Townsville’s Palmetum

When we learned a good friend had died, we had been expecting it, but were still devastated. We were in Townsville at the time and we went to the Palmetum to reflect. It's a botanic garden displaying one the largest and most diverse public collections of plams in the world. Botanic gardens make me feel calm - there is a reassuring sense of life, growth and continuity. It was what I needed to find peace.

I haven't really got words, so I will just share images. 

In the avenue of Bismarkia nobilis

The Xerophytic Zone is the sort of desert area, which receives irrigation only while plants are being established or during extremely long dry spells. The flowers are bright, but the stalks are spiky and often covered in insects.

I find spirals and circles comforting as they return to their beginnings and intimate infinity. 

Some of them remind me of corals and marine plants and animals - I suppose nature uses similar formations throughout all environments. 

These green ants are found throughout tropical northern Australia from the western Kimberley through northern NT to central eastern Queensland. They are called gulguk by the Larrika people, who harvest them ethically in Arnhem land. They are mainly orange with a bright green abdomen, which is edible, with a powerful taste of citrus and coriander seed. As they are high in protein, Vitamin C and iron, and also contain amino acids, Zinc, Magnesium and B12, they were traditionally used in the Indigenous diet and medicines, to combat coughs and colds. They are now increasingly found as a garnish and a flavouring for everything from cheeses to boutique gin.   

And then we return to a cool spot with a water fountain, because water is life. 

Friday Five: Happy Cross-Stitch

Being as my previous post was about some of the most intricate and exceptional tapestries I have ever seen, I feel somewhat inadequate posting this with the latest examples of my own work. I like doing them, however, so I'm going to continue to share. Let's just not compare though, shall we..?

When my parents were visiting my sister, she bought my mother a cross stitch to help her pass the time and give her something relaxing to do. Apparently my mother is not good at this form of relaxation, and she began it, but after a few rows she gave up. My sister gave it to me instead to complete, which I did, and returned it to her to display, as a memory of family dynamics!

A friend saw this image and thought of me -I can't imagine why! She sent it to me and I turned it into a cross stitch pattern. Now, the question is to who do I give it? There are so many possible recipients!

The following designs are Mandala cross stitch patterns from a calendar that a colleague had at work. She printed them off for me and I enjoyed making them. I didn't always have the exact colours that were specified, but I had a stab (as it were) so they may not be quite true to the original pattern, but I like the art anyway.