Happiness as Anarchy #356: Curious momentos

I rescued a tiny succulent from a crack in the concrete on a street in Parramatta several years ago. I brought it home, found it a pot, and it keeps growing towards the light. Its curious leaves hold so many happy memories from that weekend – of strolling the streets and op-shops with a kindred… Continue reading Happiness as Anarchy #356: Curious momentos

Happiness as Anarchy #355: My grandmother’s plants

My grandmother was an avid gardener. For most of my life she lived on a five acre block that she transformed from an empty paddock into a wonderful garden. I inherited her plants last year and am loving having indoor plants for the first time. She loved flowers and her camellia has just started to… Continue reading Happiness as Anarchy #355: My grandmother’s plants

Happiness as Anarchy #354: Rainbow Chard

Beta vulgaris of the Chenopodiaceae family is a descendant of Sea Beet from the Mediterranean coast. It self-seeds in my garden with gay abandon and when they first pop their heads up, the baby red rainbow chard plants are as cute as a button. They are tough, grow quickly and look wonderful in rows in… Continue reading Happiness as Anarchy #354: Rainbow Chard

Happiness as Anarchy #353: Pink Roses

The unabashed prettiness of pink roses is always a joy to behold. The best ones are terribly thorny and heavenly scent. I’m collecting cuttings of pink roses at the moment for a planned Pompadour bed in my garden, in honour of the arts she commissioned and inspired. In 1757 the Sevres Porcelain factory, of which… Continue reading Happiness as Anarchy #353: Pink Roses

Happiness as Anarchy #352: Internet archives

It is quite remarkable the amount of wonderful old resources one can find on the internet. Today’s find was a map of Versailles from 1746, including the place, gardens and surrounding farmland. It still blows my mind that twenty years ago you had to physically go to Europe and visit the library to see this… Continue reading Happiness as Anarchy #352: Internet archives

Happiness as Anarchy #350: Inspiring conversation

I love being able to bat ideas around like tennis balls. Most of the time they go over the net, other times under, and there are a few that go over the fence never to be seen again. Playing the conversation game cannot be done alone – it must be a collaboration. It is one… Continue reading Happiness as Anarchy #350: Inspiring conversation

Happiness as Anarchy #349: Fitting a sleeve

The creation of my 18th century gown is a long, slow process, but given there are no deadlines right now, that’s alright. I have taken apart the jacket to make it fit me better, as I think I cut the pattern and forgot to check my measurements against it. I’ve adjusted the darts and shoulders,… Continue reading Happiness as Anarchy #349: Fitting a sleeve

Happiness as Anarchy #347: Micro TV series

I don’t watch a lot of TV, but I must confess I’m watching more these days. It’s just nice to see some faces, hear some voices. I find Australian shows particularly comforting, probably because it feels like seeing ordinary people from my ordinary world. I watched Love in Lockdown yesterday. It’s a tiny tv series… Continue reading Happiness as Anarchy #347: Micro TV series