BIRTHDAY LUNCH

 MY BIRTHDAY VOUCHER to trentham estate was perfect for campbell and teresa's visit, we went out there for lunch and the food was as good as ever, specially the affogato with cointreau :0)

my affogato couldn't wait for the photo

campbell's dessert was so pretty

CRAZY WEATHER

CAMPBELL and TERESA woke up to the craziest morning here, i was awake from around 5 listening to steady low rumbling thunder.  by 6 it was loud and i could see sheet lightning flashing but when i got up i saw thick vertical forked lightning. the thunder and lightning got closer together until the thunder was cracking right around the house. i was afraid a tree would be hit and fall on the house. thank god it moved on then dumped a super deluge for about 10 concentrated minutes, hail and all!

VISITORS!

TERESA AND CAMPBELL are here,  teresa cooked last night - such a luxury for me, i was dog tired after a day of sweeping and raking and tidying and flat-packing so i had a long bath before they arrived and then a night of talk :0)

MORE FLATPACKERY

GOOD OLD CHEAP AS CHIPS - that shop is almost as good as ikea at times,  terrific garden ceramic pots, cheap furniture.  Yesterday i put this one together, at the foot of the bed in the new room.

JUST ANOTHER SHITTY DAY IN PARADISE

a beautiful young whistling kite - spots last for the first year

i spotted him over the fence - lots of zoom lens involved here

at the triennial

MARTIN AND ME at the long lunch last week, donnie took the pic

the cutester

IN THE GARDEN

I'M EXCITED to see that the eucalypt i planted in the circular drive garden has two whole blossoms and they're a lovely rose colour as i'd hoped.   the nursery said they couldn't guarantee the colour, the genus leucoxylon can also be cream and unpredictable.  so i'm happy :0)

SELF PORTRAITS

PRINT BUDDY libby has started a facebook page - self portraits at bedtime.  so far libby, terry denton and i have posted a couple each, here are mine

SATURDAY - SLEPT IN!

TODAY I HAD that strange feeling, a day off with that  in the back of my head, have i forgotten something i have to do?   no, stay in bed and catch up on editing and facebooking.  :0)

i got up around 9.45 and start pottering around when the phone rang -  'where are you?'    :-O
i was supposed to be in mildura at 10 giving an artist's talk about my artists's book which is on display!   there are 3 locations, 3 artists.  so the poor people who had gathered  walked off to see the other two and came back for my talk and i hightailed it in there 

a very understanding rosina byrne who organised the 'white cube' exhibitions
each month.

excitement!   my first box of books arrived this week, 

i've sold five since yesterday :0)

 a visit to the Art Vault to have a really goo look at the Print Triennial prize exhibition and visit the gang.  Arone Meeks is in residence from the far north, nice guy, here with sonja and her son indi with his 'movember mo'

PRINTING PRINTING

MORE PAGES FOR THE BOOK,  a layer at least.  i'm doing a monoprint that will have two or three layers - this is layer one and its ghost,  i got annoying marks from not pulling the print smoothly through the press.

above first print, right

second print, i'll get

something out of them

with additional pencil

and watercolour

fabulous skies coming back from mildura on friday

RAIN LAST NIGHT

I sat on the back verandah for a chat with anne lambert to enjoy the freshness of the lovely rain we've just had, and photographed these blue-faced honeyeaters while we talked, multi tasking  :0)

PRINT TRIENNIAL

Deborah Klein's pic of rona green and me 
outside the art vault

NAILED IT!

CUP DAY - i got up early and set up to make some monoprints in the dining room, ABC on the live cup coverage, tv on silent and taping the melbourne cup.
i made one good big swan print and some not quite so successful ones for the book (need work) and just sat down for a rest every now and then and FF to the fashions.  Lovely this year, lots of classic dress with bigger skirts and some great hats.

 loved the cup day
winner of fashions on
the field, very audrey
hepburn, dress made
by her mum and
she hired her hat.
looked great

Loved the Cup winner and her brother and his proud march back to the winners circle holding the sash up above his head after his lucky pick of barrier one.  all good.

Then Donnie and Penny called in around 5 and we had a cool wine on the back verandah.  Steele Scadding called in to take away the rubbish and finish the light switch on the new door, now it's done, just some painting to do and the new room is up and running. it's taken ages but it's ready for the new year, or sooner

this morning i've woken up to beautiful steady rain  :0)