Flowers make me happy! #100happydays

This is what makes me happy:
 


I'm participating in #100happydays via my instagram account. If you don't follow me yet my username is 
gracielu1

http://100happydays.com/

Happy Bees!

I do love pretty, old-fashioned flowers. This bee was certainly happy about them too!

              

 He was rolling around in ecstacy. I wonder if the honey tasted of roses?

And then there was this highly unattractive creature.

What am I thankful for today?

Rain for my garden,

strange flowers appearing on plants, 

and the purple glory of tibouchina!

Love my chairs!

I have wanted to own a Louis style chair for a long, long time. Buying the set this chair came in was one of my crazier moments that involved roping in Anthony the long-suffering hubby and the lovely sister, hiring a utility and driving way over the other side of town. 

I've sold "the most uncomfortable sofa I've ever sat on" that came with setting, and am left with 2 lovely armchairs that owe me very little money. Unless that is, I reupholster them. I wouldn't mind finding a vibrant print to use, but then again the milk chocolate velour they wear now is soft and I don't have to be too precious when I sit in them, which would all change if I changed the fabric. I think it's a job for one day or maybe never!

The chairs come up great in photos: this was was taken with a favourite app called waterlogue. And of course Pandora finds them comfortable thrones! Who would've thought one spontaneous purchase would give me so much pleasure.

You can see that they've featured in a few photo shoots!

Shenanigans at Leadership Camp

I'm still in recovery from Senior Leadership camp: harness bruises and strains in awkward places. Here's a little proof that I did actually do the leap of faith. The platform is about 4 stories up in the air!

The students of The Pine were as delightful, responsible, encouraging and entertaining as always and some definitely pushed their boundaries and learnt new skills. They built their own rafts and tested them in the river, and got up close and personal in the dancing. Speaking of boundaries, I am trying to push my own, and stop letting being over 50 be an excuse; I know of a nearly 90 year old who goes kayaking regularly.

A slight hint of Autumn in the air!

It's just a little cooler and the students are already responding with less of a time delay - some days in summer my classroom is like an oven.I've re-read and am teaching The One Day of the Year by Alan Seymour, The Shifting Heart by Beynon, Letters from the Inside by Marsden and The Outsiders by S.E.Hinton. Many of the students have also read said texts so I may be surprised with some good results in essays next week.

This is what I am currently reading and thoroughly enjoying. I loved Sue Monk Kidd's Secret Life of Bees and this is just as enjoyable, though set in a differnt time period. The Hope book club are reading this:

I found Genelle's writing to be unpretentious and honest. Her life was transformed by her experience on this day, and the latter part of the book is definitely testament to this.

Reading next? Maybe an Andrew McGahan or Aravind Adiga or Tim Winton or Janet Evanovich. Still waiting for The Narrow Road to the Deep North to be available at the library.