Thursday, October 31, 2013

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld  


A very interesting novel inspired by the life of an American first lady. It's a very clever fictional novel because it brings to life certain past Presidents , their wives and administration into focus without the reader realizing. I started to see it about third of the way into the book. No president is named but it gets to be pretty obvious which wife is being reflected in this book in a small way.
It starts with a simple teenage girl of a lower to middle class family who grows up to marry into a politically upwardly rich family. The story covers the rise of her life until she is the President's wife. I found it very interesting to read and not at all dull because it is told from her point of view and the opinions she holds dear and her knowledge of her growing self.


A little ponderous in places but very readable.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Ghosts, Pumpkins, Skeletons and Graves. Oh My!!

Ghosts, Pumpkins, Skeletons and Graves, Oh My!!



I read somewhere that decorating for Halloween now is far more popular that decorating for Christmas. 
In my area , mostly rural and with few younger children  there is only the occasional decoration to be seen for either holiday. That's a shame.

We have friends that live in a more suburban area and you just know Halloween is by far their favorite holiday because people will come from far to see their yard and house decorations. I asked how this came about as their kids now have kids of their own and live far away. It seems the family always decorated when their kids were young and there were lots of other small children living in the area. Every year they just kept on buying more decorations and decorating every year and now the young kids that used to come visit,have grown up and bring their kids to get a treat and to see the flying ghosts and skeletons and gravestones cropping up in the yard.It's like a Halloween reunion.


I especially liked the epitaphs on the gravestones when I went past to pay a visit.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

The Halloween Meeting of the British Ladies

The Halloween Meeting of the British Ladies  
It's ME

As Halloween rolls around each year the ladies of the British Connection group in Grapevine meet for a Halloween meeting /party. We usually have it at the same house each year as one of the ladies' husband does an excellent job of decorating for Halloween and it just seems to be the best place ever.

Pirate Shirley

Usually we are given a theme for our costumes but all the ladies try to dress up in something special to make it a festive occasion .It is a chance to have a good laugh at seeing our usually serene and classy ladies in all kinds of funny clothes.

Witchy Shirley


I didn't feel I could put their photos on this blog but I don't mind putting mine. Here are some from past years.

Sister Shirley

Monday, October 28, 2013

Shirley as Minnie Mouse

Shirley as Minnie Mouse  



I was looking back at photos I have had taken in the past years and this seemed like a good one. I remember it well as a very young Ashleye was either living close by or even at our house and wanted to be Minnie Mouse. Somehow or other I managed to help put together a costume for her. I am not good as sewing but somehow I managed to make it and she looked really cute.
At that time I was helping Meals on Wheels in Roanoke , delivering meals to the elderly and shut-ins. Every Wednesday there was a pot luck lunch at the Roanoke Senior center. And I would go there to help as well.

So that year having figured out a costume for Minnie Mouse I decided I would make a similar costume for myself and dress up to surprise all the Seniors. It was great fun to do.

Some didn't even recognize me when I went through the door.



Sunday, October 27, 2013

Waiting for the leaves to change

Waiting for the leaves to change



Usually by this time of year the leaves have started to change color and I always love seeing the lovely Autumnal colors. I guess I started looking too early this year .
I was convinced I would see them as we drove up to Canada or at least on the way back. That didn't happen as we never completed that trip,
Our yard and area is still very green looking and has been helped to stay that way as we have not had any really cold days or nights so far and also we have had a moderate amount of rain to keep the trees looking fresh.

When we went south on our road trip to Austin I kept my eyes open as we traveled on some very pretty country roads but not a sign of leaf change yet.
Then when I got home and looked out at the Bradford pear tree at the side of the garage , what did I see but ONE leaf that had started to change color but looked as if it couldn't make up it's mind about whether it had started too early.


I guess it did because it was the only one in our yard.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Circuit of the Americas

Circuit of the Americas
Entry- Circuit of the Americas

This week we took a short visit ( 2 days) down to Austin to visit the very new race track, COTA, Circuit of the Americas. This is a very grand, large race track just a little south of Austin and is designed to be used for all kinds of motor racing. Pretty soon in November there will be a Grand Prix held there and just thousands of motor enthusiasts will attend.

