very good things

Some recent flickr favourites:

1. floral lingerie, 2. Ruby Red, 3. antelope et steak, 4. Liberty Spots, 5. Sisters, 6. progress., 7. plusquilttop, 8. they're lit, 9. Bondi Bay, Sydney, 10. Tabi and Zouri footwear, 11. pink weeping ume blossom inokashira.jpg, 12. yellow, 13. japanese anemone, 14. the first sakura at fukuoka castle, 15. sakura, 16. Hooty owl zipper pouch, 17. film.171, 18. Russian doll keyring for my sister, 19. upon reflection..., 20. Pencil Roll, 21. plum flower in snow, 22. kitchen, 23. mieze2.0_standing, 24. Radical Tree, 25. Peg Bears - Up Close

Based on these, it seems I am attracted to photos of flowers, handmade toys and patchwork. And bright colours.

Some other things that I'm enjoying this week and looking forward to:

1. New edition of Mixtape - mine came last week and it is fabulous. Small and light enough to read while breastfeeding, which is a distinct bonus.
2. I found a great new blog, I Heart Japan. Melissa writes about the kind of quirky, fabulous things that I really miss about Tokyo.
3. I love the Radio National First Person readings. This recording of Walking Life's Glorious Adventure by Tara June Winch (only available as a podcast until next week, but you can also read it online here) is beautiful. The way she writes about her daughter's first steps made me shiver: "From that first contraction, to that first step, to the end of our days - I will continue to let you go, to let you walk alone." She catches the bittersweetness of watching a baby grow up so perfectly... a good one to read/listen to for mothers' day.
   
4. The current First Person book is anthropologist Liza Dalby's memoir about living in Japan, East Wind Melts The Ice. I've been listening to it online while watching Ali or knitting. And the next one is going to be The Pillow Book, which I've been meaning to read for ages.
5. More stuff for Japanophiles - this exhibition on Taisho Chic starts at the AGNSW later this month. I can't wait.
6. The Hope Street Markets are on next weekend in Paddington. I haven't been before, but they look really good so Ali and I will be checking them out.
7. Kluster online zine. Such cool formatting! Great content too.
8. There is a Cat Rabbit exhibition  at Ruban Rat Newtown from this weekend. Another one I definitely want to have a look at. Based on the photos I've seen on Flickr it looks very cool.

That's all for now... hope you have a great weekend and that all the mums have a lovely mothers' day.