DARK CLOUDS GATHERED

Yesterday's blog post by the lovely Val, of Val's Alentejo blog reported on the welcome arrival of the storm season in Portugal, where it has not rained since May.

Well, it hasn't rained here since June, so

I wished for the storm to come to us!

and later in the day the sky turned dark ...

The winds whipped the trees ...

The skies opened, lightning and thunder cracked and boomed,

 and the rain came down in sheets.  

 For about 5 minutes.

But at least that is a start to the storm season.

Thanks, Val, you have magical powers!!

Yesterday, too, I had this tub of pansies happily blooming on the deck ...

But during the night, there came a visitor:



Source; Google images

Possums are partial to flowers, especially purple pansies, apparently.

Just look at the mess he left, little blighter!

Pansies are off to sit somewhere else now.

Mr Cardinal brought me these when I was in hospital last week.

Pink and pretty, just how I like them ...

Might rain again tonight ..

Bonsoir

WET AND COOL

It has been unseasonally cool and wet this weekend - and I love it!

The lorikeets were less than impressed, and sat miserably on our

verandah railing.

They might feel bad, but they look adorable,

especially when they preen one another.

The plants are loving the rain, too ...

Michelle has been a bit quiet lately, but emerged this week in a very cute cardi and red dress combination...

and Kate and William were out and about too.

Love this dress, with turquoise beading, and an interesting back:

Happy Anniversary to you!

In my previous post about Anzac Day, I mentioned visiting a museum in Flanders where we saw battle trenches, preserved after World War I.

It is called Sanctuary Wood Museum (Hill 62), near Ypres, Belgium.

Here is a link for anyone who is interested in visiting:

http://www.greatwar.co.uk/ypres-salient/museum-sanctuary-wood.htm

Hope the new week is Excellent for you!

FLOWERS, CUSHIONS, AND MARGARET OLLEY

Dear old Margaret Olley died last week -

I really liked her and her paintings of interiors and flowers.

She was a National Treasure, and a wonderful Bohemian Eccentric,

loved by everyone.

Can't afford one of her flower pics,

but I make do with this poppy painting:

and a print of a beautiful painting of pink roses by

Nora Heyson:

Here is Margaret's portrait by Sir William Dobell, 1948,

which won the Archibald Prize.

(Art Gallery of NSW)

Like bookends to her career, another portrait of Margaret by Ben Quilty,

won this year's Archibald -

just in time for her to see it before the end.

'

I've been making cushions again -

Thank you Beach Vintage for the fabric on the left - love it.

Off to see Dr Zhivago, the Musical this weekend -

Do I have something Russian to wear???

 

Flowers and parents

My mother always loved flowers.  Here she is among the hydrangeas, many years ago.

Today I received these beautiful blooms from my colleagues at the Qld Art Gallery:

Talk about Spoilt!

Speaking of Ambulances, as I was yesterday, my Dad was an ambulance bearer (paramedic), around the same time Mum was posing among the hydrangeas.  This photo was taken in Central Queensland.

Dad left the ambulance when he contracted polio in 1950.