Sooorrryyy…

Yes, I have been slack. My excuse is that I’ve been nursing my alter-ego along trying to get print copies of their book done and ordered. For details see Percy’s latest blog. We have had some trouble, and still have in some quarters, but our first shipment should arrive in a few weeks…fingers and toes crossed.

Now, I can settle down and get on with publishing my next book of poetry. Tentative Title is Light and Dark. My trouble with titling my poetry is that I write about all sorts of things and have no theme except the life around me and my inner life. What do you think of the title?

It is the wet season here and Dog and I got the ‘lack of Vitamin D blues’, but now the sun is shining, and back to heavenly weather we head. My yard has dried out enough so I have mowed at least but there is much weed pulling needed.

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This was my backyard last week…

In the meantime, I’m still painting…I am taking video lessons with the late E. John Robinson. Love his work and attitude and relaxed style. Some of the lessons I’ve got are rescued from tape so the colours he is mixing are a little difficult to see…luckily I have ears. Here is one I did following the video — Mountain Lake. Not too bad, considering it’s not Australian scenery, and I certainly have no snow-covered mountains where I live in North Queensland. Not excellent, still…

I followed this up with a painting from a photo of Lac Louise (I believe) taken by one of my Canadian nieces, which she kindly said I could use. Of course, I changed the clouds, a lot, and brought in brighter sunlight from the upper right and made some other minor adjustments. Overall, I’m quite pleased with the finished product. More practice needed though.

Oh, and we put on another ‘Bubbles and Brushes’ night, and despite the fact that it was absolutely pelting down 2/3 of the people signed up turned up, and a fine time was had by all.

Well that is all I have until next time, when I might have some exciting news…

Ciao for now, Rosa.

Sunday – My Garden (I have no idea why this double-spaced, dammit!)

Sunday — My Garden

 It’s Sunday.

I have to mow,

tidy the mess I call

my garden.

But first I’ll have a cuppa,

while I plan how to attack

my growing problem.

The grass is knee-high

The vegies need watering

The edges need trimming.

The front first, I think,

The neighbours are complaining.

But first, I’ll have my cuppa.

A fresh breath of sea air

chases itself through

the palm and hibiscus leaves.

It kisses my cheeks,

insinuates itself into

my awareness, then skips off.

I lift my face.

Mama and Papa sea eagle,

dark wings extended from brawny white chests,

glide through endless blue,

which pulls my soul

into its fascinating emptiness.

A duo of yellow fairies,

tiny sunbirds,

flit across the veranda

on their way to their hanging nest

suspended from an old chain

looped around the rafters of the car port

In, out, flit, flit…disappear.

Flutter-bys, pthalo blue and brilliant green

suckle and dip, hover and sip

from the cerise bloom

of the ramshackle bouganvillea.

Unkempt, untrimmed

but very much cared for

it lounges in the far corner

soaking up winter warmth.

A pair of forest kingfishers

flashing azure jewel wings

visit the fish pond.

One stands guard, the other

throws caution to the wind

and plunges in for a bracing bath.

A blue-wing watches haughtily

from the rusty gutter of the shed

He gives a derisive half-laugh

before flapping off to share the joke

with his mates in the bushland

beyond my back fence.

They loudly enjoy his point of view.

Overhead, an extended family

of white cockatoos shout

jocular abuse at each other

as they scatter, gather and scatter

in search of the nearest

free feed.

The wind rushes back

bringing the smell of distant fire

and a group of blue-banded honeyeaters

to squabble over nectar

hidden in red bottle brush,

which sway and dance

under their weight.

I join them

take my first sip.

The tea is as cold as the morning

I’ll heat it up and then

…I’ll mow.

But first I’ll have my cuppa.