[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 11 February 2022].
From Wikipedia: During the Victorian era, the hollyhock symbolised both ambition and fecundity in the language of flowers.
in abundance
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 5 February 2022].
Hello, my friends.
The past two weeks have been heartbreaking, so I hope you forgive me for missing my usual travel-themed post on Tuesday.
I spent much of the past week or so trying to edit the photographs I have of Anthony and Anthony and me around full-time work, grieving, and an overwhelmingly small amount of sleep.
I shared a gallery I created on my website on social media shortly after the funeral. As I'm in London and the funeral was in Melbourne, I tuned in at 03:00 and finally turned in at 05:15.
I'm still in shock, and I know that will last for a while. Alongside other feelings of grief.
These flowers are Dimorphotheca ecklonis, a type of daisy. And Campanula poscharskyana, a Serbian bellflower or trailing bellflower.
I have no knowledge of the meaning of these flowers and no witty puns on their names. I enjoyed their colour and brightness after a couple of weeks of darkness. And the elongated pot felt a little like it belonged in a cemetery (though found in a garden in Rye back in 2016 that had nothing to do with death!)
Normal service will resume shortly. I promise. Thank you for bearing with me x
tall poppies
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 21 January 2022].
silky oak
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 14 January 2022].
I thought this year I'd change things up a bit and share some of my vast quantity of floral images on Fridays, with the odd fungi image making an appearance.
The change is driven by my supply of fungi images running low for now. Many of my fungi photos were taken on my iPhone and shared on social media soon after.
But also because I want to share the many beautiful images of flowers I have taken over the decades. And they don't really quite fit into the travel category (though often taken while travelling), and, unlike my late bloomers series, these flowers are real.
So, I'm kicking off my new series of #FloralFriday posts with two photos I took back in 2009 of the striking yellow-gold flowers of a silky oak tree in Redland Bay, Queensland.
During my childhood, my parents and my grandfather tracked down various items of furniture made from the silky oak tree.
They sanded them back, varnished them and furnished our homes with them. Two sideboards and a dining table and chairs I grew up with were lovingly restored, among other items. And more furniture in my grandparents' home in Canberra.
Growing up, I never realised these flowers grew on the same trees the furniture I was surrounded by during my childhood were fashioned from.
I've decided to call this curated series a floral tribute.
cracked and blue
A quick post to say happy birthday to my good friend Phil. And happy 21-year friendversary!
I took this photo during our trip to Chichester in September last year. It reminds me of a lot of his urban texture photography.
untitled #246
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 24 December 2021].
pilgrimage
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 17 December 2021].
half-eaten
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 11 December 2021].
you're living all over me
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 3 December 2021].
climbers
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 26 November 2021].
untitled #88
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 20 November 2021].
shelf life
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 12 November 2021].
untitled #84
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 7 November 2021].
clustered in the churchyard
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 30 October 2021].
I stumbled across a large cluster of puffball mushrooms in the churchyard of St Mary's Church in Minera last Monday.
Just one of many enjoyable discoveries on my 5.5-hour photo walk that day.
I finally had a chance to import my photos from my travels to Wales last night, and I'm looking forward to sharing them with you!
I wanted to write a post about my visit after returning from my walk that day. But I was so utterly exhausted I fell asleep on the couch and ended up enjoying some kitteh snuggles and TV instead, in recovery from such a great physical exertion.
I hope to write and share that post in the coming week, along with at least one photograph from my time in Wales.
In the meantime, I have no new cat-sitting gigs coming up yet, so I'm looking forward to sharing new work with you more regularly again from the comfort of my own home.
I'll also share the final chapter I'd written of embers back in 2016 this weekend as a patron-only post on Patreon.
I'm hoping to take part in NaNoWriMo again this year. Let me know if you decide to give it a go too. A cheer squad is always helpful!
layer upon layer
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 9 October 2021].
Today was a good day.
Scott and I explored the New River (neither new nor a river) from Hornsey to Finsbury Park and took a lot of photographs.
One of my favourite ways to spend a Friday. Or any day, really.
untitled #83
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 1 October 2021].
jarring
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 28 September 2021].
Hello, my lovelies.
I'm so sorry for the radio silence the past week or so.
I have a lot to update you on. And I had hoped, finally, to do so tonight.
But I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment for various reasons. I feel like the kittehs are feeling the same way tonight. Everything feels a little on edge.
Tomorrow is my last full day of cat-sitting. I'll return to my flat sometime on Thursday.
I'm hoping to spend most of tomorrow and perhaps some of Thursday taking self-portraits. Something I've ended up not having very much time for during my stay, unfortunately.
But tonight, as the rain falls, savouring the company of my feline companions feels like the right thing to do.
Where rain is usually my calmative, I'm finding it slightly anxiety-inducing and distracting tonight. It's jarring for someone who loves the sound and smell of rain to feel like this.
dip in the forest
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 10 September 2021].
untitled #174
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 27 August 2021].
I took a little break from #FungiFriday the past few weeks, but today they're back :)
respect your elders
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 12 August 2021].