THOUGHTS WHILE......

.......on the massage table.

Smells good in here, Ylang ylang?

Relax.

Let shoulders go.

Music. I know this.....Goldberg Variations, Glenn Gould I thin..... Ouch!

Yes, it's painful on top of my shoulder, is that called referred pain?

Ah, that feels so relaxing.

Stroke.

Goose bumps down my leg.

What shall I cook for dinner tonight?

Inhale and deep exhale.

Sigh.

Drift, just drift. That feels good. She knows her stuff, worth every cent.

White light behind my eyes.

I could paint the ceiling white...cover up those wooden beams. Make the sitting room feel airy and look less gloomy. I wonder if I could mosaic those wooden poles that are laying down beside the shed and use them as sculpture in the garden...............?

That was her elbow, I think.

I must look like a beached whale on this table......Will take the hound down to the beach this summer. I must find my silver nail polish.

Listen to that wind out there.

Time to turn over. I feel like a mole coming out into the light. Must get Bear to sort that light fitting over the table.

Music and touch, so soporific.

Peace perfect peace. I could fall asleep now.

Smooooooooth.

Inhale, Neroli oil, exhale.

Ear massage......glad I left the earrings off this time.

Inhale, exhale.

Scalp massage now and .....

Oh, I fell asleep. She's wrapped me up in warm towels.

Drift.

LOCUSTS

NEMESIS ( A Sunday Scribbling)
'Retributive justice; downfall caused by, agent of, this.' ( The Concise Oxford Dictionary

The above images are from corners of the garden. It is taking a long, long time to realise my plans. However, by tackling a little at a time, I hope some parts (of what was a block covered in six foot high winter grass and weeds), are now flourishing.

This week the Perth area in Western Australia has been warned that swarms of locusts are heading in our direction.

Having lived here for five and a half years I am still adjusting to the varied insect life! I cope with Cockroaches, Flies, Red back spiders, Huntsman spiders, Portuguese millipedes, March flies, Mosquitoes and Saw fly larvae. ( WARNING these links are not for the faint of heart!).

Yet, I adore living here, truely I do.......but am I ready for swarms of locusts? Will my garden survive? I think I am going to need to be extremely stoical should locusts find our little half acre.

( click on images to enlarge and highlighted text for links)

GOOGLE SEARCHES.....

Intrepid searchers have found their way to Secret Hill this month with the following queries.........


Secret feet thongs.
Why am I so tired.
Learning with photography.
Tommy Emmanuel.
Becoming a Silversmith.
Morning.
Leaf grabbers.
Christmas pudding pin cushion.
Had on socks and pants.
Counted cross stitch, stopping by a wood on a snowy evening.
Is little nose beautiful?
Where's Lizzy.
Green commands the variables of green.
Felt textiles, perth W.A.
Dry lettuce secret 'how to'.

What a weird and wonderful world is the 'Google search'!

GETTING THERE........

The verandah posts are up.
There are now steps up to the deck.
The roof truss is up.
The roof is on.
There is insulation under the roof.
The whirly-gig (removing warm air from the interior) is on the roof, whirling away.
The power points are in.
A salvaged door is waiting to go in it's frame.
Old weather boards have been located ( how I love salvage yards!).
A huge roll of enviro-seal ( waterproof/bugproof membrane) is waiting to go on the wall frames.

I am taking January off work to plan, paint, decorate and install storage. Then carry from the tiny table in the kitchen, all my mosaic tiles, grout, pots, tools, broken china and adhesives , plus all my silver-smithing tools ( that have not seen the light of day for five years) through the house and out into their new home under the trees.

Yeehah!

THANKYOU B AND M AND ALL THE FAMILY

100th POST. A DOG TALE

The day had been warm.
Hover flies hung over the daisies.
Dog open an eye, jumped up and snapped at one.
Missed again!

She was in the garden.
He stretched and walked to the gate.
Dog sat.
An ant caught his attention.





Ears pricked
he watched as it disappeared into the violets.
His stomach rumbled.
And she was still gardening.

Dog's stomach was telling him something.
The sun was getting low in the sky
and she was digging ......still.
Dog lay down and sighed.

Time to work on his attitude.
Time to make her realise,
he was hungry.
It was time to give her the EVIL EYE routine.....



(click on images to enlarge and highlighted text for links)


This is my 100th post. If you are the first to comment, there is a gift waiting for you.
(Please note dear family members this does not include you. I don't think that would be fair!)

UNADULTERATED JOY

Tommy Emmanuel - Classical gas live

Found this and was hooked.

ENJOY

( Thanks Bear and Bro)

Plus ca change.....

M e, me, me.
E r, yes I MEAN ME.
N o, not you or anyone else.
O h, and why not?
P ass the Campari.
A ny effort = too much effort.
U nable to do anything, but read.
S elf-centred? You bet!
E xtra cake and solitude PLEASE.

REMEMBER

An empty chair by the hearth and his beer mug still hanging on the wall.

NOVEMBER 11th

Go here

and here.

These bloggers say it far more eloquently than I ever could

HONEYSUCKLE

INHALE

(Click to enlarge image)

MORNING

A Sunday Scribbling

Enfolding the earth
the morning mist blankets all-
crickets sleep beneath






Eucalyptus tree
leaves warm against rising sun-
perfume surrounds me







Grass tree glittering
dew diamonds just for me-
morning's gallery

(click on highlighted text for links)

THE CALL OF THE GARDEN

Before the heat of the Australian summer arrives, there are tasks that must be completed in our little half acre.

1. Soak garden beds and Grapefruit, Orange and Lemon tree beds. Cover with a good layer of newspaper, soak again and mulch thickly with Pea hay.
2. Last chance to plant seedlings and water them well in.
3. Final potting up of a few annuals ( see above. Pansy in one of my mosaic pots) to brighten up outdoor seating area.
4. Weekly cutting back of any winter grass with the whipper snipper (strimmer to non Australians).
5. Any weeds that dare to grow, to be pulled out by hand.
6. Make some plant protectors out of bamboo and chicken wire, to stop Dog racing through newly planted or vulnerable plants.
7. Add more compost to the large garden bed I am making.
8. Move the pile of rocks delivered by my brother-in-law and use them to edge flower beds.
9. Clear front garden of twigs and then water and mulch with hay.
10. Clear leaf litter every day and add to compost bins.
11. Make some new cushions for the quirky outdoor metal chairs that were found at the side of the road ( bi-annually 'hard' rubbish is put on the kerb for collection and with the owners permission you can take items away. Perfect recycling!).
12. Be on hand as gopher for the completion of the studio.

Herhimnbryn will be working in the garden, collapsing with a long Campari and soda at the end of each day, so posts to Secret Hill will be intermittent for a couple of weeks.