while she sleeps

Some random photos taken during my granddaughter's nap time.

Watching: Finding Vivian Maier

in your autumn sweater

I collected these things on a walk around my neighbourhood yesterday. They are signs that our wonderful, long summer is coming to an end.

Reading An extraordinary theory of objects: a memoir of an outsider in Paris by Stephanie Lacava and extra curricular #11 + Listening  Jolene by Jack White + Eating feijoas from the garden

rhubarb and strawberries

 

The rhubarb and strawberries "appeared" on my kitchen bench yesterday - harvested by my husband from his garden. I'd wanted to try rhubarb and strawberries together so this was obviously the time to do it. And, weirdly, I'd been reading about rhubarb and ginger crumble over at tiny happy. So I made a crumble with them using this recipe from the BBC Good Food website. It was delicious! I substituted lemon zest for orange and left out the pine nuts because we didn't have any. And we ate ours with Greek yoghurt. So good.

The flowers are peonies. Sadly, it's not cold enough to grow them here in Auckland so these are not from my garden. They must be one of my favourite flowers. They remind me of those over-the-top still life paintings of vases crammed with flowers and set against dark backgrounds like these ones.

Reading All made up by Janice Galloway + Listening to Claimed by the sea by French for rabbits + Watching Homeland season 2

everything is white and a big apple

The rooms in my house are empty and white as painting begins/progresses.  Its a little odd but I quite like the emptiness of it. It reminds me of this painting by Maira Kalman that I saw in the book Maira Kalman: various illuminations (of a crazy world) by Ingrid Schaffner. I don't know what the painting is called or if it's of a 'real' house but I love the dots. It looks like the house is riveted together.

 

And this is a big apple. It's a Monty's Surprise which, apparently, is a unique New Zealand variety and is the best anti-cancer eating apple in the world. It tastes quite nice - a little bit tart and firm but not super juicy. I'll grate some into my bircher muesli tomorrow morning. And probably every morning for the rest of the week!