Okay so they're my stinky old gumboots but you might like the tea pot!

I know in art school you learn to do academic studies of the human form, objects and things from nature. I didn't go to art school and didn't have any interest whatsoever in art as a subject when I was younger. It came later on in my life when I was in a life crisis of sorts. I guess we all get those from time to time. So there I was thinking I really should draw something, but couldn't think what to draw. So I drew my gumboots out there on the doorstep, forelornly left there all neglected with bits of barley left by the old man dropping his feed here and there. On a farm you need your gumboots, they're the footsaver when a horse or a cow plonks their great big clomping hooves on your long suffering foot, it lessens the pain slightly I suppose. The dog has chewed up my last pair. They were beyond help any way. Then came the barbed wire, which for some unknown reason is inside the house here. It's supposed to go on a fence not end up in the lounge as some kind of strange ornament. I think Michelle has an idea that it would be useful for fixing the back fence with so certain cows do not head over to our neighbours place any time soon. And then is the puzzle seed - at least Michelle called a 'puzzle seed'. A puzzle it is indeed. Figuring out exactly what it is - well one day I will figure it out. She had found it at Wenderholm a lovely beach on the east coast of Rodney District. It came home got left in my bathroom on the windowsill for heck knows how long until I decided it had been there long enough! So there it is on the paper as well.

Speaking of works of art, the old dragon (yes my kids do call me that from time to time) at Auckland Zoo (not here at Mad Bush Farm) had a facelift. He was built by groundsman Cedric Story back in 1959 in the Childrens Zoo playground. Now the area is called Kidzone and it's changed so much from the zoo I remember as a child. And always I had to go and play on that old dragon. My kids too have played on him as well.

 Back in August I visited the Auckland Museum with Lisa I photographed a large number of fascinating objects housed in the museum collection. I loved this beautiful salt glazed Camel Teapot made by Staffordshire in England. It was made between 1760-1800, what a treasure it is. And on the subject of history I wrote about an interesting woman named Emma Hattaway who was a nurse. She was an amazing woman. Check it out here.