Changing Seasons : April 2022…

April seems to have been almost non existent. It has slipped by with hardly a ripple. After 2 months of torrential rain, over 1000mm during February and March, it was just a gentle 96mm this month. The temperature has stayed in the mid to high 20’s. The garden has needed very little attention. The summer growth has slowed and everything has settled down to the quiet Autumn/Winter stage. I love this time, I can just meander around, plucking the occasional weed that I can see, and turning a blind eye to the weeds skulking under the rest of the garden growth. Our garden is now very mature and all the plants jostle and compete with each other for space and light.

Not a lot of flowers at this time of the year, but it is a symphony of greens and foliage colours. This is the front garden. Now I will take you through the gate into the back garden.

The Banksias are still making a splendid show. Old man banksia in the first photo, at almost 25 years old, dominates the other, younger varieties.

Now the crucifix orchid are bursting into flower. They will be flowering for 3-4 months. I love their vibrant orange.

Over behind the fish ponds one of Jack’s mask sculptures peers out from among the heliconias.

Because it has rained on so many days I have spent many creative hours in my art room. My happy, but very untidy, space.

Now the borders are, at last, open, and no permits are needed to pass back and forth. Almost back to normal. So this month, for the first time in 2 years, we went over the border, feeling very adventurous, to Murwhillumbah, a 40 minute drive away. When we arrived we were greeted by music drifting down the street. We followed the sound of Dixie Land Jazz  to the local pub. 5 talented musicians were playing their hearts out to a small gathering of locals. As outsiders we were made to feel welcome and stayed to have lunch and enjoy the happy sound.

Another outing was to the movies, another first for quite a while. The movie thearte is set in parklands next to the new HOTA art gallery. So after the movie we went for a stroll round the lake just on sunset. What an amazing view of the new art gallery and its reflections.

Took the time to just sit and take in the view and take out our sketch books to try and capture another of the strange sculptures in the park.

I always carry a small sketch book with me, and so does Jack. A handy way to fill in time while waiting for lunch or a cup of coffee to be served. Here we were waiting for lunch at the local surf club. What a magnificent position, right on the beach front.

So the month has ambled by. Covid restrictions are becoming a thing of the past. Thousands of tourists and people from the other states and countries are pouring into the Gold Coast. The economy is bouncing back.

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Ju-lyn of “touring my backyard” and Brian of “bushboys world” host this monthly challenge. A great way to keep a monthly check of what happens every month.