Autumnal pursuits:

Christopher Pyett : ideas for paintings

Autumn is a time for hunkering down. My daughter rang to say her gutters have been replaced and a dangerous chimney taken care of.
We’ve decided to remove two large palm trees that drop thousands of seeds and sprout everywhere. I love their height, but the other trees will soon fill the space left behind.

General garden maintenance is a fulfilling task. Removing spent tomato plants, culling the raspberries and tying the new canes makes the garden feel ready for winter. Pruning everything is something that needs to be rationed according to the recycling bins. We now have two brown bins, for garden waste that I don’t want to compost. Our six compost bins are fully utilized. So the garden is in need of constant attention, which fits in with writing.

I’d like to work half days at each, writing and gardening, so that I’m not sitting in front of the computer all day. This healthy option seldom works out, but I shall continue to aim for this ideal.

My computer is fine apart from the iphotos, which won’t allow me access. I shall really have to learn to use my new laptop, which is another thing I’ve been resisting. So for the moment, no photos of the garden.

Canberra, our federal capital.

 

After being fascinated reading American blogging friend, Barbara’s post, about airport carpets, https://silverinthebarn.wordpress.com/2015/04/02/flying-carpets/ she inspired me to take some photos here in Australia. Melbourne airport is having renovations, so the carpet may be a temporary one. Boring compared to Barbara’s inventive post, even showing how their carpets inspired a tattoo as well as other goods. I hope you have time to read it, if you missed it.

Melbourne airport carpet

Canberra, the federal capital of Australia, has a huge glass wall to give a warm welcome to arrivals. The granite(?) floor looks new and well cared for.

Some variations of colour.

Sculpture at Canberra airport

Grandson, Will, looking out for planes.

Departure lounge has carpet in some seating areas.

Departure lounge has large soft round seats to soften the austere environment.

Canberra’s autumn sky.

Visiting Canberra is a delight in autumn with its many deciduous trees. We saw kangaroos at Yarralumla. I was not quick enough to get a close shot.

Tiny grey dots on the right are the kangaroos!

Alright, this is exactly what one shouldn’t do, stick a tree in the centre of a photograph. I was trying to be quick to catch the kangaroos, so I didn’t see the tree.

Autumn changes

Canberra has a cycle path 100km long.

Married to an artist, I had to take a photo of this rainbow cake.

Good Appetite from Canberra!

 

 

 

Shades of Autumn:

The Virginia creeper is turning.

Pineapple Salvia, that really smells of pineapple.

Looking up.

Autumn delight

Such colour!

Thanks for your visit, hope you enjoyed a little Autumn colour.

Time to garden:

Tomatoes, our staple

A new tiny snail, I haven’t seen before.

A gentle change

The Acer drops seeds and the seedling are being potted up.

Roses still blooming

Looking up

Autumn colour

Delicate semi-shade plants

In Victoria known as Virginian Creeper, in Tasmania known as Boston Ivy. These creepers are growing on the water tanks.

Chilli plant in front of zucchini

Verbena, still a few jewels to be found.

Baby cyclamen, treasures .to be nurtured

Finally, figs for the birds and us. Thanks for your visit, Barbara

 

Summer departs with a freak storm:

Saturday was still and warm, the last day of summer, perfect for sitting outside for lunch and the afternoon tea. Two of our children and families came down to share time with us. This is what I love, preparing food for family.

Liza, Mackenzie, Francesca and Hazel

Relaxing in the warmth of the evening the power fluctuated several times and went off all together. I always enjoy lighting the candles and having a quiet time.

The stormy winds sounded like a mini tornado, and then the rain began. We went out the back to see that everything was all right and to experience the storm. It wasn’t until the morning we discovered how damaging the storm had been. We were fortunate that only one street tree dropped a branch without any major damage.

 

Tree branch blocking our driveway.

Walking up the street a block we saw how a huge tree had fallen. Breaking a fence, falling across a parked car and blocked the road. There was also a cement electricity pole broken in half. Electricity wires were ripped from quite a few houses, so they will be without power for some time. We’re lucky as the power came on early this morning. So the beginning of Autumn came with a bang.

Next corner up.

If you look closely you can see the broken cement power pole and the tree down.

Autumnal crocus

Me time: What’s your ideal Saturday morning? Are you doing those things this morning? Why not? Michelle W. Daily prompt.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/me-time/

Autumnal pursuits:

Blogging has taken second place of late. The garden has been calling me. Instead I’ve taken a couple of photos to show the coloured leaves and another posy. Our weather has been unseasonably warm, very pleasant in the low 20s. Perfect weather for enjoying being outside.

 

Return to the garden:

Brugmansia (Solanaceae) Angel’s trumpet making a show in a narrow arched area, where it will be covered mostly in creepers.

Children’s cubby house at the back of the garden

Virginia creeper on our water tank. March 2014

Autumn is upon us; a relief after the hot weather. As you can see the leaves are beginning to turn. The vegetable plot has done its dash, with a few eggplants still to come. Tomatoes have almost completed their task. Now it is time to make relish and chutney.

I painted the cubby the colour of the changing leaves. I enjoy looking at it hiding under the trees. It is ready for our next grandchild, the first grand daughter, to be born in April. Our two grandsons who live not far away, are a little old for it now, as they prefer to play other things. It’s good to think there are little ones still to play with it. Our young grandsons from Canberra will come down during the year, so it must be ready for them.

Getting back into the garden is so therapeutic; we finally had some rain. Green instantly reappears bringing joy and enthusiasm to replant and get ready for winter. I do like to spread manure and freshly mulch every autumn and spring. Writing at every other opportunity; life was meant to be full….