Beautiful cumulus clouds with a hint of cirrostratus hovering in the upper atmosphere this evening. 

 

A cool spring morning

Home alone today. Started the day cleaning the shower, vacuuming the house, bins emptied and washing on the line. Then sat down for a cuppa and the tradesman visited unannounced, which meant I had to abandon my morning tea for a while. Even Kaatje was growling. Haha. 

Fortunately he didn't stay long, and I could return to my morning soiree with Kaatje.

But first some photography. 

Stratus clouds overhead, and light winds. 

The outlook looks good for my washing.

And a loose arrangement of my hand made papers into a book form. As yet I am undecided as to how it will be bound, so I will give it some time and thought. 

 

Rain on the horizon, but managed to finish a paper making session before the onslaught.

Paper soaked a few days prior, a handmade mould and deckle, strips of old sheeting and a few large vessels to hold the water and we were ready to go. 

Pulp. There was a lot of it.

Kaatje inquisitively observes the magical brew. 

Experimental materials include dried plant matter. 

Mille made a few sheets of her own.....

....and sprinkled the surface with crumbled rose petals.

Now the rain has arrived, but all is complete. The paper now sits overnight under a heavy weight, and tomorrow the results will be revealed.

 

One of the entrances to Sir Phryganoporus Candidas's abode.  

Seen!

Hard to capture, a beautiful, but not very nice,  Cuckoo Wasp. Known to parasite off other wasps to raise their young.

 

tis the season....

....when cotoneaster flowers send the bees into a frenzy.

When plump juicy rasberries, (in their second year)  fruit in abundance.

When the creatures earnestly get to the business of multiplying.

and glittering slug trails transform into minute mirrors. I wonder if they are used to check their appearances before the important date.

This spring, the first of a few bee houses is installed. Now the wait begins. 

Nearby, the foliage webbing spider, phryganoporus candidus, constructed a magnificent abode for its hundreds of family members.

The Tea tree is in blossom,

and Milles silverbeet going to seed.

and the photographer reluctantly posts a picture of herself.