Friday, November 15

Sunday, April 8

The White Windflowers are in bloom again ...

... I miss my Small.

Saturday, March 17

I popped out in to the misty air ...

... to hang out some towels, 100% linen towels as it happens, but more about them later.
I went out and thought I'd just check on the taddie annex. We'd moved the first crop of taddies to a larger pot, with more sun you see. Leaving the first pot empty.
And then it rained and rained and rained and rained and rained and rained and rained and rained and rained and rained and rained and rain, and that small pot filled up with beautiful, clean rain water.
Frogs it appears, like nature, hate a vacuum and so we are the proud custodians of two tadpole nurseries.
Anyway, I like to check in on the little swimmers, so I did, only to find a fully-metamorphosized version peeking up at me.Cheeky begger. I have a horrible feeling he wasn't visiting but snacking on his little brothers and sisters (or, perish the thought, children!).Still, I finally had a chance to photograph the bugger and confirm, for myself, our back yard frogs are indeed Striped Marsh Frogs. (You can click a link to hear one singing in that link.)Finally having the chance to get a proper close up look also made me realise how much like my Omas Milord Bronze Arco our froggies are in colouring. I knew there was a reason I was drawn to that pen.

Sunday, February 26

I like moss ...

... I love it's colour and texture and other-worldliness.I carefully keep the moss in our 'dunny lane' alive through summer, welcome it on steps and in the garden.There is nothing quite like walking on cool, damp moss with bare feet on a hot evening. It's even better than cool grass.So, I brought a bit inside, in a terrarium, a little earthship.I'd been drooling over the terrariums over at sprouthome.com for quite a while now (except for the little figures and whatnot, what is up with that?). Obsessively looking up plants and wondering if I'd order some of those nice vessels. And deciding, in a moment of frugal sanity, not to. I figured I could make one myself.Now, the only real-life experience I've had with a terrarium (that I remember) was one we had in Canberra, with an open face. I came home one day to find Small, I'm pretty sure it was Small, had pulled out all the plants, scattered them around the house and then dug out all the dirt for good measure. So, clearly, an open terrarium was the only option.Dirt, charcoal and stones were obtained from a local plant emporium.Moss was sourced "locally", as was a small piece of native violet runner. I went in for a little tree shaping with the violet, to stop it touching the sides, a no-no in the terrarium world I read (for good reason, touching the side may cause rot if there's any condensation).Cobbled together with a little help from the Internet, and voilĂ , a dainty moss garden.
No, I'm not planning on cooking it.

Monday, February 6

Umm, yeah so ....

..... I took our Niece to the Harry Potter exhibition and was frankly shocked by the ripoff that was the gift shop. Still, a wand was purchased because sometimes you really do need what you want.
I have a spiffy new phone, finally a clever one, so the cool kids will stop laughing and pointing now, won't the?
It's been raining, a lot, I think we've quite possibly reached the 40 days and nights benchmark.
I still don't have a puppy/dog but I'm #wearinghimdown.
Life, it goes on.

Sunday, January 29

Old news if you Tweet ....

... but if you don't, the Brown-Mice trended/styled up a little last week.
I've seen, gloated over, desired Anglepoise Lamps for years. You know the ones, like the little Pixar logo *boing, boing, boing*.And something just snapped the other day, "fuck it" I thought, "I'll just BUY some".
A little light googling found the UK site but try as I might I could not get my payment accepted! It fair drove me bonkers.
Then, I discovered a place that sells them right here in Sydney, a discrete phone call was made and a nice young lady arranged for 2 to be delivered to Mr Brown's office before the week's end.
Any you know what? About $20 cheaper than shipping them in from the UK including the £160 shipping fee! Win!
Delivered they were, as promised. A little light assembly was required. And the instructions did not lie, that base is one weighty bastard. Of course there's an obligatory Tigger-in-a-box picture, what did you expect? Tigger is Mr Brown's most ardent assistant, removal was required.And here they are, Mr Brown's (which required his taking the electrical bits apart and reassembling so it would work. Easier than taking it back to sway between 10 and 4 on a Saturday). And mine. From a reclining Mouse point-of-view!