Revisiting the Prado Exhibition

Some friends and I went back to the Queensland Art Gallery last Friday night for 'Prado Up Late'. the up late sessions on Friday nights at the gallery are very good with lots of atmosphere.
We listened as a local jewellery expert Margaret gave the history of the jewellery worn by the subjects in the painting. This was fascinating as she even knew the names of particular diamonds worn by the women featured in the painting and where they are now.

After we went to the specially set up Spanish Tapas bar for drinks and great tapas.

Delicious

I love this way of eating and sharing food with friends. All of the meat, cheese, olives etc was authentic Spanish food.
A fun night.

Little Corella Pears

I don't usually buy these pears as they are usually quite expensive. I found this little lot on the back table at my fruit and veg shop.

$1.85 bargain

One went onto the cheese platter for the Riverfire picnic. Two went into lunch time salads slice very thinly on the mandolin. Another was quartered and eaten as an afternoon snack. The rest were simmered gently with just a little water and cinnamon to be added to my mid day yoghurt.
On the premise that we should be eating 2 pieces of fruit per day here is 4 days supply for $1.85.

My first Florence Purchase

The first time I visited Florence was 1996. I was in an absolute daze with excitement. It was so overwhelming that some of it was a blur.

So cheery

My best shopping memory was buying this wall plaque in the town markets. It hangs in my kitchen and brings back lovely memories every time I see it. I also bought black leather gloves that have not been as useful. I only get to use them when I travel in winter (out of Brisbane).

Geese at Pullenvale

This is another of the reasons that I enjoyed my day at Pullenvale. GEESE!

I remember Joy's geese at Slacks Creek. Arthur and Martha - mean mean birds. Then there was the gaggle of seriously viscious geese that guarded the Paxton Chicken Abattoirs. Mum would send us with a message to give to Dad when he worked there, or we would walk through the bush to walk home with him. The geese would not let us out of the bush across the clearing to get to the buildings. We had to yell out for someone to come and get us. Mostly we took the dogs for protection but even 'Big Judy' the bravest dog in the world would not tackle those geese.

See the gosling

Surprisingly calm

Gorgeous setting

Such lucky geese

Heritage sign at the farm

There were 2 more geese at Coomera for a time. I remember them being mean also. When we went to visit they would not let my dog Leroy off the patio. Only Charlie brown the cat seemed to get on with them - from a distance!

Old Pullenvale Farm

My friend Michelle asked me to accompany her and her husband Stephen to an auction at Pullenvale. I have never been to Pullenvale and with the rare opportunity of being 'driven' somewhere I gladly accepted.
The house had been lovingly restored and sold so now the unwanted contents were being auctioned off. All of those things left in old houses by the older generations of this family that lived there.
I have only been to one auction previously which scared me at how fast things went. This time I understood the operation and I had a catalogue. I ended up buying a mat for $20, but really I was more interested in the garden and it's furniture.

My favourite

This bench went for a ridiculously high price. When the bidding reached $300 I stopped listening.

The largest wooden bench I have seen

I loved this

I adore garden settings and have never seen one like this before.

Hiding in the garden

I would have loved to take him home but he was not for sale.

The garden was tropical but low maintenance.

A great day.

Last Saturdays walk

I walked to the Oxford Street round about and back. I loved the spring flowers. Being an older area of Brisbane the flowers are all the old fashioned varieties.

A whole garden of these

I love this softer colour

Always this colour in our area

Beautiful bloom

This old style house has a fence full

This looks like holly

I have been told that this is a holly bush of some kind, but I'm not sure of it's correct name.

The bouganvilla always looks good at this time of the year - it seems to be everywhere.

New old plate

Since the Cornubia garage sale/clean out last year, I vowed not to buy any more things for the house. I stopped for a garage sale on the way to the supermarket of a very old house.
I saw a painted plate amongst all of the brik a brac.
The family had sold the house as the old lady had died, and they had to clear everything. The plate was the only thing I bought ($1). It is hand painted and I thought about someone painstakingly painting and designing this. It is actually a bit old fashioned but something about it appealed to me.

Just looks peaceful