Six Months Here, After Six Months There

Adrian and I have just returned to Daylesford, Victoria, Australia, after a six-month stay in the U.S.A. We will be in Australia until late March 2017. At that time we will return to The Holy Moly in Clarksdale, Mississippi, before the Juke Joint Festival.

While we're in Australia, we'll be running the business of Tasma House and Gardens, as we have for the past six years. 

It's good to be back with Miss Jelly Bean!

Family Life Goes On

I recently returned from a trip to Kentucky and Ohio. I enjoyed a Memorial Day weekend trip with my parents and my husband. My sister and her husband also made the trip, and it was lovely to spend time with my family, away from the day-to-day worries of revitalisation work here at The Holy Moly in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

The last time I made the Kentucky trip was by myself in 2008, before my move to Australia. So, it was a pleasure to have my parents and my husband with me this time.

I have missed my Kentucky family. A lot has changed. I miss the family members who have died since I last visited, but it was good to see the new ones and reunite with others!

It must have been around 2005 or 2006 when I went to visit my Aunt in Ohio. I'm not sure how long it has been, but it was good to be in her home again. Simple family life, sometimes it is hard to manage, but it is one of the best things in this world, and I always thank God for it.

My family's Memorial Day weekend traditions take us back to cemeteries in Kentucky, where we reminisce, cry, and laugh.

I often feel sad that I don't know much about my heritage, but I am thankful to have this Kentucky-connection with my roots -- knowing where my parents got married, where my grandparents and great-grandparents are buried, and where my cousins are being raised today -- what a blessing that is!

It was a pleasure to meet the newest member of my family, little Bentley! He looks just like my Uncle Harold Hale, and he's a treasure -- such a pleasure to be around. I am thrilled that I got to meet Bentley and his big brother, Briley! I now have a couple more reasons to be thankful for this lifestyle that allows me to come and go back and forth from Australia to America.

Alex and Kevin

I'm so happy for my daughter and her fiancé!  They recently became engaged. I love them both and wish them all the happiness in the world.

Meanwhile, in Australia….

I've enjoyed the past few months here in Australia, and I look forward to returning to the U.S.A. in a couple of weeks.

Time seems to move slowly here in Oz, but that is a beautiful thing.

I have spent some time doing a bit of artwork. Keeping things simple, I have been painting with water colour pencils on A4 water-colour paper. I use iPhoto and Comic Life to manipulate photographs of my paintings. Most of the time, my paintings are based on birds and animals that I have personally photographed in Australia.

Here are a few of my latest pieces of art:

Cockatoo Landing in Tasma Gardens

Magpie on the Wibbly-Wobbly Wall

Backyard Wallaby

Curious Kangaroo

I'm not sure what I will do with these little paintings. I just like painting them.

Also, I've been knitting! My friend, Jacqui Olver, taught me to knit, and I have had plenty of time to make a few things! It's a new hobby for me, and I love it.  I have had time to make a couple of scarves for Adrian. I don't know when he will be needing to bundle up for cold weather, but he's ready, whether it's cold or not! My hubby is such a good sport, to model these things for me in the middle of an Australian summer!

My little Jelly Bean and I even have matching scarves, thanks to free knitting patterns on Pinterest! We're ready for the cold weather, too!

I suppose Adrian and I will need to aim for being in Australia in winter 2017, so we can bundle up with Miss Jelly Bean!