Sunday picspam.

[curiouswombat]

I seem to have managed to post a few times this week despite poor old LJ being hit again. My life has not, though been any more exciting than usual - work, shop, cook, watch TV, write a bit, on-line WriterconUk committee meetings - but I also started to upload some of my Tolkien fics to a new archive which was started by one of the writers who left 'Lord of the Rings Fan fic' when it was declared a 'for as much profit as possible' site.

Esteliel's site is growing slowly - but I would recommend it to any Tolkien Writers, though - it is easy to read, easy to navigate, and easy to post to, as well! All styles andd ratings of Tolkien-related fic is welcome - and I have already found some good things that I had not previously read. Here is a link (I hope...!)




For those who didn't see it, I would also recommend the wonderful piece of silliness that is speakr2customrs' response to the furore caused by Keith Mander taking over the LotRFF site. To enjoy The Ring at Pooh Corner all you need to know is that Keith Mander was christened Sarumander by someone at an early stage, and he also runs a Winnie-the-Pooh site, and a Twilight fanfic one... Read and enjoy - but put anything containing liquids down first...

So - apart from the usual stuff, and uploading fics - I have also spoken to D-d a couple of times. She was having a fantastic time, been scuba diving and snorkelling, (both on the Great Barrier Reef), been in a rainforest, seen wild saltwater crocs, and also cuddled a koala and been intimidated by an emu. By now she should be fast asleep in a hotel room in Perth on her way to visit her grandparents and aunt and uncle.

I had a lazy day yesterday - and spent time sitting out in the garden reading. I had plans for today which involved taking my camera down to the south of the island - but it is damp and grey today - so grey we've actually needed the lights on in the mid-afternoon!

So there are no pretty pictures of The Sound as I had planned - but there are a few pictures that I took yesterday in the garden

This was lunch - I had made a salmon and baby asparagus risotto for dinner on Friday and this was what was left over -



It went very nicely with a wee glass of elderflower wine and lemonade.

And I took a few pictures of the wall baskets - two with geraniums and the middle one filled with surfinias -










And then I snapped the sweet peas - I particularly like that very, very, dark one -




And I snapped Shaka as I was going in for a drop more wine - if I sat around less and weeded more I would not need to say 'ignore the weeds'!





Next weekend it is WriterConUK - it promises to be small and bijou this year - but I'm sure it will be fun anyway. It should, hopefully, all progress smoothly - all the on-line committee meetings and the flurries of e-mails backwards and forwards between the three of us who are the committee, and also all the other wonderful people who help, go on behind the scenes like the feet of the swan...

Comments

[shirebound]

The colors in your garden are so lovely and cheering!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - they are rather girly shades really; hot pinks, pale pinks, white, purples to blue... but it is a nice spot to sit on a nice day.

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

Lunch looks very nice!

I've made your Winter Garden banner. I hope you like it. It uses the original prompt/picture:

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Oh elo! That is wonderful! Thank you so much!

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

Glad you like it!

[brutti-ma-buoni.livejournal.com]

Ooh, would you mind if I used this in my talk at Writercon (assuming Wombat doesn't mind either)? The photo-that-inspired-many-fanworks is already in there, but this is yet another lovely example of what came of that one image!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I certainly don't mind at all! It's wonderful, isn't it?

[brutti-ma-buoni.livejournal.com]

Fab! Thanks a lot.

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

No, I wouldn't mind at all -- and I see Wombat has already said yes :-)

[brutti-ma-buoni.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! It deserves the outing.

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

Sweet peas are very lovely but it's just too hot here to grow them unless we have a very, very cool Summer.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I love sweet peas - but I can see they wouldn't like the heat. They begin to frazzle as soon as we get a warm day, if I don't water them very well, I can see that actual 'hot' would be much too much for them.

[jay-of-lasgalen.livejournal.com]

The pictures of your hanging baskets and patio plants look lovely - especially the one with Shaka!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - he really appreciates that the yard is paved as it holds the heat nicely!

[ellynn-ithilwen.livejournal.com]

Mmmmm, the dinner sounds really good!

