Hiding in plain view

I have lived here for a while now and occasionally make my way by car to Northcote. The first time I tried it on foot I found things to make the heart of a country girl sing. Wetlands and hidden corners and a rock by a river to sit on and do homework.















There were mosquitoes and many birds, including ducks.














I thought the girl duck had flown off.














But actually they were just doing duck things.














And soon, baby ducks!

shoes

I have a friend who hates cats. My cats love her. They love her shoes.















Mis loves her shoes more than she loves cardboard boxes.














I tried to take a video.

Autumn is my first love, but Spring? not so shabby

One of my students has the best hats, she got this one and a yellow one from an island off the coast of Scotland.














I want to knit this (maybe I will find/make time...)

skinny brunswick boys on bicycles

I have an abiding love for skinny Brunswick boys on bicycles, but it turns out I love them even more when they are wearing hand-knit orange cardigans.















He told me he bought it at an op shop for $5 and let me take a photo of it.

botanical stuff

A pine cone from the lone pine on the hill at Gallipoli came home with a soldier and then his sister Emma grew a couple of trees. They have been saying for years that the trees are barren and you can't grow any more of them. I few years back I got all 'well, we'll just see about that' and grew a couple of seedlings (that a hot Melbourne day promptly killed) - I am as mad as hell that I didn't manage to grow the first trees, but since I got them to sprout, other people have tried and succeeded, so at least I can make a minor claim towards the continuation of this Pinus Brutia.




















































This is a great plant (that bit me when I got too close). I have forgotten its name already, but it had something to do with elephants.

Kitchen floors and shoes

Friends have just bought a place and their kitchen floor looks like a chess board, and I saw these shoes recently - my brother would love them and I have since seen three pairs at school, so there is a chance I might find him a pair.














Took the cats to hang at the parentals' place on the break. They like my parentals' place much better than mine. Plus, there is a dog to terrorise.














And proof that Melbourne doesn't have the corner on sunshine during rain. The parentals had gone for a walk out to the left there towards the beach, but I had stayed home to cook dinner.

Little bits of delicious

Words cannot express how in love with me I am right now. The more astute may have noticed there are only 23 cupcakes on the plate to take to school tomorrow... I hope they are as good cold as warm.















Tomorrow is my last class with my year 12s. I have taught them every year since I started. School won't be quite the same without them. We are all going to wear togas and take foods.

I am going to make these things again (maybe without the mars bar 'icing' - that was a little intense, and now there is chocolate all over me and my computer) - let me know if you're hungry.

מזל טוב

Secretly, I love to dance. It is rare that events come together in such a way that I feel moved to dance where anyone can see me, but tonight was one such night.















The bride and groom, as a part of their waltz, performed together.















It was such a fun night and I love that I have friends who have spectacular weddings.















On the way home all the street lights were out on Royal Parade. It was spooky and cool. It freaked the taxi driver out, but the dark makes me happy.

Bengal Cats -

One of my favourite cafes has great graffiti and a sticker of two sporting Bengals.














I tried to get a closer picture of it, but there were too many people going in to get the tasty tasty food.