Wednesday, May 29, 2019

CATCHING UP WITH MYSELF


Time flies by, and before I know it May is nearly over, and Winter begins on the 1st June...

On Mother's Day, all our children were in other cities or overseas...

We decided to visit The Mountain, where we took my father for so many excursions in his final years.

The Palm Grove is still lovely in the dappled sunlight:



and guess what I saw, climbing a tree as we entered the park:


Yes, a good old scrub python, about three metres long, sliding its way up into the tree canopy...


As a more genteel adventure, we moved along to my favourite plant nursery.
Loved the swans, but resisted purchase (they were awfully expensive)..


Our Peace rose has been prettily performing..


and Australia had a Federal Election.
Living on the edge of the city, we go to vote at a small country school nearby..
Not queues or crowds, and always the traditional fund-raising Sausage Sizzle, which has now become known colloquially as the Democracy Sausage.

It seemed wrong not to indulge...


In other news, I have spent a lot of time at the hardware store buying knobs and fittings, and Mr Handyman has been here for a 10 hour marathon of restoring, mending, replacing, and generally refreshing the Cardinal Nest.
It feels so satisfying to smarten things up again...


With the cooler weather, I am growing violas and pansies like the flower tragic I remain..




Winter heralds the season of the Country Shows, and we took Little Aussie to our local event..  

He loved it, and went on three turbulent show rides in succession -
before lunch!

Horseshoe sculpture, and the Show Bag stand
After much consideration, a Show Bag was bought for the lad to take home..


On to inspect the work of local artists:


Lorikeet Art!!


The gardening competitions..


and the Cooking:



Watching the Axe-men..



and the riding..


Loved the well-dressed judges in the Ring...


Meanwhile, over in Canada, our grandsons have been visiting the Tulip Festival:


Boy draws tulip..


and the National Gallery of Canada, being watched by Maman, 1999(Louise Bourgeois).  I like to visit the giant spider every time we go to Ottawa..


This is me on our last visit in December, 2017.  It was sooooo cold, about -23C.

We are looking forward to another visit later this year....

and hope to see some excellent Autumnal action:

Gatineau National Park, 2011 (Red Cardinal)

And as the first snows fall in the Australian Southern states, the Snow Bush has burst into bloom in the Red Cardinal garden:


Be good and take care

XXXX









33 comments:

  1. Lovely post of art and flowers! That snake, would have scared me!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HI Kay, yes, I was startled by that snake, although knowing it is non-venomous!

      Delete
  2. Hi Patricia...
    Your Winters are ceratinly much prettier than ours!!
    Love your Pansies and Violas...
    So nice to get out to a fair with your Grandson...
    Enjoy the rest of your week...June is creeping in!!!
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Our Autumn/Winter season is our pretty time - we plant pansies at the same time of year! Wish I could do forget-me-nots though. Grandson asked me to let him know 'a week ahead' about next year's local show - he wants to go again :) I can hear cold June winds outside, as we speak... Cheers.

      Delete
    2. Our Summer is slow to get its act together...
      My peonies are usually blooming by now...
      Lilacs just opened up last week...
      And...the wind has been non-stop...:o(
      Enjoy your week!!

      Delete
  3. I don't like the look of the snake Patricia but I do like all of your winter flowers especially that lovely Snowbush which looks so beautifully set off by the bright blue sky.
    I saw some snow today on a Tasmanian blog, and was really surprised at how much had actually fallen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is illegal and not politically correct, but that snake would have made some pretty shoes!! I'm glad it was up a tree and not on the path, or we would have gotten away quickly because they do try to strangle other creatures. The Snowbush is easy to grow, but looks so pretty around the neighbourhood every May. Yes, lots of snow in Tasmania and Victoria, and the ski season is off to a cracking start this year.

      Delete
  4. It's nice to catch up with ourselves once in awhile. Palm Grove is so pretty, and I love the mountains as well. Yikes, that snake must have startled you! Those swans would be so pretty in a garden. Your "peace rose" is beautiful, Patricia, and it really is peaceful just looking at it. It's so funny to me how your Winter begins and our Summer starts at the same time. The Lorikeet Art is pretty with bright colors, and it amazes me that you get to see them in person often. The purple flower at the end is gorgeous. I hope you have nice Winter days coming up, Patricia.

    love, ~Sheri

    **I know what you mean about being still and quiet at times. I am in a situation right now where I an doing just that, but when I see unfairness and injustice come to others, I can't help but speak up. That's just me. Maybe it's the "youngest child" thing haha. The same goes with my faith and beliefs. I tend to always speak up with that. But you're right, being still is a good thing sometimes. : )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Sheri, I am still thinking about those swans :) This is our 'pretty' time of year, when the climate cools and the flowers have a chance to show their colours.
      'To thine own self be true' is a good motto; well done you for speaking out about injustice - there is so much of it in today's world.

