PRODUCTIVE DAY

FEELING  BETTER - I  think at last my cold is going away, my head's starting to feel almost human and i've been producing some work, a double spread of the book yesterday and another today.    tidied up the garage to see how it looks for printmaking classes, and put up  the two long tables i got at bunnings.

also walked into town, visited marg whyte, our local artist down the road,  did a lot of watering and generally i'm feeling like i'm getting somewhere, feeling good

inviting little spot out the front

                                Gavin next door

walking into town past the cemetery

the fabulous darter - one of the best birds here

i love this sculpture on marg's front porch

showing marg my latest book as she works at Ruby's Cargo, the local art/craft shop

SATURDAY

AH, another good day - the weather has been sublime, glassy water on the river in the mornings, foggy yesterday, clear and gorgeous today.  not a breath of wind, blue skies - what's not to like?

this was the
view when
i opened
the bedroom
curtains
yesterday

 

looks like
they're building
a boat ramp
on the 
opposite bank 

















i want to have a go at knitting this, i'll just make up the pattern, looks pretty straightforward but i love the way the stitch allows that drape.

my little man  xx

ON THE BUS

I'm going to include an 'on the bus' section into this blog for the six months i'm not driving in Victoria.  I've loved the bus, it's full of school kids in the morning, 80's music playing over the pa, and the buses have huge windows, so sitting back, watching the countryside go by, listening to the general buzz of voices and taking photos out the window when i'm not doing the crossword - well, its all good and comfortable as well.  and no watching the speedo.
on a wednesday the bus is full of schoolkids, but today's the first day i caught the bus on a thursday - welfare day so there were stack of adults.
I sat next to donald.  He's a 93 year old who lives at dareton, he has a cleft palate that means it's extremely difficult to understand him, but he's a dear old man and with some effort i got the gist of most of what he told me. i've never met him before but i knew of him because he comes in to the art vault. i've heard him from the next room.   one of our residents, steph bolt, went out to photograph him and his house and its wonderful front yard.  he remembers her fondly
Donald's house in on the main road as you drive through Dareton, he's lived there since the 80's and the front yard is full of whirligigs and moving garden ornaments he's made.  all painted white and bright primary colours, all whizzing around and moving in the breeze.   I challenge anyone to drive past and not smile.


YESTERDAY MORNING  the sun was coming up just as i walked past the bridge to the bustop, 7.45

off we go through curlwaa, coomealla, dareton, mourqoui (that's not right) and buronga, over the bridge and into victoria to mildura, about 40 minutes

the back of a lavishly upholstered seat

it's still like 
autumn here, 
beautiful leaves 
on the trees, 
mild sunny 
weather, the 
days have been 
just perfect.

ROBERT being interviewed by the ABC in front of one of his paintings today

GOING HOME ON THE BUS LAST NIGHT, A JEWEL LIKE ABSTRACT 

IMAGE OF THE DRIVER IN HIS SEAT - LOVE THESE COLOURS

THIS MORNING,  GORGEOUS PINK LIGHT 

this lovely young guy made me yummo tomatoes on toast with rocket for brekky at the cafe bakery

I had  a really nice day in mildura today, an appointment in town at 11.30 so i had to fill in time since the bus arrived at 8.30.  delivered a bottle of wine called 'the guilty' to gavan, the lawyer who helped me with my driving court case.  lots of op shopping, a few other things i needed to do. then some time working at the art vault, a catch up with donnie and penny - and a meeting at the art vault, all in leisurely time with lots of walking involved, a completely different pace for me which felt good.

Current resident Katy Mutton and John Hart, who's come from Megalo Print workshop in Canberra to work with her

Katy's son Louis,  a funny articulate little 5 year old

shots from the bustop

this funny little
grotto sits on
the centre grassy
area that runs
the full length
of Deakin Ave

the water tower, a landmark and now converted into an interesting apartment


crossing the buronga bridge

WORK TODAY

ANOTHER TRIP in on the bus, i'll take some pics.  keeping my eye out for an aboriginal boy who looks like the boy in the story i'm illustrating, i can see him in my imagination.





inspiring page of writing from kathryn lomer's 'the god in the ink'

love this pic of cal with mark when he was in japan

NEW BOOK

MY LATEST PUBLICATION is out, poems written by Janeen Brian. We're having a launch at the Art Vault during the Writers' Festival  and planning a workshop.

COMING OUT OF THE FOG

I'M STARTING TO FEEL HUMAN AGAIN  after days of having the curtains closed and just trying to rest and get better.  and i am feeling better, not great but able to work again.  god i sound as though i've had pneumonia but it was just a rotten cold.  i got a chance to really get into this wonderful book by kathryn lomer, dear kathryn who gave me a bed for the days i was in hobart.

this gorgeous fellow was singing and trilling outside the kitchen, he's a spiny cheeked honeyeater.
He stayed for quite a while so i got some good shots while i listened to his lovely song

THAT BIG OL' MOON

IT'S OUT AGAIN  and this has got to be one of the prime spots to see it.  so clear and bright and beautiful over the lock

the CALSTER

ON TWO LEGS  still wobbly according to rene, but getting there

 also on two wheels a lot of the time

THURSDAY FRIDAY WIPEOUT

GROAN - i've been on the couch both days, unable to do anything.   the winter lurgy - what a waste of time.   

HOME SWEET HOME

PICS FROM THE BUSTOP waiting to ride back to wentworth after a great five days in tasmania. 

birds zooming past at dusk

from the bus