Friday, August 31, 2012

Happiness.

I know I keep warbling on about happiness, what is it? how do we get it? how do we sustain it?
Always looking for ways to capture that elusive feeling of uplift, better than any drug.
Seeing this little Blue Wren made me happy. He battles the odds, is beautiful and feisty and is not much bigger than a dandelion head. Unlike the lilies of the field he does toil and is always alert and aggressively protective of his mate.


"Somewhere there's a Bluebird of Happiness". Keep looking!

Friday, August 24, 2012

Haircut.

A haircut for Katie our houseguest this weekend. Katie is a Shitszu but at the moment she looks like a bewildered Pug. Katie is a sweet gentle creature who lives with seven cats and two other little dogs, we love having her as our visitor when her 'Mum' goes off to cat shows.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Precious.

By definition 'precious' describes an object of great value. The value may not be intrinsic but of a sentimental nature and thus it is with this small trinket given to me by my grandchildren. I have very few items of jewellery  but it was no contest when I needed to illustrate one in an etegami for day 7 of the "Everdaymatters" challenge. I really cherish this little fish brooch and even though it wasn't an easy subject for etegami I had to use it.


A postscript to yesterday's post. the Tawny Frogmouth returned today and perched on the verandah once again seemingly unruffled and in good health, it really is a blessing to be treated to a close up sight of this nocturnal beauty with it's comical wide gape.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

A visitor and a whiff of Spring.

A worrying visit by a Tawny Frogmouth who sat for several hours on the back verandah. I worried that he was ill but he seemed quite happy there on my table sheltering in the sun and out of the furious wind. He flew off at last after a small snack of dog food, leaving behind a small present of a regurgitated pellet of cockroach parts.

The wind today has played havoc with the garden but the freesias are blooming and the ones I have cut for indoors are perfuming the house, a pleasure I look forward to each year. It is said that those afflicted by a serious illness learn to appreciate their surroundings but I fear that if this should happen to me I would be overwhelmed  as I cannot imagine appreciating the beauty and wonder of  the Earth any more than I do now.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Mesmebryanthemum madness.

A card for the other plant breeder who visited us  Friday. Not altogether happy about this one but still, etegami rules say it must be sent so, thanks for the visit John.
A little explanation for the words, mesembryanthemum comes from the Greek meaning Noon Flower, probably owing to their habit of opening only in full sun, but as every plant breeder knows you have to be up mighty early to beat the insects who can ruin a perfectly good project by 'doing what comes naturally'!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Succulent etegami.

All etegami are delicious but by succulent etegami, I mean an etegami of a succulent plant.
The Prof and I were delighted to have lunch yesterday with a couple of old colleagues of his who he has not seen for almost a decade. Both of the men are engaged in plant breeding and their current project involves a particular variety of succulent hence this etegami which I have made to send to them. Plant breeding is an art and a science rolled into one and to follow the discipline you must be very disciplined indeed. From the first idea to a finished product, be it a new wheat variety or a horticulture specimen can take many years and many failed attempts. The rewards can be great but the disappointments many. so I hope our friends succeed in their latest project and manage to create some hysteria for their gasteria!



Friday, August 3, 2012

Etegami calendar.

I have it in my mind next year (if I am spared..don't worry I have just been re-reading Dickens) to do an etegami calendar. My very first etegami exchange with a Japanese lady was with a sweet person named Hatsue and she sent me a calendar she had printed up consisting of 12 cards beautifully boxed in a clear case. Sadly, Hatsue fell very ill and we no longer correspond but I still remember our first tentative connections and would like to make a calendar to celebrate our "meeting".Rather than wait until the new year I decided to get into the calendar mood with this card of a rather grumpy Water Dragon (in this year of the Dragon) expressing the sense of disbelief that we all seem to share as adults at how quickly time is passing. Where has the year gone?