Lavender on Valentine's

Ah, its Valentines day, isnt it? You know, Ive never been a big fan of it. Reasons varied over time. Many years I was in relationship(s) involving little sincere affection, and other years Id just happen to find myself single each February 14th. Im sure many of you have been there, done that and bought the T-shirt.

Oh! Blah! Blah! Blah! You all know Im quite cynical when it comes to Popular Culture and Social Norms, its just the way I am!

Which is not to say, that IF The Most DH arrived home from work with flowers or chocolate, that I would be cross with him. Au contraire, mon Écouter!

But there is always chocolate in our pantry, and the flowers in our garden smell sweeter than any florist's.

Nothing out of the ordinary needs be done today, since we love each other so well every day. We make it a point to, as it took us such a very long time to find one another.

We hope you find yours too. There really is someone for everyone out there. Be good to yourself!

Quite nearly fifteen minutes of fame

Did you know that Fiona Wyllie, hostess of the ABC Radio Show Statewide, Mid North Coast NSW has been doing a daily segment on bloggers and blogging? Well, I didnt. Darn it!

But yesterday I had the very great pleasure of being interviewed by her for the show. She was absolutely delightful to talk to, and put this Nervous Nellie quickly at ease. If you are anywhere in the vicinity of NSW's Mid North Coast today, I highly recomend you tune in to the ABC at 2pm.

If youre not in the listening area for the show, why not check out Fiona's blog? Im adding her to my reader now.

Thank you Fiona for the opportunity to talk with you and your listeners, Cheers!

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Well, after that excitement, who can concentrate? Ciao Bellas!

Gigs, Glaciers, Hostages, Fiction!

Well there has been no time to see to the computer's creaking joints as yet.

As a matter of no interest to you whatsoever: on Feb lst I had 9.75 GB of photo data yet to be reviewed (culled). With files coming in and a few managing to be reviewed, as at Feb 10th I have that down to 8.32 GB. When I have finished reviewing all the files to date, then they are archived on two separate backup devices.

So officially speaking, glaciers retreat faster than I can process my photowork. Now thats a joke that was ALOT funnier before Global Warming began to get so much press.

(Here I went on for several paragraphs about how given the slightest provocation, I pick up the camera and run off to shoot. As opposed to sitting here and deciding which shots I will keep or delete. Are you sitting tensely on the edge of your seat, holding your breath, feeling your heart race, rapt in the deepest fascination you have ever experienced? Oh well, sorry! I deleted that bit already.)

Anyhow, another day abbreviated by a doctor. This time The Most DH played the part of the patient, and I the attentive spouse. Makes a change, I can tell you!

An MRI of the knee, after an Xray of the head (to check they really did get all the metal out of that eye from a shed building fiasco some years ago). Now, funny, you have to wait several days for the results - it used to be a few hours - now you must call back in a few days and see if they really are ready...THEN we can return to the specialist....well, really! I had better leave it there before I get started about Public Health (and no, I dont think Private is any better - but enough!)

I only bring it up as being captive in the waiting room allowed me some time to read a book! Yes, time to read a book! And the other amazing and unusual thing about this occurrence is, I brought fiction! FICTION! I hardly ever read fiction anymore. It was a lovely treat.

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Not content to just shoot things, lately I cant help but scan them as well. You will recognize the fronds from previous posts. Here one is newly bloomed - still regally purple, while the other has been transformed to the colour of wheat with age and the sun.

Gone to seed

The hollyhocks have gone to seed, and with plenty of summer left, are sprouting again from the base of the plant. These new spires are miniatures of the original, but anything that will blossom now is most welcome. Its long past time to plant some annuals for the autumn...Ive been so slack in the gardens these last couple years...so busy persuing other goals, like chasing my tail.

I have undertaken to re-organize the studio/office. Silly me! So much hoarded art/craft material from so many projects. Many unfinished pieces in several mediums, all celebrating anniversaries that make me feel old.

I am salvaging what I can, and giving away anything still useable. Not knowing if or when I may have an improvement to my hands makes me think its the best thing to do - divest myself of all the haunting "Someday I will ... " stuff and just get on with what I am able to do.

Now my poor computer groans under the weight of gigs and gigs of pics...I suppose it's welfare will be the next project.

So, anyway. About Bees...

Before I found myself in Bitter-rant Land yesterday, I was considering with some esteem, our friends, The Bees.

I also expressed a sincere longing for a deeper understanding of them, their families, their classifications, their plant and social preferences etc etc, just before plunging into a desultory despair of disquietude re: my lacking omnipotency.


Anyhow, here is what I know:
The rose's leaves have been carved by a Leaf Cutter Bee. This bee could be considered either a vandal, or an artist. The leaf discs will be used in her brooding nest. The Leaf Cutter Bee belongs to the genus Megachile.


Here is what I do not know:
Is she solitary? What does she look like? Does only the female cut the leaves? What would her brood nest look like? Where is it likely to be? Do they have a sting? Why can I never catch them in action carving up the leaves? Would I mistake her for one of the super fast Blue Banded Bees, who often escape the camera's gaze?

One day when my molecules have rejoined the cosmos, perhaps then I will know it all.

So many bees...

...so little time. I see so many different types of bee in my gardens, and Id love to know who they are. Dang, I was just at the library today! Ah well, even if they have something, it wont be on the shelf where it is supposed to be.

I used to get very worked up looking for books that the computer says are there on the shelf, but arent. Now, I just reserve them online, and let the "librarians" spend all day looking for them.

That must be why they have to have a "certificate*" in "library science" before they can be hired. Is it thier credentials that help them to find books?! Even if they didnt know where to shelve them in the first place?

I have also given up correctly shelving books that I find out of order while looking for ones I am after. It seems to me that if I use my Powers for good, I get no work of my own done.

I did not mean this to turn into a library rant, but, how cathartic.

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* "certificate" in Australia = "diploma" elsewhere.
And yes, you must have one in order to be even a lowly Library Assistant. What a crock!

Feb 8th

Last week south of Sydney they had a heat wave, today it arrived here. Have the physical strength of melted wax. Spent the day languidly moving from task to task. Several times I donned a minimum amount of clothing to venture outside and mist the budgies. Immediately stripping off again once inside.

Survival is the name of the game today, I wonder how long we are in for.

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I do not know the name of this lovely rose, I bought it bare rooted and labelled 'Iceberg', which clearly, it is not. Ah well, shes pretty nonetheless.