For my photos this week, I thought I'd share more pics I took this morning of the damage caused by the storm that passed through this area yesterday.
Monday 30 November 2009
MONDAY PHOTO-A-WEEK - More storm pics
Sunday 29 November 2009
Lunch, good company, and severe storm...
Today, Brad, Aaron, and I went over to Michelle's and Alex's house for lunch. Alex's Mum, Karen, and her partner, Alyce, were also there and we all had a lovely time together chatting about this, that, and everything. Michelle and Alex spoiled us with a delicious lunch of homemade quiche and salad. I had the mushroom and tomato quiche and it was so YUMMY! It was a perfect lunch for the hot, humid day.
Click on image to enlarge
Whilst we were still there, a pretty bad electrical storm moved through bringing some hail with it. Shortly after the storm passed, the boys and I headed home. I was shocked to see so much debris from the storm lying all over the roads on the way home. Michelle and Alex only live a 7 minute drive away and, as we got closer to home, the damage seemed to get progressively worse. YIKES! There were tree limbs and branches lying on the road and, only two roads from where we live, the power-lines were down which I think was due to fallen trees. The whole lane had been blocked. It was scary and also quite surreal. In the pic below, you can see the power lines down and lying on the road in the left-hand side of the pic.
As the storm hadn't long passed through, residents were out directing traffic safely into the oncoming lane while they waited on the emergency crews to get there. Thankfully, all was well when we arrived home. I had been worried about Cody due to his fear of storms and being home alone after a very hot and humid day but, luckily, Beau arrived home just before the worst of the storm hit. I was relieved to find that we still had power to the house so we must be on a different power-grid to the fallen powerlines. I rang to check on Mum and Dad who live about a 12 minute drive away and, thankfully, they were safe and sound but without power. Needless to say there will be some cleaning up to do for emergency crews over the coming days.
I'm dreading summer when we get a lot of these types of storms and they can cause a lot of damage. We have some huge trees behind our back fence that I've always been wary of during storms.....I try not to worry about it but it's hard when I know they would cause a helluva a lot of damage if they fell our way.
Saturday 28 November 2009
It's that time of month again...
.....where I give my grey roots the treatment. It's one of those jobs I hate to do but have to do because I'm not quite ready to let those greys shine at this stage of my life. Actually, I'm not sure if I'll ever be ready so, for now, I'll just keep buying my INDOLA hair colour and developer.
Click on image to enlarge
I hope all of my American friends had a lovely Thanksgiving and are fully recovered from all the festitivities. Many of you are probably still feasting on the left-overs, right? While we don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in Australia, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading about all the Thanksgiving plans on everyone's blogs. Enjoy your weekend!
Friday 27 November 2009
Crochet and the man of steel.....
My blah feeling yesterday turned into an even bigger blah feeling today so I didn't get too much done at all. I've been dealing with headaches for a few days now which I'm blaming on the heat. It's been very muggy and hot. My parents picked the worst climate to migrate to all those years ago when I was only four. Sorry to my fellow Aussies but, I just can't stand the hot, humid heat we get here in Queensland... and it's not even summer yet! Roll on winter, I say!!!
This morning, I ran a few errands, then Brad and I watched an episode or two of Smallville at lunchtime. I can no longer sit idle when watching TV so I worked on the summer vest I've been crocheting for Michelle.
This morning, I ran a few errands, then Brad and I watched an episode or two of Smallville at lunchtime. I can no longer sit idle when watching TV so I worked on the summer vest I've been crocheting for Michelle.
It's progressing nicely but I'm a little nervous about the armholes considering I'm just winging the pattern. Wish me luck! Thursday 26 November 2009
I'm all set!
