Memories and Mud

PORTFOLIO :::::::: INSTAGRAM Hi, I'm Rachel. *waves hello* This is my visual diary and home of inspiration.   TYPOLOGY OF BOOTHS streetviewscenes ::::: eyespystreetnames

[memoriesandmud]

My afternoon was full of surprises. Outside of Central station I bumped into a lady (Mary), whom I had first met two years ago while I was collecting litter in the car park at my local shopping centre. During our five minute conversation about the earth and humanity she told me that I have a great spirit and that good things will come my way. I then bought a copy of the Big Issue from a vendor who had just started his job a week ago. He told me that I have a nice smile and we chatted about volunteer groups in the Brisbane area and housing affordability. On my walk home I picked some herbs from a verge garden, patted two cats, bumped into a family friend, picked a sprig of Leptospermum petersonii (lemon-scented teatree), harvested a Monstera deliciousa fruit from a neighbour's plant and received four ripe passionfruit from a random neighbour who lives around the corner from me.

[memoriesandmud]

Deconstructed rainbow.

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There's no such thing as normal.

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#bneopenhouse is just around the corner! Have you sorted out your itinerary yet? I'll be volunteering at the ABC Studios. See you there! Tote bag design printed by The Print Bar. :: #volunteer #brisbane #unlockbrisbane #volunteeringqld

[memoriesandmud]

Pastel aesthetics on my way to UQ this morning for the volunteer expo.

[memoriesandmud]

Are you tired of receiving junk mail? Buy or make a 'Please, No Junk Mail', 'No Advertising Material' or 'Australia Post Mail Only' sign and place it on your letter box. If you continue to receive junk mail, contact and complain to the Distribution Standards Board by submitting an online form on their website (www.catalogue.asn.au/complaint) or calling 1800 676 136. In the case of small local companies that use letterbox marketing, you may be better off contacting them directly to resolve the issue. If you see junk mail on the ground, contact your local council or alternatively contact the Litter and Illegal Dumping Unit on [email protected] or 13 74 68 (Queensland residents only). You must provide the name of each junk mail catalogue or leaflet received, the date you received the junk mail and the address of your premises to ensure that compliance action can be taken. Remember: paper and cardboard junk mail can be recycled, but not the plastic wrap it comes in. Be sure not to include the plastic wrapping in your kerbside recycling bin! #tidyaussie #nojunkmailplease #keepqueenslandbeautiful #keepaustraliabeautiful #refusereducerecycle #paperlessmail #mail #junkmail #Australia #Brisbane #letterbox

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- one of the many juicy, homegrown navel oranges from my grandparents' backyard

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Flowers are delivered on Thursday mornings at my local nursing home and I volunteer to help arrange and distribute them on a weekly basis to the dining, activity and reception areas. Today there were a few leftovers so I handed them out to residents and took a few home for myself, too (with permission of course)! My suggestion for a compost bin has also been approved so now all dead flowers and cuttings can be given a second life.

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Xanthostemon chrysanthus (Golden Penda) spotted in my neighbourhood. The species name is derived from the Ancient Greek words chrysos "golden" and "anthos" flower. #Brisbane #knowyourplants #GoldenPenda

[memoriesandmud]

My sister and I halved an African cucumber on Saturday afternoon.

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Mt. Tamborine is a beautiful place to explore!

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My neighbour has had this monstereo (aka Monstera deliciousa) plant in her backyard for as long as I can remember (over 20 years). It's a flowering plant native to tropical rainforests of southern Mexico and is commonly grown for interior decoration in public buildings and as a houseplant (their large glossy heart-shaped leaves are quite attractive, I must say). The plant is a member of the Araceae family and is an epiphyte, meaning it grows harmlessly upon another plant, typically a tree (in this case, a palm). It derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain and sometimes debris accumulating around it. As a child I always thought the fruit (shaped like a green ear of maize with hexagonal scales) was 'gross' and icky because when the scales popped off as they ripened in newspaper, the pungent odour became more and more noticeable. Consequently, I have never actually eaten a monstereo fruit before. Considering the fact that I am so passionate about eating locally grown produce, I will certainly try eating one this year, when they eventually ripen. Also, apparently they taste like pineapple - yum!

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Earlier this year in January, my father bought be a raised garden kit for my birthday because he knew how much I wanted to grow a herb garden. A few days later we assembled the kit (there were 6 possible sizes, we chose the 2x1.5m option for optimum planting area) and then over the following days layered the bed with wood chip, compost, horse manure, shredded paper and leaf litter. After about a fortnight, we then added two bags of potting mix as well as a sprinkle of blood and bone, then a few days later I then planted out one of three rosella shrubs that I received from Lesley, placing it in a corner (there weren't many other areas to put it in the garden and I figured that the shrub would have plenty of space to thrive). Last week we finally purchased and planted the intended residents: parsley, basil, lemongrass, nasturtium, sage, stevia, oregano, marjoram, thyme, curry plant and coriander. I decided to plant the mint in pots as I know they are territorial by nature. There are also a few potted sweet potatoes (you can eat the leaves from their vines by the way) and a sunflower. Elsewhere in the garden we have rosemary and lavender too! I look forward to watching everything grow and creating flavoursome meals, snacks and beverages in the bear future! Oh and the random post on the left is for the rain gauge.

[memoriesandmud]

Today's lunch: carrot sticks and homemade hummus, an apple, grapes and homemade muesli bar(s). The lunchbot containers were purchased from Biome Eco Stores. Not pictured: my metal water bottle.

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I stumbled across this book last week while at my local library and as soon as I read the blurb, I knew I had to loan it out. I'm currently just past the halfway mark and have learnt so much that I think I may need to re-read the entire book once I am finished, so that I can take down a few notes! The blurb on the back reads as follows: 'Greg Foyster quits his job in advertising and decides to live more simply. Looking for inspiration, he and his partner Sophie cycle from Melbourne to Far North Queensland (via Tasmania, naturally) scouting out ideas. Preposterously unprepared, they are propelled by the inspiring and eccentric characters they meet along the way - from a forest activist living up a tree to an 18th-century woodsman and a monk walking barefoot through Queensland. Featuring eye-opening encounters with DIY downshifters and leading figures in sustainability, 'Changing Gears' is a jaunty adventure that explores an important question for the future: can we be happier with less?

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A little colour for the kitchen.

[culturenlifestyle]

[elittxr]

@quartzbones