Motor racing starts really early in the morning!!


It is very well designed and laid out with lots of viewing areas, parking and all the good facilities you would expect to have at a first class race track. The track is long and interesting and the drivers swoop round the hairpin beds and curves and race down the straights and it is very exciting to watch.
The noise can be overwhelming but the track is way out in the countryside so it is well contained in the area where it is located.You just need ear plugs if you have sensitive ears!!


View of part of the track

Trev and Laura 

Trevor's car  LeGrande Formular Ford

We were at the track to see our son Trevor race in the Vintage Car Cub races which are a series of races ( not professional) that give enthusiasts a time and place to race their older cars. Many are built or shall we say reconditioned to race again by their owners and so it is all a labor of love. A great many have spent just fortunes on their stable of beautiful old cars but others manage to race with cars lovingly rebuilt. It certainly helps if you have money to spare for this sport but just talking to the people and watching the care they take with their cars you know this is a sport they truly enjoy and gives them a lot of pleasure.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Time for a Change

Time for a Change  


So today while I was thinking of what could I wear for Halloween and looking at all the clothes hanging in my cupboard I decided while I was looking , I might as well sort out the old stuff, the stuff that didn't fit anymore and the stuff that I wouldn't wear until next summer.

I can't believe I have so many clothes that I haven't worn for ages or that don't fit anymore. Passing quickly over the odd dress or jacket or shoes that I keep for sentimental reasons ie. the dusty shoes I wore at my wedding- the dress I wore for a Granddaughter's wedding etc. I realized that just this last year my body shape has changed. For years I have been almost the same weight and size so my clothes I kept for ever it seems. I don't care for clothes shopping so would put off buying new things just because I don't much care to do it.

Now I have lost some weight , no, not much but it's made a difference and also I have shrunk about 2 inches . Again not much but most of my pants now are too loose or too long.The weight might return around my waist but I certainly am not going to get taller again.

So keeping at it and not getting cowardly, I went through all the clothes and ended up with a pile to throw away, a pile to hang elsewhere in the house until next summer and then a much  bigger pile to take to the thrift store.

I forgot the original plan was to find something to wear for Halloween.

Oh well I'll do that at the weekend.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

An Unusual Tea Cup

An Unusual Tea Cup 


There is no doubt that this is unusual. There is no doubt it is very creative.
Would I like to drink anything from it ? No.
I can see if you put say cocoa or a black coffee in it anyone you gave it to would be tempted to drink it to see what it revealed.


I'm not sure where I saw this on the internet but it is a clever idea and will lead to a lot of interesting conversations which is always a good thing.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Year of Wonder by Geraldine Brooks

Year of Wonder by Geraldine Brooks


This is an historical novel based on the bubonic plague years in Devonshire England in 1666.It is a dark tale centered on a young wife and mother Anna Frith , who although a uneducated country wife has lots of commonsense and intelligence.
Left to fend for her family when her husband is killed in a work accident she takes in a nice man as a lodger. Inadvertently he brings the plague to the village where it quickly spreads. This is the tale of the historic actions that the village takes and the intertwining of the people in the village.

This is based on a true facts . The village of Eyam actually is known as the Plague Village.


It is a dark novel to read but compelling and intriguing.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Eyes wide open.. Don't panic!

Eyes wide open.. Don't panic!
Seen in Grapevine

If you were driving along at any other time of the year and in front of you was a car with a bloody hand or foot hanging out the back, you might panic, get out your cell phone and quickly dial 911. You would try and get the car license and then get out of the way as a poice car might start trying to catch the offenders carand nobody wants to be in the middle of a car chase.
 But not in October.
 Halloween is here and all kinds of strange things can be seen if you keep your eyes open.


Saturday, October 19, 2013

Pets and Halloween

Pets and Halloween
Cute picture seen on Pinterest

I am not a fan of dressing pets up for Halloween although I must admit some of the costumes people think of to dress up little Fluffy the cat or Rover the dog are very creative and certainly humorous and sometimes really cute.
I found the above cute photo on Pinterest. Not really a costume just a little hat but I bet a few minutes after the photo was taken the kitten had a great time playing with it.

