Time to return to the BLOG...

I have an urge to return to blog writing. I so enjoyed it in the past and it is a great way of recording the doing part of my life...Slight interruption...granddaughter has awoken....

In the last few days there has been an abundance of apricots from the tree so we now have apricot jam and apricot chutney.

Went to Warrnambool yesterday and as I do sometimes, I popped into a florist shop to see if there were any single flowers that would be good to draw. I came out with pink and orange gerberas. I fell in love with the colour combination of pink and orange.

More colours of April

A banksia bush

Grevillea

Lichen

Footprints.

Introduction to Botanical Illustration with Fiona McKinnon

A little while ago I spent a totally enjoyable weekend being taught by Fiona McKinnon, a well known botanical artist. Fiona is an entertaining and skillful teacher who works with the Botanical Art School of Melbourne.

The workshop was organised by South West TAFE. My only complaint is it didn’t go long enough.

Below is some of the resulting art works by other students.

Weaving and Roses

The seashell themed honeycomb weaving, blogged about here, here and here,framed with watercolour paper.

 

And a perfect rose photographed in my mother’s garden.

Late reporting of trip to Grampians. Beware – photo laden post.

Mitty and I went to the Grampians for a couple of days in late Spring, specifically to check out the wildflowers.

Well recognisable landscapes of the Grampians.

 

So many kangaroos in the one spot.

Looking for wildflowers.

Had to drive very slowly to avoid a head on with kangaroos.

Grass Trees are very slow growing with mature plants being centuries old.

‘The grass tree Xanthorrhoea, aka ‘black boys’, is a uniquely Australian plant, which epitomises the Australian landscape and is as tough as goats' knees. It will withstand drought. Bushfires will burn the foliage and blacken the stump, but then it regrows. Often a bushfire will encourage flower development. These remarkable plants have a lifespan of 600 years.’

Another typical Grampians scene.

We kinda left for our holiday on short notice and didn’t get organised for food. We had to buy in Hall’s Gap at the supermarket. We actually thought this would be a more economical way than eating out for our meals. Not so. This photo represents $95 worth of groceries. We went into shock at the cash register. In retrospect it probably would have been cheaper to eat out.

And this is kinda embarrassing. On the left we have my luggage and on the right we have Mitty’s luggage.

THE WILDFLOWERS

Common correa

I know it’s a daisy but that’s about it.

The common donkey orchid ‘diuris’.

Everlasting daisy.

Fringe lily.

Goodenia.

Green combed spider orchid.

Holly Grevillea.

Grevillea but unsure what type.

Pea flower.

Pea flower.

Pink Finger orchid.

Running postman pea flower.

Salmon sun orchid.

Swamp goodenia.

Tinsel lily.

And sighted amongst the native flora and fauna was a feral deer.

Not surprisingly, we decided that we needed to stay a lot longer to do a proper job of exploring the Grampians.

P.S. If anyone who happens to come by, and knows the correct identification of any of these flowers I would appreciate you passing on your knowledge.

Another adventure into Kaye’s bush

And what did we find today?

Not sure. Will have to ask Kaye.

Ditto.

A potato orchid (Gastrodia Sesamoides), sometimes called Cinnamon Bells. More information here.

A spider orchid, and that’s all I know.

But here it is again from a different vantage point.

A Spotted Sun Orchid (Thelymitra Isioides)

And to finish off the walk we spied some koalas taking it very easy in the heat. That’s a cute little baby on mother’s back but it refused to turn around for the camera.