a little bit of garden DIY...

I spent hours in the courtyard last weekend. Hours. This appears to be a necessary evil when you have neglected it for the entire winter!  There's still quite a bit to go but I managed to do some rearranging, put in some new sprinkler thingies, pull out a mass of weeds (don't talk to me about honeysuckle!), toss some very large concrete pavers over the wall (don't ask, you don't want to know!) and plant some flowers and veggies.
I also did a very simple little DIY involving a mirror, a pot and a new little space in the courtyard where the rickety old bench used to be...voila!

This little spot under the growing maple tree lets me see the sky (reflected in the mirror) while reading a book, having a drink and without straining my neck!

and as a bonus...the pot is a place to put a bit of gardening paraphernalia...just whip off the mirror and put it back on when done. Clever huh!

As as for that bench where Buffy used to sit...

...I'm using it to grow a herb garden! 

Poor vampire slayer...

all photos by me taken on the iPhone 4S

to the sea...

I love Canberra. I have a very happy life here. But then I go to the sea and wonder why I'm not living somewhere else...like by the water.

With a job like mine there are times when (with the wonders of the interweb) I can work from pretty well anywhere.  Last week I was lucky enough to be able to work by the sea. Firstly with a colleague who has relocated to Nelson Bay (sea change or what!) and then for a few more days with my parents in Newcastle.

No-one believes me when I say I got a whole heap of work done...but it's true. Yes, really. Having said that, there were coastal compensations.

Here's a lovely picture of mum and dad at the Newcastle Ocean Baths. 

They're doing ok but frailer each time I see them; and let's not talk about the memory loss!! But no matter what, school prawns with my dad is a long, long tradition...I'm a much speedier peeler than him these days though :)

How about you? Do you prefer coast or country? Or if you're really lucky, do you have both?
all images: kerry martin flickr

way out west...

In the middle of last month the fella and I went on a four day road trip to Walgett. Where you ask?? Walgett. No, I didn't know where it was either. But it's the place where Richard was born. And as far as I could tell that's its only attraction! I shouldn't be rude, but I have to confess it's not a place I could ever live.  Still, we had a great time at his Year 10 school reunion and it was lovely to see people who hadn't seen each other for 35 years having a fine old time :)
I took the opportunity to put the trip to another purpose, taking photos for the latest assignment on the photography course I'm doing. We had to choose a theme: so mine was rural NSW | people, places and things!  Here's a selection of my favourites...

There's been a squillion canola field pics on instagram in the last month or so, but gee...I never tire of them.  And I can't tell you how chuffed I was to work out how to do the slow moving water thing too...although I won't tell you how many attempts I had before it worked!

When we were in Walgett there was an aboriginal rugby competition on with teams from all over the place. I am pleased to report (as a born and bred Novacastrian) that the Newcastle team won! There were kids galore having a fabulous time...

And on our way back to Canberra we just had to stop in and stay with Julienne...I was allowed to take photos of her stuff...and what a rich source of stuff there was!

Coat stand in the longest hallway in the world! And here's the woman herself giving Richard a tour of the homestead :)

Had the best time, loved experimenting with the camera and even better, got to meet new people as well as see dear friends.

I had been scheduled to go to Shanghai with work but my participation got cancelled at the last minute...so I got to go to Walgett instead...

...the Shanghai of the west!! Oh well, there's always next year.

If you would like to see a few more images head on over to my Flickr account.

all images by Kerry Martin

fun in the studio...

Did I tell you I'm doing a photography course at the Canberra Institute of Technology? I probably did! Sixteen weeks every wednesday night for three hours. I am loving it.

Much excitement for me this week when for the first time in my life I got to shoot in a real, live studio.  It was such a wonderful learning experience, and now I have a bit more of an idea how the professionals do it! 

This week it was portraits and a very kind colleague agreed to come and be my model...I'm so pleased with how they turned out...this is just a small sample.

And yes, having a beautiful face to photograph makes it SO much easier.

Next week....back in the studio for still life photography. Can't wait!

images: kerry martin

A change of direction...

It’s been a while since I've done a blog post (crumbs I just checked, it's over a month) and almost as long since I've read anyone else’s. I'm sorry about that... I'm sure I've been missing out on wonderful things while I’ve been missing in action. And no, the change of direction does not involve me becoming a vegetarian!

I've been struggling with what to do about the blog.  To be honest, I've lost a bit of interest.  Perhaps it’s because I've lost interest in some of the related things...if you’d told me six months ago that I would have so many not just unread magazines, but actually unopened ones I would have thought you were the one who was bonkers, not me!

