I smell Autumn

The crunch of leaves underfoot, the smell of rain-soaked soil and the chill creeping into the air are heralds of the season. The high puffy clouds on blue against the turning colours of the leaves provide a striking contrast. This evolving time of year is one to be absorbed from outdoors. A wander in the park, a shuffle along the footpath or even a quiet contemplation in the yard are enjoyable ways to acknowledge the change from one season to the next. The colours are fleeting; the decent of leaves continual; the vistas are changing quickly. We need to take a moment to live the passage of time and recognize the turning of the world. We need to be present to all that surrounds us, including time. Outside, take a deep breath and still your mind, then take another. Describe what you smell. Crisp? Cold? Damp or earthy? The dry mustiness of fading leaves will take you back to other autumns and other adventures. Make sure you join in!

I smelled happiness

As we enter the last month of winter, the odd sunny day is making a breakthrough to the cold and overcast weather. My Daphne has exploded with happiness from the care and compost it received in autumn. The scrunches of starry flowers into domes at the apical growing points is a pretty contrast to the green glossy tissue of the leaves. My Daphne likes the spot outside my bedroom window and on those special sun-drenched winter days and perfume through my window and into my bedroom is beautiful and delicate and distinctly Daphne.

So embrace the outdoors when the sun is shining and see what your garden is up to over winter. It may surprise you with the changing pace of the seasons. One week all is quiet, yet in a matter of days some of the plants have determined that the end of winter is nigh and switched gears, ready to spring forth foliage from swelling shoots and flower buds.

I smelt change

 And just like that, the seasons change. Autumn has come with all its crunch and crispiness under foot. The big old trees, that shaded us and kept the sun at bay, are now showering us in their colours. The temperatures are a bit cooler providing a reprieve from the summer heat. The breeze is a bit stronger making those autumn leaves dance and swirl. The air is a bit brisker with hints of rain and earthy notes. The angle of the sun is moving more northerly, letting light in where once it was directly overhead.

It is time to get out and notice all those bits of difference as the palate of our world changes. Explore the transformation that the new season brings.

I smelt colour

Early Summer

End 2017

As the year draws to a close, I note the last remnants of the stunning purple jacarandas that had heralded the start of summer in a glorious riot. This colour is in striking contrast to the vibrant leafy green tree that stands sentient through summer and autumn, and the devoid-of-colour stalwart that withstands winter and early spring. We, each of us, possess different mantles for various occasions, creating complex layered dimensions. Some more subtle that others; some rarely shared.

It was through wandering the local streets that I noticed the evening smells of summer. The gardenias and jasmine are especially powerful at dusk and early evening. They invoke the smell of muted colours for me. So have a wander, follow your nose and enjoy the soft beauty of your surroundings and reflect on which aspects of yourself will come to the fore in 2018, and what new facet you will share with others.

Fragrant gardenias

I smelled the money

The start of the new year, well almost, and I still found myself saying I must do my tax. Newsflash: saying something doesn’t actually get it done. I even said this too! So I finally set aside some time, with access to all my documents, a plethora of post-it notes and a selection of highlighters for good measure. Guess what, it got done  👍

There is merit to the saying “Actions speak louder than words.” So to all those out there who keep saying, out loud or in your head it doesn’t matter, that there are things to be done – I say,  Just do it! Make sure to say it to others as well. Procrastination can be an insidious bed-fellow which we all need to be vigilant against.

It feels good to be done. It saves a lot of mental head space and you can get on with your life. It makes space on your to-do list for other fun things. So create a plan to get it done and then delve into more fun stuff.

I smelled faraway places

Leaving work later than normal, I thought to crash the Yarra Food Street Festival at Burnley as a quick and easy dinner. The array of food trucks was encouraging, but the quick part of dinner wasn’t so easy. The temptations of African flavours, Nepalese dumplings, fresh seafood, deli burgers and exotic curries was a very hard decision to make. Strolling a lap of the trucks to find the best option provided some mouth-watering sites and smells. The perusal resulted in a refreshing cider at the bar for some people watching and contemplation of their meal choices on a warm summer evening. It was a pity to have to finally choose, but this option above from Sliders on Tyres was delicious. A Boston chicken mini burger and a beef mini burger with unusual and tasty condiments in a mini brioche bun were offset with some amazing thick cut chips. It was so good that I polished off every morsel on the plate – yum!