I guess if the pet enjoys it as well it's okay but some pets I guess really hate it and so it depends on the owner to “read” the pet and see if it a smart and kind thing to do.
I can hardly get a new collar on my dogs and cats so I can imagine putting costumes on mine would be a challenge let alone getting them to walk out the door with them on. We didn't have much luck one year with the false reindeer antlers at Christmas so obviously our pets will not be dressing up for Halloween.


Friday, October 18, 2013

Creative meals

Creative meals  
A BTL butterfly

Just look at this lovely picture I found of BLT sandwich! Now we often eat these for snacks or at supper time but mine look NOTHING like this. In fact I'm not sure I could bring myself to eat it!!. I'm equally not sure Mike would eat t either. I do think it is very creative though and I am sure if you have kids they would love the idea.
I know at Halloween the creative foods come out of the spooky minds of creative cooks. Just check out pages on the internet.
This is a very good page for all kinds of creative ideas.



Thursday, October 17, 2013

Now where did I put that?


Occasionally I lose something. That's not true . OFTEN I lose something. Today I lost my watch. It's a special tick- a -tick Timex with an oversize face so I can see it better just by glancing down at it. It isn't glamorous. It's not a fashion statement.Just an ordinary watch.

It was very inexpensive and I really like this watch. So much so that when It stopped I thought it needed a new battery . When Mike asked for one at the store , the assistant said it would be cheaper to buy a new one. So he did.
When he came home he was looking at the old one and fiddled with the winder on the side and lo and behold it started again. I had pulled the winder out which stopped the watch. So I still have my old watch and a spare new one in the drawer.
Anyhow that's not what I'm writing about today.

I had put my watch in my bedside table drawer to keep it safe when I wasn't wearing it. I got it out today to wear and put it down somewhere. I thought I had put it in my purse but when I looked for it it wasn't there. I since have looked everywhere but still can't find it. I even looked in the bedside table drawer in case I only thought I'd taken it out of there but it wasn't there either.

I sure hope it turns up soon. I really miss it.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

The Family Skeletons can't Wait!!

Now I know it's getting close to Halloween. These guys are already in the car waiting to go.




And that includes Momma!!

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Avoiding the Pumpkin Patch



Although we live close to the DFW metropolitan area the little town where we live is in a still very countrified area. Usually the roads around us are fairly quiet and not much traffic. That changes at this time of the year because in a few places close to where we have to drive to get to the stores, we pass a couple of pumpkin patches. These events are highly publicized and are very popular.The crowds start forming especially at the weekends .

The fields have masses of brightly colored pumpkins covering the fields , the hay bales are set up for the kids to jump on and the annual visit begins. 

So at the traffic lights where the fields are, the lines get longer and longer and you wait to cross behind cars with mums with 3 or 4 kids bouncing about as they go to visit. Whether they go to buy pumpkins or to take photos or just to have fun I don't know but it seems a lovely thing to do. They all seem to have a great time.


Makes you wish your grand kids were young again.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Shirley the Girl Guide

Shirley the Girl Guide

I think I have written before about being a member of the Girl Guides in England when I was growing up.

I started at about age 7 as Brownie ( not the cake variety) and had a nice brown uniform and went by myself to a local hall where I joined with a lot of other little girls and played games, was taught all sorts of stuff and had a great time. I looked forward to going all the week.

The leader was called Brown Owl . I was a member of the Sprites group. Other Groups were the Elves, Fairies and Pixies. You can appreciate how little girls just loved all this. I can even remember the little song the Sprites had to sing every meeting as their opening song.
Here we come the sprightly sprites,quick and helpful like a knight”

When we were about 11 years old we flew up to Girl Guides, By then we were used to marching in line ; we had learned all kinds of clever stuff and we had had all kinds of events. We had a “Flying up ceremony” where our big sisters, the closest Girl Guide troop came to our meeting with our families and we were welcomed into the troop. It was a big event.

I loved being a Girl Guide just as much as being a Brownie. The uniform was mostly shades of blue but one of the great things about it was that each guides' uniform looked different. In Guiding a lot of the time was used in learning all kinds of skills that would help you later in life. For each skill you passed you would get a colorful badge which you would sew on your uniform. There was great competition to collect as many badges as you could.
Due to this competition I know how to tie all kinds of knots( well I did at that time), I managed to swim 100yards( I don't think I could swim 10yards now), I was great at starting a camp fire with just two matches and somehow I managed to organize and cook a 3 course dinner for a family of four. It was just amazing with the limited resources that were available just what we did.

