walking in mud

On a bad day, I feel a little like this . . . Clipped into shape, not much freedon to move.  Or maybe like this . . . With my true shape compromised by structures around me . . . but note . . . spring is here!  And with each season there is a chance to burst forth!  Now I know it’s technically still winter and spring doesn’t start until Saturday week but it IS here with lambs, calves, pale green leaves, daffodils and blossom as evidence.

I took a good look at the tree – it hasn’t been cut back, it just has put all it’s efforts into where the freedom to grow has presented itself.  There is a lesson there for me.

My mood is lifting – the sun has just risen over the Tararua Range – no clouds!

I just have to include this abandoned building which is adjacent to the one above – it’s fascinating but I have no idea what it is, or was.  Why would the brick base be that flared shape and rounded at the corners?  I’ll try and find out but do you have any ideas? And get a load of that bright blue winter’s sky – goodbye grey skies!

what prompts you?

Over a week and no post!  It’s work, it gets in the way and drains my energy sometimes but it fills up the coffers so who am I to complain?  I have the most wonderful drive to work each day.

The Monday morning drive

The first call of the day . . . no not the sheep, I was visiting the school behind me!

I’ve been watching the trees take on that first blush of colour where the buds give the trees a russet hue before that first sprinkle of green.  And if you’re not one to notice it?  You’re not desperate enough for spring.

And over the weekend?

Gulls at the mouth of the Waitohu Stream

I often looks at Tammy Garcia’s blog Daisy Yellow.  Somehow, I start with one prompt in mind and it morphs into something different as I doodle in details.

The crooked spirals received some colour and glitter

Faded: watercolour was, pan pastels through a stencil, a spritz of purple, copic markers and a white pen for some detail.

Doodling on water colours.

And that Type O flu I’ve suffered from?   New Zealand rocks!  Literally sometimes . . . earthquakes, volcanoes . . . but sporting achievement, that really gets the population excited!  I’m sure once the closing ceremony is over I’ll make a speedy recovery!

And now I’m running late.  Why is it that the “it’ll just take a few minutes” task always take so much longer?  And why does it always seem to be what I’d rather be doing?

Still, I have that lovely drive to look forward to.

a pandemic

It’s a strain of influenza and I even know what type it is . . . Type O

The symptoms of this pandemic are dependent of where you live.  Here in New Zealand they are dry, scratchy eyes, particularly in the morning but increasing as the day progresses; an inexpicable longing to become nocturnal; in extreme cases, narcolepsy.  In Australia they might appear as an urge to rush home early from work, feelings of disappointment and extreme tiredness in the morning while in the USA, the compulsion to go to bed early and rise early will be difficult to resist and become more pronounced moving across the country from east to west.

Type-O flu has struck both of my grand-daughters particularly hard and they are now often be seen cavorting on the balustrade around the deck or having giggly conversations while upside-down.

Yes of course, it’s the London Olympics 2012, and with a 12-hour time difference, unless I stay up all night I have to content myself with replays although it is pretty cool to wake up and find that through the night, there have been 2 more gold medals and a bronze added to our tally!

So now we have 6 medals, we’re 2nd in the per capita rankings and we’ve done it all sitting down!    I almost forgot one sypmton common to all sufferers – an outpouring of national pride. 🙂