calissa

20200814_131922 by Elizabeth Fitzgerald on 500px.com

Spring is in full swing. The fruit trees everywhere are in flower and I've managed more than a few photos of bee butts. The peregrines are back nesting on the window ledges of Melbourne skyscrapers. The days have been warming up and I was able to go out for a walk in a t-shirt yesterday (carefully avoiding the routes guarded by nesting magpies). The weather is shifting, though, and we should get some rain tonight.

I've not really done any writing for a long time (perhaps a year or two now?), but I have felt some occasional stirs of creativity. Kathleen Jennings' posts on her observation journal have been a source of great delight. The current state of my health prevents me from keeping one by hand, so I have been experimenting with an electronic version. It's not nearly as satisfying, but it has produced some lovely turns of phrase.

There were no observations today, however. This morning I managed to step on my glasses. No lasting damage, thankfully, just popped out one of the lenses and needed to take them in to the shop. By the time I arranged for transport and had run the errand, most of the day had disappeared. I'm so very glad it was an easy fix. I fished out my old pair, but the prescription is a little different and even wearing them for just a few hours had me feeling the strain.

20200323_163419 by Elizabeth Fitzgerald on 500px.com

Currently Reading

The Magical Readathon's O.W.Ls challenge begins on Wednesday, so I am trying to get through Fleet of Knives by Gareth L. Powell before that kicks off. It's an enjoyable space opera, but I find the characters a little flat and lacking in distinct voices (with one or two exceptions).

I would also have liked to get through the last in the trilogy before the O.W.Ls, but it's just not possible. Even if I had the time, the book has been sent off to my father-in-law.

Currently Watching

Sahaquiel and I are continuing through season 2 of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. I've been enjoying the ongoing stories and the developing relationships between certain pairs of characters. My favourite character is Major Kira, but I'm quite fond of the way Quark and Odo are frenemies. Sahaquiel's favourite character is the tailor/spy Garrik (which is very on brand for him).

Currently Observing

I saw a bat this evening. I used to hear them in the area when I first moved in but it has been a long while since I last heard them. I'm not sure whether this is because they left the area for a while and have returned or if it's just that I didn't notice (I find their frequency easy to tune out). Visual confirmation was impossible to ignore.

I've also been hearing a frog nearby. Not in the bottom of my garden--the dogs wouldn't allow for that--but perhaps on the other side of the fence. It's the first time I've ever heard one so close to the house, though I've heard some in nearby ponds and waterways.

Perhaps these instances are the result of fewer humans moving about? It's hard to say for sure.

Small Mushrooms by Elizabeth Fitzgerald on 500px.com

Currently Reading

This week the Magical Readathon announced the prompts for the O.W.Ls challenge running in April. I was very excited and promptly pulled out a large stack of books that fit the parameters. Last year, I met the requirements for the Curse Breaker career, which is one of the more challenging. This year I thought I'd go hard and try for the Alchemist. This requires me to meet every prompt for the O.W.Ls and even more for the N.E.W.Ts later in the year, but I'm game.

Meantime, I've started in on Power and Majesty, the first of Tansy Rayner Roberts' Creature Court novels. The setting is like the 1920s meets Ancient Rome, which I'm rather enjoying. The story is rather darker than I've come to expect from Tansy, but that means it feels fresh to me.

Currently Watching

I took a break from The Untamed to meet a reading deadline and haven't yet returned to it. Meantime, Sahaquiel and I have started Star Trek: Deep Space 9. It's my first time seeing it. I can see why it's Sahaquiel's favourite: lots of factional squabbling and interesting characters. The effects seem very dated now and I have to admit I'm not sold on Avery Brooks' acting. I guess Patrick Stewart is a hard act to follow.

Currently Observing

With all the rain we've had, there have been mushrooms popping up everywhere. I'm not entirely sure what the ones pictured are, but my best guess is Mycena Galericulata.

Currently Reading

Err... I got kind of distracting over the last week and wandered away from The True Queen by Zen Cho. I've just come back to it and am waiting to see if it will hold my attention this time or whether I should ditch it.

