Flowers In Winter

Finally!! it seems to be actual winter!
I’ve been wearing warm clothes, and even snuggly socks from time to time 😀
My garden is holding on, but no real flowers are happening.
Instead – a variety of flowery pillowcases, and a floral duvet cover…

Cosy ❤

Published in: on July 7, 2026 at 10:43 pm  Leave a Comment  

A Pistachio Kind Of Day

I think I’ve been out every day this week, except for Thursday.
Some mornings have been earlier than I would like, and most nights have been interrupted by the pain of a bit “too much” through the days.
Still, I’ve had a good week 🙂

Yesterday we went a bit further afield – a look around Orion in Springfield. I haven’t been there in a while… I seem to remember it being bigger.
I started the morning with a Turkish Delight hot chocolate, with pistachio dust.

Also – cheesy toast!

Yum!

I visited the (official) library there, and also checked out the little community street libraries.

There are three in this photo, and one beside me that you can’t see.
Since I did a tour of community libraries on my last birthday, I’ve noticed more in random places (like our doctors’ surgery).
They’re everywhere!
(libraries, that is.
And communities ❤ )

I was still hungry, so had a raspberry and pistachio croissant.

Pistachio’s been having a moment lately.
Not a problem – I like pistachios.
Especially in a croissant! 🙂

Today, we did the shopping, and indulged in some frozen yoghurt – the shop was having its grand opening.

I had to use my happy spoon!
It was all half price, so I grabbed a lot of toppings/inclusions.
Chose three flavours of yoghurt (honeycomb, mango, and salted caramel). They seemed a bit bland to me, but were melting into each other by the time I got to eat them, and may have been overwhelmed by all the other flavours. I quite liked the mini mochi (the little nuggety looking things), and the blue popping balls (which you can’t see) were interesting.
Pistachio again – the greenish sauce, and the shredded looking thing (apparently Dubai pistachio kataifi – no idea how authentic it was).

And then –
We came home.
And I sat.
Scrolling.
For…some number of hours.
This week has sort of been like running around, and occasionally hitting walls.
Time for a rest.
And another early morning tomorrow!

Published in: on July 4, 2026 at 11:14 pm  Leave a Comment  

Good Moon Setting

Full moon again.

Last time I looked, it was just past a sliver 🙂

We were out and about early this morning, before the moon set, and got to see the dawn in all its misty glory.

I went to the physio yesterday – my first visit in a while.
Apparently I have very tight muscles.
He poked and prodded, and said it would feel tender or painful.
It didn’t really seem too bad
…until I got to the car.
And realised what he meant 😆

Getting up this morning wasn’t very comfortable either.

I have helpful things to do at home, and light exercises for building up a bit of muscle, rather than languishing in middle-aged flab.
It means I can do a bit more in my day, although I still have to be careful to pace myself.
No weight lifting competitions this year!
(Or next. Just to be clear.)
I’ll settle for being able to move more easily, and keep on going forward.

Published in: on July 1, 2026 at 11:42 pm  Leave a Comment  

Upside Down

Have you ever planned your day, started on your schedule, and then everything goes topsy-turvy?
That was today…

Not in a bad way. Just unexpected.
We went gallivanting (including to a garage sale three doors down! 🙂 )
Felt the weight of all the “doing stuff” this week.
Got out and about anyway. And enjoyed it! 😀

I’m finding that I’m more able to get things done, even though I still have to pace myself (and take days off when I overdo things).
Rest.
Cogitate.
Have a cup of coffee!
And remember –

❤

Published in: on June 27, 2026 at 11:33 pm  Leave a Comment  

Filling Up On Song

It’s been a while since I shared some of the songs I’ve been listening to.
So…

One that was recommended to me the other day.

And two from a couple of favourites (I believe it was Fathers’ Day in the U.S. last weekend)

❤

Published in: on June 25, 2026 at 10:35 pm  Leave a Comment  
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How To Warm Cold Toes

Thick comfy socks, obviously 🙂
Or snuggly slippers.

Otherwise – spending the day sipping rooibos chai, helpfully brewed by my tea strainer duck.

Hello!

Lolling in my armchair, while incense releases sweetness to the room.

