have a lovely Easter. I can't believe it is nearly upon us actually...

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  12. Hi Trish!
    So happy to hear that your crazy heat is taking a break. ;) Between flowers and birds love how colorful all of your pics are!!
    We're finally really thawing out here - but unfortunately our Spring basically equals the season of mud as snow turns to now more rain. Yuck! But flowers will bloom in another month and all will get pretty again.

    That cake is amazing! And we've had the bunnies out in full force here in the northwoods too - just like our Canada neighbors ;)
    Blessings on your weekend xoox

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  13. I’m so pleased it has cooled down for you a bit now, Patricia. That heat was hard to endure for many people over there. Spring is here too, but today it’s a wet one. I love to see your photos of the beautiful birds and flowers. They look so exotic...some of the things I miss about South Africa too!

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    1. I think we must be a lot like South Africa - many people in our neighbourhood have relocated from there seeking a different life. However, I know there are many things they miss. We are so happy the plants can now get back into a more enthusiastic phase!

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