I’m sitting in a blissfully quiet house, comfy on my bed with the windows flung open to catch even a hint of a breeze on this hot-as-blazes-still-before-the-storm afternoon.

Bear and I went out earlier to make sure everyone was fed and watered, and now he’s off running errands, the animals are all snoozing or ambling lazily, and all I hear are gentle little songs from the wild birds that thrive here – fairy wrens, woolly wagtails, grass parrots, rainbow lorikeets, and more.

It’s wonderful to be home again after a treasured little jaunt to Brisbane with two grandmas I adopted for the night. We went to an Andre Rieu concert and had an absolute ball. They’re both disabled at the moment, so I had one on each arm as we inched our way slooooowly across parking lots and lobbies and hotel rooms and loading ramps and finally into our seats. I haven’t laughed so hard in ages as the two of them teased each other mercilessly and threatened to “show a shapely leg” and bust out into the can-can. I saw the young women they once were as they laughed and cried and swooned through the music, hands clasped to their chests in raptures as they sang along, clapped, and held hands with strangers, turning the disabled section into a jubilant party. It makes me tear up even now as I think of them, revisiting the music of their youth, regaling me with stories of long ago dances and concerts and beautiful dresses. Such a magical night.

Now I’m home again, heart full of memories of wondrous music and epic performances, so thankful for these moments that make life so marvellous.

I love going on adventures and love coming home again to my gardens and animals and very own bed, and Bear – who listens with a big smile to my exuberant stories.

I wandered through my gardens after work this morning, so excited to see artichokes blooming!!! I’m a huge artichoke fan and can’t wait to cook up these beauties. Some will be steamed then dipped, petal by petal, into creamy, garlicky mayonnaise, others will be roasted, Roman-style, with lemon, garlic, mint, and white wine.

The asparagus is flourishing too – a new crop of spears every morning.

I picked a lovely big bundle and will roast some of them with green beans for a cold salad tossed with a fresh tarragon vinaigrette and shredded roast chicken, and others with plenty of Parmesan cheese that will crisp up marvellously in the oven.

And now I must get back to my kitchen. I’m cleaning out the pantry – making room for homemade pasta, bottles of black raspberry liqueur, absinthe, and Sambuca, and jars of preserves – and the fridge so I have somewhere to store all the good things coming out of my gardens. And laundry. Yes, mustn’t forget the laundry.

What’s the best soul-stirring music you’ve listened to lately? xo