i'm grateful for . . . 'flower festivals & eye candy'

Greetings all,

Spring means one major event in Canberra . . . Floriade, the glorious flower festival.  It's free entry during the week days & i try to go once a week, on my own, with children, meeting a friend . . . it's just so relaxing.

It opened to today & the weather was Spring perfection.  It runs for weeks so the flowers have a chance to bloom & the 'art' changes.  It's magical, right on the edge of Lake Burley Griffin with all sorts of activities, demonstrations, sculptures & a wine bar.

 I love impasto art, i painted like this for the HSC & scored full marks!!

 During the weekdays, school choirs & bands play, you can bring a picnic or wander the flower displays, listening to the music.  Be careful to dodge the tourists with their cameras.

 Jamie Durie fans, here is some eye candy for you - he's designing the gardens around a new 'lifestyle experience' in Canberra.  He was really friendly & as celebrities do, position themselves for photo opportunities - assuming i was going to launch my children at him for a snap - alas no, i had to say "sorry, they just really need the toilet."  This stripper-turned-celebrity-gardening-entrepreneur was unflappable, kindly giving us directions to the nearest demountable toilet block "behind the pine trees" to which my husband said "the children can just go behind the pine trees. we'll say Jamie said it was Ok??"  Laughs were exchanged, i thanked him for being so informative about the amenities & we parted ways.  

 There was a short queue at the Petting Zoo & very friendly staff, with plenty of animals to cuddle.  The children thrilled the handlers naming all the different types of chicken breeds.

 Then we trotted back to the car & off to collect our high schooler from a Volleyball referring course, she qualified & everything.   

Notice the jackets??  Glorious sunshine & 8C at midday, welcome to Spring in Canberra!!

For more Gratefuls, visit Village Voices, love Posie