The sunrises have been so gorgeous this week thanks to skies filled with scudding rain clouds. They almost make up for getting up at 4:30 a.m. in the winter to feed goats and dogs and assorted ducks, geese, and chooks. Shiver!
In all honesty, once the initial shock of stumbling around in the frigid darkness wears off, it’s downright magical to be out there under a sky full of stars, the dogs so excited to see me as they wriggle in for pats and belly scratches.
One of the first things I noticed about Australia is how different the stars are. I’m used to Northern Hemisphere night skies where I can spot the Big Dipper and North Star in just a few seconds. Now I look for the Southern Cross. Gazing up at the strange skies always gives me a bit of a start, a strange yet rather delightful feeling that perhaps I’ve fallen into another world by accident. When the weather warms up I’m going to drag a few of my folks outside on a clear night to point out Aussie-style star pictures for me.
This week my friend Jackie talked me into selling my wood-burned items (pyrography) at local Queensland markets, so I’m having the jolliest time dreaming up new patterns and picking out new items to burn. Bear is in on the action too, helping me figure out the best woods to use, which ones need to be preserved and which are best just on their own.
This week I started on wood-burned rolling pins and I can’t keep from smiling when I look at them. They’re such cheery little things and make me want to dash out to the kitchen to mix up pie crusts or cookie dough just so I can use them.
The first market is next month, so if things are a bit quiet here from time to time, just picture me curled up in a big, green armchair listening to audio books and old movies whilst I burn, burn, burn.
I’m also excited to make plum brandy for the first time. Doesn’t it seem like the perfect drink for chilly evenings by the fire? I can’t wait to try it.
What is your favorite creative pursuit at the moment? Is there anything in particular you’d like to learn to make?
oh yippee! me first? the scudding clouds are lovely – we’ve had a couple too, the last day or so – and your description of greeting the animals in the a.m. and the aussie skies…..oh my!
happy burning! it looks like you’ve got yourself hooked on something – looking forward to seeing where it all leads. xoxo
http://mlleparadis.blogspot.com
How wonderful that you’ve had gorgeous skies too, @9d73767d10227efff04c7307e331304c:disqus 🙂 Thanks so much for your support in this venture of mine. 🙂 I’m having such fun with it. 🙂
That cloud image…. How homesick it makes me for the big skies of Africa!! Gorgeous. And I am quite in love with your rolling pin! What a great gift that would make for a foodie friend 🙂
I can only imagine what the African skies are like, @jeannehorak:disqus 🙂 One day I WILL see them. 🙂 So glad you like the rolling pin! Methinks I’ll have to host a giveaway one day soon. 🙂
It sounds like a fun way to spend winter nights Krista.
It really is, @637d14a7bacd2b1cd2b91e744d58170a:disqus 🙂 Such a soothing, quiet thing whilst I listen to books or movies or chat with Bear. I love it. 🙂
You do have to get up early to look after your menagerie of animals Krista. You’ve taken a stunning photo though. I love the cloud formations. I hope you share your new designs with us as you create them ready for the market stall next month. I’m not sure what I would like to make at the moment. I feel a bit stuck creatively speaking at the moment.
We sure do, @wanderingsheila:disqus 🙂 Thankfully not EVERY morning – only on the days I have to go to town. 🙂 Thank you so much for cheering me on while I try out this venture, my friend. 🙂 I promise to share the new designs with you. 🙂 xo I sure understand the feeling stuck bit. XO It’s only been in the last couple of months that things have started to un-stick for me. I know they will for you too.
At which market will you be selling your rolling pins? They’re beautiful.
This is beautiful creative work Krista, and a wonderful pursuit to lose yourself in! There is so much I want to do, but at the moment my focus for the next 18 months is completing my degree. Oh the time that will be freed up! First thing I want to do is reenrol in my Italian classes – so in love with this language, and in fact anything Italian I am pretty much obsessed with! x
Stunning! Gorgeous. And nothing less than ‘you’, Krista, wonderful. I’ll have to get some of them soon!