A Love Note to Winter

Recently, I’ve found myself dreaming about summer a little too much. Like a lot of people, I spend most of summer yearning for winter and winter looking forward to summer. I missed out on a lot of summer 2011/2012 due to being overseas.  While I did spend a couple of stinkin’ hot weeks in southern Mexico, America and the northern parts of Mexico in December and January were freakin’ freezing!

In the back of my mind, I’ve already started planning this summer – summer dresses, icy-poles, trips to the river and the beach, etc. etc. etc. Not anymore! I have made a little pact with myself to spend the rest of winter focusing on all of the indoorsy things that I really love about winter. Snuggling up on the couch with a good book, drawing, baking, doing crafty projects.

It’s so lovely to spend the day doing some drawing.

The other day we made these delicious grapefruit yoyos! They are just the same as my passionfruit melting moments, but with ruby grapefruit instead of passionfruit. So delish!

I’m currently reading this book. While I’m only about half way through, so far I am really enjoying it!

And as always, sewing is my favourite way to spend a wintery afternoon.

I'm also a bit excited to be spending the rest of today listening to this. 

Tomorrow we're heading off to another one of my favourite winter things - the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces! 

XXX

June Photo a Day 5

Day 5: Sign



The only sign within walking distance of my house.

Goodbye NY

This morning we ladies are leaving New York. While I've enjoyed our little sojourn, I'm feeling pretty ready to be on our way. We've seen some interesting sights and smelled some interesting smells. We've explored Central Park, competently navigated our way about the subway, attended an art gallery opening (free mojitos anyone?), been pleasantly surprised by the calibre of the subway entertainment, seen some of the world's best art and blind dated some investment bankers. A true New York experience.



We're staying in Washington for one night, then heading on down to Alabama. I am a bit excited to hit the open road and get away from this big old city.



My favourite places to visit have been the Metropolitan Museum of Art and MoMA. My favourite part of town has been Williamsburg.





So farewell New York, perhaps we'll see you again some day.

xox

HAPPY SPRING

Despite having loved this Winter so much, it’s always lovely when spring comes around. A lot of the blossoms have been out for a while now, which always makes me kind of anxious and sad. As soon as September 1 gets here, however, it’s so exciting to see all the pretty flowers, the birds coming out, and everything bursting into life.



There are lots of lovely flowers around our house…












and even more down in the bush!

Vienna: Art and Design

Another one of my favourite things about winter time is the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibitions at the NGV. Yesterday we finally went along to the Vienna: Art and Design Exhibition. I literally look forward to these exhibitions all year and am never disappointed! While it didn’t quite blow me away like the Dali exhibition did a few years ago, it was still pretty amazing! We’re so lucky to have exhibitions of this standard every year. One curator said that Klimt’s portrait of Fritza Riedler would never leave the Belvedere again!



For me, Klimt was definitely the highlight of the show, and Emilie Flöge (1902) was my favourite. I could have looked at it all day. Despite having majored in art history at uni, I got away with never really studying Klimt. That may well be why I like his work so much; I only really judge it on beauty and my initial reaction, rather than background knowledge and analysis. Although, maybe if I had studied Klimt, I would have been less disappointed to discover that it was not the original Beethoven Frieze (1902) which was on display, but a replica! It was still amazing though.





While I’m not usually particularly interested in photography as art, I do love the works of some of the early pictorialist photographers. Heinrich Kuhn was one of the earliest photographers to use photography as a form of art and a few of his works were included in the exhibition. I am particularly in love with his autochromes. Although they didn’t actually have any on display, a number were shown on a little screen alongside lovely Mary Werner (1908).









It's definitely an opportunity not to be missed!

Winter Loves

Most seasons, I spend winter wishing it was summer, summer wishing it was winter, etc. This year, however, I made a little pact to myself to just enjoy each and every season as it comes. And so far, so good! I am loving winter! These are my faves:

Raindrops on everything

Cinnamon porridge for breakfast

Collecting firewood

My snazzy winter coat

Nutmeg's snazzy winter coat! haha so cute

Jonquills

Gumbies!

Hardenburgia

Winter woolies

The first bulbs popping up

Everything is greeeeen!