There was also lots of fun times. We put on shows and went to camp and marched in parades. We took great pleasure in passing on our skills to the younger girls

I ended up with being a first class Girl Guide and the photo because it looks like a professional photo must have been the photo I had taken when I got my final badge. L was so happy that day that I had finally got the badge.


Sunday, October 13, 2013

A Dreary Day in October

Dreary Day in October




Usually we have really lovely weather in Texas in October but today was not one of those kind of days. It wasn't cold but it was a grey day with clouds all day long and a day when you just felt like doing nothing. So that's basically what I did.
I went out in the yard but it looked pretty dreary out there too except for the lovely purple and mauve flowers . It seems so many of the flowers that bloom here at this time of year are either purple or a variation of mauve. Yes we have some yellow and red lantana that were late bloomers this year but the purple ones are the most prolific.


Purple is a very somber color I find.Does nothing to cheer you up.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Orphan train by Christina Baker Kline

Orphan train by Christina Baker Kline


This is basically the tale of 2 females whose lives are intertwined with similarities of their lives
Vivian is a young orphaned Irish immigrant who is put on an orphan train in 1929 This was one of the trains that ran between 1854 and 1929 carrying orphans or abandoned children from the East Coast cities like New York to an uncertain future in the midwest of America. We read her story in great detail with all the historical facts associated with these trains. Many of the children found good homes but some were forced into a life of working hard just to survive. We also read of Vivian's life when she is 91 as her old memories unfold.
A teenager Molly is brought into Vivian's life as a helper . Molly has grown up as a difficult ,unloved child in the foster system and in many ways her life reflects some of the difficulties that Vivian also encountered. Gradually they become friends and when Molly helps Vivian sort out the junk in her attic all kinds of interesting memories come back.
It was a very compulsive book to read. You want to know what happens next and it it very interesting to find out what happened in those early years of the twentieth century.

I did not know anything about these orphan trains.it was very interesting.

Friday, October 11, 2013

Another Creepy Creature

Another Creepy Creature


It must be the weather and the darker days but the weird and wacky creatures are appearing all over the place in our yard.
The grasshoppers did a fine job this summer at eating most of the leaves on our rose bushes . The big grasshoppers almost 3 inches long are finishing off all the smaller ones. Its really a lovely sight seeing a grasshopper eating another,UGH Talk about survival of the fittest!
Now this lovely spider is helping to finish the roses off by spinning huge webs between the stalks that are left. He is making good catches for his dinner as well . I have seen grasshoppers being wound tightly in silk and then other spiders and flies waiting to be eaten.
They are magnificent creatures but I certainly wouldn't want o meet one if they were 20 times bigger.

Remembering the roses in the Spring


Mike took this lovely photo and it was just as well for if it rains like it is supposed to I think the web and spider will soon be gone and the roses will stand a chance.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Keegan the Praying Mantis

Keegan the Praying Mantis



As Mike and I were sipping our lunchtime drinks sitting outside under the shade of the patio sunshade we looked up and there was Keegan.
Gosh that's a big grasshopper” Mike said , Then when he looked again he said “Oh no it's not. It's a praying mantis.”
Now we don't get to see these a great deal just once in a while but usually in the Autumn. Imagine this creature 20 sizes enlarged and you have the perfect creepy Halloween creature! From where we sat we could see his long body shaped like a wine bottle with a long neck and on top of that was this thin neck with a hammer shaped head with bulging eyes. Add to that his long arms with pincer type claws on front and the very peculiar way he walks and you have one strange creature!


We watched as he very slowly came down one of the the spokes of the sunshade. He was upside down so we wondered why Keegan didn’t fall off. His body looks really big compared to his scrawny 4 legs. He is really defying gravity. Does he have suckers on his feet? We couldn't see any. As if he realized we were discussing him he arduously re-climbed the spoke with occasional stares at each of us. Then he started down on the next spoke of the sunshade. Again the wobbly meandering downwards walk and then another stop.

