Cyclone Hamish, flotsam and jetsam
Image courtesy of the Bureau of Meteorology
Cyclone Hamish could be here as early as tomorrow night/saturday morning. There goes the weekend plans of exploring the Tablelands. Still, might be less crowded at the Coffee Plantation.
Thanks for all your lovely comments on the last post. I was hoping to be able to get a lot of painting done, but the Evil Taxation Return had other plans for me. It’s still not completed, and it’s like an infected thorn sticking in my toe. I was wading waist deep in papers, some going back to the 90’s, which thankfully are on their way to a new life in the reincarnation recycling bin. You know what it’s like, once I get bitten by the Purge Bug, I keep doggedly on, ripping up old bank statments with maniacal glee. Tax returns from the 80’s (just how did we survive on incomes so low?) even surfaced. I used to keep everything. Just in case. (Margie I can hear you laughing from here you know…)
Anyway, in an effort to tear myself away from all things mind numbing and soul destroying, I unwrapped a beautiful new Italian sketchbook (The Moleskine) this evening, and felt quite inspired admiring it’s creamy blank pages. Elli commented on linework in the last post, and linework is just what I need right now. There is an exhibition entitled “Line” closing soon, so I need to get a wriggle on. The lovely Elli also commented on museums being the source/inspiration for good work, and I do sadly miss them living up here. One of my favourite was the London Natural History Museum. I could live there and never ever get bored. The moment you set foot in that wonderous building you feel awe (and that Harry Potter might appear any minute). When I was there a while back I took so many (poor) photos. (This was still the age of film). I really think it inspired me to build my own naturalist’s collection, which I have been doing since I was a wee thing, much to my mother’s disdain. A decomposing red-bellied black snakes’s skin was binned whilst I was at school one day.
Everything was just so beautifully presented in polished timber cases. Did anyone see the ABC’s recent series on the London Museum? How pedantic were they with dust getting into displays? Amazing dedication.
And the organisation - oh! It made me want to swoon.
So once back in Perth I built up a collection, mainly of beachy things, as we lived on the coast. After winter storms were the best time for finding unusual things, when the sea bed was trawled up and dumped on the sand. A lot of it stunk to high heaven, even after lots of bleach was involved. An outside collection was the best place until the smell disappeared.
When I proposed a piece for a Royal Show exhibition, I turned to my collection. I was able to use my finds, and gathered knowledge to put together a huge body of work, which won the Blue Ribbon at the Show. It met an untimely demise which I haven’t written about, but I did post some better photos under a post (click) HERE.
Below are some really bad photos from the film days.
So now I’m really keen to get some of my Tropical finds down on paper, captured in lines. Maybe even a splash of colour as well.
The Tax can wait.
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Oh i agree the national history museum is a delicious place to while away the hours - so much inspiration! look forward to seeing your tropical finds *ruthie*
London is the place to be for museums but not the weather. Love your sea arrangements and the beautiful colour blue. Hamish ha ha ha ha, that was the name of one of my daughters past boyfriends. He was a dud so lets hope the cyclone is too. (Actually he was a clown in a circus) It was a great conversation piece with our friends. “Our daughter goes out with a clown.” The others would answer, “So does ours.” We ‘d say, “No, this one is a real clown.”
What a super collection - I pick up stuff and hoard it too - you never know when you might need it! Found a gorgeous little blue bird’s egg floating in the swimming pool the other day!!! I love the way you’ve presented your finds too - the calligraphy is beautiful!
What an interesting world we live in…..you have absorbing collections…how can we ever get enough time to do it all, never boring, except perhaps the tax. Have been locked up at night lately with the dementia people and can not really post about it but I so enjoy their company and am a little like Alice …. Mad Hatter Tea Parties…..in the wee hours….I fit in..and takes little time for me to come back to this reality as opposed to my night time life on the inside. Perspective, perspective…
I keep labouring the point but would love to visit London, New York and not forgetting Yap, and beyond….I still have time but to fit it all in…you girls and boys give me a wanderlust
Careful there Diane…I am not liking the name Hamish for a cyclone, my dear boy grandson is Hamish, what else with a Scottish bred mother….my daughter-in-law. Fergus..son
Not another cyclone…hope it blows out….and keeps the pythons at bay!
Love the nude too…
Off to BOM to check it out…..
Stay safe…..Kim
Looks like its heading straight for Hayman Island….we were in that area for our honeymoon (March many years ago) Arrived at the end of a cyclone, the sea was still rough, and we were ‘cruising’…. Rex made the mistake of letting me drive while he was sorting tackle at the back of the boat (fishing tackle not his own) He almost ended up in the water with the combo of rough sea and my steering!
Keep safe
Thanks everyone for stopping by. Hamish can’t seem to make up his mind with regards to where he’s headed - hopefully waaay out to sea.
Luckily we have mainly fine skies during the day, but man, does it pour down here in the afternoon! Now where’s my boat, I have to get to the washing line….
Not much internet time lately - No. 1 Son had to hand in a mammoth assignment today - all hands tp the pump the past few evenings with regards to the research req’d - eg - do you know how long it took to transmit an image (if they could at all) to Australia from overseas during WWII?
Cyclones, containers and frogs oh my! Hope you are all going well. Assignments are ruling our house as well with lots of late nights and me and Dave as chief editors. Hope the purge and cleansing is still going well - Yes I did laugh but just on the inside! Talk to you next week.
hoping that you’re allright and that hamish wasn’t too nasty.
“tax can wait” seems to be UNIVERSAL *laughingoutloud*