Darn sarth

My young best friend Isme brought me armloads of flowers early last week — Iceland poppies (above) still in bud, pots of daffodils, and loads of boronia — and they were so lovely I couldn't bear to go away for the weekend without them, so they came too.

By the way: you really should check out Isme's book blog. She writes so well about young adult and children's fiction, and even Random House has taken notice.

We had a fabulous extended weekend away, with some dramatic weather providing the perfect excuse to snuggle up indoors, light the fire soon after getting up and do almost nothing.

The hardenbergia (native wisteria) is starting to open, among our earliest blooming wildflowers. It always looks so magnificent when it twines its way close to a wattle in full bloom.

I say we did nothing all weekend, but there were, of course, a few walkies in the bush,

on the farm,

and on the beach,

well rugged up and skipping rainstorms.

I baked a cinnamon teacake and, for the first time in my life, scones.

They were a bit long in the oven, but yummy all the same.

We drove back this morning through even more rain, hail and storms.

And news reports of happy farmers.