**** Daily Wash- Monday 29th August 2011 ****

[CJMonty]

Well, here I am opening the Wash from a very Chilly Western Australia, it is 1200 and I have spent all morning making Quiches as we had an abundance of eggs that had been given to us.

I am on Days off having worked on Saturday and Sunday, and as usual the Nursery is very busy, I think long gone are the days when we used to have quiet stints.

I am going to have another go at putting in the photos that I have been promising you all for ages now. I will start with the easel that Monty made for me. I have previously put one photo of it in the Wash but will put it in again so you can see it in context.

It is made of Western Red Cedar and is wonderfully light as far as weight goes.

This is the set up, Monty is going to make a tray that can go on the bottom of it.

Here is the easel set up with a painting on it, the section in which you put the board that your paper is taped on has quite a large range of adjustment and can fit a Full Size Sheet.

Here is the easel lying flat so that you can work with watercolour more easily without your washes running everywhere.

I'll out the flower pictures into a separate post.

Take Care
Lots of Love Carolynn :hear t:

[CJMonty]

OK, Me again, I will now put in the promised pictures of my flowers and gardens.

I have several Cymbidium Orchids and these photo's will show you the range of colours.

As you can see there are several colours, now each Orchid had about 5 Spikes each with about 25 blooms on each spike.

To follow are more flower and garden pics.

Here is one of many Blue Irises.
This one comes out with the Bright Yellow tips and the rest is almost white initially turning to this very very pale blue.

These next pics are Freesias and their varied colours.

I will now put in some general pictures of the front beds, I am not sure how well they will show up though.





A group of Blue Irises with Freesias in the background.






These are the flowers on a Yellow Kangaroo Paw that I have in a pot.



Here is a Ranunculi, and the others that are starting to open up are also quite vibrant colours too.

Well, I think that is my 15 pics so I will have to put some others in another entry later on for you.

If anyone wants to snag any of these, they are most welcome.
Must go and get myself some lunch.

Take Care
Lots of Love Carolynn

[Yorky]

Good. Morning all, I am posting with the iPad from my bed

Fantastic easel Carolynn, Monty is indeed a talented man. It looks perfect for watercolours. Is that your latest painting? I didn't see it in the Gallery.

You have an amazing range of flowers, those orchids are lovely.

Must get up now, get back into my routine.

Doug

[Lulu]

Doug, you lazy lump

Hi Carolynn, lovely photos. That's a great easel, and the painting looks good too!
My orchids are in flower too, they go on for such a long time don't they?
So what constitutes a chilly day in Perth?? probably higher than the mild 16C we've had here today

Hello to all following

[CJMonty]

The painting demonstrating the easel, is a Soft Pastel that I did some time ago, in fact it was my very first attempt.

Thankyou, I am very pleased with the Easel.

Take Care.
Love Carolynn.

[Yorky]

OK, back on my laptop now. I feels so decadent surfing from my bed

Good morning Lulu, you must try that red wine/white wine trick next time you get a spill

Orchids are the only house plant I can grow successfully, they actually flower each year. The Streptocarpus are beautiful but generally don't survive the winter. I have taken leaf cuttingshoping to get some new plants.

Doug

[Lulu]

I will

My orchids are growing outside Doug, in two big pots. They don't get frosted and don't seem to mind the winter chill.

[cloudchaser]

Good day everyone,

It is a very bright start here today for our Bank holiday Monday.

My cat Casper woke me up at 5am this morning and I couldn't get back to sleep so have been pottering around the house and surfing the web on my laptop, and partaking of tea and bisuits

My back troubles are slowly easing and I can move about with not too much pain, but won't make it to work this coming week, I have rushed back too soon before when I had back problems and soon had a relapse so I am taking care this time.

Great photos Carolyn, Orchids are such amazing flowers! very nice easel too, well done Monty for making such a beauty, also that is a lovely pastel painting

Doug , such luxury surfing in bed on your ipad, I hope to get an ipod touch soon which will let me get on the net away from home using wi-fi(like Geoff does)

Hello ladies from down under, hope you have had a good day and not been too cold

to all those in poor health, take care

regards

Tony

[shipbroker]

Morning all

Windy but cool and bright here. There is what looks like a large car boot sale setting up on adjacent land to rally so obviously will go and have look when I arise properly...... Sitting on the bed with my iPod at moment!

