The Changing Seasons: July 2018

/ Su Leslie
Early morning light behind the Tor at Waiake Beach, Auckland. Su Leslie 2018 Morning. The Tor, Waiake Beach, Auckland, NZ. Su Leslie, 2018

July is proving to be a very inward-looking month. From my photos, it would seem that pretty much all I’ve done is sew, eat and walk on beaches and in gardens.

The sewing started in June, with the “Art Matters” tote I made (supposedly just to hold paints and brushes). It got such a positive reaction from people I seriously considered the economics of making some commercially (not viable). But since I had a stash of fabric and image-transfer paper, I made a few more for friends, and then thought I could do more for going plastic-free if I had a bunch of other totes. The library bag followed, and then some simple calico bags that scrunch up small enough to carry around, and after that a holdall for all the stuff (notebook, pens, glasses, iPad, phone, etc) I carry from office to living room so I can work in either. My journal is filling up with more ideas and designs and I think I am officially obsessed.

Image: Su Leslie
Art Matters. Riffing on the theme. Su Leslie 2018
… something to carry my library books back and forth in. Su Leslie, 2018
iPad sleeve. Su Leslie 2018
Portable work-place. Su Leslie 2018
Weekend craft project; my new tote bag. Su Leslie 2018
Fruits of my labour. Image: Su Leslie
Ornamental kale, Domain Wintergardens, Auckland. Su Leslie 2018
Late afternoon, Lucas Creek from Greenhithe Wharf. Su Leslie, 2018
Morning walk, Waiake beach, Auckland. Su Leslie 2018
Coveting my neighbour’s camelia hedge. Su Leslie 2018
Domain Wintergardens, Auckland. Su Leslie, 2018
Domain Wintergardens, Auckland. Su Leslie, 2018
Domain Wintergardens, Auckland. Su Leslie, 2018
After the storm, Pt Chevalier Beach, Auckland. Su Leslie 2018
After the storm, Pt Chevalier Beach, Auckland. Su Leslie 2018
The Tor, Waiake Beach, Auckland. Su Leslie 2018
Domain Wintergardens, Auckland. Su Leslie, 2018

I’ve already shared so many food photos this month, I’ll leave you with this shot and the question: what did I make with these ingredients?

img_2870 “mystery box challenge” (ok, I’m watching MasterChef Australia on TV). Su Leslie 2018

About The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly challenge where bloggers around the world share what’s been happening in their month.

If you would like to join in, here are the guidelines:

The Changing Seasons Version One (photographic):

  • Each month, post 5-20 photos in a gallery that you feel represent your month
  • Don’t use photos from your archive. Only new shots.
  • Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them

The Changing Seasons Version Two (you choose the format):

  • Each month, post a photo, recipe, painting, drawing, video, whatever that you feel says something about your month
  • Don’t use archive stuff. Only new material!
  • Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so others can find them.

If you do a ping-back to this post, I can update it with links to all of yours.

UPDATE

Be sure to check out how these other bloggers have experienced July

Max at Cardinal Guzman: Version #1 and Version #2

Deb at The Widow Badass Blog

Marilyn at Serendipity, Seeking intelligent life on Earth

Joanne at My Life Lived Full

Tracy at Reflections of an Untidy Mind

Sarah at Art Expedition

Ladyleemanila

Tish at Writer on the Edge

Pauline at Living in Paradise

Klara

Mick at Mick’s Cogs

Ruth at Ruth’s Arc

Jude at Under a Cornish Sky

Yvette at Priorhouse Blog

Ju-Lyn at All Things Bright and Beautiful

78 thoughts on “The Changing Seasons: July 2018”

  2. Beautiful photos and totes, Su. Even if you made the bags for special friends only, they would be treasured gifts that give you the joy of making (and getting your obsession out of your system…LOL!) Looks like you made a noodle dish with those ingredients, but I couldn’t tell you what it would be called.

    Deb

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    • Thank you Deb. I have been gifting the totes, and it is lovely when friends respond with such enthusiasm. My son’s girlfriend was telling me how she makes sure everyone can see the “Art Matters” image when she’s using hers. 🙂

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  3. Your totes are fab. I carry a couple of cotton bags in my handbag ‘just in case’. I love the idea of different ones for different purposes. Library. Veggies. Beach.
    Your photos are sooo lovely, I can think of nothing better than visiting beaches and gardens in winter if the weather allows. Nice and quiet. As for the meal, well I suspect some kind of Asian prawn dish using those fruits I have never heard of and have already forgotten the name of! But I bet it tasted nice. All your recipes look fabulous. I have been too hot and lazy to cook this week. I cannot be bothered.