I think I’ll have to plan a few more visits as the festival continues until the end of February with a constant parade of rotating food trucks. I might go to Nepal for my next dinner. So if you get the chance, travel to a new destination for dinner and see what serendipity brings.

I inhaled dinner

You’ll note that one of my indulgences is to enjoy good food. It’s even better when it’s enjoyed with friends. I had been hankering for some ribs. I was fortunate enough to catch up with a friend in the city and we revisited this lovely place on SouthBank.  http://breslingrill.com.au/

The smells of the slow-cooked meats are mouth-watering; I’m sure you could just live on that. This then forces the question of lamb, beef or pork – a hard decision. The other question is a half or whole rack, but I don’t like to waste food and you can only eat so much before exploding [Monty Python reference] – half it is for me. There is an option for half’n’half, if you’re a big eater, so work up to it as a personal challenge 🙂

The beauty of this restaurant is that the meat is king, but a small nod to a vinaigrette coleslaw and crunchy onion rings provides a delicious counterpoint to the succulent meat. The spicy BBQ [tasty but not hot] sauce provides a lovely coat to keep the meat tender and juicy. The meat falls apart under knife and fork, but the real fun is using your fingers and slurping the meats and sauce off the bone. This is not for polite society and it’s one-in all-in so the saucy grin is shared! Yum!

I smelled a riot

The coming of Spring is when nature gets to show off. The yellow and orange daffodils defy the grey skies. The Daphne perfumes the air. The fruit trees explode into blossom. This grey-green unassuming succulent which I’ve walked past many times without a glance blended in with the concrete and chain-link fence over an irrigation drain. There was very little to recommend noticing it, until now.

The competition for attention in Spring is outrageous and it all seems to happen over night. There is a riot of colour and a myriad of smells. Feast on the visuals, then close your eyes and see what else pervades your senses. Little notes of lemon from a lemon-scented gum or the freshness of a gardenia flower can be drowned out unless we stop to notice.

So applaud the show-offs and the magnificent colour displays like this red-flowering succulent, but also appreciate nature’s floor show with your other senses. I’d say stop and smell the roses, but they are not at this party yet, so stop and smell the competition.

I smelled a challenge

This week saw new technology invading my life. A bit scary and definitely a challenge, requiring quite a bit of forethought and planning. Bringing it home in a large plastic bag attracted the attention of my young cat. She proceeded to jump in and out of the bag, managing to spook herself and make me laugh out loud at her antics. This alleviated some of my anxiety about what I was planning to do.

Basically I just had to jump in and roll with the eventualities. I opened the box, inventoried its contents and separated the packaging into recyclables and rubbish [excellent delaying tactics]. Then I connected the power, connected the cables and pushed the On button. It wasn’t as traumatic as I had thought it would be. A lovely set of pop-ups guided me through the initial set up and prompted for links and passwords. By the end I felt that I had really achieved something on my own. I successfully installed a cloud in my study, not the moisture filled variety, but a data back-up somewhere out there in the ether.

I would recommend to anyone to just have a go at new technology. It is made for the masses and has had a level of idiot-proofing so that even I could get away with indulging without really knowing what I was doing. Things aren’t as scary as you perceive them to be, jump in the water is fine.

I inhaled eggs

There is nothing better than having someone else cook eggs for you. A breakfast out, or a brunch if you like a sleep in, at a cafe with friends keeps you in touch with the real world. It’s also a good excuse to try new places and new things.

 I was presented with this feast which was a subtle build of many treats. The potato rosti at the base with dukkah spicing was cut into fingers and stacked like Jenga. This was the first surprise. The next treat was the bacon. Pork neck is new to me. This was not your eye bacon with the streaky tail, but a lean rich meat full of flavour. The egg was poached to perfection, and a Bearnaise sauce decorated the top, with a sprinkling of rocket greens and micro-herbs. Beside this tower sat a squeaky textured and slightly salty halloumi. Each morsel complimented the other to provide a delicious feast. Have I got your attention yet?

This creation came from the Winey cow in Mornington and is worth the trip. So try an adventure to a new part of your town or a new place, sample some of the local produce and be surprised by their ingenuity.