And you have such beautiful flowers. But the picture with kitty is my favorite. *melts*

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Dinner was very tasty. My gardening tends towards the bright and cheerful - but the cat certainly appreciates it!

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you gave the beverage warning for S2C's Pooh crossover fic, as I was given cause to snort loudly several times!

(I now covet a "Bother" said Pooh. "A Balrog." icon...)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Someone should so make such an icon! Actually Fileg said much the same thing on S2C's journal - she might well come up with one!

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Your flowers are gorgeous!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I am rather inclined to the bright and cheerful - but I do like to then sit out in the yard and enjoy the exuberance of it all!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Oh it looks colorful and green and most of all, Not Hot where you are! Our flowers are starting to look wan and scorched even when watered religiously. If this triple-digit heat continues (which they say it will into next week) then I may have to book a flight to the Arctic. :P

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Don't bother with the Arctic - just come to our temperate small island. But you'd probably need to bring your woollies - we are mainly having what we think of 'nice warm days' at about 70F - and an average of three dry days to the wet one...!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

70F for me is shirtsleeve weather so I think I'll skip the woollies. Look for me on Tuesday.

Um, if I can convince my hubby....

[miso-no-tsuki.livejournal.com]

Lovely flowers! Do the sweet peas smell? I love the deep honeyed scent some of them have.
Stone and flowers make a great combination, especially where cats are concerned. Nice photo btw.
Elderflower wine *sighs* I love that stuff. It's like drinking perfume. Have you ever tried potcheen? very similar if orders of magnitude more lethal. (We bought the "Farmers Grade" stuff at 90% proof. The next one is 120% proof ...)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I've never tried potcheen, I have to admit - but I do love elderflower wine.

The sweet peas are scented - but not as heavily as last year's, which is a pity. Especially as Monty Don informs us on Gardeners' World that the best way to keep your sweet peas flowering is to pick them about every ten days and so I have no sense of guilt abuot having a few in a vase indoors.

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

A lazy day spent sitting out in the garden among such beautiful flowers, eating a yummy risotto, enjoying wine and reading is my idea of an absolutely perfect day.

I love the sweet peas, but my favourite pictures are the first one (It's such a great illustration of your lovely, leisurable day.), and the last one (Who could resist the combination of Shaka and the flowers, especially the purple ones?)

I see D-d is still having the time of her life.

I'm glad LJ is back to normal.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It was a lovely way to spend an hour or two - and Shaka certainly agreed. Pity today was grey and damp.

D-d is having the most wonderful time - she now has her short period of rest and recuperation whilst she visits family - her grandfather is not in the best of health and will be so happy to see her - and her grandmother and aunt will fuss her and pamper...

I am really happy LJ is back to normal too - I held my breath when I went to post this, because I thought the photos might be a bit more than it could currently handle.

[engarian.livejournal.com]

Those are just lovely pics, Curious W. What a wonderful hideaway you've got for yourself here.

And Fairie is growing and growing. It's a fantastic place and I'm so pleased to be a part of it. Apparently the original Erulisse (the one who spells her name with two ells) is also now on there. That should confuse people - LOL.


- Erulisse (one L)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

My back yard is only tiny - but cat, daughter and I all like to spend time out there.

I noticed Erullisse was there too - there were stories by both of you in a row yesterday!

[nutmeg3.livejournal.com]

What gorgeous flowers! That dark sweet pea really is a stunner.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I was very taken with that dark sweet pea - I just buy a small pot or two of seedlings at the garden centre - so what comes up is a real lucky dip!

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

Your garden is lovely!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It is what the estate agents would refer to as 'a courtyard garden' - and you and I would call a small back yard! But it is my pleasure to keep it bight and cheerful over the summer.

[spikereader.livejournal.com]

I love sweet peas, but am hopeless at growing them. Perhaps I should suggest them to Bethan for a project next year.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I find they grow pretty well from seedlings in a pot with canes or, being posh, a metal 'support tower'.

[wormwood-7.livejournal.com]

That looks like a very civilised lunch. Wine and risotto in a summer garden. Thanks for sharing.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It was extremely civilised, I have to admit! And rather tasty even though I say so myself.