Currently Watching

I just finished episode 14 of The Untamed over lunch... and it was not a good one to watch over lunch (it's the one with the Tortoise of Slaughter, for those wondering). However, I've well settled into the story and am enjoying it. From what I understand, the bodies start dropping soon, so I'll see how I go as things progress.

Currently Observing

This week, I saw a wedge-tailed eagle soaring high. It's the first time this year that I've seen them in the area. While I don't tend to see them year-round, I was particularly worried that they might have been affected by the fire. It was quite a relief to see one.

Today has been one steady fall of rain, which has been lovely. We're expecting more for the rest of the week.

With the equinox just a couple of weeks away, I've really been noticing the reduction in sunlight and have been sleeping later in response.

New growth by Elizabeth Fitzgerald on 500px.com

Currently Reading

Having blasted through a heap of reading over the last week, I'm kind of between books at the moment. I have tentatively started The True Queen by Zen Cho, but am only just through the prologue. I'm already glad I took the time to reread Sorcerer to the Crown though, since it has helped set the context... and it had been way too long since I first read it.

Currently Watching

I actually got around to watching the first episode of The Untamed today. It really does throw you in the deep end, doesn't it? So many characters! I've been making use of the primer from Reading the End.

Currently Observing

The photo at the top of the post shows new growth on a butterfly orchid that was rehomed with me. It was in poor shape when it arrived--standing in water had rotted many of its roots. I trimmed it up and repotted, and it seems to have recovered. I'm rather pleased. It seems I'm developing a bit of an orchid collection. My Australian native hybrid recently produced a new cane. I've not had success with striking these previously, but I changed up my potting material this time and seem to have been successful.

Current Mood: exhausted

All the Bookmarks! by Elizabeth Fitzgerald on 500px.com

Currently Reading
Last Friday was the start of Tome Topple, a 2-week reading challenge for books of 500+ pages. Since Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke was on my list to get through this year, I thought I'd join in. The photo above shows how I've bookmarked the volume above, creating one section for every day of the challenge. I find this a useful way of eating the elephant and I think it was a trick I picked up off sweet_sparrow. It's served me well and I'm about 2 days ahead of schedule... which is a good things, since I forgot to allow time to reread this month's book club pick, due on the day Tome Topple finishes.

Currently Watching
Sahaquiel and I are about two-thirds through a K-drama called Hotel del Luna. A young warrior must atone for the crimes of her past by becoming the owner of a hotel for ghosts. Unfortunately, being halfway between the living and the dead herself, she needs a human manager to deal with some of the human administration of the hotel. She soon finds the man she has coerced into the role has a way of unearthing memories she'd prefer to stay buried in the past. The leading lady is materialistic, disrespectful and prone to taking her temper out on others. And yet, I love her. The actress handles the moments of vulnerability well. And she undergoes an average of four costume changes per episode, complete with matching manicures. The leading man complements her well, being steady, practical and compassionate. The series has been a delight so far.

I should mention it does have some mild horror vibes, though the overall tone is very much drama. People may want to steer clear if they have issues with possession and bodily autonomy. References are made to sexual assault and suicide. Plus, there's a 90-year-old ghost (who died in his 20s) dating a school girl, which may sit uncomfortably for some people.

Currently Observing
New section, borrowed from kaberett.

Trees everywhere are starting to turn. I wasn't sure at first that the Japanese maple in our courtyard was starting to turn yellow, since the leaves have burned a little this summer. But the pin oaks are starting to show splashes of red and yellow. The claret ash trees are that weird brown colour midway between green and burgundy. And the casuarina trees are decked out with seeds and pollen.

The waterways are running once again, after all the rain we've had. I actually heard frogs while I was out on my walk. And there was a cricket the other night. It has been so long since I last heard one that I didn't recognise it at first.

Bright Cirrus by Elizabeth Fitzgerald on 500px.com

Winter this year has been exceptionally mild and dry. As I've mentioned before, the violets were out months early and even the wattle was out a good two weeks ahead of usual. I've been waiting for winter to give us one last jump-scare, since that seems to be the way it usually works. It arrived last weekend, dumping snow on the hills around town. It still hasn't quite melted. I've been worried it would hit the early blossoming fruit trees hard. But the bright side is that today I was out in my garden and noticed the freesia bulbs I'd planted kind of late had finally started sprouting. So maybe the cold snap was just what they needed.