Click on image to enlarge
Just a quickie today as I've been feeling a little on the blah side. Anywhoo, I was recently inspired by this post over on Ricë's blog so I bought myself this beautiful planner/diary for next year. I can hardly wait to start disciplining myself into using it properly. Usually, I buy the A4 size which ends up sitting on my desk gathering dust like the rest of the ornaments. By March, I barely give it a glance and then, by June, I put it away in the cupboard as a lost cause....out of sight, out of mind. That won't happen with this baby because I deliberately bought the smaller A5 size so it will fit perfectly in my bag. So, it will be pretty much with me all the time and there will be no excuses for giving up on it this time around. I've always been a Page-A-Day fan and have never settled for anything less....well, ya just never know when I might have something to say. It also has a monthly planner which has one month to one page so I can check monthly appointments etc. at a glance. I'm going to be one organised woman come next year....I hope....
Wednesday 25 November 2009
This Is It - Michael Jackson
Today, Bradley, Aaron and I went to see This Is It, the movie showing the dress rehearsal, and behind the scenes footage, for Michael's concert before he died. We LOVED it!! Michael's talent was phenomenal and the way he interacted with the crew, dancers, and musicians was truly beautiful. I only wished we could have seen more. I admit to shedding a tear or two at the thought that he truly is gone too soon.
Click on image to enlarge
Love, light and peace
Tuesday 24 November 2009
From the studio
Click image to enlarge
There was painting going on in the studio today but it wasn't by me. Barb, my student, came for an art class. She liked the new studio too because it provides lots of natural lighting through the window. This year has been a crazy one for both of us as, between us, we have missed so many classes due to illness, surgeries, holidays/vacation, and appointments. It felt great to be back in the saddle, so to speak, though it will only be for two more weeks before the Christmas school holidays are upon us and we take a break from classes until next year. Hopefully, 2010 will be a lot more productive for Barb and I as far as our art goes.
OH! I just realised that next year will be a no. 3 year in Numerology and 3 and 5 are my personal numbers in Numerology so.....look out!
Thank you all for the words of encouragement re. me getting back into the studio yesterday after what seemed like a very long painting drought. You are truly the best supporters a girl could have! I'm so glad that my muse has finally come home to play instead of traipsing off to God only knows where. I'm going to have to sit that girl down and give her a stern talking to.
OH! I just realised that next year will be a no. 3 year in Numerology and 3 and 5 are my personal numbers in Numerology so.....look out!
Thank you all for the words of encouragement re. me getting back into the studio yesterday after what seemed like a very long painting drought. You are truly the best supporters a girl could have! I'm so glad that my muse has finally come home to play instead of traipsing off to God only knows where. I'm going to have to sit that girl down and give her a stern talking to.
Monday 23 November 2009
MONDAY PHOTO-A-WEEK
I DID IT!!!! After at least two months of no painting, I actually picked up a paintbrush and did some painting in my new studio space today!! YAY!!! It wasn't much but I figured I needed to christen the new studio before Barb, my student, does when she comes for class tomorrow morning. As mentioned in previous posts, I'm changing colours in the lounge-room area and, as the studio now sits right alongside the lounge room, it gets the treatment too. My lounge-room colours have changed from orange, burnt red and cream to green, purple and splashes of turquoise which has been my favourite colour scheme for a while now. I'm keeping my kitchen and dining room in the chilli theme as I do like the accents of red but I'll be adding more green there too.
The canvas painting below was a very, VERY quick abstract I threw together some years back to urgently fill a blank wall space temporarily in our previous home. I'm not even sure if it could be called an abstract though an abstract artist did refer to it as such.
The canvas painting below was a very, VERY quick abstract I threw together some years back to urgently fill a blank wall space temporarily in our previous home. I'm not even sure if it could be called an abstract though an abstract artist did refer to it as such.
Funnily enough, I painted and finished it in just an afternoon and, over the past few years, have received a lot of positive comments on it. It's a pity that you can't see the texture in the squares because it's quite effective in reality. The crackled cross section has metallic gold in the cracks with a burnt umber painted over the top. Today, I changed the orange-streaked squares (you will have to use your imagination) to green-streaked squares so that it matches in better with the new colour scheme. That's what I LOVE about being an artist.....if I don't like something, I can just paint over it.
Sunday 22 November 2009
My son is officially a fighter.....
....and I'm torn. While I'm excited and happy that Reece is enjoying this new direction...as a mother, I can't help but worry about his safety and also the safety of his opponents.
