I am having trouble with my photos today, but hopefully I will have sorted something out by the time I publish this.
I actually have very little to talk about this week. It is always the same when visitors go home. There were a lot of extra towels and bed linen to wash, but laundry was no problem this week. It has been baking hot all week with temperatures in the upper thirties most afternoons, and fierce winds that blow warm, and send furniture and garden debris all over the place. So the washing is dry half an hour after I hang it out. I just have to make sure I have double pegged everything.
This week my garden photos are focussing on the beautiful Hibiscus. They have a long flowering season but this is the month when they really shine. I have an orange one, a yellow one and a pink frilly one as well as the usual red ones, and a double pink one that is really next door but hangs lots of flowers on our side of the fence. I love their long stamens that entice the bees and other insects down into the flower to find the nectar and gather pollen.
When it is so hot - and it is only June so goodness knows what it will be like in July and August - I spend many afternoons sitting in a shady corner of the porch reading. But I have also done some work with the laser cutter, making small Christmas decorations while testing out various settings for the different types and thicknesses of wood I have got. This week a pack of 3mm mahogony plywood arrived. I love its colour and grain, but I have learned that it is not ideal for engraving pictures, but it does cut very nicely. Next I will be testing some basswood ply. Here are three completed decorations, which, while not perfect, did turn out okay. I have a couple of larger projects lined up to do, but I want to get the setting just right first, so for now I will keep trying the smaller ones.
Last night we almost had a nice sunset, and I almost got out in time to see it - but not quite. So here is what I did manage to catch before it all faded away.
And with that I will tidy this up to link with Annie's Friday Smiles and publish in the morning.
P.S. Thanks for all your kind enquiries. The hospital check-ups last Friday all went well, so now I am waiting for the hospital to phone with a date to go in.
Your hibiscus are gorgeous. Love the bold colors.
ReplyDeleteI am in awe of your laser cuts. I think they are great.
I went back and checked out your herbs. They all look better than mine!
You get great sunset shots. My sunsets are distorted by all the trees. Have a super weekend, Kate.
Really, please, can you send some temps over? I´m sitting here in T-Shirt, sweater, long trousers and socks!
ReplyDeleteLove your engravings! And the skies. All grey in grey here... BUT! To smiles x
Your flowers are stunning Kate. Good news about the hospital....I hope you get your appontment for the op very soon.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Annie x
It's so hot here too. I'm spending this afternoon in my room with akl the binds closed and the fan on permanently. It's unbearable. We are having a calima too and I can hear some thunder rumbling. Nasty.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your check-ups went well. I hope they operate soon, as you don't want these things to hang around as it could spread.
What a beautiful sunset. I posted oine as well after I removed a funny that was not funny.
I am full of admiration for what you are achieving with that new laser cutter. It won't be long until you can start a little business!
Have a nice weeekend,
Lisca
Hi Kate, I'm a bit late today as I've just got back form the dentist. Loving your artwork and the flowers are gorgeous. Great cloud pics too. Hugs Angela xXx
ReplyDeleteI'm late as always, I love the hibiscus, the first time I came across it was in Rhodes in the early 90s, there was a hedge sweeping up the drive of the hotel we stayed at and it was utterly stunning.
ReplyDeleteWe have a fair breeze here today so I'm making the most of it with the washer still going ten to the dozen and I've changed all the bedding over, I'm hoping to get it dry today as the weather is on the turn again, although it has been ridiculously warm for me again this week so I'm glad it is cooler and fresher today.
Your laser machine experiments look fantastic, you've definitely got to grips with it and I'm loving you are thinking ahead for Christmas, I've attempted to mentally think along those lines recently but honestly there is nothing coming to mind that I could start creating.
Loving the sky photos too.
Hope you are having a good week.
PS Glad to know that things are proceeding to sort your hand out.
Hugs