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I am quite glad to have an opportunity of writing to you. I fancy I have got so much to communicate that I scarcely know which subject to commence first. I received your very nice letter when the drays came back from Sydney. I assure you I was very proud of it, and Maggie thought herself quite a big lady because she had got a letter from you. She kissed it over and over again, and went about showing it to every one.
I am making a basket of cardboard, which I intend to present to Mr Ranken; it is nearly finished. I have painted an Indian tare on the one side, and that pretty blue flower called native flax on the other. On one end I have put a little purple aster and on the other I have sketched the Dell in the Bush, which I intend to paint. I think it will look very pretty. Miss Willis paints all the native flowers we can find for copies for us. If I have time I shall endeavour to take one from nature to send to you. I am getting on very well with the guitar, and can play several long pieces, besides three pretty waltzes and the accompaniments for three songs. I assure you I never look off the book now when I am playing. [179]
Miss Willis took a great deal of trouble with me at first. I am so glad I can do it now.
I write a long letter every week: it is sometimes three pages and sometimes four. I wish you were here to read them; I think they would amuse you, there is something about you in nearly every one of them. In the one for this week I have you lost in the bush with Margaret, Miss Willis and me, at Hunter's River, where we are supposed to be on a visit to Aunt Ogilvie, after having spent a month in Sydney with Aunt Mcleod. I have written to her after going to Hunter's river: the letter this week is in answer to one I imagined Nancy to have written to me. [...]
Mamma is very busy getting trees planted out. She hopes you do not forget to collect all the seeds you can find for her. Our garden looks very well at present. There has been a great deal of rain. We have plenty of green peas, and all kinds of vegetables. The fowls are not laying, so I am little use as a hen-wife.
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