Last night, Reece had his first official MMA (mixed martial arts) fight in a Fight World Cup Tournament held at the south coast twice a year. His opponent tapped out (submitted) in the very first round and Reece brought home this huge trophy. We are all very proud of him!
Last night, Reece had his first official MMA (mixed martial arts) fight in a Fight World Cup Tournament held at the south coast twice a year. His opponent tapped out (submitted) in the very first round and Reece brought home this huge trophy. We are all very proud of him!
However, I AM a pacifist and have never been a supporter of boxing/cage-fighting sports and now, my son is actually doing it....YIKES!!! As much as I am against these types of sports....as his mother, I feel the need to support Reece and just keep praying that all will be well.
Love, light and peace
Saturday 21 November 2009
Still sorting the mess and bird-sitting.....
We had another very hot day but no storms yet. I pottered around in the garage still sorting through things to keep and things to go to the dump, or recycling. I listed the wood pieces and art magazines on Freecycle and I have people coming in the morning to pick them up. I was quite happy with the fast response. YAY!
Michelle and Alex came for dinner and also brought Annabelle over for me to bird-sit while they go on a mini-vacation to the Sunshine Coast until late Wednesday. I hope the weather stays nice for them.
Michelle and Alex came for dinner and also brought Annabelle over for me to bird-sit while they go on a mini-vacation to the Sunshine Coast until late Wednesday. I hope the weather stays nice for them.
She truly has a lovely temperament though.
Friday 20 November 2009
Parlour day
Okay, stop laughing! I think Cody looks so much cuter with his longer coat but, in this hot, humid climate, a shorter cut is a necessity...especially after his close call on Tuesday night. In two weeks time he will start to look cute again. He's getting to be quite the little tubby though and we really need to stop giving him so many treats but it's so hard to say no to those big, brown eyes pleading for just a morsel....and then another.....and then another.
Thursday 19 November 2009
My new art space so far....
Hi everyone,
Remember you can click on any image to enlarge it.
Thank you all so much for your care and concern regarding Cody's ordeal. Thankfully he is doing much better. I have him booked in for a summer clip tomorrow so I'm sure he will feel a lot cooler after that is over with.
Michelle came over again today and we worked through more of the stuff in the garage sorting things to be recycled and things that need dumped. We made one trip to the local dump and recycling station already....and more to go. I'm hoping to give away a lot of unpainted wood pieces and decorative art magazines that I no longer use through Freecycle. I can't believe how much in the way of art supplies I have accumulated over the years!
Here is my new art space so far. Sorry that pics aren't that great. I took them late afternoon and the lighting wasn't the best indoors. I can't wait to get the garage finished so I can actually sit down and do some painting in my new space.
Michelle came over again today and we worked through more of the stuff in the garage sorting things to be recycled and things that need dumped. We made one trip to the local dump and recycling station already....and more to go. I'm hoping to give away a lot of unpainted wood pieces and decorative art magazines that I no longer use through Freecycle. I can't believe how much in the way of art supplies I have accumulated over the years!
Here is my new art space so far. Sorry that pics aren't that great. I took them late afternoon and the lighting wasn't the best indoors. I can't wait to get the garage finished so I can actually sit down and do some painting in my new space.
Wednesday 18 November 2009
A scary night....
Click on image to enlarge
After the unbearably hot day yesterday, we did end up getting a storm that hung around for nearly 3½ hours. Luckily for us, we didn't get the worst of it but poor Cody panted with anxiety for all that time. He seemed to settle after the storm moved on but, about an hour later, he let me know he wanted outside. However his behaviour was anything but normal.
He raced outside, pushed his face into the wet grass, raced back inside, and began frantically trying to rub himself all over the tiled floor. I picked him up and noticed his face was red and very hot under his furry coat and his nose felt dry and very hot too. He was extremely restless and panting again. The heat radiating from his body had me quite concerned so I took his temperature and it was 104.6°F! I immediately googled it and was quite frightened to read that this temperature meant a high fever and was quite dangerous in dogs. The normal temperature range for dogs is between 101°F to 102°F. All Cody's symptoms pointed towards heat-stroke, which made sense, given the terrible heat of the day and his continual panting for 3½ hours. He had become severely dehydrated though there had been no obvious sign until he started behaving erratically.