Flowers apart from Petunias which have been excellent not a good year at all.


Geoff

[CJMonty]

Lulu, when I was writing the post at midday, our weathwr station said it was 13 Degrees C outside and 15 inside. Wonderfully clear blue skies thought. Monty is working until 2100 this evening unless he gets a late job then has 4 days off. And would you believe, the forcast for the next 5 days are for Rain, clearing when we are due to go back to work next weekend.

It is around 1800 just now, very dark and definitely becoming quite chilly again. I have had a relaxing "Me" day as Monty suggested although I did spend the morning making up quiches. I will slice them and Vac Pac them for take to work meals for Monty. I have been using the rest of my day to sit and relax with my Cross Stich, I'll take a photo when it is finished.

The Orchids shown are all grown outside in pots, this year we will select a couple of them that either need potting up or divididng. I am only going to do a couple every few years as after they have either been potted up or divided they don't tend to spike for a couple of years, and I don't want them all sulking all at once.

Don't know what Monty has planned for tomorrow. I have an All Day In-Service day for work on Wednesday 0800 to 1600, so I won't have to work the Friday this week, just the Saturday and Sunday. Tomorrow I will book a table at a local very authentic Chinese Restaurant for Wednesday evening.

Depending on when it actually starta to rain, I might try to get in a bit of weeding. We tend to have a stroll around the garden beds most days and pull any weeds we see and any starting to flower, I like to get them before they get a chance to seed. Hopefully by doing this I will eventually reduce the amount of weeds that come up each Winter. Mind you I can't control what blows in though.

Well, see you all again later on. Hope everyone is having a great day.

Take Care.
Lots of Love Carolynn.

[laudesan]

All Love and hugs to all hurting.

The Art Knowledge News has an amazing Constable painting today..

[Scene Chaser]

Good Day All,
Quite chilly here. Only 46F/8C, but will warm to 80F and sunny later.

Beautiful flowers, Carolynn. Monty sure is handy. That is a very nice easel.

I, too, want an iPad, but on Doug's advice, I'll wait until it functions better. Though, I was really impressed with Doug's, and would love to have it for on the go and traveling. And bed. The iPad 3 is due out in February, and I'm anxious to see it.

We may shop today. Guess where, Ruth?

I'm going to the farmer's flea market this morning to pick up a scissors holder, hoping they are there. I also want to pick a few more elderberries for some fresh pie. Will take one to a couple we are visiting on Saturday.

Must work on my pen and wash challenge.
Bill

[Scene Chaser]

I see Irene is now in Canada and about to head out over the Atlantic for the British Isles. Much flooding not seen for over a hundred years.
Bill

[doppler]

Lovely flowers Carolyn. You gardens are a visual feast. The orchids are gorgeous.

That easel is superb and the pastel on it not too bad either

Lulu The only orchids I've ever grown are feral ones that I ignore in terms of care. They're on tree branches.

Tony, glad your back is improving.

Geoff, Doug and JJ

I'm in Victoria at present, lying in bed in my Mums spare room .. Playing iPad. READ poke out tongue icon Lulu.

Good trip down and for once luck went my way. Cheap little hire car I had booked in Melbourne wasn't available so I got a free upgrade to an Audi A4 Hope I retain my drivers licence

Got to go sleep. Jaw worn out with all the nattering and a long day. Good to see Mum.

[Yorky]

Hi Carolynn, are your reservoirs up to normal now after all that rain?

Hi JJ

PS Hi Annie, Hi Bill.

The iPad three isn't expected until next Spring, but who knows? It is going to be a significant improvement, hopefully a better camera and who knows maybe able to print?

The 3g version works over mobile telephone frequencies and is handy for when you out of wifi range but requires a monthly subscription. The wifi only one is subscription free.

Doug