Sunday Selections #200

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme. And this week I am continuing my lazy streak.  Corellas.  Again.  But this pair melted my heart.  My anthromorphic self was sure that they were in lurv.  And we watched them for a long time.  A very, very long time.

 Rather a lot of photos follow.

Perfect Timing

On Friday we have an appointment.  With the smaller portion's surgeon.  Again.

Over the last couple of years he has had seven abdominal surgeries.  The first was essential to save his life (after his bowel ruptured), and the rest have been  follow-up and 'tidy-up' surgeries.  There has been pain, worry, tears and frustration by the bucket load.

All of those surgeries have led to him having very little stomach muscle left.  Which means that an inadvertent move results in a hernia.  The medicos in their usual empathic way have told him/us that a big hernia is good, because his poor abused bowels can't get trapped in it and strangled. As far as reframes go that one is a doozy.

And he now has several, of varying sizes.  He hopes that the surgeon will agree to operate and attempt (again) to repair them.  I am not as confident as he is.  And dread the outcome - either way.  If the surgeon refuses to operate he will not be a happy chappy.  And if the surgeon will play we will have to go down the medical mayhem route again next year.  Which I dread.  For him and for me.   I suspect I would be calling it quits, but it is his body and his decision.  Dammit.

So I have been worrying and fretting.  Two of my skills it is true - but if I knew where my anxiety button was I would disconnect it.  Permanently.  (And the guilt button while I am at it.).

Overwhelmed is probably a reasonable one word summary for how I am feeling.

And yesterday I received a parcel in the post.  Which made me smile - and made my eyes leak.

All Consuming has undergone similar surgeries and knows what is involved.  And how much fun it is.  For everyone.

And this very talented blogger and jewellery maker sent me a gift - 'to make you smile in advance of the coming hospital visits of the New Year'.  She made me a beautiful pendant - and matching earrings.  And I will wear them when we head off to see the surgeon tomorrow.

Isn't it beautiful?
The timing was impeccable.  I am so grateful for all of the people I have found in the blogosphere - and this exemplifies the caring I have found.

Sunday Selections #199

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme. And this week I am continuing my lazy streak.  Just one of my obsessions this week.  Birds.  Real ones, and ones which live on our back deck.

A corella who visited last week.  His crest is up to express interest/alarm.  And it this case it was interest.

We had a little wonderful rain last weekend and more is predicted for this evening, and I really, really hope we get it.

I loved the rain - but did feel a little sorry for these poor wet galahs.

And some of the birds who live on our back deck.  The first were given to me by the smaller portion some years ago - and we call them the quirky birds.  There is a candle holder hidden beneath their wings, and they do look good glowing in the dark.

And the bone bird.  This was a gift (thirty years ago?) to my father.  I have no idea what sort of bone it is - but it was a big, big animal.  I wonder whether it might have been a whale.  And part of me cringes.

The Name of the Wind

I have been reading speculative fiction/fantasy novels for well over twenty years, and don't expect to stop any time soon.

I read them for entertainment/amusement/comfort and as an escape.  I have a serious weakness for magic, far-away lands, different societies/cultures and dragons.  One or more of these will always suck me in.

Recently I picked up this book - the first in a series by an author I didn't know.

In my usual restrained fashion I guzzled it, but am in at least two minds about it.  I do hope that someone else in the blogosphere has read it and will tell me what they thought.

In some ways it is formulaic.  Which is not necessarily a bad thing.  A fresh and new slant on a familiar story is often a delight.

The main protagonist is male:  Check.
He was orphaned at an early age by a powerful and evil group:  Check.
He doesn't know why:  Check.
He was taught magic (known as sympathy in this series which intrigued me) by an older and somewhat mysterious figure:  Check.
True names for things have power:  Check.
He finds his way to a place of learning where he can learn more and hone his (already considerable) skills:  Check.
He is desperately poor.  Check.
At that school he find friends - and at least one enemy:  Check.
His aim is to track down (and naturally destroy) the enemy which annihilated his family:  Check.
He is a highly skilled musician.  Check.
He falls in love and the path to true love is anything but smooth:  Check.

There is at least one dragon.  Though I am not entirely comfortable with the concept of a flame-throwing, vegetarian, drug-addicted dragon.  And a dragon without magic strikes me as wrong. 

The writing is clear and evocative.  Even when I suspected I knew where the plot was heading I needed to read more.

I do have some reservations though.  This first novel in the series is over 650 pages long.  And the way it is structured it reads like a 'back story'.  A very, very long back story.  For much of the book we learn what has gone before as our 'hero' tells his story to someone who has stumbled into his life, and insists that it be written down - verbatim.  There are flashes to the present - where conflict and danger lurk, and lots of filling in of times past.

He has friends - but I am not entirely certain why.  They do favours for him, but he (at least in this novel) does little that is positive for anyone else (with the exception of a mentally damaged ex-student who lives in hiding beneath the school).  We get hints that he has done brave things, tremendous things - and dreadful things.  Legends about him abound, and he has largely retired into obscurity.  With a Fae student.  Who is deeply attached to him.   Why?  What is he teaching his student?  Why is he hiding?  Who or what is he hiding from?  Does he still have his powers?  He, and those around him are still in danger.  Probably from the group which slaughtered his family and friends.  Why?  How did they find him?  What do they want of him?

I will track down at least the next in the series - but hope that much more of it is written in the present.  But have my doubts.

Do any of you know this author or the series?   Should I persevere?


And, on a different note.  Thank you to those of you who suggested that since I loved the biography of Dorothea Bate I would also be interested in and enjoy Tracy Chevalier's 'Remarkable Creatures'.  I did.

Sunday Selections #198

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme.  This week I am being lazy and reverting to two of my obsessions, birds and the garden.

These birds have all visited this week.

First, a corella

Then King Parrots, the male (orange head) and his more subdued but still lovely mate...

Then to the garden.  My double poppies have just started to flower and as soon as the first one flowered I thought of Carola Bartz - who grows some stunners of her own.

Then to the Christmas Cactus (also known as Orchid Cactus) which are just starting to bloom.

And some plants I succumbed to at the Farmers Markets.  If we get the promised rain (which we need) I hope to put them in later today.

Cape daisies...

And something described as a Norwegian Bell Flower.

Family Matters

Very, very personally.  Whether they admit to the acquaintance or not. 

Which means that this next gem is also true.

I use those difficult people (too many of them family) to take a kind of personal audit.  And it is overdue.  At the moment I am not liking my bad tempered mean spirited whinging self.  At all.  Action is required.

With a little help from...

Sunday Selections #197

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme. This week?  Snippets of things which make me Smile.

In the garden.

Green Goddess Arum Lily - none of the coloured ones are anywhere near flowering yet.

Iris.

Pigface.

Foxgloves.

And then to the sky.

And the last one is for Joanne - who is also undergoing bathroom renovations.  Her photo last week reminded me that I do love our toilet roll holder.  It was given to me years ago by a friend who has since moved out of my life - and I cherish it.  And smile at it.