recent photography

 I took these a month or so ago, just loved how this colony of mushrooms or toadstools just popped up on the edge of the garden growing from the timber border.  Had to sit my camera on the ground so consequently couldn't see what I was getting, took a few shots angling it one way then another.

 My first mosaic piece for the garden.  Got it grouted and now have a terracotta hanging birdhouse that I have done in the same design waiting to be grouted.  I like how they have come out, bit addictive. Can you see the makers brand emblem from the back of the plate, I got this idea from Jeanne d Arc magazine.

 Paddy this is for you, you asked what we had for breakfast without bread or toast.  Chop up lots of veges, ie spring onions chilli zuchini aubergine (never used this before) any cold meat or bacon also chop up small.  Put a little oil in frypan and when nearly cooked through make a space and break in some eggs these eggs in photo are ready to be turned over to cook a couple of minutes.  You can also use cooked veges, tomatoes etc.  Very tasty and filling.

 These dear wee violets I picked for mum and to share with you. tried different angles

Some of my photo's I only like to share with my sisters or family so I don't put on facebook.

life and death

 Last week I joined garden club.  They meet once a month and visit different gardens in the South West.  I knew they where visiting two along the river in Donnybrook where I walk, and I was dead keen to see them.  The one above has lots and lots of roses, it is beautiful and will look forward to seeing it in Spring

 This was the other one which was very tropical with lots of palms and as you can see such healthy ponga's, mind you they are in the shade, there is a waterfall in there too, so gets lots of water.

 This is the river, they have these dams with flood gates which you can see is open on the far side.  This is further upstream from where we are renting and by the time it gets behind us it is more a creek than a river.  I am told it floods a lot in winter, I would like to see that just at the moment in time.

 This is the ruins of the old aboriginal jail, you can see some of the handmade bricks and old timbers scattered around which is all that is left.  A few of us climbed the gate to go and see.  Apparently the warden had a wooden house and the prisoners lived in tents.  I love seeing history like this.

 Look at these lovely old bones, as you can see this skull is not as good condition as the one I picked up.  I had to walk back to the van with it much to the amusement of the ladies in the garden club and a few strange looks walking through town.  But being a Johnson, I was not going to let that get in the way of scoring a free cattle skull with horns.  Maybe this beast got caught in the flood as the river is just over the fence.

And this is my little baby, will have it in succulent garden in the new house.
Love you all
Jacky

frogs

I was eyeing up these clivia plants out the front recently, thinking, hmmn I could split them up and no one would know, when I say these two eyes looking at me.  The frog in the top photo was wedged down in between the leaves.  And then, when I was doing the watering a couple of nights later I went to put water in the water feature when I saw something plop down into the water.  Next night checked, and there it was sitting on the edge.  There where two there and you can just see a second one slipping back into the water on the right.  I thought it was the same frog, but seeing the photo's together I think its a different sort of frog. Oh, its such fun down here in the valley hehe...

Birdlife in Donnybrook

For some reason I am unable to put text on my blog other than as a caption.  These birds where on one of the dead trees just down by the river.  Think they look good outlined against the sky.

Little blue wren on wire outside the back, just so beautiful flitting here and there

Beauty

When we first put the house up for sale I bought this white cymbidium orchid with one flower out but with a further number of buds that i knew would come out over time.  The plant was $20 from Kalamunda markets, lasted in flower over 3 months and looked great against the dark grey wall in the lounge.  When all the flowers where spent they started to drop off and in the heat they dried this lovely old paper colours.  I couldn't throw them away and collected them in a bowl.  When packing I had to make the decision to finally throw them away, but, a photo would capture there beauty forever.

New home for a while

I am just in love with the house we are living in for the next 6 months or so.  This is one of the bedrooms with french doors opening onto the closed in verandah.  I had to block up the fire place, didn't want any unexpected visitors in the night.  The first nigh I had a spiritual experience, think it was dad letting me know he approved of what we are doing, I know he would love this house and Donnybrook.

Looking from that bedroom out to the verandah is one end of the long deep verandah and this end is my art space.  Lovely light but too hot to work in, in the afternoon.

Looking along the verandah

The other bedroom off the verandah

From the opposite end of verandah I have my sewing machine up and ready when I am!!