And increasing my vitamin C intake, with a perfectly sized mandarin –

(just fits the bowl, which just nestles into the centre of my flower cushion)

That ought to do it!
(with the added benefit of complete enjoyment 🙂 )
❤

Published in: on June 23, 2026 at 11:37 pm  Leave a Comment  

This Day, Last Year

Not quite the same date.
I was at an online conference today, after a wonderful start last night.
It’s the second year I’ve been to it.

The Saturday session last year fell on the same day as the first open house for our previous rental.
We had expected to sign a new lease, but on the Monday before were informed that the house was being sold.
I sat on the sofa, headphones on, being inspired (and comforted) by straightforward speakers laying out the Word of God to me, as random people filed past, looking around and giving their opinion of what we had thought of as our home…

It was a bit of a strange day.

This year, we have already signed the lease for our next year in this house.
And I could still spend the day being comforted and inspired!
After the shock of last year’s kerfuffle, everything moved quickly.
We had packed and moved in about five and a half weeks (and we have no wish to do that again!)

Room to breathe, now.
And to spill colour and words into my room, while putting my feet up, dreaming.

The verse we finished the day with – one of my favourites!

“The Lord your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
– Zephaniah 3:17

❤

Published in: on June 20, 2026 at 9:18 pm  Leave a Comment  

Pottering

– the act of moving around in a relaxed, leisurely, and unhurried way.
Which pretty much describes my life 🙂

It has become busier lately, and I sometimes overdo things.
At least there’s coffee!

I remember the days when I could work all the hours, lifting heavy weights, often not eating or sleeping much…
obviously, that was not sustainable.
But I still forget, and start to head down that road again.
That’s when it’s time to potter. Bimble. Dawdle.
Watch the world go by, and think deep thoughts.

And be grateful that I can still do all the things I can do!
❤

Published in: on June 19, 2026 at 10:35 pm  Leave a Comment  

Snippets

My plan for the day was to go to the Handmade Markets in town.
Browse. Maybe buy something. Take photos for this post.

Didn’t happen. (Although today was quietly fun 🙂 )
So, I will meander through some photos from this month, taken on a whim, but finding nowhere on this blog to land…

Shaking its leaves off to greet the sun…
Here’s another.

I couldn’t capture quite the right shade of…lavender?

I have a tray in my art room where I arrange rocks and miscellaneous trinkets into pleasing compositions.

…that could, perhaps, do with more dusting.

I’ve had some early mornings that have caught the sunrise…

…as the moon retires in the other direction.

Sometimes the mist obscures the sun, and the birds populate a handy branch or two.


An early start can be improved by coffee in an inviting atmosphere.
With plants cheering in the morning –

And a mirror that resembles a watercolour.

Comfy! (but time to go…)

Different things catch my eye.
Flowers. Light catching on random items. Curves and lines and angles – natural, or human made.
Like a boxed-in flight of stairs.

Or the curls on a gate.

All the things there are to see, if you look around –
life can be endlessly fascinating! 🙂
❤

Published in: on June 13, 2026 at 9:57 pm  Leave a Comment  

Cyborg, Sleeping

At least, that was the plan.

Here is my morning coffee.

Lovely.
And much appreciated.

I was recommended for a sleep study recently, just to check some things.
I’d never had one before and as far as I knew they were done in a clinic where you stayed overnight, wired up and monitored.
These are the days of outsourcing – in other words – home testing! Yay!
I picked up a kit with leads, sticky dot things, and devices to read and store the data. Also – a manual to explain how to work everything.

I was on a Zoom call last night.
The whole rigmarole had to be set up and running for at least eight hours, and I thought I would have tons of time after the call to put it all together.
The call ran way past time…

I turned my camera off, pulled the headphones out so I could still hear the call, and attached wires to my face. No mirror to help the process, so I just had to “feel” where to attach it all.

Not impressed.

There are leads you can’t see. And I somehow managed to stick down more hair than I’d planned, which made the de-sticking this morning a bit more painful than I’d anticipated.

I slept surprisingly well.
Not at any length.
And of undetermined quality.
But I was more comfortable than I expected to be, and didn’t notice it too much.
Still – it’s done, and everything’s returned. I will get the results in a few weeks, apparently.

Until then, I will feel renewed appreciation for my disconnection from the Borg collective, and enjoy unencumbered sleep.

Published in: on June 10, 2026 at 10:58 pm  Leave a Comment  
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