You know” I said , “I think this is the same creature I got out of the dog's drinking bowl just yesterday. I thought he was dead but obviously he has come back to life.
Yes truly a Halloween creature.

PS Mike says you have to be a golfing fan to know why he is called Keegan



Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Slinky


I wonder if anyone remembers this very entertaining toy. The creepy crawly SLINKY.
I know at one time both my boys had one and I vaguely think we bought them for Christmas one year. They were so popular and especially so if you had some steps or stairs to let the toy make it's own way down.If you didn't have stairs you made them or used your hands to make the steps.


 It was inexpensive and really fascination to watch. I even remember getting an old one out some time after the popularity of the toy had passed to play with a puppy ( or was it a kitten?) who enjoyed it just as much as we all did.
I found out that it was invented in 1943 by an engineer who accidentally dropped a tensile spring on the ground and realized it's possibilities as a toy.

This blog was triggered by a page from www.wired .com which I sometimes read.
It brought back lots of memories.



See which ones you remember.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Witches legs

Witches legs  


I saw the above picture somewhere last year and thought what a good idea for a decoration. I especially loved the socks!!

I've noticed in a few of my neighbors yards and also around the area , Halloween is fast approaching.Some decorations are really clever. I think the decorating gets earlier each year and not only that it gets mixed up here with Thanksgiving and Christmas. I think the stores must really wish at this time of the year they had a lot more room to give everything its own area. 

Soon we will be seeing Santa Claus dressed up like a ghost carving the Thanksgiving turkey.


Monday, October 7, 2013

Simple explanations.


I'm disagreeing with Einstein on this thought. Not sure I am allowed to do that but I think its far more complicated than this.

I am sure the winners of today's 2013 Nobel Prize in medicine prize in Stockholm all know their subject very well , indeed ,inside and out. Now whether they also have the ability to make anyone else understand it will depend so much on their other skill of understanding people and their ability to communicate their knowledge. I am sure if they were to explain it to other scientific folk they would have no trouble.. The real skill of passing on their knowledge would be if they could make non scientific people understand.

I bet everyone has had a teacher at sometime in their life who knew their subject but had no idea on how to pass on that knowledge to their students.

When I saw this video that as going around the internet to explain the original thoughts by Stephen Hawkins” http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/09/25/stephen-hawking-made-simple-animation/ I found it so interesting. It was done in a simple way so that I had some idea now what black holes etc etc meant.


Not sure I can get my mind around it or even believe it but at least it was made simple enough to understand.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

“”Wanna play conkers?”

“”Wanna play conkers?”
Horse chestnuts waiting to be made into conkers

I'm not sure if this tradition still exists in England but when I was young( yes I was once!) one of the favorite games to play especially in the Autumn was Conkers.
First you had to find a horse chestnut tree and see if the conkers were ripe and ready. You had to make sure it was a horse chestnut and not a sweet chestnut because sweet chestnuts are the nuts that were roasted over the fire and were not suitable for conkers.The conkers were the glossy, hard, chestnut colored fruit wrapped in a prickly green cases. They hung on the tree and eventually would fall down. I do remember sometimes throwing stones and sticks up into the tree to knock the fruits down. Those trees were huge.
One you had a conker you would get someone to help you put a hole through the center . Then you would thread a piece of string through the middle, knot the end of the string and you were ready to start the game.

Taking aim

The game was played between 2 people and they take turns. One person holds his conker hanging straight down while the other person aims his conker at the enemy conker hoping to break it off the string. Sounds simple but these games would go on for a long time before the conker would crack and you would either win or lose. If you won one game you would have a “oner” If you had a really winning conker it might be a “fiver” or even a “tener” and you would get challenges from other kids with their favorite conker. It was always sad when your favorite conker eventually got smashed and you had to start again.
All kinds of things were done to make your conker especially hard so it could withstand the blows from the other side. I remember putting mine in a bowl of vinegar and leaving them in the shed. I can't remember if it made any difference but I guess it probably made them soft or smelly if left too long. The best thing to do would be to keep a conker from one year to the next , then it would be a really super hard conker ready to defeat all challengers.( if you could find it!!)
Fun game, no cost . I wonder if it is still played....
This page tells you in great detail more about the game.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

The Curiosity by Stephen Kiernan

The Curiosity by Stephen Kiernan


This is one of those books you pick up to read that is hard to put down. It is a scientific mystery which has romance and deep thinking built into it.It makes you think of all kinds of things while you are reading it.