From the end of the hallway into verandah another set of french doors

and looking back to the family area

from opposite end

small sitting room off the kitchen

The kitchen looking through the family room to french doors leading to front verandah.  This area is about 20 years old and was added on.  The rest of the house is over 100 years old and was a railway workers house.

other side to table and chairs is the bathroom

and looking out french doors, another doorway leads to the laundry that has a shower and another toilet

Looking into family area from front verandah

Don't you just love these windows, nice deep bath but haven't had a swim in it yet

Front verandah is long and wide, goes around the corner at the end where the laundry opens from.

You can see from this photo how cool this verandah is.  Behind the far end is endless rolling paddocks with cattle grazing.

Now these cupboards aren't going to be to every bodies taste, but I just love there basic rawness, also love the wooden benches.

I hope i haven't bored you with all my photo's but I love this house and wanted to share it with you.  Its not a flash house but it is very homely.  Its very quirky, floors are uneven, and things don't match up but it is all part of its appeal.

Leaving behind

This will be my last posting for a couple of weeks as later today the internet and telephones will be disconnected.  I will only have my mobile phone for communications.

Below is what we are leaving behind, damn, our first fruit on the grape and passionfruit vines, about a dozen bunches of grapes and about 20 passionfruit.  Hope the new owner enjoys them.

 House inspection was on Wednesday amid all the packing.  Below is some of the cartons packed ready to go.  This is the first time we have ever used a removalist.  They will be here at 7 am Monday and we are just about ready.  Still have the shed and garage to do.  Still have a few days and some things you can't do until the last minute like your kitchen stuff.  I keep looking for things then remember I have packed them away.  It will be fast foods for the next few days.  Although I have the Illuminate in the city tonight with Phil and then we are going to the hotel for smorgesboard tea tomorrow night with Joanne and all her family as we wont be seeing them over the Christmas break.

 Its not home now all the empty spaces, cartons all stacked up ready to go.  empty bookshelves and cupboards, the week of goodbyes.

and on a brighter note, we met Kirsty down in Mount Lawley for coffee last week.  at this cafe attached to the best bookshop in Perth, Planet Books.  I just had to take a photo of this magnificient wall illustration, can you see John sitting there patiently, I don't think he gets why I get so ecstatic about arty things, but humours me.  If I don't hear from you, have a wonderful Christmas and I will catch up in the New Year.  We will be staying at Kirsty's for two weeks after Christmas looking after Angus as we don't have fences at the new house, they have a pool so I intend to get into the water in the expected heat.  Love you all xoxoxo

ENTERTAINMENT

 Free entertainment at the moment.  Mumma Magpie and her two bubba's, can you see them peeping over the hedge to see what Mumma has got.

 better check it out, looks like something we could eat, other one still peeping over

 hey, come back here, mumma said you had to share

 wait for me, haven't  got my wing power yet!!!

 ok, a drink out of the sprinkler to wash it down, does the trick

Now what mischief can we get up to.

endless entertainment, they are outside the bedroom window about 5.30 sqawking for breakfast.  They are nesting in the big will tree nearby, watching for me to throw some bread out, then come swooping down, very tame.

Busy weekend

 Sunday week ago I did a Encaustic art workshop at Midland.  The workshop was held in the gallery of this beautiful old building.  Upstairs all the rooms are let out to artists as studio's.  You can see why I loved the building.  All chipped paint and this beautiful staircase in a lovely shade of blue, I had to take photo's in the lunch break.  the stairs where a bit difficult to photograph as it had short run of steps then turned.  Wanted to capture the colours and textures.

 this was out the back

 Oh, this was the encaustic art pieces I made, encaustic is made up of layers of coloured wax, was quite fun.

I finished them off at home, embedding heavier objects into the wax.

 On the Saturday, I spent the day with Phil at the fair in Claremont.  And like I just needed MORE old books to pack for Donnybrook, I bought these lovely old books drawn by the texture and colours. 5 for $15, rarely see any like this here and they usually want a fortune for them.  I think the language in them is Dutch but are they not beautiful.  You know my passion for old books, I have already used some pages in the encaustic art the next day, just a couple as I don't want to ruin the shape of the books.