Sad times and Xmas

This is Mum's beautiful Verbena, her outside Xmas tree as it ends up covered in these fluffy white flowers for Xmas. Sadly its also a reminder of Glenn's passing, as he always picked it to freshen up his car for his drive home. We never know what life has in store for us and I suppose that is part of the wonder and despair of its winding pathways.
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Grandad and Nicholas enjoying Xmas Eve in the cool of Nicky's aircon. How nice to eat in comfort as the typical monsoon temperatures mean any house other than Nona's is better! We can all roll around and play without feeling uncomfortable.
Nicholas locking me away in his room - very exciting playing behind closed doors! Look at that 'do not disturb' face.....
Here we all are waiting to open our crazy presents - think we are a little over our supposed $10 Xmas - Nicholas enjoyed handing the presents out and took a little prompting to finally start checking what was under all that paper. Grandad picked these great wooden toys to win little and big boys hearts. And could Xmas be more fun with bubbles - and a little boy chasing them amongst the typical Northern footware - a giveaway to their location.
This little kitchen was a big hit with the chef and he has been cooking up a storm since Xmas day and speaking of Xmas Day - spent in the comfort of Aleta's aircon - this was the end of a great Xmas lunch.
Family is fun and having everyone home at Xmas was a great end to a big year.

December already

December already. Seems November slipped by too fast - Grandad has been away a whole month - cough cough, brmm brmm - as Nicholas always says. I think Grandad is missing his little boy. Now this month has seen some incredible cake making - just look at that face and the wonderful mixture everywhere. We really do have a chef in our midst and he taste tests every creation before and after! This little chef had a major event - his first sleepover with Nona - he slept really well but I think Mum and Dad were missing his company which is understandable.


And this was the last birthday for the year! Nicholas was so keen to help his uncle unwrap his exciting parcels - there was a shortage of paper but the oh so creative ones and lots of sticky tape worked wonders. Of course there was the dreaded sponge and the family and dreaded neighbours and their dogs!

The pottery club exhibition went well - always a busy time of the year with end of year events happening every weekend and this time we had to share the evening with the Dance concert so a lot of mothers missed out but came through the week so the little shop is starting to look quite bare again. I finally did some cups and beakers but most sold so will have to sit down and face putting those handles on again. The weather is perfect for quick drying but pretty hard on the potter as its just so hot and humid. We were apparently 40 yesterday so I had the industrial fan blasting away, the noise driving me a little mad as well!
I must apologize for the following repetitious display for my pieces
- and I call myself a photographer!!!

I love the beach - how often I say this! I feel its mine even though I share it with lots of walkers and their four legged friends but there are mornings when Midnight and I are totally alone on our 20 minute walk and its total bliss. The freshwater creates such interesting gutters along the shore after the torrential downpours - its amazing how much water falls out of the sky but the beach is testament to the quantity as it seeps out on the sand, reversing the patterning created by the tidal movement.

I know, I can see that fresh track - a blot on an otherwise beautiful view.

More porcelain pieces with their dash of bauxite to attach them to place. These were a late addition to the last firing but they didn't go down to the shop - I have more pieces to fire so will wait and enjoy looking and touching a little longer.I couldn't resist this sunset photo with the frangipanni in the foreground - the flowers are touched with the same yellow in the sky and are the most delicate of pinks.
Now this is the start of a huge thunderhead - they build and boil and seem to climb endlessly up into the sky before the lightning begins. Spectacular and I could sit and watch for hours but for the mosquitoes - they are the unwelcome guests the wet weather brings along.