My productivity has been all over the place lately. Reading has slowed to a crawl as I've been binge watching Guardian instead. But I've started writing a new story for the first time in entirely too long. Swings and roundabouts, I guess.

A couple of weeks ago, I finally managed to make it up into the hills to get some photos of the wedge-tailed eagles. I didn't get many that were useable, since I was working without a tripod and at the limits of my lens, but I found a few reasonable ones.

( Wedge-tailed eagles )

I found the magpies to be the best indicator of when eagles were in the sky. The currawongs were always making a racket, but the magpies only called when there was something for them to worry about. They would land and look nervous.

The last installment of my New Year's Day trip to the Tidbinbilla Wetland Sanctuary. However, you can expect more photos because I went back yesterday with my sister and took just as many photos. ;_;

( Sulphur-crested cockatoo )

( Yellow-tailed black cockatoo )

( Superb fairy wren )

( Willy Wagtail )

( Pacific Black Duck )

( Little Pied Cormorant )

( Purple Swamphen )

( Black Swan )

( Welcome Swallows )

( George the Pelican )

Stay tuned for more, once I get through the next 700+ photos...

In accordance with our tradition, Sahaquiel and I headed out to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve on New Year's Day. This was the first year I was carrying a DSLR camera, which allowed me to take photos of the fauna instead of just the flora. I ended up with so many photos that I have to share them with you in batches.

( Eastern Grey Kangaroos )

( Koalas )

I'm still editing photos, but stay tuned for a post of birds and another of insects and reptiles.

The railing behind the sculpture overlooks the platypus pond at Tidbinbilla's wetland sanctuary.

The hot weather continues unabated. The aircon has been getting a work out and I've been tearing through the ice. I really need to get organised and make myself a proper batch of iced tea. But despite my complaining, I'm managing fairly well. I've had a few aches today which may suggest a storm might arrive tomorrow. A quick look at the weather bureau seems to confirm this theory. The rain will make it muggy, but the garden will welcome the water. The vegetable patch is looking a little wilted.

Work continues. After complaining how difficult I'd found writing my first review of the year, I was a little amused to discover it took me half the time to write my second review of the year. This was despite them being of comparable length. I really should learn to cut myself some slack.

Today I actually managed to wrangle a little spare time to deal with some non-urgent admin-type stuff. And promptly found that I was making more work for myself. One of my tasks was to voted in the GUFF race. GUFF is a fan fund that will be sending an Australian fan to Helsinki for WorldCon later this year. There are four nominees. I was talking with one of them on Twitter around the same time I was voting. It was about another matter entirely, but I found myself thinking about the time I ran for NAFF (which is basically the same thing, but to AussieCon rather than WorldCon). I'd offered the other nominees a chance to guest post on my blog. I figured the same thing might be useful for GUFF. So, I contacted all the nominees about being interviewed and they agreed.

On one hand I wonder why I do this to myself. It's not like I don't have enough on my plate. On the other hand, I think this is something that will be of interest to the community.

The drawback to all this work is that I've been skimping on time for my own writing again.

I'm trying a bit of a different style of blogging here, so I hope you'll bear with me. It may end up being a bit scattered.

The teabag holder above was a recent gift from a friend. Despite rumours to the contrary, I still use teabags fairly frequently and (unbeknown to my friend) had lost my tag in my tea at least twice in the preceding 24 hours. The fellow above was one is a set of four, each a little different and all very useful.

Blackberry season has begun. My in-laws presented me with a large container from their bushes. They disappeared at an alarming rate--Sahaquiel and I vanquished the last of them this evening, aided by copious amounts of vanilla ice cream. The blackberries are a little tart this early in the season, but that's just the way I like them.

The weather has been hot. Not Perth hot (also known as face-of-the-sun hot), but unpleasant. It usually cools down here at night, but not lately. Everyone has been walking around like zombies. It's particularly cruel, since most people returned to work this week after the Christmas break.