Cody's body was a mass of angry red splotches which were also very hot to the touch. He refused to drink water and even turned his nose up at ice-cubes. I was worried sick! It was midnight so I wet a towel and wrapped him in it making sure that I was continually moving the towel around so that his arm-pits and face were being soothed with fresh coolness. After 15 minutes, his temperature had dropped to 103.3°F which was a good sign so we (Brad & I) repeated the wet towel treatment for a while and eventually managed to get it down to 101°F. I was so relieved but I can tell you that I had very little sleep after that ordeal. I kept waking every half hour to make sure he wasn't over-heating again.
Now that I know Cody can be effected in this way, I will be keeping a very close eye on him during our hot, humid summer days, particularly when they are followed by a storm. He is doing much better today though a little worn out from the ordeal.
He raced outside, pushed his face into the wet grass, raced back inside, and began frantically trying to rub himself all over the tiled floor. I picked him up and noticed his face was red and very hot under his furry coat and his nose felt dry and very hot too. He was extremely restless and panting again. The heat radiating from his body had me quite concerned so I took his temperature and it was 104.6°F! I immediately googled it and was quite frightened to read that this temperature meant a high fever and was quite dangerous in dogs. The normal temperature range for dogs is between 101°F to 102°F. All Cody's symptoms pointed towards heat-stroke, which made sense, given the terrible heat of the day and his continual panting for 3½ hours. He had become severely dehydrated though there had been no obvious sign until he started behaving erratically.
Cody's body was a mass of angry red splotches which were also very hot to the touch. He refused to drink water and even turned his nose up at ice-cubes. I was worried sick! It was midnight so I wet a towel and wrapped him in it making sure that I was continually moving the towel around so that his arm-pits and face were being soothed with fresh coolness. After 15 minutes, his temperature had dropped to 103.3°F which was a good sign so we (Brad & I) repeated the wet towel treatment for a while and eventually managed to get it down to 101°F. I was so relieved but I can tell you that I had very little sleep after that ordeal. I kept waking every half hour to make sure he wasn't over-heating again.
Now that I know Cody can be effected in this way, I will be keeping a very close eye on him during our hot, humid summer days, particularly when they are followed by a storm. He is doing much better today though a little worn out from the ordeal.
On a positive note, Michelle came over today and we did a little more re-organising. My new studio area is pretty much set up apart from a couple of cosmetic details. I hope to share some pics with you tomorrow.
Love, light and peace
Tuesday 17 November 2009
Storm in a box
You may remember that I had to post and run yesterday because I said a storm was headed our way and I needed to shut down the computer. I could hear the thunder in the distance and, looking out the windows, there was a strong wind but......
......it turned out not to be a storm after all. I came to this realisation when Aaron informed me that the so-called storm I was panicking over was actually the sound effects from Beau's Xbox. I swear all the action and bombing from the Xbox sounded just like thunder.
......it turned out not to be a storm after all. I came to this realisation when Aaron informed me that the so-called storm I was panicking over was actually the sound effects from Beau's Xbox. I swear all the action and bombing from the Xbox sounded just like thunder.
Click on image to enlarge
Today has been unbearably hot and summer hasn't even started yet. I hate this hot, humid weather! It's the high humidity that makes it all the worse.....so uncomfortable. I felt bad for Aaron who was sitting in a hot classroom with only fans to cool them but fans really do nothing but circulate the hot air in this type of weather. When I picked him up in the afternoon, he came down to the car feeling sick and exhausted from the heat. The teacher told the kids it hit 42°C/107.5°F inside the classroom! To her credit, she did turn the classroom lights off and put on a movie for the kids to watch instead of doing school work. I think we may well get a storm tonight. I just hope it doesn't hail.
