In the garden

It's an absolutely splendiferous day today - perfect clear blue skies, a nice gentle breeze, low 20s, so I'm out in the garden getting rid of little and big weeds, doing some pruning, and listening to a variety of BBC podcasts (so far we've had my favourites - the News Quiz and Kermode and Mayo Film Review). Soon I might have to move on to my audio French course, and I'm sort of hoping someone will walk past the She-Oak saying 'bonjour' or the grevillia is enquiring after their health and respond.

When I garden, I'm not a dainty-plant-and-water-pretty-little-things-while-wearing-ladylike-gloves kind of girl, I like to dig holes and get rid of tree stumps, and jump shovels into the (very solid) ground. I consider gardening a form of exercise rather than recreation... I'm hoping to find something that requires the pick-axe.

This little guy was just hanging about on the tree. He's actually brown, but the leaves have turned him green. I've seen a lot of skinks around, living the high-life in a currently cat-free, sunny villa, plus a few blue tongues (although they didn't come out so well in the photos). It's only 2pm, I may find a humdinger of a shot to replace this one, but I kinda like it.

In other news, there are planes speeding overhead, and boats zooming out on the river - it's Regatta Day. Traditionally a day of boating fun, it now has accompanying rides, show bags, entertainment and other stuff, but is still free to get in. It's a public holiday in Hobart, at some point this afternoon there should be some fancy plane flying, followed by people jumping out of planes and spinning around in a fancy way. I remember going down to the regatta grounds with my Dad and brother when I was a kid to watch them, still do occasionally. Or we watch the little floating dots cruising from the sky from our house. I think it shall have to be the latter today - I've got something on this afternoon, so don't have time to head down to watch up close. Still, a beautiful day in the sunshine and fresh air, surrounded by little scurrying creatures, with good listening, all in all a pretty fine way to spend a day.

(Although I must say the garden spider I found on my computer when I came in a short while ago didn't make me so happy. I am now wondering what other creatures have hitched lifts on me...)