a little yellow milk jug . . .

This creation was inspired by a little yellow milk jug I received as a birthday present about 14 years ago.

I am always amazed at how things just develop with paint and brush and colour. This was entirely done with a palette knife (or is it a paint knife?)

more detail

raku firing

The fire dancers . . . Desiree Malan of the Drakenstein Art Society gave a demonstration on raku firing on the evening of 25th March.

Raku figurines performing like fenikses (mythological bird renewed through fire) rising from the ashes.

Collage of the evening

my midnight cardigan

I enjoyed this knit - it is a Jo Sharp pattern, Issue 7 - Pure Pleasure

I am very happy with the colour - midnight

Just right for our weather now - not too warm and not too cold . . .

cooler evenings . . .

Slowly, very slowly and quietly fall is approaching. We feel it in the evening and early morning air.

I feel like knitting - a loose, lacy, 3/4 sleeve, easy to wear cardigan for fall.

monoprinting

my first attempt at monoprinting . . . . workshop by Nanette Ranger



the pictures speak for themselves . . .

crocodile smile

The highest temperature recorded on Sunday was 44°C in Paarl.

While people in the town complained of the "stifling heat", scores of crocodiles on a farm in the Paarl area were in their element in the scorching weather."These are normal conditions for the crocs," said Maryna Moss, the co-owner of the Le Bonheur Crocodile Farm. "While we're sweating out here, they are absolutely loving it. The crocodiles are in seventh heaven." (excerpt from the Online Independent, Sunday 8 March 2010)

garden surprises . . .

We are experiencing one of the hottest weekends this summer - surely around 44 (if not more) degrees Celsius in daytime while even the nights do not cool down.

But despite the hot sun the garden keeps on offering surprises . . . such as this robin. I took the photo through the window, not to scare the little fellow away. While watching the robin, it reminded me of the film "A secret garden". The robin in the film urged the little girl to follow him to a secluded shriveled garden which she then lovingly cared for with the help of a friend until it was a vivid and colourful garden again, offering peace and beauty to everyone who enters . . .


And another big surprise was the discovery of this tortoise in our garden while watering the plants the other day, and now we have seen it a few times wandering through our garden. Naturally we are very curious about where it emerged from . . . but that is and will remain a secret. It just happened to be in our garden . . . and we love the feeling of sharing our Eden with mystical creatures . . .

It seemed to me he sensed when I was finished taking photos, because he then turned him back on me and wandered off . . .