(and that's only a few of them!)

I don’t want to give blogging up, but nor do I want it to be a pressure, or heaven forbid a burden. So I've decided to give it another direction.  I want to focus (no pun intended, or maybe just a little one) on photography. I've been taking lots of photos. I have a new DSLR, I’m also a bit addicted to using the iPhone and posting pictures on Instagram and Streamzoo, and I'm studying.

I’ve tried a lot of things in my life. I'm a "let’s give it a whirl" kind of girl, but the truth is I don’t often stick to anything. Let me see...there have been courses in painting, sewing, writing, styling...although to be fair I did pick up fairly quickly that schlepping around the place with a bunch of props wasn't for me! 

I’ve knitted, crocheted, sewed, glued, drilled. I lose interest quickly I'm afraid.

I’ve been working with a life coach on this...why it is I don’t pursue anything to its proper conclusion, why I don’t persevere. But with photography I’ve finally found something that I want to become really good at, earn some money from sometime down the track, and continue to be thrilled by. And as I heard someone say on the radio the other day "if you don't know where you're going, where you end up is exactly the right place". I like that. It sits well with me.

(my fabulous table tonic necklace...love it to bits)

So my dear friends, the blog is likely to turn into a place where I can post my own images, not shots that other people take. This seems to be to be a sensible combination of keeping the blog going, keeping my interest going, as well as forcing me to do my assignments in the photography course I'm currently studying.  And I promise I will do some interiors down the track! I have just the house in mind.

I hope you stay along for the ride and see where it takes me. Game on!

all images: a tranquil townhouse/Kerry Martin (some using the Canon, some the iPhone)

how instagram is helping me cope with depression...

Well there's a blog post heading I never thought I'd write!
This is just a short post...dipping my feet in to see how it feels. But first I want to say thank you so very, very much to the people who've been in touch with me...by email, on FB, by phone, sms....you are so generous and I appreciate your kindness. I'm sorry that I haven't been back in contact...I'm not quite ready yet to respond in the way your kindness deserves, but one day for sure...I will be :)
So....instagram? I've been doing Fat Mum Slim's April photo-a-day. It's given me something simple to concentrate on each and every day, and something to look forward to...although some days have been harder than others. Case in point; Day 14: how you feel today...

There were many other words I could have used but this felt the most appropriate, and one that was at least publishable!

I've always loved images and I'm enjoying taking more of my own...here's a smattering. I was in Sydney last week for a meeting and when it had finished I took myself off for a wander in The Domain...this sculpture is a tribute to Speakers Corner...

Day 16: flowers...

Day 13: something you found...memories of happy days on beaches or walks...

Day 5:tiny...a silver buddha on a bracelet...gifts from friends...

Day 9: younger you...much younger!

So there you go. I've also signed up for a 6 week photography course starting this month...that should be a bit of fun!

all images: tranquiltownhouse on instagram

my creative space: a new york memory...

You may recall that I was lucky enough to go to New York earlier in the year where I met up with my friend Mary from Canada. It was a side trip following a work visit to Washington.  I took lots of photos, but this one, taken from the top of the Empire State Building is one of my favourites, and I finally got around to having it enlarged and framed. Here it is just propped up in front of the meat safe...

Now I just have to work out where to hang the darn thing, because it's probably going to mean a major rearrangement of what's already in the living room. In fact I'm sure of it! One of the jobs that will keep me occupied and out of mischief once I get to the Christmas break :)

Here are the real creatives...over here. Pop on over if you get a chance.

soul food friday ~ being in the garden

I have to say that the little townhouse garden is excelling itself so far this spring...

I wouldn't call myself a brilliant gardener...I'm certainly not very knowledgeable about trees and plants and flowers...not like Sarah

But I am completely convinced of one thing...

  ...there are few things more restorative to a sad heart, a tired body or a worried brain than spending some time in a garden...

 admiring the perfect loveliness of a simple little flower and being grateful for the chance to sit for a while and just look

 even if it's only in the confines of a small courtyard garden. Actually, especially in a small space...it reminds me that we don't need all that very much to be happy.

Gardens allow us to just 'be'.

...even if that small garden is inhabited by a mad cat :)

The slayer and I send you our best wishes for a wonderful, serene weekend. Go and smell some flowers  if you can. And as Elvis says...

 This week for the first time I'm joining in with maxabella loves...

all images: a tranquil townhouse