Monday 16 November 2009
MONDAY PHOTO-A-WEEK
A very quick post because I think we have a storm moving in and I need to shut down the computer. It was a very hot and humid day so it doesn't surprise me that a storm has developed. Anywhoo, the other night I let Cody outside to do his business and, after about five minutes, I heard him barking at something. I went outside and there Cody sat facing the brick wall looking at this guy....I was so happy to see a green frog that I rushed inside for the camera. This would have been around 3AM.....am I keen or what?! I had to use the flash which accounts for all the shiny white spots.
Sunday 15 November 2009
Organised......
This is only a small part of the big change coming over the next month or so. Michelle is coming over tomorrow to help with more de-cluttering, this time in the studio.
I hope you are all enjoying a lovely weekend. Today (Sunday), Mum and Dad came for lunch and an afternoon of dice games - Yahtzee and Zilch. We all had a lovely time.
Click on image to enlarge
Love, light and peace
Saturday 14 November 2009
Chaos reigns here......
We started re-organising the lounge-room today and that included sorting and purging DVDs and books too. I needed to de-clutter and simplify to make room for my studio which will sit in behind the lounge-room......so far, so good.
Friday 13 November 2009
Mathew Brady - Australian Bushranger
Yesterday, Aaron had to do an oral presentation for his class as part of his assignment on an Australian Bushranger. The kids were awarded extra points if they dressed up in character for their presentation so I thought I'd share a pic of Aaron, as Australian Bushranger, Mathew Brady.
Times were obviously very tough in England back in the 1800's. You certainly wouldn't want to find yourself hungry with no money for food because, if you stole a loaf of bread, you would be charged, labelled a convict, then put on a ship bound for the penal settlements of Australia where you would be forced into hard labour for many years. The conditions were harsh and punishments were many. Young men would make many attempts to escape and, those who were successful, usually ended up being known as Bushrangers. Ned Kelly was a very famous Aussie Bushranger but I was surprised to find that there were many others.
Mathew Brady became well known for his good manners and politeness towards women. He claimed that the authorities were the real criminals and a lot of the settlers held him in high esteem. You can read more of his story here - Mathew Brady
Mathew Brady became well known for his good manners and politeness towards women. He claimed that the authorities were the real criminals and a lot of the settlers held him in high esteem. You can read more of his story here - Mathew Brady
Today was fairly quiet on the home-front. I did some work on the crocheted vest I'm making for Michelle. I also bought some new cushion covers as I've been feeling like I need a change of colour scheme in my lounge room. The furniture and decor have been mismatched for far too long. Actually, there will be big changes coming soon as I'm moving my art studio from the garage into the house. That's the current plan anyways. I figure with my studio right under my nose, I might just get some painting done. Michelle is going to help me throughout the process....there will be a lot of purging and de-cluttering too. More on that later ~
Thursday 12 November 2009
The Artist's Way - Week 12
Week Twelve has arrived!!!! It's hard to believe that I've been working through this journey for the past three months.........and it's been quite a journey at that.
In this last chapter, Julia reminds us that creativity requires faith and that we need to trust our own inner guidance. We must surrender ourselves to the creative process and not try to control it. We need to allow time for ideas to hatch rather than force them because forcing them will only lead to blocks.
Julia points out that when we feel blocked in one creative area, our inner guidance will lead us to be creative in another area. I found this definitely applied to my current situation where, lately, I seem to be drawn to knitting and crochet instead of painting. I need to trust that this is happening for a reason and it's possible that my inner artist just needs a vacation at this time. I am so appreciative of all the support and encouragement that I received from my wonderful readers when I expressed my frustrations. Thank you! This brings me to another point Julia makes and that is to move silently among those who doubt our creative capabilities and to voice our creative plans, or concerns, only among our allies. My blogger friends have certainly been wonderful allies during this phase of my creative journey.
In one of the tasks this week, Julia asked that we select a God/Source/Creator/Universe jar in which we can place our fears, worries, hopes, dreams, etc. When something concerns us, or we want something to manifest in our life, we simply place it in our Source jar and we can then remind ourselves that God/Source has got our back so we need not worry or fuss any more about it.
In this last chapter, Julia reminds us that creativity requires faith and that we need to trust our own inner guidance. We must surrender ourselves to the creative process and not try to control it. We need to allow time for ideas to hatch rather than force them because forcing them will only lead to blocks.
