Celebrating Books, Art and good Friends

This month's bookclub was a wee bit different. We headed off early this morning to Surfer's Paradise to meet Celia who was hosting us. We enjoyed the views and popped some bottles of bubbly and grazed away on cheese and nibbles while chatting about our book- lots of things wrong with this month's choice -but we picked up some interesting history.We then talked about the state of world politics, Lizzie and Charles, Africa and specifically Zim and Ethiopia. We managed a cake but forgot the matches to celebrate Robyn's Birthday and we dug into very rich and scrumptious chocolate cake. 

In the afternoon we headed to HOTA - the Home of the Arts in Surfers Paradise and enjoyed the panoramic views from the 5th floor, high school art on the 4th - with some outstanding pieces, indigenous photography on the 3rd and then a magnificent art collection on the 2nd with William Robinson's rainforest which inspired the building but also some unusual art work of lesser known artists. 

Celeste Rush- Delgado made this image of a cockatoo which is facing extinction from disposable drink cans - she entitled the work " Can we Survive?" She is a high school student.

Elizabeth Tanke made Gold Coast Suburbia in 1986. She used thread, paper, ink, tiles, rose petals, terry towelling, ribbon, timber, cord, collage and roller blind on a board. Intricate and multilayered in its thought process. 

Hota is surrounded by lovely grounds - a beautiful Cycad flower shedding its seeds 

Our attempt at a Selfie - with impressive backdrop. Wonky perspectives but lots of fun. 

Earth's Craters and Bees Cells

Today I went to West End to explore the Planet Series - a chance to see the Moon, Earth and Mars in big images featuring detailed Nasa Imagery.

Go along and see them at the West End Central precinct - near Harris Markets. 

Buildings matching the sky 

Meanwhile back home the King Beekeeper was busy splitting his hive into two. 

The bees are plentiful and loving the lavender in the garden and all the citrus which is in blossom. It is heavenly in scents and colours. 

Finally the intrepid reporter in her very own Birthday suit - cant help thinking there must have been an ulterior motive to this gift but given the stings of last year I shouldnt look a gift horse in the mouth.

My return is even sweeter now

More surprises were waiting for me. I am the loving carer of an orangutan called Koyah. Magnificent in every way and if you want to give your loved one a special gift please think about adopting an orangutan - after all 97% of an orangutans genetic make up is the same as humans. We are family.

Go to wwf.org.au 

facebook.com/wwfaustralia

instagram.com/wwf_australia

And another sweet gift is our first harvest of spring honey today. 

Just need to persuade the King Beekeeper of the goodness of spreading the joy.

A houseful of flowers

A houseful of flowers awaited me on my return from holiday. It was an unexpected but joyful meeting of the family, a warm induction into mediterranean temperatures of late August. Feasting with family and friends, meeting old acquaintances and marvelling at our advancing years, (while noting with some satisfaction, that we can use most limbs) nurturing new and young lives. 

It is never easy to get on a long haul back home but it is always worth chatting to the person near you. I had the real pleasure of meeting a delightful woman who lives in Chinchilla and is the mother of three, an accountant and wife of a watermelon and cattle farmer up there. We exchanged life stories and laughed heartily at our differences and confluences. Feb 2023 now in the diary for the Chinchilla Festival. 

A morning at the radio was full on for three hours. On the walk home these colourful two were just itching to feature in today's blog. 

Dennis and Doreen both visited the deck today- their happy place and mine.  Now will I last awake and compos mentis for a Board meeting this pm? Results on next blog whenever that might be. I may just be curled up and fast asleep when I least expect it. 

Sea views

Walks and talks, mountains and views, tranquil swims in the sea. Even a turtle sighting by a friend who is also enjoying this area. Time to head off to another part of the island and leave this perfect spot for now. Uppermost for todays blog the many views of the sea and the changing skies.

This house is for sale - not a bad view of the bay. 

Trees laden with pomegranates and a lovely pigeon coup with the best view too. 

This however is my favourite. An old crumbling stone house with a window overtaken by a wild vine and a view of the sea. 

Our last sunset for this year. 

The Baths of Aphrodite and Lara Bay.

The boat was a blast. We swam and bobbed about in the water and remembered many happy moments. It was time to reconnect and reflect but also laugh out loud. Here we all are with my sister and two nieces. 

Onto Aphrodite and what she was up to in her bay - a lovely tranquil setting with calm waters to explore.

Today a wild ride over the mountains to Lara Bay - a green turtle hatching beach with many turtle nests from where hatchlings will run back into the sea. They will make their way out in the next few weeks. 

Best local moment - watching these men throwing their massive watermelons to one another. 

The boys will disperse soon, back to their lives and jobs. Time to catch up with some friends in Nicosia. 

Songs of summer on repeat.

Happiness is a bowl full of figs picked off the tree - a halloumi with mint leaves perfectly folded in the middle, the cool breeze of the morning and the lapping of the waves, the cicadas gradually getting into their pitch as they enjoy the heat and haze. 

On another level, the unfettered ability to swim for miles. It's not something I have ever been able to do in Oz, though its beaches are unparalleled. The water is crystal clear, some of the micro plastic particles seems to have been cleared but they are also barren. A few years ago the urchins were plentiful, the limpets clung to the rocks, the barnacles and small fish were all around. Little sword fish, parrot fish, now there is barely anything to see. A worrying sign. 

Having the boys all together is a real joy. They move rocks, make paths and steps, do gardening duties and generally help their beloved Auntie Anna. She saves the jobs for when they visit. We go for long swims and snorkels, eat with appetite and sleep fitfully. 

A lump of granite we think which is now a sentinel on her beach, moved by the boys from a neighbouring beach with a well orchestrated plan of balance, towels and a canoe. 

The dog - Mollie beyond happy, follows each around, not knowing who to go to next. She swims with us daily and loves the company. 

Finally, but by no means least, the unexpected but happy arrival of a baby in the family who not wanting to miss us, arrived a little early. I look forward to meeting him when in Nicosia.