A Lot of Completion
Following the last post, I had a productive period of completing several large paintings including Brisbane Summer, Rainforest Stream and The Tree Fern Glade. I am going to have to find homes for them once they are fully dried as they are taking up lots of space! At the moment I am really enjoying working with a loose impressionist style for a series of hinterland paintings from my favourite places in Northern New South Wales and South East Queensland.
It continues to be challenging with the latest covid impact - I really feel for everyone running small businesses as the financial and emotional impact has been horrendous. So many relationships struggling at the moment due to the external pressures. I worry about the impact on isolated people and people in lockdown in nursing homes. I think the psychological (and then physical impacts of stress and loneliness) are far outweighing the physical risk of the virus.
My husband and I went for a visit to the Mount Mee area last weekend exploring more landscapes for painting inspiration and we have some local trips to Byron and Springbrook planned. I might even try some painting outside if I can lug all my equipment! Such beautiful rainforest and bush walks. Here are some images I took last weekend.
We also gave the back deck a bit of a makeover - the cat approves :)
Not many flowers in the garden at the moment due to all the extended rain - but the frangipani tree is looking good and lots of ginger flowers out. I did have one beautiful white dahlia cluster that the rain didn’t impact too much. I have been doing some online courses about painting more abstractly. A good excuse to get some fabulously textured flowers to paint but also to brighten up the house. I love to go to Flowerlovers at Rocklea (though it takes forever to get to from our place) who have a beautiful range and good prices. I try and get locally grown where possible - my other dream in life would be to have a flower farm…! Though incredibly hard work I’m sure and the competing from overseas flowers that are flown in which aren’t great for the environment. It was really sad at Rocklea to see all flower places shut except Flower Lovers due to temporary covid impact and lack of staff.
Having not danced since about age 8 (other than brief couple of years on the nightclub scene in the obligatory 18-20 age range) I went to an estastic dance night with my friends Jackie and Tina - definitely apprehensive but it turned out to be so much fun. I’ve even started regular tango lessons with Steve and the most challenging part there is not leading….! Not sure when we will be good enough to share a floor with other dancers and not run into them but we are surprising ourselves when the steps actually work!
Finally wouldn’t be a proper blog post without some pet pics and they have been particularly cute this month. Edgar Poe cat is very persistent in wanting to be friends with Bailey dog who has previously always just looked at him in alarm. I am positive the cat thinks he is a dog (but the top dog of course).