Julia points out that when we feel blocked in one creative area, our inner guidance will lead us to be creative in another area. I found this definitely applied to my current situation where, lately, I seem to be drawn to knitting and crochet instead of painting. I need to trust that this is happening for a reason and it's possible that my inner artist just needs a vacation at this time. I am so appreciative of all the support and encouragement that I received from my wonderful readers when I expressed my frustrations. Thank you! This brings me to another point Julia makes and that is to move silently among those who doubt our creative capabilities and to voice our creative plans, or concerns, only among our allies. My blogger friends have certainly been wonderful allies during this phase of my creative journey.
In one of the tasks this week, Julia asked that we select a God/Source/Creator/Universe jar in which we can place our fears, worries, hopes, dreams, etc. When something concerns us, or we want something to manifest in our life, we simply place it in our Source jar and we can then remind ourselves that God/Source has got our back so we need not worry or fuss any more about it.
Anywhoo, for my birthday earlier this year, Aaron made me this beautiful Wish jar and I have decided to use it to hold/release all my dreams, wishes, and troubles. It's perfect!
I now continue my creative journey with a renewal of my commitment to doing my Morning Pages (which I love) daily and to try and do better at taking myself on weekly Artist Dates (I've been pretty dismal on that score). I would like to congratulate my fellow bloggers who also participated in The Artist's Way course and I wish them well on their continuing journeys. It's been a pleasure to work through the course with them by my side.
Wednesday 11 November 2009
Remembrance Day
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Tuesday 10 November 2009
HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY, CODY
Yes, my baby is now THREE years old! Cody is certainly a spoiled and well-loved fur-kid and he wouldn't have it any other way.
I wasn't feeling too well when I woke this morning but that passed as the day progressed and I finally got around to altering Beau's board shorts.
The shorts were two sizes too big for him but they didn't have his size and.....he liked them. I guess he knew that he could coax me into altering them for him. Lucky me....not! I hate alterations!!! In my sewing hey-day, I would rather sew a garment from scratch than have to alter it. Hems and buttons are okay but I'm talking about fiddly alterations where a lot of unpicking of seams is involved. Yep, that's the type of altering I had to do with Beau's boardies today and they were double-stitched seams. The things we do for love. I must admit I was quite pleased with my efforts.
Love, light and peace
Monday 9 November 2009
MONDAY PHOTO-A-WEEK
Today, we took the bus to South Brisbane as Bradley had a specialist appointment. It threatened to rain most of the day but thankfully it didn't, however, the pictures turned out a little grey due to it being so overcast. I think we had the same type of day last time we visited Southbank. We arrived early at the hospital so we went for a nice walk down to the Southbank Parklands....the Bougainvillea trellis was in full bloom this time around.
On the other side of this trellis, the road was bordered with Poinciana trees in full bloom. Such a gorgeous burst of colour and they make fabulous shade trees in summer!
We walked across the Good Will Bridge which is a pedestrian/cyclist bridge. It opened in October of 2001 to coincide with the Good Will games held here in Brisbane.
This pigeon landed just below us as I took the photo above so I took a pic of him/her too. I loved the purple and green markings around its neck. It almost looks like he/she is contemplating jumping in, doesn't it?
When we arrived at the other side of the river, I spotted some Moreton Bay (Banyan) Fig trees. I've always loved their gianormous roots which have been known to break through city streets causing a bit of a dilemma in some cases. These trees are native to the Eastern coast of Australia though New Zealand and Hawaii cultivated them to the point where they are naturalised there now.
The Captain Cook Bridge crosses above the Good Will Bridge so I thought I'd grab a pic from underneath it.
Sadly, there was an ugly side too. I can't stand people who litter! There are rubbish bins everywhere and, even if there aren't, WHY do they think it's okay to throw their rubbish into parklands and rivers?!! The picture below was taken looking down at the river's edge from the Good Will Bridge. Litterbugs, please have some consideration for wildlife and nature......there is no excuse.....next time take your rubbish home with you! Shame on you!