Speaking of work, it was back to writing reviews this week, and wow, do I feel rusty. It took me a bit longer than usual to write up the first one for the year. It's so easy to forget that reviews have their own style and conventions that I need time to remember. I'm hoping the next one will be a little easier. (I'll find out tomorrow)

I got my email to say I can get started with my nominations for the Hugo Awards. I've got a few thoughts about what I'm going to nominate and my usual grumbles about the domination of the field by the US and the UK. But before I can start on that, I really need to get the last of the reading for the Aurealis Awards done first.

Last weekend, Sahaquiel and I made it out to Floriade, the local flower festival. It was much later in the season than we usually go. Perhaps for this reason--or maybe all the wet weather we've had--the displays were even more spectacular this year and turned on quite a show.

( Photos ahoy! Um, there are kind of a lot... )

I think next year we will go later again and see what it's like.

I'm back to writing blog posts this week, but made the most of my holiday last week by heading out to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve with my family. I think my sister knew I was looking for a chance to test out the camera on my new phone.

( Wattle in the wild )

( Sculpture )

( Fungus & moss )

( Landscapes )

All in all, I had a lovely day and really enjoyed spending time with my family.

A couple of weeks ago, I met some friends out at the National Arboretum. I didn't take many photos, mostly because it's winter and many of the trees are deciduous. However, the grounds also harbour the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection. Despite (or perhaps because of) the grey weather, it was crowded, so I only managed to snag a couple of photos.

( Flowering apricot and grevillea )

Contact2016, the 55th Australian Speculative Fiction Convention, took place over the Easter long weekend. I've got a report coming up on the EGE blog, so I won't say too much about it. I had a blast but there really is no place like home. The photo above was taken on the flight over there. I made sure to get window seats on both flights and spent a good portion of the journey with my nose pressed against the window as I ogled the clouds. I spotted some cumulonimbus on the way home and experienced some interesting turbulence that caused us to drop elevation like a roller-coaster.

Fortunately, I made it home safely on Tuesday and have spent the remainder of the week quietly recovering. I didn't do too badly with sleep, managing to get a reasonable amount on most nights of the con and sleeping another nine hours the night I got home. However, my upper body was pretty sore after lugging around my book-filled bags. I got a massage on my first full day back and while it helped in the long term, it made me very sore in the short term. I'm glad my muscles have settled down.

I've done a little work this week, mostly consisting of writing up my con report. It has been light work, though. All of the effort that I put into the blog prior to Contact is now paying off--I have 2.5 weeks' worth of posts lined up, meaning I can take next week off. I figured I'd need the recovery time. I'm not quite sure what I'll do yet, maybe do a heap of reading (since Mt TBR is getting out of control) and catch up on S2 of Agent Carter. I'm struggling against the urge to catch up with all of my friends. I'd really like to, but I was peopled out by the end of the convention and it will take longer than I'd like for me to recover my social spoons.

One thing I don't miss about home is all the smoke. There's a lot of preventative burning at this time of year and the smoke triggers my hay fever. Scratchy throat, sinus headache and fatigue. Ugh. It makes for pretty sunrises and sunsets, though I hate being cooped up in the house all day. I really hope it wraps up soon.

(View from a lookout. Ah, summer.)

As per our tradition, Sahaquiel and I visited the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve on New Year's Day. I didn't take very many photos this year because it was a very hot day (even though we went in the morning) and I didn't feel I had any fresh perspective to bring to it. However, the lizards were out in full force and I was able to snag a few pictures.

( If lizards give you the creeps, best steer clear )

( Not a lizard )

Deadlines are currently chewing up all my time, but I hope to get back out there soon.

Current Mood: content

A merry belated Midsummer to everyone celebrating it. And a merry Yule to all my friends in the Northern Hemisphere.

I took yesterday off to mark the occasion and spent some time cooking myself pancakes and contemplating the looming spectre of 2016.

The weather here has been all over the place. We had 37 Celsius over the weekend (with a minimum of 20 in between). However, the last two days have been much cooler and grey, with some rain. My vegetable garden is lapping it up.

Aaaaallll the way back in September, I attended the local flower festival. Just to make things confusing, this was separate from my visit to the tulip farm I attended around the same time. I've been meaning to post the photos for months.

( Here they are )

Back in September, I managed to get out to the tulip garden just outside of town. Of course, I took photos.

( Lots of photos )

Current Mood: cheerful

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Calissa

September 2022

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