      Delete
  5. Hi Patricia ,the show looks like a lot of fun,plenty to see,lovely post my friend xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sheryl, we all enjoyed the Show this year. I think Little Aussie is just the right age for it now. Thank you, glad you enjoyed the post. xx

      Delete
  6. Sounds so exciting to be coming back to Canadian soil!
    That spider looks terribly scary! I have a fear of them so I had to avert my eyes!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We are coming to Canada after our trip to France - across the Atlantic for the first time!
      The Bourgeois spider is quite the monster, isn't it?

      Delete
  7. It looks so beautiful where you are, although I'm not keen on that snake. I enjoy that spider sculpture too. Hopefully your visit to Ottawa will be slightly warmer this time! Xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, I think we are done with the very snowy weather over there. Looking forward to gentler times in October. xx

      Delete
  8. I'm had charming visit to your blog today, Trish! Seeing pansies would make me feel right at home. As a young child all our neighbors set out pansies in their front yards in May and June. Different colored ones. And during neighborhood and church festivals, bratwursts (a sausage) were staples because of early German settlers. You could always count on buying a dinner of bratwurst, mashed potatoes and sauerkraut on a paper plate. Everybody's mom was a good cook, and they were the volunteers responsible for the food.

    Looks like a lovely time of the year in Brisbane.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is indeed a lovely time here Debbie. The German festival staple sounds really good - potatoes and cabbage with the sausage makes a complete meal :)

      Delete
  9. A super colourful and eclectic post, Patricia, but that must have been a bit alarming with the snake! It's lovely to see your winter activities and I love you pansies too! Thank you for this taste of your life there!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't know why I am always the one to spot the snake, Val. Others walk past oblivious, but if there is one there, I'll see it. My father was good at spotting wildlife so I might inherit it from him. Glad you enjoyed a taste of Autumn from down under.

      Delete
  10. Love the Mountain! And the local resident keeping an eye on you. Gorgeous blooms and I must say I do always think of you whenever I see Pansies Trish. Lots of fun at the show too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Mountain is the best, but there goes my idea that snakes disappear in the cold weather! It was freezing that day, but there it was, large as life. Glad to be associated with pretty Pansies. xx

      Delete
  11. Hello Trish!
    Happy winter to you 😊 The country shows look so fun. The garden shows would be right up my alley. And your flowers and scenery look beautiful! However you may keep the pythons. Lol

    So nice to see your sweet grands and the joy they bring you ❤️ Have a blessed weekend dear Friend "Down Under" xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Carrie, you would enjoy the garden show and the greenery we have, even in Winter. I'll keep the pythons, and you keep the rattlesnakes, lol.
      Happy Sunday xx

      Delete
  12. Your country show looks a lot like our State or County Fair. Lots to do and see. I enjoyed catching up with you. The mountain walk looked great until.... well, I'll just slither off until next time my dear.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think you are right, our show is like a State Fair in the US. The carnival people travel the roads of Australia with their rides and games, following the schedule of the shows. Nothing worse than spotting a snake in the jungle :)

      Delete
  13. With the heat wave we have had in Georgia and Tennessee it is hard to visualize winter coming your way. I enjoyed your post with all the lovely flowers.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I have such a horror of snakes. I would have legged it out of there and not stopped to take a photo. You are a brave soul :-)
    Amalia
    xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Amalia, I have a horror too! I am always on the lookout: I did use the telephoto lens for the photo, and keep my distance. I have learnt to jump backwards 😍

      Delete
  15. I like your pretty violas and pansies, and the event you attended with the horses and riders. I grew up in a city known as the Bratwurst Capital of the World so I relate to your yummy sausage tradition.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Love your post! I'd like to take a pic with that giant spider! so cool!

    ReplyDelete
  17. PLEASE READ PLEASE READ PLEASE READ
    Hello everyone, i would like to share my experience on this platform. i have been hearing of Blank Atm for a while and i applied through a few people but i was scammed, not until i found Mr George who saved me from scammers, i got my blank ATM card in 5 days after application and tried the encrypted card in an ATM machine and pos cash store to my greatest surprise i was able to withdraw €3000 and that was the daily rate i applied for in total i have made a withdrawal of €30000. to be honest there is no risk involved the card is not traceable and has an infrared signal that blocks off CCTV during your withdrawals. i just payed my daughters tuition fee and cleared my mortgage debts, i am also richer and started a business that is doing fine. Mr George is really a life saver and he is very genuine. You can contact him with this email address: blankatm402@gmail.com
    Best wishes

    ReplyDelete
  18. Your resume should detail all of your current qualifications.You should list all of your achievements,
    satta king including your degrees, degrees and certification. Do not leave out anything that is relevant to your previous employers.

    ReplyDelete