The 10 year old has been good at keeping me honest, she said I couldn't buy the 50c water sprayers at the supermarket - you know the type you use to spray concoctions on your plants to keep the bugs and black spot away. Mostly I haven't missed buying things, however, it's a strange feeling saying to myself that I can't. A bit like giving up smoking, buying stuff we like can be such a reflex action, used to lift our spirits or distract us from our thoughts. I most probably wouldn't have bought anything much so far but there's a niggling feeling I'm missing out - I think it will fade as the month goes on.
I have also posted on my Blog everyday as part of Tinniegirl's Blogtober, and have been trying to continue the Spring Clean my sister began. I am almost at 100 posts so it's time to celebrate.
Now the Giveaway bit. Once I went to a garage sale, and found a whole box of prints of beautiful parrots. It was the end of the day, and the garage sale sellers just wanted to get rid of them, so they sold me the lot. I looked at them, admired them, and then put them downstairs in our mega junk room. My sister found them during the big clean up and helped me put some of them in frames, replacing the tired faded prints I had in them. They are on beautiful paper and exquisitely painted with water colours. After a little research I have discovered they were painted by Jacques Barraband for François Le Vaillant's Histoire Naturelle des Perroquets. I'm assuming they're reprints of the original as they seem in far too good condition to be old. They both sound like fascinating characters and worth studying http://www.audubonhouse.org/barraband/barraband.cfm
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2009/04/19/penny-olsen-francois-le-vaillants-histoire-naturelle-des-pe
Some of Francois' parrots have never been recorded in nature.
If you would like a parrot print for your house let me know your favourite colour and make a comment on this post before the 27th October 2011 - can't promise I can match a parrot to all colours but I will try. I will give away two prints, this competition is for Australian residents only due to the cost of postage, sorry. Actually I take that back - I think I can cut down some of the parrots to an A4 version which wouldn't be too expensive to post - so if your overseas and would like a smaller print let me know.
I am about to go through some seeds and will choose some of them to give away as well - a bit cheaper to post. I know I have a lot of beans and Giant Russian Sunflower seeds. Anyone overseas is welcome to enter for these if their quarantine laws will allow it.
Winners will be randomly drawn on the 28th October 2011. Good luck.
For more Blogtober giveaways visit Curlypops .