Aussie Jingle Bells

Dashing through the bush,
in a rusty Holden Ute,
Kicking up the dust,
esky in the boot,
Kelpie by my side,
singing Christmas songs,
It's Summer time and I am in
my singlet, shorts and thongs

Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia
on a scorching summers day, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!,
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.

Engine's getting hot;
we dodge the kangaroos,
The swaggie climbs aboard,
he is welcome too.
All the family's there,
sitting by the pool,
Christmas Day the Aussie way,
by the barbecue.

Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia
on a scorching summers day, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!,
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.

Come the afternoon,
Grandpa has a doze,
The kids and Uncle Bruce,
are swimming in their clothes.
The time comes 'round to go,
we take the family snap,
Pack the car and all shoot through,
before the washing up.

Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia
on a scorching summers day, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!,
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.

---

In the Groove

mixed media on canvas

101.6x76.2cm (40"x30")

Art in Pyjamas

Do you ever have one of those days where you rush off to the studio in your pyjamas, only to do one thing, and before you know it its mid morning and you are still in your pyjamas? That's bliss on a stick isn't it? And just what I needed! We have had a little financial down time and that always throws things out of balance. Bob's work has been a little slow. It is however picking up now and things are getting back on track. There will even be a little money for some much needed canvas real soon.

I must take a photo of my retro wallpaper painting. I struggled with it a bit but its finished. If I were to do it over again there would be a few things that I would do different but over all it looks ok. I've started another painting today which will just have a hint of retro wallpaper in it. Well that's the plan anyway. Its going to have a set of three Beswick flying ducks. Yep real retro cheesiness. Don't get me wrong I love retro stuff. Hey, I grew up with it!

So picture three of these ducks in descending sizes with a bit of retro wallpaper pattern intermingled with my usual background technique. I think its hilarious! Imagine having a painting of the flying ducks hanging on the wall instead of the real thing, HA! Ok maybe its just my humour :)

Note to Self

Stop under estimating your own abilities and being frightened of failure and instead find ways to boost your confidence and being kinder to yourself. Once you start to believe in yourself, success and happiness will surely follow.

Sailing

Zoe's teacher thought a celebration of a successful year of learning would be better spent sailing on the One And All and a lot healthier than having a party with a lot of junk food.

waiting to get on board

the deck

the captain giving some safety instruction

pulling on the jack rope or the halyard (can't remember which) to hoist the sail

yay! the sail is up

some of the 13 crew on board

aren't the portholes cute

I love the masts and took too many photos of them

Zoe at the helm actually steering the ship

getting rigged up with a harness to climb over the side of the ship

ready to climb over the side

scrambling towards the bowsprit

climbing over the bowsprit

and back along the other side

some ropes

more ropes and a pulley

aw its time to get on the bus and head back to school

I took way too many photos of ropes and pulleys and masts and other sorts of rigging. I love ropes. I must go through those photos properly. Maybe there is a painting in there somewhere. Mmm a painting of ropes with a nice wooden pulley .... yeah that could work ...

One And All

Zoe and I will have to be up very early tomorrow as we are going sailing on the One And All. I hope I get some good photos to share. Camera is packed as are the sea sick pills!