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    • Thank you Jude. 🙂
      I really don’t envy you the hot weather. Even my mum, who usually thrives in the heat, has taken to staying indoors in the shade.
      I hadn’t realised that all my walks (certainly the camera-carrying ones) this month have been on beaches and nosing around gardens. Both definitely my happy places when they aren’t full of kids and tourists.
      The nice thing about the dish I made (photos to come — Yuzu in the dressing) was that the only actual cooking took about five minutes (the noodles and the prawns). 🙂

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  5. I’ve been trying to figure out what I like about your pictures and finally realized they are cool, in the sense of “not hot.” You don’t over-saturate, so everything has a relaxed look to it. I have gotten so used to over-saturated photography when I finally see good work that is cool, it makes me happy. Even the bright flowers are not overwhelming. Everything is just lovely.

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  12. I would love to be one of your special friends that received one of those totes. I think they are so attractive. Wow end of month already, will have to do a look back for the changing seasons post. Be back soon…

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  14. They’re gorgeous, Su, totes, photos, et al. The totes are something I’d definitely use and I’m sure your friends love them. I laughed at the mystery basket reference, as we enjoy watching “Chopped” here. I’m always amazed at what the chefs come up with and how quickly they do so.

    janet

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    • I hadn’t heard of “Chopped”, but having googled it, it looks like a fun programme. I love the idea of having to create something using all the ingredients. In Aus Masterchef, they can choose how many, and which ones, to incorporate in their dishes. Chopped is much more challenging.

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  18. Wow! That row of totes is so impressive! You really have been a very busy bee this month! And I think you know just how much I love the Art Matters bag. 😉
    And your portable office is so beautiful too! I would always find a reason to go from one room to the other just to wear it! 😄
    And the beaches are breathtaking and I would do much love to jump into the sea right now – it’s unbearably hot here, even at night which is worse.
    And it seems my dinner really was too small today as I can’t stop imagining eating your food! 😂 Yum yum prawns! 🍤😄 xxxxxx

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  19. We went plastic-free many years ago and I always carry a supply of reusable bags in my car. NONE of them are as pretty as your’s. It seems to me you are using your time very creatively – sewing, cooking, photography – it’s all wonderful.
    I love the beach photos especially the ones you labelled ‘after the storm’. Dramatic cloud formations will catch my eye every time!

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    • Thank you; creativity is my drug of choice. Once I start doing stuff, it is easy to become addicted. I admire your plastic-free history. I try, and have got better at taking responsibility where I can. But so many shops here over-package stuff and default to single-use bags. Think we may have reached a tipping point though; China has stopped taking our waste plastic for recycling and we’ve suddenly woken up to find we’re living under a mountain of plastic waste.

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      • I haven’t seen any stats on the reduction of plastic bags here. I’d like to believe it’s a lot. I particularly like the stores that have switched to paper bags again, but quite frankly I like using the reusable bags. They’re bigger and hold more stuff.

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        • Paper bags here seem to be the preserve of the high-end grocery stores (at least so far).
          I have (finally) discovered mesh bags for produce that can be used for the whole “life-cycle” of the purchase from shop to fridge. Yay. Small pleasures.

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          • 😀 That sounds good. I’ve seen fabric coated in beeswax and other stuff that’s a re-usable plastic-wrap replacement. It’s quite expensive here, but I keep finding recipes for it, so I was thinking I’d buy some and if it’s as good as I’m told, then I’ll make some more. Then I could colour-code it and devise an over-complicated classification system that would make the librarian in me really happy.

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          • HAHAHAHAHA!!!!

            I did a search online and found some – you’re right. They are expensive, but I’m quite willing to give them a try. I’m secretly appalled at the amount of plastic garbage we generate.

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    • Thank you Tracy. I did buy some thin mesh for produce bags, but am not looking forward to sewing with it. Then of course, I also discovered I can buy packs of them in different sizes quite cheaply. Still, I will try and make a few.

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    • We antipodeans are a bit less prone to theatrical gestures generally I think, although MC Aus has had its moments. Each season runs for so long that people’s quirks and language ticks become a bit tiresome. The Big T knows he can wind me up with one host’s endlessly repeated phrase “the garden is in play.” Someone suggested a drinking game based on catch-phrases, tears, and “is it over/under-cooked” moments. I don’t think my liver could cope.

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      • I live with a bag freak. But sewing is not her thing thankfully as she has many other ‘things’. I saw comments above on Master Chef. I have difficulty with all of those types of shows but especially Columbaris, who underpays his staff. Mind you, the underpaying of restaurant and cafe staff is an epidemic over here. So maybe George is just following suit. We have a great show over called ‘War on waste’ Its Australia centric so you may not be seeing it. Its fantastic. I have heard you NZers are all over us with recycling anyway.

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        • I read about how his staff were being under-paid. I think you’re right about generally shitty wages in hospitality — and not just in Aus.
          We don’t get ‘War on Waste’ here, but I wish we did. We may promote ourselves as “clean and green” but that’s a long way from the truth. We’ve finally had to start facing facts with recycling now China has stopped taking our waste to be recycled there. And as for other forms of waste …. don’t get me started. 🙂

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