The plot is very different from any that I have ever read before.A scientific team led by a skillful and devoted scientist Dr Kate Philo leads a team to discover organic subjects found in the deep frozen ice of the arctic. They find a man in deep freeze and bring him back to Boston to unfreeze him. They intend to reanimate him using techniques they have used before  to bring back to life small sea creatures like krill .

Dr Kate is assigned by the egotistical leader of the experiment, Dr Erastus Carthage to oversee this reanimation of the man who it turns out has been dead for more than a century. The man Jeremiah turns out to be a former judge , a man of intelligence and skill who came from a small town near Boston.
Unfortunately Dr Kate and Dr Erastus have different ideas on how this should be done and she rejects the idea of keeping the judge like a scientist specimen. She gradually falls in love with her subject and decides she will not let him become the object of the media circus and means of fame that Dr Erastus Carthage envisages. 

You can't guess how this ends.


This was a good read . One I really enjoyed.

Friday, October 4, 2013

Shirley as Sister

 Shirley as Sister
Shirley,Barbara and Wendy

I have 2 sisters and as you can see by this very early photo we were not close to each other in age. Barbara was born to our parents at end of the bad depression years in England. I was born the very year World War 2 started and my youngest sister Wendy was born soon after the war ended. In that respect we were all born at different times and with 6 or 7 years between each of our ages so it made it somewhat difficult to form real attachments with each other as some sisters do.

We also were all very different in both looks, temperaments , personality and interests so we all were more interested in friends of our own age.
Barbara became my unofficial baby sitter during the war when Dad was away in the army and Mum was working at various wartime jobs. I can remember us making up plays with friends in the garden and drawing and coloring. I can't really remember playing with Wendy ,my younger sister at all.I remember pushing her in her baby stroller when she was  a toddler. I know she preferred to play inside while I liked to be outside. We didn't even go to the same school as each other. So as children we did not get close to each other like other sisters do.

It was slightly better as we all grew up and became young adults. We came together with our individual husbands and families but then when I and my family moved to Canada, being sisters became less and less an important connection in all our lives. When I went to visit my Mum in England I would drop by my sisters but there was really no impetus to do so. It was lovely to see them but they had their lives and we had ours and we tended to drift apart

Ruth ( Barbara's friend) and Barbara

Fortunately as we have all become older keeping in touch has become so much easier and I now correspond with Barbara on a regular basis and she even came to visit a couple of years ago and we had a great time.
Maybe , who knows, Wendy might visit us as well. That would be lovely.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Sunsets

Sunsets
Brewster Bay in Cape Cod


It seems whenever we go on vacation we are always trying to capture the best photo of a sunset that we can. True we don't do this in a city but then  we rarely vacation in cities.
From Timberlake Lodge


 Some of the places we have tried to get a good photo have been over lakes or the bay where you can get a reflection over the water.
De Gray Park Arkansas


 We find a good spot and just before sunset sit and wait to see if the setting sun will gave us a good show.It's always a great way to end the day especially if there are some clouds to add to the pinks and grays, yellows and orange that show the sun's reflection. 


Usually it's Mike who has the patience to do this, to wait until just the right time to get the perfect shot.These are some of the photos we have collected.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Signs of Autumn #2

Signs of Autumn


Autumn is here but the weather , which I thought had changed, has reverted to hot and humid again. Maybe next week after the drop in temperature again we expect at the weekend, Autumn will continue.
Meanwhile here are some photos I took of the toadstools that seem to pop up over night under the trees in the leaf mold. When they first appear they are so delicate looking and I love the creamy beige colors. These were growing last week but by now they have all faded away to become a brown mush in the ground.




I'm glad this time they appeared under the trees and not in the flower beds. I read somewhere that if they appear they do no harm but are a sign of a rich soil so I guess I should be happy about seeing them!!


Meanwhile check out this lovely video at youtube.Toadstools and Painting.
Makes me feel inspired again!!