Wednesday, August 31, 2016

First day of Spring

Today I was able to spend a lot of time in the garden. The weather was really warm, a very fine start to Spring. The days are getting longer; I was able to stay working till 6.00 in the evening. (In winter it generally gets dark about 5.00.) I mucked around in the vegetable garden, weeding and getting rid of an invasive oregano that has taken over much of the herb garden, planting some thyme and golden marjoram instead.



Romanesco broccoli and purple cauliflower - quite dramatic colours


Apricot blossom nearly out


"Verona tulips" poking up through pansies


I put this blanket down to sit on and drink my coffee. Guess who thought it was for him?


Daffodils by the postbox. They look very cheery.


"Quintessence" camellia in my little bit of "woodland" garden


"President Roosevelt" rhododendron just starting out




Primula vulgaris


View of the garden - Nicky Crisp camellia on right. The lawn needs mowing!
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Saturday, August 20, 2016

Camellias and hellebores


I went for a walk yesterday to my local park and to an empty section down the street. Some early camellias and hellebores are out.










Here's the work progressing on our fire-damaged old homestead (vandals set it on fire). The whole building has had scaffolding put right over and around it and now plastic sheeting is being affixed to protect what remains from the elements.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Still life in my painting room


Household gods

The ancient Romans had the lares and penates, gods of the household, who had different functions but were often worshipped at the same household shrine. The lares were spirits of the dead ancestors associated with each particular family, sometimes referred to as the lares familiaris. It was their job to protect the household and to ensure that the family line did not die out. The penates originated as gods of the pantry, but later came to be thought as the safeguard of the prosperity and good fortune of the family. 
And we still have these today, in slightly different forms; the picture of the Virgin or Jesus on the wall, or the ranks of family photos on the mantelpiece or the top of the piano.
Here are my lares and penates. Going on the assumption that one can never have too many gods to protect one, I have several from different traditions, some picked up on my travels, others that have just come to live at my place because they liked the look of it.


Several versions of the Virgin Mary sit on my bookcase in the bedroom. The bedroom seems to be a traditional place for Mary as the protector and succour during our most intimate and challenging moments. In Italy, beds are  often produced that have a little image of Mary in the headboard, to watch over those being born or giving birth or trying to get pregnant and those who are sick or dying. The two images in dark clothing come from Orsanmichele in Florence (left) and San Marco in Venice. The darkly clothed Mary is common in Byzantine and Greek icons, befitting her status as a Queen wearing imperial purple.



Ganesh, the Indian god of doorways, is here too. He appears on the Ganeshpol over my main door; it is widely believed that he takes away any hatred or ill-will brought into the house by guests or strangers, ensuring a peaceful meeting. I also have a little statuette, bought outside the Red Fort in Delhi. This is Ganesh in his martial form, with four arms, two holding axes, in his fight against ignorance and enmity. He is the god of parties and good times, with a love of sweeties, which is why he is so fat. He's also the god of writers; when Shiva was dictating one of the holy books to Valmiki, a sage, Valmiki's pen broke. Ganesha saved the day by breaking off one of his own tusks and continued the writing. (This is the reason why sometimes you will see Ganesha with only one tusk.)


People often refer to this man as Buddha, but I think that is wrong. He is known as Budai in Japan, which is where I think the confusion comes from. Budai's name means "cloth sack" and he often appears with one.
Wikipedia says this:
Budai is almost always shown carrying a sack, which never empties, and is filled with many precious things, including rice plants (which show wealth), sweets for children, food, and the sadness of the world. His duty is protector of the weak, the poor and children.
In Chinese Buddhist temples, Budai's statue is put in the front part of the entrance hall. He is shown as a stout, smiling or laughing man in robes with a largely shown stomach, which shows happiness, good luck, and plenty.
Some statues show small children at his feet. Another item that is usually seen in Budai statues, is a begging bowl; to show that he is a Buddhist. All of these images show Budai as a wandering monk who goes around and takes the sadness from people. Because he represents richness and happiness, statues are often found in homes and businesses in China and Japan.


This is Julian the gay gnome. He was given to me by a local shopkeeper in thanks after I rescued a picture she had left outside her shop when she closed for the day. She told me that gnomes are particularly lucky when given as gifts. Julian always sits in my sunroom, he doesn't do cold and wet. "Hello, boys!" The origins of gnomes are ineresting. One tale has them invented as a garden ornament by a German in the 19th century, but I prefer the story that gnomes are descended from an ancient Phrygian fertility god. There is definitely something erotic about the red hat.


And there's Iwi the kiwi, with his large blue egg. Given to me by a friend for my 50th birthday, Iwi was put on the coffee table in the conservatory and has stayed there ever since.

There they are, an oddly assorted crew but hopefully effective.

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Signs of spring


 It's only about two weeks till the official start of spring here in New Zealand (September 1st) and things are starting to flower




Big, fat, furry magnolia buds look attractive with the sun behind them.


Soon the magnolia will be in flower


Purple cauliflower


a miniature daffodil, just like a tiny "King Alfred".

I'll really have to make an effort to prune the roses, I've left it late this year. This week maybe, weather permitting.




Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Sowing sweet peas today


Done! 24 of each variety, still some seed left over if this sowing fails.

Friday, August 12, 2016

Swiss Army Man



I went to see this movie last night with a friend. It was quite controversial when first released, because some people walked out in the first 10 minutes, thinking it was just a juvenile buddy movie, with a corpse and fart jokes. It's much more that that. It's really about love, and how people save each other from living loveless lives. It's funny, scary, gross and touching. Paul Dano is wonderful, and Daniel Radcliffe plays the corpse, a corpse that learns to be alive, a corpse that saves his friend. Very unusual and very thought-provoking.